Bette’s friend Shane had been teasing her about the woman she’d started seeing. While known widely as a player, the change in Bette’s attitude had her friend grinning from ear to ear.

“So. You two haven’t slept together …”

“Don’t make me hurt you,” Bette smiled back, accepting her latte from her favorite coffee place to walk beside her friend down the street. They worked in the same area of the city, and so they often saw each other for lunch.

“I’m just sayin’ …”

“Yeah, I know what you’re saying,” Bette sighed, taking a large sip just as they came to cross the street. “I don’t know … she’s different.”

“Well, everyone’s different.”

“Not like that. She’s crazy-amazing. Like … I-don’t-deserve-her amazing.”

Shane chuckled. “The Almighty Porter admitting she’s not good enough for someone? What’s this now?”

“Hilarious,” Bette quipped back, taking large strides along with her slender friend as they made their way across the street. She kept her latte steady, always holding power in her posture.

“So, okay, what’s it gonna be? Flowers? Are you gonna make a fool out of yourself in front of her? What’s the tag this time?”

“I’m serious, Shane. No tag. There’s no anything. I … really like her.”

Shane stopped beside one of the buildings with a canopy overhead – its green and yellow stripes shielding her from the beating sun. “Wait.”

Bette sighed with feigned annoyance, and stepped over to her friend amidst the bustle of the downtown crowd. “… What?”

“Let me get this right. You’re not gonna do … anything like all the other times?”

Bette looked around and then finally took another sip. “I’m just gonna see how things play out … This isn’t a game to me. I just like her.”

“You just like her?” Shane repeated, folding her arms in disbelief.

“She’s … fucking incredible. And she’s not used to the whole dating scene anyway. It’s … kind of exciting.”

“Yeah yeah. That’s what they all say.”

“No, really. She hasn’t dated for years. She’s … entirely unpredictable.”

Shane laughed and they slowly picked up the pace again as she saw Bette checking the time on her watch. “Okay, so you really … like this girl who hasn’t dated in years. And you said she was clumsy, right?”