it's just a crush

chapter 7 - october 2013

"Happy birthday!"

"Trick or treat!"

Standing on the front step of Shannon's house, Meg and Chelsea looked at each other and burst into giggles. Shannon rolled her eyes as she stepped aside to let them in, taking their jackets and the birthday presents they had brought with a small smile and a "thank you." She waved them towards the living room where other guests were already gathered as she disappeared to hang up the jackets.

"Chelsea! Meg!" Hannah smiled sweetly as she approached to give each of them a hug. "I love your costume, Meg!"

"Thanks!" Meg replied, twirling around to show off the fitted tiger onesie she was wearing, complete with long, striped tail. A matching headband with ears finished the outfit. "Yours too. Lizzie Bennet?"

"Emma Woodhouse!"

"Does that mean you're going to try playing matchmaker tonight?" She winked.

Hannah smiled again as she smoothed out the long skirt of her empire-waist dress. "I was going for witty, desirable, upper-class female, but if you're looking for a mate, I'm sure I can help you find your Robert Martin."

Meg frowned. "Well then, nice of you to condescend to our level."

"Exactly!"

"What about my costume?" Chelsea interrupted. She quickly spun around, and Meg had to jump aside to avoid getting hit by one of the wings attached to her back.

"What are you?" Hannah asked.

"An angel, of course! Look at my wings!"

"But you're all pink."

"I'm a pink angel!" Chelsea beamed. She wore a short pink dress, and the wings on her back had been spray-painted a vibrant fuchsia.

"Angels aren't pink."

"This one is! Anyway, where's the booze?"

Chelsea grabbed Meg's hand and pushed past Hannah towards the kitchen. Soon Meg found herself with a drink in her hand, chatting with a few of her classmates.

Throughout the evening she wandered in and out of conversations with different groups of people, watching the beer pong and other drinking games. Most of her classmates were there, along with some she recognized from other years. Shannon was no social butterfly, but she had a large house and her parents let her do pretty much whatever she wanted, so the party had drawn plenty of people who otherwise probably wouldn't have acknowledged her existence.

Meg stood among a group of classmates, listening to the latest school gossip and contributing when she had something to say. She lost track of Chelsea in the crowd; the girl was always flitting here, there, and everywhere at parties, needing to talk to everyone and be wherever the action was. It was too exhausting for Meg, who preferred a slower pace.

After a while, she excused herself, needing to use the loo. She made her way to the main floor toilet, only to find it occupied with a short queue in the hall, so she went upstairs instead, where she only had to wait for one person. That one person being Felix, whose eyes lit up when he opened the door and saw her. He was dressed in a vampire costume, with a long black cape and a line of fake blood dribbling from his lips.

"Hiya, Meg!" He remained standing in the doorway, grinning stupidly at her as she raised her eyebrows.

"Um, hi, Felix. Could you—mind if I—"

"I like your costume." He bit his lower lip as his eyes travelled down her body, taking in the striped onesie. "Rawr."

For fuck's sake, she thought. "I need to use the loo."