Fan Fiction
This story has been set to a rating of PG-13. Age verification is required to proceed.
Friendship Foundation Chapter 15
Story written on January 20, 2013 by justkeepswimming.
Login to add story to favorites
(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)You need to be a registered member to rate this post.
Loading ...
Tina crumbled the moment the passenger door on Shane’s truck closed. It was as if it was the signal she was waiting for to let all her emotions go.
"Tina, it’s going to be okay," Shane didn’t know how to make Tina stop crying, but more importantly, she had no idea where the tears came from.
"I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing," Tina said between sobs. "Can’t you just drive me back to the Planet to pick up my car and I’ll have my break down in the privacy of my own home?"
"I’m not driving you anywhere right now," Shane said. "What did Bette say that upset you so much?"
They were parked a short walk down the street from Bette’s house. Tina was pressing her hands against her face, trying to keep the tears from falling. She was so embarrassed to be losing it in front of someone she barely knew.
"She said she wanted me. To date me. To…" Tina was trying to get the words out and had to pause. "Why was she all over someone else if she wants me?"
Shane assumed the question was rhetorical and sat in silence. She might not understand the confusion inherent to having this realization as an adult, but she’d certainly witnessed it enough to know it brought out some unique emotions.
"What did you say to her?" Shane asked.
"I told her to go for it," Tina said. "She’s an adult. She’s single."
"You’re an adult. You’re single. You obviously want her too. What’s the problem?"
Shane reduced the situation to its simplest components. Why did women have to think so much?
"We’re friends," Tina said meekly.
"Not for long if you two don’t get your shit together," Shane replied. "Let’s go back."
"I can’t go back looking like I’ve been crying!" Tina said. "That’s so…pathetic."
"Call her," Shane offered the alternative. "Say what you mean, and mean what you say."
Tina sniffled a bit, and pulled a tissue from her purse to wipe her eyes.
Shane tapped Tina lightly on the shoulder and pointed down the street.
"Looks like Krista and her crew are making their way to the next party," Shane noted.
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Woohoo!!! *happy dance*. “Maybe a little of this too.” And longer author’s notes please.
Bette, good decision on your part regarding Krista. Tina…I knew the green-eyed monster was there someplace, holding together until you were able to let go. What a good friend your Shane.
I’m glad Bette sent Krista packing and they talked
Oh well, I was kind of hoping you would explore a different route but this will work too. I think Tina needs to explore relationships with other women. Mthe irst last forever idea is overrated and a bit controlling of an issue. It’s like Bette is gods gift to Tina. There are certain things that you to be on your own to accept. Tina has long figured out what she wants, she needs to come to terms with it and accept it as a part of who she is. I have 100% empathy for Tina in most stories (if hey do her right, and you 🐠 do Tina perfectly), more than anyone on this site. Tina is doing the right thing in protecting herself emotionally, she is a strong woman. Bette on the other hand can have unattached sex, she would’ve had Tina not been there to witness it. The question is, if Bette had known about the break up and the situation presented itself, would she have sent Kristy home or gone for it? Awesome swimmie!
Tina seems to have made a decision. Bette was steered by her moral compass in passing on Krista. Good for her! Just loving this story.
Can’t tell you how much i love this story, the rate of posting and the slow burn. Especially like the slow burn as your story will last longer that way! I know its called the friendship foundation but please explore how that friendship helps them in their relationship, please don’t just stop when they get it together…see i love it that much you have me panicking over when its going to end! Love it!
Really enjoy this story! I knew Tina would be jealous, just as Bette was of Eric. So happy Shane made Tina call Bette and even happier that Bette sent Krista on her way!! PPS!
I’m quite addicted to this story. Loved the update. Now we got the wheels going. Can’t wait for their talk in the morning. Thanks for the speedy updates!
I’m glad Bette didn’t go there with Krista. Don’t be scared Tina.
Great one Swimmie! So happy that Betteused her common sense and sent those people packing. It’s good that Shane had Tina call her and talk, they needed that so they could talk without any barriers(eric) and admit their feelings. Tina still has a way to go before she feels safe with Bette and tht Bette will not break her heart. Lovved the chapter. Thanks for taking the time to post so quickly.
I have to say I’m not surprised by the direction of this post. I had a feeling Tina had some deep feelings and Shane would step in with Yoda wisdom. : ) I’m cutting everyone involved some slack. Human relations and emotions can be quite tricky. Bette and Tina have a lot of exploring to do… talking, and that other type of exploration isn’t bad either. Thanks for the update!
“Say what you mean, and mean what you say.” Pretty good advice from Shane. The lack of avoidable drama has led to some honest dialogue, and what appears to be a decided progression beyond friendship. That fresh start is looking good. Thanks for another great post. :)
Thanks for the quick update. I was feeling like there was no romance in their future but it looks like Tina was just doing some good acting at the party. She had me fooled but I’m glad Bette was able to see through it enough to send Krista packing. Now that Bette has her assurance that Tina is single and interested I’m hoping that Krista, and anyone else who shows interest in Bette won’t stand a chance.
Great update jks. Thank you for revealing more of Tina’s vulnerabilities, inner thoughts, and complexity so that we can enjoy this Tina as well! I think all the characters are perfectly written for that matter but am so glad to see the depth you bring to them, especially Tina. And I knew Bette, as a connoisseur of women, would see beyond the bravado and not take the bait. well I hoped anyway. lol. enjoy the week and if being productive means a multiplicity of posts by all means be productive! thanks for all the posts
Whatever you want Tina. The warning signs are glaring but too late for her. Now I don’t know what I want to happen. I don’t want her to be that vulnerable to Bette but that’s because I love Tina and I can’t help but be protective of her. More than anyone here actually. :P
As I have said before, I love the slow burn in this story and Tina’s very realistic fear of ruining a friendship if the relationship aspect doesn’t work out. “Maybe some of this”…perfect tease for next update! Great update as usual -keep them coming!
The cat in the hat is my favorite! And I really don’t mind how you decide to interpret our fictional characters, as long as you keep writing!
Maybe I’m naive, but why can’t two women who are romantically interested in each other “just sleep”? This is all new to Tina, she needs the comfort of knowing Bette is so close and willing to take the time to just be together. Intimacy will come soon enough. Great job swimmie!
Eh, I’m disappointed in Bette. For sucking on Krista, for blaming this on Tina not telling her about Eric. Please. Bette was suppose to be waiting patiently for Tina. She didn’t. And still isn’t.
I think two people who love each other can sleep together without sex. Especially if they really love each other. I think Bette just wants to comfort Tina and God knows Tina could use some comfort. Frankly, I wish this story would just go on, and on, and on…I love it.
I am with tee girl and the *happy dance* love this story.
Im glad bette kick krista out. Cant wait for next chapter. Great job. Pps
Concerning my comments on the previous chapter: I took Tina’s blase comments at face value, not realizing she was trying to disguise her vulnerability. So, I get raving mad at a fictional characters. My bad! JKS, your excellent storytelling skills made me do it! BTW, Dr. Seuss’ illustrations gave me the creeps when I was little and the repetitous writing drove me up a wall. YMMV, however. You just keep on swimming, JKS. This story is so fine. I think two people on the verge can sleep together and chastely comfort one another. Love is a mystery.
I just love this story and appreciate your frequent posts, as well as your interpretation of the characters and the reflection of each of their vulnerabilities. This story is definitely bringing out the passion which is a testament to your storytelling prowess.
Did they make it through the night with “a little of this too” ? I would guess there would be more conversation before they do finally sleep. This is my third reading, and I’m refreshing the main page for chapter 16. PPPPS! Thanks.
Swimmie, thank you for your words from the writer’s perspective. Muchly appreciated! I love the way you are weaving this story of two women who have met and have developed a friendship and just might realize that this one relationship is more special than any other relationship they have encountered in their lives up to this point. Please, create the story your way because its perfect the way that you do it. Your stories are most excellent to read so thank you from me for creating them the way that you do.
“Say what you mean, and mean what you say.” Thus speaketh Yoda! All kidding aside, everyone should have a friend that can offer that kind of gentle but direct wisdom. I want to second jp22 – I’m also glad to see Tina and Bette being open about their feelings for each other sans unnecessary drama. As always, thanks again for your frequent posts Swimmie. I’m really enjoying your story – and I do mean YOUR story. Those that have issues with it should either STOP reading or better yet write and post their own if they think they can do better – just remember, you reap what you sew. Anyway, back to you Swimmie. I think this site is fortunate to have quality writers such as yourself that take the time to share their talents so freely. Lastly, to Bette & Tina, good luck with that “just sleep” part of things ladies ;0) .
So good
Yes wonderful update thank you
I am with Helsbels. Please explore the friendship foundation. Thank you for posting!
And a question. How old is this Bette? Asking someone to leave your house for no obvious reason usually happens only when people are rather young, right?
I don’t know if anyone will read this far into comments…but here I go anyway. Bette is emotionally vulnerable. In my opinion, and in this story, she uses sex for comfort. She managed to convince herself that Tina could have been with Eric (the day of the pool party) and so wanted to seek comfort in a stranger. More importantly, she is single, she has absolutely no ties to Tina other than friendship (in fact as far as she knows, Tina is in a relationship with someone else…). Not only do we have to remain faithful in our relationships, but now we have to act like a nun to prove we are worthy of a relationship with someone who has made no promises in our direction? That’s holding someone to a higher standard than I would ever expect of myself. When she found out Tina had broken up with Eric, she made a decision to pursue her – to admit her feelings and give in to her vulnerability. Tina is interested in Bette; that much is clear, but most of that is clear to the reader. Not so much to Bette. Tina keeps on espousing the importance of their friendship. And you know what? Sometimes a woman only wants to be friends with you. But sometimes, your timing in admitting wanting more is just off, or you ‘don’t read the signals’ or each party is too scared to admit feelings in an open an honest way. Another important thing to remember is that Tina is discovering a part of her sexual identity that she didn’t know existed before Bette. She’s trying to be very modern and laid back about this discovery, but if you’ve lived even a little bit of your adult life thinking you’re straight and someone enters your life to throw you off course, it’s a major mind fuck.Since it’s obscenely early here, I’ll end my comment for now and get my day started, but…I didn’t have the gumption to mention all this in author’s notes last night. I was frankly more interested in reading Dr. Seuss stories to a person who looks up to me with unconditional love no matter how I decide to interpret the fictional characters that matter to her most.
So I guess if was a good thing that Bette and Krista didn’t happen. But in what world is sharing a bed with someone you clearly have feelings for a good idea? Sleep? Really…that proximity and they’re just going to sleep…. Doubtful and a tad bit masochistic. Great update, but I’m willing to bet my hat earned money that these two don’t make it through the night being so chaste ;-)
Ah…the good ole days of “Green Eggs and Ham”. How could I ever doubt you? Bette and Tina, the fascination…you write them so well. Thank you for this story Swimmie.
I´m seriously hooked! I wish each chapter were 5 pages longer! I just love where you´re taking us with the story! PPS
Great story and writing. Thank you for sharing.
Tina said in a previous chapter that ‘you can’t go wrong with honesty’ … well she should practice that more and life would be a lot less complicated. If their friendship is so meaningful to her then TRUST should already be a big part of the foundation they are building. Whether she is Bette’s friend or lover or both she needs to stop using her manipulative tactics to control Bette’s behavior. Sympathy and empathy for Tina is easy to come by because she is never held to the same moral standards as Bette, and no matter how much Bette is hurt Tina is easily forgiven. Bette has a heart that can easily be broken too, and she is much more vulnerable to Tina than Tina is to her. Bette’s response to her actions at the party was honest and forthcoming, and Tina used it against her. That’s not to say that Bette is off the hook, because she has one thing in mind; getting into Tina’s pants and she’s made it very clear that she gets what she wants. So if using jealousy and comfort, and understanding and friendship and inviting Tina to bed for ‘sleep’ is her game then she’s the master manipulator too. The actually deserve each other so I hope they can make this journey without inviting anymore ‘distractions’ into the relationship.
10 stars.Amazing story.PPS
I enjoy that so many are so passionate about what happens with the characters in this story. I have had some communication with a few people that makes me want to clarify a few things. We can all get caught up in a story line and have opinions about how it should proceed. I’m always happy to entertain suggestions. Having said that, comments of the “wow, do you ever suck at this gig” variety hurt my feelings. If you think it’s a bad story, or is unbelievable, you are cordially invited to cast your gaze elsewhere. Suggestions of something I may have missed are fair game. Tell me about them! I can’t possibly keep track of every twist and turn in a multiple chapter story written over several weeks. I write very stream of consciousness. Sometimes I’ll be very self congratulatory about how I’ve managed to say something and then forget that a character’s words, actions or thoughts will have (or should have) a profound impact on what happens in subsequent chapters. I get so caught up in the wording, that I forget the implications for the story. It’s the technical writer in me, as opposed to the story teller. For that, I apologize. I’m trying to be true to characters as I’ve interpreted them. I’m not trying to give you things to say WTF about. Contrived drama, such as the last few chapters depicted, was intended to make the story more interesting. Anyway. There you go. Hope you keep reading and that your comments keep flowing. They don’t have to be positive – perish the thought. Give me your constructive analysis! – They should be respectful of the fact that I am trying my best given limited time constraints, a real life job and parental/partnership responsibilities and in no way am I hoping someone says … wow. jks sucks
Hey, jks! =) How are you? I’m glad the cloud of confusion has lifted and that they’ve finally acknowledged their feelings for each other. Maybe Tina’s not fully aware yet of what she’s getting into but I’m glad she has decided to follow her heart. For a moment there I thought Bette was only after sex but I’m glad she has deep feelings for Tina and she’s treating her not just as another conquest. I think you’ve firmly established that this story is about the friendship between Bette and Tina and how it is blooming into something else: a probable life-changing relationship. I’m not buttering you up, jks, but you’re doing an excellent job in telling this story. I’d say kudos to you, never you suck. As for Tina’s incessant fear of losing Bette’s friendship if they become lovers too and break up at some point, I think she’ll eventually realize that they’re meant to be more than just friends unlike Bette and Alice and they’ll probably be better lovers because their relationship is forged by their friendship. It’s always a delight to read your frequent posts, jks. Thanks a lot and please write on! Cheers! =)
I’m excited great update