"All of this just to help Bette and I become friends?" Tina asked in surprise, looking back at Shane and Alice.

Alice smiled brightly. "That and something more.." She winked an eye, causing Tina to blush profusely.

"Please, just give her chance. Don’t shut her out okay?" Shane followed up and asked Tina gently.

Tina bit her lower lip. Now it was not only Jenny, but Bette’s best friends as well that were hinting about Porter’s feelings for her. Well.. Bette was really being nice lately, in her own way of course, but nice all the same. And as much as she would like to deny it, Tina did find the brunette to be immensely endearing. Bette was a character, she kept things fun and interesting all the time. And because of her, Tina was beginning to discover that it was possible to be highly irritated and extremely happy and amused at the same time. Bette Porter and her enormous ego had that weird effect on her. So should she give Porter a chance..? She looked down on her hands. It wouldn’t hurt right? Tina looked up and smiled genuinely at Shane and Alice. "Okay.." She softly whispered, earning matching grins from the two.

———————————

7:15 PM

"Is she here?" A breathless Bette asked Helena as soon as she burst in through the main doors of the Peabody mansion.

"Well hello to you too my dear.." Helena laughed, greeting a flustered Bette with a kiss on the cheek. She watched in amusement as her young friend looked frantically around the place, clearly in search of a certain someone. Bette didn’t even look her in the eye, Helena grinned.

"Is she here?" Bette asked again as her eyes continued to dart around the room.

"By ‘she’, I presume you’re talking about Tina Kennard?" Helena smiled knowingly, arching an eyebrow.

"Who else would I be looking for?" Bette answered a little distractedly, walking towards the small balcony overlooking the large living room where most of the guests were mingling about.

"Us maybe?" Sam laughed, joining Helena and Bette.

"Don’t flatter yourself.." Bette scoffed, continuing her search. Her heart began to beat faster everytime she saw a woman with blonde hair, but her hopes got dashed as soon as they turned around and she got a good look at their faces. "Damn." She cursed beneath her breath. "Where are you..?" She whispered desperately, her anxiousness increasing by tenfold.