HUSH|amber freeman

EPILOGUE: a final goodbye.

EPILOGUE: a final goodbye

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SEVEN MONTHS LATER

The final box was taped shut. there, it was officially done. every little item in Maggie's room was stored away in a box with the label "College" or "Attic". She let out a small sigh, her palm swiping away the bead of sweat on her forehead. The uncapped sharpie was used to label the box, this one was planning on making it all the way to New York.

"That was the last one." Tara broke the silence, grabbing the box off of the sheetless mattress. "God, we only did this in what? Five hours?" She tried to laugh while placing it in the stack of others.

"Yeah." Maggie let out; the bed slightly creaking as she sat on the edge of it.

Tara rubbed her thighs when she sat down next to her, a huge breath escaping her lips. The two girls really did a lot of work on Maggie's room this afternoon. But throughout the day, no words were spoken or shared about the weekend that happened seven months ago. Maggie and Tara don't ever talk about, neither of them really wanted to talk about it. With that pact, there was information missing on both sides.

Well, that's what Maggie thought. There were some things that Tara wanted to clarify on what happened, but Sam disagreed in bringing it up. So, Tara followed her instructions, wait until Maggie brings it up herself.

"You ready to start taking the posters off your wall? All the photos too?" Tara questioned, breaking the silence for the second time.

Maggie looked up from her hands to the wall that was behind her desk, it was scattered with posters from bands and photos of her and her friends. It didn't seem like it was going to take a lot of work to get rid of, deciding which photos to keep and which ones to store off into a memory box to open a few years later.

Not too far away, hanging from the door handle was Amber's jean jacket she had borrowed when the two went to Wendy's, she had never gotten the chance to return it.

"Yeah, I just don't wanna take all the tape off the back, it's a pain." Maggie said, sitting up from the bed, Tara following from behind.

"Are you going to keep some for our apartment in New York?" Her best friend asked her softly.

"Maybe a couple. . ." Maggie said back, her eyes flicking from photo to photo. "I kind of. . . I kinda just wanna leave everything behind."

"Hey, let's not go emo right now." Tara placed her hand on her shoulder. "Just pick out a couple, pack them in your bag and decide what you wanna do with them when we get there tomorrow night, 'lright?"

"I just. . ." Maggie let out a long sigh, feeling Tara caress her shoulder.

"Are you going to keep the ones of Amber?" She finally asked the question she's been waiting to ask for months. It felt a bit weird, Maggie keeping photos that included Amber. Still taped up there as if she was still alive.

Magge rubbed the back of her neck, studying a photo of Halloween two years back. She bit the side of her mouth in hatred, she couldn't even bear herself to look at it. But underneath all that rancor for the girl, part of her yearned for her.

It made her sick to the stomach, wanting someone who was six feet underground who murdered her friends and held her at gunpoint. Maybe she would've gone through this easier if she willingly went to therapy like her parents suggested, finally admit that she was missing a murderer. No one would understand though, that's what it felt like.

Sometimes in the middle of the night, Maggie would stay up, her mind making up scenarios. She felt delusional, like how most people are when they have a crush. She wondered what would've happened if Amber wasn't Ghostface. What dates they would go on, holding and secretly in class — although the thought is sort of corny, she wanted it. The amount of times Amber would sneak into Maggie's window in the middle of the night as she was studying.

None of it would happen though.

"Mindy told me. . ." Tara finally admitted. "That you and Amber sort of. . ."

"She what?" Maggie snapped out her thoughts, her tone harsh and filled with anger.

"I- I know about you and Amber. How you two were, was- more than friends. Sam also told me but-. . . but that's not the point. I know that you two—"

"Just- stop talking." Maggie almost begged, shaking her head. "Amber and I kissed a few times. Not a big deal." She ripped the photos containing her off the wall before shoving them into Tara's hands.

Tara watched with her eyebrows furrowed, Maggie retreating back to her bed. She was surprised of her sudden outburst, maybe this wasn't the best time to mention Amber? Or maybe it was, as Maggie said, she wanted to leave everything behind once she went to New York. Tomorrow is New York.

"Mags," Tara swallowed, not wanting to upset her further. "From what I was told, it was more than a few kisses."

"It wasn't to me." Maggie spat out.

Tara exhaled between her lips, setting the photos onto the desk. She reached up, scratching the back of her head before speaking once again. "Was it. . . really?"

Magge avoided eye contact, her breath unsteadies whilst shaking her head no. There wasn't enough time to decide on what was actually going on between them. But Tara was right, it was more than a few kisses; at least it felt like it.

"You can talk to me Maggie, whether she was your girlfriend or not, she was our best friend."

"I miss her." Maggie finally admitted.

Tara frowned, nodding. "I miss her too." She swallowed. "But. . . she did a terrible thing."

"Yeah, no shit." Maggie dryly chuckled.

"I think it's okay to miss her, but we also have to acknowledge what she did. I mean- look at my hand." Tara said, showing Maggie the scar on her hand. "Here... how about this? We talk all out feelings out today, then tomorrow, we just. . . leave all of it behind in this shitty town."

That line felt like it was part of a bad slasher movie.

Maggie took a few moments to think, wondering all that she was going to say. Thinking back about her love for Amber, the love Wes had for her. The idea that the plan was formed around Maggie, making sure she didn't get hurt until it backfired. It would feel good to leave it all behind in Woodsboro and continue her life in New York City with Tara, Mindy, Chad, and Sam.

And hopefully reconnect with Gale in person, especially since the two have been messaging each other through Facebook.

But didn't want to forget her friends that were lost.

She obviously didn't want to leave the thought of Amber behind, but she had to.

"Let's do it."

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