"YES!" I screamed as the whole arena erupted. Kentucky had scored
the winning point with just a second left to go. I grinned widely as I turned to
Elizabeth.

"Oh my god!" She said as she smiled at me. "This is insane!" She yelled
over the roar of the crowd. I nodded and turned my attention back to
celebration going on the court.

"I didn't even think I liked basketball." Elizabeth said as we sat at a
small cafe off campus a few hours later.

"BETH! How can you not like basketball? It's a riot."

"I didn't come from a family that watched sports." I looked at her as
she said this and I had no trouble seeing it. She was small, not short but small.
Dainty is the word I would use. Her nails always looked freshly painted, she
always looked complete. Like she had everything in place. I couldn't have
pulled it off if I had been paid to, so I admired her for it.

"What DID you do then?" I asked grinning at her.

"Dance. I took dance until I was 25. Shattered my knee, can't come
back from that."

"Ouch, damn."

"Exactly." She said with a smirk. "So how are you liking UK?"

"I'm loving it. I've always loved the school, it just wonderful that I get
to teach here." I knew I had a goofy smile on my face and I didn't care. I had
finally begun to feel at home in the last month and I was happy. Not content
but happy. I didn't know if content was something that I would ever feel
again. It's like the first time is always the best, and once you have it and loose
it, it's never the same again.

"But?" Beth looked at me, waiting for me to answer.

"What do you mean?"

" I heard a but in there. So fess up."

"Nothing," I saw her face and continued on, "Really it's nothing. I'm
loving it here."

"Yes, but there is more. Whatever." She flittered her hand as if to push
away the subject, but as her eyes settled on me again I would have rather
have that other conversation, "Why aren't you dating?"

"What?" I had heard her, I just didn't want to answer that loaded
question.

"Why aren't you dating? John has been following you around like a lost
puppy, and he's very attractive." She said tilting her head to the side as if she
could figure out what would going on in my head if she looked at me in a
different angle.

"Yeah it's nice, if you like the tall and blonde."

"You don't?"

"I didn't say that." My mind flipping to the only blonde that I had
thought was attractive. John was no Nick Carter. "I just like the dark and
handsome." I said and shrugged.

"There's someone else isn't there." She said with a gasp. "What have
you been holding out on!"

"There isn't anyone." I lied. Blatant boldface lie.

"You are a horrible liar. Are you seeing someone, seriously?"

"No, I just need time."

"Oh." She said almost sadly.

"What? What Oh?"

"You are still hurting from a past relationship."

I couldn't look in her face, I heard the pity, I didn't need to see it too. I
stared out the window, not seeing anything except my memories. His face as
he grinned, the way his eyes would light up when he laughed, the dimple in
his cheek that you couldn't notice until he shaved. I shook my head and bit my
lip to keep the tears at bay.

"Oh, Madison. I didn't know. I'm so sorry." Beth said as she reached
across the table taking my hand in hers.

"Am I that obvious?" I said not looking at her.

"To everyone else no, to someone who has been hurt, yes."

I smiled up at her sadly. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's my fault. I didn't know, I won't bring it up again. But if you
need someone to talk to. I will always be here okay?"

"Thank you, but I'm fine." She nodded, as if she didn't believe me, "I'm
fine I promise."

"I'll let it go, but not for long." She said as she took a sip of her coffee.