Well, I promised a visit to the Seven-Eleven. But it's a takeaway. Thanks, guest reviewer.

Before we talked, JD and I went into the Seven-Eleven, I bought both of us slushies, and then I invited him to the passenger seat of my car, and we sat in the front, talking and occasionally sipping. We weren't really going fast enough to get brain freeze, but that because we needed to talk.

"Do you regret it?" JD asked me. He looked as if he was sure my answer was yes, and if it was, it would be like kicking a puppy.

"No, of course not," I said automatically. "It's hard watching someone die in front of me. But I wanted to protect myself and Veronica, and you wanted to help. I could have stopped you when you suggested it, but I didn't. I could have considered it a joke, but I knew you were serious about it. I gave her the cup, knowing what was in it. It may have been your idea, but we both went through with it." I reached down for his free hand, waiting to see if he would pull it away. When he looked down, saw where I'd placed my hand and didn't move his, I grasped it, lacing my fingers between his. I felt him pause for a moment, but then his fingers curled around mine. His hold was warm and gentle. I felt another rush that had nothing to do with my slushie.

"I think that makes us partners," I finished. "Partners in crime, as it was. And," I added, a bit more flirtatiously, "I don't know if you picked up on what I really wanted to say when I saw you yesterday…"

"You mean when you were asking for my number?" JD turned and made complete eye contact with me. "I got it, all right. You're not the first girl to ever ask, but there was a reason I was telling you about slushies and moving around and all that. I was waiting to see how far I could push things before you were driven away. I'd do the same for anyone else – most people our age would have made a fast exit instead of asking for my number. But when you asked, I decided to let you have it because you'd accepted everything so far. Asking for it just showed me you didn't care. When you called and wanted my help, it was the thing I wanted most, a way where I could help you out and find out if you were really worth it – showing a part of me I don't often show. Now you're still here, and I can just tell that we feel the same way about what we did. I did something that most girls would run from, whether they thought it was the right thing or not, and you didn't flinch because you knew it was the right thing. It's like even though we've barely talked, you know me already. Is that too far?"

In many ways, testing someone was not something anyone approved of. But, I rationalized to myself, JD didn't know me until that point. He'd clearly sensed I liked him and wanted to make sure I knew what I was getting into before he let me in, just in case I couldn't handle it, because it wasn't worth getting close to me if I couldn't. That was more of a positive thing about him then a negative one. Besides, he'd probably been let down before, so it was like insurance. It looked like it was over now, anyway. Acting as an accomplice in Heather's death and covering it up seemed to have gained his trust completely. It didn't matter that I hadn't been able to watch Heather die – I'd still given her the offending mug willingly. It wasn't like that with Veronica – she broke into his room before he had the chance to do any kind of testing. I still wanted him to be my first like he was hers, but that could wait.

"No," I said softly. "I feel like I know you too." Better than even he could suspect. Then, to lighten the mood, I smiled brightly. "Does that mean I get to kiss you now and wait for you to ask me on dates and invite you to break into my bedroom whenever my parents are working late – like every weekday?"

JD's expression lightened as well. "You want me to break into your room?"

I laughed. "It's not like being a stalker if you're invited. I'll give you my address." If I remembered it myself. The house was pretty much the same as the one in 2019, give or take several devices, but the address was different, since it was in a town that didn't exist. "My parents get home at ten on weekdays, five on weekends. If you want to make it a late night when they're home and asleep, we'll just have to get some practice at being quiet."

"Well, I know one way to make sure you're quiet," JD teased, before he finally went for our first kiss.

It wasn't like I'd never been kissed, so I responded in kind, enjoying the way the kiss felt. His mouth was sweet with a tangy edge from the cherry slushie – not my favourite flavour, but it still tasted good. Plus, the way he kissed me was gentle, yet unyielding, sort of commanding. It was the kiss was saying 'I'll be there for you and look out for you, but you have to let me decide the best way to do it". I didn't mind that he was taking charge. It's what I'd hoped he'd do when the moment came, so I didn't have to worry about what to do on top of the flirting. I wrapped my arms around his neck as best I could in the confined space of the car, pulling him closer. I felt him entangling his fingers in my hair.

Eventually, we broke apart. "I think this is the start of a good thing, Indie," JD murmured.

I frowned a little. "Did you just call me Indie? What happened to Ana?"

JD shrugged. "Don't you like it? You seem more like an Indie to me than an Ana. Something about the way you don't follow the trends like everyone else and you don't need big hair considering you've already got it…" he played with one of my natural ringlets, gently pulling it straight before letting it spring back. "Sounds like you're pretty close to being the most indie girl in Sherwood. Arthouse films, alternative music, your own independent fashion, right?"

My frown melted into a soppy little smile. The way he said that made the name "Indie" feel a lot more attractive. Still, I couldn't ditch what everyone else called me.

"I don't mind if you call me that," I admitted. "Just you. It makes me feel like I'm special to you."

JD leaned up close to me. "You are," he breathed into my ear. "What other girl would have the courage to do what we did today?"

I giggled a little. "You're tickling me."

JD pulled back a little, a smirk on his face. "Only something like that tickles? Want me to show you what tickling really feels like?"

I squealed. "No way! Give me a chance! Besides, I'm asthmatic and you don't want to make me thrash all over the car with limited air."

JD backed off a little for a moment. "Huh. Okay. That lets you off the hook. This time. Maybe when I take you up on your offer I'll leave the window open so there's plenty of air."

This was a side of JD the musical didn't often show. I definitely saw something of this playful banter in the movie, particularly early on, but the musical mostly left it out. I didn't want the creepy yet cute Christian Slater portrayal from my new official boyfriend, but I had to admit, I didn't mind that part of him being incorporated into the musical version that I was living.

The easy atmosphere caused me to say "Did you hear Heather's last words? I mean, I know she liked Corn Nuts, but was that honestly her last thought?"

JD grinned. "Maybe that's what she wanted written on her gravestone."

I giggled, quoting "Here lies Heather Chandler. The queen bee who buzzed for Corn Nuts."

We both laughed and laughed while we finished our slushies. Just before we parted ways, JD lingered.

"Since we're official," he said, "Why don't I pick you up for school tomorrow?"

"On your motorbike?" I said doubtfully. "I mean, wouldn't I need a helmet?"

"Are you suggesting I'm not a safe driver?" JD teased. "Come on, Indie, you've already taken a few risks. Take one more."

I sighed. "All right," I said, giving in. "But if I don't like it, I'm going to be the one picking you up in my car after that."

"With me driving once you've picked me up," JD said, laughing. I giggled along, and then we kissed each other goodbye. JD got out of my car to get to his motorbike and I pulled out of my park and drove away.

My head felt like it was full of cotton candy. Frozen green cotton candy from the lime slushie, but still cotton candy. I hadn't really thought through what would happen when I got to this point.

I may have been seventeen, but I'd never had a real boyfriend before. Not a long-term real relationship where we went out on dates and stuff. But now I actually had what I wanted. Not just a real boyfriend, but someone I'd actually wanted to date long before we met.

And while I couldn't call it love or anything serious just yet, and I didn't know what I'd call it, it didn't matter. All I needed to know is that it felt totally….what was that word they used at school? – bitchin'.

Yes, I look up Eighties slang. What of it? The word really just means "cool", but hey, if Ana feels good, she can say it. As for JD calling her Indie…well, I planned it out earlier. It's not why Ana tells him her first name – I used that as an excuse for him to mention living in Indiana at some point. And as I said, JD used Heather's death as a way to see if he could give Ana a chance, since she left the choice to him, while Veronica doesn't do that. If your girl helps you kill off a bully, she's a keeper. Even if she's even more doubtful about taking your motorcycle to school.