By the time she was finished with her shower, I was just finished picking out the onions and Bette came out in her robe, holding two button-down shirts out on hangers and asking me which one I liked better, despite the fact that they looked exactly the same. I shot her a hateful look for being ridiculous and ate some rice. I don’t think she noticed the hateful look, though, because she was too busy examining her shirts.

“Bette?”

“Hmm.”

“Does… Sunny know about me?”

She glanced at me and then back at the shirts. “Alice, which one?”

“They’re the same.”

“They’re different colors.”

“No, they’re not.” No sooner had I said this than I realized that one of them leaned a little bit more toward lavender, although it still looked white. I shrugged. “Does she?”

“Of course she does. I told her you were moving in. Why wouldn’t I tell her if someone was going to be moving in with me?”

“I don’t know,” I said, hoping I sounded more innocent than sarcastic. “Why wouldn’t you tell the person who’s moving in with you that you’re dating someone?”

Bette didn’t look pleased with my attitude. “I thought I told you,” she said. “I’m sorry. I thought I said something.”

“You didn’t.”

“Well, I thought I did. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?” I blurted. “Bette, we’re roommates. Shouldn’t we have, like, codes? You know, like, if you were gonna bring her back here, shouldn’t I know about it in advance?”

“I-” Bette hung the hangers on the back of one of the dining room chairs and spread her hands apologetically. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t going to take her back here anyway, and I figured you’d be doing something tonight-”

“I am,” I cut her off quickly. “I… Kyle and I are going to a club.” Or at least, we were now.

“See?”

“Still.”

“I didn’t think,” Bette explained. “I’m not used to living with someone, Alice.”

I poked at my dinner, wanting very much to not have to look at her anymore. I heard her sigh again. “Well, you should probably get ready.”