Tina felt her face flush. “Thanks… I guess. Intrigue isn’t that great of a quality. Especially when you want to be left alone.”

“No, Tina. You don’t want to be left alone. You’re just telling yourself that.”

Tina glanced quickly at Bette, who kept her eyes forward. “How do you know?”

Bette met Tina’s eyes and smiled a little. “I’ve told myself the same thing, that’s how. No one ever really wants to be alone. They usually have a reason why they say they do, but they’re just afraid of something.”

“Like what?”

“Well… rejection, hurt, betrayal… it’s usually one of those. Sometimes it’s because they have a secret.” Bette cleared her throat and continued in a lighter tone. “Anyway, people that really want to be left to themselves don’t get engaged,” she added, nudging Tina in the arm. Tina had to smile at that.

“No, I guess they don’t. You’re right. I just say that I want to be by myself all the time because it’s easier than admitting that I don’t trust people.”

“Do you trust me?”

Tina turned surprised eyes at Bette. “Of course I do.”

“Why?” Bette asked. “I mean, if you don’t mind telling me.”

“I guess because you’re like me. Neither of us are quite at home here. Everyone else…” Tina shrugged. “Everyone else seems like a part of the town to me. You understand what living here as an outsider is like. You get me.”

Bette smiled at Tina as she spoke and then slowed to a stop.

“Tina, I have to ask you something.”

“Yeah?”

“Where are we going?”

Tina looked around and realized they’d been walking nowhere in particular and they were on a street with a cul-de-sac.

“Let’s go back towards town,” Tina said. “Thanks for bailing me out back there.”

Bette shrugged. “It was nothing. Listen, want to come over and see some of my paintings?”

“Sure, if you don’t mind. I’d love to.”

They made their way back to Bette’s house, talking about nothing much in particular. When they got to the house, Bette was a little bashful about showing Tina her workspace, which took up most of Bette’s living room. “I know it’s messy,” she said. “Which isn’t like me at all. I should clean up.”