As soon as I realise what I’m doing, I stop it. I think back about what happened. Tina looked so wonderful last night. That guy, Gary, was really lucky. A goofy grin appears on my face. Carmen. Altough – what if she just… no. No, she wouldn’t.

After a while, I heard Tina coming back from the bathroom. 

“I cleaned up a bit,” she says. “But I wasn’t sure where to put somethings.”

“It’s okay. I called Shane, she’ll stick to the story. I called the rest of the gang as well, they’ll be backing us. Your mother sounded pleased you took care of your friend and wasn’t that surprised that Shane had got so drunk.”

“Thank you, Bette,” she smiles. I feel like my insides are melting, she is so cute when she does that. Get lost, Porter. The image of Gary and her dancing so close fills my head. She’s straight.

Carmen comes back to my mind. Tina knows her better than I do, so I just decide to ask her. 

“Do you think Carmen just uses me to make Shane jealous?”

“No, she wouldn’t do that.” 

“But you said she fancied Shane.”

“Well, you are a very hot girl. What if she just likes you a lot?”

Did she just say that? Did she just say I am hot? [i]It doesn’t mean anything, fuck it, Porter![/i]

We talk a bit more. Tina suddenly looks uneasy.

“Is something wrong?” I ask her.

“No, it’s just… I’m sorry to ask you, but where is your dad? What will he say? And shouldn’t I be heading home?”

“My dad and Kirsten, his girlfriend, are still vast asleep. They went out themselves. He won’t mind your presence. No offence, but I don’t think your mom will buy the story with you looking like that.”

“But it’s okay if I stay a bit more than?” 

“Sure.”

…A Few Days Later…

Tina and I have become good friends and I can’t help but feel happy about that. Things with Carmen are great as well, I can’t believe I actually have a girlfirend – let alone one that is that hot.

Normally, we all have lunch together. But when we arrive at the cantine today, Tina waves at somebody, turns to us and says: “If you guys don’t mind, I’m having lunch with Gary.”