it's just a crush

chapter 2 - september 2010

"Wasn't it so funny in maths when Tim tied Mason's shoelaces together?" Chelsea giggled as they walked towards the park, dawdling on their way home from school.

It had been two weeks since the start of the school year, and Meg had quickly settled in with the group of friends she had been introduced to that first day. She was starting to get comfortable in her new surroundings and getting to know more of her classmates.

"I dunno," Hannah said with a soft sigh. She fiddled with the end of her braid, twirling her hair around her finger. "It was kind of mean, wasn't it?"

"It wasn't that bad," Shannon scoffed. "Mason's a jerk anyway."

"Omigod!" Chelsea squealed suddenly and grabbed Hannah's arm. "Hannah, look!"

"What? Where?"

Meg looked in the direction Chelsea was pointing, and her stomach fluttered when she saw the boy with the dreads down the street. He was with someone else, a taller boy with cornrows, and they were standing at the window of an ice cream van that was parked on the curb of a residential street.

Hannah gasped. "Rahim! Oh my word, he's so hot," she sighed dreamily.

Rahim? Is that his name?

Meg watched as the boy threw his head back and laughed, then reached up to give the driver a fist bump. His attitude was infectious, and she found herself smiling as she watched. The driver disappeared from the window and the boy leaned against the van as he turned and said something to his friend.

"Which one's Rahim?" she somehow found the words to ask. When there was no response, she glanced over to find Chelsea and Hannah giggling and whispering to each other as they stared down the street.

She turned instead to Kassam and Shannon with a questioning look. Kassam simply shrugged, clearly not interested in the two older boys and the girls' crush on the one named Rahim.

"The tall one," Shannon offered, folding her arms over her chest. "He's the star of the junior football team. Although, they say he might make the senior team this year."

"Oh." Meg looked back at the boys, and for the first time she noticed they were wearing the uniform of the school football team. She tried to sound disinterested as she asked her next question. "And who's the other one?"

"Oh, that's Bobby McKenzie!" Chelsea said, tuning back into their conversation. "He's cute too! But Rahim is like—like—"

"Like Mr. Darcy!" Hannah giggled. "He's the most popular boy in school!"

Bobby McKenzie. Meg repeated the name in her head, turning it over in her mind as she watched its owner accept an ice cream cone through the van window. It had a nice ring to it, she thought, and it seemed to suit him.

Instead of walking away when the boys received their treats, they lingered. The man in the van leaned on his arms as he chatted amiably with them.

"We should go over there!" Chelsea suggested, her eyes widening with excitement. "Let's get ice cream!"

Meg's heart leapt into her throat. Go over there? Where he was standing?

"Oh, no, I don't think—" Meg started, only to be interrupted by Hannah.

"Oh, yes! Please?"

No. No way.

"I wouldn't mind some ice cream, I guess," Shannon said, her shoulders lifting slightly.

Kassam shook his head. "Nah, I'm out."

"Me too," Meg said quickly. "I don't have any money."

"Oh, no worries!" Chelsea ignored her excuses, waving her hand dismissively. "I'll pay for you!"