'Got it.'

Bernie slammed down the bag of sweets gleefully. Serena delved into the bag and picked out a fruit salad. Bernie grabbed the sherbet dibdab. The packet of Nerds were watermelon and cherry flavoured. Before they could get stuck in, the door slammed open and Raf and Fletch sauntered through.

'Not starting the retro sweetie party without us?'

Serena scowled at the gatecrashers. 'Don't take the Flump' Bernie warned them. They settled for the black jacks and poured the cider. Serena graciously sipped. It wasn't Shiraz but it would do. Before long they were getting tipsy and learning each other's opinions on sex. Most of them anyway. Raf and Fletch wanted to know what colour Serena's vibrator was. To their surprise, she was happy to let them know it was purple. Not leopard print? Teased Bernie shyly. All of them laughed at her sudden boldness.

They nagged at Bernie until she said just one word. Blue. Predictable.

'Next. In the garden. Yes or no?'

An umbrella and a rug were Serena's conditions. The guys stated in the bushes or not at all. Bernie was too embarrassed to reply. She felt like her lack of sexual experience was tattooed on her forehead and she didn't want to draw attention to it. The standard three positions in bed were all she'd ever done, mainly in bed or on the sofa, the floor wasn't her favourite. Marcus was attentive and caring but thoroughly boring and she'd never really thought of wanting more until recent years.

'Shower.'

Serena expressed a preference for the bath. The boys were all for the shower. Bernie had no idea what she would say. She sucked the sherbet off the dibdab while she hesitated. They looked at her with curiosity.

'Do you remember when these were 10p in Woolworths?'

They weren't fooled by her change in subject.

'Erm, the bath.' She might as well side with Serena. Looking up, she was rewarded with a radiant smile.

'I remember. Sweets used to be such a bargain.'

Bernie got charmingly flustered. The woman made confectionary sound smouldering. Noted by the guys, they set the next location.

'Washing machine?'

Bernie looked puzzled.

'How does that work?'

Serena gave her such a look of exasperation that Bernie felt crushed. Amid the yells of laughter, she explained that you get on top of it.

'Why?' Bernie still couldn't understand it.

'Vibrations. And so you can do your laundry at the same time.' Serena sipped her wine. 'Multitasking.'

'Oh! That's clever. I never thought of that' exclaimed Bernie enthusiastically. She wasn't sure it was for her but she was a tiny bit wiser for knowing it.

The other howled with laughter over silly naive Bernie. Serena thought it endearing. When Bernie was enlightened about something, her face went from surprised to wide eyed wonder and sometimes a gleeful smile. Serena had witnessed every incarnation and she was fond of all of them. She could watch Bernie's expressions all day. She'd spent a ridiculous amount of time doing so already.

'You have though' Bernie said, pointing a mischievous finger at Serena. It seemed like something she would do.

Serena retaliated with an outraged expression.

'I briefly entertained the idea until I found out where my washing machine was located. Under the counter, under the sink' she explained with an uppity toss of the head. 'Unless I run the risk of being thrown out of someone else's house for inappropriate misuse of the washing machine, I haven't got a chance of letting you know how successful it is.'

Even Bernie cried with laughter over that, especially as Serena expressed a suggestion that bribing the laundrette down the road for half an hour for the use of a machine at the back was on the list of maybes.

Serena broke off a piece of Crunchie bar still in the wrapper and offered it to Bernie. To everyone's shock, including Bernie's, she leaned over and claimed it with her mouth. The boys hooted with amusement while a pair of dark thoughtful eyes flitted from the chocolate bar to Bernie's lips with a hint of delight. Bernie's smile was unusually carefree, all because of the effect that Serena had on her.

That look in her eyes told Bernie something she hadn't known before. Were they on the same page? She could have sworn that Serena was a dyed in the wool heterosexual. But…maybe not.

Please don't ask her if she's kissed a girl she silently pleaded. They didn't.

Raf and Fletch would have a bet going by the end of the evening.