Alice took a seat up on the sink top beside her, “About Friday night …” she said quietly, knowing they had already talked but not yet face to face about it, “I’m sorry if I was out of line …?” she added, half asking,

Lottie shook her head answering quickly, “You weren’t! … or if you were then I was just as drunk cos I don’t remember,” she added smiling, “Look … Al …” she took hold of Alice’s hands in her own, “we’re friends right?”

Alice nodded emphatically,

“Good …” replied Lottie, “because right now, I need friends,”

The bathroom door opened and Lottie dropped her hands fast, interrupting their nice little moment as Bette walked in, herself having sat and watched Alice follow Lottie into the bathroom moments before,

“Hey …” said Bette, unable to hide the surprise in her voice knowing that she’d obviously interrupted something private between her best friend and Lottie,

“Oh hey …” said Alice, grinning wildly and jumping down off the sink top, the move landed her right in front of Lottie who immediately backed away so their bodies were no longer touching, “Lottie was just telling me about the trip …” added Alice, coughing unconvincingly, “I was just apologising for making her late …”

Bette borrowed one of Tina’s many looks and raised an eyebrow high in suspicion at Alice, Alice blushed and made quickly for the door to exit, leaving Bette and Lottie alone,

Lottie yawned, “Lisa wont stop complaining about her …” she said of Alice as she retreated from the bathroom,

Bette nodded, “It’s a shame …” she paused, “when two people get involved who have common interests, common friends … it’s often those friends that suffer …” she said pointedly,

Lottie looked to the floor, she had absolutely no intention of getting involved with Alice, none at all … but for some reason Bette’s comment made her squirm uncomfortably, did rules like that apply to someone like Jo …? not a friend per-se but still Angie’s teacher …

Bette saw her shifting uneasily and became worried because together with what she’d walked in on it made her more and more suspicious of Alice, she frowned at Lottie, preparing to say something,