"Oh my God! OMG! How!? How!? Holy crap! Ah!" Mae groaned loudly and put her head down on the table. "Shit!"
"Who was she? She looked really hot from the drawing," Trent asked.
"She was the hottest girl I have ever seen in my life and she was into me! She was into me, dude! We flirted and did a secret handshake and everything! ARGH!"
"So who was she?" he repeated.
Mae took a deep breath and let it out in a heavy sigh as she sat back up. "Remember that story we've told you, where Bea took me to a college party, and I cockblocked her by being a total dip, and she ran away in the rain, and I chased after her?"
"Yes."
"I met Bombshell there! I just randomly started talking to her and she liked me! She was hitting on me! But I had to go check in with Bea, and she was talking with those fucking losers, and I acted like a total moron, and I had to chase after her...when I got back, we didn't go back down. We decided to just go home. I never saw Bombshell again! Oh my-ah!" She was looking back down at her hands again, but suddenly snapped her gaze back up to his eyes. "Shit, uh...shit. Is this bad? Is it, like, poor form or whatever to be all hung up about someone else I wanted to hook up with? To my boyfriend? Uh...I don't know the protocol…"
"Wow, Mae," he murmured, "I don't think I've ever seen you like this. I mean, not over someone else...I think, given the nature of our relationship, it isn't a breach of protocol. If you're asking whether or not this makes me upset: no, it doesn't."
"Okay, good. I just-I can't believe I forgot about her! I thought about her so much! I mast-" She looked around, lowered her voice. "Uh, I thought about her a lot. Like...at night. You know?"
He chuckled. "Yeah, I get it."
"And then...I don't know. I can't remember the last time I thought of her. I guess I just gave her up for gone at some point. I haven't thought of her since meeting you. I guess I forgot kinda quick. I think I just figured it was impossible, I'd never see her again." Her eyes widened. "Can we find her? Will you help me find her? I know that's such a weird ask, but...can we?"
"I mean, if you really want to, I'd support you in this. Although we really need to talk to Bea and especially Ann about it. What would be your intent? I mean, are you looking to hook someone else into the relationship?" he asked.
"I...don't know," she admitted. "I guess...I just want to talk with her again. It just feels unfinished. And I mean, maybe? I have to admit, I really want to hook up with her, at least."
"Well, I mean, you have let me hook up with two other women, let alone Bea. I mean I wouldn't be against it...yeah, I'm down for this. How do we find her, though?"
"I guess...ask Jackie? That seems like a good start. Although, man, she still hates me."
"She doesn't hate you, she just...doesn't like you. She's also a bit...prickly."
Mae laughed as they got up and threw away their trash, then began heading upstairs. "She is. But I guess she got fucked with a lot. Oh man, this is gonna be amazing. She has the most incredible eyes! They're...I don't know, man. They're mesmerizing. I felt drunk, but like, in a good way? When we were talking. She said my name sounded tough. Mmm."
"You are pretty tough," Trent said. "But listen, we really should talk with Bea and Ann before we go forward."
"Yeah, that makes sense. Come on!" She started hurrying home.
He followed after her.
"That's...not what I thought I was gonna hear today when I woke up," Ann murmured after Mae finished explaining the situation to her.
"So, wait, just to be clear: you weren't lying?" Bea asked.
"What?! No!" Mae cried. "I was telling the truth!"
"Huh. I always thought you were bullshitting me. Like it was some weird joke or something? But okay. So...you wanna track her down? You don't think that's a little weird?"
"I don't know! I just...I wanna meet her again! It just feels right. And come on, I proved I had literal mind-reading capabilities, so my feelings aren't just bullshit, okay?"
"I didn't say your feelings are bullshit, Mae," Bea replied. "I'm just-it's a little weird."
"I mean it's not completely weird," Ann said. "I've met people at parties before I've wanted to find again. Sometimes you have those one-off meetings with people are parties, and they should just stay as one-offs, but sometimes not."
"How would you feel about it?" Mae asked. "Trent said I should ask you both and it makes sense given, I mean, well, I was hoping to hook up with her, too. She seemed into me."
"As long as we take reasonable precautions about STDs and making sure she's not a psycho or anything, yeah, I'd be cool with that," Ann said.
"Yeah, same," Bea agreed. "Gotta admit, I'm pretty curious to meet her."
"So we're in agreement, then?" Mae asked. "I should do this? You're all cool with it?"
They all nodded.
"Sweet," Mae whispered.
"How do we start?" Bea asked.
"Trent had an idea on that," Mae replied.
"You guys met at a Jackie party, right? Ask Jackie," he said.
"Oh. Duh." Bea pulled out her phone. "Lemme speaker phone this, this is a group project," she muttered. She found Jackie's number and hit the call button, then set the phone down in between them all on the coffee table.
It rang twice before being picked up. "Hey, Bea."
"Hey, Jackie. You're on speaker phone."
"Oh, lovely. Who's all there?" she replied, sounding mildly annoyed.
"Me, Trent, Mae, and Ann."
"Fantastic."
"You're in a good mood."
"...sorry, I'm just busy. What's up?"
"When's the next time you're throwing one of those parties like I always used to go to?" Bea asked.
"Uh...tonight, actually. That's why I'm busy. I was actually considering whether or not to invite you, given you seem a lot happier these days."
"Perfect! And don't feel pressured either way, I'm down to party but I'm also down to just veg out at home. Uh...we had a request that may be a little odd."
"Fire away," Jackie replied.
"Mae met a girl at the one party she came to last year, but never got her number, her info, not even her name. We wanna find her."
"Hmm...what's she like?" Jackie asked.
"Uh...well. She's a bear. With blue eyes. Uh...oh! Wait, I drew her, I can send you a picture of the drawing," Mae said, grabbing her journal and pulling out her phone. "Although, I don't have your number…"
"There's a reason for that," Jackie said.
"Wow, thanks, Jackie," Mae grumbled.
"Mae-" Jackie began, her tone turning sharp.
"Jackie…" Bea said, a warning note in her voice.
Jackie sighed, long and heavily.
"I have your number, Jackie," Trent said, pulling out his phone as Mae found the drawing. He snapped a pic and sent it over.
"Okay, hold on...oh, yeah. I don't know her, but I've seen her around at a few parties. I don't know her name, either. I think I saw her once or twice since that one party. If you wanted to come tonight, she might be there, or you could ask around. Why do you want to see her, anyway?"
"I felt a connection when we talked," Mae replied. "And I kinda want to maybe date her? Or at least hook up with her."
"Jeez, Mae. Don't you already have two people you're dating?"
"Yeah, I do!" Mae snapped, leaning forward abruptly. "Maybe I want another one, Jackie! Maybe I was so fucking traumatized, and I've been through so much shit, and gone through so much fucking pain that I just want my life and my home to be filled with happiness and love, Jackie! Can I have that, Jackie!? Do I have your permission to be happy!?"
A long silence passed by.
"Mae," Trent said.
"No," Jackie said. "I-it's-you're right. I'm sorry, Mae. That was mean and I-it's been a long...year. I don't know. I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry, too," Mae said. "I just wish you weren't mean to me."
"You're right," Jackie murmured awkwardly after another uncomfortable pause. "I'm really bitchy, I get that. You just said stupid things to me in high school, Mae."
"...I did?" she asked. "What were they?"
Jackie sighed again. "I don't want to-this isn't a conversation I want to have at all, but definitely not over the phone on speaker. Um...listen, if you do come to the party tonight, find me, and we'll sort it out."
"Well...okay. We don't have to be friends, but I don't want you thinking I hate you or don't respect you, Jackie," Mae said. "You're, like, really tough and cool. And I do respect you."
"I appreciate that. If you're coming, we'll talk tonight."
"I'm coming."
"Then we'll talk tonight. Uh...it's in the same place, actually. That underground club in Westberg. It starts at eight. Uh, look, I gotta go."
"All right, um, see you there, Jackie," Bea said.
"See you there." She hung up.
"Jeez...that got intense," Ann murmured.
"Fuck, I'm such an asshole…" Mae groaned, hiding her face behind her hands.
"I don't think that was the best response," Bea replied, "but...Jackie was pushing your buttons. I think that helped her realize that, and that she shouldn't do it."
"Wait, so...I'm not an asshole?" Mae asked.
Bea sighed. "Shit, I don't know. I wish that hadn't happened, but I'm saying that it's an understandable response on your part. And you both apologized...are you going to talk to her?"
"Definitely. I don't even-I don't remember talking to her in high school very much. I definitely don't remember saying something to piss her off. I-jeez. What did I say?"
"It's really hard to say," Bea replied. "I've known Jackie for awhile. I kinda thought her dislike of you was just on my behalf, but I guess not. She never told me, or if she did, I've forgotten. But you should talk with her tonight, sort it out. She's a good woman, she's just...grumpy."
"I can understand that," Mae murmured.
Another moment of silence went by.
"So, uh, we really doing this?" Ann asked. "Are we gonna hit up a college party in another town?"
"Hell yes," Mae said, leaping to her feet. "The Quest for Bombshell begins tonight!"
"This is really weird," Claire murmured from the backseat. She sat in between Bea and Ann.
"You didn't have to come if you didn't feel comfortable," Trent replied from the driver's seat.
"No, I mean, I feel...well, safe. I don't know about comfortable, but I don't know if that's even on the table," Claire replied. They'd asked her if she wanted to go and, surprisingly, she had agreed. Tomorrow was a rare day off. "I'm being ungracious. Thanks for inviting me and driving me. It's appreciated. I'm just...an anxious, depressed introvert."
"It's okay," Trent said.
"Yeah! You'll have fun, Claire! It's cool!" Mae declared.
"What kinda party is it, exactly?" she asked.
"It's a Jackie party. It won't be super crazy or anything. There'll be dancing, some drinking, some weed, but I've never seen anyone like doing coke or shrooms or getting nuts at one of these parties before, and I've been to over a dozen of them," Bea said. "We can trust Jackie."
"All right, that's cool then. I was never really a party person, but the few I've been to are kinda nice. It's sort of nice to just be there and vibe, and...I don't know, I am kinda feeling better after resolving that shit with my brother and hooking up with Trent." She shifted awkwardly. "That still feels weird to talk about in a car with three of his girlfriends."
"Well, it hasn't been a problem so far," Bea said.
"That's good...so, um, I got the impression that there's more going on with this party? I mean, is there a special reason we're driving, like, an hour and a half?" Claire asked.
"Yeah, so...Mae?" Trent asked.
Mae laughed awkwardly. "Well. Uh. Bea took me to a party at this place last year, and she came out to them, for...reasons…"
"Let's just get this outta the way now," Bea said. "My soul was being crushed by my mother's death and me basically being enslaved at the Pickaxe, and the only way I really kept my sanity was by driving out to parties like these and cosplaying as a college student. Because I really wanted to go to college more than anything."
"Oh...wow. Jeez. I'm...sorry," Claire murmured.
"It's fine, you don't have to get all solemn and serious about it, I'm past it now. Mostly. But that's the context."
"Yeah, and she brought me, and, uh, a lot of things happened, some of them not great, but one of those things was that I met this awesome and crazy hot girl, and before I could get her name or info at all, I left the party. And I really want to meet her again."
"Oh...so like...we're doing this to get you laid, Mae?" Claire asked.
"I mean...sort of? Really, I just want to meet her again. I felt, like, a connection. But also, yeah, I really wanna bang her. And hey, maybe she'll lay Trent, too?"
Claire laughed. "Jeez, man. Like. You keep getting lucky."
"I do," he agreed, "but I'm not really holding out hope. I am more than happy as fucking hell with my current situation."
"But you wouldn't say no to more pussy, would you?" Ann asked from the backseat.
He glanced at her in the rearview. She had that little grin on her face she got when she was feeling in a mood to fuck with one of them. He was glad it was happening more often. "Would you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Fuck no," she replied.
"Exactly. But in all seriousness: not at the cost of my relationships. They come first."
"Hmm," Claire said.
"What?" Mae asked.
"I'm just curious...we don't really have a relationship, exactly, but where would I fall?"
"I mean, you're more important to me than a casual hookup," he replied.
"Really? Hmm. So would you, like...consult me? If you were gonna hook up with some girl? Could I, like, block it?"
"That's a good question, actually," Bea murmured.
"Well...huh." Trent was silent for a moment.
"He's really gotta think about this," Mae said, grinning.
"I mean, I do. I guess, if we're gonna talk about that bridge right now: I'd like to get more of a standing opinion on it now. What would you like me to do? Let's say, theoretically, I'm at a party and you aren't. A woman and I really click. Mae, Bea, and Ann are all cool with it. What would you want me to do?"
"Jeez, turn it right around on me," Claire said.
"Hey, it's a fair question, and you started down this path, Claire," Ann pointed out.
"I know. Huh. Well...I guess if we're gonna be real about it, I do trust you guys. So if Ann, Bea, and Mae all sign off on it, then I trust their judgment. I'll say it now: you don't gotta consult with me if you're gonna bang some pussy. Just...be responsible." She frowned. "Although, I guess...ugh, this is shitty, but...I am a little nervous about you not being completely smart about sex. Guys get stupid over pussy…"
"There is no amount of horny that could make me fuck up my relationships," Trent said.
Claire groaned uncomfortably. "I...believe that you believe what you're saying. I don't think you're lying to me. But...I'm sorry. I've just-I've been cheated on. And I've heard a lot of fucked up stories…"
"I mean it," Trent said, a little sharply.
"Trent...it's okay," Ann said. "Don't take it personally. As the only other person in this car who's been cheated on, as far as I know, I get it. It does serious damage. And Trent…" Ann took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Don't take this the wrong way, you know how I feel about you, and that I respect you, probably more than any other man I know, but...tell me something. And really think about it: would you have been able to stop hooking up with Jen if I'd suddenly had a problem with it?"
Trent thought about it. He remembered how incredibly badly he'd wanted to fuck her. How amazing it had felt when she was coming onto him.
"I want to believe I'd stop, and that I'll always respect you all and your wishes...but I can understand why you'd feel that way. I still stand by what I said, but I think I get it."
"I really didn't mean anything bad by it," Claire said. "Shit, did I, like, ruin the mood?"
"No, you didn't," Trent replied. "It was a fair question. We're sexually involved, and you have a right to ask questions like this."
"That's so weirdly mature to hear," Claire said after a moment. "Sorry, I don't mean to make it sound like I expect you to be some immature jerkoff, it's just-I wasn't close to that mature at twenty two."
"We've had the benefit of Ann's insight, and we agreed to have a lot of brutally honest, open conversations about stuff, and I think that helped a lot," Trent replied.
"I know it helped me," Mae said.
"So...does that answer your question?" Trent asked after a moment.
"Yeah, it does...thanks. I gotta say, you all are weird. Like, in a good way. But so weird. I'm not really used to being able to just speak openly and honestly about uncomfortable stuff with...anyone. It feels so good. I can see why you do it."
"We're glad we can involve you in it, Claire. You should be happy," Bea replied. "You deserve to feel good."
"...thanks. That, uh, means a lot," she murmured. "Uh, how much longer?"
"Almost an hour," Trent replied.
She sighed and settled in a little more.