It seemed too convenient, but Shane wasn’t one to let a good opportunity pass her up without at least giving it some consideration.

“Roommate, huh?  You live by Bette, don’t you?”

“Yeah, Tim’s letting me take over the lease, but I can’t afford it on my own.”

“Well, it just happens, I’m looking to move into a place with a yard.  So if you think we’d get along, I’d be into it.”

“Really?  That would be perfect!  You’ll have your own room, or you can take the studio out back,” Jenny said ecstatically, bobbing her head with excitement.

“Cool, yeah, that’ll be just…beast,” Shane replied with a lopsided grin.

Two days later…

Shane was moving the last of her very few things into the house when she spotted Bette sitting on the front steps, staring out at the street.  She went back into the kitchen and grabbed a six-pack of beer.

“Hey Bette!  Haven’t seen you in a while,” Shane said as she made her way up the steps to sit next to her friend.

“Hey Shane.  What are you doing here?”

“I’m moving in with Jenny.  We’ll be neighbors from now on,” she replied with a grin.  “Want one?” she gestured with a beer.

“I’d love one,” Bette said with a little smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.  “So, I guess you’ve heard…about how I fucked up with Tina…”

“Yeah, I heard something.  Do you wanna talk about it?”

“No, not really.  I fucked up—royally.  There isn’t much I can say to defend myself.  I have absolutely no clue what to do now.  I’m not even sure there’s anything I can do.”

“So, are you still with that girl?”

“No, I broke it off with her.  One day, I just woke up and realized that I didn’t want to be with her…Tina’s the one I love…I know that now, I just haven’t the foggiest idea what to do about it.”

“Have you tried talking to her?”

“I tried.  She was just so…so angry.  I didn’t know what to do or what to say to her…I’ve never seen her so mad…There was this…rage—that I’ve never seen from Tina before.”  Bette drained the rest of her beer.