"Mae, I've got a question," Bea murmured quietly.
All three of them were laying together in the bed, passing a joint back and forth, smoke drifting lazily around the room.
They were all still naked, having washed up after the sex.
"Shoot, BeeBee," Mae replied.
"How are you not jealous?" she asked.
Trent kept quiet but he was very interested to hear how Mae responded to this.
"I don't...know," she replied after considering it. "I guess...I'm just not."
"You aren't scared that, like, he'll fall in love with me?" she asked. "And Trent, for the record, do not leave Mae for me."
"Noted," he replied, accepting the joint from her, puffing on it, and then passing it to Mae.
"I mean, you can love more than one person...right?" she replied.
"I mean yeah but...like that? Like love love?" Bea said.
"Yeah. I think so."
"Huh." She groaned suddenly. "Ugh, I can't stop thinking about the Pickaxe. I've got a hundred things to do and I'll have to go back in day after tomorrow and-"
"Bea," Trent said, rolling over and facing her. He passed her the joint back. "Relax. The goal here is to just...relax. Not think about anything. Okay?"
She sighed. "I don't know how."
"Take the joint. It's a good start," he said. Trent sat up, then got off the bed and started pulling some clothes on.
"Where're you going?" Bea asked.
"I bought the fixings to make tacos," he replied. "I'm going to make us lunch."
"Oh my God. Tacos," Mae whispered. "You are fucking husband material."
"Mae, holy crap," Bea muttered.
"Is he not?! Dude just ate you and is now making you tacos for lunch! And he got weed for us!"
"And he'll let you read Johnny the Homicidal Maniac," Trent said as he finished pulling his clothes on.
"Oh, right! I almost forgot about that," Bea said, sitting up suddenly. "Where is it? That would super help take my mind off of everything."
"Downstairs," he replied.
"Hmm...could you, like, make sure the curtains are drawn and everything? I've always kinda wanted to walk around in nothing but my panties but I don't want people to, like, see me. I mean besides you two...God, I never thought I'd be saying something like that," Bea said.
"I can do that," Trent replied.
"Oh, yeah, I got something I gotta do," Mae said, sitting up suddenly.
"What's that?" Trent asked.
"Can I bring my bass and amp over here?" she asked. "I've been meaning to practice more...also, can I practice over here?"
"God yes," he replied. "Can I help you move it over here?"
Bea laughed. "You're into Mae's bass playing, huh?"
"Very," he said.
"It's perfect, Bea! I play bass, he writes horror novels…" Mae murmured as she got into her jeans.
"Wait, you're a writer?" Bea asked.
"Yeah...I thought that had come up, but maybe not," Trent said, trying to sort through his memories of conversations with her.
Everything had been happening so fast, it was all a whirlwind in his head.
"Maybe...I don't have the best memory for social stuff," Bea said. "Have you published anything?"
"No, not yet. I'm still working on some stuff. Honestly my life was too much of a clusterfuck before this."
"You'll do it," Mae said simply. She walked over and gave him a kiss. "Be right back!" Then she hurried off, rushing down the stairs.
"That girl either has no energy or all the energy," Bea muttered.
Trent laughed. "Yep. Lemme go make sure everything is secured and then you can come downstairs."
"Would I be a total bitch if I asked you to turn the heat up a little? Being naked and without fur means I get cold easier…"
"No, not at all, I don't mind," Trent replied.
She grinned. "I think you'll just do almost anything to keep me naked," she said.
"I mean not anything," he replied.
She laughed. "Go on."
Trent headed downstairs and made sure that all of the windows were fully closed off. The curtains were of a pretty good make, heavy and firm, and set in such a way that they would close off the view entirely if fully pulled. Once he made sure everything was set, he called for Bea, then set a bottle of water and his JTHM comic on the table for her, then went and started getting the taco meat ready. By the time he got the meat cooking, Mae came back.
"Got it!" she called.
"Oh my God, Mae, shut the door!" Bea cried.
"Sorry, I'm trying to...there!" He heard the door shut and went out, finding Bea huddled on the couch and Mae presiding over her bass and amp. "Where should I put this?"
"Hmm...I guess in the office up there for now. How would you feel about the basement once I get it straightened up?"
"That'd be pretty cool," she replied. "I like basements."
"You're better than I remember, Mae," Bea said, eyeing the bass.
"Well, after you guys kept making me play songs I didn't fucking know I started practicing harder just to prove you smug assholes wrong," Mae replied.
"Yeah, that was kind of shitty...sorry."
Mae sighed. "It's...whatever. I'm gonna go plug this in."
She grabbed her stuff and headed upstairs. Trent frowned, seeing Bea looking uncomfortable. "I get the feeling you two still have some sorting out to do."
Bea sighed. "Yeah. We do. I guess I do, mostly. Mae and I had problems, I was mean to her when she first got back. I was so mad at her...but for more than the college thing." She groaned and reached for the second joint and lighter she'd brought down.
"You two should talk," Trent said after a moment.
She lit the joint. "About this? God, I don't know…"
"I know it's supposed to be your day off, but Mae really likes you, and I think it'd make you both feel better if you talked about this shit. I mean-shit, I don't know. Maybe this is a bad idea, I just...don't like seeing either of you unhappy."
"Ugh, you don't get it, dude. I was like so shitty to her. And she called me on it. More than once. And I basically defended myself for being shitty to her. Because I was so stressed, and so mad at her, and I didn't know...about all the shit going on with her. I was mean. Like mean. I mean, she was kind of like oil on water with me when she first came back, I swear she said every wrong thing. She forgot my fucking mother died. She thought she was still alive. I was so fucking mad. But I've been looking into some of her symptoms and side effects, and like holy shit, I had no idea how common memory loss was for people with depression, or anxiety, or whatever the hell she has on top of that. Sometimes it's big, sometimes it's small, but just…" She sighed heavily and leaned back, covering her eyes with one hand while holding the joint with the other.
She took another puff.
"I'm sorry," Trent said, "this was a bad idea, just forget I brought it up-"
"No," she said, still covering her eyes, "you're right. And it's bugging me. I don't really feel like I've formally apologized to her about all that. And I should. She didn't deserve that."
"Hey are you guys talking about me?" Mae asked as she came back downstairs.
"...yeah," Bea murmured.
"Oh...is it bad?" Mae asked, slowing her walk, her expression turning serious.
"...kinda," Bea said awkwardly.
"What did I do?" she asked.
"No, it's not-" she sighed and groaned, rubbing one eye. "I was telling him about our, uh, interactions, when you first got back."
"Oh." Mae rubbed one arm awkwardly, looking away.
"You should sit down."
"Okay."
"I have to go check the meat," Trent said.
Bea sighed. "Yeah, leave me here to do this by my lonesome."
"You can wait until I get back," he said as he headed back into the kitchen.
"Yeah that's not awkward or anything!"
Trent sighed and quickly moved around the beef, then took a moment to drain the grease that had started coming from it, then put it back, chopped it up more, and then moved back into the living room. "I'm here, for both of you. Go."
"Thanks," Bea murmured. "Mae, I'm sorry. Like, really, honestly sorry. You told me, when we were up in Westberg, that it was like super shitty that I kept calling you stupid. And I gave you a half-assed apology that wasn't even really an apology. But you were right. About all of it. It was super shitty, and I feel so bad about it all. You know how you're laying there awake at night sometimes, and your brain starts remembering all the stupid or embarrassing or mean things you ever said or did? For the past few weeks it's just been mean shit I said to you since you came back. And the fight we had coming back from that night in the woods, at the party…" she sighed and shook her head.
"I still don't really remember that night," Mae murmured. "I remember Cole was there. Blegh." She paused, looking down at the floor for a moment. Bea winced, staring at her, waiting. Trent was wondering what exactly was going to happen. Maybe he shouldn't have started this whole thing, but it seemed like a thing that needed to happen.
Mae looked back up. "I forgive you, Bea. I was thinking about all that stuff off and on ever since...well, the big thing happened. And, the thing is, like, I get some of it. I don't understand why you care so much about college, but I guess I don't have to. You care about it, that's what I should understand. It's important to you, and even if I hate it, I still support you, and what you want to do. And you didn't know about all the...the shapes, and the cough syrup, and the depression, and the...all of it. Because I didn't tell you. Because, like, I couldn't. I was afraid you'd think I was fucking crazy. So, it's not all your fault Bea."
"Thanks, Mae," Bea said quietly. "For forgiving me."
"Of course I forgive you, Bea. You're, like, my best friend. I love you."
Bea laughed awkwardly, reached up and brushed at her eyes. "I love you too, Mae. Sometimes we're like oil and water, but you're my best friend." She sighed and wiped at her eyes more. "Goddamnit, I don't want to cry again."
"You cried?" Mae asked.
"Oh yeah, Trent watched me have a full-blown breakdown."
"Whoa...what happened?"
"I took a page out of your book and beat the shit out of a tree with a bat, then hugged him and cried my fucking eyes out." She sighed. "He put up with it really well."
Mae grinned. "He's pretty good about that, I guess."
"I've been there, I've figured out when people cry, they just want to cry until it's over, and there's nothing you can really do but be there for them until they're done," he said. "I need to go check on the meat again."
"Okay. So why'd you have a breakdown?"
Bea sighed heavily. "It all started with this stupid asshole I work with…"
Trent went back into the kitchen and listened to them talk as he finished preparing the meat. Once he got it seasoned and the water in and had mixed it up properly, he pulled out all the other stuff. He was glad he'd bought both shells and tortillas. Once everything was out, he returned to the living room and saw that Mae had shed almost all of her clothes again.
"I think I might become a nudist," she said when she noticed him looking at her.
"That'd be pretty cool," he replied.
She laughed and rolled her eyes. "You're such a fucking weirdo."
"What? Why? Because I want to see my girlfriend naked?"
"Because I am the girlfriend you want to see naked," she replied. "I'm all short and round and weird-looking. I know it."
"You aren't weird-looking, Mae, jeez," Bea said. "You look fine. Obviously people are into you. I mean you fucked him and you fucked Selma."
"I haven't fucked Selmers," Mae said, then grinned, "...yet."
"You really went from virgin to, uh…"
"You gonna say 'slut'?" Mae asked, grinning more broadly.
"I was thinking of a nicer word," Bea replied awkwardly.
"I'm not a slut! But yeah, kinda. I thought everyone was lying, Bea! I thought sex was like beer, it was just BS and it wasn't all that great. Because fucking everyone drinks beer, but it tastes like shit, and I hate being drunk, but no! Sex actually feels super good! So, I mean, I dunno, I wanna share that with people. Mostly girls, though. I'm...bisexual? Pan? I'm not sure."
"Does it bother you that I'm a guy?" Trent asked suddenly.
"Bother me? No, not really," Mae replied.
"You've talked about how you kept thinking you'd end up with a girl."
"Oh." She looked away awkwardly. "Sorry. I don't mean to. I just-that's what I thought. I was pretty sure I was gonna end up with a girl. I mean, maybe I still will." She paused, then her eyes widened. "I don't mean, like, I'm gonna break up with you. That's not what I meant. I meant, like, if we're, uh...poly. That's the word."
"You wanna be in an open relationship?" Bea asked.
"Yeah! I want Selmers to be my girlfriend, and Trent's girlfriend, too! It'll be fun!"
Bea shifted uncomfortably. "Oh. Huh."
"What?" Mae asked, then grinned suddenly, her eyes lighting up. "Bea...I asked you if you had a crush on my boyfriend and you didn't say no! Do you wanna date Trent!?"
"MAE! You have zero fucking subtlety! None! Absolutely no subtlety! Jesus!" she groaned.
"So? Why do I have to be subtle?"
"Because it's weird to ask me this stuff to my face while your boyfriend is in the room!" Bea cried.
"If you wanna date him, Bea, like, it's not like I mind. I think that'd be so cool!"
Bea shifted uncomfortably again. "So, you realize that I'd be dating him, right? Not both of you?"
"I know you're straight Bea. Trust me, I understand: sex isn't on the table. Honestly I'm happy you let me watch you do it," Mae replied.
"I...this is weird," Bea murmured. "Do you even want to, uh...date me?" she asked, looking at Trent. "I'm sorry, this is rude, we're talking about you and you're right here."
"How is that even a question?" he replied.
"Because I don't know if you want to date me or not?" Bea said.
"I mean obviously I'd like to date you," he replied, trying not to be too uncomfortable or awkward. Mae really instigated some crazy conversations. "You're crazy hot, and obviously smart and hardworking, and goth, and you're already best friends with my girlfriend."
"We could all live together and do awesome stuff and hang out all the time!" Mae said, practically glowing with excitement.
"I dunno," Bea murmured. "I mean...part of me really, like, wants to, actually. Which is fucking crazy, but, I dunno...I-we click. I mean, you said that. Right? We, just, connect?"
"Yeah," Trent replied. "I think so. Like how me and Mae do."
"We connect so good," Mae said, grinning more broadly. "And by that I mean you put your dick in me!"
"Mae, this is kind of serious," Bea said.
"Right, right. Sorry. No, totally. We connect. I mean, I already told you that USB thing, dude."
"So, I mean...yeah, part of me wants to. This feels good. And I like you. But another part of me...we couldn't go on dates. We couldn't do PDA. Like, no one could know. And it's not because I'm ashamed of dating you at all, but people just-poly isn't a thing in this town, man."
"Ugh...she's right," Mae groaned. "And I don't give a shit that I tanked my rep, and apparently neither do you, but Bea…"
"Yeah," Bea murmured. She sighed. "I don't know, this is a big question."
"Maybe you could just try this as, like, a trial relationship?" Trent suggested suddenly. "Today and tomorrow, is what it would be like if we dated and lived together?"
"I...yeah, okay," Bea said. "I need some time to check in with my chattrbox socialist group." She looked more directly at him. "I'm a socialist, just so we get that out of the way now."
"Fine by me," he replied.
"How do you lean?" she asked.
"I lean the way that actually helps and cares about people, so liberal. Otherwise, I just...I checked out a couple years ago," Trent admitted. "I know, it's shitty, but it was too much. Like...way too much. After the last election...ugh."
"No, I get it," Bea said, "it's a lot."
"Eff politics!" Mae cried. "But, I mean, like, your socialist thing is cool," she added.
Bea laughed. "I do what I can. Which is moderate a young socialist forum on chattrbox, and not punch conservative assholes in the face, when they spew their fucking hate-shit all over the place."
"We'll be fine, then," Trent said, "tacos should be ready."
"Man," Mae said as she stood up, "I bet you could knock some teeth out, Bea! You're so super strong."
"Maybe," Bea agreed as she got up too. They headed for the kitchen. "Hey, uh, do you have any old school Linkin Park around? I'd fucking kill to just vibe and listen to Hybrid Theory and Meteora and Reanimation."
"I've got all three of those albums," Trent replied. "Although we do have YouTube."
"Oh shit, right, you've got the internet here. Internet has been so fucking shit in this town forever. Okay, cool."
While they made their tacos, Trent went and found his laptop, and assembled a quick playlist of those three albums, and fired it up.