“Woah, Dane. I don’t even know exactly what I need right now, so just slow down a bit. Let’s just play it by ear, okay? We’ll see how coffee at The Planet with the gang goes tomorrow and just take it from there, alright?

“That sounds perfect…it’s just…okay, I don’t want to question a good thing, but I have to ask. Where’s this all coming from? I mean, between yesterday and this afternoon, I just as well figured that you hated me and wanted nothing to do with me ever again.

“Dana, I could never hate you.”

“You sure about that?” she asked with a bit of disbelief underlying her words.

“Well, I admit that I tried. But you’re my best friend, that never changed. I was hurt and I still am. And a part of me is still angry with you, but I don’t want to carry around that grudge anymore…it’s just too heavy.”

Dana couldn’t help but smile up at her gratefully. With just a few words it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of Dana’s shoulders as well. And for the first time in a long time, she felt that things just may be alright between them.

“And don’t worry, I promise not to mention anyone’s peeper ever again.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Pieszecki.”

They both laughed. And Alice had to admit that it felt good. It felt almost…normal. But then she caught Dana staring at her intently, almost to the point of admiration, and their eyes locked and neither was able to turn away. And suddenly, all of the emotions Alice had tried to suppress for the sake of “friendship” came flooding back to the surface and she started wondering what it would be like to reach out and touch her again. But alas, she quickly caught herself, turning away and standing up abruptly.

“Okay, I should probably be going.”

Dana wasn’t sure what had just happened, but it was as if Alice turned some switch off and was able to revert back into being distant again. Maybe this was just too much for her. Or maybe she didn’t understand that Dana truly regretted the way she went about things. She couldn’t just let Alice walk out without making sure things were still going to be okay.

“Wait, Al. I just want you to know how truly sorry I am, for everything. I never meant to—”

“It’s okay, Dane, I get it.”

“But, I—”

”I really should be going.”

“But Al, I think we should probably talk about this…”

“Baby steps, Dane. Baby steps.”

Defeated, Dana nodded and summoned up the best reassuring smile that she could.

“Okay, I get it.”

Making her way over to the front door, Alice smiled once more at the athlete and said goodbye. Dana quietly closed the door behind her, silently questioned why the writer refused to discuss the breakup with her. But after a few moments, she gave up the futile task after convincing herself that she should just let it be for now and be grateful for the newfound hope she had.  

‘After all,’ she thought, ‘I may even get my best friend back.’