Round n Round We Go

by robyntibetter

This story originated from a dare with my friend: I try to twist the worst romantic story I have ever read into a presentable, likable one. Working in progress. Voila!

Round and Round We Go

Prologue

An old, black, Toyota, with its rear bumper covered in newspaper to protect the messed up paint, slowly pulled up on the side of the road in Bel Air neighborhood of the city of angels, the driver highly uncomfortable and self-conscious. Only one block away, the street was visibly crowded like a fashionable sports cars show. Ferrari, Mercedes, Porsche, Bentley, you name it, the car was represented. Who would have known? It was no prominent fancy Hollywood party, but merely the first school year day of Marymount Girl's High.

Maybe it was exaggerated, the driver admitted to himself. But to him, the school was full of girls from the upper class, each and every one of them a princess of a notable family in the area, an heir of a multimillion-dollar family business and even more ancestors' heritage. 'Hell the Kardashian girls all went to school here! Now it's the Peabody and Porter era.' He thought to himself as well as being self-pity about his own state of financial matter.

Sam Kennard, the driver, a bitter man with seriously messed up life, was sitting in the front of the car and eyeing the cars that drove by them, squinting, inwardly complaining, and he diverted his line of sight to the dirty rearview mirror. A blonde girl with bright hazel eyes was in the back seat of the old car. She seemed a bit nervous, her clothes out of fashion, at least to those good-for-nothing girls' point of view, but beautiful and quiet as a girl could ever be.

"Tina?" He cleared his throat and called.

The girl immediately looked up and their identical hazel colored eyes met in the mirror, hers sparkling with nerve and excitement, his plaintive and faint. "Yes dad?"

"Here's your new school kiddo. You remember what I told you right?" He smoothed his hand over his stubble on the chin.

"Yes, I do." The girl named Tina calmly responded. Her eyes became a bit dime because of the doubtful question.

But the man wasn't quite willing to let the topic slip away just then. He went on. "You understand the Porter family and its traitorous conspiracy had done so much damage to us. It's all because of them that we have to live in the place we live, drive this fvcker on the street, and not even a single company would hire someone who was suspected embezzlement!"

'Like you weren't part of it.' Thought the blonde girl as the man continued.

"You know how hard it was to get you into this expensive piece of shit? Not even mentioning to the same class as Porter."

'Yeah, my grade in advanced placement played a role in that if I'm not mistaken.' She again retorted in her mind. But quickly chastised herself for even thinking of it. 'No, Tina. It's your father. The father that you finally got to know! And he needs your help.'

"Now you go in there and knock that Elizabeth Porter down for me." He stared out of the windshield to the fancy building and cars again. His revenge, his magnificent plan, his yearn to be rich was finally within his grip, all thanked to this wonderful daughter of his, the mistake he thought he had made 18 years ago with a woman he barely knew, the child that he abandoned but eventually regained by the death of her mother.

Tina learned from her mother's friend that father wasn't dead as her mom told her so. He worked at the Porter cooperation before the company threw him out. When she came to him, he was a drunken drug addict with gamble debt. It was not the reunion she wished for them but Sam took her back with open arms. And the first few months they got to spend together were all she could ask for. Sam quit alcohol for her, struggled with drug problem and got through it under her assistant. In no time, she moved away from the hole-like apartment and settled in his slightly larger place. Then she found dozens of part-time jobs to support herself through high school, he did coolie work for the debt owners, and they kind of moved on from the lowest point of their lives.

But Sam was not satisfied, not at all, with the little place he owned and a daughter who loved him even after 17 years apart. He was clear-headed. So he had more time to review the last few years of his life. And his grudge toward the Porter's family grew deeper each day, dragging her innocent contentment down with him altogether.

So here they were, coming up with a plan that Tina couldn't fully understand. But it was basically creating a scandal with Elizabeth Porter, the only child of the family, so that her father could blackmail his former employers for a considerable amount of money.

It was surely risky and deceitful. And Tina was scared. But for her father, for the only family she had left on this planet, she would give it a try.

"I will try, dad. I just want you to be happy." She whispered under her breath. "But… what if the Porter kid doesn't fall for whatever I manage to pull off?"

Sam heard the girl and he pursed his lips. "Then you won't let that happen, child. Look at you! Won't you? You're so beautiful! Any dyke would absolutely fall for that pretty face. I'm sure Porter is no exception. Ok now, make me proud." His compliments were genuine.

Hearing her father's words, Tina felt all the doubts leaving her head and courage pumping through her veins. Her father believed in her. She would make him proud. "Bye, dad."

"Do you have your lunch box?" Sam asked. They couldn't afford the school cafeteria, at least not now.

Tina merely nodded and kept walking toward the school gate. She kept her lunch box close to her side and smiled: father helped to prepare it yesterday.

Once she stepped into the large garden in the school, she felt eyes on her from every direction, making her more nervous. She looked around, and she understood why everyone was staring. It was her clothes. White jumper with kitten pattern on the front, worn out jeans, canvas shoes, while all the other girls were wearing Gucci, Armani, GMD, or at least, Zara, with corium Hermes, Chanel bags on their arms, and Pradas on their feet. Their make-ups and perfumes were not even recognizable for this girl who only had traces of faint peppermint soap and cheap hair shampoo around.

"Oh, my, guad." One with annoyingly pretentious nasal sound whispered to her friend with large circular ear rings on. "Look at her. What on earrrth is she wearin'?"

"Maybe it's the new trend." One who was chewing gums stupidly blunted.

Then another snorted. "Pff, pleeeease. That could never be a trend, girl."

The girls carried on with their picky fashion talks with a thick sense of jealousy to her natural blonde curls, slim torso, and pale cheeks. Tina didn't give it much attention. She was looking for one particular girl. Her target.

The mission was proven pretty easy.

All those noise about shoes, clothes, make-ups dispersed as a loud sound of powerful engine approached. It sounded like whatever was coming in the gate was still three blocks away but the girls already were gathering to the entrance.

Pushed by the crowd, Tina heard someone said, "Quick, Nene, it must be Bette, I need to introduce you to her!"

'Who the hell name their child Nene?' Tina laughed silently at her own dry humor. Well she never understood how these rich people think.

The girls quickly dispersed once again like a bunch of sparrows as a heavy motor entered, followed by a black Lincoln. Even though Tina never saw a real one, she knew it was a Harley. And her eyes widened as the person on the bike took off her helmet and brushed her thick waves of brown hair to one side of her shoulder. 'Elizabeth Porter!' She recognized that girl because she had seen her photos, and it was very hard not to remember her because of those sharp brown eyes and the smooth mocha colored skin. 'So, she goes by Bette.' Tina noted to herself.

From the black Lincoln, out came a short middle-aged bald head man. He stumbled to the back and opened the door for somebody and then ran to the girl beside the Harley. "Oh, Miss Porter! Madam said you shouldn't ride too fast. But you did. I was so worried as I followed. You should never ride like that, miss. Let me have your helmet, miss."

"William I told you not to follow me, now whose fault is that?" Bette said, very softly, even a small laugh contained in her voice, but each and every word was received by the crowd because everybody was holding her breath in.

"But miss…"

"You drive too slow." Finally, the girl with dirty blonde hair came out of the Lincoln and joined their conversation. She patted the man's bald head, winking to Bette. "I'd rather ride on Bette's back seat."

"No you don't, Al." Bette impatiently scolded. She sighed as her friend Alice jumped around her with incredible vigor. 'Who else in the universe loves school day like her?' She wondered. "You can go home now, William." She took her bag from the little man and gave a kiss on his cheek.

Suddenly, William felt tens of sets of jealous eyes stabbing into his back. He had been this girl's "manny" ever since she came to this world. Having no children of his own, William devoted his entire life to the Porters and to this girl. The effect of this simple gesture was in no surprise to him but he still flinched a bit, his timid being becoming even smaller.

Even though she never said out loud, Bette loved this short man, more than she loved her father. She smiled as he backed away with an amiable eye contact.

"Bette, how was your holiday?" The girl nearest to the brunette quickly asked as Bette turned away from William.

And just like a match in the gas tank, the once quiet garden immediately flooded with greetings and questions and introductions, girls going into frenzy, all of them just for the brunette.

"How was Brazil, Miss Porter?" A girl who seemed to have a little bit more information about the brunette eagerly shoved and pushed her way to the front.

"Ooooh, Brazil." Another one pretended to be very familiar with Bette and fired away. "Did you eat any Brazil nuts? I heard they were a-mazing!"

"Bette, this is my little sister Nene. Nene, Bette."

"I brought you chocolate from Belgium, 70 percent pure black coco."

Some of the girls dared not even speak to her; they just pushed around in the crowd and admired Bette's jacket, wishing maybe they could steal one eye contact. "Look, how perfect!" "I looove her jacket."

The brunette's faint smile disappeared in about two seconds. Her facial expression went cold and her neat brows met in a knot. She nodded to the noisy girls around her, trying to give them the satisfaction and make them go away. But she failed miserably. The attention at first was very appealing, making her life a lot more convenient, taking the chocolate for example. But soon it became unbearable, troubling, disturbing.

"Would you mind? We're trying to walk here." Alice held onto Bette's arm and pushed through. She fully understood how annoyed Bette had become just by looking at her since most of the time they grew up together, she was the one who caused Bette's headaches. "Fvcking ass-kissing biatches." She purposely spoke audibly. "Ah, look there's Shane-Shane." A glimpse to the several girls who weren't so eager to make their way to the brunette, Alice spotted a skinny girl with two other girls in her arms. The only girl, who didn't give a fvck about Bette's money and wasn't afraid of Grandma Porter, the strict and impersonal old lady, became their only confidant. "Hey, Shane!"

Confidently smiling, Shane let go of the girls and dragged her bag on the ground while walking. She gave the brunette a "what-up" look. "Check it out, blondie, three o'clock."

Instinctively, Bette and Alice turned to their right, only to find a red head excitingly waving and handing over a box of chocolate.

"My three. My three." Shane rolled her eyes.

Bette helplessly took the chocolate when Alice turned and whistled. "Yohoo, quirky fresh meat."

"What? Where?" Finally the brunette got to take a look.

In a split second, cold brown orbs met the hazel ones. A strange feeling coursed through Bette's mind. How strange, a girl in cheap clothes and no make-up in Marymount. She was interested now. Just when she was about to bring up her arm and the corner of her lips, putting up her irresistible charm to this new girl, the blonde blankly diverted her eyes away, turning her back to the confident stare.

Alice and anyone who witnessed the "big moment" sharply took in a breath. 'How dare she?!'

No matter how the brunette claimed to hate attention, never had she experienced this total oblivion. She felt blood quickly rising to her face with embarrassment and anger, her rage mounting, her wrath surfacing.

She captured a passer-by that she didn't resent as much, a goofy athlete girl named Dana that Alice liked to hang out with. "Dana, would you do me a favor and find out who that is?" She pointed to the retreating figure. 'Attitude, huh? Two can play the game.'

"You got it."

The girl responded with her cute silliness, which caused Alice to make a comparable stupid noise. "Awww…"

Tina put a hand on her chest to sooth her fast beating heart. That first eye contact was successful. But it was more intense than she had imagined. Now she got her attention and probably a bit hostile interest. Then what?

Chapter One

Shortly after the event in the garden, Bette made her way through the hallway to her classroom, encountering another crowd that was following a green-eyed British girl.

"Isn't this your majesty Bette Porter?" Helena sarcastically spoke, her accent immediately driving the girls crazy. She didn't like the mocha colored girl very much. For starters, her attitude. Helena believed in fame. She loved her crowd like no-one did. And seeing Bette's impatience with them, she scoffed at that notion. 'You really think playing ice queen is cool, huh? Typical mistake, darling.'

"Helena." Bette greeted her in spite of the sarcasm. She and this Peabody girl traced way back. Ever since they were little, Peggy Peabody liked to invite her to their family occasions to play violin, basically taking her as the daughter she couldn't have. So she understood Helena's animosity and she always let her be.

Today was no difference. But she wasn't in the mood because of what happened in the morning. "If you'd excuse me, I have class to attend."

"Oh yeah, as if you actually listen." Helena smirked, followed by a lasting burst of giggles. Who didn't know the almighty Bette Porter slept through the whole school year last time.

The snicker had no effect on Bette because it was true and she didn't give a shit. "Hahaha." Putting up an obvious fake laugh, she turned away.

The bell went off. Girls scattered in the hallway, leaving a mixture of perfume. Tina followed her class teacher to the door and waited outside for the teacher to tell her to come in.

Mrs. Emerson picked up a chalk and wrote down "Christina Kennard" on the board while saying, "Girls, we have a transfer student." She didn't really want to waste time on this distinctively never-going-to-fit-in girl. "Come in please."

Inside, Bette was sitting in her comfortable leather chair, her feet in her Steve Madden high up on the books that were piling up on her desk. She squinted at the unrecognizable name while listened to other students discuss which entrepreneur's daughter that might be.

In came the blonde girl. The discussion went even louder, but this time about how any parent could let his child wear something like that, what kind of girl this Tina person could be. Bette's eyes widened at the familiar yet strange girl. She put down her feet and stared at the blonde like she tried to stare a hole on her body. 'Well, well, well, what a nice coincidence.'

Alice noticed the change in her friend and winced. 'Ooh-la-la! Someone's in trouble.'

Tina surely felt the burning stare from a particular pair of eyes. She avoided them.

"Ok now, your seat will be in the back, that empty one." The teacher scooted her to walk down the room.

"Where's her introduction?" Suddenly, the cold voice from the brunette resonated in the large room.

Ms. Emerson shuddered. Bette Porter didn't speak very often. Yet when she did, the pressure was too much to bear. "Right, right. My bad. So, please introduce yourself to the class, Ms. Kennard."

'Okay… even the teacher is afraid of her.' Tina silently scolded to herself. 'But again, the school depends on families like hers to buy those Macbooks for everyone. Who's to blame…' "My name's Tina. I'm from Whitney High."

"Whitney High?" Shane interestedly tucked her bottom lip in. "Top public school eh?" So this little bird had great grade. That was why she came here.

"I believe we haven't heard of your family business?" Somebody asked maliciously.

Tina looked directly into that person's eyes and responded. "My father drives delivery truck for Whole Food. And I am here because how much my brain is worth."

"How much your brain is worth? Ha, what about that forty thousand dollars tuition? You pay it by slicing your brain?" The girl crooked her brow and viciously asked.

The teacher seemed to be anxious about the tension in the room. She tried to cut in but Tina answered for herself instead. "My scholarship has it covered, thank you for caring. Unlike someone who lives by a family name and a crowd of fans in high school, I actually have a brain that worth something." At the end of her sentence, the blonde meticulously glanced at the now ferociously angry brown eyes.

"Sssss—" Both the teacher and the students sharply inhaled.

'Is she talking about who I think she's talking about?'

'That is very goddamn brave.'

'Brave, but stupid.'

'I bet she won't even know how she's gonna be killed.' Silent conversations and eye contact exchanged in the room.

Bette once again squinted, fury clouding the big eyes. Her billion-dollar worthy brain of course processed the intended mordacity. She knocked heavily at her neighbor's desk. "Move yourself over there, won't you?"

The girl obeyed straightaway, rummaging her stuff to move to the empty space.

There, the only available spot in the room was next to the arrogant girl with wild brown curls and intimidating expression.

Someone snickered. Now this Tina girl was really dead meat.

"Emmm… ok, perfect. Now Ms. Kennard, you can find your spot." With that, the teacher promptly turned over to the blackboard and started writing, trying to stay out of the inevitable drama.

Tina balled up her fists and went down the narrow aisle. She noticed two girls were planning to trip her on the way. Before she could think of a solution, a taller, oppressive form approached from the other side of the room.

The two girls looked up in surprise, receiving a warning look from the tall figure. Bette coldly glared at them until they withdrew their feet.

The air was even denser than it was before. The brunette and the blonde met in the middle of the length, face to face, none of them yielding.

"Excuse me." Tina picked her head up slightly to look into this tall girl's eyes. Bette was at least two inches taller than she. And her shoulders were broader, her arms and waist stronger, her jaw line more rigid. But she wasn't as afraid as before. The brunette hadn't done anything about her obvious mocking. 'Maybe she's really just a beautiful piece of macaroni.'

"Since we're neighbors from now on, let me lead you to the seat." The thin dark pink lips formed into a cruel curve. "I'd love to take care of our new classmate."

"That's unfortunate." Tina simply shrugged, pretending to not take it seriously.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" A girl finally spat, followed by the agreement of many die-hard defenders of Bette's.

It was exactly what Tina had expected. The provocation she had caused, the anger from those bimbos, and eventually, the attention from Bette Porter. A quick smile slipped from her lips.

"You seemed to be quite content with yourself?" However, the smile was caught by two intent brown eyes. Bette moved in closer, trying to catch the glimpse of joyous from the girl. To the brunette, the little smile was dazzling even though it was not for her.

"Move please." Instead of giving it a response, Tina tried to get pass her. She ignored the exquisite face just inches away. But however she tried, the delicate and instinct scent of the brunette still penetrated her nostrils, making her heart skip a beat, hard. The uncomfortable feeling had her frown and glare back at the brunette.

Her attitude evoked the outburst of Bette's rage. She was intended to frighten this slim blonde, but it never went the way she wanted. And now she finally got enough of the frustration, grabbing the pale wrist of the girl.

That one move startled Tina. She panicked as she felt the burning, merciless flesh against her own. And then she lost her balance, being pulled after the tall girl, barely keeping herself from tripping.

The brunette had no intention to slow down for her. She walked like a tornado, pushing everything with feisty force, striking a desk in her way. The girl in that seat shrilled and shrunk away.

Tina felt her wrist was about to get broken by Bette. She attempted to struggle and knew that the brunette must felt it. However, Bette didn't let go and even grabbed a little bit harder. Arriving at the last row, the taller girl practically threw the blonde to the empty seat.

Spun by the force, Tina had to grip the edge of the desk to not fall off the chair. She suppressed the urge to yell back, took out her book, and pretended to focus on the questions on the blackboard, knowing that the further she could push the brunette, the easier she could get to her.

Bette was already quite upset about the fact that this girl could easily stir up her temper, now that she was totally ignoring her, again, had her anger soar to a whole other lever. "You motherfvcker!" She didn't even care how loud her voice was as her fist met the hardwood of her desk, scaring Alice who sat before her to no end. She kicked her own chair and decided she had had enough, grabbing her bag and walking up to the front of the classroom.

"Miss Porter…" The teacher tried to catch up with her. But a shattering snap of the door closed right in her face.

The students sat in total shock. Then a few of them started to turn around and watch the blonde girl in the back, blaming her for not being respectful to the most powerful as well as dreamy person in the entire school.

Tina looked down at her pencil, thinking that now she was really in hell. A lot of people would love to take it out on her. 'Hopefully it will be all worth it, dad.'

Chapter Two

Tina glanced to the seat next to her out of the corner of her eye. Bette still didn't show up. It had been three days and all the pranks and jokes were still escalating, not a single indication that they would ever stop. And Bette disappeared.

Of course the whole school blamed her, except for a few people that thought it was actually funny to see Bette get so worked up by a little country girl.

Shane found the blonde locked up in the ladies' room during lunch break, her food package spoiled. "You okay?" She unlocked the door and handed over a sandwich. For a certain extent, she felt sorry for Tina. That girl got herself into some serious trouble even before she got a hold on the whole transfer thing.

Tina sniffed with some difficulty. "Yeah, thanks." She was highly vigilant toward anybody who got too close to her.

"Hey Tina, don't worry about them, okay? Just don't put it up against Bette Porter again, ever." Shane leaned on the door frame and crossed her arms before her chest, seriously warning.

"I just said what I felt. It's a free country you know." Tina shrugged, pretending to not understand what Shane meant by putting it up against Bette.

"Well then she takes it as an insult. Don't feel too free, I can only say."

"Thank you for the advice. But how am I supposed to do anything when she's never gonna show up?"

"She'll be back." The skinny brunette said with certain. "If you're good, Bette is more than capable to stop the pranks."

"I have no doubt about that."

Just as Shane predicted, Bette came to the classroom in the afternoon. She exchanged some words with Alice and then just sat there, the imperturbable and unpredictable yet freezing cold expression shutting the groupies out.

Tina began to wonder as she sat on the edge of her chair beside the brunette, worrying about her not saying or doing anything, about whether she herself had gone too far that Bette lost her patient. But except from the only two times she pissed her off, she hadn't done anything again. She stole glances out of the corner of her eye and got even more worried as she vaguely saw Bette sitting with her legs crossed and holding her arms in front of her body. Even after the class started for a while, the brunette only shifted her legs once.

Alice constantly looked back during the lesson, borrowing and returning something discreetly, which made Tina more confused. 'What is she doing?'

At last, she had to look. Should she just turn her head around and take a quick peek? Should she use a mirror to cover? Who was she kidding? She never carried a mirror around like everybody else seemed to do in this school. 'Ok, just one quick peek. Here we go…'

"Dang!" Just the second when the blonde tried to steal a look of her neighbor, the loud noise of a blast against the wooden board startled her and instinctively, she snapped, turning her head into the direction of the sound.

Bette threw her palms on the desk, causing the solid wood to clank. Her head rested on her left forearm, the waves of rich brown hair spilling all over the book that she never got to open up. Her thick black eye lashes fluttered against the closed eyelids and she stopped moving once again. The only sound from her side was the gentle rhythmic breath accompanying the rising and falling of her torso.

'Of course she is sleeping! Ok that explains a lot.' Tina rolled her eyes secretly to the sleeping girl several inches away and also to her own paranoia.

After watching in disbelief for some moments, though she tried to redirect her attention to the math teacher with her babbling and not at all challenging questions, the blonde couldn't help observing Bette from head to toe. It was a chance she had not got since the first time they met in person.

A beautiful girl, or handsome in this case, in every sense: Bette's thin but heavy brows were creased only a little bit as if the position was not comfortable, a small wrinkle visible in between them. Her eye lashes were so long, dense even, curling and covering the natural darker eye lines on the lids. The outline of her profile, reasonably high nose bridge, notable cheekbones, along with the smooth skin color that suited her beyond Tina could describe, made the girl look like a carefully carved sculpture, the corners and edges clear, but softened by the almost peaceful slumber. Her athletic arms folded, forming a nice and lean shape. The ever-stretching legs were still crossed under the table, which made the blonde smirk: 'she sure is having pins and needles when she wakes up.'

It was like Tina's line of sight was too intent to be dismissed, Bette, even in her unclear state of mind, felt some heat emitting from the neighboring seat and arriving at her being. She rubbed a hand over her forehead and her big brown eyes shut open abruptly, totally without warning, catching the snooping girl off guard.

Time seemed to have stopped for the blonde. The moment, she didn't know what was going on, losing a bit of her soul in the mischievously shinning pools.

"Like what you're seeing?" Bette snickered, the words dancing on her mercilessly thin lips, and she slowly stretched, not caring if she spoke too loudly, getting up from the desk and yawning. Somehow her languid movement reminded Tina of a cheetah lurking around her.

"Huh? What am I seeing?" Alice turned around once again, puzzled.

The brunette pushed her palm on the girl's cheek. "Not you, Al." Then she returned to the blonde but found that she already diverted her attention away from their barely started conversation. "Hey, blondie." She frowned and dragged her chair over the aisle, getting into Tina's personal space.

"What do you want?" Secretly glad that the brunette was still interested, Tina also felt a little pressure because of their proximity. The distinct aroma once again enveloped her.

Bette crooked one brow and wrapped her right arm on the back of Tina's chair. "You know, I learned something about the pranks."

"Uh-huh." Tina rolled her eyes. 'Of course, whose groupies you think they are?' She noticed the teacher was glancing at them but too timid to tell the brunette to get back on her spot. Tina tried to sit further from the impending figure despite the heat from the brunette was really desirable.

"You know, you can play nice. And it'll all be gone." Bette leaned back in her seat and folded her long legs onto the chair. "I'm more than willing to help."

"I believe you. But what fun would that be?" If Bette had any intention to stop her torment, she'd done it already.

Shrugging in agreement, Bette was a bit surprised. "True. Well, anytime you change your mind." She rolled her chair back to her desk and spent the rest of the class throwing tape balls to Shane, catching some other girls in their fire line.

Tina shook her head and tolerated the big kids swirling and swaying and dodging all around the place.

Bette went missing again the next day. The blonde actually had a peaceful morning of study. But in the mean time, she began to think about the brunette constantly, wondering where she was, what she was doing, who she was with. And those thoughts gave her a bad hunch. She was not supposed to feel about her that way.

On her way to science lab, a pale girl with long black hair and glistening green eyes approached her. "Tina Kennard, right?"

Recognizing the accent, the blonde nodded. 'Great, here comes the Peabody.'

"Helena." The Brit leaned closer and took her hand, shaking. Hearing the little incident between Tina and her old "friend", Helena got curious about this bold girl. She ardently eyed the girl up and down, deciding that she liked her type. "Why don't you, join us for lunch, after your," she pulled a bit further and saw the book in the thin arms, "science class?" She pointed to the cafeteria, a bunch of girls with blinking Tiffany jewelries already waiting.

"Sorry, I probably have something to cover in the lab." Tina looked down at her hands, embarrassed that she had to turn down the nicest girl she had encountered so far because she couldn't afford lunch here. "But thanks for the invitation."

"Awww, sweetie." Helena had no difficulty seeing through this poor girl's mind. In fact, the whole school knew Tina prepared her own lunch box everyday. "Don't worry about the price, okay? It's on me."

"I really shouldn't…"

Helena grabbed the girl's hand again, squeezing gently. "It's really okay, darling. I believe you haven't really seen the town, right? You fancy a tour tonight around the neighborhood? I happen to have the ticket to 'roll-the-dice' wrap-up party…"

"I'm sorry… I have to…" It was when Tina realized that the Brit was not so nice as she appeared to be in the beginning. And she started to feel uncomfortable with her condescending manner.

"Come on, darling." Helena pursued relentlessly, leaning in closer and closer.

Tina felt herself getting crowded. Helena's perfume was too strong and uncomforting, unlike Bette's. Her eyes were too misted, unlike Bette's clear ones. The whole feeling with this girl so near was unsettling, while with Bette, it was exciting and not, in the slightest, frightening. Bette, Bette, Bette. All she could do was to compare everything about Helena to the brunette as she panicked.

"And what the hell do you think you're doing to my new neighbor, Helena?" As if the blonde's calls were audible, the coldly calm, yet surprisingly soothing voice came through the crack of a door, a tall figure leaning against the door frame of a room very near and unbeknown to Tina.

Helena dropped her hand and quickly stepped away from Tina. She instead marched over to face the brunette, squinting and unhappy. "Why? Am I not allowed to have the pleasure of getting acquainted to your new little bird?"

Bette brought up one hand in the direction of the room. Just then Tina noticed that she had a fiddlestick in her hand. "Trying to practice in here. If you want to flirt, mind your voice or go somewhere else." Almost like she got irritated, the brunette glared at the Brit.

Helena subconsciously swallowed meeting the brunette's annoyed tone. She pretended to glare back but still backed away slowly, putting up both her hands in the air. "Whatever, Bette." Then she attempted a wink to the blonde. "Later, darling."

The brunette watched Helena rejoin her biatches in the cafeteria area. Then she glanced to the blonde in an almost tender way, checking if she was okay.

"Thanks." Whispered Tina, not looking directly into those burning brown eyes. Quickly, she gave a little wave and walked away. Feeling the stare still on back, she had to grip on the hem of her shirt to suppress the stirring emotions in her chest 'Thank god she was there. Bette was there.' The notion deeply engraved in her mind even before she had the chance to contemplate what just happened.

Bette, on the other side of the hallway, furrowed her neat brows like she always did. The bubbling in her stomach was indisposed. For one, she hated when Helena flirted with her oh-so-very-charming British accent and her superior attitude; and for another, she disliked the idea of Tina being the one that the Brit was hitting on. Though she had been practicing to herself the whole morning in the violin club, she had to come out of the room and chase the annoying girl away. 'What's happening to me? What is it about this little Tina Kennard that drives me nuts like that?' Thinking to herself, she spun into the room and smashed the door in confusion.

Chapter Three

To avoid the relentless pranks, as well as Helena's shameless flirting, Tina snuck out of the classroom and stole herself into a room, which she knew sure was empty—Bette Porter's violin club. In fact, according to Dana the clumsy athlete, the room was more like a personal retreat for the brunette, since her favorite, million-dollar-expensive timber lay in there and nobody dared to go inside without her permission.

She pushed the door lightly, taking a peep. Just as she predicted, the room was clear except for the quiet violin hanging peacefully on the plain wall, whose design was gorgeous, strings reflecting lights from every angle, paint as good as new. She could imagine, the sound it made must resemble that of the giggles of a newborn, melodious, sweet, and delightful.

Tina looked around her, seeing no-one was passing by, so she slid into the room discreetly and shut the door. 'What a rare chance to eat lunch in such security.' She contently sighed as she took a bite of her sandwich.

It was no sandwich for the blonde girl, but a symbol of her father's love. He packing her lunch everyday was everything she could dream of growing up fatherless. Maybe their bond was difficult to fix after seventeen years, but they were trying to mend it. Preparing lunch for his daughter, for Sam, was a trivial but significant step forward. And Tina appreciated it.

Sounds of motor boots clicking on the tiles, and talking approached, fast. "I'm going out for a smoke." It was Shane.

And the other voice was not mistakenly recognizable, from the brunette. "Don't you smoke enough?"

"Well I'm going with Shane-Shane." Of course, then there was Alice. "Come with us?"

"No thank you. I'd rather have 15 more years to live."

To the blonde's disappointment—well, not exactly disappointment, but rather panic, Bette turned down her friends' offer to hang out, but instead, her hands already reached the handle of the room.

"Dana's training out there." Alice rolled her eyes and explained.

The movement on the other side of the door paused for a moment, Bette observing the girl's high spirit. "Ok." She shrugged indifferently. "Good for Dana, I guess."

Meanwhile, Tina fleeted in the room, trying to find somewhere to hide. The iron closet in which music instruments were stalled seemed pretty adequate for her temporary shelter. But as she jumped inside, the blonde left her lunch box on the desk. She inwardly scolded in fear.

The door was pushed open with some careless force. Bette stepped into the room, firstly admiring her violin. The golden sunlight cascading through the window, pouring all over the shiny timber, the instrument surely looked magnificent, its strings silvery like rivers running down a full moon night, the fiddlestick accompanying slim and crystal as well.

A few minutes later, her big brown eyes languidly arrived at the only thing that did not belong in her room. A half eaten sandwich abandoned on the table. She instantly recognized the little plastic box. 'The one girl takes one of those and eats sandwich.' But looking around the room, the blonde was nowhere to be found. She purposefully locked the door with a loud click. Bette shifted her weight from one foot to another, leaning further to the only place one could hide in the room, holding in her breath to listen.

Inside the giant cabinet, the blonde covered her mouth with one hand, trying not to make any sound to give her presence away, even if she already knew the brunette probably had some idea. Her heart began to race off the top while Bette was not making any sounds. Through the dark, she cursed and cursed, regretting why on earth she jumped in here. She wouldn't even be this embarrassed if she just sat there. She should have sat there and confronted the brunette, for the more attention she got, the better her plan could go. Not just hide in here!

A little smile crept over Bette's thin lips before she knew it. Intentionally, she walked near to the iron sark, and in no surprise, hearing a little jump against the metal board.

Tina buried her head in her hands, awaiting the awkward discovery by the brunette. Yet, the girl's footsteps stopped only several inches away.

Bette was standing before her violin, and carefully, more than she treated anything, took it off the wall. A few chord resonated in the empty space. Then a nice, long stretch of the fiddlestick started the first chapter of "The girl with the flaxen hair". The notes flowed like a gathering of water drops on the river-like silver strings. Her fingertips expertly lingered on the chords, making slow glides and smooth turns of the pitch.

The melody was familiar to the blonde. It reminded her of the moist, soft sun light in Scotland that she had seen in posters and imagined in her head. The piece was about a girl, that was for sure, but not as loving and lively as she remembered. The girl in the song, or, in Bette's interpretation of the song, was rather desolated. Listening to the violin, Tina felt something missing, a spirit, and vigor, a kind of delight and happiness in the sound.

In a manner of abruptness, the brunette pinned her fingers on the strings, causing the music to a prompt stop. Bette felt herself getting carried away by this particular piece of melody. She was disappointed, every time she played, that the composer's tenderness and love toward the girl described in the song were beyond her understanding. She wanted to feel that way about someone, yet she had never had any chance. Maybe shameful, the anger in her rose again as she walked toward the cabinet, feeling the urge to face her only audience in there.

With a force from the outside, the cabinet crunched, the light intruding all of a sudden. Tina instinctively swung, avoiding the rude sun light, her head heavily meeting the edge of the iron object. "Ouch!" She fell back in and covered her forehead with her left hand.

"You playing hide-and-seek with me, blondie?" Bette had her one hand on her waist and the other holding her instrument. She stood tall before the iron cave where Tina had been hiding before and now couldn't get out.

The blonde looked up through the bright light and thought to herself. 'Bette is really beautiful, in her fitted Balenciaga outfit, her wildly curly brown waves down, the color of her eyelashes even lighter under the sun.' She just stared at those thin lips, wondering what mean things the brunette probably just said, but not hearing anything. Then a heated sting beside her left temple had her scold, some strange kind of wetness under her palm. Bringing her palm down, she had a hard time diverting her eyes from the tall figure to the warmness on her hand.

A little flower shaped patch of liquid, dark red.

"Holy shit, you're bleeding!" It was Bette who shrilled seeing the blood. She immediately dropped her violin, as if she cared nothing about it anymore, knelt down in front of the blonde girl, and worriedly put both her hands on the pale cheeks. "Shit, the cut's pretty deep. Are you stupid or something? Why the hell were you hiding?"

Tina searched into the brown pools, still not able to withdraw her mind.

"Get up. I'll take you to the school clinic." Bette pulled out a handkerchief—an expensive one, too, Tina figured—from her pocket, and put it on the cut lightly, then pressed with a little bit more but gentler pressure, in attempt to stop the bleeding. 'There shall be no scar left on such a pretty face. Just do not leave a scar!'

Until then did the blonde girl reacted to the anear brunette. She, in an almost stunned manner, laid her right hand upon the mocha colored one.

Bette felt the smooth skin against her own, her mind temporarily going blank at the contrary of the colors. The pale, slim hand trembled a bit, but it didn't go unnoticed by the brunette. She quickly returned to care for the bleeding point. But the flow wouldn't stop. The dark brows twisted, and the next second, Bette leaned in the cabinet and pulled the blonde girl out, her might surprisingly gentle and caring.

Pulled up, Tina felt the scene before her eyes spinning. Thankful to the stronger torso beside, she was finally on her feet, her face burning with the same shyness as before in this brunette's presence.

"Hey, let's go to the clinic okay?" Bette nearly carried her to the door, her long arm tightly wrapped around the slender waist. She unlocked the door and led themselves out to the hallway.

Shane and Alice walked back after some time off in the tennis court, arguing about something. With a quick glance, they both saw the familiar receding feature of their friend. To add to their confusion, the blonde was in the brunette's grip, a bit too close for their up to now acquaintance. Exchanging a look, Shane and Alice both thought, 'What is going on between those two?'

On the way to the first floor, Bette insisted they take the elevator because of fear that the girl would feel dizzy again. In the small secluded metal box, the embarrassment and awkwardness were amplified, so prominent and visible that both of them had suspicious red clouds on their cheeks.

To break the unsettling ice, Tina timidly touched the brunette's arm that still was wrapping around her. "Uh, Bette?"

"Yeah?" The voice, ever gentle and soft, surprised Bette herself. She looked at the creamy white, slim fingers lying so warmly on her arm.

"I heard…lock that door…?"

With a little smile that she was not aware of, the brunette shrugged. "I wanted to scare you."

"Well you obviously succeeded in that department."

"I guess so. Sorry about it." The apology slipped so naturally over the usually thin with meanness lips. Then Bette realized it and blushed even more profusely. And then she cursed herself for behaving like a stupid little girl. Her emotions showed all over her expressive brown eyes and brows.

Tina of course read through all of them, thinking it was so very cute.

"But seriously, what were you thinking when you got into that closet? Were you planning on come out to me?" Bette grinned, giddy by her witty little word play.

'Just when I thought she's gonna behave… there she asks.' Tina rolled her eyes. "No! I was merely trying to eat my lunch in relative peace."

"In the room I keep my most expensive possession?"

"First of all, it's not your most expensive possession I'm sure of that, and second, thankful to you, Porter, I have no where else to stay away from the die-heart groupies of yours, hence I didn't get to eat lunch for a week."

Bette listened with a frown on her face, seeming to be deep in thoughts of her own. For a minute, she didn't speak.

Tina observed the suddenly quiet brunette in puzzlement.

"You're having lunch with me tomorrow." And Bette announced.

"Why?" Though it was a nice surprise, Tina was still skeptical.

"Well since you're gonna eat in my room anyway. And besides, after our lunch, nobody would ever pull out a prank on you, believe or not." Bette shrugged matter-of-factly. Then she noticed the blood had already permeated the corner of her handkerchief, so she moved in closer, gently took the exquisite hand in hers and adjusted the position of the material with great care, trying not to increase the pain on her companion.

Seeing the brunette's face closer than ever, Tina subconsciously held her breath, hearing the heavy pumping in her chest. She did not understand since when Bette had been so generous and caring and she enjoyed the less hostile attention more than ever. "I thought you find them entertaining?"

"Not so much when you can't have lunch and get hurt because of them." She responded with seriousness, feeling the protective anger coursing through her veins. Then she heard the elevator made a high-pitch "ding" arriving at its destination. "Come on." Stepping out, she was a bit disappointment leaving the warm torso.

In the clinic room, Tina was put to a seat while the physician wrote down her information. Bette stood there, still worried. "Hey could you hurry up? Don't you see she's bleeding?"

"Ms. Porter it's not a real deep cut, just some bandage would do." The redhead doctor, young Lara Perkins, insisted on documenting exactly what happened to the blonde to cause her injury. She knew for sure that it had to do with this bombastic bully with brown hair and cold expression, and she had seen a lot of pranks get out of control because of the brunette. So the young and naively daring doctor wanted to file a report to the headmaster, for him may or may not have the guts to do something about this one arrogant Bette Porter. "Now Ms. Kennard, do tell what happened?"

"It was my fault, alright? I scared her and she bumped into an edge. Now clean the wound or I'll see a 'real deep' one on your face." Bette raised her voice a bit, knowing what the doctor was trying to pull off with her.

'Well, that is a first. Not only did this infamously rampant kid come with the blonde, she seemed genuinely cared, in an aggressive way, too. This one little blonde is sure special to the prodigal.' Lara pondered to herself. "Ok, now, if it's your fault, Ms. Porter, you know how to right the wrong, don't you."

Bette furrowed her brows again, her anger resurfacing quickly for the uncountable times today. But for Tina's sake, she had to get this annoying doctor going. "I do, believe me, and I already apologized." She left the part of Tina being in "her room" behind, not finding any benefits in mentioning it.

"Good, good." Lara put the emergency kit down and began cleaning the stain on the pale skin.

Tina, closed her eyes to let the doctor do her job, but felt Bette leaning closer to observe the progress, a little blush quickly rising on her face.

And the other two persons saw the blush, one finding the reaction curiously interesting, one fascinated by the color that appeared on the smooth skin.

"It's not gonna leave a scar, is it?" Bette asked as the doctor put a little bandage on the ruptured skin. She was close enough that the blonde could feel the warmth of her body and her aroma enwrapping.

Lara creased one brow, 'My, my, this kid does care a lot.' "That depends, Ms. Porter. Ms. Kennard, do you have a tendency to have hypertrophic scars or Keloids scars of any kinds?"

"I've never heard of those, so I guess, no." Tina opened her eyes, colliding into a pair of deep brown ones. Her heart audibly thudded against her thorax.

"Well then there's your answer. It's just a small cut, really." Lara packed the swaps and tissues up. "Off you go now. But I guess you've missed the first session in the afternoon."

"Thanks to your slow ass." Bette mumbled.

"Bette!" Tina nudged the brunette, as if it was something so natural that she had been doing whenever Bette was disrespectful to other people. But truthfully it was not. "Thank you, doctor."

"You're welcome."

"Thank you." Bluntly, the brunette repeated dully as she arrived at the exit. She thought it was stupid after saying but it felt right, especially after the blonde's little nudge. 'Fvcking mannerism, Tina.'

"…you're welcome…?" Lara watched the two girls leave the room in awe.

In the hallway, Tina's stomach rumbled, loudly. Bette had to purse her lips to contain the laugh. However, seeing the blonde girl bending her head down in embarrassment, she immediately felt sorry.

The recess bell rang and the building swarmed with students. Bette took themselves back to her violin club. On the way, she rummaged a tuna salad from Alice and passed it to Tina. And after she finished, Bette retrieved her lunch box, the despising saying volumes.

"Ok, I know you have something to say about my humble little sandwich. Spill it." Tina held her arms in front of her chest and stared at the brunette making funny faces.

"You are so eating with me tomorrow." Bette creased her nose in an almost childish way.

Chapter Four

Tina spent the whole morning being nervous, at loss of what to do. Her appointment with Bette in the lunch time was approaching and she didn't know how to behave when they would be left alone. And because of that, she constantly stole glances at the brunette sleeping with her arms spraying on the desk.

Bette always seemed tired out. She stayed in her deep slumber almost every single time she showed up in the classroom and even when she wasn't there, the blonde would have guessed that she was also sleeping, in her recess room, or on the balcony of the school garden. And now the sun light gently caressing her arms and neck, she comfortably wriggled in her dream, only hiding her eyes from the light. She sure slept like a child, a harmless, innocent child.

Then the blonde's mind traced off from the lecture again, going back to the morning when she told her dad about her recent progress with Bette Porter. She remembered him spitting about the wound she had on her forehead, and after her explanation, him praising, the exact word would be "That is amazing, Tina. You go get that skinny little brat for me!" Though she tried to tell her father that Bette didn't seem to be a vicious person and that she took care of her for more than one occasion, Sam Kennard wouldn't listen, his heart and soul absorbed into the biased and twisted subject of revenge.

It scared her, more than before she was in this place. And being beside Bette, she felt helpless, torn apart by the loyalty toward her only family and the increasing sense of falling to this brunette girl. But at the same time, she also viewed the time here, next to a peacefully sleeping beauty, as safe, safer than that in her apartment, safer than that when she was alone.

Maybe she should talk to her, this seemingly indifferent but actually good-willed girl. 'Isn't it too soon? Who am I to her? Who am I to reveal something so personal and so despicable to her?' And reckoning, she dropped the thought.

The clock ticked and tocked on the wall, making the brunette toss, slowly coming to. She stretched her slim limbs that were already taking up a lot of space and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. "Oh shit what time is it?" And checking out the clock, she immediately flipped her phone out, speed dialing. "William? Yeah you come in alright. No, I wouldn't need them. Ok, just put it in my room. Thanks, William." She quickly finished the call despite it was still in the middle of a class. The teacher scolded to herself but never had the audacity to challenge the brunette in the eyes.

Tina had been observing her through split vision from the beginning, feeling bad for the teacher but finding it amusing to see Bette disobey every line of school discipline. She thought all of them were actually becoming adorable. She thought Bette did all of them with style. And it occurred to her that she had been falling for her all along.

Bette plopped her elbow on the desk and leaned on that arm, turning to the direction of her neighbor, cheek in her strong palm that almost covered the whole left side of her face. She sighed contently because of the restoring slumber and checked out the blonde next to her openly. Then she reached out her right hand to tap the thin shoulder. "Pts, Tina."

"What?" The movement was not predictable. Instead of getting annoyed at the interruption, the blonde whispered, smiling secretly in her heart upon seeing the brunette's cute face.

Bette lifted a strand of blonde hair with her long finger, exposing the little bandage. "Um, I see it's healing well." She did not know what had driven her to do that. Maybe it was not her original plan. Maybe she did not have a plan before tapping her on the shoulder. She just enjoyed the attention and the soft whisper. She enjoyed to disturb the person whom she had great interest in, just like a child.

Tina nodded, her heart pounding a little bit faster as the aroma of the brown haired beauty enclosed on her with the outstretch of the arm.

It seemed to be the longest ten minutes before the recess bell rang, both girls eager to leave the boredom of the math teacher and get to the room and have a proper lunch. Bette played with her automatic watch carelessly, and mumbled something from time to time. Tina sorted the hem of her own shirt, first time after the transfer, she felt self-conscious about her appearance. Needless to say, the nerve was from the idea that they were going to have some time together, privately.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven…" The brunette suddenly chanted, causing Alice and Tina to turn to her. "C'mon, five, four, three…" She continued while straightened her upper body from her seat.

"Two, One!" The second she counted down to one, the bell rang, Bette stood up, making her chair squeak, and she grabbed the blonde by her waist, careful not to be hurtful or rough. She walked like a tornado down the narrow aisle and swung the classroom door open. The whole school had yet to react to the recess bell so the corridor was clear, and they made their way successfully to the violin club.

The teacher and other students had their mouths agape, starring the two features retreat from their sight. Not knowing what was happening, a lot of students prayed that the blonde could come back in one piece. Alice immediately made eye contact with Shane, who just shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea whether she's gonna kill her or jump her." Saying so, the wise skinny brunette smirked discreetly, accentuating on the later verb.

Bette guided her guest into the room that were already prepared by her "manny" and closed the door behind them. She browsed the decorated table for a while and decided that it was presentable, a smile forming on her thin lips.

Tina, the poor, poor girl who had never been invited to such a luxurious private meal, gingerly approached the ostentatiously beautiful table, taking in the view and swallowing hard. Her finger tips gently ran over the soft silky material covering the wood, the velvety cloth under the silvery plates, the creamy white swans made of creamy white napkins. The savory smell of whatever in the container penetrated her nostrils, dazzling her with its generosity and prosperity. She was not sure anymore that the warmth on her cheeks was because of her closeness with this girl and her compressively intimidating personality, or her self-consciousness of the fact that, comparing to this girl at her age, she herself was so insignificant and negligible.

The brunette looked thoughtfully at her company. The redness on the snowy skin and the moisture under the hazel pools were one spectacular mixture of what she truly enjoyed. And because of that, she was feeling tender toward this particular blonde. "Here, come sit." Holding out her hand, she walked up to the table, pulled out the chair and motioned.

Snapping out of her own worrying, the blonde gazed into the deepness of those rich brown eyes. She gratefully smiled. "Thanks."

Their hands touched as the both of them got a hold on the back of the wooden chair, the larger, mocha colored one placing on the slim, pale one. And in the split second, all Tina felt was the higher, almost burning hot, temperature of that palm coursing through her veins from her hand to her stomach, then to her core, and her whole being, a sudden urge of sexual attraction growing within her innocent, pure being; all Bette felt was the cooler skin under hers, the smoothness, the softness, the exquisiteness, with in which, she could happily and willingly drown and die.

It wasn't like they have never touched before. They had: the time Tina pissed Bette off and was dragged by the wrist, the time she hit her forehead on the metal edge and Bette tended her, the protective and supporting arm around her waist, and the little tap on the shoulder. But somehow, this connection through the brunette's gesture of politeness and respect was more memorable and more important than any other. It gave Tina a sense of assurance, that she was not so insignificant and negligible as she thought, and a sense of longing, that she wanted, more than ever, to be near this tall girl with shitty cold manner but such warm hands.

To Bette, the touch was electrifying. She had been exciting all night yesterday, not fully knowing why. Now she understood: it was the skin-on-skin touch that had her all worked up. The first time she laid her hand on that tender wrist, then on those pale cheeks, on the thin waist and shoulder, all reminded her of the softest, the most expensive and most delicate thing she had ever held. Holding that, she did not want to let go.

But they had to break apart for their seats on the opposite side of the table. However small the piece of furniture was, the distance was unwanted.

Bette pulled up the cover of the plates for she had dismissed the offer from Williams sending a servant to wait their table. She smiled, loving the exclusiveness and the fact that she could court the blonde on her own. Though a lot of things hadn't been explained—for starters—the animosity they both felt when they first met, things were taking the good turn. "Creme d'asperge for appetite." She softly spoke, mimicking a French accent, which made the blonde giggle.

"Wow." Tina could only utter that syllable after she diverted her eyes to the green little culms on the plate, moist creamy liquid surrounding them, forming deliciously beautiful scenery.

"I didn't tell the cook to specifically prepare some specials, so from the smell, I guess the entrée would be… ummm, steak grille with haircots verts..." The brunette was fascinated by the look on that perfect face. She was even a bit nervous, rambling about the dishes, hoping to impress the blonde, for the second time, acting like a child. "You like?"

"I'm sure I will definitely enjoy this." Tina laughed a little to the childish manner that the brunette was displaying. She replied cheekily.

So the brunette was happy. She reached to the bottle of Burgundy Pinot Noir. Seeing the blonde crook a brow, she then held out another green tin, the brand Sprite sharply distinctive. "Just a sip." Loading a cup for her guest, she inhaled the refreshing bubbles the soda water made meeting the deep color of red. "Tastes the best when mixed up."

Tina took the cup and felt their fingertips brush again. The lingering temperature was still recognizable on the fingerprints on the crystal clear glass.

Bette intently watched the movements of the girl. "Ok, I'm digging in." She announced happily.

During their meal, Bette chewed her steak absent-mindedly. Her entire attention focused on the girl in front of her. Tina ate very slowly, tiny bites and tiny sips.

Maybe because the line of sight was too ardent, the blonde could truly sense the heat on her side, warming up from inside out. She cleared her throat. "What're you looking at?" And looking up, she swore to have caught the chocolate color pouring into her direction but one second later, the comfortingly warm color was not there anymore.

The inquiry threw the brown haired girl slightly off, her mind immediately screamed out the answer, 'You!' yet she blushed, and quickly picked her eyes up from the person to the wall, finding something that seemed appropriate to be an answer. "Uh, no-nothing… it's just my violin…"

Hearing that, Tina couldn't help but felt a bit disappointed. She turned her head to look. The million-dollar timber, that she saw being dropped to the floor last time, was hanging like before on the wall, its strings so silvery and river-like, its wood polished and reflecting the gentle caress of the sunlight. "You played really nice, Bette."

The praise was genuine.

Bette smiled with delight. "I'm glad you liked it."

"Do you consider playing a piece on home-coming party?" Tina suddenly felt a strange pride in herself. She wanted Bette to show off her amazing skills.

The brunette's face darkened. She creased her brows. "No. I'm certainly not playing. A bunch of music majors are gonna fight for that part."

"Makes sense. That's the center of attention on a party."

"And I hate attention." Bette straightforwardly replied. She was tired of attention. From birth, her life was filled with pointing and talking about her family, about her "nigger ass-kissing" businessman father, and her "bimbo, slutty" mother from the declining big family, about her skin color, about the fact that her father took her mother's last name to be one of the Porters, then after the Porter Company returned to the business world with its new blood and new look, people became toady, fawning around her 24/7, while the ill-intentioned talking and pointing never stopped.

Tina vaguely knew something about the Porter family. And she also understood that with wealth, came the burden. It was all grown-up mess. But this girl had to shoulder that kind of pressure at such young an age. The environment had created her personalities and attitudes. And beneath that cold hard exterior that she had built for self-preservation, the girl must be sensitive.

"Then I guess it was my privilege to have overheard you practice then?" The blonde teased.

"It's smart of you to reckon that." Bette smiled, teasing back.

Tina tried to push it a bit further, asking. "Can you perform again here?"

"I don't perform for people, Tina." Suddenly, the brunette became all sullen and rigid. She furrowed her brows and stated. The family pushed her into learning the instrument, for kids from upper class families ought to possess at least one of many skills in classical music. While the Porters demanded her to take lessons, they never praised, never awarded, never really took her seriously.

The fair haired girl did not understand why showing the attractive and graceful side of someone could be a taboo. Her facial expression mirrored that of the brunette's as she pondered.

Then awkward silence fell in between of the pair. Bette frowned even more profoundly and clenched her fist around her fork, her knuckles turning white, and she cursed in her mind. It was not supposed to go there. She was not supposed to snap like that. 'What's the harm in performing to this girl, you idiot? She already likes your music! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!' She thought to herself. "Uh… I meant… I… don't perform… unless you want me to." Lamely, bashfully, gingerly, blushing, Bette finally made a sentence. At the same time, she fawningly approached the blonde.

It was the moment that would worth remembering! Tina looked at the innocent face and nodded, her inner voice screaming the word "cute" for a thousand times. She wanted to have the opportunity, again, to see how a girl so tameless manipulate a piece of timber so elegantly, and produce something so fine.

"Okay." Bette stood up, a little spring in her steps. She had no idea what the hell she got all cheering and joyful, coy even. "If you like." Putting down her napkin and arriving to the violin, she gave the girl a pampering smile.

"That would be very charitable of you." So the lightness was back. Tina stared into the tender pools of brownness, fainting a little bit.

And the following answer certainly almost knocked her over by its devotion and ardor. "I may manage a song for you and you alone."

It was the moment that she heard herself falling, and dropping at the base of her dangerous attraction. Tina could hardly bare the seriousness in that promising tone. She looked down at her hands resting on the velvety cloth, feeling the invisible mark that those hot, long fingers created on her skin, invisible, yes, but prominent.

"Ms Tina Kennard, for you, Violin Concerto No.3—Adagio." Bette rested the instrument against her collar bone, positioning her long and lithe upper limbs.

As if she was speaking another language, Tina missed the name of the piece. She instead focused on her own breathing.

Then the first drizzle of light notes flying out of the wooden box disorganized her inhales and exhales once more. She held her breath till she herself was oxygen deprived. And taking a shallow breath in, she stopped again. No other voice should be heard when this dedicating girl created this dedicating piece of art.

Bette's strong fingers caressed the strings, moving up and down like she was petting them, painting them.

Not until then did the blonde knew how enchanting the temperament Bette had within her rough and rude persona. They were contradicting maybe, but also fitting perfectly to the mocha skinned figure. Now the brunette looked like a charming aristocrat that only exists in Mediterranean European movies. And the obsession for the girl was growing on her part.

With a slow drawl, the chapter ended like a breeze on the spring lake, leaving a little bit of rippling in the spacious room.

"Brava." The ever soft praise escaped the rosy lips. Tina felt light-headed after holding her breath in through the whole song.

Confidence and appreciation emerged from the clear brown eyes. Bette straightened her posture and walked back with a dazzling signature smile that seemed less sad than before. "Wasn't bad, eh?"

"Bette," The blonde reached out and captured the larger hand, her voice maternal and sympathetic to this insecure girl, "it was the most beautiful piece I have ever heard. I feel honored." And as she picked her eyes up from their joint hands to meet with Bette's, she found the brunette staring at her, deeply in thought. "What's wrong? It was perfect, Bette."

"Perfect…" The brunette girl repeated in a trance. Her line of sight dropped, first to their hands, then to the fair hair spread on the thin shoulders, and finally arrived at the lips that had been glossed on by the dark red liquor. 'Perfect, indeed.' Without her noticing, she licked her own lips and bowed.

"Yeah, perfe—" The word was uttered again, but this time not completed, for Tina felt the moist, velvety, burning flesh enclosing on hers.

Neither of them moved, nor did they linger too long in the blissful abandonment. Bette pulled up, hesitantly paused in the air, attempted to dive in for another kiss, but at last stood tall. Tina let go of the mocha colored hand and placed her colder palm against her blushing neck.

The merest touch provoked the most extreme emotion. Like two puppies lost in the mist of the hot aired lustrous and dazzling street in the city of angels, the youthful beings let the youthful awkwardness and shyness fill freely up the small gap of silence in between.

Chapter Five

Previously:

"Perfect…" The brunette girl repeated in a trance. Her line of sight dropped, first to their hands, then to the fair hair spread on the thin shoulders, and finally arrived at the lips that had been glossed on by the dark red liquor. 'Perfect, indeed.' Without her noticing, she licked her own lips and bowed.

"Yeah, perfe—" The word was uttered again, but this time not completed, for Tina felt the moist, velvety, burning flesh enclosing on hers.

Neither of them moved, nor did they linger too long in the blissful abandonment. Bette pulled up, hesitantly paused in the air, attempted to dive in for another kiss, but at last stood tall. Tina let go of the mocha colored hand and placed her colder palm against her blushing neck.

The merest touch provoked the most extreme emotion. Like two puppies lost in the mist of the hot aired lustrous and dazzling street in the city of angels, the youthful beings let the youthful awkwardness and shyness fill freely up the small gap of silence in between.

As if the waves of the melody were still swaying gently, two pairs of keen ears perked and searched for any voice other than the humming echoes. The quiet moment was desirable, both of them contemplating the kiss they shared and what they could do with it.

Tina had imagined their first kiss over and over and over since her father had come up the plan of seducing Bette Porter. The way she had in mind was definitely not how it played out. She thought about herself following the plan nicely and steadily, about baiting the brunette slowly into her arms, about making Bette fall head over heels for her, about taking initiatives in their first touch, first kiss, first night together… Now all was getting out of control, and she was falling too fast. 'It was not supposed to be… why did she do that?'

'What just happened?' Bette yelled in her head. 'Oh no. No, no, no, no, no, not good. She's scared. She must be scared.' Truthfully, she liked this girl the instant she locked eyes with her, maybe even more so when she challenged her. Just when they were about to be friendly together and have a slow evolving relationship, she couldn't wait to think it over before taking actions.

'God, her lips! They were a bit jerky and quivering, but also warm, soft, tender.' The hazel eyes lit up a little as she tucked her bottom lip in, savoring the tingling sensation.

"Ahem… it was a, uh, app-appreciating kiss." The brunette stammered, the temperature on her cheeks rising.

But Tina frowned. 'What does she mean? Was it not wholehearted? Not out of genuine affection?' "What did you just say? What do you mean by appreciating kiss? Who kisses people randomly like you?" Out of nowhere, her anger surfaced.

Bette was at loss in the situation. She did understand her behavior was shocking probably. But what she could not fathom was the rage. And called "random", she felt the urge for clarification. "Do I look like I kiss people around 'randomly', Tina?"

"We're not together, jeez, we're not remotely related. We're nothing. If it's not what you call random I don't know what is."

"Tina… why are you so upset? I…" Bette's eyes immediately went all sad and pitiable like those of a big puppy. She sighed and insisted on looking into the hazel pools, seriousness in her tone. "Ok, I'm sorry. I just… really wanted to kiss you, that's all. You were… you were very nice about my violin and all and I wasn't…" Explaining, the brunette rambled with such cuteness that she never knew she possessed and that Tina could not deny sympathizing.

All of a sudden the blonde realized that she was overacting, or perhaps, unfair because the desire and attraction was mutual. She shook her head and softened her expression. "It's okay, Bette. I was telling the truth. You were playing amazingly."

"That's very kind of you to say."

"Hey, you should get more credit. I may know little about classic but I know you're good, I mean, GOOD." Nodding, a sweet smile appeared on the pale face.

And readily, the curve mirrored on the thin, darker colored lips. "Well my family was never so excited by it. Probably they're numbed with all the orchestras. So…" "So…?"

"So I quit. I don't give a fvck what they think and I fvcking quit the lessons. It was no big deal." She shrugged, acting like it did nothing to affect her or bruise her ego. "I do business, not music."

"But you have a room especially for your violin, Bette. Don't you think it tells a different story?" She looked at the girl playing all cool and up-high, smirking. "I think you love it. So you try to hide it from the judgmental, unsatisfying assholes." She was surprised by her own perceptiveness and how comfortable she was to speak frankly with the brunette. By looking at the expressive brown eyes, she knew she guessed it right.

In a slight flurry, Bette blinked and looked away, scratching the back of her neck with her free hand. "Yeah, it's sorta… my thing. I play for me and now… you." For the millionth time, she blushed. To conceal the suspicious red cloud, she cleared her throat and spoke almightily again. "You should consider yourself lucky to have this privilege."

"Privilege uh?" Tina snickered secretly. Though the tone was irritatingly patronizing, she still found it very cute and suited the tall girl perfectly. The turn of event was not what she had expected, and the kiss was not planned, nor was it feel like one from television shows, but Bette's soft lips, gentle eyes, pampering voice, all made her feel like she was somehow special. Maybe she was to her. And the thought had her floating on cloud nine. "Ok now master violinist, come sit and eat." She put up her hands, motioning the brunette to pass over the timber and lay it down.

Without a second thought, Bette obeyed.

The simplest gesture of trust moved the blonde. "What do you do at home then, if you're not practicing violin?"

The question had the neat brows crease. Bette's shoulders visibly dropped as she reluctantly played with her food around the plate. "The omnipotent Mrs. Porter, my grandmother, of course pressures me in business study. It's what my family does. They hire the best tutors, order them to watch me whenever I'm at home."

"Ohhh—" Tina was instantly elaborated upon: Bette Porter was the only authenticated heir of the family business, and reasonably, all her relatives held high expectations, "that's why you dawdle in Marymount…sleep through classes, and bully the shit outa everybody."

Bette crooked an eye brow. "Now you're my therapist? I've been lying to my therapist for ages."

"Ah, I wonder why my mom used to say that therapies are for rich people looking for trouble."

And they shared a laugh. Yet Bette sighed at the end of their giggle. "Anyway, now you know I'm actually a victim of family abuses. How about you? I only have the information that your name's Tina Kennard, you have an expensive brain, and that you think I'm a bully. What about your life?"

"Me? I have nothing much to say. Just a middle class girl." The blonde paused and then went silent.

"Well don't you have any siblings? And about your hobbies, don't tell me it's studying your ass off." The brunette pursued on nevertheless. Her big brown eyes filled with friendly curiosity. "Where do you live? With your parents?"

"No siblings. And you're probably right. Poor little girls don't have money to foster other hobbies besides reading." Tina intended to dodge the inquiry about her family background. On the one hand, how could she tell the girl that her father grafted several million dollars from her company and was expelled; on the other hand, she was really feeling self-conscious about the extremely humble life she was living. "Where do I live it's not important. Not in the neighborhood but not very far from here either."

Bette leaned on her large palm and stared at the blonde girl, watching her bring the mixture of drinks up to her lips and take a small sip, smiling that because of her stare, Tina's pale cheeks were clouded with red shadows again.

The intentness of the eyes had Tina nearly trail off from the present. She tried to avoid the eye contact but always failed to do so. The brown pools were beautiful, enchanting, warm, safe. "Why are you staring at me?" At last, she couldn't help but cleared her throat and asked.

"Why did you hate me?" Suddenly, Bette threw out a question, and completely surprised the girl.

"I… I never hated you." Unconvincingly, Tina answered and felt like biting her own tongue because of the slip. It was obvious enough for the whole school to see when she first arrived at Marymount that she purposely went head to head with this rich girl. Now her denial seemed weak.

"So we're good then?" Bette didn't care. She just showed a childish toothy smile and bounced a little in her seat.

"Ye-yeah… you can say so."

"Great!" Even with a little clap of her mocha colored hands, Bette wriggled with content.

The lightheartedness was contagious. At that point, Tina could only shook her head and laughed. "Why Porter, why are you so happy?"

"'cause I don't hate you." The brunette shrugged and stated the truth. She not only did not hate her, but found her really interesting, pretty, whether she was frowning or smiling. But she liked when she smiled better. "Now we get to be friends alright?"

"Friends…" The blonde tasted the work on the tip of her tongue.

"Friends." To seal the deal, Bette held up her glass of drink and gestured Tina to do the same. Then she gently clicked hers with her companion.

The progress they made during the last couple of days was unexpectedly good. 'Father is going to be pleased.' Tina thought to herself and feeling a bit of disappointment in her chest. The closer she got to know this girl, the more she wanted to be genuine to her, the more she was falling. And knowing that her father was going to require her telling everything, she felt her desperation to keep this sweetness just to herself.

The word "Friend" apparently meant something very intimate to the brunette, possibly more intimate than she realized. Bette ordered her personal chef to prepare extra dishes everyday so that her little new friend wouldn't have the poor sandwich for lunch. But when she grabbed the tender wrist to invite the girl over, Tina pulled away.

"I can't take it, Bette."

"What? Why?"

"Your meals are expensive, I've seen it once. And I can't pay you back."

"Don't be silly, Tina. You're not gonna eat up my money. It's really fine."

"No, Bette. That'll be pitying, don't you get it? Do you pity me?" Now that she knew she was falling for her, Tina wanted to have dignity in front of this girl. At last, Bette thought she was different. And she was. That was what made her special in this hole of gold and silver, being a tough little grail.

Hearing that, the neat brows were forming a heavy knot, a little wrinkle appeared in between. "Woah, I… I don't mean that… I never meant that, Tina. It's just we're friends now… I think it'll be nice to have lunch together."

"Then ask Alice and Shane go with you." Saying so, the blonde did not really mean it. Truth be told, she was moved that Bette was trying to do something nice for her.

"Hey, hey, don't be mad okay? What would it take for me to have you lunch with me?" The brunette brought a hand on her head and rubbed her temples with her thumb and middle finger.

"I can take my sandwich with me."

"That's not gonna happen. It's not healthy and I certainly can't eat when you're having a sandwich."

"Then forget about it." Tina attempted to leave.

The brunette girl instantly jumped in her way and held her arms in protest. "Wait, wait, wait. How about we do some business?"

"What business would that be?" Hazel eyes lit up with delight. Delight, indeed, she found Bette's react very interesting.

"Hummm…" The big brown eyes shined with whimsical sparkles. "How about…I share my lunch and you share your exam answers for the following months?"

"Sounds like a fair deal." Sarcastically, Tina rolled her eyes.

"You think?" A bit smile cracked on the brightened face.

"No! Of course not."

The innocently expectant smile stiffed. "Why not? You'll be doing something for me, grandma will be convinced that I learn, win-win situation."

"First of all, that is not helping you. I'm gonna do something called 'tough love' to you and you'll thank me later." Sounded like a nagging old person, the blonde put one hand on her waist. "Second, it's highly doubtful that you need to stoop to this level to pass your exams. I'm sure lots of people would be more than willing to lend a hand on that." Then she looked up and saw the big smile returning to the beautiful face. So she wriggled one brow in question.

"You just said 'love', T-bird." Bette triumphantly uttered the pet name. "You love me~ you love me~ you really really love me~~" As the blonde tried to argue, she started to sing, jumping around.

"Bette?!" Tina winced and tried to catch her by the arm.

"What's the matter, T-bird?"

"Don't. Call. Me. T-bird." She grained her teeth.

"Ahh, don't worry, our little secret is safe with me."

"You're impossible, Porter." Tina again shook her head and tried to walk in the opposite direction of that overly happy and gloating girl.

"Okay, okay, I get it. So you give me a business plan then." Bette immediately changed her tactic and blinked her big puppy eyes at the blonde.

It was her show of whim. Tina turned around to face the taller figure, speaking unequivocally. "I will help you with school work but you'll do exams on your own."

"Awww!" Scold appeared and fake tears twirled in the big brown pools.

"It's not all. Under one condition."

"What? There's a condition?"

"Uh-huh. There's gonna be a ten-dollar spending cap."

"Hey! That is not fair! It's like buying a sandwich!"

"It's buying ten sandwiches."

"It's like eating at the school cafeteria!" Now the tears were starting to seem genuine. How could she survive with ten dollars every day for lunch? She crossed her arms before her chest. "I don't pay my chef for ten-dollar meals."

"No, not true. School cafeteria costs seven, I checked. But since you brought that up, we might as well eat there."

"Please don't."

"It's your choice." Smiling victoriously, Tina waved her hand and carried on her way.

With a defeated wince, Bette caught up with the girl in the hallway. "Ten-dollar spending cap. I choose ten!" As she screamed her choice, she also wondered, 'I'd normally be so crossed by now. Nobody's ever had the balls to tell me what to do. What's with this blondie little bird?'

After Tina walked back to her chemistry lab, Bette ran into Shane on her way back to whatever classroom which she paid no attention to. The other brunette had a smug grin on her face. "Ten dollar spending cap?" She leaned against the hall and crossed her arms, crooking one brow.

Bette rolled her eyes at the girl, greeting her sarcastically. "Good afternoon to you too."

"So what's with the spending cap?" The skinny girl insisted on figuring out the story.

Bette shrugged, getting a bit embarrassed to share the specific details of their agreement. But she knew her friend was dependable, so dependable and secretive comparing to her other friend. "I'm gonna tell you but you're not saying anything."

"Not to a single walking thing."

So she confessed about her fostering attraction to the blonde girl and their lately arrangement for lunch. In the end of her telling, Bette shook her head. "What the hell I just got myself into, Shane?"

"I have no idea. But it sure sounds like a lot of sacrifice on your part." Shane scratched the invisible beard on her chin. "I thought she hated you?"

"She doesn't. And she claims to have never hated me in the first place either."

"Could have fooled me."

"Yeah right? For some reason unbeknown to the universe she showed much aggression at first but see where we are now." Bette smiled like a cat that just succeeded in stealing herself a big meal.

Shane shot up an eye brow. "Uh… where are you now exactly?"

"Friends…?" Bette curved her lips and uttered the word unwillingly. "But we're working on it. It's… no big deal." Shrugging off the embarrassment, she tried to instill much confidence in her own being, convincing her friend.

"Oookay, whatever you say. Hey by the way, Grandma Porter must want to know about your little new friend? What do you plan to tell her?"

Hearing the name, Bette creased her nose and her brows. Grandmother, her intimidating, horrifying even, grandmother. "She… she can't know. Not now."

"Sure that's what you want. But I bet a hell lot of people would love to report the new progress you're making in school to her."

"Ugh, don't remind me, Shane. We're just friends; she can't do nothing about it." The taller girl twirled around the corner of the hallway with her pout. Before disappearing into her private violin room, she poked her head from behind the wall. "Hey, Shane, I'm thinking… maybe take her to the Planet after school. Do me a favor, don't let Alice tag along?"

"You got it." With a wink, the skinny brunette waved 'good-luck' to her friend.

Chapter Six

"Ugvvvvvh… I'm fvcking mad right now. Where's Porter?" Alice the blonde haired gossip goddess approached Shane after the final course of the day. "Fvcking Fred bailed on me. Now I need a ride home."

"When the hell are you gonna make your decision between a pussy and a dick, Alice?" Dana overheard her as she walked pass to the tennis court.

"Why don't you call up William to give you a lift?" It was a logical suggestion from "Yoda".

The blonde girl sighed, unpleased. "Thanks to Grandma Porter, William's out running some errand."

"But Bette's gone to the Planet. You just missed her." Shane shrugged.

"Without me?"

"You were gonna have a date with Fred remember? Not Bette's fault."

Alice tucked her tongue out and made a face. But soon after that she pursed her lips again in depression. "I still don't get a ride."

"Why don't you ask tennis girl do you a favor?"

"Good thought, Shane." Immediately, Alice came back alive and ran after the retreating young athlete. "Hey Dana! Wait up!"

"But Alice I truly think you should learn to drive sometime!" Shane yelled to the bouncing girl.

Alice scolded. "Uh-uh, not in a million years!"

Meanwhile, outside the school gate, Bette waited patiently, sitting on her motor astride. A glint of blonde hair appeared on the not-yet packed path and captured her eyes. So she twisted the throttle. The large metal beast growled and roared as if it was showing off its marvelous, powerful engine, getting some passer-bys' attention. "Hey, T!"

"Bette? Wha—"

"C'mere, I'm taking you to the Planet. Tonight's the ladies' night." 'Far, far away from my grandmother's territory.' She twisted the handle a couple more times.

Tina crooked one brow in surprise. The Planet, notoriously famous West Hollywood café-slash-night club, was having a ladies night? Imagine what that could be like. "Uh… Bette? It's school night. We can't go to a night club."

"Don't worry, I'll have you returned to your dad before your curfew."

"I do not have a curfew!" Tina pouted. A curfew? Please! Even the poor kid knew it was something lame.

"Alright, all worked out." Bette jumped off her beloved Dark Night Cavalier V-twin engine Harley-Davidson Softail—very different from the red CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide she rode to school on the first day, but even cooler and more stylish—and with an extra helmet in her hand, she stood, overpoweringly, in front of the blonde, but her movements were gentle. She tenderly put the heavy thing on the shorter girl and secured the adjustable band. "Here we go."

To that point, there was no way the blonde could back away from the alluring temptation to go with the brunette. She smelt the enchanting scent and she felt the radiating body temperature, her mind spinning already. But she got one more question. "How are we gonna go in that place?"

"We walk in, silly, but after I get my baby a cozy parking spot." Bette said with a wink.

"That's not what I'm asking." Tina rolled her eyes.

"Ok, ok." Bette smiled and strode on her bike. "The club is my friend's. Marina. You're gonna love her."

"And you're sure that we're not gonna get into trouble?" The blonde was almost convinced.

"No, no. I won't let anything happen to you, princesses. Now hop on!" Bette patted the back of her leather seat, motioning the blonde girl to get on.

Hearing the mild ridicule, Tina felt her face burning up. She gingerly sat herself on the giant machine and grabbed the back handle behind the seat, her waist tensed, preparing for an inevitable sluggishness that the first movement may cause.

The Marymount girls were starting to rush out from the building and crowding into the path, many of whom witnessed the pair getting on Bette's favorite motorcycle. They starred in panic. Well, it was a lucky day for Alice to find herself a cute little ride home, or else she would be stuck because no other living thing, until then, had had the privilege to make any contact with the brunette's precious black Harley.

Yet Bette didn't start the motor. She waited and waited for the slim arms to wrap around her body in case of a sudden fall. But the blonde didn't seem to be getting the point. "Hey blondie, do you wanna fall on your ass?"

"What?"

"If you like to stay on the vehicle as I go, wrap your arms around me." She warned and threatened to take off by twisting the throttle several more times, causing the motor hum and growl and rush and rub the ground like it would break through in any second.

The immediate loss of balance startled the blonde. She let go the back handle and gripped the brunette's strong waist instead, as if she was holding onto her dear life. Actually, she really thought at the precise minute that her life depended on the tall girl in control of this beastly gas-consuming monster.

"Now you're all set." Bette announced triumphantly, suddenly feeling the grip on her waist become even tighter.

"Don't! Don't… go too fast…"

The brunette beamed an almost too gentle smile and gave it a smooth fueling, her other hand pressing the clutch. The iron horse shook a bit as Bette pressed the break some times to make sure the blonde was safe on the back of her seat, and soon it galloped. She promised, whispering but not being heard because of her own helmet. "I won't let you fall."

Tina could hear the engine roaring and the wind howling as she hid her face in the giant helmet, but the assuring figure in control made the ride feel especially and unrealistically safe. She peeked to the backing sceneries and saw that they were going about forty miles, passing some bicycles and cars on the sides and remembering the last few times she heard the brunette rode, she knew that this was much slower than most of the usual times. And the warmth radiating underneath her arms, a kind of mild but devoting, sincere warmth, traveled from her hands through her veins to her inner most nerves, her limbs and beyond.

Bette didn't know whether she was riding too slow, she just meticulously, cautiously and protectively carried the precious cargo behind her. Unlike her normal self, she did not pin their vehicle through the traffic or pull out any stunt that may be considered life-threateningly dangerous in the mind of timid William, Bette rode in line behind some stupid cheap pickup truck. Sure it'd double the time spent on traveling, yet it suited her mood positively, giving more time to feel the slim arms around her, the soft breasts pressed against her back, the calmingly rhythmic heaving of body, and the faint but recognizable and refreshing peppermint-flavored aroma that put a spell on her. As they pulled to a stop before a red light, she called, sweetly and softly. "T?"

The distinctive endearment in Bette's voice had the blonde swallow as she heard a loud thud in her chest. Nobody had called her like that before. And she loved the way it touched her eardrums. It felt right, called by the brunette like that. "Yeah…?"

The equally soft and shy reply lit up Bette's face. 'Yeah it feels right, calling her like that.' "Nothing, just…uh…" And she lost her trace of mind temporarily. "Uh… how… how are you holding up?"

"I'm really ok, Bette. I feel safe." Subconsciously, she tightened her arms reassuringly.

"I mean in Marymount. Are the pranks still going on?"

"Not much." Truthfully, the pranks were reducing by a drastic speed. People did not know about their lunch plans or their fast blossoming friendship, definitely not their "accidental" display of affection—that first kiss, but since it was pretty obvious that the blonde girl made peace with Bette, they simply stopped targeting the poor girl, well, except for those jealousy driven ones.

Bette cranked her neck and stole a glance at Tina. "Not much? Then there still are?" 'How come? Are they fvcking blind?'

"Only a few silly… harmless ones, really. I think it's because I hang out with you too much."

"There won't be any, starting tomorrow." The brunette announced. 'Jealous biatches need some management.'

Tina only nodded in small amplitude. Many saw the two of them riding together moments ago. Bette's words would be more than enough to put a halt on whoever had sickly intentioned hand extending to her. "Thank you." Blushing, the blonde said.

The corner of Bette's lip was tugged by an invisible force. She felt like a proud kid receiving a reward, again starting the motor.

They finally arrived at The Planet in time to catch the beginning dance of Lady's night. The slutty-dressed women were already queuing up by the thick walls outside the excluded club. The door man instantly spotted Bette's motor from afar and tossed his check-list to his partner, running off from his position to the street. "Miss Porter! Such an honor! How are you tonight?"

"Good to see you, Carl. This is Tina Kennard." Bette stopped her Harley and gestured the blonde to take off first. "Add her to my free pass list."

For a big man, Carl surely had good manners. He extended his big arm to help Tina get off the giant metal beast. The moment he saw the mediocre jeans, cheap shirt, and canvas shoes, he felt his own brain spinning fast to think of any palpable compliments despite his curious mind kept asking what on earth was in the brunette's mind by taking this particular girl with her, and, allowing her to ride on the Dark Night Cavalier. Luck for him, as Tina took off her helmet, the waterfall of blonde hair caught his eyes. "Honor to make the acquaintance, Miss Kennard. Gorgeous hair!"

"Thank you very much." A dazzling blush flashed on the make-up free face, momentarily blinding the other two.

Carl was in luck, diverting his line of sight before he could provoke Bette's jealous wrath by staring. He quickly snapped out of the trance and called over an attendant. "We'll take over from here, Miss Porter. You go enjoy the night."

"Nobody touches Sophie!" Bette yelled on the top of her lungs as she saw the person approaching, slapping off the attendant's hands from her precious bike. She looked up angrily and shot some deadly looks to the surrounding people who turned their heads to her direction.

Tina creased a brow with an interested laugh. "You named your bike Sophie?"

The brunette shrugged. "What? Sophie Marceau's the only goddess left on this planet and you know it!" Then she pointed a finger to Carl. "Nobody, I mean NOBODY gets near my Sophie, you keep your eyes on her tonight, Carl."

The door man was scared shitless by the shouting girl. He nodded as if he were a hen pecking up the corns and nudged the other man to leave immediately.

The three of them arrived at the parking place of the bar and Bette went back and forth for a while finding the nicest spot for Sophie the Harley Softail.

The club was crowded as they expected it to be, the dancers, DJs, and guards in designated places. Marina Ferrer, the mistress of the club, was waiting at tables as the whole place became work-force deprived. But somehow she squeezed her way over to the tall girl and gave her a gigantic enveloping hug. "God it's been long, Bette! I thought you'd not come tonight."

"What are you talking about, Marina. I was here last week." Bette returned the enthusiasm with two kisses. While a waitress was passing by, she grabbed a glass of mojito from the plate and downed the whole thing. Then she put the lime in her mouth and made a face because of the stimulating taste.

Marina, always the sexy and enchanting mermaid, twirled a strand of Bette's brown hair around her long fingers. "You're not supposed to drink, my favorite little minor customer, gonna get me into trouble with your granny…" She then teased with a fake pout. "Why haven't you been skipping classes and stop for lunch these days?"

The flirting gesture somehow irritated Tina. She wondered if all Bette's female friends do that. But again, how could the brunette tolerate anyway? This Marina must be real close friend and the notion consoled her sudden jealousy.

"Well, Marina, if you must know, I have been making lunch plans with a new 'friend'" Bette winked at the woman as she gestured to Tina. "Meet Tina Kennard, transfer from Whitney." She then put a hand on the blonde girl's back, presenting her to Marina. "T, this is Marina… whose last name is a bit of challenge for me."

"Ferrer." The fabulous woman rolled her "r"s like nobody did and stretched out her right hand to the blonde girl. She friendly greeted her. "Bette's pretty little girlfriend, huh? Pleasure."

Her manner made Tina blush for the thousandth time of the few hours in the evening. "I'm… I'm not…"

"Very well, go to our best private room girls. I promise you no one's gonna interrupt your little loving section in there. Bette, later." The mistress wiggled her wrist to the brunette and swayed her way out of their sight, leaving a light-hearted girl and a reddened, nearly dying of shyness one.

"Let's go." Bette gently pushed Tina toward her usual private booth.

The accentuation on the word "private" aroused her nerves. Tina hesitantly looked around her surrounding environment. Probably outside would be safer. "Uh…a little mistake…Marina thought I'm your girlfriend, Bette."

"Well what am I gonna do with it?" Yet, the brown eyes lit with delightfulness. "Marina's a real good judge of people." She said under her breath and suppressed a smug laugh, continuing her journey to the room while scraping a margarita from the hot waitress.

"What did you just say?" The dumbfounded blonde kept her pace and asked. She heard Bette, but she wasn't sure whether her hearing served her right. 'She's not denying… What could that possibly mean? Is she into me? She can't be, can she?'

"Bette Porter." A challenging, familiar voice, thick with sexy accent, appeared behind them. Unmistaken, Helena Peabody showed up at the Planet too with her current girlfriend Dylan.

The tall brunette scolded, gripping her glass in annoyance. 'Every fvcking time…' Every time she wanted to just have a nice, relaxing night at her hangout place, something happened. 'Last time…' She contemplated, 'Right, last time here she was raging with the thought of a new transfer, some Tina Kennard.' "Helena, of course you're here. Lady's night at the Planet. How nice…"

The Brit eyed the two up and down for a minute, causing the brunette to instinctively wrap an arm around the thin shoulder. To irritate Bette more, Helena intentionally fixed her shiny green eyes on the blonde with pretend innocence. "Ah, my little Tina's here too! Can I ask for a dance?"

"Your Tina?" Bette sneered, tightening her arm. "I'm sorry, Helena, just so you see who is standing beside her. We're actually going for a drink, in my Private booth, mind if I add."

"Oh, come on! Don't you think beautiful girl like Tina, deserves a dance with someone who's gentle?" Helena insisted on. "Come and dance with the real lady, beautiful Tina." She reached out a hand.

"Fvck off, Helena. Go grind up your girlfriend." Bette brought the slim torso further into hers and spat at the obnoxiously fouling girl.

"Don't be selfish, Bette. She may actually want a dance?"

"None of your concern either way." Bette rolled her eyes, but still she thought to herself that the Brit's words were actually reasonable. She hesitantly leant in and whispered to her guest. "Do you… do you feel like… dancing?"

The sudden proximity and the moist warmth mixed with alcohol made Tina's heart pounds losing their regularity. Bette never failed in surprising her by asking surprising questions. "Uh… okay…?"

"Alright." The taller girl shrugged her shoulders, let go of her hand and wrapped her fingers around Tina's tender wrist instead, slightly pulling on it, guiding them to change the direction. She victoriously glanced back at Helena. "Now she's gonna dance with a real lady." Her voice was not very loud, but the force and authority in her infrangible voice was strong enough for both Helena and Tina to hear. The former flinched and the later bit on her lips to prevent a yelp escaping from her lips.

Bette's hand was too warm and her gesture was too enthused. Tina could feel the heat transporting in her blood vessels, stretching to ever bit of her being. She swallowed hard and followed the brunette to the crowded dancing floor.

People had known Bette Porter well. They spontaneously scattered to allow the intimidating young woman pass and only some of them dared to steal glances at the blonde.

Bette, unlike her usual nonchalant self, was parading with a big smile and enjoying the feeling of the slim, obedient feature behind. She picked a spot and turned to the DJ, swirling a finger to signal her to change the music. The other woman was in ecstasy to have the brief attention from the beautifully intoxicating coxcomb. The song readily changed from night club style dubstep into a slower and more soothing tune. Bette wanted their first dance to be simple and wonderful. She had never been so thoughtful, but she then discovered that it was a possibility.

It was Rihanna's Stay, mixed with some kind of finger-popping accompaniment to keep the dance floor buzzing.

With one hand wrapped around the blonde's slender waist, the other slipping off the wrist to the slightly smaller palm, Bette held the blonde girl in her arms and slowly swayed with the rhythm.

Tina immediately melted into those toned arms. She could smell the crisp fragrance from Bette's thick waves of brown hair. She couldn't hear the lyrics very clearly due to the loud beats inside of her ear drums, only certain words and sentences.

"…I threw my hands in the air

and said show me something…

…if you dare come a little closer…"

Voluntarily, she did, leaning a little closer step by step, till she could feel a strand of brown hair falling on her shoulder. Bette's face was just inches from her. And timidly, she peered at the confidant girl, and gradually, she got lost in those big eyes with the color of warm coco.

Bette was really enjoying the time and the proximity. She was happy that for one time, she had the feeling that a pair of hazel colored eyes lit up because of her. She let her hand realm and knead against the soft material of the blonde girl's cheap cloth. With a bit more pressure, their body would touch and cause some delicious friction between them.

It was all new for Tina. She had no idea how it was like to dance with a girl, and therefore, she had no idea while she wriggled her hips against Bette, the brunette would make a low throaty moan. It was just louder than a drone, a vibration that hit the nerve of her hearing. Yet an electronic pulse formed from the furthest vessel of her limbs transmitted and converged together, arriving at her lower abdomen… and at the joint of her thighs. It was a feeling that the teenage girl had never felt before, not by any chance. And she tensed her hands in to fists on Bette's shirt.

"Round and around and around and around we go…

Ohhh now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know…"

The dancing and the words made Tina dizzy. She looked up to the darker eyes in a state of panic.

"Are you okay?" Despite the alcohol in her blood and her own arousal, Bette was sensitive enough to know that the blonde had something in mind that bothered her.

Nodding, Tina stopped her movements. "I think… let's go have something to drink." She attributed the funny feeling to dehydration.

Bette narrowed her eyes with some inquiry. She was now deciding whether it would be a smart move to take the girl to her VIP room. Tina was clearly scared and nervous. She inhaled deeply before exhale and let go of one of her hands. She just had to keep contact with the blonde. "Ok." Then she turned to walk in the front.

"Not really sure how to feel about it:

something in the way you move.

Makes me feel like I can't live without you.

It takes me all the way.

I want you to stay…"

The blonde stared at Bette's figure as the song resonated in her head. It said it all. She was scared and panicking, then she didn't want her anywhere further. She started to regret to have approached her like that, then she didn't.

Later, Bette rode slow and took a detour to the airport. The blonde was constantly afraid that it would get them into trouble. But they were only seeing the stars and the night flights taking off and coming back. All the while, the brunette insisted on holding her hand and letting her wear the motor jacket. Seeing no necessity in arguing with her, the blonde took it and in that way, when she arrived home, there were still traces of Bette's perfume on her cloth.

Very late that night, the innocent blonde girl snuck into shower after her dad went to bed, and she touched herself, rubbing the spot just a little bit down her pubic hair with a trembling hand until she came at the thought of Bette's body and hands. She wasn't sure if she was doing it right but the release was needed. The faint scent of Bette Porter reminded her of those heated eye contacts and touches they shared, and eventually, reminded her of the only kiss. She then became reluctant about rinsing it off of her body. Even in her exhausted sleep, a certain person's face kept invading her dreams but was not remotely annoying.

Little did she know, some kilometers away, in a much more luxurious bath tub, a dark haired girl laid in the hot water and sighed with extreme sexual frustration but still had an ear-to-ear smile on her young face.

Chapter Seven

The next morning, Tina woke up a bit later than usual because she had to stay up and finish homework.

"Why you were home so late?" Sam was absolutely not pleased as he asked his daughter. He squinted and saw some suspicious red cloud so he leant in a sniffed, getting some strange perfume and alcohol from the girl's shirt. And suddenly, his frown spread up into a grin. "You were with Porter, weren't you? I knew it! I knew you'd be such a good girl."

Tina hated it that her father now knew. It was supposed to be her secret, her secret adoration in Bette, her secret falling for Bette. "Dad! We were out with some friends." She lied.

"Never-the-less, Tina, you're making progress, my girl. Now I'm another step to get back with that old biatch. But you keep it steady, when time's right, I'll tell you what to do next." Sam stroked his imaginary beard with a wicked smile.

The blonde girl frowned uncomfortably. She was worried. Bette had been such a sweet, sweet girl, who probably seemed to be tough and arrogant, but was sure very kind. There was no way she should let her father do any harm to her. "You're not… Bette's not gonna get caught in your plan right? Is she gonna get hurt because of what we are doing?"

Sam regarded his daughter with inspection for a while. "Why you're asking this? Tina, you're not really having feelings for her, are you?"

Tina felt a hand gripping her heart as her father asked. The more time she got to spend with Bette, the less she wanted to follow their "script", and when she figured that she was trapping, it was already too late.

Yet Sam contemplated the situation that lay before him. His daughter was clearly growing fund of the Porter kid. On the bright side, it would fool everybody when the feelings were real, wouldn't it? After all, what kind of love could two kids have between them? So the wicked grin again appeared on the old face. "No, no, absolutely not! What does she know anyway? You just look on how I'm gonna handle the old Porter. Now let's go to school." He gestured her to pack her bag. And before they set their feet out the old rusty apartment door, Sam hugged Tina's thin little shoulders. "I wish I had known you earlier, kid. Dad's so very proud of you. I promise to make it up to the time after all of this is settled."

It soothed the girl's nerves, only to some extent, and she decided to keep some extra attention to what his father was doing in attempt to protect Bette. Oh she wished she could, but she got an upsetting hunch that everything would go out of control and everything she tried would end up in vain.

The weeks went by peacefully. Bette attended school on a daily basis now and was actually listening to what the teachers had to say in classes. Occasionally, she rolled her chair in math quiz, peering to her blondie neighbor's work. "Hey T, how do you solve this one?" She pointed her pen to one of the questions on the paper.

Tina glared at her in disbelief and blocked her answers with one arm. She whispered to her while sending her apologies to the math teacher with her eyes. "This is supposed to be a test, Bette! Go back to your seat and solve it on your own."

"You said you'd teach me! Now I don't understand, and you're supposed to clarify something for me." The brunette took another peek and succeeded in getting partial of the result.

"I said I could help you with study. And I specifically said I won't let you copy my paper." The blonde girl still used her elbow to nudge the brunette away, but in no surprise, failing. The aroma of Bette started to envelope her as they furthered their proximity.

Bette wriggled an eye brow and smirked. "This doesn't count as copying. Look, you're almost done. Just give me the formula and I'll work it out by myself okay?" She pressured the girl with her invincibly adorable puppy eyes. "Pretty pretty please…?"

"Ugh… you're so unbelievable." Tina bit her lips and growled. She let go of her arm and pulled out a piece of paper to write down the formulas for the brunette. Through her peripheral view, she noticed the brunette seemed busy cribbing the answers from hers to the other one. The blonde blocked her own sheet again as she sighed at the little stunt. "Bette… you promised to take it seriously."

"I ain't doing nothing. Just checking the other answers." Bette raised her hands in protest, then pointed her pen to the sheet. "Look, we have two different results out of fourteen. What if you're wrong?"

There were, for real, two different pairs of numbers on their answer sheets. Tina frowned and handed the brunette her formula. She went back and forth for a minute at the first one, deciding whose result was correct while Bette put the numbers into the formula and worked really hard.

Some other students, along with the teacher, began to turn and watch the two of them working separately on the same desk. It was a nice view to look at, truth be told. The thick crazy curls of brownness and the long locks of blonde hair formed a stunning picture. The girls drooled over Bette, whose brows knitted a bit when she focused on the numbers; they envied and shot imaginary daggers at Tina, who was beautiful and special enough to always have the privilege to be near the brunette.

Tina figured out the problems in their differentials and she waited for Bette to finish her calculating. The brunette beamed a childish grin and clapped a little as she got the same answer as her neighbor.

"I know the problem in these two questions." The blonde pulled out another piece of paper, starting to write down the correct equations to the questions. "See, you have to reduce the fractions to a common denominator because the logarithmic function doesn't have the distributive law for this one. You can't calculate them separately."

Bette narrowed her big brown eyes at the functions. She was a little bit frustrated. "Well then logarithmic function is weird, I give that to ya."

"Right it is." Tina smiled. "Now you're all set. Can you please go back to your spot now? I want to work out the bonus question."

"Oooh look at you, all competitive." Bette tossed her paper to her desk and observed the blonde attempting to return to her work. She started to roll her chair back to her desk but leant in instead, pressing her lips softly on the blonde's pale skin. "Gracias!"

The warmth of the imprint soon traveled from her cheek to her neck. Tina flashed a light shade of pink as she stole glances from the corner of her eyes to see the brunette light-heartedly put her feet up and relax into her chair. Little gestures of affection like this, either Bette holding her hand or giving a little kiss, convinced the blonde that she was falling more and more quickly. And now, she'd never get the bonus question worked out. Biting the inner side of her cheek to prevent a too silly smile, Tina momentarily closed her eyes with the fresh memory of Bette's gentle lips.

Test results came back earlier than they expected. Of course, Tina got all the correct answers except for the bonus question. But still she got five extra points, and which she figured was because of actually helping "the bad kid" with it. If she had it all correct, one certain brunette must be gloating with her full marks so she turned her head slightly to look at the sheet with an arrogant signature "BP" on.

There was an A-.

It confused her. Bette should have had all the right answers. So she started her investigation. And she found out that Bette hadn't revised her incorrect answers, and the one she didn't know how to solve, she had the formula written down but never the number. Looking up at the mocha colored girl, Tina felt her chest tense.

Bette was serious, was honest, and was the best person the blonde had ever known. Her honesty made Tina's heart ache. 'How could anybody try to frame a girl like that? How could she do that to her? Bette, oh sweet, sweet Bette, she deserves much better…' Suddenly, she became all sullen, hesitating about talking to the brunette.

As Tina shuffled in the hallway, people were observing her, some in front of her even said: "Here she comes! Give way to Misses Porter!" The girls in Marymount had been calling her "Misses Porter", or "Porter's girl", or something equally stating her special relationship with Bette. She did not know when it started exactly, and the brunette seemed to have acquiesced in the title. Nobody dared to mess with her now. The only downside of this was that she could always receive flaming eyes from the groupies of Bette. But since none of those people Tina considered worth making friend with, she just shrugged it off completely.

"Misses Porter?" An unrecognizable voice penetrated the crowds.

Tina turned to see who was talking. There stood a dark skinned girl with wild curly hair and heavy make-up, whose facial feature somehow resembled one certain brunette that she had already known so well. "I'm sorry…" She was a bit embarrassed. "My name is Tina Kennard. Don't call me that please."

"Well, that'll be too weird if you still keep the maid name when you get married. Imagine 'Tina Kennard Porter', ugh." The girl crossed her arms in front of her chest and eyed up the blonde with great interest.

Tina frowned and sighed. "What are you talking about? We are eighteen and nothing's been established between us. Please don't make that kind of statements."

"Hell I married Angus when I was eighteen!" She stretched out her left hand and flashed her diamond ring.

The blonde's eyes grew wide. 'For real? Who gets married so early these days?'

"Isn't it the famous Pvssy Cat?" Suddenly, the voice that would put a stop to Tina's heart appeared not far behind. Bette slowly made her way from the corner of the hallway. Her eyes rested on the married girl, her expression cold and unimpressed.

'Seriously?' Tina shot up a brow.

"It's Kit." The girl explained to the surprised girl and turned back to Bette. "Come on baby sis, don't tell me you're still mad."

"Baby sister?" Tina mumbled in a low voice to herself. 'Bette has a sister? But everybody thinks she's the only child of the family.'

"Ha!" Bette sarcastically laughed, which stroke the blonde girl. "I'm not mad. I'm just fvcking confused. Uh, how exactly do you consider yourself my sister if you never cared whether your running away has any effect on my wellbeing?" She coldly asked.

Kit was irritated by the brunette's attitude as well. "You are the precious of your grandma, Bette. Who am I to stay in your big happy family? Daddy married your mom and you're the only heir, remember?"

"It's not fair, Kit. You had a shot at the company and you knew it! But you couldn't handle the pressure and guess what you did instead? You coward fvcking ran away." Her voice broke a little. And it broke Tina's heart to see her so upset with her sister.

Kit put up both of her hands in the air in protest. "I was chasing my dreams, okay? You should be happy for me. I'm no longer the other girl from the Porter family. I have my own music career and I had my own family."

"Speaking of which, why are you here, Kit?" Bette ran a hand through her hair in frustration. She didn't want to continue this conversation anymore. Then she squinted at her while pulling the blonde behind her in a protective manner. "Did grandma tell you to come?"

Kit diverted her eyes to Tina despite Bette's defensive gesture. "Yes, she asked me if I knew you're with someone. Then she asked me to check on you. Apparently, you've been missing a lot of home class. Now I see the reason why."

"I knew it! I fvcking told her Tina's just a friend! Why the hell would you listen to her while you hate my family so much?" Bette snorted.

'Just a friend…' Hearing it, the blonde squeezed her eyes for a moment. Kit caught it and quickly figured out the situation.

"I only came back here to visit you and daddy. She saw me in the house and I was coming here after all." She explained, and was not fumed as before.

With a final glance, Bette guided the blonde and herself to the opposite direction. "Now you've seen me. Don't snitch to my grandmother. Bye Kit."

"Even if I don't talk to her, she's still gonna have people sniff around and inform her about your new girlfriend, Bette!" Her sister yelled after her, trying to reason.

Kit's words set the nerves in Tina. She wondered if Grandma Porter already knew everything about her father. And if so, how would Bette think of her then? The notion scared her.

Bette escorted the blonde in her arm with quick speed. She was upset with her sister and her grandmother, shooting cold eye contacts to all the girls looking at her. She didn't slow down a bit until she felt a slight struggle in her hand.

"Bette, slow down please? I can't keep up with you." Tina had been tense and uncomfortable after knowing that old Porter lady had such control over Bette's life.

And the brown eyes softened instantly she saw the helpless hazel color. "Sorry." Bette dropped her hand, a bit worried that she held her too tight.

"Kit is your…"

"Yeah, my half sister. She's married to a Canadian guy after she ran away all the way up there. Has been a singer." Bette waved her hand to dismiss the topic. "Anyway, I know how she is. She's not gonna snitch."

"Wait, wait, I'm a bit lost here. Your grandmother sent people to check on… me?" Intimidated, Tina inquired.

It did not surprise the brunette that granny had all the interest in Tina. Sure the old lady would wonder, who had been the reason that her troubled granddaughter was doing rather good in math and reading tests. And Marymount was just like a large fish tank—everybody sees everybody. Bunch of snitchers would love to give information about her daily life to granny just to help their parents get some attention from the Porters.

Bette was even more upset that what her grandmother was doing may concern the blonde girl. "Don't worry, Kit's just messing with me. What are they gonna say? We're just classmates. Aren't we?" She ran a soothing hand to the slender shoulder beside her and comforted.

'Classmates…' The choice of word hit Tina harder. A boiling feeling thrust in her stomach, threatening to surface. She shrugged off Bette's hand and walked on her own.

"Hey where're you going? It's gym class next. Let's go." Bette wanted to just forget about her grandmother and those snitching biatches. She tried to capture the shorter girl by her wrist.

Yet Tina shook the larger palm off of her wrist by force, even quicker than before, as if Bette's hand burned her.

The brunette sensed the hostility instantly. She felt the injustice from Tina's rage so she frowned profusely.

"If we're just classmates, keep your fvcking distance, Porter." She returned the brunette a glare and backed away.

"Wait!" Bette made another attempt in grabbing the blonde. She succeeded and spun the girl in front of her. They were standing face to face, glaring at each other, much alike the first time when they confronted one another in the narrow isle of the classroom. Bette squinted down with confusion and irritation. "Why are you mad at me? What did I do to you to deserve this?"

"I'm not! You said we're just classmates. Then don't touch me and do things that are inappropriate between CLASSMATES!" Tina yelled. Rarely did she yell to the brunette, or to anybody. But there had been a lot of pressure adding upon her, and her emotion was raging in her chest, chemicals mixing up in her brain.

Bette stared at the emotional girl with blank expression. She never saw Tina like this. To be frank, she was a little scared by this yelling blonde. Yet as she contemplated, a smile suddenly broke forth on her face. "So, you're mad because of that." Gently, she loosened her grip and walked up the distance between them, her eyes sparkling with tenderness, her smile never fading. She kept eye contact with the blonde girl for a minute before speaking in a soft, low voice. "Alright then, we're not just classmates okay?"

"What the hell are you talking about? I don't understand a word you just said." Saying so, Tina got nervous nevertheless. She stole a glance at the taller girl, wanting to get away. But as if all of her power was abstracted away, her body wouldn't move as she stood within Bette's reach. She wondered what was with the brunette—every time Bette won in their argument by smiling brightly and talking sweet. This time was no difference.

"Ah-hum." A suspicious red cloud covered the mocha colored skin. Bette cleared her throat, scratching the back of her head and casting her eyes about the hallway as if she were a thief—a hot, cute thief to be more accurate. "Well… I have been meaning to tell you that, uh…"

"What? We're gonna be late for class." At the point, Tina had to roll her eyes. Her anger slowly dispersed and she felt rather stupid standing in the middle of the hallway like that.

The clock almost ticked to the round number when they were supposed to be in the gym. Students headed to their classrooms separately. The hall began to clear up. Bette sucked in a deep breath and leaned toward Tina with a quick and small sentence. "I like you."

Although Tina saw it coming the second Bette flashed her undeniable smile, she still gasped. Hastily, but shyly, she let her line of sight collide freely into the chocolate colored orbs. The collision was powerful. Bette's eyes were soft and warm, warmer than any other time. 'Bette… likes me…' Her father had been right.

Smiling as if she were a little child, Bette reached out again, wrapping her fingers on the slender girl's wrist. "We are more than just friends. I want you to be my girl, Tina. There, now I can touch you, right?"

The bell rang loudly on top of their heads. But it didn't take the magic away. Tina's face was still burning, the redness even spread to her neck and chest. She nodded her head, biting the inner side of her cheek, and gingerly sliding her hand into the larger palm.

Bette observed her with fascination. "I'll take that as a yes. C'mon, let's go to the gym."

On their way to the sport class, Bette hummed a little bit and looked over to the blonde girl who had her eyes fixed on their jointed hands. And when the blonde noticed she was being watched, she glanced up but shyly dodged her eyes and looked back down.

The brunette light-heartedly tilted her head to the side. "You don't have to say, I know you're into me."

"Don't be a smart-ass." Tina faked a wince and whispered, her voice contained a smile. She could still hear her heartbeat under her ear drums. But it didn't bother her. All she wanted to feel was Bette's hand, Bette's eyes, and Bette's scent. And now she felt it all.

As they arrived, quite late, at the gym, the class already broke into two teams for volleyball. Tina tried to get away but the brunette squeezed her hand. "Bette, it seems we're gonna be on opposite teams. If you don't mind, I'd like my hand back to play."

Bette laughed and bent a bit to print a kiss on the blonde's cheek, almost in front of everybody in the gym class. But this time, she didn't pull away fast; she instead turned her head slightly and kissed Tina fully on the lips, and she whispered, gently with a soft smile. "Wait and see I kick your very beautiful ass, blondie." After that, she shot her eyes up to the beholders around them. She made sure that nobody was looking their way and let go of Tina's hand.

The news that Bette Porter kissed Tina Kennard made it to the headline in Marymount even before gym class was over. Girls sent texts about the breaking news, whispered through lectures, passed notes, and some of them who did not believe it even hacked into the school security camera to find proof. And soon after the first bell of recession, Bette's hard-core groupies' crying filled in every corner of campus.

The brunette didn't give a crap about those fussing, as a matter of fact, she was glad to clear out the air saying that Tina would be hers. Walking pass in front of Helena Peabody, she challenged her in the eyes and was happy that the green orbs dropped.

"I thought you were actually genuine about wanting me as your girl. Should've known you just wanted to irritate Helena." The blonde stood at the end of the hallway with her arm on her waist as Bette walked up to her. She teased the tall brunette with a mocking voice.

"Bullshit, Tina," Bette held up her hand to protest but then she saw the smugly grin on the blonde's pink lips. "Oh… I see it now. You think you're such a smart little kitty don't you. Get over here!" She reached out to capture Tina. With little force, she brought the willing girl into her arm. Then she stared into the hazel pools. "You haven't said yes, T. I am serious about you. I know I may have little credit when it comes to relationships and all…" Her hands went soft on the slender waist.

Tina ran her hands up the toned arms while she nodded. She enjoyed sharing Bette's warmth. The brunette always felt warmer, almost as if she was having a fever. "I… You were right, I like you too, Bette. And I want you to be serious about me, about us."

"So…?" Hearing the confession, the pools of chocolate stirred with expectation.

Standing on her toes, Tina kissed her. She tasted something sweet and cherry-like on Bette's thin lips. So she pulled back to see the brunette had her big eyes closed in an absolutely sweet manner. Soon the big eyes shot open, filled with question why it ended so quickly. It had her smile. She needed to explain. "You taste… really sweet. What is it?"

"Lip gloss, ever heard of that?" Bette was a bit unhappy about the interruption. She brought her head down and pressed her lips back to Tina's. "Now you can taste like it too."

As they kissed, Tina felt her heart singing. She wouldn't have to secretly think about the kiss they shared in Bette's recess room, or those that the brunette "friendly" printed on her cheek. She had that all in her arms and on her lips now.

Chapter Eight

Previously:

As they kissed, Tina felt her heart singing. She wouldn't have to secretly think about the kiss they shared in Bette's recess room, or those that the brunette "friendly" printed on her cheek. She had that all in her arms and on her lips now.

Bette pulled up slowly and reluctantly because one storming Alice rushed toward where they stood. "Here comes the gossip queen. I'm really sorry I'm her friend." She sighed in a low voice and made Tina blush and laugh at the same time.

"Ha! I knew something was up with the two of you. Told ya Shane!" Alice rolled her eyes the way she always did and yelled to the skinny short hair girl dragging her feet behind her.

Shane shook her head and looked over to Bette. "I tried my best to keep her away from you, man."

Bette dismissed her with a wave of hand. "Look, Al, I don't care if you know or tell anything to anybody. Go ahead. I'm taking my girl to dinner."

"But I need a ride home, too." The dirty blonde haired girl protested.

Shane observed the scene before her with a grin. She tapped Alice on the shoulder and whispered something to her ultimate devastation. "Uh… I probably should have told you, Bette rode her Cavalier today." There was no way the brunette would let anybody, especially Alice who accidentally left a scratch on her old green '87 heritage softail while hopping onto it for the last time, go near her Cavalier.

"True. If I were you, I'd start looking for Dana right now." Bette shrugged and put her hand on the small of Tina's back, escorting themselves out of the building.

Alice had her mouth hang agape and her eyes bugged out while Shane exchanged a nod with the brunette.

Bette taking her to dine—though she hardly expressed a liking in Alice and all her talking, she still hanged with her friends for most of the time after class—meant a lot to Tina. As she wrapped her hand on the brunette's strong waist, she knew this would be a sweet moment that she'd always want to go back to.

The dinner was fine, probably was not what the brunette always had because she used to spend more than ten dollars on a meal, but a simple Cobb salad, some fries and a bottle of soda would do it. However, Bette still had to boss people around the place until the manager found them a private room. She just couldn't stand the noise and the crowd of those "less fortunate".

It indeed irritated the blonde to no end. If it wasn't for her cute pretty face, Tina would have ranted on her already. So strategically, for her own sake that she wouldn't hit the brunette, she changed the subject of topic. During the next half hour of their time at the diner, they discussed about current movies and music. Tina had been doing some research on classical violin pieces and impressed her enthusiastic companion.

"So, are you having fun?" Bette draped an arm across the back of the chair and asked. "I really like spending time with you, T. Maybe we should go to the theater next time."

Tina smiled at the sweetness in her voice. She knew the brunette was trying to take things slowly and be considerate. "Yes, I am. And I'd love to go with you."

"Can we go out on Saturday night? The Planet is having a country theme night. Marina is really excited about it. Alice is going for sure, Shane might go because there's this cute little Latina DJ she digs." Bette expectedly leaned forward to present the invitation.

The blonde was tempted. But she had job, three different jobs to be exact, on Saturday at the Whole Food mall, the language training center, and the little Italian restaurant. "I'm sorry, Bette. But I have jobs on weekends."

"Awww, that's too bad." The brunette's shoulders dropped in disappointment. Her big brown eyes instantly lit with crystal expectation alike that of a puppy waiting to be petted. "Quit the job and come with me… please?"

"I don't think I can. Daddy said just last night that money is tight and we can't afford to…"

"Let me help, Tina. I won't allow my girlfriend work triple shifts to get pass the days. Quit your jobs." She tried to sound with more authority.

"Bette, that's not gonna work. Daddy and I need our jobs. Money doesn't grow on trees and everything costs a lot in California." Tina frowned deeply. She knew it all along that dating someone from the Porter family was going to be difficult because of the ways they were brought up and their values were not in sync.

The brunette sighed, sitting up from her chair and working on her own wording for further persuasion. "Look, I don't want you to get this the wrong way. But if you're insisting on doing a job, I want you to at least work at mine."

"What do you mean?"

"As you know, grandma wants me at the company from time to time. I figured that there's no way I'm gonna do the boring-ass job unless… someone makes it less boring." With a mischievous grin, Bette winked. She then grabbed the blonde's pale hand. "Please? It's just some graphic analysis and document stuff and it's not gonna be like I'm buying you or anything." She felt silly, like a needy little teenage girl with her first crush, but then she let the butterflies in her stomach flap like crazy over the possibility of their little work-time rendezvous.

Obviously the blonde was enticed. She chewed on her lower lip while thinking of the proposition as the brunette stared at her with those impossibly amazing sparkles in her big chocolate hued eyes. She had to smile at that. "Ok, I'll ask my dad."

"Oh, let me do the talking. I can be very persuasive when I want to." A huge grin nearly broke the brunette's face in two. She arched a brow and twirled a strand of blonde thread in her hand, demonstrating her persuasiveness.

Tina rolled her eyes at the movement. "Save your charm, Porter."

"Oh, come on! You know you can't resist this beautiful face." Bette faked a pout and leaned closer, fluttering her eye lashes.

The intended pitiable face made the blonde laugh. She slapped the kidding girl on the arm. Bette snorted a laughed as well, but she stayed close. The set of hazel eyes traveled from the brown ones to the curve of those thin lips. Tina thought of how mean and vicious they used to be, but now, they were just plain wonderful. As the moment lingered, she swallowed subconsciously and blushed.

Bette was enjoying the effect she had on her girlfriend. And quite to her surprise, but also delight, Tina leaned into the last several inches of distance and pressed the rosy lips lightly on hers. She let go the strand and cupped the back of Tina's head to hold her in place.

It felt so natural and spontaneous that both of them sighed contently into the kiss. They gingerly moved against each other, absorbing the intimacy with little rush but more passion. Tina could hear her own pulse quickening up at the sound of their lips caressing one another. Her face and neck were turning pink but she did not want it to end any time soon.

Bette tasted her own lip gloss on the blonde's lips. Joy burst in her chest at the taste. And because of that, she knew she wanted more. Boldly, but gently so not to scare her loving company, she sucked on the rosy flesh as well as stealing her tongue into Tina's mouth, massaging against the hot softness.

The devoted French kiss had the blonde's one hand grip tightly on Bette's shirt, the other buried in her thick dark waves of silky hair. She never could have imagined a kiss like this. But she was a quick learner. She mimicked her partner's movement, circling her tongue to explore and taste, and was pleased to hear a throaty groan from the not-so-composed brunette.

As if it was not of her control, Bette slid her hand down, firstly arriving at Tina's flushing neck, then her feminine collar bone, then the fabric of her shirt, and finally at the fully-clothed soft mound. Usually, second base was not a problem for her. Her mind would have been yelling "Scored!" and laughing hysterically. But she couldn't help her hand from trembling a little. The warmth and the litheness underneath her palm were so desirable.

While contemplating what was going on, the blonde shivered. A tingling wave shot through her body and stimulated her senses. Things around her became amplified, the sound of their tongues dancing together, the scent of Bette's perfume, the sweetness in her mouth, and the firm hand on her breast. Yet she did not feel pressured by the intensity at all, but safe, very secured. She let a small moan escape her lips, and covered Bette's larger hand with hers.

By the time, the brunette had to pull back for air. She didn't trust herself that she could stop if things got just a tad hotter than it already was. Letting her hand off reluctantly, she gulped in a large amount of oxygen with heaving chest and cleared her throat. "Uhmmm… let's, let's get going. I'll take you home."

Tina thought the holding-back gesture was really sweet of Bette. She stood up a bit dizzy, not having to look into a mirror to know how red she had become. "Ok. Oh, have you done math homework?" She had seen the brunette do mental arithmetic, when she discussed with Alice about the number of girls Shane could sleep with till graduation at her average efficiency, and was impressed that she actually could calculate very fast, only if Bette studied harder.

"No, forgot we have homework. You gonna help me with it later?"

"But my dad should be home."

"Oh good, then I can talk to him today. Hopefully we get to hang out this weekend." Bette said cheerfully and walked them out of the door, leaving a generous tip to the poorly bombarded "less-fortunate" waiter.

It set the blonde's nerve. She climbed up onto Bette's motor with panic rising in her heart. Not that she didn't trust Bette with her dad, but she just didn't like the probability of agitating her father to do something crazier by exposing the brunette to him. And it was when she realized that, comparing to help her father on his scam, she wanted to protect Bette.

When they arrived at the little apartment of the Kennards, Tina had spent the whole ride panicking.

Bette jumped off the motor and saw the pale-faced girl. She frowned. "Are you okay? Did I ride too fast?"

"No. I… just don't feel very good. Bette, maybe you can, uh, stop by later? I can look at your homework tomorrow morning." She almost pleaded, wishing the brunette would not go to her father this soon.

"No, forget about the homework. You look sick. Go upstairs and rest." She reached out to help the girl get down.

Tina felt guilty. She had been feeling that way a lot lately. "I'm sorry Bette. I'll just go lie down. You should head back when it's still bright out. I don't want you ride in the dark."

"At least I walk you up." The brunette beamed a gentle smile.

Tina nodded slowly and went up open the building gate. The dim light and slightly damp air in the hallway made the blonde even more self-conscious about her living environment. She bet her born-with-a-silver-spoon-in-the-mouth girlfriend had never set foot into an apartment construction like this. Visibly, her shoulders slumped as she sighed.

"Hmm, this is a nice neighborhood, yes?" Bette regarded the surrounding with interest. She was even a bit surprised that the place did not repel her. But since the blonde girl lived there, it gave her a positive vibe from the start. Although there were graffiti and rude remarks all over the walls, probably hives of little creatures of the dark, even stash in the corner hidden by the street kids, she was cool with it. This could be a nice place with just a bit of remodeling.

One of the doors in front of them cracked open and an old lady took out a trash bag. Her tiny grey eyes lit up seeing Tina walking up stairs. "Oh, little Christie, how was your day?"

Tina smiled faintly at the old woman and politely replied. "Fine, thanks Ms. Heminger. How are you?"

"Good! Good." Came the cheerful response. "I see you brought friend? Such a pretty girl! I'm Sue."

"Bette Porter." Bette smiled at Ms. Heminger. She felt good about this friendly old lady.

Some stumping appeared from inside Sue's apartment. A teenage boy, roughly around 16, ran out and made an abrupt stop at the door. He was wearing a Wal-Mart stock boy uniform with his name tag on. Bette squinted at the hurried boy and read his name. "Steven".

"Hi, Tina." The boy reddened like a tomato while he tried to sound casual as if he only carelessly ran into the girl. And when he saw the tall brunette, he got more nervous. "I… I'm Steven… Steven Heminger."

"The beautiful young lady is Bette. Bette, my grandson." Sue gestured to the boy and then turned to the kid. "Steven, why don't you invite little Christie and her friend for a cup of coffee?"

"But… but grandma… I have to…" Steven just changed for his night shift.

"Oh, it's okay, Sue. I'm just taking Tina home." Bette could see the boy had a huge crush on the blonde. So she flashed a seemingly harmless smile and brushed off the invitation. But she made eye contact with Steven, telling him to back off or she'd stuck her foot in his ass.

Steven avoided any further conversation with them by sailing down to work. And the girls said goodbye to Sue.

Bette was certainly amused by the neighbors. She never had a nice old woman and a blushing teenage boy as neighbors and she found them extremely affable. Walking behind the blonde, she smirked asking the nickname given by Sue. "Little Christie?"

"There're two Christinas in our unit. Christie Harper lives in 402." Tina smiled as she explained.

"So everybody knows everybody in this place? Hmm… I think that's cute." Bette commented. She stopped her step after the blonde at the third floor.

"Well, this is me." Tina searched for her keys in her bag. The hallway felt smaller with the brunette in here.

Bette started to say something when the door flew open. There stood a middle aged man with light colored hair and small greenish eyes.

"Dad." Tina's voice broke seeing her father. Bette widened her eyes seeing him.

Sam stared at his daughter for a while. "I heard you at the door." But he stopped talking immediately at the sight of the brunette. "Port—I mean… Ms. Porter?" He asked with a little disbelief.

Bette was taken aback by the recognition. She nodded and reached to shake hands with Sam. It should be a proper greeting at the first meeting with her girlfriend's father. She wondered if Tina's family knew she was gay. "Good evening, sir. I'm taking Tina home from our dinner."

The man shook her hand with some kind of eagerness. "Come in, come in to our humble home."

"Actually I'm just leaving since Tina's not feeling too well." Bette let go of his big hand and took a step back.

It earned the blonde a glare from her father.

"Nonsense. Do come in and have some coffee, Ms. Porter." Sam leaned aside so they could pass the small door frame.

Bette arched an eye brow and decided talk to him since she seemed to have to stay for a while. She looked over to the blonde. "Is this okay?"

Tina shrugged. Now there was no way she could get the brunette going anyway. "Um… I guess. Don't worry I'm getting better now."

As Sam wandered off to make drinks, the blonde took Bette for a little tour about their apartment. It had two bedrooms, a small living room, a tiny bathroom, and a kitchen where Sam had occupied. The place was neat, needless to say, and the simple decorations were soothing. Bette could sense that Tina had put a lot of effort in it to make it comfortable and there was this beauty in everything she surrounded herself with. The familiarity had become something that the brunette had grown a deeply fond of.

Sam reemerged from the kitchen with hot boiling coffee. He courteously asked about her day and interests and gradually moved on to her family business.

Bette just flew with it. She tactically arrived at the topic she needed to talk about. Tina sat beside her, fascinated by the way she handled the conversation like a pro. Maybe after all, it wasn't a bad idea to let the two talk.

"So, Mr. Kennard, I have a suggestion for you. Tina's working way too hard on weekends. I believe she could do a really good job assisting me at my company instead of waiting on people and working at the language training center. I want her work with me and you don't have to worry about the salary. I'll manage to match twice as her old jobs." She didn't know how much Tina made but she'd never be petty on her girlfriend. "What do you think?"

The man had his eyes nearly bulged out his skull hearing this proposal. He let his mind process the new information for a little while, then slowly tipped the corner of his lips and nodded fiercely. "Of course, Ms. Porter! It's so nice of you to think of that!" He nearly broke into tears because of the joy. "And trust me, my daughter's gonna be a great help to you." He laid his giant bear hand on Tina's back and patted some.

The blonde was a little embarrassed. She secretively rolled her eyes and made a face to Bette, who quickly looked down to her hands to contain a laugh.

Sam seemed content. He asked the brunette to finish the coffee even though Tina whispered to him that Bette only drank Naga Xuefei and Blue Mountain. But to please the father of her lovely girlfriend, the brunette drank up anyway.

When it was time to leave, Sam intentionally let his daughter sent Bette out. So in the hallway when the brunette thought he was not looking, she kissed Tina softly and mouthed "good night".

Sue Heminger, coming back from her walk, saw the exchange of a kiss between the two girls. The old lady developed a great curiosity in their relationship and sighed loudly as she realized that her grandson didn't stand a chance with "little Christie". 'Oh, what the heck, it's California! Girls can do whatever they want.' She cheerfully thought and even yelled "you go, girls!" at the couple.

Bette said goodnight to them both and went down to get her motor. With an easy click, the monster machine roared and set out of the neighborhood, leaving the reverberation bounce a little bit behind.

Tina braced herself by the window and watched her take off. The night breeze embraced her and helped her red skin cool down after the sweet goodbye kiss. She smiled, feeling a leaden fatigue in her body, so she dragged her feet back to their apartment.

Her father was sitting on the couch smirking. "I can't believe who just sat in my living room! Elizabeth. Fvcking. Porter!" He cursed but not stopped beaming. "That girl's got some charm uh. Thinks herself is such a smooth talker, doesn't she?"

"Dad…" Sam's words struck the blonde. She thought maybe it was a chance for her father to see what a nice person Bette was. But at the moment, she just growled inwardly with disappointment.

"Awww, my little pumpkin. Come here give your old man a hug." Sam was in a great mood. He opened his large arms and wrapped the slender girl into his feature.

The blonde relaxed a bit leaning against her father's heavy-built figure. "Dad, I really think Bette's a good person."

"Of course you do. Now, you'll just have to build your relationship slowly and patiently."

"I don't want to build our relationship on a lie, dad. Can't you see?" Tina struggled out of the man's arms.

Sam frowned at his little girl. He did not plan for this to happen. He thought he made it quite clear that falling in love with the Porter kid was forbidden. "Well you can't tell her now, can you? If you want to keep her, you gotta think clever." He pointed his thick finger to the blonde girl. "Now go to sleep."

For sure it was a sleepless night for Tina. She pondered and pondered. How was she going to choose between her own dad, and the girl she wanted to fell in love with? In love, she thought. She wanted to love and be loved, and she wanted Bette.