‘Bye Helena, have a nice stay in Sheffield,’ said Alexa and turned to walk out of the restaurant.  She turned discreetly back towards Helena was Rachel walked on ahead.  Helena caught her eye and winked conspiratorially.  Alexa turned back and sighed. 

‘Oh my god who would have thought Will would be such a pathetic sleaze and that she’d be a lesbian, hey?’ said Rachel.

‘Who would have thought it,’ said Alexa, and raised her eyes to the heavens at Rachel as she slipped the note into her handbag.

Alexa made her excuses and ran up to her room when she got home, pretending she had work to do before placement, to avoid any more conversation with Rachel and a waiting up Jayne and because she was desperate to read Helena’s note.

She opened it up and read the scrawled single line, wondering how Helena had had time to put pen to paper without any of them noticing.  ‘I’ll call you later, H x’;

She got ready for bed, buzzing like she’d just had three coffees.  When would Helena call?  What would they talk about?  Why was she getting so excited about talking with a woman who was only going to be around for a week max and was definitely not going to be interested in someone as inexperienced as her anyway? ‘Helena is a good person and she’s just trying to help you out of the closet plus she wants some company, that’s all,’ Alexa told herself but she hugged her pillow close anyway and grinned, cheeks flushed the way they did when she was nervous or excited.  It didn’t matter why, when or how or even what for, for now, this night her life had just gotten a whole lot more interesting.

She heard her phone start to ring and grabbed it, forcing herself to wait two rings not to look too keen, knowing the unknown caller listed would be Helena.

‘Hello,’ her voice came out with a slight squeak as she tried to sound cool and professional.

‘Alexa? It’s Helena Peabody, I hope it’s not too late to call.’

‘No it’s fine.  I’m sorry for just leaving like that I hope it didn’t seem rude but Rachel wanted to go and we always look out for each other.’

‘No need to explain.  Seems like you’re a good friend to have.  I enjoyed talking with you tonight Alexa.’

‘Me too.  I actually can’t believe I said what I did to someone I’d only just met.  Normally I’m much more guarded with my emotions,’ said Alexa.

‘As am I,’ said Helena.  ‘And I don’t usually ask girls out to dinner that I meet in the ladies room.’

They both laughed.  ‘And I don’t normally accept invitations from people I meet in the bathroom either, but I’m glad I did.’

‘So am I.  Do you still what to go for lunch tomorrow?  I understand if that’s awkward for you now, your friends will be asking why you are hanging out with that ‘lesbian researcher’ I’m sure.’

Alexa paused.  ‘Yes they will be if I tell them about it but then again I don’t tell them everything.  Have you ever been to the Peak District?’

‘No,’

‘Would you like to go out there for lunch if the weather’s fine maybe take a walk, it’s just pub food not five star but the landscape’s beautiful.’

‘I’d love that but I’m not going to need hiking boots am I?’

Alexa laughed again.  ‘No, don’t get freaked out, although you might want to wear trainers or at least some flats and it’s probably not the place for sexy power suits either.’

‘You think my suits are sexy?’ she thought and then realised she’d said aloud.

‘Helena, I didn’t mean..oh god ok I did mean it.  You’re gorgeous you know that, anyone with two eyes knows that but I’m not trying to come onto you or anything.’

Helena felt both flattered at disappointed at the same time.  ‘She’s too young for you idiot,’ she thought to herself, she has issues, you don’t live in the same place, just be friends that’s all. 

But as they ended the conversation and arranged where to meet the vision of Alexa in her midnight blue cocktail dress, with her silky thighs and innocent trusting eyes played in Helena’s eyes.  When she touched herself later that night Alexa’s face forced its way into her mind no matter how hard she tried to block it out.