"It was a bright day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen." - George Orwell, 1984
Veronica Mars pulled her long hair back from her face and off her neck, securing it into a neat ponytail with one of the three beige elastics that were omnipresent around her left wrist.
Three was a necessity. Always three. One was for her when she needed to concentrate. The second was for Lilly when she demanded one (for years she'd taken the one right out of Veronica's hair when she deemed it necessary). And the third was for when Lilly lost her first one (usually around the time pep squad practice started).
Veronica even secretly had an extra hidden in her backpack in case Lilly's whimsy insisted on pigtails at any particular moment (which only usually happened on Thursdays when pep squad practice was held in the gym and coincided with basketball practice; therefore Caz Truman was present). Veronica rolled her eyes at the thought.
Her mom had taken to buying a fifty-pack of Goody's Ouchless elastics (in earth tones, of course) from Vons at least once a month, understanding Veronica's need to keep on top of things. When your best friend was Lilly Kane, it did a body good to be prepared.
But today wasn't Thursday, so three elastics would do. Today was Wednesday, which meant that her lunch started at 12:30 p.m., Lilly was busy with Junior Seminar, Duncan had a meeting, and Veronica had her chance to hide in one corner of the library and study for the "surprise" pop quiz that Carmen had given her the heads-up about that morning when they passed in the hall between first and second periods.
Veronica unzipped her backpack, pulled out her retro Wonder Woman lunchbox and algebra textbook, and then quickly flipped to the chapter in question. Her life was easier because she was good at math. She could do well enough without studying, but a quick look-see would ensure that she aced the quiz. If Veronica was going to follow Duncan to college, she'd need a scholarship.
"Veronica Mars." The voice, familiar though it was, surprised her a bit and she jumped. She looked up into the face of Lilly's boyfriend. "Just who I've been looking for," he said maniacally. She was sure he'd be rubbing his hands together for effect if they weren't already full.
Veronica closed the algebra book. Once Logan Echolls had you in his sights, all plans changed. Usually for the better, but one thing was sure, study time was over.
Logan was holding a square aluminum take-out container, the contents of which were a mystery but smelled delicious.
"And why would you be looking for me," she chirped, wearily eyeing her lunchbox with disdain. Veronica made a big show of looking around him and behind him. "Where's your entourage? Caitlin and Madison must be crushed."
"They're looking for me, hence why I came in here to hide."
"Naturally," Veronica snorted. "No one would ever look for you in here."
Logan continued as though she hadn't interrupted. "Lilly's in class. Duncan's at a student council meeting. I was planning to be bored, but now I've found you." He waggled his eyebrows at her.
"Lucky me," she deadpanned. The truth was that Veronica didn't mind. She still wanted to ace the quiz, but Logan (especially Logan alone) was much more diverting. He was even more fun to be around when Lilly wasn't present. Though everyone was usually more at ease when Lilly wasn't around.
"You are lucky. I'm here to save you from whatever is in that lunchbox." He pointed to her lap. "I ordered way too much lasagna for one person." He held up the container in one hand. "Care to share the burden?" He waved two black plastic forks in the hand that wasn't balancing the container.
Veronica looked down at her own PBJ, sliced apples, and snack pack of Doritos. And then she looked back at the container in his hand, tempted. She wished she could have lunch delivered like the other kids. She didn't like mooching off Lilly and Duncan every day, so she usually brown-bagged it. She had some Pirate Points saved up, but not the money for take-out.
Then a thought dawned on her. She narrowed her eyes and gazed up at him. "Wait a minute. How is it that you somehow have enough Pirate Points for delivery?"
He raised his brow as if the matter of him having Pirate Points was a given. "I have an abundance of Pirate Points."
Veronica laughed heartily. "Stolen, maybe," she speculated with a shake of her head. She put her lunchbox on her lap, pulled out a juice box, and poked the straw into the top. "No, thank you. I'm not interested in eating your ill-gotten gains."
"Not stolen. Veronica, you wound me," Logan put the fork-holding hand to his chest and widened his eyes, mocking her. "These Pirate Points were earned fair and square, thank you very much."
Veronica scoffed, nearly choking on the sip of juice she'd sucked through the minute bendy straw.
"Yeah, right. Earned how? You do literally nothing at this school other than flirt with the girls and snark at teachers."
Apparently, Logan saw her challenge as an invitation to make himself comfortable. He sat down about a foot to her right, letting his backpack slip off his one shoulder as he did so. It plopped on the other side of him, and Logan set the food container between them. He turned toward her as he spoke.
"You know, Veronica, as a keen observer of the human condition, I'm offended. I am very involved in student life here at Neptune High. I have lots of spirit. Yes, I do. I have spirit. How 'bout you?" He pointed the forks at her playfully as he spoke. A hint of a smile played at the corners of his lips, but he held his face emotionless.
"Ha!" Veronica replied, taking another long pull of juice.
"I'll have you know that I'm a card-holding member of the Neptune High Environmental Club."
"You are not!" she laughed, downing the rest of the juice until it made a bubbling, empty sound.
"Yes, I am." Logan's eyes widened as if he'd just invented time travel. "Which reminds me…" Logan propped the forks on the container and turned to rummage through his backpack. When he turned back to her, he had a small stack of stapled papers in his hand. He held them out to her. "I need you to sign this petition I started. You can be my lucky number 557!"
Veronica stifled the urge to roll her eyes and took the papers from him. He did have a lot of signatures. She was impressed until she read the blurb at the top.
"Um, this is to ban the use of DHMO on campus."
Logan nodded solemnly. "We are the future, and chemicals are killing the planet. As the petition clearly states, it's been scientifically proven that dihydrogen monoxide accelerates corrosion and causes suffocation. It must be stopped," he said seriously, looking her straight in the eyes.
"Logan, dihydrogen monoxide is water..."
Logan jerked in surprised, seemingly speechless for a moment. Then a huge smile broke out across his face. "You're the first person to figure that out!" he praised.
Veronica chuckled and threw the papers back at him. "You look surprised."
Logan shrugged. "Considering it's you, I shouldn't be," he admitted. "But I really did get all those signatures."
Veronica facepalmed. "I guess that shouldn't surprise me considering the degenerates at this school."
Logan picked up the papers and pointed to number seventy-one. "Even VP Clemmons signed it."
That made Veronica laugh out loud, earning her shushes from nearby students trying to study. "You're such an ass," she told him.
Logan just smiled as he uncovered the lasagna and used the forks to cut it into smaller pieces. "Coming from you, I take that as a compliment," he stated plainly.
"It wasn't meant as one," she told him. She was done resisting. Resisting him...resisting that lasagna. "Give me that fork already, Echolls."
Logan smiled and handed one over to her. "I knew I'd win you over!"
They ate in silence for a few moments.
"Environmental Club, my butt," Veronica laughed, nudging him in his shoulder with her own.
"It might interest you to know that I'm also working on getting a Boxing Club started," he informed her.
Veronica scoffed. "Good luck with that," she warned.
She noticed Logan give her side-eye. "And, I am already the President of the Students for an Orwellian Society."
Veronica cackled, earning her more dirty looks from nearby students. She didn't feel the least bit sorry though. She was having fun. "Yeah, that isn't a thing!"
"Yes, it is!" Logan insisted. "You're a member."
"Ummm, no. I think I'd remember that," she told him, letting her fork arm fall to her side.
"Ummm," he mocked, "you're the secretary !"
"You're so full of it, Logan Echolls."
"I bet you that you are," he pressed, tapping his fork on his temple.
This would be easy. "Okay. What are we betting for?" she asked.
"Name your price," he dared, leaning in closer to her in challenge.
She refused to be intimidated. Veronica pretended to think for a moment. She knew she wasn't in any clubs with him, so it was a safe bet. And she couldn't think of anything that she wanted except what he'd won from her a few years earlier. "I want my Princess Leia Pez dispenser back," she told him.
"Done!" he stated quickly. A bit too quickly. It made her nervous. "And if I win, you meet me back here next Wednesday for lunch. My treat."
"How is that a win for you?" she questioned.
Logan pretended to look around the library in fear. "Madison and Caitlin are still out there. Watching…waiting."
Veronica let out a long, over exaggerated sigh. "Fine, I take the bet. How can you prove that I'm secretary of this fictitious club of yours?"
Logan's eyebrows waggled again—never a good sign. "It just so happens that we're in the perfect place for me to prove it." Logan popped up to standing and disappeared around some tables. When he returned a few moments later, he held a familiar book in his hands.
"Last year's yearbook…" Veronica drawled. She was so going to win this bet. She wasn't in any clubs last year other than pep squad.
Logan looked through the pages for a few seconds, flipping forward several and then backward a few. Then his smile grew and she knew she was somehow in big trouble. Logan rotated the book until it was right side up for her to see. And there, on the upper half of page 117 was a picture of Veronica, Lilly, Logan, Madison, Duncan, Meg, and Casey Gant of all people. It was a photo taken in this very library. She didn't remember it being taken at all. Below the picture were the words: "Students for an Orwellian Society" with Logan listed as their President and Veronica was clearly labeled Secretary. What the hell had he done?
"Logan, how am I in this picture?"
He shrugs. "I thought it would be cool to start a club, so I did. I put in a petition in the office."
Veronica laughed knowingly. "You do love petitions," she agreed.
"I do!" he agreed, chipper. "Well, I didn't even know it was approved until one day the yearbook people came to me asking about the club. I found that picture that Carrie Bishop took of all of us and submitted it. Easy peasy lemon squeezy."
"And why am I in this club?" she asked, genuinely curious now.
"Why wouldn't you be? You loved 1984!" he explained.
Veronica hooted with laughter. "You're incorrigible," she shouted, shoving as hard as she could that time. He barely budged in response.
"Shhh," he warned. "You're going to get us kicked out of here." His face was serious, but his crooked smile betrayed him.
"So you'd better be nice to me, huh?" Veronica teased. "Caitlin and Madison are still out there. Watching…waiting ," she reminded him.
Logan shuddered dramatically. "Don't remind me."
Logan picked up the container and handed her a fork and they continued eating. Veronica found herself smiling for no reason. This was nice. This was fun. They were getting older and everything was getting so…serious. She and Duncan…Logan and Lilly. It was always an adventure, but so, so complicated. She missed moments like this.
When the lasagna had been devoured, Logan set the empty container aside and leaned into her. "You know what they say about the stacks?" he asked her, bumping her with his elbow playfully.
Veronica knew he was teasing. "You're so—"
"Charming?" he guessed. "Handsome? Ohh, sexy!"
"I can think of several less colorful, yet so much more appropriate, adjectives…" Veronica giggled and rested her head on his shoulder.
Logan lightly pinched the arm closest to him. "I'm sure you can, but—"
"Where have you two been?" Lilly's loud voice intruded on their moment.
Veronica smiled up at her best friend, happy to see her, but disappointed the stolen moment was over.
"I guess the clock has struck thirteen," Veronica announced, looking at Logan.
Logan grinned knowingly at her. "I knew you'd be the perfect secretary," he told her. He stole a glance at his watch and laughed. "How very literal of you; you're right on the money."
"What are you talking about?" Lilly cut in, confused and annoyed.
"Nothing," Veronica assured her, shaking her head at Logan. "And we've been here the whole time, Lilly," she promised. "If we ever did anything interesting without you, we'd never hear the end of it."
"Too true," Lilly stated, "But why are you here is the critical question. This ," Lilly said, pointing a finger and indicating the room around them, "is a library."
"Always on top of things, aren't you Lilly?" Duncan's voice came from behind Lilly. He appeared and peered down at Veronica and Logan curiously. Veronica felt suddenly self-conscious even though she hadn't done anything wrong. Logan nudged her side gently and that thought vanished. She liked spending time with him.
"Let's go somewhere a little more of our…caliber," Lilly suggested, leaning down to take Veronica's hand and pull her to standing.
Logan stood up as well. Taking his place next to Lilly, he kissed her on the cheek. "Wouldn't want to ruin our reputation," he teased.
"Never!" Lilly agreed, her eyes wide.
Duncan grabbed Veronica round the waist and pulled her to him and kissed her on the cheek as well.
"Let's go eat on the quad," he suggested.
"Okay," Veronica replied wearily, fine with the idea, but really wishing she'd had the chance to study.
"It's hot in here," Lilly whined. "Hairband…" she prompted, holding out her hand to Veronica.
Veronica obediently removed an elastic band from her wrist and dropped it in Lilly's waiting palm.
Lilly then looked to Logan. "Lunch…"
Logan stole a glance at Veronica and then turned sheepishly back to Veronica. "I'm afraid that your BFF beat you to it," he admitted.
Lilly's eyes widened again in mock shock. "Well, I never," she admonished.
Veronica bent down and retrieved her Wonder Woman lunchbox. "You can have my PB&J," she offered, holding out the box to her friend.
For a moment, Lilly looked as though she was going to laugh, but then she shrugged and took the box from her friend. "Don't mind if I do," she smiled before spinning on her heel and taking off for the library door, Duncan in tow.
"Guess break time is over," Veronica told Logan with another long sigh.
Logan leaned over and donned his backpack before collecting hers and then their lunch container.
"Back to reality," he agreed. "But don't forget our bet. You owe me," he reminded her. "Next week?"
Veronica took her backpack from his outstretched hand and swung it onto her back.
"Next week," she agreed with a resolute nod. "I'm no welsher, but mostly I couldn't live with myself if I left you to Caitlin and Madison even if I'd won."
"I appreciate that," he told her, motioning for her to proceed him out of the library.
Lilly was ahead of them, holding the door open. She tapped a single expensive shoe on the jam impatiently. When Veronica didn't move quickly enough, Lilly lifted her arms wide in a "what-the-hell?" gesture.
"We're coming, Lil," Logan called out.
Before Veronica made it to her friend, Logan took hold of her wrist, slowing their progress. "So lunch, right?"
"Next week," she promised. "I'll be here,"
"Every week?" he suggested quietly.
"Veronica!" Lilly called testily from the door. Veronica turned to see Duncan poke his head back through the doorway in front of Lilly, his eyebrows drawn together investigating what was delaying them. Veronica ignored them both and turned back to Logan.
"Every week," Veronica confirmed, squeezing his hand in promise before turning back to her friend and boyfriend.
"Patience, grasshoppers," she teased, joining them at the door. "By the way, have either of you two heard about Neptune High's very own branch of the Students for an Orwellian Society?" she asked, as they filed out of the building and out into the sunshine. "Because apparently, I'm its secretary."
I used a very trivial view of the George Orwell "thirteen" quote for this story, but find it interesting that the deeper meaning seems to hold true for the flashbacks of pre-series days that we see in Veronica Mars also. "He who controls the present controls the past" (Orwell, 1984). We only got to see things as Veronica remembered them. It's such a shame since I'd have enjoyed seeing these characters together (and functional!) a bit more before all the chaos hit. Or to see this all through Duncan, Lilly, or Logan's eyes. But that's the beauty of fanfiction...we can write whatever we want. We get to take these characters out to play. So when the clock strikes thirteen, and we can question the thirteenth hour and (therefore) each one before it, things get interesting. :) Thanks, everyone for letting me play with these characters and for reading along with me!
I haven't had much time to write, and have spent many hours daydreaming about my other story to no avail. It's coming, but I needed something to get me back in the mode. So when jmazzy asked how Logan had Pirate Points when we never see him participate in anything optional, this popped into my head.
Thanks, Lisa for the quick once-over.