Lmst

This has to be some kind of human resources violation, right?

Chapter 2 | Page 12: Imagine

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Jimmy: Hold up, you're working for Tracy?
Nate: Yeah. I mean, all my experience is on the Front End. And they needed a Bookkeeper, so...

Jimmy: That's fucked up. I can't imagine having your ex-girlfriend as your boss. Especially that ex-girlfriend.

Nate: I think, it actually might be... ok? It's been a long time. I've changed, maybe Tracy has too.

Jimmy (deadpan): She hasn't.

The retail employee trauma bond is stronger than time.

Chapter 2 | Page 11: Imply

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(EXTERIOR, BREAKROOM, LOOKING IN: Nate is eating some deli food in the break room, as Jimmy approaches from outside the room.)
Jimmy: Oh shit, is that Nate?
Nate: Jimmy?

(Nate and Jimmy do that bro half-hug half-handshake thing)
Nate: Damn, you're still here?
Jimmy: Where else am I gonna go?

Nate: Fair point. There's not exactly a booming job market in Long Point.
Jimmy: At least I'm not up front anymore. What are you doing back?

Nate: Turns out to be a successful writer you have to actually, you know, WRITE.
Jimmy: They do kinda imply that in the word.

Romance is not immune to analysis paralysis

Chapter 2 | Page 10: Plenty

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Rose: What about you? You ever going to go on a date again?
Aya: I'm not in a hurry.

Rose: You don't have your eye on anybody?
Aya: I've had my eye on plenty of them. Swim team guys, nonbinary fashionistas, horse girls, hipster sadboys, that one cool lesbian I see at work with the green and purple hair...

Rose: Whoa, hold up, one of these things is not like the others. Green and purple hair?
Aya: It doesn't matter. I'm pretty sure she's taken.

Rose: You never know unless you try!
Aya: Right now I just want to try to get some lunch before I have to sling coffee all night.

(EXTERIOR: Aya's car entering the Food Baron parking lot)
Rose: From the grocery store?
Aya: What? I like their deli sandwiches.

Rose ponders her missed connection.

Chapter 2 | Page 9: Benefits

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(Aya and Rose in Aya's car, from behind, as they leave Aya's neighborhood)
Aya: So the train was about to enter the tunnel and he just... stops?
Rose: Yep. It's all good though.
Aya: How?

Rose: I think... I made a friend.
Aya: Uh, a friend with benefits?

Rose: No, like, a FRIEND friend. With shared interests and goals and stuff.

Rose: Well, I dunno. Maybe benefits too? We'll see.

Aya: You've never wanted to get to KNOW one of your paramours. They're more like... appliances.

Rose: Eh, sometimes people can surprise you.
Aya: I'm not holding my breath.

I somehow* missed the social posts for this comic last time, so I guess you get two this week.

*The somehow is ADHD

Chapter 2 | Page 8: Stuck

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Aya: Jeeze, Rose, what the hell?!
Rose: I told you I'd wait for you.
Aya: Yeah, but I expected you to come into the house, like a normal person.

Rose: I didn't want to risk running into your brother, and you were taking forever.

Aya: Ugh, I know. I got stuck writing a scene and lost track of time.

(Rose awkwardly crawling into the passenger seat, Aya recoiling)
Rose: Happens. You going to make it to work on time?
Aya: Not if you crush me with your butt first!

Place your hands on the steering wheel at 10 and 2 before slumping and sighing heavily

Chapter 2 | Page 7: Ugh

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(EXT. AYA'S HOUSE, a reasonably large and nice two-story suburban home)

(AYA is wearing her Loco Mocha Uniform shirt and approaching her car, wearing a bookbag and looking at her phone)
Aya: Ugh, guess I'm eating while driving again today.

(Aya enters the car and sets her bag down next to her)

(Aya closes her eyes and leans forward on the steering wheel, sighing heavily)

(Rose pops up from the back seat, surprising Aya)
Rose: Took you long enough.
Aya: GAH!

Coffee is the unseen machinery that powers all industry

Chapter 2 | Page 6: Adequate

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(Tracy and Nate standing by the coffee urns at the deli)
Tracy: Ah, adequate coffee.
Nate: It gets caffeine into the body.

Tracy: I have to say, I'm glad you're here.
Nate: Oh yeah?

Tracy: It'll be good for me to not have to open every day. Marie and I were the only ones who knew how to do the morning close.
Nate: Ah. Well, glad to help, I guess.

(Miranda appears, leaning on the counter behind them. Her nametag says "Deli Clerk | Miranda".)
Tracy: Miranda, this is Nate. He's the new Bookkeeper.
Miranda (looking at Nate's cup): "Boss Bitch"?
Nate: It's aspirational.

Is this a professional relationship?

Chapter 2 | Page 5: Opportunities

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(Tracy showing Nate the safe and explaining something)
NARRATION: This isn't so bad. She's had plenty of opportunities to fuck with me, but she hasn't.

Tracy: Time for another coffee.
Nate: I'd join you but I don't want to pay three bucks for a paper cup.

Tracy: Oh, hang on. I might be able to help with that.

(Tracy rooting around in the cash office, Nate looking off behind her)
NARRATION: It's been almost four years. I've changed. Maybe she has too?

(Close-up of Tracy handing Nate a sparkly tumbler with "Boss Bitch" on it)
Tracy: Here you go. Shauntae left it when she quit.
Nate: Ha, thanks.

Reunited and it feels no good

Chapter 2 | Page 3: Hello

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(Nate exhales and walks towards the store as Steve's car pulls away in the background)

(From-behind shot of Nate approaching Tracy, who is shrouded in darkness, standing under the eave outside the store)
Nate: Um, hello.

Tracy (close-up, slightly devious): Welcome back, Nate. Let's get started.

I don't dance now, I make money moves

Chapter 2 | Page 1: Balance

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EXTERIOR, NEAR FOOD BARON SIGN, SUNRISE

(Steve dropping Nate off)
Steve: You know, when I dragged you out of Franklinburg I didn't know I'd be cursing myself to a 6:30 wakeup call.

Nate: It'll just be this once. I'm going to tell them this was a mistake and quit.

Steve: You got the bank account balance for that, Mr. Financial Freedom?
Nate: Seventy-seven dollars and thirty-four cents.

Steve: You'll be lucky if that lasts until your first paycheck.

Nate: It'll last me three months living on credit. Twenty-five dollar minimum payment!
(Steve sinks into the steering wheel)

I still see your shadows in my room

Chapter 1 | Page 32: Easy-Peasy

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(Memories of Tracy - laughing in FB uniform, them in bed together, Tracy vindictive, both yelling at each other, her walking away)
Nate: Y-yes, I remember.

Nate: I, uh... I thought she transferred.

Corbin: She did! She was CSM over at Moore's Lake, but I got her back when Shauntae left.

Corbin: Tracy will be your direct supervisor. Since you already know each other, it should be easy-peasy, right?

Nate (horrified): ...sounds... good...

An unexpected detail in the employment contract

Chapter 1 | Page 31: On Board

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(Nate in reclines against the wall in his empty room, speaking on the phone. It's near sunset again and slightly dark.)
Corbin: It's a beautiful day at Food Baron. This is Corbin, how can I help you today?
Nate (slightly smiling): Hey Corbin, it's Nate Ashborne.

Corbin: Nate! Great to hear from you, buddy! Have you thought about the offer?
Nate: I did. I'm on board.

Corbin: Oh wow, I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that. This is great!
Nate (wincing slightly): Thanks, I'm... glad to be back.

Corbin: Super! OK, sorry, but we need you in at seven in the morning. I won't be in until ten, but Tracy will get you trained on the morning close.

Nate: Tracy? Tracy... Winters?
Corbin: Oh, you remember her?

That was my hole, it was made for me

Chapter 1 | Page 30: Alive

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Nate: No, I wanted to thank you for not giving up on me.
Nate: For dragging me out of that hole and making me live my life again.

Steve (flippant): We needed another roommate.

Steve (sincere): And I wanted that roommate to be my best friend. Who was still alive.

Nate: I might not have been, if you hadn't kept sending me lewd memes.
Steve: And you never did anything more than laugh-react. Interact with a motherfucker some time!

Something smells off.

Chapter 1 | Page 29: Appreciation

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(Nate returning car keys to Steve)
Steve: See? I told you they'd hire you back.

Nate (thoughtful): You did, and I need to thank you.

Steve (shocked): Holy shit, Nate's actually showing some appreciation? What gives?

Steve: Wait a minute, did you fucking VAPE in my car? If I get in there and it smells like FARTBERRY SWIRL, you're getting it steam-cleaned.

It's Go/no-go time

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Rose: So yeah, I guess I'd like to be your friend. Is that ok?

(Nate conflicted)
NARRATION: I can't be friends with Rose. I'm heading back to Franklinburg as soon as I can convince Steve to give up on me.

(Rose smiles silently)
NARRATION: But somehow...

(Nate smiles at Rose, who grins back.)
Nate: ...Yeah. That sounds good.

What's the opposite of the Friend Zone?

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Rose (poking Nate in the cheek): You're fascinating to me. You're like a walking bundle of contradictions.
Nate (smiling sarcastically): Thanks.

Rose: And we have a lot of stuff in common. Seems like it would be a shame to waste it.

Nate: So you want to, what, be friends?
Rose: Why not?

Rose (thinking): It's easy, I just put you into the Friends Bucket and take you out of the... uh...

Nate: The FUCK bucket? I was in the FUCK BUCKET?
Rose (grinning): Pretty much.

NEW Treading Ground! Chapter 1 | Page 26: Roller Coaster

Relax, don't do it, when you want to go to it

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Nate: Sometimes it doesn't work out. Sometimes it sucks and it's painful. But that doesn't mean it's not worth trying.

Nate: And now I know what NOT to do, like moving too fast.
Nate: You've got to ease into these things.

Rose: Like ANAL?
Nate (laughing): Ha, sure.

Rose: You know, that's romantic and all, but honestly?
Rose: That's another case study in NOPE for me. I'll stay off that roller coaster, thanks.

(Nate is no longer laughing)
Rose: With that said, though...

Rose (beaming): I think I do want to get to know you.

NEW Treading Ground! Chapter 1 | Page 25: Unlock

Lofty thoughts

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A four-panel comic in full page format. Nate and Rose are sitting on the roof of a two-story apartment building.

Nate: I don't know. When you're in a relationship and it works, it can be pretty amazing.
Rose: Oh yeah?

Nate: It's like you unlock these new levels of love and trust. There are degrees of intimacy that go way beyond sex. You find out you're stronger together than two individuals apart.

Rose: Sounds like you speak from personal experience.
Nate: Yeah. I guess I do.

Rose: And yet, you're up here with me instead of with them.

NEW Treading Ground! Chapter 1 | Page 24: Deconstruct

Let's break it all down.

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