"Good, good." Alice said quietly. "Pushing along, as everyone does. After this semester I’m finished, so I’m savoring the last few months of carefree college life."

"Crazy," Henry replied laughing. "I still have two years, so my wild college days aren’t over yet. How are things with Dana going?"

"Great." Alice smiled softly as her girlfriend crept into her mind. "She’s amazing."

"So you’re fine with her going to Europe?" Henry asked, surprise in his voice. "That’s really understanding of you Al. I don’t know what I’d do if I were in that situation."

"What are you talking about Hen?" Alice chuckled, her eyes clouded with confusion. "What situation?"

"Dana’s tennis contract in Europe," Henry explained, his voice slightly worried. "She told me about it last month when I bumped into her… I just assumed you knew…"

"Sure," Alice replied quickly, her smile fading fast. "Yeah I knew, I just ah.. Studying is getting to me I guess. I actually better get going Henry, I’ll see you around yeah?"

Without giving Henry time for a response, Alice was out of the library and at Dana’s door.

"That cow." Shane brushed her hair out of her face and took another sip of coffee. "I’m really sorry Alice, that sucks."

"Yes, yes it does suck," Alice replied. She had spent the last hour filling Shane in, and wanted nothing more than to forget about the brunette. "It doesn’t really matter though Shane. It was all a long time ago, and it isn’t like we’re going to see each other again."

"Why haven’t you told me about her before?" Shane inquired. "Your relationship seemed pretty serious."

"It was. But then all that shit happened and…" Alice sighed in frustration. "And I forced myself to forget about it. I convinced myself that it wasn’t serious at all, that I wasn’t head over heels in love with her. It didn’t mean anything to her, so I didn’t want it to mean anything to me either."

Shane ruffled Alice’s hair affectionately, and the blonde smiled back at her.

"I know, I’m being entirely too emotional," Alice sniffled before laughing quietly.

"You’re a lesbian, You’re entitled to be overly emotional." Shane replied, shrugging. "You should come out to dinner tonight with the gang, it’ll do you good."

"I don’t know Shane," Alice said wearily. "Bette’s probably going to go crazy at me for skipping out so early last night."

"Fuck Bette." Shane said smiling. "C’mon it’ll be fun… please?"

"Fine," Alice replied rolling her eyes. "You owe me."

"Shane, Alice come in," Bette opened the door wider to allow the two through. "The others are out the back. Go through and I’ll grab you both a drink."

Shane started walking through the house, with Alice following closely behind until they had reached the deck. Alice sat down on one of the spare lounges, happily accepting the beer Bette brought out for her a minute later.

"Are you feeling better Al?" Bette asked, concern in her voice. Alice looked at her in confusion. "Shane called me this morning to say you weren’t feeling well last night…"

"Yeah I’m feeling much better thanks," Alice replied, smiling thankfully at Shane. "I think I was just tired."

"Well I’m glad," Bette said. "Dana seemed concerned about you as well."

"Did she now?" Alice replied, trying to maintain a neutral tone to her voice.

"Yeah she did." Bette sat back in her chair and took a sip of her beer. "I hope you all don’t mind but I invited her here tonight, she seemed pretty cool."

The majority of the group agreed wholeheartedly with Bette. Shane remained silent, her eyes focused on Alice, who looked like she was about to kick Bette in the head.