One day, Bette and the entire gang was sitting at the Planet – well, everyone but Dana. The combination of semi-professional tennis and school wasn’t easy on the shy brunette, so unfortunately she didn’t get to spend much time with her friends. Alice was happy all the same – Bette, Shane, Carmen, Helena and Jenny. This was very convenient, as she had some great news to tell. That was exactly what she was doing – babbling away.

“So, then I called Dana and I told her and she had to laugh so hard! I don’t think I’ve ever heard her laugh that much – and that at something that happened to me, how awesome is that? Anyway, Dana promised me that she’d join us every morning next week so naturally we’re all super excited and…”

For the first time, Alice really took in her friends. Well, make that singular. The only one still joining her was Shane, who was very engaged with her cellphone.

“Shane? Where the hell are they?”

“Porter got a text from Tina and left in a heartbeat, Carmens brother is having a hard time shaking a girl off and she’s taking care of it at the moment, Helena is busy picking up that waitress over there,” Shane pointed at Helena who was bestowing all her charm on a very scared looking girl, “and Jenny left after five seconds because she didn’t want us to have to look at her crying all the time. She’s been a mess since Tim broke up for that Trish-girl he met at the swimming club.”

A moment to go down in history followed – Alice was speechless. Finally, she regained her voice. “So… nobody was hearing what I was saying?”

“You mean the Dana-rant?”

“I wasn’t ranting!”

“Uh-uh.”

“Nu-uh.”

“Uh-uh.”

“Nu-uh.”

They would have gone on like that forever if Alice’s phone hadn’t blurted out “Sex on the beaaaaach” for the entire café to hear. Alice didn’t even do so much as blush and checked the caller ID, giggling excitedly when she saw who it was.

“Hi Dana!”

Shane rolled her eyes. When oh when were those two going to see they should have gotten together fivehundred years ago? Just like Bette and Tina…

•••

I had totally prepared myself to see Tina. She had texted me when I was at the Planet that she had some problem with her computer and the only things happening were Alice babbling and babbling and babbling about Dana, Helena trying to get a new waitress in her bed but only making sure the poor girl would quickly resign and Shane texting Jenny who had always been a good friend to all of us, but was now so depressing that it killed every good mood. Luckily, she seemed to realise it herself. She spent less time with us.