With that Alice stepped out the car and started the walk to the front door. At midway she heard Bette call her name and right after she felt a hand on her left shoulder.  She turned to receive the warm embrace of her friend “Thanks Al.” No more words were spoken. No more words were needed. Bette just walked to her car and left.

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             It was almost two in the morning and Tina couldn’t fall asleep.  She was pacing in the living room, in the dark for over an hour maybe. The night had turned out better than she expected.  The fact that Alice was so easy to talk had helped a lot. And as she had previewed Bette Porter had been completely professional. She regretted the cold way she had treated Bette, but she needed to send her, and maybe to herself also, a message that she was not interested in whatever Bette wanted of her.  She was very confused with the manner Bette Porter was treating her, sometimes attentive and flirtatious, sometimes just polite. They didn’t have a lot of chance to talk during dinner, but a lot of times she felt that Bette was glancing at them. And that scared her, because she could feel herself enjoying to be the focus of the attention.   What she couldn’t figure out was what she witnessed in the restroom. Were Bette and Alice a couple? Alice had been introduced as a friend but it seemed that they were arguing. Would Bette being jealous of Alice? Or would Alice had noticed Bette’s glances at Tina? No, it didn’t make any sense.  In fact nothing regarding the way she was reacting to Bette Porter made any sense at all.

            “Hey, trouble to sleep?” asked her roommate Abby between yawns.

            “I’m sorry, did I wake up you?”

            Abby was now in the kitchen taking a glass of water. She came back to the room with two glasses, gave one to Tina and seated on the couch with her legs straight and feet over the table.

            “No, I can sleep with you and Erick having ***** next door, steps are not a problem. I was just thirst.” Abby tapped the couch with her right hand. Come here. Tina went next to Abby and seated the same position as her friend. Abby touched the back of Tina’s head bringing her to rest on her right shoulder.