Makayla closed the front door and slumped against it, taking a moment to rest, her black hair falling over one eye. The jaguar was just about ready to collapse; getting into the city for her internship interview – the latest one in what felt like a gauntlet of them – had been easy enough, but getting back out less so. Try as she might, she couldn't find an available taxi, and after eventually calling for one she had no choice but to wait outside in the sweltering heat while still wearing the formal clothes she had brought for the interview. The blouse, jacket and long thick pleated skirt had made a good enough impression at the time, but all they had done afterwards was help her bake from the inside out. Even once the taxi had arrived, the traffic had been terrible, and while its air conditioning had been better than being outside it was still insufficient.

"Makayla?" she heard her mother call, followed by footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Hey, mom," she replied tiredly between breaths, not opening her eyes just yet.

"Are you all right? You look exhausted," her mother observed as she came within sight.

"I am," Makayla replied breathlessly. "It's hot out there and it took forever to get a taxi."

"Well, you're home now. The groceries got delivered earlier so we have some lemonade in the fridge for you. And I have some good news! Alex, come here!"

"Alex?" Makayla asked, opening her eyes and looking over to her mother. The older jaguar was wearing a sundress far more fitting for the hot late summer weather than Makayla's business outfit, her long brown hair tied back. But coming down the stairs was a tangentially familiar man: another jaguar like her family, yet with blonde hair unlike either her or her parents, wearing clothes as fancy as hers: a sleeveless vest over a white shirt and black pants. A far cry from the last time she had seen him when her father had paid him to help with the yard work; it was some favor to one of her father's friends, and that was all she knew about the arrangement. He'd been back for the next couple of summers, but he certainly wasn't dressed for yard work this time.

"You remember Alex, don't you?" Makayla's mother began.

"Yes, hello," Makayla said, pushing herself off the door and trying to look respectable, giving him a wave of courtesy that he returned. "What is he doing here?"

"Well, he did such a good job that your father decided to hire him full-time now that he's graduated from high school," her mother explained. "We could really use the help around the house, and it'd be better to have someone we know is good. We're letting him have the spare bedroom too."

Makayla raised an eyebrow. "Help... with what? Is he going to help with the business?"

"Only a little. I've still got that well in hand. No, the main reason we're hiring him is to help you."

Makayla's eyes widened and she stared in a stunned silence for a moment. "I don't- I don't need the help!" she asserted after regaining her bearings. "I don't need a servant to do things for me!" She looked over towards Alex. "And you don't find this demeaning?"

He gave her a sly smile. "The alternative is customer service. Here, I get a much better uniform, far more pay, and infinitely nicer people to work with," he pointed out, speaking in a soft tone and inclining his head towards her. "And I'll learn some more valuable skills than serving coffee or working a cash register, too."

Her mother drew closer and spoke softly as Alex watched, his hands held behind his back. "Listen, dear, I'm proud of you for working hard, but your father and I have both seen you struggling."

"I'm not struggling!" Makayla insisted, gesturing with both hands for emphasis.

"Makayla, please," her mother implored, "You've barely left your room recently except to go to interviews. First it was for university applications, then it was preparing for it once you got accepted, and now it's been pursuing an internship. It's good to be diligent, but you have to relax too. It's why we were happy to pay for that camping trip for you – we knew you needed it. This is the same."

"It's not the same! This is just... temporary, that's all! Once classes start-"

"Then you'll be juggling those plus an internship, and homework, and who knows what else," her mother interjected. "Please. If nothing else, at least let Alex drive you around so you don't have to rely on taxis. This isn't the first time you've had trouble with them."

Makayla grimaced. "I can get my own license," she muttered.

"And when will you find the time to do that?"

"I'll figure it out! Just... leave me alone," Makayla insisted, walking away and heading for the kitchen. The heat had made her irritable, and a tall glass of lemonade with ice sounded perfect. Her mother did not follow, and she couldn't make out what she said to Alex after that.

Soon after, Makayla was sitting at the dining room table in one of the high-backed chairs, her suit jacket draped over it, with half of her lemonade already gone. She didn't have anything against Alex as a person, but she didn't need his help. If she couldn't handle a bit of a heavy load now, how would she ever make it at university, or trying to hold down a real job?

But her mother had been right about one thing: she needed to relax. She didn't need Alex's help for that either, but she did have friends who would be a great assistance...

--------------------

Makayla jammed her finger against the wet doorbell in frustration. The storm had come in fast, and while it made things a little cooler, it also made it much more humid. At least she had been able to dress down to a shorter skirt and a t-shirt. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait too long out in the rain with an umbrella held over her head before Sydney opened the door.

"Hey, Makayla!" the cinnamon ferret said cheerfully, waving her inside. "Come on in! We're ready to go whenever you are!"

"Thank you," Makayla said as she came in and closed the umbrella, scuffing her feet on the doormat. "Sorry for being late. The taxi..."

"Yeah, Hannah already told us. You've had awful luck with them recently, haven't you?" Sydney asked, leading the way down into the basement.

"You have no idea," Makayla grumbled. The rest of her friends were down there already at the big game table: Anna had brought over some games for them and one was already set up at the table, with the board and all the pieces laid out and cards dealt. There were two empty chairs, but at the one that was presumably waiting for her, Makayla saw some take-out food containers from Sydney's parents' restaurant, and as they came down the stairs the rest of her friends smiled and waved and greeted her.

"Hey, girls," she replied with a wave of her own, already feeling herself relax a little.

Hannah, the husky, waved her over into the empty seat next to her. "It's the guest of honor! What's the occasion?"

Makayla raised an eyebrow as she walked over to take her seat. "Occasion?"

"You're not usually one to organize a girls' night in, that's all. I'm just curious."

Anna, the red fox, tossed some spare napkins to Makayla. "Food first, then game. No sticky fingers on my games, please."

Makayla gave her a nod and grabbed a French fry from the bag in front of her. "I've just been dealing with a lot lately," she muttered, "and you're all the best stress relief I have."

"Let's talk about it later, then," Hannah suggested. "We've got plenty of time. The night is young! This is a no-stress zone!"

"Oh, that reminds me," Sydney cut in, seeming to struggle at holding back a laugh, "I need to tell you all about what happened to my brother while he was doing deliveries earlier..."

For a little while they swapped stories as Makayla ate, the jaguar doing her best to avoid snorting with laughter while she still had food in her mouth. As soon as she was done, she got up to throw out the empty food containers and wash her hands before returning to the table. Her stress and tension melted away in the friendly atmosphere, joining in the excitement as they played a few games, feeling proud as she cut a deal with Kaitlyn, the red panda, at one point to make a trade that would have won her the game if Anna hadn't barely beaten her one turn early.

She took it all in stride, though; she just wanted to spend the time with her friends. She was going to miss them dearly when university began. Only Anna and Chloe, the arctic fox, would be there with her: Sydney was going to community college while Hannah and Kaitlyn both had jobs. She'd still get to see them, but opportunities to get the whole group together like this would be few and far between...

Hannah snapped her fingers. "Hey, Makayla?" she asked, bringing the jaguar's attention back to reality. "You all right? You looked really sad."

"Hm? Oh. Sorry," Makayla responded, reaching out and grabbing the dice. "I was just thinking. I'm going to really miss this, you know?"

"Yeah, we will too," Chloe agreed. "That's why we've got to enjoy it while we can!"

"And we'll still be around," Hannah encouraged, putting a hand on Makayla's shoulder. "I'll only be a phone call away when I'm not at work. You can always reach out to me."

Makayla gave a little smile. "Thank you," she murmured quietly, shaking the dice and rolling them onto the board.

"So, what else has been bothering you?" Hannah asked while Makayla moved her piece. "I want to help if I can."

Makayla gave an exhausted sigh, but nodded; it would be best to explain her feelings and get them off her chest. She filled them in between turns: all the preparations for university and an internship, on top of all the things she normally had to do around the house. Having to catch up after getting back from the group's camping trip. Constant trouble with travel due to not having a driver's license, and never having enough time for anything.

"...and now on top of all that, my parents are interfering even more, and they've hired someone to help around the house."

"What, like, a butler?" Chloe asked.

"Or a maid?" Anna followed up.

"A personal servant?"

"You mean like a 'personal' serv-" Anna began, making air quotes with her fingers.

"No," Makayla cut in, quite emphatically. "He lives nearby, and my father used to pay him to help with the yard work. He'd shovel our driveway in winter, too. Now he's graduated from high school, so he's helping us full-time now."

"Ooh, so he's about your age?" Chloe asked excitedly, leaning over the table a little.

"Yes...?" Makayla answered uncertainly, unsure why that was relevant.

"Sounds like quite a promotion from part-time gardener," Hannah joked. "Why are you so bothered about it?"

Makayla's brow furrowed. "I don't need the help!" she insisted, "Just because it's hard doesn't mean I can't do it."

"Okay, but the help is right there. It sounds like he's already been hired either way. Why not accept it?"

Makayla frowned, finding it difficult to put her frustrations into words. "It's... hard to explain."

"I mean," Anna cut in as she passed the dice over to Chloe, "It seems pretty simple to me. You're having trouble. He can help. Why not accept it?"

"It's..." Makayla anxiously ran a finger along the edge of a card. "I don't... look, I can do things for myself. I'm not some spoiled rich kid who needs servants to wait on her, and I don't want to be." She glanced aside, looking away from the others. "You wouldn't like me if I was, would you?"

Multiple girls spoke up with some protestation that they would still like her, but it was Hannah's that Makayla fully noticed. "Is that what this is about?" the husky asked, "You expect we'll think less of you?"

"I..."

Hannah shook her head. "Well, here's what I think about that," she asserted, then leaned over and gave Makayla an aggressively tight hug from the side. "You'll always be our friend, Makayla. If having rich parents mattered to us, it would have come up before now."

"Yeah!" Sydney added from Makayla's other side as the jaguar struggled a little in Hannah's tight grasp, "You're not some stuck-up rich kid, Makayla! And you never will be! The fact that you're worried about it is proof that you aren't."

Makayla returned Hannah's hug, which placated the husky into releasing her. "Thank you," she said as she straightened back up in her chair.

"Plus like," Chloe pointed out, "None of us has nearly as much going on as you. Anna and I are already done with our stuff for university. I'm working for my parents, but that's only part-time, and it's going to stop when my classes do."

"Same here," Anna agreed, "My job at the game store is only part-time. And I'm not taking a business degree! Those are notoriously hard."

Kaitlyn gave a nod. "Yeah, I've got a job and my stream, but that's nothing like doing a business degree, and an internship, and whatever else you've got going on. Do your parents still make you do all that stuff around the house?"

"Yes," Makayla admitted. "My mother's been teaching me how to cook, and my father has me helping with the business. I wanted to get a driver's license, but I'm so busy getting ready for the business course..."

"Exactly!" Hannah told her. "It's amazing you have any time to yourself at all! So if any of us needs some help, it'd be you."

Lifting her gaze, Makayla looked around the table at the others. Each of them giving her a warm smile, their words and feelings genuine. She let out a little sigh of defeat and gave a nod, a smile coming to her own face. "Thanks, everyone," she murmured, then looked up. "You promise you won't think any less of me?"

"Pinky promise!" Kaitlyn insisted, holding up her right hand with her pinky finger outstretched.

"So long as you don't, like, turn evil or something," Anna joked with a wide grin as Makayla hooked her pinky with Kaitlyn's.

Chloe puffed out her chest and put on an ostentatious voice. "Hear me, mortals, I am Queen Makayla, bow down before me!"

Anna snorted in amusement. "Yeah, just don't be like that, and you'll be fine."

Makayla chuckled a little and gave them a nod. "I won't, don't worry."

"Good," Chloe said, sitting back down, then leant over the table. "Soooooo... tell us about him. What's his name?"

"Alex."

"Alex?" Sydney repeated, looking thoughtful, before realization crossed her face. "Oh! The one in our year at high school? The blonde jaguar?"

"Yes, that's him," Makayla confirmed. Across the table, Anna and Chloe gave each other a look and giggled, but when Makayla glanced over to them they both tried to look innocent and didn't explain what they found so funny.

"Do you think he's cute?" Chloe asked with a swish of her tail.

"What?" Makayla asked in disbelief. "I don't know!"

"What do you mean you don't know? Go on, tell us!"

"I don't know what you think is cute."

"Well sure, but I'm asking if YOU think he's cute."

Makayla frowned. "I don't really... no, I don't. He's... normal? I guess?"

"Okay, but-"

"That's enough, I think," Hannah cut in, gesturing at Chloe to back off. "Also, it's your turn."

"Oh, sorry," Makayla apologized, picking up the dice. As she did, there was a flash from outside that she saw through the basement windows, soon followed by a rumble of thunder off in the distance that the girls turned their heads towards. The storm was unlikely to let up any time soon, so walking home was out of the question, but...

After taking her turn, Makayla pushed her chair back, standing up and pulling her phone from her pocket. "I need to step away for a few minutes, keep going."

A chorus of assent came in reply, and Makayla headed upstairs towards the back of Sydney's house where it was quieter. Hesitating only briefly, Makayla eventually tapped on the phone number for her house and let it ring.

"Hello?" her mother's voice eventually answered.

"Hi, mom," Makayla greeted her. "I'm sorry about earlier..."

"It's okay. Are you having fun?"

"Yeah, I'm having a great time. Um... is Alex around?"

"Yes, why?"

Makayla fidgeted nervously in place for a moment, but took a breath and steeled herself. "Could you have him come pick me up from Sydney's at around 11?"

"Of course! What changed your mind?"

"I just... thought it over, that's all," Makayla replied evasively.

"Hmm." She couldn't tell if her mother was completely unconvinced or just slightly skeptical. "Well, all right. I'll send him along to pick you up later."

"Thanks, mom."

"Have a good time with your friends!"

"I will!" After several exchanges of goodbyes and love-yous she finally managed to end the conversation and hang up, and began heading back downstairs.

She could always rely on her friends for help. Was this really all that different...?

"Is it my turn?" she asked as she approached the table.

"Not yet," Anna answered, glancing sideways at Chloe, who was looking thoughtfully at the cards in her hand. "Someone's taking her time."

"It's a hard decision!" Chloe protested.

Makayla chuckled a little but didn't sit down. "Okay then, while I'm already up I'm going to go to the bathroom real quick."

"Oh," Anna remarked, "I thought that's what you were doing."

The jaguar raised an eyebrow. "Why would I go upstairs when there's a bathroom down here?" she asked rhetorically, gesturing to the side corridor leading further into the basement.

"Who says you need to go to a bathroom to pee?" Chloe teased, grinning widely, swishing her tail behind her. "Wasn't that long ago that we experienced freedom from the confines of porcelain while camping..."

Makayla looked away, giving a flustered mumble. "I'm not going to make a mess at a friend's house!"

"Yeah," Sydney agreed, "And you two had better not get any funny ideas while you're here either!"

Chloe just giggled in response, and Anna chimed in, "So that means you'd make a mess at some stranger's house, then?" with a broad grin of her own.

"No!" Makayla insisted. "Just take your turn. I'll be right back." And with that, she walked away, grumbling about the two troublemaking vixens as she did.
