Loud music with throbbing bass, drunken conversations, couples dancing, strobe lights, tons of girls… a typical Thursday night at Milk.

Alice, however, wasn’t in the mood for the atmosphere the popular bar offered this evening. She usually was the primary social cheerleader for the gang when nights out were organized, but tonight Alice was distracted and irritable.

Shane watched as Alice took another swig of beer, noting the blonde’s surly disposition.

“What’s with you Al?” Shane asked.

Glancing up from her preoccupation with removing her beer bottle’s label, Alice feigned a look of puzzlement at Shane’s sudden interrogation.

“What do you mean? Nothing’s with me.”

Shane leaned back, resting her lanky arms against the back of the booth, continuing her perusal of Alice with a smug expression. Alice diverted her eyes from Shane’s stare.

“Spill it Alice.”

“Shane! There’s nothing to spill. Can’t a girl be in a pissy mood without getting the third degree?”

Shane chuckled. She lifted her upper arms in a “don’t shoot me” gesture. “Whoa dude. It’s cool. Just checking on you that’s all.”

Alice huffed and took another swig of beer.

Shane leaned in closer to Alice and said with a bit more concern in her voice, “It’s just that I’ve seen your pissy moods before Al, and usually they involve some form of rant. But you’ve said two words tonight. ‘Beer’ and ‘please’ to the waitress. No wait, one word. You didn’t say please.”

Alice looked at her close friend, tempted to spill everything. But what could she say? Well, let’s see Shane, here’s a quick summary for you. I kissed Dana. Dana kissed me back. The kiss was unbelievable, but we haven’t spoken in two days. Now everything is awkward between us. And oh yeah, Dana’s getting married to a woman I can’t stand. And last but not least, I’m terrified I might be falling in love with her, but equally as terrified to say anything to her. Ain’t life grand?

Alice remained silent.

Shane could tell Alice was considering letting it all out. She knew something was truly bothering her friend, but it wasn’t Shane’s style to push. If Alice wanted to clue her in, Shane had no doubt that the blonde would. It was only a matter of time.

Alice conjured up a small smile for Shane and said assuredly, “I appreciate your concern Yoda. Believe me, I’ll let you know when you’re needed. I’ve just… got to figure something out on my own ya know?”

Shane returned the smile and said, “Here for you I will be,” knowing Alice would understand the Star Wars reference.

Alice looked at Shane sternly and quipped, “You’re a dork.”

“Thanks.” Shane grinned and looked out over club. She gestured towards the entrance. “Here comes Dana.”

Alice’s eyes darted toward the club floor, and sure enough, the tennis player was thirty feet away, looking around for her friends. Alice’s heart panged with anticipation. Lord, Alice thought, she’s stunning. Alice straightened herself in her seat, attempting to portray a casualness that her pulse didn’t reflect.

Shane let out a shrill whistle that alerted Dana to their presence. Relieved to have located some familiar faces, Dana weaved her way through the hordes of people and approached the booth. She noticed Alice right away, but tried her hardest not to focus on her. Play it cool Dana, she frantically reassured herself. It’s just Alice. Just Alice.

“You’re late,” Shane chided as Dana arrived at their table.

“Yeah, I uh, was debating on whether or not to come.” Dana dared a quick look towards Alice, who was now bopping to the music while drinking her beer.

Shane observed Alice’s sudden change of temperament and Dana’s obvious nervousness. The alarm bells went off in Shane’s perseptive brain. Something had happened between these two, and it hadn’t been friendly.

Intent on not showing she knew something was amiss, Shane motioned for Dana to sit next to her.

“Well, now you’re here, so sit.”

Taking one last gulp, Alice slammed her beer bottle down and announced, “I’m gonna go get another. Who wants something?”

Shane shook her near empty bottle at Alice and nodded. Alice casually pointed at Dana with eyebrows raised, waiting for a response.

Playfully nudging Dana with an elbow, Shane urged, “Do a shot.” Dana shook her head defiantly, “No way. I’ve got a kick butt, serious training session tomorrow.”

“That’s never stopped you before,” Alice challenged. It was her first words to Dana in two days.

Completely aware of this fact, Dana looked Alice’s way with an annoyed expression. Bothered by Alice’s behavior and irked at her own discomfort with it, Dana bore her eyes into Alice and said, “Shot please.”

Alice smirked and raised one eyebrow. “Do you have a preference?”

Returning Alice’s smugness with a smarmy expression, Dana replied dramatically, “Surprise me.”

Scooting from the booth, Alice made her way to the bar, leaving Shane and Dana alone.

Attempting to relieve the obvious tension, Dana asked, “Where’s Bette and Tina?”

Still contemplating the sudden hostility in Dana and Alice’s repartee, Shane pointed with one finger towards the dance floor. There, Bette and Tina were engrossed with one another, moving to the music, immersed in a cascade of bodies.

“Wow.” Dana replied.

“Yep.”

“I guess the success of Provocations has helped things.” Dana stated while observing the couple.

Shane nodded in agreement. “Definitely.”

Both girls focused their attention to the dance floor and watched the veteran couple as they swayed to the music. Foreheads touching and arms wrapped around each others waist, Bette and Tina were oblivious to the goings on around them. Even the occasional bump from an over exuberant dancer didn’t sway their concentration on each other.

Dana smiled gently. She was relieved that Bette and Tina had found their way again. Her eyes moved past the entwined couple and diverged on Alice, who happened to be in her line of vision while standing at the bar waiting for drinks. Conversing with the butch bartender who attended to her order, the blonde was gesturing wildly, obviously delivering a witty retort, for the bartender suddenly threw her head back in laughter in response to Alice’s remarks.

Carefully watching Alice, Dana was again awestruck by her best friend’s social skills. The tennis player marveled at Alice’s knack for zinging one liners without hesitation, or her ability to finagle a boring conversation into an interesting one.

Suddenly, Dana’s observation of Alice’s rapport with the bartender quickly turned into an intense study of Alice herself.

Dana noted the geniuneness of Alice’s smile; how it flashed like a brilliant beam of light. She noted the way Alice’s casual tank top conformed to her body in just the right way. She watched as Alice’s motions exposed taut but feminine arm muscles over pale skin. Dana smiled as Alice endearingly tucked a hand into the back pocket of her jeans, as she was so apt to do. Dana immediately sobered as her eyes wandered up her best friends physique.

Yep, she definitely loved the way Alice wore those jeans.

Blushing inwardly and wholly confused by her newfound fascination, Dana averted her eyes just in time to catch Shane gliding out of the booth.

Dana panicked as she quickly noticed Alice heading their way again, drinks in tow. “Hey! Shane!”

Shane turned back. “Yeah man.”

“Where are you going?”

Shane grinned nonchalantly. “Caught the eye of a girlie.” Shane shrugged. “Duty calls Fairbanks.”

The lanky brunette turned to go, smoothly grabbing a beer from Alice’s grasp as she headed toward her next conquest. Alice briefly watched Shane leave, pausing momentarily before heading back towards her seat, fully aware that Dana now sat there alone. Strolling towards her best friend, Alice gulped internally, but fought to maintain her composure.

She playfully lifted two plastic cups filled with an orange concoction in her right hand and said to Dana, “You’re a lucky girl. Two for one on shots tonight.” Alice placed the cups in front of Dana, then slid back into the booth.

Dana looked at the two containers with displeasure and then pointed her gaze towards Alice. She had only planned on drinking in moderation, possibly a beer or two. She was already off kilter simply being around Alice, so adding alcohol to the mix was unwise. Fully intent on discussing the kiss and its ramifications with Alice tonight, Dana certainly wanted to be clear-headed and sober for that particular conversation.

Now’s the time, Dana frantically thought. Instead of opening her mouth to speak however, the tennis player again became transfixed by the mere presence of her best friend.

Looking out at the dance floor, Alice lifted her fresh bottle of beer to her lips, but then paused, now aware that Dana’s eyes were on her.

Lowering her beer, Alice faced and then returned Dana’s unrelenting stare.

Once again, they were mesmerized by each other. The palpable attraction was mutual. They each felt it. And each one knew that things were getting more and more complicated.

With her eyes still on Alice, Dana grabbed one of the plastic cups and swiftly gulped it down, ignoring the intensity of the liquid as it traveled down her throat. She clasped her eyes shut until the abrasiveness of the drink subsided, then let out a puff of air to relieve the unpleasant taste in her mouth. She swiftly repeated the action with the second shot, as a bewildered Alice looked on.

So much for clear-headed and sober, Dana thought, so here goes nothing.

Clearing her throat nervously, Dana began to speak. “Alice, I —”

“Look who finally made it.” Dana averted her gaze from Alice to see Tina approaching the table with Bette close behind. “Taking advantage of the two for ones, I see?” Tina cocked an eyebrow in Dana’s direction as Bette wrapped her arms around Tina’s waist and looked on amusingly.

“Alice made me.” Dana stated matter-of-factedly, a bit relieved to have been interrupted.

Alice cast an annoyed look towards Dana, then back to Tina. “I did.” Alice replied sarcastically. “I shoved the stuff down her throat.”

Bette chuckled and warned, “Well you’d better watch it Dana. With your low tolerance, you’ll be sliding off your seat and in a drunken stupor in no time.”

Bette and Tina joined them in the booth as Dana replied defiantly, “I can handle my liquor.” Truth be told, Dana was already feeling a buzz from her recent consumption.

As Bette and Tina decreased the space in the booth by squeezing in, Dana inadvertently brushed elbows with Alice. It was their first physical contact since the kiss, but neither girl jerked away from the touch. They remained as is, with elbows barely connecting.

Alice wisely turned the conversation to Bette and Tina, asking the former how Provocations was proceeding. Bette proudly summarized the last three days of her successful exhibit, and Alice and Dana listened intently, elbows touching, quietly revelling in each other’s touch.

To be continued…..