Tina couldn’t help but scoff, “You can’t be serious. First off, excuse me for not wanting to third wheel our friends and their new girlfriends. Secondly, you seem to have forgotten that before you came over here, Emma was all over you. I saw you two so don’t try to deny it and don’t you dare try to tell me that it’s any different”

Tina pointed a finger at Bette, silencing the brunette before she couldn’t even try to form any words. The blonde had already seen the expression on Bette’s face, knowing that she would try to defend her situation.

With an exasperated sigh, Tina’s eyes briefly flickered up to the ceiling trying to gather every bit of strength she could to continue the conversation.

Bette was surprisingly patient.

“I know that we agreed to go through with this entire situation and I do get that things between you and Emma are far more complicated than anything I have going on right now-” Tina’s tone and expression softened as she spoke, pausing her words while her eye sought out Bette’s. The brunette had looked away momentarily before locking gazes with the blonde once more, mesmerized with the glitter sparkling around Tina’s beautiful hazel eyes. “-but I really need you to understand that I can’t just cut Brenda out of my life either. I won’t. We’ve been through so much together. She was there for me when-”

Tina pressed her lips together to silence her next words, not wanting to speak them out loud knowing the effect they would have on Bette. Unfortunately for her, the brunette was more than eager to finish the sentence.

Bette crossed her arms over her chest, “When I wasn’t”

Tina’s expression completely fell at the look of hurt on Bette’s face. She reached out toward the brunette, “Wait, that’s not what I-”

“No, I knew exactly what you implied” Bette snapped as she stepped back and out of Tina’s reach, ignoring the flash of hurt on the blonde’s face. “You still resent me for leaving all those years ago. Is this is how it’s going to be between us? Are you going to punish me forever?”

For a moment Tina stared dumbfounded at Bette, her eyes widening with disbelief. A small laugh escaped her, the sound devoid of all humor.

“Are you serious?” She waited for any indication that Bette hadn’t meant what she said but when she saw none, Tina couldn’t help but feel .. disappointed. “Wow .. I don’t know what I’m more upset at: the fact that you didn’t listen to a word I said, or that you somehow managed to make everything about you. I guess it’s my fault for believing that you’d changed. Enjoy your evening”

She walked away without another word, leaving Bette with her words trapped in her throat.

She wanted to give chase, to tell Tina that she really had changed. She wanted to prove the blonde’s words wrong, to apologize for her behavior and set everything right.

She wanted so many things.

Instead Bette just remained rooted in place and watched as Tina disappeared in the sea of people.