Disclaimer: Rob Thomas and WB own all of the Veronica Mars universe.
Author's Note: This is my first fanfic and I tried to find a beta but had no luck, so all mistakes are mine.
A/N 2: Title comes from the song "Little Games" by The Colourists, I definitely recommend them a listen :) Chapter title comes from the song "On Your Own" by We are the In Crowd.
A/N 3: The first chapter's a little short I know, but I promise there's more in store ;)
A/N reg. Backstory: Veronica is from Santa Monica and a Junior at Hearst. She and Lily were assigned as roommates, so there was no fab four. Also, non-canon S3
"Before I have to go, before I have to go. I just wanted you to know, wanted you to know. You're on your own."
Veronica was having a rough enough week as is while she did a mental checklist of all the assignments and errands that needed to be completed by next week, but she mentally patted herself on the back for being case free for the first time in about a month. Though, Piz's sudden break up after a one and a half year relationship was not helping. Veronica sighed as she made her way to her car after her only Friday morning class, Criminology 402, and recounted her fresh break up with Piz from Wednesday night.
Veronica headed to the door as the buzzer went off, letting her know that Piz had arrived for their early dinner date before her overnight shift at the Hearst University library. Thank goodness he had finally arrived too because she was starving. While Veronica had a love for food, she also had a bad habit of accidentally skipping meals on her busy days and anyone who knows her knows that her "snacks" do nothing to satiate her appetite. She quickly went back to her room to collect her purse and sweater before leaving for dinner.
"Hey! Where do you feel like eating?" she asked Piz after giving him a quick peck as he entered the apartment.
"Yea about that…umm we need to talk Veronica," Piz said in reply.
Veronica stared at Piz with her sapphire blue eyes shining wide and open at him in a state of shock."Talk? Talk about what? Is it that important that it can't wait until after dinner or during my shift at work?"
"Yea see, it's just…Veronica. I feel that if I don't say it now or sometime soon, then I may never say it at all," Piz sighed as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.
Veronica felt slightly uneasy as he finished his sentence. " Oh okay...yea I guess," Veronica said as she gestured they have this discussion sitting on the couch.
Piz grabbed and rubbed light circles on the back of Veronica's hand before he began to speak. Looking into her bright, curious, blue eyes once more, he took a deep breath before he started to express how he felt."Veronica, there's no easy way to say 's no beating around the bush and I might as well just uhm okay. You know that I love you right? You're a really great girl - practically perfect and I care about you, but I don't see myself fitting into your life anymore and vice versa," he said avoiding her eyes. "Plus what I'm about to say isn't going to help my case in anyway, but there's this sophomore that started at the station a month ago and we really hit it off."
His eyes shot up to hers as he finished his sentence and quickly defended himself,"Wait! Don't take that the wrong way, I didn't cheat on you. I would never, but I didn't really hide it at the same time since I said I was grabbing lunch or coffee with a friend. That is what she was at first…"
Veronica's mouth gaped open at him as he just openly stated he had fallen for another girl and struggled to form a response. "Just because what? Are my priorities not in check or something? Am I emotionally unavailable? No. Piz should be lucky as hell I let him into my world for a year and a half, right? Sure it was the same amount of time as my high school romance with Daniel Harris, but still didn't Piz just basically say that I was a catch?" Veronica thought to herself.
"Uh Veronica?" Piz asked causing her to leave her state of mental thought.
"So what you're saying is you love me, you're just not in love with me anymore?" Veronica asked slowly as she clarified her question.
"Yea basically…but uh I hope we can stay friends. I mean if you need your space right now sure, but like I said you're an awesome girl to begin with so yea if it's not too much I'd like to stay friends," Piz stated.
Veronica pondered the idea of friendship with Piz for a moment to herself, "Friends with Piz? Hm. Well I mean I guess we can work a friendship out. I'm not too emotionally upset at the moment, but maybe it's just my hunger that's slightly overriding my emotions right now….".
"Near future? We can start our friendship now! I'm game to grab dinner still if you are? I'm beyond famished," Veronica said with a slightly forced stared in shock at her for a moment before smiling back and agreeing, "Dinner as friends? Yea, yea sure. Let's grab Luigi's, my treat."
Veronica sighed as she shifted her car in park once she entered her apartment complex's garage and made her way towards her apartment. "Dinner was great and wasn't even awkward at first, but that was probably my stomach's thinking. Am I really upset or even sad over this? I've been so invested in school, my cases, and work that I don't even know how I feel anymore. Maybe I need a break and I should invest some of my time in myself and my personal relationships or something. Ugh I'm in serious need of a nap before my brain malfunctions from over thinking," she thought as she entered her room. Veronica quickly changed into sweats before plopping onto her bed and entering a much needed blissful sleep.