Chapter 41 Second Chances
After Shaggy and Velma shared that kiss the night they were watching the movie they basically tried to avoid each other as much as possible but it was pretty hard to do since they had some classes together. Plus Freddy, Daphne and Scooby were their friends who wanted to hang out with them. The three of them began to notice how strangely Velma and Shaggy were acting around each other. One day Velma and Shaggy ran into each other as they were heading to their classes they didn't have together. "Oh hey Velma… how are you?" Shaggy asked with a nervous tone in his voice. "I'm doing ok how about you?" Velma asked with the same nervous tone. "I'm fine" answered Shaggy. Before Velma should go to her next class Shaggy stopped her and said, "Velma we have to talk about what happened the other night. We can't just avoid it and pretend it never happened. I highly believe that Freddy, Daphne and Scooby Doo are starting to suspect something and eventually want to know what in the world is up with us." Velma knew Shaggy made a good point because there were times whenever the gang got together to hang out they saw that Velma and Shaggy attempted to be as far away from each other as possible especially when they all went out to eat. However ever since that night Velma has been going over what happened over and over again in her head and realized something that she refuse to admit to anyone including herself. As for Shaggy he was going through the same thing like Velma but he believed something deep within his heart that he wasn't sure how to say it. "What is there to talk about? You and I shared a kiss while watching a movie" Velma pointed out. "There was more to that kiss we shared and you know it" Shaggy stated. "Now isn't the time to talk about it" Velma said as she headed to her next class. Shaggy had to get going as well otherwise he was going to get marked for being late.
Freddy, Daphne and Scooby saw everything that happened between Shaggy and Velma and couldn't believe what they heard. "THEY KISSED?!" All three of them said to each other with shocked looks on their faces. "I can't believe they kissed. Why didn't they tell us?" Daphne asked. "No idea and it looks like they are trying to avoid the subject which explains why they have been acting weird and avoiding each other as much as possible" Freddy pointed out. "We need to do something about this" said Scooby. "What can we do?" asked Daphne. "For a long time I've blamed myself for causing Shaggy to break up with Velma just because I had a hard time dealing with the fact that my best friend has found someone that cared about him as much as I do and to this day I've never forgiven myself for that. From what we overheard I highly Velma still has feelings for Shaggy due to the fact that they had become closer because one time I overheard Velma say that she and her boyfriend Johnny broke up a while ago" said Scooby Doo. "I didn't know Johnny and Velma broke up" said Freddy. "I did but Velma made me promise not to tell anyone. I don't know how Shaggy found out because I never said anything to him" Daphne told him. "That explains why they started hanging out more often and why we don't see Johnny anymore" Freddy pointed out who then asked. "Do you think Velma and Shaggy are developing feelings for each other again?" "I think so because I recall during our first semester in College Velma and I had a talk while I was helping her get ready for a date with Johnny that she highly believed that Shaggy still had feelings for her and wanted her to take him back. Velma told me that even if she did have feelings for Shaggy she promised herself that she wasn't ever getting back together with Shaggy because she is afraid of getting her heart broken again by the same guy who dumped her for Scooby no offense" Daphne said as she looked at Scooby Doo.
"None taken" said Scooby. "I believe I know what should be done about this dilemma" Freddy said. Daphne and Scooby both asked, "What did you have in mind?" "We need to get Velma and Shaggy together and have them talk about it because they can't just keep avoiding what happened forever" Freddy answered. Daphne and Scooby were very curious to know what Freddy's plan was and how they can help. Freddy came up with a plan and both Daphne and Scooby were up for it. The next day it was time to put Freddy's plan into action. Both Scooby and Daphne knew what they had to do and were ready. "Hey Velma are you doing anything tonight?" Daphne asked. "No I'm not why did you wanted to do something?" Velma asked. "Yes let's hang out tonight you and me. It will be like a girl's night out. What do you say to that?" asked Daphne. Velma smiled at her friend and answered, "Sure why not. I need a break from studying so much." Daphne was happy to hear it and when Velma went to use the rest room she texted Freddy and told him that Velma bought it. Freddy texted Daphne back saying that Scooby Doo got Shaggy to hang out with him as well.
Later on Daphne and Velma headed out the door and so did Scooby, Shaggy and Freddy. They were all heading to the same place and it was the new game room in the student lounge. "I heard that the University put in this new game room but I haven't had the time to check it out because I've been busy with homework and studying for exams" Velma pointed out to Daphne. "Well my friend it's time to have some fun" Daphne exclaimed as she picked up a ping pong paddle and challenged Velma to a game of ping pong which she accepted. As Daphne and Velma were playing ping pong Freddy, Shaggy and Scooby Doo were on their way to the game room as well. "So Scooby what kind of games does this game room have?" Shaggy asked with curiosity. "You'll see" answered Scooby as the three of them made their way to the game room. Freddy opened the door and Shaggy saw that both Daphne and Velma were there. "Hi girls what a coincident finding you both here" Freddy said. "It is indeed a coincident" said Daphne. Shaggy and Velma were standing right next to each other and started to become nervous. "You know what Daphne I just remembered I have a paper due the day after tomorrow and I want to get it done right away" Velma said as she tried to make her way out the door. "Like yeah same here" Shaggy chimed in as he tried to leave as well. "Not so fast you two. We know everything" stated Daphne as she, Freddy and Scooby blocked the exit. "What in the world are you talking about?" Both Velma and Shaggy asked together. "Yesterday the three of us overheard you guys talking and we heard Velma say that you guys kissed while watching a movie. We know the truth so don't even think about lying to us because we're not leaving this room until you guys talk about it" said Freddy. Shaggy and Velma knew they weren't going anywhere and came to the conclusion that they fell for one of Freddy's traps.
"Listen everyone I don't know why Shaggy and I kissed. I guess we were just in the moment and that's it" Velma pointed out. "That's a lie and you know it Velma" Freddy exclaimed. "Shaggy you've been doing a lot better since Crystal and Amber left Earth and Velma you're doing better ever since you broke up with Johnny. We all believe that you two still have feelings for each other and won't admit it especially you Velma because you're afraid" Daphne stated. "What in the world do I have to be afraid of?" asked Velma. "Simple you're afraid to admit that you're starting to have feelings for Shaggy again and Shaggy is the same way about you is that right?" Daphne said as she looked at Shaggy. Both Shaggy and Velma didn't know what to say or do. "We've seen how much better the both of you have been doing and noticed that sometimes you two blush when you're around each other" said Scooby Doo. "I believe I know why you guys won't admit how you two really feel about each other especially you Velma" said Daphne. "Why is that?" asked Velma. "Because you're afraid to give Shaggy a second chance because you know deep down you still really like Shaggy maybe even love him and you're scared that he'll leave you again because of me" answered Scooby Doo. "I've always felt awful for what I did and I'm sorry. I realize now what's most important and that's my best friend is happy especially with a girl who makes him just as happy as he makes her." After hearing Scooby's touching words Velma began to cry and told Scooby, "its ok. I'm sorry for making you feel bad. I was just so angry at Shaggy for choosing you over me. Truth be told for a while now I do feel a bit of a spark between me and Shaggy but at the same time I didn't want to admit it." "Like I know how you feel Velma" said Shaggy. "I've always felt bad about ending our relationship all because I was scare how Scooby was going to take it. When I saw how upset he became after he found us making out in my parents garden I thought how much I hurt my best friend by lying to him for so long that I didn't consider your feelings and I'm deeply sorry."
"If you guys started to have feeling for each other again why didn't you say something?" Freddy asked the both of them. "Because I'm scare that if Shaggy and I were to get back together he would just break my heart all over again if Scooby isn't able to accept me which is why I promised myself to never hook up with Shaggy again" answered Velma. "Do you really I would do that again to you?" asked Shaggy. "Yes I do" answered Velma. "I learned from my past mistakes and I'm sorry for causing you that much pain. To be honest I was a bit hurt myself by you when you told me that you no longer had romantic feelings for me which led to your decision to not taking me back. I understood why you didn't want me back and I did my best to move on with my life. When Crystal came into the picture I was happy and I thought that maybe she was the one for me. However when she chose to go back to her home planet instead of staying on Earth with me which left me heartbroken. You were there to comfort me when I needed someone to talk to even at Carl and Helga's wedding party when you found me in the garden upset about my own break up. I was even there for you after you ended things with Johnny and chose not to take him back after he begged you which to this day I wonder why didn't you take him back? The both of you said that you loved each other and were happy together. Plus on that night we kissed I felt something and I know that you did too and I'm not afraid to admit this Velma that I may feelings for you again" Shaggy told Velma.
Velma was shocked to hear what Shaggy just said and no matter how much she has been denying it Velma was falling in love with Shaggy all over again. "You're absolutely right" cried Velma. "For a long time even before my relationship with Johnny ended because I believed that we were starting to drift apart due to his busy work schedule and me being busy with my studies I felt like we were connecting again and I was always happy to be around you. You even caught me that day when I tried to run away after I refuse to talk about my break up with Johnny at first. You held me in your arms and did your best to get me to stop crying which worked. You listened and held me as I told you what happened. For that I've always be grateful for what you did. When we kissed that night while watching that Vincent Van Ghoul movie I did feel something between us just like you did. I was just scared which is why I left so quickly and for the past few weeks I thought it would be for the best to try to avoid you as much as possible because I didn't want to talk about what happened. I realized now that was wrong of me and I'm so sorry and I believe what Daphne said is true. I highly know for a fact that I started to have feelings for you again and I'm just a dummy for not admitting it because of my fear of getting my heart broken again by you."
"Velma Dinkley the last thing you are is a dummy. You're just scare that's all because you're afraid of the past repeating its self and I don't blame you. You're the smartest and the most beautiful girl I've ever met who thinks more with her head than with her heart" Shaggy pointed out. "Said the guy who thinks more with his stomach than his head" Velma said while smiling. Shaggy laughed at Velma's sarcastic but humorous remark and told her, "Well maybe that's true about me because sometimes when I eat too much I get a stomach ache but now I'm following my heart and it's telling me that if you give me another chance I promise to do my best to never hurt you again because now I know who is the girl for me and it's you. I love you Velma Dinkley." Everyone was in shock that Shaggy declared his love to Velma on the spot including Velma who started crying tears of love and said, "I love you too Norville Shaggy Rogers and I'm sorry for not taking you back sooner." "Like I don't blame you since it's my fault because I was afraid of how Scooby was going to react" Shaggy stated. "If you want we can tell Scooby right now" replied Velma even though Scooby was right there. "Good idea. Scooby Velma and I are dating again" Shaggy said to his best friend and dog. "That's wonderful and I hope that the two of you will be happy together" Scooby replied as he hugged the happy couple. As for Freddy and Daphne they were so happy for them that they joined in on the group hug as well. "Now that the both of you are back together let's enjoy the games here in the game room together" Freddy pointed out which the gang was up for. Shaggy was happy that Velma decided to take him back and Velma knew that following her heart was the right thing to do.