The next morning, Bea woke up to start her day and make herself some breakfast, placing Mae's journal in her pocket. after applying her eyeliner and getting dressed, she got her car keys and walked out of her room to be greeted by her father.
" Morning Beatrice, sleep well? " Mr Santello said half-heartily as he sulked on the couch.
" Morning Dad...want a some breakfast? " Bea asked him, placing some toaster pastries in the toaster.
" Nah, Beatrice, I'm good. " Her dad answered as he turned on the tv.
" I'm going to open up the shop alright? " Bea said as she munched on her pastry after it was done.
" Okay honey,...love you! " Mr Santello muttered to Bea as she started to leave, making her stop and pause.
" ...Love you too, Dad. " Bea said under her breath as she closed the door behind her.
She got into her car and tried to start it, but all she could get was cranking, much to her frustration.
" C'mon, Start! you piece of shit! " She growled, slamming her fist on the steering wheel, cursing some more as the car refused to start up.
" Grrrrrr! fine, I'll walk. " she angrily got out of her car and started walking to work.
" Having car trouble? " a mouse squeaked beside her, sipping a drink from the Snack Falcon, her tail flicking side to side.
" Hey um..Lori, how are ya? " Bea greeted the little mouse, embarrassed that her loss of temper was witnessed.
" Pretty good I guess, I saw you and Mae fight last night...was it something bad? " Lori asked.
" No, it's personal is all I can say, Don't you have school to get to? " Bea questioned, getting slightly irritated.
" Yeah,...I was just passing by and saw you cursing your car as if a serial killer was after you. " Lori explained.
" Now that would be really scary, Hey, you're that kid that Mae talks about sometimes right? " Bea asked her.
" Yeah, what about me? " Lori asked.
" Has she said anything...about me specifically? " Bea questioned, feeling nervous.
" Hmmmm, no, can't say she has...are you and her not friends anymore? " Lori asked her, feeling like she was getting in the way of Mae and Bea's friendship.
" No, It's not like that at all, I'm just curious is all. " Bea assured the adorable mouse.
" Whew! that's a relief, have you ever been to the tracks? I live near there. " Lori asked.
" Can't say I have, It's been nice talking to you by the way, I''ll tell Mae you said hi. " Bea waved goodbye to Lori.
" Thanks! I hope it works out between you two...whatever it is. " Lori yelled back as she rushed off to school.
" I hope so too. " Bea told herself as she unlocked the front door to the O'l Pickaxe.
Mae pushed her blanket off of her as she stretched herself, her ears twitching.
" *yawn* I wonder if Bea's alright? " she asked herself, getting her boot on and ruffing her hair.
She made her way downstairs and towards the kitchen to make small talk with her mother, Candy, who sitting at the table as usual, reading one of her books.
" Good morning, Mae. Sleep well? have any of those weird dreams lately? " Candy asked Mae, putting her book down.
" Yeah...it was different to say the least, Mom! " Mae explained. " Bea was with me the entire time, and it was all pink and stuff...could it mean something? "
Thinking hard for a moment and tapping her chin, Candy lifted her head and answered her daughter's question.
" I believe that you're either falling out or falling in love with her, Mae. That's my best guess. " She told Mae, who stared at her blankly before she started making gagging noises.
" EWWWWWWWW! Mom, No way! Bea's straight as a arrow, she told me herself! " She denied, despite her blushing face.
" Oh come on, Honey. You've been attached to the hip with her lately, never leaving her side. It's obvious that you love her! " Candy laughed. " I can see in your eyes."
Mae hopped off the counter and hugged her mother. " This conversation never happened...ever! " she sworn her mother to secrecy.
" Oh, it did...and I'm telling your father by the way! " Candy grinned cheekily. causing Mae to give her a death glare.
" Please don't tell Bea if you see her! " She begged her mother.
" Calm down dear, I was only joking about telling your father, Don't worry, I won't tell your girl that you love her! " Candy winked.
" She's not my girlfriend! " she heard Mae shout as she slammed the door behind her.
Mae stared at the sidewalk intently as she strolled down the neighborhood, greeting everyone as she passed them as she made her way to the Ol' Pickaxe to see Bea.
There, she stood at the building's front door and it's faded brick facade, fighting her nervousness to open the door and say hello.
Mae suddenly jumped when it opened to see her best available friend staring at her like she was a lost kitten.
" You coming in or what, Mae? It's pretty chilly out there! " Bea said to her, her breath clearly visible to the cold air.
" I came to see you didn't I? " Mae answered as she hurried inside the store, It's indoor heating wrapping her in warmth, making her purr loudly.
" I have a extra jacket hanging out back if you want to wear it, I forgot to load the new lumber inside yesterday, I was wondering if you could help me out with it? " Bea asked Mae.
" Sure! Gives this trash mammal something to do! " She rubbed her paws together and followed her not-crush outside to load up the lumber into the store.
" God! this is heavy! " Mae complained as the wood dug into her paws as she lifted one side of the lumber. " I feel like the wood's drilling into my palms! I'm lucky that I don't have trypopobia! "
" Relax Mae, the wood's been sanded down before it came here, It's not going to poke holes into your skin! " Bea huffed while lifting her end of the lumber.
" It sure feels like it! why didn't we load it into your car? " Mae asked her.
" The piece of crap wouldn't start this morning. " Bea told her. " It must've sensed your fat ass coming! " she laughed.
" You think my ass looks fat huh? Good to know, Bea! " Mae smirked. " I might let you spank it after this! "
Bea instantly regretted her choice of words as Mae said this, making her face turn pink in embarrassment. " That's not what I meant! "
" Uh-huh, Suuurrreee! " Mae purred.
After loading the lumber onto the shelf in the room, Bea and Mae sat down on the floor to take a break.
" I've got something for you Mae, you left this in my car last night. " She handed Mae her journal back, much to her joy.
" Thank you Bea! I was so worried about it! C'mere you! " She pulled Bea into a grateful embrace.
" Mae...Get..Off..Me! " She growled. " I saw what was in your journal...I didn't want to look into it, but temptation got the better of me...I'm sorry Mae. "
" You looked into my private journal?...Bea...how could you? " Mae asked her, clearly shocked by the invasion of her privacy.
" I said that I'm sorry Mae...I told you that I'm straight and I meant it! " Bea reminded her.
" I don't believe that for a second, Bea-Bea...I love you and I mean that! " Mae said tearfully.
" I know that you do, Mae, but it just can't wor-Mmmfff! " Bea's eyes widened as Mae's lips graced hers, her tongue rubbing against hers, her claws digging into Bea's back passionately. " Mae! Stop it-Mmmmm! " she tried to say as Mae deepened her kiss.
" I'm going to redo your math camp experience, Honey! " Mae said seductively as her tail tickled Bea's chin. " Maybe some..." Addition and Subtraction " so to speak! "
" Mae, please stop this, I'm serious! " Bea snorted. smoke blowing in Mae's face.
" Can't...I'm in Castle Pickaxe now, Fair Maiden,...this knight wants to play with the dragon! " the horny cat purred.
" Okay! That's it, get out Mae! " Bea grabbed Mae's hand and marched her out the door.
" I'm sorry, Bea...I didn't mean- " Mae tried to say before Bea interrupted.
" Get. Out. Now! " She pointed to the door.
" Ok Bea...I'll go. " Mae sulked out the door and down the street, feeling guilty for what she had done.
Shaking her head in disappointment, Bea closed the door and got ready to open the store.
Mae was walking down the street somberly when Lori ran up and joined her.
" Hey Adult! what's new- Are you crying?" She suddenly asked Mae, who had tears running down her face.
" What? no it's just...I don't want to talk about it. " Mae shook her head.
" I was heading over to the tracks if you want take you mind off of it? " Lori offered.
" Don't you have school to go to Kid? " Mae pointed out.
" I didn't feel like going after all, Funny, your friend asked me the same thing this morning. " Lori shrugged.
" Bea's her name...I messed it up good with her. " Mae sniffled. " I might as well tell you what's going on...I..I..I..Kissed her. " she blushed.
" Wow." Lori gasped in surprise. " I'm sorry to hear that, Mae. that bad huh? "
" It was my fault, I forced myself on her when I shouldn't of. " Mae kicked a can out of her way. " I've been a total trash mammal! "
" Don't blame yourself, it was a accident, they happen from time to time. Don't let them get to you. " Lori consoled. " I've seen those cheesy chick flicks, it works out in the end, You''ll see! "
" What's that supposed to mean? " Mae narrowed her eyes at the mouse.
" You''ll figure it out..." Lorie squeaked as she walked away.
" I'll figure it out...not helpful advice...Hey Lori, Wait up! " Mae ran up beside her to join her trip to the tracks. " Let's rock! "
Bea's mind swirled in guilt as she tried to serve her customers at the Pickaxe.
" Here you go, that'll be $12,50 Sir! " She read out the customer's total.
" Thank you Beatrice, say hello to your father for me okay? I miss the ol'grump! " The customer thanked her and took his leave.
" I''ll be sure to tell him!...not that he'll care anyway. " Bea muttered the last part under her breath.
She opened the register to count her earnings when the bell rang, making her close it again.
" Hello, welcome to the Ol' Pickaxe! " She greeted, until she saw who walked into her store, it was the two teens from yesterday.
" Hi, where's your girlfriend? " the rabbit teen asked her curiously.
" We're taking a break from each other, not that it's any of you punk's business! " Bea growled. " Are you going to buy something, or am I going to have to permanently ban you two from my store? "
" Yeah...we just need those flat nails ya know? " the cat teen explained. " We also wanted to apologize for yesterday...we didn't mean to butt into your relationship. "
" *sigh* It's modern parenting, don't beat yourselves up about it. " Bea snarked. " What is it that you're building? " she then asked the two, changing the subject.
" a Treehouse. " the rabbit teen explained simply.
" Sounds like fun. " Bea commented.
" It will be when we'll finish it! " the cat teen fist-pumped. " Carrie and I are going to snuggle in it! "
" That friendly huh? " Bea raised her eyebrow at the two.
" Yep! this kitty knows what this bunny needs! " Carrie winked as she pulled her friend, Emily closer.
" *Ahem!* Oh...'kay let's head up to the counter shall we? " Bea cleared her throat to ease the awkwardness.
" Oh-um, Right! " Emily laughed as she grabbed Carrie's hand and followed Bea to the counter.
Checking their package of nails, Bea rang them up and read out their total.
" that'll be $10,05. how would you like to pay? " She asked them.
" With credit! " Carrie grinned as she flashed a shiny credit card.
" You're loaded huh? " Bea cocked her head to the side.
" Yeah...my family's planning on buying the old glass factory. " Carrie explained. " We moved here so that I could have a normal childhood or whatever..."
" That's pretty nice of your folks. " Bea told her as she handed Emily the nails. " What about you? " She then asked her.
" I go to school here, met her when she first enrolled! " Emily explained. " Love at first sight..."
" Well, I'm happy for you two. " Bea congratulated. " Hey, maybe you can tell your parents to buy this place! " she laughed.
" I'll be sure to tell them! " Carrie smiled at her.
" I was only kidding, my dad would kill me if I sold this place! " Bea explained.
" You could use the break. " Emily chimed in.
" That's true! " Bea said to them, laughing a little.
" You know what Bea? you're pretty cool! " Carrie complimented. " You should talk to What's-Her-Name. work it out, ya know? "
" Thanks Kids, I'll keep that in mind, Bea responded. " Thank for coming to my store, you'll welcome to hang out if you like...steal anything and I'll hunt you down! " She warned them.
" Thanks..for the heads-up. " The two teens said as they left the store hand in hand, leaving Bea to think over her decision.
She thought about what Mae did and wondered if she was a little hard on her. Sure, it was a little out of nowhere and kinda forced, but in some way, deep down. She kinda liked it.