“Hey, Shane.” Carmen said, not bothering to filter the anger from her voice.

”Yeah, babe?” She let the term of endearment slip out without even thinking of how it would affect Lacey.

“Wanna introduce me to your friend?”

“Oh, uh… Carmen, this is Lacey. Lacey, Carmen.”

“Nice to meet you, Lacey.”

“Yeah. Did I hear her call you babe?”

“Yeah, we’re dating.” Carmen smiled sweetly knowing this wasn’t going to be a good situation.

“Really. Does she know that?”

“She better. It’s only been a year. And she was the one who asked me to marry her… and the one who stood outside my window, screaming my name and telling me that she loved me, so yeah. I like to think that she knows we’re dating.”

“So that’s what you were looking for, huh? Why did you give her a chance and not me?”

“Because, Lacey, I… I don’t know, I just…” Shane couldn’t answer. She could never say for certain why she fell for Carmen there were so many different reasons.

“Was I not hot enough for you?” Lacey asked, tears beginning to spill down her cheeks.

“No, that’s not it. Please believe me, Lacey. It wasn’t you.”

“Right.” Lacey said, turning and running off, the tears now streaming down her face.

“Fuck.”

“Hey, you guys!” Alice yelled, her and the rest of the gang running over. “Oh, my god. Is everything okay? I never meant to lock you in a burning building, or anything.”

“I don’t know. Why don’t you ask Lacey if everything’s okay?” Carmen snapped, turning and walking towards her car.

She knew she had no right to be angry, she knew about Shane’s past and she had assured her several times that she was okay with it. But being faced with a girl who was in love with her girlfriend, just made her seethe.

“You’re being irrational, Carmen.” She thought, opening her car door and getting in. “Pull it together, god damn it!”

Tina placed a hand on Shane’s shoulder as they all watched Carmen’s car disappear into traffic.

”It’s gonna be okay, Shane.” She whispered.

“I hope you’re right.”

“Wow, that was crazy.” Dana laughed as she and Alice got out of Alice’s Mini Cooper and headed towards the door.

“You’re telling me! But how was I supposed to know Lacey worked there?”

“It’s not your fault, baby.” Dana replied, pulling Alice in for a kiss as she pushed open the door.

“Dana?”

Dana and Alice both froze in the kiss. They both knew that voice, nothing good every came from that voice.

“Lara?” Again, they spoke in unison, the shock was almost too much.

“This is some fucked up shit right here.” Alice mumbled, shaking her head.

“Hi.” Lara whispered, her pale complexion streaked with tears. “Can we talk?”