you can't help but become the sun / julien baker

chapter forty-two

Maggie's Pov:
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"So, I just spent almost every penny I have. Can one of you send me some money for Italian food?" I asked as I pulled out of the parking lot, passing a black car. I had called Tina because I knew Chloé would be right next to her.

"What! Magnolia Lydia! What the hell did you buy?" Tina and Chloé yelled into the phone.

"Engagement rings! I'm gonna ask Julien to marry me!" I shouted back, heading towards our favorite restaurant.

A series of screams echoed through my car, I broke out into laughter before shouting, "I'm gonna get fucking married!"

"I'll send you money for food, get a shit load of Chicken Alfredo! I'll call it in so it'll be ready when you get there," Chloé was a lifesaver doing that.

"You are a lifesaver! It'll probably take me thirty minutes for me to get there so I should be able to just take it right home." I continued to drive towards the restaurant.

"The money just went through," Chloé let me know before she got on the phone to order the food.

"I'll accept it in a second, hold on. There's this black car in the way," I speeded up a little, leaving the car in the dust. I accepted the money as I heard the food being ordered. "That looks like the car from earlier."

"What?" My words were almost completely incoherent which was why Tina asked.

"I don't know, I just keep seeing this black car. I'm probably just being paranoid, there are so many black cars in the world."

"Be safe, we'll see you when you get home!" Tina wrapped up our conversation.

I thought I was being paranoid until the same black car followed me all the way to the restaurant, then home.

"I'm definitely being followed," I rushed inside with my arms full of food and the bag containing the rings. "The black car has been following me."

"Are you sure? What if it's just a coincidence?" Chloé asked, dishing out the food.

"I've seen it every time I go out and it's parked right outside of our building. I'm just trying to live my life!" I sighed, taking the plate of food and walking to the couch. I still had the bag containing the rings around my wrist.

"Is there anything we can do about that?" Tina asked, handing me a Red Bull before sitting next to her girlfriend on the couch.

"Unfortunately, no. If it progresses then yes, maybe they'll just leave! By the time I go to bed, it'll be gone," we all focused on our food for a while. It had been a hot minute since we had eaten at our favorite Italian place so we were pretty silent throughout the meal.

Chloé had taken our dishes to the sink, then asked: "I wanna see the ring!" after she sat back down.

"Rings, I figured that we should both have engagement rings and these were absolutely the perfect ones," I pulled the velvet boxes out, opening them up.

My best friends gasp at the sight of them, "Maggie, they are.... wow." It was rare that Tina was speechless so I knew it was real.

"When are you gonna ask her?" Chloé questioned, passing them back to me.

I stared at the rings for a few seconds before I closed the boxes and set them back into the bag. "I mean, the next time I see her will be our one year, maybe then?"

"That sounds like a good idea! What jewelry shop did you go to?" Tina asked as I stood up, making my way toward my room.

"A queer-owned place! I went to a different store first but they wouldn't sell to me because I'm dating a girl," I rolled my eyes. "I'm gonna go lay down, I love you both."

"Love you!" was the last thing I heard before I shut my door. I hid the rings in a secret nook in my closet.

I looked outside, the car was still there. I'm being followed.

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a/n: Uploading a day early because I'm gonna be busy tomorrow!

I want you all to go back to chapter Thirty Six and read through the first paragraph really carefully, theres something that you guys missed that ties into what's happened right now... :)

-A