Alice tapped the steering wheel pensively. It was 10.13am. She knew this because she’d checked her watch at least twice since pulling up outside of The Planet. Her eyes were fixated ahead of her, mind racing, reminiscing about the actions just hours ago. She bit her bottom lip as she remembered the feeling of Dana’s lips on hers.

There was a tap on her car window. Alice jumped and was drawn out of her daydream. She turned her head quickly and saw the smiling face looking back at her.

“Hey, you alright?”

“Hey T. Yeah. I’m ok.”

“Are you coming in?” Tina motioned behind her pointing at The Planet.

“Umm. Yeah. Yeah! Of course. Yes.” Alice nervously replied.

Alice grabbed her cell from the passenger seat and locked up her mini behind her. She wondered if Dana would be in The Planet already, she knew she didn’t have training today and had secretly hoped they could talk about the night before. Swallowing and drooping her head a little, Alice followed Tina toward the door of their local coffee house.

Her heartbeat increased, she could feel it furiously beating in her chest, ever increasing with the declining distance between her and the place she both loved and feared at the moment. Tina was the first to enter, scanning the room for their friends. Alice shuffled behind Tina, her head still hanging, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone just yet.

———-

Dana stirred her orange juice with the straw absent mindedly. Her mind played back the events that had transpired in the early hours of that morning. She brought her hand up and brushed it against her smooth top lip. She was interrupted by a shrill voice.

“Honey? Are you ok?”

Tonya.

Dana returned to a state of consciousness.

“What? Uh, yeah. I’m fine.”

Dana sighed. Shane, who was sitting opposite Dana, noticed it. She noticed these things, it was like a sixth sense. Shane looked puzzled until she was distracted by Tina’s hand on her shoulder.

“Hey, Shane. Dana.. Tonya.” Tina smiled and sat next to Shane.

Alice trudged up to the table. She looked up for the first time since she’d entered and immediately caught eye contact with Dana.

‘*****’ she thought and quickly averted her eyes elsewhere. The floor, to be precise. Dana did the same, except she stared at her orange juice intently. Alice quickly sat down at the only seat left, next to Dana.

“Hey.” Alice managed to find the confidence to speak. This was not the Alice we all know, she was nervous, and Shane of course could tell.

“So what’s up?” Shane huskily breathed, playing with a cocktail stick between her fingers.

“Nothing” Alice and Dana said in unison, quickly looking at each other in shock and again, breaking eye contact as quickly as they had made it.

Alice realised she had still been gripping her cell and keys tightly and tossed them gently onto the table, causing enough noise to break the awkward silence that had fell among the group. Tina was the next to speak.

“I’m going to get a drink. Alice? Want me to get you something?”

Alice looked at Tina and shook her head gently.

“No.. thanks..”

Tina stood and went over to the counter, leaving the tension behind. Dana began stirring her orange juice again and Alice fiddled with the hem on her opaque white shirt. She thought she had thrown it on earlier without thought, but subconciously desired the attention of a certain tennis pro. Dana glanced over at Alice playing with her hem. A slight smile crept into the corner of her mouth. She realised she was smiling, coughed and resumed focus on her drink. Alice stopped fidgeting with her shirt and looked at Shane. Shane raised her eyebrows at Alice and grinned a little.

‘*****. She knows.’ Alice deduced. She glared at Shane and stood up.

“I’m.. just.. going to the bathroom. ‘Cause, you know, I need to pee.” Alice felt the words stumbling out of her mouth and cursed herself silently.

“Right, Al.” Shane laughed and shook her head a little, still fingering the cocktail stick skillfully.

Dana looked up at the now standing Alice and swallowed, her mouth slightly ajar. Alice stepped away from the table, her gaze focused on the middle, again trying not to make eye contact with anyone. She silently walked toward the bathroom door, Dana’s gaze firmly fixed on Alices movements, still with mouth open. Alice turned her neck to look behind her and locked eyes with Dana, signalling for her to venture to the bathroom also. The silent exchange was brief but sufficient in motive. Dana closed her mouth. She looked at the table, quickly thinking of an excuse to also use the bathroom. She couldn’t find one.

“I need to go too.” was all that Dana could manage to declare and she stood up.

“Okay honey!” Tonya spoke and returned to reading the magazine she’d been so devotedly attentive to, instead of her fianc.

Shane nodded and placed her hands on the back of her head and reclined into her seat.

“Sure thing Dane.” A grin played upon her mouth.

‘*****. Shane knows.’ Dana gulped and continued toward the bathroom door, her heart quickening with every step.

Tina arrived back at the table with a coffee and placed a shot in front of Shane. Tina sat down, took a sip of her drink and placed it on the saucer. Shane removed her hands from their position and downed the shot in front of her.

“Where have those two got to?” Tina questioned.

Shane swallowed her caffeine and cocked her head to the side.

“They had to pee.” Shane grinned.