“What’s this for?” Shane questioned, looking at the bottle like it was made of Jell-O.

“Use it.  You look stoned.”

“I AM stoned.”

“Well use these eye drops and maybe you won’t look like your eyes are bleeding.”

“Fuck my eyes, you better be coming to Milk tonight, Tina. I cannot go alone again.  What if that Lacey girl is there?  You need to be my beard.”

“I’m GOING! Christ, Shane.  Just because I backed out that ONE time.  I will meet you in front of Milk tonight at like… 10?”

“Yeah, that sounds good. We’ll see if your ID was worth the hundred bucks.”

(That night – in MILK)

Tina looked through the lesbian bar that was heavily packed with beautiful women.  None of them stood out to Tina, she had very specific high tastes that only one woman could live up to.

“Do you see her here?” Shane asked her friend, screaming loudly into Tina’s ear so she could be heard over the loud music the bar was playing.

“See who?” Tina replied, pretending to be confused about her question.

“The one who got away.  Bette Porter.  I know you’re looking for her.”

Tina gave Shane a mock “annoyed” look and lightly bopped her friend on the forehead.  She knew her so well sometimes. 

Before Tina knew it, some tipsy blonde, who did not even care to notice that Shane appeared to be with Tina, was pulling Shane onto the dance floor.  Oh well, Tina thought.  Every woman for herself.

Tina found an open stool at the crowded bar and tried to get the bartender’s attention, to no avail. Tina was getting increasingly frustrated, when a tall, slim, curly hair brunette came up from behind her.

“Allow me, sweetheart,” the brunette said, as she waved a twenty dollar bill directly in the bartender’s face and ordered Tina and herself a beer.

Tina studied the brunette.  They looked similar enough.  Comparable features.  This brunette’s eyes were too close together and her face was too small, and her nose seemed to take up the length of her face.  She wasn’t perfect, she wasn’t Bette.  But no one was. She was cute enough. She’d do.

The two got cozy on a couch in a quiet corner of the bar.  Tina drained her beer quickly, hoping to blur the image of the woman before her.  Hoping to convince herself she was with someone else.