This is a story that wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it. It is based off of the song "Mixtape" by the band Brand New and they are highly, highly recommended by me because they are amazing.
The only things you need to know are: I only own the plot, the characters and the scene from the pilot were only borrowed by me and will be returned all clean and shiny after I am finished with them. Scout's honor. Also, This takes place sometime during Season 1 before Weapons of Class Destruction. Lyrics are in bold, flashbacks are in italics.
Love it or hate it, let me know.
"Prince Charming"
I got a twenty-dollar bill that says no one's ever seen you without makeup. You're always made up.
Veronica entered the cafeteria and took at seat at her usual table, taking the opportunity to observe the student body in their most natural habitat: lunch. Unlike the classroom, the cafeteria was perfect for social segregation, an act as old as time itself. Each clique had their own table and rarely did interaction occur. This was the only time, during school hours, that the hierarchy of Neptune could be seen in its most pure form, teenage angst.
"Dude, that essay you turned in in English, I thought I was going to die laughing" Dick told Logan as the two made their way through the maze of tables.
Logan let out a nervous laugh, "yeah, I didn't know he was gonna make us read them out loud" He responded quickly.
"Dude seriously, 'The one moment I will never forget is the moment my heart was shattered into a million pieces, the moment I found out that the girl I loved was murdered'." Dick mimicked Logan as he stood in front of their class. "Mr. Daniels was practically crying Dude." Dick added as another wave of hysteria overtook him.
Logan sank down onto one of the benches and rolled his eyes at his friend, "Why do you think I wrote it?" He asked, seeming to regain some of his usual swagger that had faded as soon as Dick had brought up the essay. "Sympathy from a teacher? Hell yeah I'll take that." He said holding out his hand for a high five which was quickly returned by several people at the table. His eyes darkened though and he quickly looked away from the table and, much to his surprise, his eyes met Veronica's. The two held each other's gaze for a moment before she looked away, shaking her head slightly.
Anger bubbled up inside Veronica. She knew he was lying, knew that Lilly's dead had almost been his death as well. She remembered the moment he had learned of her murder just as well, if not better than he did. She had been the one to break the news to him.
"Are you bleeding?" Logan asked the receiver on his cell phone, his words slurring slightly.
"No, Logan-" She began but was cut off almost immediately.
"You know the rules V. Do not call Logan in Mexico unless it's a life or death situation." He said emphasizing every word individually. He was about to snap his phone shut, ready to return to "Operation: Forget Lilly" when he heard a choked sob come from the other end. "What happened? Is your Dad okay? Your Mom? Is it Duncan?" He began firing the questions at her as he pushed his way through the crowded bar toward the exit.
Veronica took several deep breaths in an effort to calm herself and was partially successful. She needed to be strong enough to handle this for the both of them. "No Logan, they're fine" She told him quietly. She again forced herself to take another deep, shaky breath, physically forcing herself to not break down again.
"You're scaring me Veronica" He said, his voice sounding so small.
If she didn't say it now, she would never be able to. "Lilly" she whispered the name into the phone. "They, they found her murdered" She told him, choking on the last word as a new wave of sobs overtook her small frame.
Veronica was vaguely aware of a cracking sound as the line went dead.
Two days later she received a phone call from Lynn, begging her to help. It seemed that Logan had driven straight home from Mexico after their conversation and hadn't left his room since. He hadn't eaten or slept in days and his mother was truly desperate.
Fifteen minutes later found Veronica standing outside of Logan's bedroom. She knocked softly and entered the darkened room. He sat on his bed, staring blankly at a spot just above the television.
"Logan?" She asked softly, as if saying anything too loudly would break him completely.
He turned his head slowly, and as his eyes slid into focus on her, she knew just how much he hurt. She walked over to the bed and sat down In front of him. His arms went around her and they cried together.
She had stayed the night and no one protested.
After the funeral, everything had changed when her father went after Jake Kane. Given the choice of turning her back on the only constant in her life or the life that meant nothing without Lilly, Veronica had chosen to stand by her father and watch her world crumble around her.
And I'm sick of your tattoos, and the way you always criticize the Smiths... and Morrissey.
Veronica found herself smiling bitterly at the memories of her former relationship with Logan.
The truth of the matter was that that had hurt the most. She had already lost Duncan and then Lilly. Sure Logan had been pissed at her when he found out that she had been the one that told Lilly that he had kissed Yolanda, but the way he answered the phone that night had been proof that he still cared. Right?
"Wow Veronica, I know you're like the sixth Spice Girl and all but, come on. I think I can honestly say that you have the worst taste in music I have ever seen." Logan had declared one day while flipping through her CD wallet.
It was before life as she knew it had ended. Duncan still loved her, Lilly and Logan were "on again" and life was perfect. Lilly had insisted that they all spend the afternoon swimming because she had bought a new bathing suit and wanted to make sure it passed the test before it made any sort of public appearance.
"Sorry Logan, not all of us can be quite as hip as you and be 50 Cent's groupie" Veronica replied cheekily.
"Seriously though, who still uses CDs anymore?" He shot back with his trademark smirk.
Veronica rolled her eyes but averted her gaze anyway. She knew he didn't mean it, but it hurt nevertheless.
"Low blow, man" Duncan commented from the side of the pool where he sat, his feet dangling in the water.
Logan opened his mouth to defend himself but Veronica spoke before he could, "No, it's fine Duncan," she insisted earnestly, "I know I don't have as much money as you guys do" She replied easily, walking over to where Logan stood next to the pool. "However, what I do have" She said slyly, stepping even closer to Logan, "is so much more important." She said coming to a stop right in front of him.
"And what, pray tell, might that be?" Logan asked eagerly, sarcasm dripping from each word.
"Balance" She replied simply taking the CD case from him with one hand and pushing him backwards into the pool with the other.
He emerged from the water several seconds later sputtering slightly. "Well played, Mars, well played." He acknowledged nodding his head with approval.
And I know that you're a sucker for anything acoustic.
But when I say let's keep in touch,
I really mean I wish that you'd grow up.
Ugh, when is the pizza supposed to be here? I'm starving!" Madison Sinclair whined to the rest of the table.
"Should be any minute now" Logan replied easily. He glanced at Madison and an evil glint sparked in his eye, "Besides, you don't look like you're starving or anything" He told her innocently.
"There's Logan for you in a nutshell. He knows exactly what to say to play on your biggest insecurities. Bastard" Thought Veronica bitterly after observing the display.
"Hey Ronnie, we decided we'd rather surf than study today. You wanna come with?" Logan's condescension filled voice greeted her as he pulled his bright yellow monstrosity along side of her.
Veronica did her best to ignore him, managing only a small eyeroll as she continued walking.
Logan, being the person that he was, wouldn't let it be though. "Duncan promises to take his shirt off, does that sweeten the pot? Does it make you horny?" He then turned to Duncan who was seated in the passenger's seat, "Hey DK, flex for your ex!" He said with amusement of just how uncomfortable the situation truly was.
"Shut up Logan" Duncan replied angrily.
"All right" Logan said placating.
"Hey," Logan said softly to Veronica in an attempt to gain her attention. When she didn't respond right away, he repeated himself louder.
After Veronica had finally turned to face him, he brought the SUV to a stop next to her. He reached down and pulled out a flask and looked her straight in the eye, "What do you say to a little hooch, huh?" He asked? Malice laced his words.
Veronica's eyes flashed down at the flask, she was clearly not amused.
"What's the matter? Aren't you your Mother's daughter? Now there was a woman who could drink!" he told her with conviction. "What's she up to nowadays?" He asked thoughtfully. "Maybe she'll join us." He said grinning. "You know where she is? Any clue?"
Clearly the boy loved to torture her.
This is the first song for your mixtape.
And it's short just like your temper,
but somewhat golden like the afternoons we used to spend before you got too cool...
"We ordered one pepperoni and one half cheese, half sausage. Not one sausage, one half cheese, half pepperoni!" Logan screamed at the unsuspecting delivery boy.
"I, I'm sorry" He replied, holding his hand put in defense. "I'll fix it" He said desperately.
"Yeah, you will" Logan agreed. "You aren't going to charge us for this are you?" He asked casually.
The delivery boy shook his head quickly and made a bee line for the parking lot, hoping to put as much distance between himself and the young Mr. Echolls as possible.
"That guy is such an ass" Wallace commented to Veronica.
She had been so caught up in her own thoughts that she had barely even registered that he had joined her.
"He didn't used to be" She told her new friend confidently. "Lilly's death it changed him, it changed us all" She told him simply.
It was the first Saturday night of their sophomore year of high school. Duncan and Lilly's grandmother in Tennessee had fallen ill and the doctors weren't sure how much time she had left. This was why their parents had insisted that they go and visit "before the opportunity passed". This was how Logan and Veronica found themselves at the Casablancas' house enjoying their first party of the new school year.
"Okay, it's 8:00 now, so meet me back here at 11:45 and we'll get you home before you turn into a pumpkin Cinderella." Logan told Veronica with a smile as they surveyed the scene in front of them.
Veronica's father, Sheriff of Neptune, was notorious for enforcing curfew to the minute.
"Hmm, that's funny" Veronica said looking at Logan, her brow wrinkling slightly.
"What?" He asked her curiously.
"You don't look like Prince Charming" She told him innocently.
"Ha ha" He replied dryly at her joke.
"Future referencing, the carriage turns into a pumpkin, not Cinderella" She informed him with a smile.
"Noted," He replied with a wink as he disappeared into the crowd.
Two hours later and Veronica was surrounded by a group of people she couldn't name if her life depended on it. She was mostly watching as the group she was with downed plastic cup after plastic cup, slipping further away from reality with each swallow. Knowing that if her father had suspected she had been drinking she would be grounded for the next month, Veronica resolved herself to soda after her two initial cups of beer.
"Verrrronica! A voice greeted her loudly from behind.
"Josh" She said pleasantly after finding out who greeted her.
"You look thirsty, here" He said thrusting a cup at her.
"Aw, that's sweet, thanks but I'm not having anymore tonight. My dad will kill me if he thinks I'm the least bit drunk" She told him seriously.
His response was to shrug and down the entire contents of the cup.
"Lovely" She commented sarcastically before turning to rejoin the group.
From Josh's end, the conversation wasn't quite finished yet. "Dance with me." It was more of a demand than a request, punctuated by the fact that he had grabbed her wrist and spun her back around to face him.
She looked up at him in surprise and pulled her arm back in an effort to free herself. "I'm not much of a dancer" She told him as she stopped moving and pulled her arm back even harder. His grip wasn't loosening though.
"You're hurting me" She told him calmly.
"Come on Veronica. I just want to dance with you. It's not like I asked you to have sex with me. But if that's what you want…" He trailed off suggestively.
Veronica's face hardened. "Let go of me" She said this time more firmly.
"Not until you dance" He replied, pulling her toward him.
"Let her go." The harshness of the words startled both of them and they turned to see Logan staring at Josh.
Josh dropped veronica's arm at once and immediately threw his hands up in defense, "Hey man, I just wanted to dance" He said quickly.
Logan stared at him and he was shaking slightly from the effort it took to not throw this guy through the window. He turned to look at Veronica and immediately his expression softened. "Are you hurt?" He asked her softly.
Veronica's wrist was sore from the tightness of his grip but other than that she was fine. "Yeah, I'm okay, it's just sore." She told him motioning to her wrist. "I really just want to go home" She told him quietly.
He nodded, "yeah" He agreed. "We don't want an APB out on you or anything" He added.
They left the party unnoticed, save for Josh who was telling anyone who would listen how he chased Logan away. She sat in his passenger's seat and looked at him thoughtfully as he drove. They drove in silence and were halfway to her house before she spoke.
"Thank you." She told him quietly.
He shook it off, "You're okay though?" He asked concerned.
"Yeah, its just a little red but it won't bruise or anything" She told him.
"Good, because then I would have to kill him." Logan told her seriously.
As Logan pulled to a stop in front of Veronica's house, she turned and smiled at him. A thoughtful expression made its way onto her face as she looked at him. "thank you for the ride" She told him gratefully.
"I was going anyway" He told her.
She opened the door and had one foot out of the car as she turned suddenly to look back at him, "You know" she said thoughtfully, "In this light, you do kind of look like Prince Charming" she told him and leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Night" She said quickly before stepping out of the car and running up to her front door.
Logan stared at the passenger's side incredulously and shook his head in disbelief. He let out a short laugh as he pulled away from the curb and headed home.
"Veronica?" Wallace asked waving his hand in front of her face.
"What? Sorry." Veronica asked coming back to her senses.
"Where'd you go?" he asked interestedly.
"To another life" she replied sadly.
Yeah, but I wish you were my shadow
As much as Veronica hated to admit it, especially to herself, she missed her old life. She couldn't ever see a ay back to a friendship with Logan and that was what broke her heart completely.