it's just a crush

chapter 34 - april 2020

"Did you go back to the store yet?" Chelsea asked as she barged into Meg's bedroom a week later.

"I already did the food shopping," Meg replied absentmindedly. She was lying on her bed with her nose in a book and didn't bother looking up when her friend walked in.

"Um, not that store! The music one! With the guy!"

"What guy?" She pretended not to know what Chelsea was talking about, even as she felt her cheeks start to heat up and betray her. In reality, she'd been thinking about the music store and its owner all week, and the fact that she was spending so much time thinking about him was making her wonder if he was the one who would finally be able to make her forget Bobby McKenzie.

Not that she'd been successful in keeping her mind off him, either. Instead of spending less time thinking about Bobby and more time thinking about Seb, the two had shared almost equal amounts of brain space. Or at least, that's what she tried to tell herself. If she was being honest, she would have to give the edge to Bobby.

"You know exactly who I'm talking about," Chelsea said. She sat down on the bed and grabbed the book out of Meg's hands.

"Hey!"

"Pride and Prejudice? Again?"

"You know it's one of my favourites. I reread it almost every year."

"Yes, well," Chelsea snapped the book shut and tossed it onto the side table, "you already know what happens next, then. Meanwhile, you don't know what happens next in your own love life. Where's your Mr. Whatshisname? Derby? Dildo?"

"Darcy!"

"That's the one! You need to find your own Mr. Darcy!"

"And you think Seb is my Mr. Darcy?"

"How the fuck do I know?" Chelsea shrugged. "I don't even know the guy's name!"

Meg laughed and sat up, hugging her knees to her chest. "Maybe. Or maybe he's a Frank Churchill. Or Mr. Elton. Or—"

"Babe, I have no idea what any of that means. This is your life we're talking about, not some 200-year-old romance novel."

She sighed. "You're right."

"As always! Now, come with me." Chelsea grabbed Meg's hand and began pulling her off the bed.

"What are we doing?"

"What do you think we're doing?" The shorter girl asked, glancing back over her shoulder as she crossed to Meg's closet. "Making you look hot and going to buy some music."

Meg groaned. "Really?"

"Mmhmm! Maybe we can find something for Kassam's birthday. That'll be your excuse if you really need one."

"His birthday isn't until September."

"So?"

"So, it's April. That's half a year away."

"Well, I'm not gonna let you wait half a year before seeing this guy again, so too bad. Put this on."

Chelsea shoved an outfit into Meg's arms, and Meg accepted it begrudgingly. She changed while Chelsea rooted around her vanity, resigning herself to the fact that Chelsea was going to insist upon doing her makeup. She agreed on the condition that they kept it light – it was just a casual trip to an indie music store; there was no need for anything fancy.

Before she knew it, she found herself following Chelsea down the stairs.

"Oh! Hiya, Bobby!" Meg heard Chelsea say, and she glanced up to see Bobby coming up the stairway. "How's it going?"