Planning Your Future

Take a Break

February 23, 1991

Veronica's POV

All weekend I couldn't stop thinking about Heather. What she told me and how bad she felt for being gay. She shouldn't have to feel bad for who she loves. When we got back, she was still on my mind. Now I'm doing homework while trying to think of anything else. I groan loudly and put my head down on my desk. "Are you okay?" Erika laughs at my overly dramatic action. "No. I'm trying to do work but I can't focus!" I complain. JD knocks and opens the door. "What's wrong? I heard your voice down the hall." I sit up and give him a dirty look. "What's wrong?" He pulls a chair up beside me. "I can't stop thinking about Heather." I sigh.

"Veronica, it's time you take a break and stop worrying about others all the time. So you and Erika should go out and distract yourselves." JD pulls me out of my chair and pushes me out the door. "And do what?" I ask. "Anything." He shrugs, throwing me the car keys.

"Now what?" I turn to Erika. "I don't know. But we can figure it out once we get on the road." She puts an arm on my shoulder and guides me towards the parking lot.

"So whats this about Heather?" Erika asks me. "I talked to the Heather that's in prison and she came out to me." I try to focus on the road. "Wow. Really?" Erika doesn't seem to care. Which goes to show that people don't care about that stuff the way they used to. "Yeah, I-" Erika puts her hand up. "Are you supposed to take a break from talking about this?" She raises an eyebrow. "You started it." I put my focus back on the road.

We end up going to a spa. Erika and I both lay on table to get a massage. I have my head in the hole. "So why does Heather coming out worry you so much?" Erika takes her head out. "It doesn't worry me, but I just can't stop thinking about how badly Heather treated her because of it. It's just... awful the things she called her." I sigh. "You're such a caring person, but it's time you didn't let other people's struggles take up all your time." She says. "I just... people being in pain because of someone else has always been something that angers me." I tell her. "JD's right, you know? You're great for wanting to help, you just have to take a break from it every now and then." I know she's right. But Heather's my friend and me finding out that Heather's torment had been as cruel as it was, just boils me up inside.

The ladies come in and give us our massage. Letting go of all the stress I had bottled up feels amazing. I feel like a new and free person. Afterwards, we go into the sauna and just relax. "So how'd it feel?" Erika asks. "Incredible." I let out a sigh of relief. "Good. I'm glad."

On the way back, we decide to get a bite to eat. We sit in the diner and order. "Today was really great." I say. "Yeah. It was." She smiles. "Thanks for going out with me. I really needed it." I touch her arm with my hand. "You're welcome. Besides, I think I needed it too." I tilt my head, "What? What's wrong?" I ask. "Nothing. My dad is just going through a really rough time." She admits. "Really? What's going on?" She's never mentioned her dad to me until now. "He was diagnosed with cancer in May. And I felt bad leaving him. But he told me I needed to." She is clearly trying to hold back tears. "But he's gotten worse in the last few weeks."

I take her to the bathroom. She sobs into my shoulder. "I'm so sorry. I just wish you'd told me." I hug her. "I just didn't want to push that on you. You were going through lot." She says. "But nothing like that!" I pull off and look at her. If you guys need anything, let me know." I tell her.

We get back to the dorm. Erika lays down on her bed. I go over to JD's. "Hi." I kiss him. "Hey. How was it?" He asks. "Good." I shrug. "Did you get her out of her head?" He puts his hands on my waist. "Yeah." I nod. "Good." He picks me up so that I'm hanging onto him. Kyle wasn't there so JD smirked and locked the door and put his "busy" signal on the door. He does this all while still holding me. He drops me onto his bed and kisses me. I smile and kiss him back.

After, I lay beside him and think about Erika's dad. "What're you thinking about?" He asks. "Nothing." I kiss him, "I'm good."