Planning Your Future

You Matter to Me (Part 3)

November 23, 1992

Veronica's POV

I pull up to my dad's house. I'm excited to be home for Thanksgiving. My dad hugs me as soon as the door opens. "Hey, Ronnie." He squeezes me tight. "Hey Dad." I'm so happy to be back. "So how is it going with your band?" We sit on the couch. "Great. We got in touch with the agent. Then we played at a dance and a girl's birthday party. And we came up with a band name." I tell him. "What is it?" He asks. "'Edge of Great.' After the first song we performed." I'm so glad JD picked that name. "I love it."

November 24, 1992

Heather and I get coffee and walk around town. "So how's the band stuff going?" She asks. "It's good." I nod. "Anyone back in Boston?" She nudges me. "No. I don't." I don't know if I'm ready to announce that JD and I got back together yet. "Well no rush." She shrugs. "What about you? You have anyone back in Michigan?" I ask. "Well... James and I actually got back together." She smiles. "Wow. Good for you." I get it. James only broke up with her because of her obvious crush on JD. Now that they're siblings and Heather has stopped having feelings for him, he can be with her without having doubts. "So how're things with Alyssa? You still avoiding each other?" Why do we always have to talk about Alyssa. "We try not to. She got a assistant job at the talent agency. So now I have to see her." A lot.

"But at least she'll be in Indiana." I say. "Yeah, about that." Heather slows down a little. "What?" What is she about to say. "Alyssa told me her mom decided to move to Sherwood to be closer to her parents." I hate my life. So she's here? "Are you kidding?" Fuck my life. "I know! I'm sorry." She touches my arm. "I know it sucks. But hopefully you barely see her." I'll probably see her today. Sherwood is a small town, but it is much smaller when you're trying to avoid someone.

We walk around a little longer before parting ways. JD is sitting on the porch when I get home. "Hey." I smile. "Hey." He kisses me. "How was hanging with Heather?" He takes my hands in his. "Good. Did you hear that her and James got back together?" JD nods and sits back down. "Heather told me last night." It still slips my mind that they live in the same house now. "Did you tell her about us?" He asks. "No. My dad doesn't even know yet. Did you tell your family?" I hope he didn't. "No, not yet. I wanted to wait until you were with me." He puts his arm on my shoulder. "Hey, could we maybe hold off on telling people we got back together?" He removes his arm from it's place on my shoulder. "Why?" This isn't the reaction I was expecting. "I just want to wait. For it to be just our thing for a little longer." I don't want to deal with Jill's overexcitement about it right now.

JD stands up. "What?" I get up as well. "Are you sure that's the reason?" He leans against the railing of the porch. "What do you mean?" I ask. "Are you sure it's not because you don't think this is going to last?" He crosses his arms. "What? Why would you say that?" What gave him that idea? "It's like what you said on Halloween. 'Even if we end up breaking up or if we stay together.' You clearly aren't invested." Is he being serious? "Are you kidding me? I don't want to tell your family because I don't want to deal with the reaction. I want this to be private for a little longer because I just want it to be ours." I scoff, "I should have known you still don't trust me. You didn't trust me before, and you don't trust me now. And you ask why I don't tell you things." I push past him and go to the door. "Since you don't think I want this to last, maybe it shouldn't." I slam the door behind me.

JD's POV

I stand in front of the door, not knowing what to do. It seems like Veronica and I are fighting a lot more than we did the first time we were together. I decide to go home and just sit in "my" room. The room has nothing in it except a bed, nightstand, and a dresser. But I never saw a point in decorating it since I'm not here a lot.