Chapter 4

The day was in full swing and Bette was breezing through her work at record pace. Noone could explain the permanent grin that had been plastered all over their usually incredibly stressed out boss’s face, and noone was complaining either. The mood was calm and all noise seemed to be at a wisper, that is until Alice walked through the door. She waved at Bette’s assistant Wendy and quickly made her way towards Bette’s office. Bette was just finishing up the last of her work for the day when she heard the loud clicking of shoes moving swiftly towards her door. She glanced at her watch and noticed she was running behind, again for what seemed like the nine hundreth time this week. “*****” she said as she stood up and forgot about the person walking towards her door. She closed her laptop and tried to organize her desk the best she could. As she was cleaning up her office there was a knock at the door. “*****, that can’t be Tina already. No I told her to meet me in the gallery, didn’t I?” she questioned herself as she cautiously opened the door.

Bette: “Alice, of course” she said taking a relieved breath.

Alice: “Bette, I think I have to tell you about something. Something I saw at the planet this morning.”

Bette: “Al, I really don’t have time for gossip right now, im running a little behind. I’ll call you later ok” she said then shut the door before Alice could reply

Alice huffed as the door shut in her face. “Bette! Damnit, this isn’t gossip” she yelled but recieved no response. “Fine, suit yourself then. Maybe I should investigave more, just so we have all the facts here” she thought to herself as she made her way back to the parking lot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Tina was searching wildly through her suitcase trying to find something suitable to wear for her date with Bette. Hayden sat back in her oversized armchair smiling at her frantic friend. She laughed as Tina stumbled over the pile of clothes she pulled out of her suitcase only moments ago. “Need some help here?” she said getting up from the chair. Tina smiled nervously “I don’t know what im doing, I don’t even know why I agreeded to this” she replied as she blew a stray lock of hair out of her face. Hayden could see that Tina was having second thoughts about going out with Bette, she was usually cool and collected and mostly confident when she got ready for dates. This one was obviously compeletly different, she was breaking new ground and exploring something she knew nothing about.

Hayden:(resting her hands on Tina’s sholders) Girl you’ve got to calm down. Just bring it down a notch”

Tina: “Your right, it’s just a date. I can leave when ever I want”

Hayden: “Exactly. You’ll be fine. You do want to do this, or else you wouldn’t be doing it right?”

Tina: “Yeah everythings cool. Now can you help me find something to wear?”

Hayden nodded with a smile and ran off into her room. A glaze of confusion ran over Tina’s face and she quickly followed behind her friend.

Hayden: “Here you can wear my hippie shirt with your hippie skirt” she said tossing Tina the shirt.

Tina: “I don’t know how you can have such good taste in clothes when your such a tomboy” she replied with a smile.

Hayden: “Hey don’t you have to be there in like fifteen minutes or something?” she said glancing at the clock.

Tina:(gasping) “***** me” she yelled as she ran out of the room and into the bathroom with the door slamming behind her.

Moments later Tina emerged from the bathroom completely ready.

Hayden: “I think you’ve totally got my time beat.”

Tina: “I could always beat your time” she joked “Do I look ok?” she said as she twirled around

Hayden: “Stunning, i’ve got to go get some papers so i’ll drop you off at the gallery on the way” she said as she picked up her keys

Tina: “Your going to sit here and get stoned all night aren’t you?”

Tina didn’t mind what so ever about Hayden’s narcotic cunsumption as long as she didn’t get into trouble. The differences between the two friends were staggering. Usually when you have two friends as close as they are, they seem like twins. Hayden and Tina totally shattered that image. Hayden was more of a free sprit, she questioned athority and lived by her own set of guidlines. Tina was more of a home body, when Hayden would be off being a teenager Tina was usually at home, being the good daughter. Tina got strait A’s and Hayden slept in. They loved eachother unconditionally and would do anything to make sure the other one was happy even if they were miserable themselves. Eventhough they appeared to be soul mates their love was completely non sexual and thats what made them so close. They could even sleep in the same bed without any hesitation or uneasyness. They thought of eachother as sisters really, Hayden was so close with Tina’s family that she came out to Tina’s parents before she came out to Tina.

Hayden: “Yeah probably.” she smiled “But enough about me lets get you to yout date”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bette locked up her office and walked out into the gallery and just as she entered the large art filled room she noticed Tina standing by a sculpture trying to look interested. Bette couldn’t help but smile as she made her way over to the waiting blonde.

With every step she took came a million different thoughts, Bette Porter was actually nervous for the first time in ages. She straitened out her jacket and took a deep breath as she reached her destination.

Bette: “You made it”

Tina:(turning around with a smile) “I made it”

Bette: “Are you ready to go?”

Tina: “Absolutly”

They made their way to Bette’s car secretly checking eachother out on the way. The drive to the resturant itself was short but time felt like it was standing still inside the car. Tina ocasionally let her eyes wonder over to her date, taking notice of all of Bette’s stunning features. Bette couldn’t even explain the comfortableness she felt around Tina, not even to herself. All she wanted to do was offer her hand to the warm blonde but only managed to chicken out multiple times. They reached the resturant and were quickly seated. They were both quite nervous about what to talk about but once someone spoke the convorsation flowed smoothly. Bette told Tina all about her father and her passion for art.

Bette: “So what about you? Where did you grow up?”

Tina: “Well I was born in Cleveland but moved to Pittsburgh when I was in fourth grade. Hayden was my first friend there and was my best friend ever since. Um let’s see.. both of my parents are still together. They are a little crazy but I love them.”

Bette: “Everyone thinks their parents are crazy.”

Tina: “No, mine are really crazy. My mom bakes alot and my dad gets stoned with my friends”

Bette: “That is crazy”

Tina: “Sorry, too much information.” she smiled nervously

Bette: “No, no it’s funny. So how would your parents feel if they knew what you were doing right now.”

Tina: “Well my dad being the giant hippy that he is would probably be fine with it, my mom…I don’t know. I guess they just want me to make decisions that will make me happy.”

Bette: “And are you happy with the decision you made?”

Tina: “Completely” she replied with a smile that melted Bette’s heart.

The rest of the dinner went smoothly, when they finished the evening was still early and Tina was feeling a curious attraction to the gallery owner and naturally started flirting. After a walk around West Hollywood they were back in Bette’s car and on their way to Hayden’s apartment. This time the air was filled with silence as Bette turned off the engine.

Tina: “Well here we are”

Bette: “Yep, were here” she replied.

Tina unfastened her seatbelt and stepped out of the car. Bette followed. The moment of truth had arrived and neither of them were prepared. Tina walked up to the front door then turned to Bette.

Tina: “I had a really good time tonight. I think more than I should have.”

Bette: “Well im gald. I hope your first date with a woman was everything you wanted it to be. I’ve gotta keep us lesbians in good standings” she joked.

Tina was hipnotized by Bette’s smile. She couldn’t hold back any longer, she need more. She needed to feel her touch. She took a hesitant step closer to Bette and before she could have a second thought Bette pulled her in for a long passionate kiss. A kiss with such intensity, Tina would never forget. It was much different than her practice kiss with Shane earleyer. It was meaningfull, she definalty felt something. Something noone had ever made her feel. Tina was never big on kissing but their was something about Bette that made it the greatest thing in the would, well maybe not the greatest thing but close to it. Bette too felt something different, almost like electricitly, like their mouths were made for eachother. They just fit so perfectly. Tina began to feel weak in the knees and pulled away before she lost all control of her sences.

Bette: “Im sorry, I had to do it” she said as she rested her forehead against Tina’s.

Tina had no verbal response, she cought her breath then pressed her lips back against Bette’s. She didn’t care about anything except them, right there, right now.