Alice started fumbling with her fingers, a sign that she was uncomfortable.
“It’s none of your business, Bette.”
“You can’t just bring it up and then leave it there.”
“You’d just be mad at me and yell at me and let me know how stupid I am once again. I don’t need that right now.”
“Oh come on! For heaven’s sake, why would I get mad because you have a girlfriend? You couldn’t even be doing someone I like -”
Alice didn’t let Bette finish. “Because if there was someone you liked, she’d be begging for your attention and not notice my existence.”
“Now who’s being a drama queen? And no, that wasn’t what I was going to say, but you’re right of course,” Bette said in an arrogant tone. Alice never really knew if she meant this attitude.
“What were you going to say?”
“That you couldn’t be doing someone I like because there’s nobody I’m interested in at the moment. You know I want a serious relationship for a change and I am quite picky – not many women are my equal. So it would really surprise me if you’d put out friendship aside and chase a girl that I think would be fit.”
“A girl that you think would be fit? Geez, you sound like someone who is trying to find the perfect husband for her daughter!”

Bette returned to her desk and Alice followed her. As soon as the brunette sat down, all the troubles with her Internet came back to mind.
“Who was this person Dana knew?” She asked Alice. Bette had changed the subject which meant as much as she didn’t want to talk about it any longer.
“Okay – it’s Gabby. Gabby Devaux,” Alice admitted. Bette chuckled upon Alice answering her question after all – this was always the case. Once she appeared not to be interested at all, Alice would be dying to reply. The chucle soon disappeared when the name got through her. She turned around again.
“Gabby? What the fuck, Alice? We told you she’s bad for you already! That fucking bitch takes advantage of you and you so do not deserve that.”
“She’s changed, she knows she made mistakes.”
“I bet.”
“You Bette.”
“Stop it.”
“What?”
“Making that silly joke again. You’re not going to distract me.”
“What is there to say, Bette? Gabby and I are a happy couple.”
“Until she starts her same old tricks again – in fact, she’s already begun.”
“You don’t know her.”
“You told me all about her.”
“Yeah, but I was wrong. She has changed this time. She promised it wouldn’t happen again and-”
“You seriously fell for that?” Bette asked unbelievingly.