Crush
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from ER. It would be awesome and fun if I did, but alas I do not.
Abby Lockhart turned back to Neela Rasgotra after Luka Kovac and girlfriend Samantha Taggart had passed. Her roommate- former roommate Abby corrected herself- had just imposed a very interesting thought then dropped it in an instant. "Neela?" Abby questioned. "What's going on?"
Neela shook her head in instant denial. "I didn't say anything," she lied, her face flushing with embarrassment.
"You started to," Abby rebutted. "Something about having a crush on someone you work with."
Neela shifted her weight uncomfortably. "Oh, I guess I might have said something like that."
"Well who?" Abby asked. "Pratt? Luka? Carter?"
"Oh god, no," Neela spoke at the last suggestion. "I'm not that crazy."
Abby stopped walking, turned around, and glared at Neela. "So you think I'm crazy?"
Neela gasped and suddenly tried to think of something good to follow her previous statement. "Not you," Neela said. "I'd be crazy to fall for someone who my friend lo--" She stopped abruptly, realizing her statement, while it may be true about Carter, would not apply to the man she actually cared for.
"Well who?" Abby questioned. "Oh god, is it Jerry?"
Again, Neela shook her head emphatically at the mere suggestion.
Abby thought for a moment, trying to think of other males at County. "Ray?" she whispered. "Is that why you're moving in with him?"
"Hell, no!" Neela protested. "I'm moving in with him because he offered me a place and we would almost never see each other."
"Ok," Abby began. "At least tell me it's a man. Please let it be a man."
"Oh, he's definitely a man. A very sexy one at that," Neela said, her eyes filled with affection.
"Who is this guy?" Abby asked inquisitively. "I'm sorry if I'm prying into your personal life, but isn't this the thing girls are supposed to do?"
Neela nodded. "That and watch chick flicks while eating chocolate when love sucks, which is does."
"Is this a subtle hint to buy some chocolate and rent a chick flick?" Abby asked.
"Yes, please," Neela said as she pulled out her wallet. The two women were very close to a movie rental store along, which would no doubt sell large chocolate bars. "I've got fifteen," Neela added as she checked her wallet.
"Five," Abby added. "So what do we say? I get the food, you get the movies?"
"Whatever works," Neela said as she and Abby walked into the store. They stopped, enjoying the heat for a moment before walking through the aisles.
"Any movie in particular?" Abby asked.
Neela shrugged. "Anything that doesn't involve a bunch of love and is funny."
"Ok, seriously, who is this guy?" Abby inquired in attempt to get their conversation back to where they had started.
"Can we talk about it back home?" Neela asked. "I'd feel more comfortable there. In the comforts of a place I'm familiar with and only the company of friends."
Abby shrugged. "Ok, but you better tell me," she warned as she walked towards the checkout. That was where all the junk food was. Abby scanned her selection meticulously before choosing two large Kit-Kat bars and two pints of rocky road ice cream. She stood on line as she waited for Neela to approach with the movies.
"What'd you get?" Abby asked as Neela joined her.
"The first movies I saw," Neela admitted as she held up the two boxes.
"Bend it Like Beckham?" Abby questioned as she looked at the box cover.
"What?" Neela asked. "It looks good and it's nice to see a leading actress who isn't what is normally expected."
Abby shrugged. "Your money," she said as she and Neela walked up and paid for the movie and the food.
Twenty minutes later, the two of them were safe and warm within the confines of their own home. Abby had changed into a large but warm sweat suit and Neela had on a large t-shirt with sweatpants. The movie sat on top of the TV, still in its case, and Abby was curled up on the couch with one of the pints of ice cream in her lap and a lit cigarette in her left hand.
Neela grumbled as she entered. She glanced at the couch before sitting down on the opposite side. "Ready to watch the movie?" she asked curiously.
Abby shook her head. "I don't think so, missy. You owe me a guy." She frowned, finding that statement did not come out the way she had intended it to. "Come on. You've dodged the question long enough. Who is he?"
"What does it matter?" Neela asked as she began brushing her dark hair. "He's seeing someone."
"Another person at County?"
Neela nodded. "I couldn't do that to her."
"Oh my god, it is Carter!" Abby exclaimed in sudden realization.
"Abby, I'm not you!" Neela argued back just as strongly. "Not every female finds Carter to be the sweetest and sexiest man alive."
"I never said that," Abby countered.
Neela shrugged. "You think it. I see you at the hospital. Wendall's relationship with him drives you nuts."
Abby frowned as she tried to dismiss Neela's comment. "This…this isn't about me," she finally said before eating another large spoonful of ice cream. "Who is this guy?"
Neela remained silent, only looked at Abby. She knew the other person would figure it out.
Abby's mouth formed a small 'O' shape, which widened as she pieced the bits together. A male who works at County and has a relationship with another person at County. And a male who was not Carter. Abby gasped louder. "Oh my god, you like Luka," she exclaimed with certainty.
Neela gave a half-smile. "Maybe," she said as her face flushed.
"You do," Abby said strongly again. "I see you right now. You're blushing."
"So what if I do?" Neela asked as she slumped back against the couch. She pulled her knees up so that they were just below her chin. As she curled in fetal position, she reached for the small, white and blue, plastic bag containing the sugar-y goodness. "It doesn't mean anything. It's probably just a small crush."
Abby raised a thin eyebrow at the woman on her right. "It meant something enough to talk to me," she pointed out. "I'm pretty sure it's bigger than an elementary school crush on the sixth grade head patrol."
"Maybe slightly bigger," Neela admitted as she opened her ice cream.
"Maybe a lot bigger," Abby corrected. "Does Sam know about this?"
Neela shook her head. "No. What would I say to her? 'Hi, Sam. I have this enormous crush on your boyfriend and would appreciate it if you stepped down. But I hope we can still be friends.'" She groaned in frustration. "I'm going to need a bigger spoon," she said as she rose from the couch. She placed her tub of ice cream on the floor then began walking towards the kitchen. As she entered, she quickly rushed towards the drawer with the silverware.
Abby appeared in the doorway. She no longer had a lit cigarette and her container of ice cream was held firmly in her left hand. "What are you going to do?" she asked curiously.
"Well at some point, I'm going to do the dishes," Neela retorted as she stared at the two remaining spoons in the drawer. "This is ridiculous, Abby."
"And you're getting off topic, Neela," Abby countered. "You have to do something about this whole Luka thing. How often do you think of him?"
"Every so often," Neela said. Her vague answer was said in hopes of being able to change the subject and just watch the movie. Hopefully by the time it would be done, Abby would be already asleep and therefore not talking about any feelings Neela might have for Luka.
"So that means what, exactly?" Abby asked. "Every few minutes? Every couple of hours?"
"More at work than anything else," Neela finally admitted as she began walking back to the couch. She returned to her previous position of drooping on the couch like a six-year-old with the flu. "He just…he knows what to say."
"And he's pretty good looking," Abby added.
"Well that's a given," Neela said with a slight smile. "Oh god, this is all too complicated. I'm not supposed to feel like this. He's happy with Sam. They live together."
"And you will be living with Ray," Abby reminded Neela. "That doesn't mean you're in love with him."
"I just wish I didn't feel this way," Neela said as she took her first bite of ice cream. She sighed, slouching further back. She shifted slightly to make herself more comfortable. She smiled, looking to Abby with an expectant expression on her face.
"Movie time?" Abby questioned with slight uncertainty.
Neela nodded. "Yes, please."