Sentimental obsessions and how to maintain illusions

 Vicki wasn't sure what she was waiting for at the drugstore. Funny, she kept thinking a celebrity of some kind would find her and fall in love with her generosity or maybe her pink hair. But she was still waiting and it didn't look too hopeful these days.

She heard all about Alfie getting together with his first college love. Of course, she wondered just how many loves he'd had. She was starting to doubt him. Maybe it was best they didn't get together after all.

Of course, there was Mick but she'd known him since third grade and to her, he was still that hyper kid, even if he'd been through a coma and no one was quite sure if he'd ever get out of high school. He'd ended up in an alternative school. Although, she never thought he was bad. It was just she had no intentions of raising him.

But they hung out on occasion, like going to that party they shouldn't have gone to. She'd caught glimpse of someone she was smitten with. Only it was thirty seconds of happiness and then he was gone. 

Vicki had not forgotten about him. However, the image of him seemed altered now. Maybe he wasn't nearly as handsome as she thought he was. Actually, she didn't want him to be handsome at all. He would only make her nervous and she did not want to stutter. She would just let it be unrequited. That is if they ever met again. 

Maybe she was just a lonely heart like Alfie teased her at times when they were on the same shift. He told her she should get an app and find who she was looking for. But that wasn't what she wanted. Perhaps she was old-fashioned after all, even if she experimented with hair colors on Mick.

"Now, I see where he gets it from," it was like somebody was reading her mind. Somebody slapped down a coupon for vitamins along with gummy vitamins and a bag of gummy hearts on sale.

She looked at who was standing on the other side of the Plexiglass. It was him. She felt ever so dizzy. She didn't know what to say.

"You're Mick's girlfriend, aren't you?" He sounded as if he knew a lot about her. He said he had a few framed photos of the two of them together.

She shook her head, no. Never in fact. "He..he's been my friend since we were little."

"Oh."

He handed over his debit card and she saw his name. Finally, she knew it. She wanted to remember his name. Mick would never remember his last name.

"So..so how is Mick?" She smiled.

"The same," Jools said.

"But..but you're OK being ..being around him?"

Jools nodded.

"That's nice," Vicki said she hadn't come around much. She didn't like his roommates, but they were people she'd gone to high school with. She told Jools she still lived at home.

"Well, come over," Jools shrugged. "I'm sure Mick would like that."

"Oh." Vicki could barely get out.

He left and Vicki wondered if she should. Of course, she wanted to. But it wasn't to see Mick.