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Bee was hastily pinned to the wall, each drywall dusted arm placed firmly above her head.
“Toast, I swear-” Cass’ prepared barrage was stopped short once she realized who she had grabbed. “Oh, Bee.”
“Hey Cass. You know that peach bread I bought you the other day? I was wondering if you had some left over. Puppycat ate all of mine,” Bee’s dry laugh to try diminishing the fact that she was coming to beg for some food had failed to ease any qualms. She thought of it as a trip to see a friend, with an added benefit. Cass did not.
“You broke through my wall for peach bread?” Cass seethed through gritted teeth.
“Everyone else was doin’ it.” Bee tried to manage a shrug, which proved difficult with her arms still in Cass’ iron grasp.
Cass and Bee had an amicable history, but things had further strained once Deckard left. Bee fondly remembers the time the three of them spent together. She hadn’t always understood Cass, and likely the same was felt towards her. Many of their conversations left Cass with a raised eyebrow or an analytical stare. Even with their differences, Bee enjoyed their time together and hoped their friendship would last beyond her brother’s presence. Any attempts to share some time had been halted by Cass’ demanding work schedule. Meanwhile Bee made her best attempts to avoid even the thought of work. Now was one of the few times that their coexistence had them meet, and it was pleasant, despite Cass’ frustration dismantling Bee’s cool head.
“Can you pass me some chips if you’re gonna keep me pinned here?” the words tumbled out of Bee’s mouth in a fantastic blunder of humour. She found it rather difficult keeping herself together when Cass’ heavy breaths of exertion were still hot on her face.
The realization had taken a moment to kick in before Cass shot back. Bee rubbed her wrists, the skin was darkened with bruises.
“Sooo… You got any of that bread?”
“No,” Cass’ words bit harshly.
The silence hung heavy over them.
“Sure is windy in here, huh?” Bee probed for any excuse to not leave without touching base. Or some bread.
“Probably because of the giant hole you made.” Cass was evidently not looking to find any amusement in the situation.
“I’m not that big, am I?” Bee muttered to herself before returning her attention to her goal. She put on a smile that was managed through fear of what Cass may do if any semblance of mutuality was broken. “My place is warmer, if you wanna go there.”
Cass found herself agreeing, surprisingly not because of Bee’s charming coercion, but merely the fact that she was in no mood to do drywalling at this time.
~~~
The dulcet sounds of Puppycat’s snores and Pretty Patrick reruns helped to veil the lapses in their conversation. There had proved to be many with Cass’ fascination in the technology strewn about catching her attention far more intently than her host had. Bee was distraught at first, trying to raise any topic of interest in conversation, yet only being met with hums and distracted confirmations. However, it soon became relaxing, indulging in the tv while also idly observing the poking and prodding of machines. Bee found the captivation charming, a rare spark of joy to oppose Cass’ work trodden schedule.
With a few hits and button presses, the room was illuminated by images of stars. Cass made sure to point out the well known constellations. Bee was mesmerized, the beauty of it only paling in comparison to Cass’ ocean eyes, now illuminated with each twinkle of a star. The mechanical curiosity had been satiated, to which Bee hastily averted her lingering gaze on the now bedazzled girl as Cass rose from the machines and joined the two on the couch.
“I don’t know how you watch this stuff. You’ve got some cool things here though,” Cass’ callous phrasing had done little to masquerade her exhumed excitement.
“It’s good to keep up with politics.” Bee’s cheer hadn’t faltered after catching a glimpse of a rare smile from Cass.
Puppycat had reserved the end of the couch for himself, leaving the girls to press themselves closer than they had been used to. The scene was reminiscent of their past. In those times it would be soon that Cass’ eyelids would grow heavy and she’d flinch from catching her dream bound slumps until Deckard would drag her back home with hushed goodbyes. Now, Cass felt no hint of rest approaching. She was instead enthralled by the glee radiating from Bee, as she leaned her head on her palm, muttering musings about the various foods sampled by their mayor. Bee was a woman who loved the world, and the world loved her back. She could find joy in anything around her and made every moment nothing but memorable. Cass, though she hid it well, was envious. Days spent crumpled in front of a computer screen, moving from one task, one meal, one energy drink to the next, dulled her. The time of her youth passed, prematurely sacrificed to help keep her brothers in line. Just going out to watch tv in a house that was too dirty for her standards had been comparatively adventurous. The silent enamourment had likely raised her heartbeat more than anything in the past year.
The time had caught up to them. Deft caught glances and respondent blushes between tightened conversation had become lazed chortles and playful but dreary shoves which left them wishing that the contact had lasted just a moment longer. The feelings buried with absence and time, boiling up again, prolonging their stares, in hope that their eyes would never have to leave one another’s. Every hour passed loosening restraint further, their graceless words made muddy by the desire of confessions to be made or heard became ‘what if’s’ and their heart fluttering giggles became the silent tension of believability. The room hushed as the two feigned focus on whatever was still playing on the tv. Body yearning for body, hands, lips, it seldom mattered. They needed one another, yet they continued to sit, stiff in paralyzation. Fears of failure and humiliation ran through their heads, what the future could hold for their tantalizing hearts.
When Cass’ head fell snug into her shoulder and another snore joined the white noise of their silence, Bee knew their time together was up. She nestled one arm underneath Cass’ shoulders, and the other around the back of her legs, lifting with ease. She traced the path from memory back to the room that she once frequented in search of Deckard. Bee ensured to be gentle, her hand guiding head to pillow, Cass settled into her familiar surroundings, clutching a pillow tightly to her chest. Raising the blankets and a hesitant, but loving kiss on the forehead, Bee made her exit. Her heart aching to leave the side of her once close companion, as it foretold the return to half hearted waves in passing, and the overwhelming guilt of her actions suppressing any attempt to rekindle what was lost.
~~~
Bee had burned the image of the ceiling into her retinas, every corner and curve had been mapped. Her eyes only peeling away to amuse Puppycat.
“What’s up there?” Puppycat asked haphazardly, unaware of the mess of thoughts Bee had been constructing and organizing in her hours spent gazing.
“How come they call it a popcorn ceiling if you can’t even eat the stuff? It’s a phony,” Bee’s lacking amusement had fallen on deaf ears as Puppycat had instead taken it as a challenge, now in search of a ladder.
A knock at the door had halted the interest in the ceiling, as it was opened to Cass.
“Hey! Would you maybe, wanna keep doing things like last night?” her language had been less than romantic, but her point had come across despite her shaky breath and inability to make eye contact.
Bee met her with beaming agreeance, to which Cass followed with fingers intertwining between Bee’s. The two making way to their next adventure together.