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@callamegmaybe
Full Name: Megan Elise Callahan
Nickname/s: Meg
Faceclaim: Sophia Bush
Gender // Pronouns: female // she/her
Age // Date of Birth: 41 / May 25, 1984
Hometown: Blackstone Ridge, TX
Occupation: High School Guidance Counselor
Neighborhood: Ridgeview Heights
Time in Blackstone Ridge: Lifelong
🎃 closed starter / meg callahan @callamegmaybe 🎃 location: meg's office @ blackstone ridge high school 🎃 date: october 27, 2025
Mickey, as a designated spooky season fan, was always happy to donate toward any local Halloween event—even if it came down to kids. She'd bought a few of the largest bags of candy she could find and swung by the high school to drop them off. Meg was also someone she'd heard about and seen around town, but Mickey had never actually gotten to speak to her before. She did know she was Charlie's friend, though, and that was enough for her to earn a pass in Mickey's book. At least for now. "Knock knock," she said as she rapped her fingers on Meg's door, arms filled with candy. "Am I in the right place for candy donations? I haven't been to a high school in well over a decade, but they all tend to have the same vibes when it comes to finding the office. I come bearing gifts!"
Meg rarely ever gave herself a break--but she was trying to get better, she swore! She'd been so engrossed in her computer, lips halfway to her 'world's okay-est guidance counselor' mug, that the knock started her, and suddenly the lukewarm cocoa seemed better off away from her. Eyes drifting to the doorway, Meg's expression lit up as she got to her feet. "You are, yes! Hi, come on in. We can even run a little quality control." No one would notice if one or two pieces were missing, anyway. She hurried over, relieving the other woman's arms. "God, you came so prepared. Thank you!" Meg leaned against the edge of her desk, eyes darting to the giant bowl of candy just off to the side. "We had an impressive turnout this year. My kids are putting the finishing touches on their costumes, too. They're so pumped. I think I even saw someone donated a whole crate of FunDip."
the smile on charlotte's face couldn't be contained as her friend through her arms around her. "holy shit," she agreed, beaming. it felt so nice to finally have told someone who would be excited for her — knowing just how much she'd been through in her previous relationship for the sake of her career. someone who understood just how important it was for her to be living her truth freely. a laugh escaped her as she pulled back, "i'll spare you the nsfw details just this time," she teased before continuing to listen to meg. the woman had been along with her through every milestone in her life, had seen her struggle with personal things and see her out the other side. the memory of spring break made her laugh loudly, "please, that was quite the time. i try to erase what little memory of it i have left."
charlotte shook her head, "not quite just yet — which is fine. i'm not fussed about whether i have a ring or not, right at this moment." her hand reached for her necklace, the one that had the two numbers on it with small red stones. "it was all rather simple, which was nice. i'd been out visiting corey on tour — their first big gig and we'd gone back to the hotel, we started talking about some big things in our relationship and they just asked me. it wasn't planned, it was a moment that was perfect for us. for our relationship. we'd spoken about it before, so we knew it was something we both wanted." charlie paused for a moment before continuing, "i know people are going to be quick to judge once word gets out but i've never been more confident about who i want to spend my life with. i've already wasted so much time, i don't want to keep doing that. i want to truly be happy and corey does that for me. obviously nothing is going to happen until the divorce is finalised but yeah, that's the details, nothing over the top, just us."
"thank you for your service." meg gave a little mock salute as she listened to charlie speak while continuing to nibble at the donut. she was truly happy that at least one of them seemed to be getting a happy ending. listening as charlie spoke, meg's eyes remained sparkling. the story of the proposal was...yeah, simple, and honestly? meg saw nothing wrong with that. she reached for a napkin, brushing some powdered sugar off the corner of her mouth before turning to charlie again. "that's good, because i know sir douchenozzle would throw a pity party if anything happened too soon. fuck him." meg always tried to see the good in people, but in the divorce, she was obviously charlie's number one supporter and that he who should not be named could go kick rocks.
she folded the corner of her napkin inward, eyes returning to charlie. "so you've talked about all the big things then?" she asked curiously. as there were no secrets between them, meg was well aware of charlie's desire to have children. she knew that could be a dealbreaker in some situations, and she'd already seen charlie give so much of herself. her best friend deserved everything she could ever wish for. "i mean, you know....assets, children, the whole nine. just..." she reached over, scooping charlie's hands in hers. "just promise me you'll hang onto that light, yeah? i'm not giving you a whole spiel on marriage, because all I can think of whenever I even try to get a thought started on that is the clergyman from the princess bride. and i can't get through that scene without crying from laughter." she ducked her head, giggling despite that. "but also, keep me in mind for maid of honor?"
"i picked up a few things about you over the years," charlotte chuckled with a dimpled grin, opening up the box, "pick your poison." her gaze soon followed meg's to the playground, checking that sadie was okay before her attention turned back to her best friend. "i think it's much better than an elementary school love triangle. which one of your kids is caught up in that?" nodding, the smile on her face grew, "everything is perfect actually — corey asked me to marry them the other night after their show and i said yes. which i know, might sound a little crazy considering my divorce hasn't even settled but i've been pretending to be someone i'm not for so long, denying myself of things i want, things and people that i love. i don't want to do that anymore. this is all i have wanted for the past three years and for once i'm letting myself finally be happy." of all people, charlie knew meg would understand, wouldn't hold judgement, "i'm getting married, to the love of my life."
"yeah, you better have." meg teased lightly, rifling through the box of donuts pretty quickly before settling on a chocolate filled one. she was surprised it hadn't already been scooped up. charlie's words stopped meg, donut half to her mouth, eyes widening ever so slightly. as far as she was aware, the divorce to señor asshat wasn't finalized yet, but she knew that for all intents and purposes, that ship had sailed. "holy shit, char." she set the donut down, throwing her arms around her best friend. "okay, wait. i'm gonna need details. not the nsfw ones, not while i'm about to eyefuck that donut again. but you gotta tell me literally everything! good for you for not pretending, because you know I know when you're lying and when you're not happy." she hummed softly, beaming at her best friend. "you know I love every version of you, but I don't remember the last time I saw you looking this free, unless you want to count spring break that one year, and I don't think you do." she bit into the donut unceremoniously. "is there a ring?"
"Yeah," Benny said, lifting his eyes to scan the bar casually, "I mean, depends on how much you want to work for it, Callahan." Leaning forward slightly, Benny's tongue slid across his lips. He flicked his gaze back to Meg's, lowering his voice. "Do you want to work for it?" He didn't have to clarify, because she seemed to be on the same page as him. "So you're not one of them women who thinks that slow and steady wins the race, I take it? I'll make a note of that. As for a favor, I like to think I'm pretty creative when thinkin' on my feet. Go big or go home, right? I wouldn't want to waste a favor on something small, like pickin' up a coffee for me. Maybe I want something more, like a nice back rub. Something that really makes it worth our time. You followin' me?"
Meg felt a little flip in her chest when Benny spoke. Though she was determined to play it cool, she leaned in a bit more. Her eyes sparkled when she spoke next. "I'm a quick study." She murmured, taking a deliberately slow sip of her fruity bellini. "And god, no. It's much more fun to make things happen. Waiting around's never really been my style." She set her glass down with a soft clink, her lips curving upward. "But you..." He trailed off, gaze flicking down to his lips before returning to his eyes. "Sounds to me like you've thought about this kinda favor before. There's gotta be at least a few ideas you have tucked away, no?" The brunette tilted her head, dropping her voice just a touch. "So when you say worth our time, how big are we talkin'?"
Corey chewed the inside of their cheek at the comment. Carats and commas. Shit. Meg was right. Charlie had moved in with them at their simple little house, rode with them in their almost decade old car, agreed to spend the rest of her life with them. She'd had the mansions, the extravagant jewels, the man with the movie star good looks and the sports cars that came in limited number runs. She liked Corey because they were different. But in that moment, Corey couldn't help but feel like 'different' just meant 'stupid' for not knowing about the different carats, clarities, cuts. "Even Charlie wouldn't want me to buy her a hundred dollar ring. It'd probably leave a green stain on her finger," Corey huffed.
"You know her better than anyone," Corey observed, looking over at Meg with hopeful desparation. "You know what her taste is, what she likes. She'd want classic, right? Diamond, gold?" That at least took care of the stone and the metal, which narrowed down a big chunk of the options. "Heh, maybe I do know more than I let on. It's just a lot of pressure, you know? It's not like it's for fashion and you can just start wearing something else when your tastes change. It's for life. It's gotta be good." Corey turned back to the display case. "Much as she likes my jokes, I don't think she'd want my comedy to present itself in the form of her engagement ring. How'd your ex-husband do it?"
Meg couldn't help but smile when Corey pointed out how well she knew Charlie. They had really seen eachother through so much. It made her heart happy to even be a part of this process. "You're so right, it's way better that you're goin' after one of these and not one of those fifty cent dispensable rings." She snorted, gently running her finger against the glass. She heard Corey asking about the rings, but her gut was telling her that they were actually pretty close to a viable option within the case. "He asked--nope, begged-- my sister to help him. Even swiped one of my rings to compare ring sizes because bless him, he was clueless. I think sometimes there's just so much focus on doing things so perfectly that you miss what's right in front of you." Meg smiled a little at the memory--her divorce wasn't something she was bitter about, maybe if anything just a little sad. It was always sad when something didn't work out no matter how bad you wanted to, or how much you tried.
She stopped in front of a row of yellow gold bands, all speckled with diamonds. "The universe has spoken." Meg tossed a knowing smile over at Corey, leaning in closer to see. "I'd definitely go with one that comes in a set.. Wedding band, engagement ring, bada bing, you're set." Her eyes were particularly drawn to a set where the wedding band itself kind of looked like the infinity symbol, but she stepped back to let Corey observe. "I mean, obviously we can't take this entire case, but maybe these'll whittle the anxiety down, yeah?"
starter: @callamegmaybe
location: meadow park
with everything that had transpired the previous night, charlotte was practically bursting at the seems to tell her best friend the newest development in her relationship with corey. as her divorce had yet to be finalised, she still was careful about who she chose to tell. she wondered if people would think she was crazy? jumping from one marriage to another. it was something she knew not everyone would understand or support, especially once word got out. the one person she knew wouldn't judge her was the first person she wanted to know. carrying a box of donuts towards the park bench where her meg sat, sadie ran off from beside her to play with meg's kids over at the playground. bruin was on his leash, happy just to take in what was going on around him as he walked beside her. "i brought the kids donuts, i hope that's okay. sadie all but begged me and you know how i can't say no to those kids," she beamed as she sat down on the park bench. "sit down, baby. good boy," she cooed at bruin who obeyed the command instantly. "i have some kinda big news for you."
"even I can't say no to donuts, you know that. look at you, tempting me with a good time." meg chuckled softly, giving bruin a little affectionate head scratch as a greeting. she cast a brief glance toward the playground making a mental note of where her kids were. meg didn't consider herself a helicopter parent by any means whatsoever, and both of them were smart and capable of coming to her if they were ever hurt or not feeling so great. her curiosity spiked a bit when charlie admitted she had some news, and she scooted closer. "oh, yeah? please tell me. hopefully it's better than an elementary school love triangle. you and I both know those last about as quick as a booster shot. so what's goin' on? is everything okay?"
Starter For: @callamegmaybe Location: Local Jewelery Store
Corey never thought they'd be out here ring shopping with Meg Callahan, but if there was anyone other than her sister that Charlie had to have spilled about her jewelry tastes and engagement ring wishes with, it'd be Meg. Corey liked a good piece of fashion jewelry; they played with their own ring from Charlotte all the time, twisting it around their finger and placing it on a necklace whenever they wanted to keep it close but were working with power tools and didn't want it to get in the way. Still, Corey had never felt like more of a dumb guy than when they were faced with the objects of typical femininity, engagement rings apparently being one of them.
"I just don't get it. I don't know what the difference is," they started, eyes narrowing as they looked over the display case. "Why's that one like a hundred bucks and that one is like two thousand? I saw some girl on Love Is Blind complaining her fiance only gave her a ring worth five grand and she wanted ten. Is that gonna be me and Charlie? I don't even got ten grand."
Meg leaned an elbow on the glass case, watching Corey squint at the rings as if they had writing in a million different languages all over them. She tried not to laugh--they genuinely looked stressed, and Meg was not a monster--but God, it was cute. "Okay, first of all." She began, tone gentle but carrying the edge of a smirk. "You're not on Love is Blind, and Charlie isn't about to measure your love in carats or commas. You two are already disgustingly in sync. Please don't ruin that by doing math, and also don't make me beg."
She gestured at the two rings, like it was the most simple thing in the world. "That one's expensive strictly because of the marketing. That one's cheaper because someone in accounting decided it should be. Trust me when I say there's no magic formula. Just pick the one that feels like her. Something classic, a little unexpected, you know?" She paused, shooting a disarming smile in Corey's direction. "Something that if she saw, she'd laugh and say 'of course you picked this one.' That's when you'll know." She gave Corey an approving once over, taking her elbow off the counter. "Cut yourself a little slack, maybe. You're doing great. Doesn't have too be the most extravagant thing."
charlie knew everyone's tastes were different and even if she didn't agree with the physical appeal of benny, she wasn't going to voice that to her friend and burst the woman's bubble. clearly there was an attraction there and she had to support her best friend however she could. a soft smile graced her lips at the memory of meg's first date — charlie had been there to help her get ready, both giddy teenagers wanting their crushes to be their soulmates. it had been harder for charlie who had been finding her feet with her sexuality but when it came to meg, she was just happy to see her best friend being able to experience dating the way she wished she could. it was another lifetime ago and so much had changed for both of them but their friendship had always remained strong.
"i still remember that night. i remember waiting by the phone for you to come home and tell me all about it. the bubblegum lip gloss was a real hit." nodding, charlotte understood the challenges of dating, "i do but you're not alone in feeling that way and just like riding a bike, you'll find your feet. i'll be still here waiting by the phone to hear all about how each date went." a laugh escaped charlie at the mention of dating apps, "the moment you want to chance the apps please tell me, i need to see the profile creation process for myself. i'll bring desserts. i think you won't need to worry about that though, anyone with a brain would want a chance with you."
the comment about the sky had charlotte glancing up at the clear darkness above, something she had missed being in the city. "beautiful," she commented in response, the cooler air surrounded them. "i can't wait for fire pit season, i've always loved those, nights under the stars." the request took her a little by surprise but was welcomed, "there's no convincing needed — i'm more than happy to stay here with you. i'll message corey so they're not waiting up for me." pulling out her phone, she smiled at the goofy wallpaper image she had of the two of them, "i'm all but moved in to their place, it's less than a block away — we'll be in walking distance of each other from now on." once sending the message, she turned to face her friend, "i'm so happy to be back here with you — i've missed having you so close by. i know that whatever funk you feel like you're in when it comes to dating won't be forever and i'm going to be right here beside you watching you thrive. i want you to find happiness and love. no-one deserves it more than you, meg."
"by the phone. god. now we have imessage or whatsapp, or whatever the cool kids are using these days." meg's nose crinkled as she smiled, reminiscing back to the days of dial-up internet, inflatable bedroom furniture, and fluorescent colors. she beamed fondly at charlotte, feeling so incredibly lucky to still have her as a friend. they hardly ever fought, and when they did the argument didn't last too long. it was because of charlotte that meg actually believed in platonic soulmates. her rose colored glasses view of the world had shifted once she grew more into adulthood, but meg liked to cling to hope. there was a reason she still enjoyed watching the fairytale disney moves with her children.
she'd figured it was an easy yes, but meg also knew that charlotte had her own life. she didn't like the feeling that she was imposing on anyone. still, relief filled her system as charlotte easily agreed and mentioned reaching out to corey. meg was lucky, and her kids were lucky to have charlotte in their lives. coming back from their trip felt like the puzzle piece sliding into its rightful place.
meg tapped her fingernail lightly against her wine glass, eyes lighting up at her best friend's words. "oh, we are so having sleepovers constantly, then. you're not getting out of 'em. and i'm definitely pumped to meet this partner of yours.you really do deserve happiness, charlie. I want that for you." her eyes welled up a little, and she shook her head. "i'm literally never leaving you for that long ever again--or if I do get out of town, it'll be for a girl's trip. we can absolutely swing that." meg reached out and gently clinked her glass against charlie's. "i love you so much, and no i'm not even a little bit tipsy. just....feeling all the things all at once." she pressed her lips together, heaving a big sigh. "just really feel like this year's gonna be great to both of us."
It was kind of funny that his sister's best friend since childhood ended up being his guidance counsellor. She had probably had bigger handfuls than Jaylen back in the day, but he didn't make things easy. He could be a brat, and he knew that, but people who really mattered had stuck by his side even in his darkest moments. They'd pulled him out of the whole he wanted to bury himself in. Even now, when Jaylen was just rambling about himself, Meg was there to listen.
"Double dates aren't exactly something you typically wanna have with your little brother," he said with a laugh. "Um, I'm pretty sure her exact reasoning was that she wants to get in her groupie era and something about wanting to do things I won't repeat with Corey backstage. Not something I'm really eager to think about." Jaylen scrunched up his face at the idea. He didn't know why Charlie wouldn't just keep it in her pants. Maybe Jaylen was just simple, but one of the things he wanted most in life was connection, intimacy that didn't even have to be physical or sexual in nature. The idea of sharing in Key's happy moments, enjoying his shows with the people they both loved, that was enough for him. He didn't need to be grinding on the guy's lap.
"You always know the right thing to say. What about yourself, huh? Charlie has their hot young thing, ew, you planning on giving her a run for her money and snagging one of your own?"
Meg smiled fondly at Jaylen, holding her hands up in surrender. "Look, forgive me for suggesting that. I normally would think a double date isn't awkward and it's less pressure, but since you're related there's definitely a greater chance of cross-examination. I thankfully have plenty of common sense, but...let's just say that dating hasn't really been on my front burner in a while." She snorted, giving him a little nudge.
"It's a gift, I guess, knowing what to say. But maybe I'm standing a little too firmly in the lane of wanting to see my best friend happy, no matter what. Want me to buy you some earplugs?" She teased him, unable to help herself. Her thoughts drifted briefly to Benny, but for whatever reason she was convincing herself that that idea was way outside of the realm of possibility. Meg toyed with the bracelet around her wrist, a rueful smile on her lips. She loved teasing Jaylen, but she also loved knowing that he trusted her. She wasn't going to take that for granted.
"I'm not gonna lie, there are a few decent looking teachers at the school, but I reckon dating a teacher while also being an employee at the school comes with it's own roadblocks." She shrugged her shoulders, not necessarily admitting defeat. "Not that it has to be a teacher. It's kinda nice either way--you either hope for someone who genuinely understands, or someone who at least tries to. I tried dating apps once a while back, and all it got me were multiple requests for feet pics. No one wants to see a toe ring or metallic magenta polish. I kinda thought we'd outgrown that fetish." Meg made a face and loosened her posture a bit. "But...I'm open to anything. As always."
Jaylen shook his head with a laugh. "Have you seen the way some of their butts and packages look in those little football uniforms? It's all about finding your in, Meg. You keep a civil tongue in your mouth about the Cowboys around the Miller family," Jaylen teased, even if he wasn't really that big a football fan like his dad and siblings were. "But as long as you don't start rocking up in Giants jerseys, I think the Miller family might forgive you." The Cowboys weren't really doing so hot tonight, failing to secure a win even when one of the top defensive players on the opposing team had been kicked out of the game for unsportsmanlike conduct, but Jaylen wasn't about to admit defeat. You were a Cowboys fan, whether they were winning or not.
Jaylen took his position near the bar, turning his body to watch the game, eyes suddenly intently focused on it rather than maintaining eye contact with his makeshift big sister while he talked about his not-quite-boyfriend. "My friend, Key, Kiran, we've known each since we met at a summer camp years ago. He's in Corey's band and they were neighbors growing up. I trust him, so if he vouches that Corey is a good person, I believe him." He looked over at Meg with a shy, half-smile. "Love life is rich. I don't know what to call it yet. We've known each other a long time, and I had this crush on him, but then we were friends and I figured I grew out of it. Turns out, maybe not so much. Things happened. We've been seeing each other. Charlie really wasn't too happy that it was one of Corey's bandmates."
"Mm, I have." Meg paused, a dreamy little smile on her lips. "Hey, I wasn't gonna do that! What do you take me for, an animal?" She nudged Jaylen playfully, then took her place and listened intently to Jaylen. Listening to people was genuinely one of her favorite things to do. And most of the time, the situation didn't require an immediate solution. Meg loved hearing what people had to say. She hung onto the way Jaylen said 'friend', but catalogued it away for another day. That was whatever to her, but it was actually sweet how he was speaking about Key.
She clued into the way he was speaking to the TV more than actually speaking to her, and that was fine, too.. She wouldn't pressure him much further than that--the information should come from him within his own time. Sure, she had always seen him as a little brother, but respect was important to Meg. She knew how messy things could get if that respect was cracked. When Jaylen mentioned Charlie wasn't too happy with the whole thing, Meg's mouth fell open a little. "What? Why not? I mean, double dates are practically ready made for ya, are they not?" Her eyebrows furrowed a little, then relaxed as she reached out and squeezed Jaylen's shoulder affectionately. She knew that Charlie wouldn't be unhappy for a dumb reason such as double dates, but as smart and perceptive as she could be, the truth was kind of lost on her for a moment, until she put together that it might lead to a little chaos for the band if things went south. "I'm gonna tell you the same thing I tell my students, kiddo. Don't live your life running your brain into the ground over what the people you love think about it. This is yours, is it not? Undefined or not. You have choices. Not everyone's gonna be happy with every single choice you make, but that's the point--they're yours."
nodding, charlie understood the need for space to breathe, it was something got whenever she visited her family whilst living in new york, preferably without her husband. charlie wasn't blind to the fact her friend had always put everyone's needs and wants before her own — she was an incredible mother, wife, friend and councillor but at what cost had it taken on her? "i know, i understand that probably better than anyone." maybe charlotte had been looking at the interaction all wrong, that what benny had said sparked something within her friend. "it's as if you realised it's okay to want to be missed by someone — he just happened to be the one that said it. i have a tendency to read a little too far into things. it's a character flaw," she chuckled taking another sip of her wine. "it's a great start, honey. it's growth and an understanding of yourself."
charlotte offered a reassuring smile, "it's easy to become a passenger in your own life when things are so consistently the same. the best part is there's no time frame deadline to work any of this out. allow yourself to be open to opportunities, you never know who or what might come along. i can't say i was expecting to find my person in my baby brother's graduating class but what i loved about corey is that they weren't afraid to go after me or show that they wanted me. they knew exactly what they were doing and i hated their cocky ass for it." she took a moment before continuing, "it lit a fire within me and you're hot, you're smart and you're an incredible human, someone is going to desire that — everything else, it'll fall into place."
reaching across the table, she gently poked meg's nose, "you are incredibly brave, i've seen it first hand." a small scoff fell from her lips, "good wine? i only stock the finest locally produced wines in my bar," her tone playful. "with that kind of attitude, i have no doubts it will end well for you."
"you say that as if i haven't known you for as long as i have." meg reached over and tapped the tip of charlie's nose lightly right back, then settled into her seat. "plus, i've got eyes. he's hot. think even a fool could pick up on that. it's just..." she paused, looked down at her wine as she wirled it in her glass. the divorce hadn't been long and painful. at the core, it was just two people who loved eachother enough to let eachother go and find happiness some other way. the way meg was feeling right now felt almost elementary--like she was about to slide over a stupid paper with a question and a checkbox for both 'yes' and 'no.'
her eyes met charlie's, a little sheepish. "I don't even think i'm insecure, maybe just that I forgot how to do this. feels like ages ago I was putting on some bubble gum scented lip gloss and heading out on a first date. but it's...like riding a bike, you know?" she leaned back, closing her eyes for a moment and tapping her fingernails against the wineglass. meg knew divorce was generally this big and scary word that some people equated to failure, but she never did. not once. if anything, it afforded both her and charlie the chance to thrive, to begin again. meg felt thankful to have her best friend by her side no matter what, and she knew the feeling was mutual. "i do know, however, that I will not be signing up for any dating apps. or at least trying to hold off on that for as long as humanly freaking possible." the brunette shuddered, then turned to look out ahead of them.
"it's such a nice night." she mused, taking another sip of her wine. the sky was big and wide, and as cheesy as it made her feel, she missed it. there truly was no place like home, with one of her favorite people. "I don't suppose I could convince you to stay the night for a sleepover, huh?" she didn't want to be alone that night, and she was generally an honest person--but actually admitting that out loud? even to her best friend? felt like she was taking backwards steps when all she wanted was to move forward.
"Easy to please is the opposite of a challenge, but if you want one? I can give you a challenge." Benny could play the part in nearly every situation someone wanted him to step into, fortunately for him, and it'd been something he'd gotten so used to doing. He quirked a brow upward at her question before humming, reaching a hand up to scratch his chin thoughtfully. "Guess that depends. Gettin' you a drink isn't that big of a favor, so it'd be easy enough to collect on. If I count it, that is. Might just wait until I get a bigger favor under my belt."
"Oh?" Meg arched one eyebrow right back at him, chuckling softly. She'd always found it fun to flirt with Benny--when she'd been married, she'd kept it friendly. Now that she wasn't, though, it felt a little exhilarating to lean into the flirtation. "I like the sound of that." She tossed her hair over her shoulder, watching as he worked. He'd always been handsome--but beyond that, he was great company. "Thing is, I'm not always good at waiting. If you dangle a challenge in front of me, I tend to lean in the direction of wanting to find out what it is right away." She shifted closer, just slightly. "What kinda favor are you hoping for?"
✍️ closed starter / meg callahan (@callamegmaybe) ✍️ location: meg's office @ blackstone ridge high school
"Knock knock," Birdie said playfully as she gently rapped her knuckle on Meg's open door. "I heard there's a smokin' hot guidance counselor around here. Turns out my daughter forgot her English paper at home and I had to bring it up here for her, so I was hoping you might be free.." Birdie glanced toward the secretary who had paged Maggie's classroom to call her down to get the paper, making sure it was still where she'd left it on the counter for her daughter to get. Knowing Mags, she wouldn't want Birdie to be anywhere around by the time she walked in, but she couldn't help but stop and see Meg for a minute. "By the way, did we choose the book for book club this month, or are we just all finally admitting it's really just a wine night now?"
Meg glanced up from her computer, where a tangle of graduation audit spreadsheets glowed accusingly back at her, and let her chin slip from her palm as Birdie appeared in the doorway. She grinned at the 'smokin' hot' line, and leaned back in her chair with a theatrical sigh. "Perfect timing I was two seconds away from banging my head against these credit requirements. But look at you, playing courier service. Sometimes I feel like I track some of these kids down like a friggin' bounty hunter." Meg reached for her mug, etched with 'world's okayest guidance counselor' (a gift from one of the graduating seniors from last year) and grimaced when she realized how cold the coffee had gotten. As her eyes settled on Birdie again, she gestured to the empty chairs in front of her desk. "Please, sit! I have about twenty minutes before my next surly, half-caffeinated junior strolls in and I have to really work my magic to get 'em to perk up." She paused, tilting her head. " I think we kinda quietly agreed book club just evolved into wine night four meetings ago. I'm just waiting for someone to make it official."
"Hey, Cowboys Nation is a family!" Jaylen hadn't had a choice about whether to be into it or not. It wasn't his favorite thing. He preferred the hiking, rock climbing, ATV riding, but the Miller family went all out for their favorite football team. It was impossible not to get swept up in it, even when he had been a moody, rebellious teen. "If Charlie hasn't won you over with the sports yet, maybe there's no hope for you, but I'm glad you came out." Jaylen glanced around for a peek at Corey, and hopefully a glance at Key, too. He thought they were someone talking to Leo, but he had lost track.
"I was kinda on the fence," Jaylen admitted, giving a shrug. "I met them a few years ago briefly, when they were doing some work on our grandparents farm. I knew they were a musician. My uh, not quite boyfriend, not quite just-a-friend is actually in their band. I guess I just assumed they were some kind of fuckboy, but they were really sweet with the kids when they came over for Colton's birthday party, and Charlie seems happy."
"Oh, please. Blech." Meg pretended to gag, but the truth was that she loved that cliche crap. Ate most of it right up. The grin she shot Jaylen should've clued him into that. "I fail to see what's so interesting about men in jockstraps chasing an elongated...oval? Whatever. But at least I can show up and cheer for whatever team's winning. So just stick me in a Cowboys jersey and call it a win." She laughed, tilting her head as Jaylen spoke more.
She wasn't at all surprised by Jaylen being on the fence, and she was definitely intrigued by whatever situationship he sort of half explained. Still, hearing him speak about Corey put her a little more at ease. She trusted Charlie's judgement sometimes more than her own, and it was important to her (probably a perk or some kinda warped side effect of being a guidance counselor) to collect all the facts and opinions from all sides to help formulate her own opinion. "Ooh, see, I really wanna know what else you know, but I also haven't poked and prodded at your love life in a hot minute. Who's this person who's in the inbetween?"
Calling Charlie's best friend a hot MILF maybe wasn't the best first impression, but it was just the way Corey talked. Meg didn't seem to add any additional meaning to it that didn't have to be there. "Call it like I see it. Charlie talks about you a lot, though. Your little divorced women's wine and cheese club. I'm glad she's got someone to keep her company."
Hearing from a third party, someone who knew Charlie better than almost anyone, who wanted what was best for her and didn't have a reason to bullshit, it hit Corey right in the gut. They knew the two of them weren't necessarily the kind of match that made sense to a lot of people. Charlie had a movie star husband who took her to red carpet events and gave her all the material things she could've wanted. He was charming, in a punchable face kind of way. People loved him. Corey was a small-time local musician with a day job that consisted of manual labor. But Corey loved the hell out of that woman. They wanted to treat her well.
"Hey, you know better than anyone that Charlie is pretty freaking great, so if you wanted to interrogate me, I'd get it. I look out for my friends, too." You had to let people make their own choices, not get involved where it didn't concern you, but Corey would've been the first to speak up if they thought someone they cared about was being treated badly. "C'mon, you really not gonna tell me what she says? I gotta know the tea. She complain about my Love Is Blind marathons?"
Meg laughed, shaking her head at the wine and cheese club mention. It truthfully was one of the things she looks forward to most during the week. "She does, huh? We've been friends an incredibly impressive amount of time. My oldest and most dear friend. Basically a sister." She tilted her head at Corey, eyes warm but sharp. "I'm not gonna interrogate you. Too guidance counselor-y of me, and I'm off the clock. But if you really care about her, I'm glad you'd step up. Think it says a lot about you, honestly."
Her gaze softened slightly as she thought for a moment. There was something so sincere about the way they spoke of Charlie. Meg appreciated that, even if it made her heart clench a little knowing just how much they cared. "It's refreshing to see someone who isn't blinded by charm or status. I can tell you really do care for her. And...after everything, she deserves that." She genuinely meant that, too. Always.
Meg fiddled with the bracelet around her wrist, shooting Corey a playful glance. "Oh, you want tea? 'Cause I'm sure I could dig back in the archives for something I haven't sworn to take to the grave. If she's ever complained--it hasn't been about you. Not once. That should tell you something." Her gaze briefly flicked up to the sky. "Though just between you and me--the Love is Blind marathons are safe for now." Meg paused, squinting as her lips quirked upward. "Don't go defending the wrong people, though. All bets'll be off. That's a promise."
