It didn’t go unnoticed to Alice the sarcasm in Bette’s tone when she said the word open and did the air quotes.  Alice thought for a moment if she should go on. She was certainly walking over dangerous ground. Bette was with her back on the window of her door, with crossed arms, waiting. Her face was unreadable.  Bette’s attitude had caught her off guard and she knew that their friendship was in danger. And that realization added to the strange way Bette was acting since last week told her everything she needed to know. To Bette, Tina wasn’t just another potential hot *****. After had spent the last few hours with Tina, she could understand why Bette was so impressed with that girl. She wasn’t only hot. She had some kind of magnetism just like Bette.  But while Bette’s magnetism was evident to everyone’s eyes and had to do with physical appealing, confidence, intelligence and power; Tina’s magnetism was discreet and had to do with thoughtfulness.  But had Bette consciously assessed that?

 “Al, we don’t have all night. The security guard will soon ask us if our car is broken. Spill it!”

 Alice thought for a moment before to speak, what was pretty unusual for her. She took a deep breath as if she was gathering courage from somewhere inside her.

 “Well … I don’t know what she thinks about you, but she was probably cold with you or because you are business related with her boyfriend and she doesn’t want problem  or  because she doesn’t like you because she thinks you stepped a boundary when you kissed her and by doing that you acted like an *****. Anyway, I didn’t expect her to keep you less than an arm’s length. And the fact that you always build those walls of a professional fa&#231ade to avoid reveal your true feelings, definitely doesn’t help here.”

 Alice watched Bette intensely trying to pick up her reaction.  But Bette just readjusted her body correctly on her seat and finally started the car. During the short but endless journey to Alice’s apartment none of them said a single word. Instead of the tension, Alice was satisfied with herself.  She have accomplished her goals for the night. She prevented Bette to do some idiot and impulsive move on Tina. She realized why Bette was so obsessed with Tina. She opened a good channel of communication with Tina so she could eventually see Tina’s point of view on the matter and finally her date with Tina had swept Bette of her safe ground what she expect would make Bette rethink her feelings towards Tina. She could say Bette that her ‘date’ with Tina was just friendly.  Tina offered to help her on a article and she asked Tina to have dinner with her afterwards. No second intentions. At least at a romantic level yet she really intended to get to know Tina better to help Bette. She didn’t know if Tina was the type of person that praised fidelity and commitment or she would go after a adventure even if it was just to experiment the ***** *****. But she didn’t want Tina hurt if Bette ‘***** them, leave them’ Porter would just treat Tina like one more conquest.  So she decided to push Bette over the edge, taking away from her the control of the situation, making her jealous and mad. That was the only way she could thought of reaching behind Bette’s walls and see her true intentions. Until then it was working. Bette’s attitudes was revealing to her that she didn’t want just *****, what was her fear when she saw Bette picked up that blonde replacement at Milk. But she still needed to make Bette see that too.  That was why when Bette parked in front of her building, yet without saying a word and avoiding at all cost to make eyes contact with her, she finally spoke, “Bette, I just want you think that Tina is a nice girl and she looks happy with Erick. So, be sure if you want to conquest her for the challenge of bringing another straight girl to our dark side or if you really want a relationship with her. I don’t think she deserves to be just another ***** to you. That said, you are invited to have dinner with us Wednesday, 7:00 pm, at Luigi’s. See ya.”