"Okay. Look. I'm getting better at following your train of thought, Mae. But I'm not an expert, so go over this one more time."

Mae snapped to attention and turned her eyes from watching the passing scenery to where Bea was driving her car. "I massively screwed up at that party back in the fall. And... I know you haven't really been going to any since then. And I just think it would be good for you to go back, but like... not feel as if you have to lie about it! You're awesome all by yourself, and I'm sure there are lots of cool guys who would be interested in you for who you are!"

The corners of Bea's mouth tugged slightly upward. "Sometimes your positivity surprises me, Mae."

"Yeah, well. It's my patented method for not going insane. Besides, you helped me out, so I wanted to repay the favor." Mae nervously rubbed the back of her neck. "Besides, lesson learned. I'm going to keep my mouth shut and let Jackie be your wingwoman." A bit selfishly, Mae also knew this would leave her free to go and hunt down Bombshell. She had no assurance that the beautiful bear would even be in attendance, but stupid hope was kind of her trademark at this point. It was the only reason she made it through that thing with the cult.

"Well, you don't have to stay too far away. Don't forget, no matter how many dudes I talk to, you're still coming home with me at the end of the night." Mae wasn't sure how to respond to that, so she went back to looking out the window and watching the rolling scenery. God, why did she have to go and say that thing about Bea being 'home enough'? She had been feeling so honest that day, and Honest Mae said stupid shit.

The thing that Mae liked about parties like this was that they were incredibly low-key. She tried one time to go partying at college, and it had been a major disaster. Things had already started to go downhill at that point, granted. But there was deafening music and blinding lights and so many pretty people and dangerous drinks and... Well, needless to say, there were shapes, and she was back in her dorm by nine. Her fault for going to a frat party, really.

Mae was finally starting to get the hang of this whole moderation thing. She had a single beer and she was sipping it quite slowly. It tasted like garbage, but the liquid courage was necessary. Because as she inched her way along the edge of the dancefloor, there she was – Bombshell. She pushed away the urge to down the rest of her drink and continued to sip it, trying to be as cool as possible. A name and a phone number, maybe another handshake. Was it so much to ask? How hard could it be?

As it turned out, insanely hard. Because Bombshell was already talking to someone, repeating her name in that purring way, messing with her blue hair, showing them the pentagram handshake... For a moment, everything in Mae's vision began to blur and she felt sick to her stomach. She had at least enough presence of mind to set her half-drunk beer onto the nearest surface and walk away. She had every intention of just going back to Bea and trying her hardest to be normal and sane. But reality had prepared a stupid double-whammy for her, because her home was nowhere to be found.

"What did you do?" Ugh, what the hell was up Jackie's ass this time?

"Literally nothing. I was over there. Like. From the moment we walked in the door."

The deer huffed and glared at her. "On the way over then. You did something. You told her something. I know this is your fault somehow."

Mae wasn't particularly fond of being blamed like this, but something about the concept was also just familiar enough that she was starting to believe that it really was her fault. Provided she ever found out what 'it' was. "Fine, whatever. What precisely did I make happen?"

"She was talking to this really cute, really nice guy. And she started being all weird and honest about stuff. Talked about the Pickaxe. Said she reads a lot and used to 'play drums' on her laptop for a band that doesn't even have a name. And y'know what, just when it was actually starting to work? She just left! She just walked out!" Mae might have felt proud of the fact that her advice actually worked, because duh, she was a love guru. But now was not the time for self-congratulation. "I might almost tell you not to go get her because I'd be terrified you'd make it worse. But this is your situation and you'd better fix it now."

Mae opted to not even bother addressing everything wrong with what Jackie had to say because she'd be there all night long. Instead she just walked out, grumbling to herself. Not like she didn't know where to find her anyway. And this time, there were no douchebags to yell at her for bouncing on their car, and no rain to make running on rooftops difficult or dangerous. It was a hop, skip, and a jump to the river, putting her right on the heels of Bea where she sat lighting up a cigarette.

She popped up onto the stone bench thing next to her, and the two sat in silence for a while, punctuated only by the sound of Bea smoking. "Your advice worked, y'know. There was this guy Mark, had a nose ring, thought it was really cool that I was supporting my widower father by running a store. Wanted to talk about drumming software."

"So... what happened?"

"I think I... I came to terms with my situation and realized it was pointless?" She breathed deep from the cigarette and blew out a thick cloud of smoke. "It's because of you, actually. Realizing that maybe getting to go to college isn't actually a solution to anything. It's just an option. And it's not an actual option I have right now. God, a year ago I would feel sick to my stomach for saying that out loud. My online courses are actually kinda going okay. I might be in Possum Springs for a while, and I just can't imagine trying to maintain some kind of long distance relationship with a dude I met at a party."

"I guess you're choosing the single life then? Because pickings are slim back home. Thin on the ground. Light in the air. Not a lot of dudes. Is what I'm saying. Cuz I think Scriggins is the only option and. No."

"You know, I even asked out Selmers."

Mae's eyes went wide, even if she knew it was rude to stare, she couldn't help it at the moment. Was Bea...? "Uh, Selmers, really?"

"Well yeah. Remember the poetry club at the library? And Selmers gave that amazing poem? Hidden depths, dude."

Obviously that was kind of an evasive response, Mae was getting used to the many degrees of Bea's speech patterns. She was avoiding the obvious elephant in the room. "I didn't realize you uh. Swung that way." God dammit, why did she have to phrase it that way? Idiot, Mae, you're an idiot. "So when Gregg was complaining to me about being some of the only queer kids in town...?"

"No, not even Angus really knew that I was bi. I mean, it was kinda the reason I sought him out and became friends with him in the first place. He probably figured it out, but after a while it just sorta went without saying. Hah, I guess that makes you the first person I've actually come out to. Well, I mean, other than Selmers. But she's so laid back it's hard to tell when she's shocked."

"I don't have much of a poker face. Sorry. Thanks for like... the honesty? And all? That really is super awesome." In truth, Mae was feeling a good deal more than just happy. But all her energy was being used up keeping her elation under wraps. Of course, like an idiot, she had been letting a maybe sorta kinda teeny tiny crush develop without squashing it, and now come to find out that it wasn't necessarily the worst idea in the world. Granted, Bea was still a million times too cool and gorgeous to be anything other than a friend. But this was like a tiny step in a better direction.

"I take back what I said. Y'know, last time we were out here. I mean, maybe it wouldn't have been as likely for us to become friends. But at least in this universe, we did, twice. And. Um. I'mgladthatyou'remybestfriendMayday..." Not one for gestures of affection, Bea placed an arm around her shoulders.

But Mae wasn't satisfied with a minor gesture, and turned to throw her arms around Bea almost viciously, squeezing the life out of her. "Awwwww! Beebee! I'mgladthatyou'remybestfriend too! Now, last time, we kinda just went home. But I think in light of the fact that we both struck out, we owe it to ourselves to go back to the party and do some proper partying. I still need to get down and shake my non-existent rump."

Bea smirked, flicking away the butt of her cigarette and standing up, brushing herself off and starting back toward the party. "You struck out? With who?"

"Oh, uh... I mean, not like actually. Bombshell. Like. We talked last time and I thought maybe I could catch back up with her. Only she was putting the moves on some other girl. Some way cuter girl. Seemed like bad etiquette to shove my trashfire self in the middle of that."

Bea nodded and, surprisingly, grabbed up her hand. "C'mon. Let's go hit the dancefloor and show your crush what she's missing."

Oof, ironic phrasing. Don't say a word. Don't say a word. Mae kept her mouth shut and just nodded dumbly, walking with her back to the party to get some nervous energy out through dancing.

As it turned out, staying longer at a party that was 90 minutes away from home created some issues. In Mae's case, it was falling super asleep in the passenger seat while Bea drove them home.

She woke up to find herself in Bea's arms just as they entered her bedroom. Not quite technically cogent just yet, she groaned and buried her face in against her neck as if that would somehow help to block out the light. "Ugh, please tell me my parents didn't see you bridal carrying me into the house..."

Bea sat her down on the edge of the bed. "No, I think they already went to bed. Must be heavy sleepers."

"You shoulda just woken me up and sent me on my way. Didn't haveta haul me up here. Bad for your back I bet..." Mae was working overtime through her foggy brain to not let anything important slip out. She was focusing on hauling her boots off, which for some reason never stopped being a production.

Bea scoffed and sat down next to her on the edge of the bed, watching with some amusement at how much trouble she had just taking off her shoes. "C'mon, you're what... ninety pounds soaking wet? Besides, you clearly got 'heavy sleeper' genes from both your parents. Because no amount of vigorous shaking was going to wake you up. It wasn't a problem, seriously. Good to see your room is exactly as wonderfully dorky as I thought it would be."

"Oh, yeah, guess you haven't really hung out up here before." Seeing as Bea was making herself comfortable, Mae bravely decided to go in for the kill. "Wanna watch a movie? I torrented a bunch of random shit the other day and I haven't had the chance to watch any of it yet. She said... knowing full well she would probably fall asleep five minutes later..." Mae chuckled awkwardly, embarrassed that she was so obviously transparent.

Against all odds, Bea shrugged and got herself a more comfy position on the bed while Mae got the laptop ready. There was some idle discussion before they agreed on a crappy horror movie that they could make fun of, but again, it mattered little. Mae fell back asleep within half an hour or so, snoozing on Bea's shoulder. Bea chuckled softly and drew the blanket around her. "Night, Mayday."