Planning Your Future

Never Ever Getting Rid Of Me

December 30, 1990

Veronica's POV

I wake up to the sounds of a saxophone playing, not well I will add. I go downstairs to find Jill squinting at JD. "What the hell is that awful sound?" I ask. JD sets the saxophone down. "I'll admit I'm a little out of practice." He says. "No kidding. You haven't played in how many years?" I sit next to him. "Five." He admits. "Don't worry. I'll get you some lessons." Jill pats his shoulder. "Well I'll be back." I kiss JD and put on my coat.

Heather smiles as she sits down. "Hey." She says into the phone. "Hey. How was your Christmas?" I ask. "Boring. It's not really celebrated here." I didn't expect them to. Sure, it's decorated on the outside, but that's for people passing by. Inside, it's very sad and lonely. "Well, how's The Bell Jar treating you?" I change the subject. "It's good. I'm really enjoying it." She tells me. "Great." I smile.

"So, I know you've been visiting for a while. But I realized that you probably have better things to do than talking to me. So you don't have to keep visiting if you don't want to." She looks at her lap. "Oh no. This is good for both of us. Sorry but as long as you're in here, you're never ever getting rid of me." I say. "You really don't have to." She continues. "No. You're lonely and I'll feel bad if I don't. I mean... I am partially responsible for you being in here." If I hadn't gone there that night, Heather Chandler wouldn't have blown up at Heather Duke and she'd still be here now. And Heather wouldn't even in jail for murder. "Well don't. I did what I did. And I'm trying to pay for it." She's really come a long way from that bitch I knew only a few months ago. "Anyways, I should go. Happy New Years." I tell her. "Okay, bye."

JD is in his room with Slushy. "Hey." He flinches. He sees me. "Oh. Hey." I sit beside him. "Hi Slushy." I stroke his fur. "So you never told me why you named your first hamster Slushy." I say. "I got him when I was... using slushees to... well I told you." He gets really quiet after. "Sorry I brought it up." I reach for his free hand. He pulls it away. "JD." I take Slushy out of his hand and put him back in the cage. I turn him to face me. "I don't care what you did in your past. I worry about you now. And I want you to feel safe to open up to me." I tell him. "I know. It's just hard to talk about." I kiss him. "I'm not going to push you. You can tell me when you're ready." I get up from the chair.

Jill is making dinner. "Hi Veronica." She smiles at me. "Hey." I sit at the table. "How was the visit?" She asks. "It was fine." I shrug. Jill continues to cook.

December 31, 1990

"Mom, come on. You're not staying here alone on. New Years." JD argues. "Will there be other adults there?" She sighs. "Yeah. Heather's dad is there." He answers. "Maybe we can set them up." I whisper. "What?" Jill looks between us. "Nothing." I smirk. "Besides, other adults will be there." JD adds. She sighs and gives in. JD quickly feeds Slushy and we leave. I wear a dark blue dress. Jill wears a simple white dress.

Heather greets us at the door. "Hey guys." She sees Jill. "Hi Ms Dean." She greets her. ""Hi, Heather." We walk in and people are already loud. There aren't even that many people. JD sees Heather's dad. "Here  Mom." He drags her over to him. "Hi Veronica." He smiles at me. "Hello Jason." He smiles at JD. "Mr McNamara, this is my mom." He tells him. "I'm Jill." She puts her hand out. "Hank." He shakes her hand. Heather grins and pulls us away. "Are you trying to set my dad up?" She asks. "Maybe." I wink.

Heather gives us champagne glasses. "Heather, my mom's here." JD looks over at his mom. "Relax JD, it's cider." She takes a drink. "You realize my dad's in the house too right?" She raises an eyebrow. He rolls his eyes. "Whatever."

All of the adults stay in one room while all of us go into another and end up playing Truth or Dare. We use a bottle to decide who gets asked. Heather's cousin Gabriel spins. The bottle lands on me. "Veronica, truth or dare?" He asks. I think. "Truth." I say. Tons of "boo" and "boring" are thrown around. "Just ask." I tell Gabriel. "Okay, we know you went to prison, tell us what that was like." He says. "Gabe!" Heather scolds. "What? We all want to know. I don't see Heather a Duke coming to tell us about it." He tells her. "It's fine." I assure her. "Um... it's pretty lonely. Even when you have a cell mate. You eat alone, sit alone in the yard, it's all grey and dark inside." I describe. I sigh. "Okay Gabe, you got your question. Who's next?" Heather hits her cousin's arm as the girl beside her spins. When it reaches JD, he spins, it lands on James. "Truth or dare?" JD asks. "Truth." James says. "Okay. If you could date anyone in this circle, who would you date?" JD smirks. "And you can't say Heather." He adds. James thinks hard and ends up looking at me, then at JD. "Sorry JD, but I'm going to go with Veronica." He smiles. "Maybe." I laugh. JD looks at me. "I'm kidding. You know I only have eyes for you." I kiss him on the cheek. I spin the bottle, it lands on a girl named Lauren. "Truth or dare?" I ask her. "Dare." I dare her to kiss the person to her right. She does. We all cheer. The guy next to me's spin lands on Heather. She chooses dare. "Okay, kiss anyone in here that is also female." He has an evil grin on his face. She locks eyes with me. "Sure." I shrug. She sits in front of me. JD looks slightly angry but he probably just wants to punch the guy who chose the dare. Heather and I kiss for a second. "Happy?" She gives him the finger.

After a while, we come back into the living room. It's five minutes until midnight. We all get refills. JD and I notice that Jill and Heather's dad are deep in conversation.

Finally, it's a minute. The TV is showing the ball. We start to count down. "Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Happy new year!" JD and I kiss, as do Heather and James, and even Jill and Heather's dad. We all spend the rest of the night talking and laughing.

Yay! I got a chapter out BEFORE New Years Eve! I hope you enjoyed it. Also, guess what the title comes from. Bye!