“The sand must have gotten into my eyes.” Bette explained lamely, rubbing her eyes.

“Oh right, the sand.” Brunette Bartender played along. She obviously knew that Bette was lying but hey, who was she to probe in Bette’s life.

Sierra, Bette somehow was able to remember her name after replaying their last conversation in her head over and over again.

She fidgeted uncomfortably.

 How awkward can this situation get, running into someone who gave you her number and you never called her back.

“Listen Sierra, I am, uh…” Bette stumbled on her words. “I’m sorry for not calling you. There is…” She paused to correct herself, “I mean there was uh…”

“Someone else?” Sierra made a lucky guess.

“Yeah.” Bette sighed, her shoulders slumping forward. “Sorry…”

She felt so pathetic. Four months ago, she had rejected Sierra because she was so smug and so sure that she would end up with Helena. And four months later, she’s standing right in front of Sierra, looking like a complete mess; puffy eyes from all the crying and her hair all over her face.

Sierra studied Bette’s brown eyes. The look in her eyes seemed different today as compared to the other night; it was a less of a look of confidence but more of a look of vulnerability.

“Don’t worry about it, darling.”

Bette put on a tight smile of appreciation. Strangely enough, she thought that Sierra talked a lot like Helena. Don’t worry about it, darling sounded like something Helena would say whenever she apologized.

Okay, you need to stop relating everything back to Helena, Bette reminded herself.

“Do you happen to be free for the rest of the afternoon to hang out or something?” Sierra asked casually, seeing that Bette seemed to be in need of some cheering up.

Bette paused to think for a moment. She felt bad if she were to reject Sierra again. Besides, she didn’t feel like returning to her apartment to face neither her friends nor Helena just yet.

“Yeah, I’m free but I’m broke.” Bette said, digging into her pocket. She pulled out a note, “I’ve only got five dollars…” She paused in mid-sentence as she dug out some coins, “And…” She paused again, this time counting much the coins were worth, “Forty-five cents.”