A knock on her door a few hours later woke Marissa up. She rolled out of bed and stumbled to the door. After unlocking the door she swung it open and saw Summer standing there with a bag over her shoulder and her arms crossed.

"Summer?…oh my god," Marissa sighed, "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," Summer stepped in a looked around, "You look tired."

Marissa nodded and closed the door. "How did you get here?"

"I got a cab at the airport," Summer answered and walked around the small one room apartment.

"Well," Marissa leaned back on the door, "What do you think?"

"It's…cozy," Summer added.

Marissa smiled, "It's tiny."

"And cozy," Summer put her bag on Marissa's bed.

Marissa sat next to Summer and fell back on the bed.

"How are you?" Summer asked looking at Marissa.

"Tired," Marissa answered, "I just started a new job and you'll never guess who I saw there."

"Who?" Summer smiled, "Ashton Kutcher? John Mayer? Cameron Diaz?"

Marissa chuckled, "No. No one famous."

"Then who?" Summer laid down next to Marissa.

"Alex," Marissa replied, "Apparently, she goes to the diner every night at the same time during my shift with a bunch of her friends."

"Wow," Summer said, "Small world."

"Yeah," Marissa nodded.

"Did you talk to her?" Summer asked.

"Well…not really," Marissa shook her head, "I had another table and she was changing the CDs in the jukebox."

"Well maybe you'll get to talk to her more next time," Summer yawned.

"I dunno," Marissa pulled a pillow over her head, "Don't you think it would be weird?"

"Well you're both over the break up right?" Summer asked, "I don't see why it would be."

"Yeah…" Marissa mumbled into the pillow.

"That didn't sound convincing," Summer raised an eyebrow, "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"No," Marissa quickly added.

Summer sat up, "So why don't we go to her club tomorrow?"

Marissa's eyes widened. "Um…I can't. I have to work."

"Fine," Summer shrugged, "I'll go with you to work and talk to her there."

"Why do you want to talk to her?" Marissa asked.

"Because I haven't seen her in a long time," Summer answered.

Marissa bit her lip, "How about we go to the club she works at tonight?"

"Sounds great," Summer pulled the blanket over her, "But first I have to recover from jet lag."

"Yeah…" Marissa yawned.

Marissa and Summer waited in line with everyone else and paid her cover. Once inside they could feel the music and the light pulsated with each beat.

Marissa saw her from across the room. She was impossible to miss. Behind the bar, Alex was throwing bottles and catching them with ease. Marissa stood still mesmerized by Alex's swift and graceful movements.

"She's good, huh?" someone said next to Marissa.

Marissa looked over and saw Tina. "Oh hey. This is Summer. Summer this is Tina."

Tina smiled, "Nice to meet you Summer." Then started walking off, "C'mon let's go get a drink. Alex makes the best cosmos you've ever had."

Summer leaned over to Marissa, "I'm going to the bathroom. Catch up with you at the bar?"

Marissa nodded is a sort of daze. She followed Tina to the bar and leaned on it next to her."Is this your first time here?" Tina asked.

Marissa nodded.

"Well," Tina looked around, "George and Brad are out on the floor and Rachel is the DJ."

Marissa looked up at the DJ booth and saw Rachel with the headphones on. She let out a long breath watching Rachel move around.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Alex asked.

Marissa turned around and saw Alex standing in front of her, "Um, I just came to check it out."

Alex nodded a little awkwardly, "Cool. Um…can I get you something?"

"I want to cosmo," Tina said next to Marissa., "She needs one too."

"She's not legal," Alex smirked.

"No way," Tina looked at Marissa.

Marissa nodded, "Coke."

Alex walked off and returned with the drinks. "Here ya go."

"Put it on my tab," Tina smirked and walked off with her cosmo.

"Hey," A guy slid up next to Marissa, "What are you drinking?"

"Just coke," Marissa wrapped her hands around the drink.

"Do you wanna dance?" he asked.

Marissa shook her head, "No thanks."

He walked off in a huff and Marissa sighed. She didn't actually like the club scene. She especially didn't like being hit on by guys she didn't know.

Marissa looked over to where Alex was and was surprised to see Alex looking back at her. Alex visibly tensed and turned away, going back to work.

"Hey," Summer appeared next to her, "Did you talk to her?"

"She's working…" Marissa made an excuse.

"Of course," Summer nodded, rolling her eyes.

"What?" Marissa asked.

"Do I really have to say it?" Summer asked, putting her hands on her hips, "You are not over Alex or you're into her now or something. But you have the hots for her. And you're not going to make a move. You're going to wait until she does or I make on for you. C'mon Coop it's your MO."

A couple hours later, Marissa glanced at her phone. She leaned over to Summer who's eyes were on the DJ. "How about I drop you by my apartment on my way to work?"

Summer nodded, "Sounds great."

Marissa let Summer into her apartment and changed clothes before heading out to work. She wrapped her jacket around herself and stepped out into the chilly LA night.

Just like clockwork Alex's group walked in and just like usual, Alex was late. But instead of the usual 'Hey Toby' there were a few 'Hey Marissa's in there mix. Marissa smiled. She liked this routine. It was the only thing stable in her life.

Marissa passed out everyone's food and set Alex's by the empty seat next to Rachel.

"Three, two," Tina said then pointed at the door.

Alex immediately walked through the door.

"Nice," Brad smirked.

"What's nice?" Alex asked, sitting down.

"You're predictable," Rachel smiled.

"Just what I wanted to hear," Alex rolled her eyes.

Marissa wandered around behind the counter before picking up a pitcher of water to refill Alex and Tina's drinks.

As she was filling up the drinks George cleared his throat. "Hey Marissa," George looked up at Marissa, "Do you wanna go out sometime? Maybe to dinner or something."

Tina's eyes got wide, "I can't believe you."

"What?" George asked.

"You're breaking the friend's ex rule," Tina added.

"What?" George looked even more confused.

"You're not allowed to ask out your friend ex until twelve months after they've broken up," Tina explained.

"How long have you been broken up with Marissa?" George leaned over and asked Alex.

"Ten months," Alex answered.

"This rule is so stupid," George huffed.

"You got pissed when I almost hooked up with that Tracy chick," Brad added, "And you broke up with her two years before I asked her out."

"Alex," George looked back at Alex who was staring intensely at her food.

Alex looked up fro her food and gulped.

"Can I date Marissa?" he asked.

Alex's eyes widened. After a few awkward seconds, she answered, but not very articulately, "Um…"

"She's a woman," Rachel added, "Alex doesn't own her. Ask her."

"I just want to make sure it's okay," George shrugged.

"There's one person you're forgetting to ask," Brad told George. He pointed to Marissa who was standing at the end of the table with her arms crossed and her eyebrows raised.

George looked nervously at Marissa, "Uh…sorry."

"I'll be right back," Alex muttered and took off toward the bathroom.

Marissa watched Alex walk off and picked up the ticket, "I'll get this back to you." She went to the cash register and got their change.

"Keep the change sweetie," Tina called.

"Thanks," Marissa smiled.

Marissa glanced at the group then at the bathroom door. She slipped into the bathroom without anyone seeing her. When she stepped in she saw Alex standing at the sink, with her hands on either side of the cold white bowl and her head hanging down.

"Are you okay?" Marissa asked.

Alex jumped a little and wrapped her arms around herself, "I…um…yeah."

Marissa watched Alex for a few moments before Alex spoke again.

"Look, I'm sorry about that out there," Alex explained, "They're kinda…"

"It's okay," Marissa smiled, "It happens."

Alex dropped one of her arms so that her one hand was wrapped around her own elbow, "So, are you gonna…go out with him?"

Marissa shrugged, "He seems like a nice guy and it's been a while since I've been on a decent date."

Alex looked at the ground and nodded, "Okay."

"Unless you don't want me to," Marissa quickly added.

Alex shook her head, "No. You can if you want to. I don't…care."

Marissa bit her lip. The last sentence stung. She didn't care… She didn't…care. She doesn't care…Alex…doesn't…care.

"I'm…gonna go back to work," Marissa slowly turned around and slipped out the door.

Alex grabbed both sides of the sink again and let her forehead hit the mirror on the wall.