Sweet Valley Junior High #9: Too Popular
Jessica learns that sometimes being neutral is worse than doing something you don't really like.
Cover: Eh, couldn't find it in a decent sized picture of the cover but it is Jessica(?) and a guy (Damon?) under an umbrella. In a scene that never happened in the book.
Jessica is dying for Damon Ross to ask her out. Her English teacher told her to write a poem about something that mystifies her. So she writes about Damon.
Damon makes himself a list of reasons to Ask Jessica Wakefield out. Number one is: Do or do not. There is no try. He is Yoda! His other reasons are that he can’t stop thinking about her and that she might say yes. Really, all pretty good reasons.
Jessica is trying to avoid her locker-mate, Ronald. He is apparently a dork but worse than that, he seems to be really clingy. Jessica drops her paper and Ronald appears on the scene to pick it up. It is the poem and he reads it. (I’d probably slug someone who read my writing without my permission) He starts to read it aloud but then she grabs it back. Justin Campbell and Matt Springmeier arrive on the scene at this juncture and begin teasing Jessica about her boyfriend. Her nickname “Lamefield” is brought up again. (the nickname itself is pretty lame, IMO.) Jessica goes to lunch with Bethel and Bethel is a good friend and cheers her up by saying that Damon was watching her during lunch. Bethel is also running for class president; she is doing it because she is competitive with her older sister and wants to do something her sister has never done. But she doesn’t say that, she just says she wants to be class president. Jessica promises to help her with her campaign.
That evening, Ned and Alice break the news that Ronald will be spending the night at the Wakefield house that coming Friday while his parents, friends of Ned and Alice, are out. Elizabeth also says that she signed Jessica’s friend’s petition to run for president that day-Kristin’s petition for president, not Bethel’s. This is the first Jessica has heard about Kristin running and now she is torn because both girls are her best friends at school.
The next day at school, Jessica tells Kristin that she can’t help her with her campaign, but that she won’t help Bethel either. She’ll stay neutral, if possible. Jessica heads to her locker and sees Damon at his. She jokes around with him and he is about to ask her out when Ronald comes up. To keep Ronald from shouting anything embarrassing (as he is the type to talk loudly and be oblivious to other people’s signals), Jessica hurries over to him rather than wait for Damon to ask her out. Damon is confused about why Jessica always hurries over to Ronald and leaves him and he thinks he either grosses her out or that she likes him. Bethel meanwhile has found out that Kristin is running and is losing hope for her campaign. Kristin is really popular and everyone loves her-except Bethel. Bethel thinks she is a fake and a showoff. When Bethel talks to Jessica about the campaign, Jessica tells her that she can’t help her but that she won’t help Kristin either. Bethel understands why Jessica won’t help either of them but knows that she’ll suffer more from the lack of Jess than Kristin will.
On Friday, Kristin calls to invite Jessica to the movies-no politics at all. Jess wants to go, but since it is the night Ronald is coming over, she knows she can’t get away. She makes up some lie so Kristin won’t know she is spending her evening with a dork and Kristin buys it. Since Jessica begged off, that leaves just Kristin and Brian going to the movies. The two have been friends for a long time but Kristin has had a crush on Brian recently and from actions at the movies, he might have a bit of one on her too. It was pretty cute, actually. Ronald arrives and Jessica tries to hide out in her room, but Elizabeth drags her out. Ronald has brought a matchstick model he made of a castle. Both girls are really impressed by it. The group then plays Trivial Pursuit but Ronald wins because he had played with his cousin the week before and apparently has a photographic memory. (Come on now, I’ve seen how many cards are in those games and you are expecting me to buy that this kid’s cousin has the exact same version and the exact same card was picked while on the exact same category? Whatevs. Oh, and fyi, the Longfellow Bridge in Boston is the only one where you can sail under a train that is under a car that is under a plane. Apparently.) They then get out the Ouija board to show Ronald that some things don’t have scientific explanations (they reference finding out where their great-grandmother was buried before they even knew it, was that a SVT book?). Everyone is asking it questions at the same time but the final one is Ronald asking if someone in the room likes someone else in the room. Jessica puts an end to the game before any answer can be learned. The next morning, Jessica finds out that Ronald still sleeps with a teddy bear (I sleep with Stitch from Lilo and Stitch) and the bear’s name is Mr. Tummy. Jessica thinks it is sweet and promises not to tell anyone especially since Ronald is so embarrassed by it. The morning ends on a good note as everyone got along and no one died.
Bethel hangs her poster that says what she’ll do if elected president and it is all very sports heavy, and a bit mean-spirited as it indicates that her opponent doesn’t have any ideas. Kristin comes up and hangs up her poster and the end curls up so Jessica helps her smooth it down. Bethel comes up at that point and thinks that Jess is actually helping Kristin hang posters. She is very hurt and takes off. Jessica feels awful and at that moment, Ronald comes up and starts saying very loudly how much fun he had at her house on Friday. Jessica tries to get him to shut up or at least quiet-the-hell-down but he just keeps going on loudly what a great time he had and attracting more attention. And Damon is watching. Jessica loses it and blurts out very loudly “Do you want me to tell everyone you sleep with a bear named Mr. Tummy?” Oops. Ronald is mortified, Jessica feels awful and the bullies have heard her say it. Since Jessica is terrified of the bullies and being called Lamefield, she isn’t able to stand up for Ronald. Damon sees the whole thing and sees how Jessica doesn’t stand up for Ronald and thinks that she must not be the girl he thought she was. Damon wants to help Ronald, but he knows that if he steps in, it’ll be worse for Ronald in the long run to have another guy fight his fights.
The school newspaper runs interviews with the two candidates. Bethel’s answers are geared toward giving everyone a voice and emphasizing sports, Kristin’s are about having fun things for everyone. Bethel thinks that Kristin came off shallow and people will vote for Bethel because she has ideas. Oh, how little you know dear. Jessica and Bethel eat lunch and watch while Ronald is tortured by the bullies. Jessica feels awful but she can’t speak up-she doesn’t think she has any allies at the school either. And really, if Ronald had just left her alone, had been less clingy, none of it would have happened. Kristin and Brian spend the lunch hour hanging posters and when Kristin trips and Brian catches her, the two share a kiss. Aww.
At the assembly where the presidential candidates are giving their speeches, Brian and Damon are sitting together. Kristin’s speech is about having fun. The bullies start chanting about Ronald and Tummy and the teachers don’t stop it. Damon wonders what they are waiting for as Bethel starts her speech. Bethel stops in the middle of it and tells the bullies to shut up and save the immaturity for later when none of them has to listen to it. She shuts them up good and finishes her speech to applause.
Jessica finally apologizes to Ronald but he doesn’t say anything back. The bullies come up then and continue to torment him. Jessica wants to stop them but she can’t. She sees Damon watching and knows that she has lost any chance she had with him but she still can’t speak up. A teacher finally breaks it up and Jessica just feel like scum.
Lacy writes a letter to Kristin in class saying how boring it is and how at least watching the bullies torment Ronald is entertaining. Kristin writes back and says that Lacey is wrong and what the boys are doing is wrong and that Bethel’s speech was right. And P.S. can you believe that Brian kissed me??!! Bethel composes her list of things to do the next day: hand out fliers, vote, make sure no one sees her when she finds out she has lost, ask her parents to transfer her to boarding school. L Jessica, meanwhile, makes a list of reasons to vote for Kristin and reasons to vote for Bethel. They are running neck and neck.
The next morning, Kristin is handing out candy with fliers to get people to vote for her. Luckily Kristin knows almost all the people in the 8th grade and the few she doesn’t know, Brian knows. Every time she thinks about Brian, she gets a little giggly. She is a bit disgusted with herself for turning into a girly giggly mess, but well, it’s Brian! Lacy comes up and talks about how Bethel has already lost. Bethel is of course right behind her and says that the voting hasn’t even started and that at least she isn’t having to bribe people with candy. She then goes into the school. Jessica and Liz arrive then and Kristin tries to give them both bags of candy. Elizabeth takes one but Jessica figures she had better not. Lacey gets in some digs before Jessica leaves and Kristin takes her to task for it. Lacey finally leaves but is cold to Brian-apparently Lacey is possessive of Kristin and doesn’t want to share her with a boy. Kristin just hopes she gets over it soon.
Jessica gets into line for voting and even the people ahead of her are torn about who to vote for-Bethel had good points but Kristin would be fun and is so nice. Damon starts to get into line, but sees it is Jessica at the end and heads for a different one. Elizabeth gets into line behind Jessica and asks who Jessica is going to vote for. Jessica just doesn’t know as she glances around to make sure that neither Bethel or Kristin are lurking around. She has become paranoid, first avoiding Ronald (for the last 6 books or so), then the bullies, and now her best friends. Seems like a lot of stress at this school. Liz suggests that she doesn’t have to vote. It is then that Justin-the-bully exits the voting booth and says how he wanted to vote for Ronald and Tummy. Everyone stares at him as he continues with his lame jokes. Justin then notices Jessica even though she tries to make herself invisible. He calls her Lamefield and only leaves when Liz tells him to go away.
That afternoon, Bethel heads to the principal’s office where the election results are posted. Kristin is there and one look at her face and Bethel knows she has lost. Kristin tries to be nice, but Bethel doesn’t want to hear it. Silly Bethel, you are in 8th grade, you have to know that the popular girls get always win and also get the guys. Plus, she was running on a negative ticket (The Anti-Popular) while Kristin was running on a positive ticket (Fun!). Negative campaigns rarely work. Bethel leaves the office, her eyes burning.
In the evening, Jessica calls Bethel but Bethel won’t come to the phone and won’t call her back. Jessica then calls Kristin but Lacey answers. Lacey tells Jessica that she knows that she voted for Bethel (she doesn’t, she is just guessing), and Kristin doesn’t need friends like her. She also breaks the news to Jessica that Kristin is dating Brian. Jessica feels so left out and like she has lost her two best friends. Kristin gets out of the shower and LaceSy tries to dis Jessica but Kristin won’t let her. Kristin says that even if Jessica voted for Bethel, she’d still be friends with her. She’d never drop a friend over a stupid thing like voting. Lacey realizes that she can’t poison the well at this time and switches over to talking about Gel (her boyfriend with a horribly dumb name).
The next day, Jessica runs into Bethel who is pretty cold to her because she is still upset about her loss. Next, Jessica runs into Ronald who is still not talking to her. The bullies come up and Jessica finally speaks up and they leave. She turns to Ronald hoping for accolades, but he reminds her that if she hadn’t opened her big mouth, it wouldn’t be a problem in the first place.
That afternoon, Damon is avoiding his locker because he doesn’t want to see Jessica. He doesn’t want to think about her or see her because he still likes her. He comes upon the bullies and a few more friend torment Ronald. He wants to step in, but again realizes that it would be a mistake. Jessica arrives on the scene and decides to make a stand. She knows it will ruin any chance she has with Damon but figures that she’s already done that. She goes up to Ronald and tells him that they are going to be late for their date. The bullies are stunned quiet and Jessica figures that having a bit of a posse will keep the two of them from being picked on. Once they are free of the bullies, Jess tells Ronald that he can go back to being mad at her. He says that he is grateful and they should still go out like she told the bullies they were. Jess isn’t thrilled by the idea but agrees. They head off to the pizza parlor, but Jessica is trying to think of ways to bail out. At the pizza place, they run into Kristin and Brian on a celebratory date and join them. Kristin and Jessica are friends again and Brian is talking to Ronald so everyone is pretty content.
At home, Bethel calls to apologize for being mean to Jessica and promises to go for a run before getting mad at people in the future. The two decide to hang out and watch a movie. Jessica’s life is starting to straighten out and is further improved on Monday when at school, Ronald gives her a matchstick model of a castle and Jess loves it but doesn’t want Ronald to think she likes him likes him. The bullies come up and start taunting but Jessica and Ronald ignore them as a team and they go away. Later on in the afternoon, Jessica is again at her locker and there is a red rose in it. Ronald comes up and says that he didn’t give it to her so she wonders where it came from. Bethel? Elizabeth? Kristin? Nope, Damon. He comes up and asks if she likes it. Duh. Yes. He then asks her out for pizza on Friday. Duh. Yes. And the book ends happily.
This book wasn’t too bad. I could see the situations Jessica was in were pretty realistic. As an engineer, I know TONS of guys who are Ronald just older and there are times when I just want them to shut up and go away and they don’t get the hints. And the whole caught between two friends thing was also pretty realistic. I was also thrilled this book didn’t have any Salvador or Anna and almost no Liz. Practically a perfect book-for Sweet Valley. And there isn't all that much to snark on with these books--not nearly the level of snark possible with SVH and SVU anyway.
Cover: Eh, couldn't find it in a decent sized picture of the cover but it is Jessica(?) and a guy (Damon?) under an umbrella. In a scene that never happened in the book.
Jessica is dying for Damon Ross to ask her out. Her English teacher told her to write a poem about something that mystifies her. So she writes about Damon.
Damon makes himself a list of reasons to Ask Jessica Wakefield out. Number one is: Do or do not. There is no try. He is Yoda! His other reasons are that he can’t stop thinking about her and that she might say yes. Really, all pretty good reasons.
Jessica is trying to avoid her locker-mate, Ronald. He is apparently a dork but worse than that, he seems to be really clingy. Jessica drops her paper and Ronald appears on the scene to pick it up. It is the poem and he reads it. (I’d probably slug someone who read my writing without my permission) He starts to read it aloud but then she grabs it back. Justin Campbell and Matt Springmeier arrive on the scene at this juncture and begin teasing Jessica about her boyfriend. Her nickname “Lamefield” is brought up again. (the nickname itself is pretty lame, IMO.) Jessica goes to lunch with Bethel and Bethel is a good friend and cheers her up by saying that Damon was watching her during lunch. Bethel is also running for class president; she is doing it because she is competitive with her older sister and wants to do something her sister has never done. But she doesn’t say that, she just says she wants to be class president. Jessica promises to help her with her campaign.
That evening, Ned and Alice break the news that Ronald will be spending the night at the Wakefield house that coming Friday while his parents, friends of Ned and Alice, are out. Elizabeth also says that she signed Jessica’s friend’s petition to run for president that day-Kristin’s petition for president, not Bethel’s. This is the first Jessica has heard about Kristin running and now she is torn because both girls are her best friends at school.
The next day at school, Jessica tells Kristin that she can’t help her with her campaign, but that she won’t help Bethel either. She’ll stay neutral, if possible. Jessica heads to her locker and sees Damon at his. She jokes around with him and he is about to ask her out when Ronald comes up. To keep Ronald from shouting anything embarrassing (as he is the type to talk loudly and be oblivious to other people’s signals), Jessica hurries over to him rather than wait for Damon to ask her out. Damon is confused about why Jessica always hurries over to Ronald and leaves him and he thinks he either grosses her out or that she likes him. Bethel meanwhile has found out that Kristin is running and is losing hope for her campaign. Kristin is really popular and everyone loves her-except Bethel. Bethel thinks she is a fake and a showoff. When Bethel talks to Jessica about the campaign, Jessica tells her that she can’t help her but that she won’t help Kristin either. Bethel understands why Jessica won’t help either of them but knows that she’ll suffer more from the lack of Jess than Kristin will.
On Friday, Kristin calls to invite Jessica to the movies-no politics at all. Jess wants to go, but since it is the night Ronald is coming over, she knows she can’t get away. She makes up some lie so Kristin won’t know she is spending her evening with a dork and Kristin buys it. Since Jessica begged off, that leaves just Kristin and Brian going to the movies. The two have been friends for a long time but Kristin has had a crush on Brian recently and from actions at the movies, he might have a bit of one on her too. It was pretty cute, actually. Ronald arrives and Jessica tries to hide out in her room, but Elizabeth drags her out. Ronald has brought a matchstick model he made of a castle. Both girls are really impressed by it. The group then plays Trivial Pursuit but Ronald wins because he had played with his cousin the week before and apparently has a photographic memory. (Come on now, I’ve seen how many cards are in those games and you are expecting me to buy that this kid’s cousin has the exact same version and the exact same card was picked while on the exact same category? Whatevs. Oh, and fyi, the Longfellow Bridge in Boston is the only one where you can sail under a train that is under a car that is under a plane. Apparently.) They then get out the Ouija board to show Ronald that some things don’t have scientific explanations (they reference finding out where their great-grandmother was buried before they even knew it, was that a SVT book?). Everyone is asking it questions at the same time but the final one is Ronald asking if someone in the room likes someone else in the room. Jessica puts an end to the game before any answer can be learned. The next morning, Jessica finds out that Ronald still sleeps with a teddy bear (I sleep with Stitch from Lilo and Stitch) and the bear’s name is Mr. Tummy. Jessica thinks it is sweet and promises not to tell anyone especially since Ronald is so embarrassed by it. The morning ends on a good note as everyone got along and no one died.
Bethel hangs her poster that says what she’ll do if elected president and it is all very sports heavy, and a bit mean-spirited as it indicates that her opponent doesn’t have any ideas. Kristin comes up and hangs up her poster and the end curls up so Jessica helps her smooth it down. Bethel comes up at that point and thinks that Jess is actually helping Kristin hang posters. She is very hurt and takes off. Jessica feels awful and at that moment, Ronald comes up and starts saying very loudly how much fun he had at her house on Friday. Jessica tries to get him to shut up or at least quiet-the-hell-down but he just keeps going on loudly what a great time he had and attracting more attention. And Damon is watching. Jessica loses it and blurts out very loudly “Do you want me to tell everyone you sleep with a bear named Mr. Tummy?” Oops. Ronald is mortified, Jessica feels awful and the bullies have heard her say it. Since Jessica is terrified of the bullies and being called Lamefield, she isn’t able to stand up for Ronald. Damon sees the whole thing and sees how Jessica doesn’t stand up for Ronald and thinks that she must not be the girl he thought she was. Damon wants to help Ronald, but he knows that if he steps in, it’ll be worse for Ronald in the long run to have another guy fight his fights.
The school newspaper runs interviews with the two candidates. Bethel’s answers are geared toward giving everyone a voice and emphasizing sports, Kristin’s are about having fun things for everyone. Bethel thinks that Kristin came off shallow and people will vote for Bethel because she has ideas. Oh, how little you know dear. Jessica and Bethel eat lunch and watch while Ronald is tortured by the bullies. Jessica feels awful but she can’t speak up-she doesn’t think she has any allies at the school either. And really, if Ronald had just left her alone, had been less clingy, none of it would have happened. Kristin and Brian spend the lunch hour hanging posters and when Kristin trips and Brian catches her, the two share a kiss. Aww.
At the assembly where the presidential candidates are giving their speeches, Brian and Damon are sitting together. Kristin’s speech is about having fun. The bullies start chanting about Ronald and Tummy and the teachers don’t stop it. Damon wonders what they are waiting for as Bethel starts her speech. Bethel stops in the middle of it and tells the bullies to shut up and save the immaturity for later when none of them has to listen to it. She shuts them up good and finishes her speech to applause.
Jessica finally apologizes to Ronald but he doesn’t say anything back. The bullies come up then and continue to torment him. Jessica wants to stop them but she can’t. She sees Damon watching and knows that she has lost any chance she had with him but she still can’t speak up. A teacher finally breaks it up and Jessica just feel like scum.
Lacy writes a letter to Kristin in class saying how boring it is and how at least watching the bullies torment Ronald is entertaining. Kristin writes back and says that Lacey is wrong and what the boys are doing is wrong and that Bethel’s speech was right. And P.S. can you believe that Brian kissed me??!! Bethel composes her list of things to do the next day: hand out fliers, vote, make sure no one sees her when she finds out she has lost, ask her parents to transfer her to boarding school. L Jessica, meanwhile, makes a list of reasons to vote for Kristin and reasons to vote for Bethel. They are running neck and neck.
The next morning, Kristin is handing out candy with fliers to get people to vote for her. Luckily Kristin knows almost all the people in the 8th grade and the few she doesn’t know, Brian knows. Every time she thinks about Brian, she gets a little giggly. She is a bit disgusted with herself for turning into a girly giggly mess, but well, it’s Brian! Lacy comes up and talks about how Bethel has already lost. Bethel is of course right behind her and says that the voting hasn’t even started and that at least she isn’t having to bribe people with candy. She then goes into the school. Jessica and Liz arrive then and Kristin tries to give them both bags of candy. Elizabeth takes one but Jessica figures she had better not. Lacey gets in some digs before Jessica leaves and Kristin takes her to task for it. Lacey finally leaves but is cold to Brian-apparently Lacey is possessive of Kristin and doesn’t want to share her with a boy. Kristin just hopes she gets over it soon.
Jessica gets into line for voting and even the people ahead of her are torn about who to vote for-Bethel had good points but Kristin would be fun and is so nice. Damon starts to get into line, but sees it is Jessica at the end and heads for a different one. Elizabeth gets into line behind Jessica and asks who Jessica is going to vote for. Jessica just doesn’t know as she glances around to make sure that neither Bethel or Kristin are lurking around. She has become paranoid, first avoiding Ronald (for the last 6 books or so), then the bullies, and now her best friends. Seems like a lot of stress at this school. Liz suggests that she doesn’t have to vote. It is then that Justin-the-bully exits the voting booth and says how he wanted to vote for Ronald and Tummy. Everyone stares at him as he continues with his lame jokes. Justin then notices Jessica even though she tries to make herself invisible. He calls her Lamefield and only leaves when Liz tells him to go away.
That afternoon, Bethel heads to the principal’s office where the election results are posted. Kristin is there and one look at her face and Bethel knows she has lost. Kristin tries to be nice, but Bethel doesn’t want to hear it. Silly Bethel, you are in 8th grade, you have to know that the popular girls get always win and also get the guys. Plus, she was running on a negative ticket (The Anti-Popular) while Kristin was running on a positive ticket (Fun!). Negative campaigns rarely work. Bethel leaves the office, her eyes burning.
In the evening, Jessica calls Bethel but Bethel won’t come to the phone and won’t call her back. Jessica then calls Kristin but Lacey answers. Lacey tells Jessica that she knows that she voted for Bethel (she doesn’t, she is just guessing), and Kristin doesn’t need friends like her. She also breaks the news to Jessica that Kristin is dating Brian. Jessica feels so left out and like she has lost her two best friends. Kristin gets out of the shower and LaceSy tries to dis Jessica but Kristin won’t let her. Kristin says that even if Jessica voted for Bethel, she’d still be friends with her. She’d never drop a friend over a stupid thing like voting. Lacey realizes that she can’t poison the well at this time and switches over to talking about Gel (her boyfriend with a horribly dumb name).
The next day, Jessica runs into Bethel who is pretty cold to her because she is still upset about her loss. Next, Jessica runs into Ronald who is still not talking to her. The bullies come up and Jessica finally speaks up and they leave. She turns to Ronald hoping for accolades, but he reminds her that if she hadn’t opened her big mouth, it wouldn’t be a problem in the first place.
That afternoon, Damon is avoiding his locker because he doesn’t want to see Jessica. He doesn’t want to think about her or see her because he still likes her. He comes upon the bullies and a few more friend torment Ronald. He wants to step in, but again realizes that it would be a mistake. Jessica arrives on the scene and decides to make a stand. She knows it will ruin any chance she has with Damon but figures that she’s already done that. She goes up to Ronald and tells him that they are going to be late for their date. The bullies are stunned quiet and Jessica figures that having a bit of a posse will keep the two of them from being picked on. Once they are free of the bullies, Jess tells Ronald that he can go back to being mad at her. He says that he is grateful and they should still go out like she told the bullies they were. Jess isn’t thrilled by the idea but agrees. They head off to the pizza parlor, but Jessica is trying to think of ways to bail out. At the pizza place, they run into Kristin and Brian on a celebratory date and join them. Kristin and Jessica are friends again and Brian is talking to Ronald so everyone is pretty content.
At home, Bethel calls to apologize for being mean to Jessica and promises to go for a run before getting mad at people in the future. The two decide to hang out and watch a movie. Jessica’s life is starting to straighten out and is further improved on Monday when at school, Ronald gives her a matchstick model of a castle and Jess loves it but doesn’t want Ronald to think she likes him likes him. The bullies come up and start taunting but Jessica and Ronald ignore them as a team and they go away. Later on in the afternoon, Jessica is again at her locker and there is a red rose in it. Ronald comes up and says that he didn’t give it to her so she wonders where it came from. Bethel? Elizabeth? Kristin? Nope, Damon. He comes up and asks if she likes it. Duh. Yes. He then asks her out for pizza on Friday. Duh. Yes. And the book ends happily.
This book wasn’t too bad. I could see the situations Jessica was in were pretty realistic. As an engineer, I know TONS of guys who are Ronald just older and there are times when I just want them to shut up and go away and they don’t get the hints. And the whole caught between two friends thing was also pretty realistic. I was also thrilled this book didn’t have any Salvador or Anna and almost no Liz. Practically a perfect book-for Sweet Valley. And there isn't all that much to snark on with these books--not nearly the level of snark possible with SVH and SVU anyway.