Dana shook her head fiercely, “Alice, the easiest thing I’ve ever done is love you, but my entire life I’ve had to hide who I am, and because of that I didn’t think I had the ability to express just how much you meant to me.” Dana wiped away the tears that were falling onto her cheeks, “and you deserve somebody who can make you feel the way you’ve always made me feel.”

The numbness Alice had felt earlier was quickly being replaced with anger, “Let me see if I can understand this, you told me that you were in love with somebody else, and completely trashed my life, because you thought I needed somebody who could express themselves better.”

Dana immediately heard the resentment in Alice’s voice, and she also realized how pathetic her insecurities sounded when the blonde repeated them, “I was afraid that in the end I wouldn’t be enough.”

Alice stood up and began pacing, “I can’t believe you Dana, who gave you the right to decide what is and isn’t enough for me.” Alice stopped and looked down at the tennis player, “You’re lying. You’re saying all these things to protect me from the truth.”

“and what truth would I be trying to protect you from?”

“The one where you tell me that it’s impossible to love me forever, because there is something missing inside of me. It’s the reason why my parents never gave a flying fuck about me, and it’s the reason why it was so easy for you to leave me.” Alice closed her eyes trying to control the tears that were streaming down her face.

Dana was horrified. She quickly stood up and tried to wrap her arms around Alice, but the blonde pushed her away with tremendous force, “I don’t need you to protect me, Dana.”

Once again Dana reached out and tried to take Alice in her arms, but the blonde continued to struggle against the brunette’s grip. Dana was not going to let go of Alice; she was going to force the writer to see how much she cared.

Alice felt Dana bury her fingers into her arms, desperately trying to hold onto her. She pushed the brunette with all her strength, but it only caused Dana’s grasp to grow tighter. Alice felt the tides of exhaustion fall over her, and at the very moment her legs collapsed, Dana’s arms won the battle.