Alice‘s thoughts were interrupted an hour later by Dana herself. The personalized ring tone for her friend played from Alice‘s bag which was beside the couch, just out of arms reach. Of course, sensing a challenge, Alice stretched her arm over to her bag, not willing to put in the effort of getting up out of her comfortable position. Her fingertips just reached the bag as her whole body turned and fell of the couch.

“OH ***** it,” Alice cried as she grabbed her mobile and stayed in her position in a huddle on the floor.

“Al are you alright?”

“What? Yeah, yeah I’m fine. I-I just um, tripped,” Alice replied unconvincingly.

“You fell off the couch didn’t you?” When Dana’s question wasn’t answered she started to laugh. “You really need to stop being so lazy.”

“Mhmm,” Alice sounded in an unimpressed manner. “Dane not everyone is as active as you. I could have been meditating for all you know.”

“Were you?” Dana’s question was actually full of sincerity, something which Alice loved about the woman. She never simply regarded something Alice said as a joke, never hurt her feelings by assuming Alice was mucking around.

“Well no. But I could have been.” Alice couldn’t help but smile as she heard Dana laugh once more. “So what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I-uh,” Dana froze up on the phone, unable to remember the speech she had rehearsed for the whole hour beforehand. “I…hmm. I just….”

“Dana stop being so retarded and tell me.”

“I just wanted to know how you’re feeling, you know with Ella and everything.” There. She had said it.

“Fine.” Lie. “It’s a good move for her career and I support that.” Lie.

“Oh ok,” Dana’s heart fell as she heard Alice speak. She knew Alice wasn’t telling her everything, she understood that something was plaguing her and yet wasn’t being given the chance to find out. “I um, I was wondering…. are you going to go with her?” Please say no.

Alice didn’t say anything for awhile. To be honest the thought had never occurred to her. Then again why would it? She never saw Ella as anything particularly serious. Yes she had heaps of fun with her but she didn’t see the two of them growing old together or having a particularly serious relationship. If she went to London though – maybe something serious would happen. Alice knew waiting around for Dana wouldn’t work – the girl had been single for months and not once hinted that she liked Alice as anything more than a friend. And even though Ella wasn’t Dana, she was a lovely person, one who Alice could only grow fonder of.