Will You...? (+ @n0irangel )
It’s safe to say that life was a little easier after they’d bitten the proverbial bullet and took the final plunge into an Actual adult relationship.
Not that things had been bad before — far from, in fact. But there had been a tension, almost, between them that neither wanted to address, lest either of them feel pressured. And since that night, it had just... dissipated. Peeled away with their clothes and leaving both girls refreshed, with a new lease or life and a reinforced commitment to one another.
No more stress, no more awkwardness... just the two of them — the way it should be.
Fall soon gave way to winter, and before either of them knew it, Christmas had passed in the blink of an eye (which had been spent with their families all bundled together in the Caulfields’ house, resulting in the most awkward experience of Chloe’s life), and New Years Eve was upon them.
“...Good riddance...”
That’s all she could mutter as she tore down her 2013 calendar from inside her locker, holding no shame in quickly tossing it the trash can, and replacing it with her 2014 replacement (the one she’d been gifted by Jay at Christmas baring pinup girls posing on top of various muscle cars — she’d promised max she’d use it away from home and planned on keeping that particular promise).
It took barely ten minutes for her to lock up for the night, having been left to close up by her boss.
Crossing the parking lot, Chloe grunted and lit her cigarette, her old lighter taking three strikes to spark while balancing the tray of scrambled eggs she’d swiped after closing, before she pulled her phone out and sent a quick text to Max.
[Me] - hey maxers I’m omw to the coffee shop. Be parked out back xx
Why was she picking her up, instead of them just meeting back at the hostel? Because they weren’t going home.
Their bag was stashed in Chloe’s truck that morning, containing two sets of clothing (and nightclothes), their bathroom shit, and an extra thing Max was yet to know of, ready for attending The Caulfields’ New Years Party.
Fun times with Team Pricefield, huh?
Even so; she parked out back of the coffee shop a decent ten minutes before Max’s shift ended. So, true to form, she busied herself rooting through the bag until the object she’d packed was found; the tiny box having been nestled inside of her sneaker.
The tiny box, no bigger than the palm of her hand, clicked open, and inside was the ring she’d seen her mother wear countless times before; not as shiny as it had been, but no less special.
A moment of musing passed, before Chloe snapped it shut and stashed it into the ducket on the drivers side, where she usually kept her cigarettes, taking a deep breath once the deed was done.
Tonight’s the night, Price... this is it... no pussying out...