Let Us Be Seventeen (Jdronica)

Call Me When The Shuttle Lands

Veronica's POV

We walk into school and Ms Fleming approaches us. "Would you two mind coming with me?" We nod and are taken to a room where Mr Gowan is seating with Heather Chandler and Duke, and Ram and Kurt. I stop in my tracks but JD makes me keep moving. We sit across from them. Ms Fleming takes her seat. "So we all know why we are here." She says. "Heather, Heather, Ram, Kurt? Do you admit it?" She asks. "Of course not! I'm trying to help her. You should be looking at her 'boyfriend' over there." Chandler motions to JD. "What?" JD was already fuming. "Look at library security footage from yesterday. You'll see it." He says to Mr Gowan.

Mr Gowan leaves and returns a few minutes later. "Heather Chandler, Heather Duke. You're suspended for two weeks." I feel relief rush through my body. "Kurt and Ram, you're suspended until Friday." He adds. "What? Three days?" I shout. "We have a game Friday. We need them." Mr Gowan says defensively. Chandler grins.

"I think we need an anti-bullying rally. To show people like you-" Ms Fleming glares at the Heathers. "That we need to stop attacking each other and get along." She says in her usual "we need peace" way. "Thank you, Ms Fleming." Chandler fake smiles. "Call me when the shuttle lands." She rolls her eyes. "Get out. All four of you." She demands. They all got up and left. I sigh and got up, walking out. "It's so stupid! Three days!" I yell. "I know." He rubs my shoulders.

We go to our separate classes and meet up at lunch. Heather was waiting for us. "How'd it go?" Heather asks. "Kurt and Ram got three days." I bite my lip. "Three? And what about Heather and Heather?" She asks. "Two weeks." I answer. "They should get more as well." She crosses her arms.

"Veronica!" Henry stormed up to me. "What?" I sigh. He grabs my arm and pushes me against a wall. "Hey!" JD tries to stop him but Henry turned around. "Do anything and I'll kill her!" He hisses. JD stops, scowling. "You got my cousin suspended?" I yells in my face. "Yeah. Because she deserved it. And you deserve the same." I say back. "You-" He starts but I spit in his face and push him off. Before I can get away, he grabs my hair and slams me back against the wall. "You must want me to kill you." He presses his hands on my neck, choking me. I start to lose my vision and consciousness. JD tries to get him off but one of Henry's friends grabs him. I finally pass out.

I wake up in the hospital once again. My neck felt really heavy. JD and Heather were sitting near me talking. "I mean, he probably won't get charged. I'm surprised they suspended Heather." Heather is telling him. "Well if you, me, and Veronica testify, I'm sure he'll get something." JD argues. Heather sighs and looks over. She sees I'm awake and smiles. "Hey." JD looks at me. He gets up and sits on the edge of my bed. I put my hand to my neck and feel something cold. "They put on a neck brace." He tells me. I groan and feel an aching pain from my neck. "Yeah, you won't be able to talk got a while." He holds my hand. "Henry got arrested." Heather says. I smile. I try to say "good" but I can't. So I just give a thumbs up.

Later on, Jill comes to the hospital. "Hey Veronica. How are you?" She asks. "She can't talk." JD tells her. She nods.

The doctor comes in. It was Dr Jacobs. "Hi, Veronica." He sat down. We were asked some questions and then he left.

After a few days, I have to do voice exercises.  It was very painful. I'm finally able to come back to school after a two weeks. I have a smaller neck brace on.

When we get to school, JD walks me to my homeroom. I enter to see the Heathers. I walk past them and sit with Dennis and Peter. "Hey, Veronica. You doing okay?" Dennis asks. "I'm okay." I shrug, my voice sounding very rough. "I heard about what my cousin did." Heather turned around. "It's pretty stupid that he's in prison." She adds. "It's pretty stupid that you were let back." I get out. "Wow, you still have huge guts." Heather laughs. I wait for the Heathers to go after the bell rings. I find JD. "Hey. You okay?" He asks. I simply sigh and keep walking.

Ms Fleming pokes her head out of her office. "Hey, can I talk to you two?" She asks. We nod and enter her office. "Now I know it is a bit rough that the first day back from the hospital is always hard. And having the Heathers here is even worse. But rest assured, I will make sure they can't hurt you again." She smiled. "Thank you." I say, feeling pain with every syllable.

We leave her office and go to separate classes. Chandler passes me with a big smile on her face but I ignore her. I swear I'm going to enjoy the rest of my senior year if it kills me.