The tennis player lifter her hand, and reached out to touch the side of Alice’s face, hoping to ease the blonde’s anxiety, but when her hand was only centimeters away from Alice’s cheek, the writer’s head snapped up, and she took a step backwards.

The defeat weighing down Dana’s heart brought her hand crashing to her side. Alice did not want to be touched by her, and the reality that followed that realization settled in the pit of her stomach like a thousand shards of jagged glass.     

Gathering what little strength she had, Alice decided she had to speak, “I know I should have called, but I was wondering if we could have that conversation now?”

Dana nodded her head and opened the door, so the blonde could walk through. Once the two women were situated on the couch, Dana turned her body so she was facing Alice, “I’m not sure how to start, but I promise to tell you anything you want to know.”

Alice could feel Dana’s eyes on her, but she couldn’t bring herself to turn and look at the brunette, so instead she starred at the white wall in front of her, “Where’s Lara?”

Dana had expected the question, but the sharp stab of pain that rapidly spread through her chest was more intense than she could have predicted, “We broke up over a week ago.”

Alice wanted to look into Dana’s eyes after hearing the news, but she feared she would see the same hurt her own reflected, “Why?”

Dana could hear the double meaning in Alice’s question, “because she wasn’t you.”

Dana’s words forced Alice’s gaze to move from the wall to the tennis player’s eyes.

The blonde’s expression was unreadable, so Dana continued her explanation, “I told you I was leaving, because of Lara, but the truth is I was only using her as a distraction, so I wouldn’t have to deal with the real problem.”  Dana felt the familiar burning of tears, “I left because I thought I was incapable of giving you what you needed.”

Alice was numb, and she was happy for that tiny gift, “So the problem was you didn’t, or couldn’t really love me.”