A/N: Time for a new Veronica Mars story. This is a total AU, wherein none of the characters featured really know each other and certainly don't get along. It is based on a movie, with quite a few changes and twists... hope you like :-)
Chapter 1 - Arrival
Dear Mr Clemmons, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was that we did wrong. What we did was wrong, but we think you're crazy to make us write this essay telling you who we think we are. What do you care? You see us as you want to see us, in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. You see us as a geek, an idiot, a criminal, an outcast and a jackass. Correct? That's the way we saw each other at seven o'clock this morning. We were brainwashed.
Saturday March 26, 2005. Neptune High School, Neptune, California
"Are you going to talk at all?" the blonde asked as her father pulled the car up outside Neptune High.
"What do you want me to say, Veronica?" sighed her father, Keith Mars, once-respected Sheriff of the town, "This is the fifth Saturday detention you've had in two months. I just... I'm out of smart lines now, so I say nothing" he shrugged, completely at a loss as to how to deal with his daughter anymore.
"Fine" she said as she moved to get out of the car, pushing the door closed with a thud, "For what it's worth, Dad, I'm sorry... that I embarrass you" she said through the open window, before she turned and walked away.
"I know, sweetheart" Keith sighed to himself as he watched her walk away, thinking how much his wife leaving had affected Veronica's behaviour.
He kept hoping one day she'd calm down, be better behaved, but as yet it hadn't happened. Putting the car in gear, he moved to drive away, braking fast when he almost hit a young man who had cut in front of his car.
"Dude!" the blonde surfer exclaimed, putting a hand on the hood as if he could stop it running him down that easily, "Easy, Sheriff, people are walking here!" he told him loudly through the windshield as he went by.
"Dick Casablancas" Keith said to himself, rolling his eyes at the kids behaviour, before he finally drove away.
One car was almost immediately replaced by another.
"This is the first and last time we do this, Cindy" her mother snapped as she pulled the car up out front of the school building, "First and last"
"I get it, Mom" she replied, pushing her blue-streaked brunette hair behind her ear and sighing, "I understand"
"I expect you to get plenty of studying done in there" her mother went on to say, as little brother Ryan grinned and stuck out his tongue at her.
"Mom, you know I can't" Cindy protested, "We're not allowed to do anything, we just have to sit there"
"Well, I want you to find a way to do something constructive" said Mrs Mackenzie determinedly, as her daughter turned and got out of the car.
She headed up the stairs to the main doors, just as a motorcycle pulled up in the parking lot.
The rider switched off his bike, removed his helmet and dismounted, looking up at the school building with distaste. Weevil, as he was known throughout the school, could use not being here today, but it wasn't worth the hassle from his grandma if he didn't show up.
Turning on the school steps, Weevil shot a look of disgust at the car that came racing into the lot behind him. Aaron Echolls, famous movie star, was dropping off his son for detention too, and was extremely unhappy at the prospect. Wishing to escape Daddy's wrath as soon as possible, Logan made to get out of the car immediately and without a word, only to be grabbed by his jacket and pulled back into his seat with a force.
"Now I'm going to say this once, and once only, Logan" he said seriously, "Look at me!" he snapped when the boy did not at first, "If I ever find out you skipped class again, to go surfing or any other dumbass thing, detention will be the least of your problems" he said, with a steely tone, "Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir" the usually confident boy muttered, glad to finally be allowed to get out of the car and walk away.
As he went up the steps and into the school, his fearful look melted into his usual cocky demeanour, the outside that he showed the world whilst the inside shook still in terror. It wouldn't do to have the reputation of a scared little boy. He was Logan Echolls, tough and sharp-witted and almost guaranteed to be the most popular person in the library for detention today, surrounded by misfits who didn't understand that maybe it just wasn't quite as cool as they thought to be him.
Walking into the room he glanced at the already assembled group. At the back was Dick Casablancas, a guy he knew from the fact they ran with the same crowd, the 09er set, and yet they weren't exactly best buds or anything, on account of Dick just being so dumb it was almost unbearable. A couple of rows in front of him was some computer chick with dark hair that had blue streaks running through it. Logan honestly couldn't recall her name and didn't care to.
On the other side, in back sat Weevil, the school's rebel without a clue as far as Logan was concerned, and a few rows in front of him was Veronica Mars, someone he had known quite well when they were kids, but had easily drifted apart as status became important and their lives went in very different directions during High School. Now Logan had a choice, which of the four quadrants of the room did he want to assign himself too? Who did he want for a playmate today?
"Mr Echolls, sit down!" he was told sternly as Principal Clemmons appeared behind him, looking severe.
"Yes, sir" he said in overly chirpy fashion and with a mock-salute to match that made Veronica roll her eyes, something he noticed as he sat himself down two seats along from her on the same row.
"Well, here we are!" the Principal said to the assembled group, a look of distaste on is features as he glanced around at the strange ensemble of kids he found in his presence today, "I want to congratulate you for being on time, at least" he said as he looked down at his watch, only to find that when he looked back up, Mac had her hand tentatively raised.
"Excuse me, sir?" she said carefully, "Um, I was just thinking... I know this is detention, but I don't think I really belong in here..." she said, feeling a little stupid now and wishing she'd never started.
The Principal realised she knew she'd made a mistake in attracting so much attention to herself and so ignored her comment and continued.
"It is now seven-oh-six" he informed the group, "You have exactly eight hours and fifty-four minutes to think about why you're here. To ponder the error of your
ways..." he said, as he removed a pencil from the hand of Logan who was starting to scribble on the desk already, "...and you may not talk" he continued, as he walked past Weevil, giving him the evil eye, "You will not move from these seats" he told Dick and Mac, "...and you, young lady" he snapped, pointing in Veronica's direction with the confiscated pencil, "you will not sleep" he informed her, as she was already resting her head on her arms as if to do so.
The students looked vaguely at each other, and around the room, anywhere but at Mr Clemmons, even as he continued to speak to them.
"Alright, we're gonna try something a little different today" he said, picking up a pile of paper from the front of the room and passing it out, "We are going to write an essay of no less than a thousand words, describing to me who you think you are" he explained, ensuring everyone had their paper and understood the assignment he was giving them, "And when I say essay, I mean essay" he repeated, apparently for the benefit of Dick, since that was who he was focused on right now, "I do not mean a single word repeated a thousand times. Is that clear, Mr Casablancas?"
"Dude!" he exclaimed, "Like I'd do that... again" he smirked.
"Okay" Mr Clemmons moved to walk away, before turning back to say one more thing, "My office is right across that hall" he informed them "Any monkey business is ill-advised. Any questions?" he asked, turning away before anyone actually had a chance to speak.
"Yeah, I've got a question" Logan called behind him, stopping the Principal dead in his tracks, "Are you going for a Lex Luthor thing back here" he gestured to the back of the man's head, "or is it time to reapply the Regaine?"
"I'll give you the answer to that question, Mr. Echolls, next Saturday" he answered sternly, knowing that even if he didn't show it, that hurt Logan Echolls on the inside, to know he was losing another Saturday of fun, "Don't mess with the bull, young man, you'll get the horns" he told him, glancing around at the five blank expressions looking back at him before he finally left the room, to the sound of a collective and bored sigh.
It was going to be a long day.
To Be Continued...
A/N2: As you have probably noticed, this is the Neptune High Breakfast Club! :-) However, it will be different to the movie, as each VM character does not exactly fit the mould of the BC characters.
I have seen this tried before but none of what I've read really worked for me, I need to do my own version, and I hope its going to be good... What do you think so far?
Disclaimer: All recognisable characters from Veronica Mars belong to Rob Thomas and other important people who aren't me. Any lines / plot elements that are recognisable as being from The Breakfast Club belong to John Hughes and other important people who aren't me.