Tinas POV I hate this. He doesnt care, and its blatantly obvious. Yet here I am. Tina Kennard was lying in bed next to her boyfriend, who had just rolled his mass of sweaty limbs to his side of the bed without so much as a goodnight. There she was, staring up at the cold dark expanse of his sealing, holding back her tears of emptiness. She had no idea why she kept doing this to herself. Why did she keep coming back when it was so clear to everyone but herself that Kevin couldnt care less about her? He flirted, cheated, and apologized. And she was his lap dog. Holding back the tears, vowing that she wouldnt cry again, she rolled off of the bed with the crimson sheet wrapped around her firm body. She pulled her clothing off his floor, going through the motions, feeling every bit of dj  vu that passed through her. Tip-toeing through the corridors of his house, she tried not to wake his parents, who were not aware of the fact that she had spent the night. She trotted down the street to where she had parked her red Jetta the night before, and opened the door, barely keeping it on the hinges and she slammed herself in the seat before the tears began to fall. *****. *****. *****. *****. She cursed at herself. I promised myself. Pulling her hair back into a ponytail she checked her watch. 3 am. and let out a sigh as she turned on her car. Almost immediately met with Straylight Runs Mistakes We Knew We Were Making, she had to laugh at the strange coincidence as she drove herself back to her house. Pulling up she noticed that her mother hadnt left the front porch light on. Not that she ever had. But it would have been nice to know that someone realized that she wasnt home, tucked safely in the confines of her girlishly pink painted and ruffled room. Getting out of the car she scraped her feet down the pavement and up the stairs letting herself into her house. Tina didnt bother to get dressed in her pajamas, she fell into bed; jeans unbuttoned and smelling like sweat and *****. Trying almost with more effort than she could muster she looked at the blaring red of the glowing alarm clock on her nightstand. Realizing that she had almost 2 hours of possible sleep before work, she tried her damnedest not to cry into the soft down of her comforter. However she knew that nowadays, thats the only way she knew how to get to the wonderful place of dreams. So she let the tears fall, silently, as to not wake anyone who probably wouldnt care anyway. The salt dripping from her cheeksshe told herself she dared not cry again, but it fell into the pile of the broken promises she carried around daily. 5:00 AM came too quickly for Tina. The alarm blaring in her ear, she rolled over and smacked the ***** out it until it stopped. Pushing herself onto her arms and lifting herself off her stomach, she sat on the side of the bed and glared at her reflection from across the room. Running her hands through her unruly blonde hair, that now was past her shoulders, she removed herself from the bed. Taking 10 minutes out of her morning for herself, she took a hot shower and pulled on the horrible uniform that she had to wear for her shift at the coffee house. Applying a light layer of lip-gloss and eyeliner, she made her way down the hardwood of the steps, expertly avoiding creaks and squeaks of the groaning old wood. She left a note for her mother, who would hopefully wake up sometime before she got home to read it, and pulled out a packet of pop tarts for her 7 year old brother; placing them on the coffee table where she knew he would see them. As thats where he spent most of his summer vacation, parked in front of the television. Slinging her backpack over her shoulder she closed the door quietly and drove to the local Starbucks where she was employed for her summer vacation. The day went by, slowly as usual, as she day dreamt at the cash resister. She prayed the Kevin would stop by. She remembered all the time when he made her feel safe and cared for. But high school was over, and so were the silly requitals of love and forever that went with it, and she scolded herself for becoming so attached, so hopelessly sappy for some jock. Tina Kennard was out of LA as soon as she could possibly afford it, which hopefully would be in September. She had gotten a full-time supper job and an acceptance letter to PSU for the fall. Come autumn, she was heading out for good. Getting roused from her thoughts, Tina was greeted by a familiar smile. One that she had seen everyday for the past few weeks she had been working and over the past four years of high school. The smile of her best friend. It had always managed to pull her out of whatever foul mood she had been in. Bette Porter had a way of making anyone feel like the only on in the room. And Tina lived for that feeling. Bette and Tina had met in freshman year, and had immediately clicked. Although pulled to different social spheres they tried to remain close, sometimes being successful and other times failing miserably. But they had a common understanding, and they knew what high school life was like. Thanks god its over. The both couldnt help but thing. To Bette, Tina was one of the popular girls. Everyone knew her and everyone loved her. She had the perfect clothes, the perfect jock boyfriend, the Prom Queen title; she was blond haired, tanned, and amazing. The perfect LA girl clich. Everything that Bette Porter wasnt. To Tina, Bette was a free-spirit. She chose what classes she felt like going to when she felt like it, and although Tina knew how intelligent she was, Bette tried to play it off. She had an eye for the arts, and was a talented artist. She was outgoing and optimistic, although not a lot of the popular crowds were aware of this because Bette could be a little tough looking on the outside although her beauty was apparent. She happened to be everything Tina Kennard wouldnt let herself be. Because Tina thrived on peoples judgment and approval. She guessed that was why they happened to click so well. Bettes POV Bette sauntered up to the cash register and waited for the glassy0eyed dreaminess of Tina eyes to fade once she realized she had a customer. She watched as the cute blonde blinked once, then twice, and a third time, before her face broke out into a grin and she leaned over the counter for a hug. Bette Porter, what a surprise! she said sarcastically and Bette smiled. You know you could never keep me away for more than a day T. Ill have the usual. She said pulling out money and placing it on the counter. Tina made the mocha and grabbed the chocolate muffin and slid it down the bar where Bette took a seat. So, T, babe, spill it. You and Kevin still a yay? Nay? Everyday she asked the same question, and everyday she hoped for a nay, and everyday she was left waiting. Tina knew about Bettes sexuality, she happened to be one of the only ones who knew, and she was the only one that didnt have a problem with it. The problem that Bette had with it, however, was the fact that it led her to fall for her best friend of four years, and she had no idea what to do about it. She had enough problems with her father knowing and denying it, and her mother doing the same; that she tried to suppress that part of herself. She hadnt found the right girl to make her want to take that step to stand up to them. All the while though, she started feeling like Tina could maybe be that one. Zoning back into the conversation that Tina was apparently now having with herself, she caught the tail end. and I dont know why I keep crawling into bed with him, its just wrong, and it makes me feel used and cheap. Bette, I dont know what to do. Bette felt her heart breaking as she looked into those sad brown eyes that were now twinkling with the promise of an onslaught of tears. One single thought crossed Bettes mind as she looked at the girl who stole her heart without even knowing it. I want to save you. TIve said it before. You really need to let go of that creep. Were leaving for school in a few months, there will be plenty of new experiences She couldnt help but smile at the thought of a new experience between her and Tina. and you dont need to be tied down. This earned a smile from Tina and made Bette grin as well. Theres my girl. Looking at her watch she realized she was late for her job at the bookstore. Standing up she leaned over the counter. I gotta run or my ***** is going to get firedagain. Call me later ok? Tina nodded. Thanks for listening Lizbeth. Bette frowned at the nickname. Come on Chrissy she said with emphasis on her own nickname. are we still freshman? SorryBETTE. See ya later T. She said as Tina blew her a kiss and Bette pretended to catch it and stick it on her *****. Back at ya Porter. Going out to her black daddy-bought 69 mustang, Bette sighed on put her hands on her steering wheel smiling. The only kind of smile you could have when youre goofy in love. Then reprimanding herself in her head, Shes your friend Bette, you cannot.repeat, cannot fall for your best friend. It only leads to badness. Badness iswell, bad. God Im supposed to be smarter than that. Ugh Tinasave me. Pulling up into her parking space, she slammed to door and ran while putting on her name tag. Her manager meeting her at the front door. Bette youre late, again. I told you if it happened againIm sorry but youre fired. No, Im not. Bette said determinately. Yes, you are. No and then completely ignoring him as a customer approached. Hi, did you find everything okay? Her manager just sighed and walked into the stock room.