"You're sitting on my sweater."
"Huh?" Logan looked up to see a petite blonde standing over him. Her hair was twisted up into pigtails, and her tiny, green shorts gave way to mud-caked knees.
"My sweater," she repeated. "You're using it as a cushion, could I get it?"
Logan's gaze hit his behind, falling on the green slip of cloth beneath it. He jumped up, proffering the sweater to the girl. "Oh, right. Sorry."
"Are you new here?" she asked, pulling the top on over her t-shirt.
"Kinda."
She frowned a little, small crease lines appearing on her forehead. "Kinda, how?"
"I'm new," he admitted.
She smirked, sweater now on properly. "Right. Well, I'm Veronica. It's nice to meet you...?"
"Logan."
"Logan," she repeated with a nod. "I should get back to the game, but I'll see you around."
"Yeah, definitely." He smiled.
Veronica returned the gesture before darting back to the soccer field, sneakers kicking up dirt on her way.
Before Logan could take a seat again Duncan arrive behind him. "Hey, man, were you just talking to Veronica?"
His gaze remained trained on the path Veronica had taken as he replied, "That's what she said her name was." Finally he turned to the other boy. "You know her?"
"Lilly's best friend," Duncan explained. "She's awesome."
Logan laughed, his mouth curving into a knowing grin. "Oh dude, do not tell me you have it bad for the best friend. Clichés abound."
"She's cute." Duncan blushed.
Logan countered, "She's hot."
"I'm thinking about asking her out this week," he admitted, trying to rid the red from his cheeks.
Logan nodded, trying not to let his eyes wander back to where Veronica had been. "Yeah, man, go for it. Nothing to lose and everything to gain," he leered.
"God, Logan." Duncan looked across at him, shocked. "She's not like that."
"Sure she's not. Come on, D, this is Lilly's best friend. Girl's got to be a little whack," he argued.
"She's sweet."
"I'll bet she is." Logan raised one eyebrow pointedly, making Duncan laugh.
"You're sick, man."
"Hey, Logan." Lilly sauntered over to where Logan was sitting alone, waiting for Duncan's own soccer game to end.
"Lilly," he acknowledged.
Veronica popped up from behind her friend, looking between the two. "You guys know each other?"
"Oh yeah," Lilly made a big show of their introduction, "Veronica this is Logan, Duncan's best friend from LA. He just moved here."
"We're acquainted." Logan smirked.
"Yeah. He was bogarting my sweater at half-time."
Lilly eyed the pair suspiciously before adding to Logan, "I always knew you guys were into cross-dressing. Totally explains were all my panties have gone."
Veronica blushed.
Lilly ignored her best friend's sensibilities as she continued, "So, Logan. Are you gonna be at our house later? Me and Miss V were thinking of having a little celebration since we just totally kicked Pan's butt."
"Well I don't know, Lilly." He grinned, trying to stay nonchalant. "Is anyone interesting going to be there?"
"Hah. We'll see you later loser." Lilly grabbed Veronica's hand, dragging her away from the bleachers.
He called after them, deliberately, "Bye, Veronica."
Veronica turned, her hand still clasped in Lilly's to shout back, "See you, Logan."
"He's so in love with me," Lilly proclaimed as they reached her dad's SUV.
Veronica sighed, rolling her eyes. "Everyone's in love with you, Lilly. And we can't party tonight, my dad wants me home for a family dinner."
"No fair." Lilly pouted. "You're gonna miss out on all the fun."
Veronica snorted. "Oh sure, cause it'll be fun watching the new guy drool all over you."
"You could talk to Duncan." Lilly gave Veronica a look, trying to coax her into an appearance.
Veronica just twisted her mouth up like Lilly was stupid. "Duncan doesn't have anything to say to me. He just kind... stares."
"That's cause he's a total moron. But come on, Veronica. You totally have to meet Logan properly, he's really not as much of a loser as you'd think."
"I can't Lil, sorry."
"Fine." She sighed, disappointed. "Party pooper."
Logan walked into Lilly almost as soon as he was inside the Kane house. People were milling about in a miniature party atmosphere but her best friend did not seem to be attached to Lilly as promised. "Where's Veronica?"
"Oh, she couldn't make it." Lilly flipped her hair, leaning back a little to strain her developing breasts tight against her t-shirt. "Something about family time, blah blah blah." She leaned forward conspiratorially. "You know her dad's the Sheriff. He could like totally shoot someone and get away with it."
He raised an eyebrow questioning the information. "Good to know."
"Not that he, like, would. But he could, that's so cool. Way cooler than my dad, he just, like, geeks out with computers."
"Hey," Logan shrugged, "at least he doesn't make you sit through crappy interviews with E!"
Lilly's face broke out into a grin as she batted a hand off Logan's arm. "Like you totally don't love the attention. It would be so rock to be on TV!"
"Oh yeah, it's the best," he drawled.
She shook her head, smiling widely at him. "You're so weird."
"Great," Logan replied with disinterest. "You seen Duncan around?"
"He was in the kitchen, like, ten minutes ago," she finished as he pushed off the table he was leaning against and went in search of Duncan.
Logan moved around the corner as Duncan closed the fridge, now brandishing a soda. "So, no Veronica. I guess the big question won't be popped tonight."
"Hey, man." He turned back to the fridge, grabbing another can for Logan. "No she got stuck with her dad or something."
"Yeah, Lilly told me." He nodded, cracking the seal on his soda.
Duncan's expression curled up into curiosity. "You were looking for Veronica?"
Logan hardly floundered for words as he replied, "Hey, I just wanted a heads up on whether or not I was gonna interrupt you guys."
"Oh, right." Duncan nodded awkwardly. "Well, no."
"Cool."
"So, you wanna hit the Playstation."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Hey, Veronica, right?" Logan called as a blur of blonde brushed past him.
The girl in question spun back to face him and once she realized who it was she gave him a small smile. "So you remembered."
He grinned back. "I never forget a pretty girl."
Veronica laughed. "Don't let Lilly hear you say that."
He shot her an incredulous look, joking, "She gonna get out the magic mirror, check she's still the fairest of them all?"
"Don't underestimate Lilly Kane."
"Oh, I would never. So, where you headed in such a hurry."
Veronica's gaze darted down to the books in her hands before lifting once more to meet Logan's. "I've got English next, it's on the other side of the school."
"Hey," he stopped her, "Mr. Murton?"
"Yeah," she answered hesitatingly, suspicion running through her tone.
"Snap." He moved into step beside her. "I think you just found yourself a study buddy, Miss Mars."
"Most excellent," she smiled. Nudging him in the arm she asked, "You wanna do my homework for Tuesday?"
"Pfft. I'm milking the move for all the homework excuses it's worth."
"Right. So, why'd you move to Neptune anyway? Your dad's Aaron Echolls, wouldn't it make more sense for him to live where the movies are made?"
He shrugged noncommittally. "Most of them are shot on location anyway. My mom wanted to get away from the cameras."
"Oh."
Logan smirked, framing his face with his hands dramatically. "Yeah, making sure I look pretty every morning is such a burden!"
"Oh, I'm sure," she responded dryly.
"Hey," he protested, "this hair doesn't gel itself."
"And the greasy look is so in right now."
"You minx. Well," he looked up at the door to their classroom, "time to face the music. After you."
"And a gentleman too." She grinned, ducking around him to head inside. Class was definitely going to be interesting.