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“You know,” Mae says loudly from somewhere at the back of the room, and Bea can already tell it’s going to be one of those parties.
She cuts off whoever it is she’s talking to, maybe a little rudely, saying she needs to go to the bathroom and then walking towards Mae. (Notably, not towards any of the bathrooms in the building.)
Normally, she’d be annoyed, but God, that guy was a douche. Some part of her wonders if Mae recognized that and gave her an excuse to leave the conversation, but another, more rational part of her knows that if Mae thought she was uncomfortable in a conversation, her first instinct would be to run up and grab her.
Or to run up and punch her conversation partner. She shouldn’t find that so endearing but...whatever. She’s helped to kill at least one person for Mae, and after that, breaking some asshole’s nose at a party doesn’t seem like a big deal. Bailing her out afterwards would be, though.
Anyway. Mae’s still talking, and the people around her look confused. Like they’re not sure if they’re watching a really elaborate piece of performance art or if there’s really just some tiny girl talking/yelling about vampires while completely sober at a party.
“Ah, my colleague!” Mae says, and beams. Her eyes look almost red in the light, and Bea (involuntarily) smiles back. “I was just telling these fine young students about our work in the lab.”
“Right, uh. Our work.”
“Samantha--” one of the few remaining people around Mae says, and Bea furrows her brow.
“I’ll probably be teaching one of your classes next year, actually,” Mae says, so obviously delighted to be lying and so obviously lying that no one, Bea included, really knows how to respond. “So call me Doctor Stevenson.”
“Okay, Doctor,” Bea says. What is Mae thinking? She can barely pass for 19 and she’s 21. “I think you’ve had too much to drink.” Mae’s completely sober. She hasn’t had a drink out in public since that disaster party in the woods, and even then only at Gregg and Angus’s apartment. They’re moving out next month, actually, and Mae’s trying not to let on how upset that makes her. “Let’s go.”
“Doctor…” Mae pauses, trying to think of a suitable last name. “Doctor! Don’t you wanna stay? I’ll stop talking about our work.”
Aw, she’s trying to fix the situation. On a normal night, Bea would be really touched by that, but honestly, she’s just not feeling it tonight. Normally Jackie’s parties are fun, but the people here tonight are just such assholes. It is getting close to finals, she supposes, and the people she’d actually like to talk to are busy with...the college parts of college.
It’s weird. Whatever. Bea’s honestly looking forward to grabbing some shitty fast food on the way home with Mae more than talking to anybody here.
“That’s okay, M--Samantha,” she says, and Mae smiles, relieved. “Let’s just head home.”
“Oh, do you two...live together?” one of the students asks, and Bea wants to laugh it off but Mae freezes next to her.
“Uh, we’re in the same apartment building,” Mae says hurriedly, and it’s even more obvious now that she’s lying. Half of the students are smirking, and the other half look more embarrassed than Bea feels.
It’s not like...okay, look, she’s never exactly thought about it before but. She’s not opposed to the idea of...whatever the hell is happening right now? Or whatever they’re assuming anyway?
“Yup,” Bea says. “I’ll give you a ride.”
They walk out of the party, completely silent, and head to the car. Once they’re inside, Mae cackles.
“Wow, they didn’t buy any of that!” Mae says. “I’ve gotta get better at lying!”
“Do you, though? Of all the things you could get better at?” Bea says. She’s teasing, though, not serious, and Mae smiles back.
“Yeah! It’s, like, all I do at these parties besides dance.”
“...really?” Bea asks. “I’m not mad! Just...surprised, I guess? Why?”
“College students don’t tend to like it when you tell them how much better your life is after dropping out of college,” Mae says, and Bea would’ve snapped at her for that, once. She still feels bad about some of what she’d said when Mae first back. She’d still kill to go to college, though maybe not this college, but...God.
“You okay, Beabea?”
“Uh...yeah,” Bea says. “Why do you ask?”
“Haven’t started the car yet,” Mae says, tone light but with an undercurrent of worry. “You’ve just been staring at nothing for like ten seconds.”
“Oh,” Bea says, and starts the car. She turns back to make sure she doesn’t hit anyone as she’s pulling out, and doesn’t start talking until they’re out of the parking lot. “I was just thinking about when you first got back.”
Mae lets out a huff of breath. “You’re not still upset about that, are you?”
“Uh…” Bea laughs, a disbelieving little giggle. “I literally told you I’d kick you out of a car. I didn’t even stop to think what you were going through.”
“To be fair,” Mae says. “I didn’t tell...anyone. I don’t know if I ever would have if it weren’t for that…”
Murder-cult.
“Cosmic...horror.” Mae frowns, wraps her arms around herself. Bea rarely sees Mae so openly uncomfortable, but that’s just because Mae usually hides it.
She tries to ignore how happy it makes her feel that Mae allows herself to be this honest with Bea.
“I’m glad you know, now,” Mae says after a couple seconds. “I mean, first of all, you don’t want me dead or anything now.”
Bea winces.
“Kidding,” Mae says, smiling at her. “But...yeah. You’re...one of my closest friends, Beabea, and I want you to know me. Like, really know me, you know?”
“Yeah,” Bea says. “I know.”
“Like I know you!”
Six months ago, Bea would’ve laughed at that and the rest of the car ride would have been tense and silent. Now, she just agrees. “Yeah.” Without really thinking about it, she pulls over.
Mae furrows her brow. “Everything alright, Beabea?”
“Yeah, Maeday, everything’s fine, just…” Bea hesitates. Before she can talk herself out of it, she quickly turns and kisses Mae’s cheek. Mae freezes, and for a moment, Bea worries that she’s fucked up.
“Why, Beabea,” Mae says, delighted, and Bea groans. “I had no idea!”
“Okay, Mae, you can stop now.”
“Hm... or I could keep going! Liiiiiiiike if I were to say--”
“Do you want me to buy you a shake on the way back or not?”
Mae falls silent, but reaches over and grabs Bea’s right hand.
“I have to drive, Mae.”
“Oh, and that takes two hands?”
“You--you don’t even have your license, what would you know--”