“Of course,” Tina said sarcastically said. “That’s why I’m in the dorm next to the one you’re supposed to be at, kissing the girl that will reside here.”

“What the fuck is that about? How old is she?”

“18,” Bette finally spoke up. “And what’s it about? That I love her and she loves me and we’re not about to cheat on each other and hurt each other deeply, like some of us in this room. Now, I would appreciate it if you just left because really, you’re annoying.”

Eric frowned his eyebrows. “Listen, I’m not gonna let some 18-year-old tell me what to do. I’m the adult here, so I’m staying here for as long as I want!”

“No, you’re not,” Tina interfered. “You’re leaving now or we press charges for stalking.”

“I’ve got enough of the two of you anyway. But wow, Tina, I’d never have thought you were a fucking dyke! You enjoyed sex so much!”

Tina blushed, angry that Bette had to hear this. “And I still do, only a million times more this time.”

“Eric!” A disembodied high-pitched voice sounded. “Are you coming?”

Eric turned around, mumbled something about getting back to his girlfriend and left. Both Bette and Tina were silent for a while. It seemed as if his appearance had changed the entire atmosphere, as if the tension was tangible.

“So, I guess that’s an ex?”

Tina swallowed. “Yeah. I was with him for five years. He was my first boyfriend and he was four years older than me. I was young and naïve, I adored him. I looked up to him and everything he did. He was succesful, handsome, smart, smooth… you get the picture. I loved him so much and I was convinced he was the man of my life, the father of my future kids, the man I would grow old with. God, I was stupid,” Tina slumped down. 

“We started dating when I was 17, he was a friend of my brother’s.”

“I didn’t know you have a brother.”

“He’s in the navy. I don’t see him very much. We’ve never been a tight family, really. Anyway, Eric was a friend of Dean’s and I met him when he came over. We started dating and when I was 21, he proposed to me. I wanted to wait til I got a job, because I knew some of Eric’s more conservative views. I didn’t want him to try and turn me into some housewive. How ironic… the big conservative cheated on me with a woman who was ten years older. Now, he’s with a girl who is thirteen years younger.

Man, my heart was broken and I thought I wouldn’t survive. I really was suicidal for a while, and then I met Tim. We were never a couple, despite what the students thought,” Tina grinned. “They think we don’t know. Tim had just done a very nasty discovery as well – his girlfriend with his boss. We both were convinced we’d never be in a relationship again. But we could talk about it and we became best friends.”

Tears had emerged from Tina’s eyes. Bette pulled her closer and kissed Tina’s temple. She knew that Tina didn’t cry because she still loved Eric, but because the old hurt came back.

“Bette Porter!” A girl’s voice interrupted them. Bette looked up in horror, recognising the sound.

“Emily!”

Tina looked up. “Emily Mulholland?” 

“Ms Kennard?”

“No, an alien pretending to be her,” Tina sighed. “I’m sorry if I’m rude, Emily, but could you please leave? We just ran into someone we both would rather forget.”

“Sure,” Emily frowned her eyebrows, confused. “I’m in the dorm next to you, Bette. On the left. What a coincidence!”

“What is it with this room and our exes barging in? Talk about your past getting back at ya…” Bette sighed when Emily had left.

“So now you’re in between my ex’s new girlfriend and your ex?”

“Yup. Sandwiched.”

“Tell me again why I insisted on you staying on campus?”