Bette stood there shocked and hurt. Tina could see tears
welling up in Bette’s eyes. She felt awful for doing what she did. She just
didn’t know how to continue working with her after sharing that kiss. Tina
reached out her hand to grab onto Bette’s.

She gave it a gentle squeeze. “I’m so sorry about this, but
this is probably how it should be.”

Helena stood there impatiently watching the interaction
between the two of them. She cleared her throat. “Tina, come on we need to
discuss business.” She glanced over at Bette smirking as she said this.

Bette lost it turning to Helena. “You think you are so
clever, don’t you? Well, you’re not. You’re some phony who piggybacks on other
people’s success.” She turned to look at Tina. “As for you, I wish you luck
with her.”

Bette grabbed her things storming out of the locker room.
Tina jumped off the metal slab and began to run to catch up with Bette.

Tina spotted her in the parking lot climbing into her
metallic, blue, convertible Saab. “Bette! Please wait.”

Bette heard Tina call her name. She gripped the door frame
of her open door, bracing herself. She took a deep breath and fought back the
tears. She spun around keeping the stone hard glare she had in the locker room.
She was met with two autumn touched eyes. They had a tinge of golden dust and
fresh grass green. The colors that was illuminating through Tina’s eyes made
Bette gasp. She had never noticed Tina’s eyes or had ever experienced this. Her
hazel eyes had in her in a trance that was hard to break. Tina noticed all the
expressions running across Bette’s face within seconds.

Tina looked down at her hands clearing her throat. “I really
don’t see why you are mad, Bette. You made it perfectly clear this could not
happen.” She gestured between the two of them. Tina continued. “So I went to
Peggy and explained I need a new trainer. I never meant to hurt you but I can’t
work with you feeling the way I feel. It was hard already to work with you
dealing with how I felt. But after that kiss, it changed everything.”

Bette just stared at Tina. She wanted to spill her heart out
to Tina but she just couldn’t. She had felt the hurt from a similar situation.
Bette felt the tears begin to sting her eyes threatening to pour out. She
licked her dry lips and bit down on her lower lip. “Are we done here? If you
don’t mind, I need to get home and begin to find myself a new boxer.”

Tina stood there stunned. She took a step back feeling as if
Bette found her easily replaced. Bette looked at her for one moment longer
realizing Tina wasn’t going to speak. “Alright, well I’m going to go. Tina, I
do mean good luck with Helena. She isn’t someone to trust so easily.”

Tina immediately felt she made a mistake doing what she did.
She wanted to turn back time and learn to push aside her feelings and work with
Bette.

Bette climbed into her car speeding off. She looked through
her rearview mirror. The image of Tina standing there watching her was getting
smaller and smaller as she continued to drive away. The tears she had been
holding back finally pushed past the flood gates and came rushing out. She gripped
the steering wheel sobbing. “What am I going to do?”