Chapter Text
“Tonight’s the fucking night,” Heather Duke announced, putting on her lipstick. The only person she was really announcing it to was Veronica. “We are getting in it.”
Veronica had much less faith. She watched the girl sitting on her bed, raising her eyebrow. She couldn’t even imagine someone asking her to kiss, much less hook up. “Yeah, speak for yourself. Nothing’s gonna happen, not this year. It didn’t happen last year, or the year before-”
“Okay. But I’m gonna talk to Heather tonight.”
Veronica had known Heather Duke for practically eleven years, and for sure knew about her massive crush on Heather Chandler, a cheerleader. Every year, Duke assured she’d make a move on Chandler, and every year, it never happens. Veronica snorted. “Right.”
“Come on, Veronica!” Duke rolled her eyes. “I’ve been building… tension!”
Veronica shook her head while brushing her hair.
“You can say hi to Heather Mac,” said Heather with utmost seriousness. Mac, another cheerleader, was out of Veronica’s league, and she’d grown accustomed to it.
“What am I gonna say?” she said in a mock-low voice, “Hey girl, how’s your boyfriend?”
Kurt Kelly was the smartest guy on the football team - which meant one brain cell - and Mac was a cheerleader. It was practically a match made in heaven.
Heather turned to look at her. “It’s the back to school fair, and it’s at the damn carnival. It’s senior year, which means a fresh start. They could’ve broken up, who knows?”
Veronica was tired of Heather doing her best to get their hopes up. Once she finally looked at herself in the mirror, she groaned and put a sweater over her outfit. Both her and Heather were virgins, and she doubted it would ever change.
***
Veronica and Heather stood before the large sign reading: Back To School. Veronica took one look at the lights and large crowds and began to doubt Heather’s plan of coming in the first place. Heather Duke took one look at her expression.
“It’s ‘cause you’re excited.”
“No, I don’t think so-”
“You think you’re nervous because of how excited you are.”
Veronica shook her head, but still walked inside with her friend. She was used to people staring at them as they walked, but it being the first time since last school year somehow made it worse.
“I think the school hates us,” she said subconsciously.
“What are you even talking about?” Heather muttered. “They don’t hate us, they just…”
Veronica waited for her to finish the sentence. She didn’t.
Up ahead, she saw Heather Chandler and Heather McNamara next to a tent. Chandler seemed to have told a joke, one to elicit a glowing grin from Mac. Time slowed down as Veronica watched her brush her blonde hair away from her face. She noticed Heather Duke staring as well.
Something inside of her started panicking, watching the two cheerleaders begin to walk in their direction. She swiveled to Heather. “Shit!”
“Act normal!” Heather Duke lightly shoved her shoulder. Suddenly the girls were close enough, so they both faced them at the same time.
“Hi, Heather,” Duke said a little too quickly.
“Heather,” Chandler acknowledged.
“I’m loving the… skirt,” Duke’s eyes drifted down, “It’s so… short.”
“Thanks,” Chandler smirked. Veronica glanced at Heather Mac, who wasn’t exactly paying attention to the conversation.
“Are you thinking of riding the ferris wheel tonight?” Duke asked in a polite, but awkward, way.
Veronica almost face-palmed. She couldn’t even look at the two without feeling second-hand embarrassment for her friend. She whispered, “Oh my god.”
Heather Chandler shook her head. Heather Duke held up her bag of corn nuts. “Want some?”
Chandler looked tempted, but shook her head again. “I’m good.”
To distract from her self-humiliation, Duke said, “Oh, um, Heather!” She called to Mac. “Veronica here also thinks you’re skinny.”
“What?” said McNamara, attention finally snapping back to them.
Veronica gently elbowed Heather Duke. “Um, hi. I’m Veronica Sawyer, by the way.”
“Hi,” Heather Mac waved in a way that seemed forced.
“Okay, we should go,” Heather Chandler spun on her heels, Heather Mac close to follow.
“Here, want our tickets?” Veronica held up their roll of carnival tickets.
Heather Chandler snatched them out of her hands. “Thanks.”
Chandler and Mac walked away without saying another word, and Veronica looked at Duke with her best ‘I told you so’ expression. Heather Duke sighed in defeat. They had no more business at the fair.
***
After yelling really loudly in the parking lot, Heather Duke slid into the passenger seat of Veronica’s car. Veronica was grateful for the quiet. She twisted her keys in her ignition, and she heard the engine turn on. She was prepared to leave, but Heather Duke interrupted.
“Wait!”
Veronica stopped her car. She squinted her eyes to see. “No way.”
It was Heather McNamara walking down, with her arms crossed. Behind her, trying to keep up, was Kurt. Veronica rolled down the window to hear.
“Baby, wait!” he pleaded. “I-”
“Why do you keep flirting with other women?” Mac asked angrily, still focused on getting away from him.
Heather Duke looked to Veronica. “Ronnie, offer her a ride.”
“I’m not-” Heather and Kurt were getting closer than ever.
“Do it!” Duke urged her.
Veronica turned on her headlights, with Mac practically right in front of her car. “Heather, would you like a safety ride?”
Heather McNamara pivoted and went straight for Veronica’s backseat. Kurt called after her, leaning forward on the hood of Veronica’s car.
“Heather, get out of the car,” he ordered.
“You can’t tell me what to do!” Mac screamed from the backseat. Veronica nodded in agreement.
“It’s not my fault I looked at her that way.”
Veronica scoffed. Kurt really was a dick.
“Move, you asshole,” Heather Mac called.
“She said, move,” Veronica repeated for him. “Asshole.”
“Hey, I don’t listen to girls with a zit on their face!” He grimaced. Veronica immediately smacked a hand over her cheek where she knew it was. Kurt banged his fists on the car.
“Heather, get out! Get out of the freakin’ car!”
“We should probably just drive,” said Heather Duke. Mac agreed.
“He’s gonna move,” Veronica assured, hoping she wouldn’t have to hit the guy with her car.
“Just do it-”
“Drive!”
The other two girls’ voices overlapped with Kurt’s pleading, and Veronica’s brain began to overload.
“Fine, I’ll count,” Duke said, tired, “3… 2… 1!”
Veronica slowly inched her car forward, very slowly, which gently hit Kurt’s knee. His jaw dropped, looking at his knee. Everyone in the car watched with curiosity. He made eye contact with Veronica before falling dramatically to the ground.
“Oh my god!” she cried. They all exited the car at once, watching as Kurt clung to his leg, whimpering in pain.
“Are you okay?” asked Heather Duke aimlessly. Heather McNamara backed away and ran elsewhere.
A swarm of other guys on the football team rushed to his aid. Ram Sweeney ran the fastest. “I’m coming, Kurt! I’m coming, you’re not alone! Kurt! Kurt, are you okay?”
He held him, then looked up at Veronica and Heather, who were still just standing there. “What did you do to him?!”
“Let’s go,” Heather rushed Veronica. “Let’s go!”
They rushed back into the car, and buckled their seat-belts as fast as they could. Veronica quickly pulled out in reverse, as they ditched the sounds of wailing football players.