The New Guy
PG (Slight language)
Veronica, Duncan, Wallace
Note: Entered in the AU fic challenge in the "What If?" category.
Summary: What if Veronica had been late to school on Wallace's first day?
"Veronica, school starts in fifteen minutes!"
Veronica Mars smiles as her father yells from the other side of the apartment. In her dream, Duncan was slowly unbuttoning her favorite top and kissing her neck…
But of course, all good things must come to an end. Veronica jerked awake as her dad's pounding on her door increased in volume. Yawning, she turned to look at her clock and found out that school was now starting in 14 and a half minutes.
"Shit!" She cried as she stumbled out of bed.
Veronica took her seat in first period history just as the final bell rang. Panting hard, she flipped open her book to the page on the board.
Halfway through the first page, Veronica noticed her peers nudging one another and pointing out the second story-window.
Veronica hit the end of her pencil on the edge of her desk, breaking the tip off. Making a face of mock agitation, Veronica made her way over to the pencil sharpener, which just happened to face the window outside.
As Veronica neared the window, she saw a somewhat scrawny black boy being held to the flagpole with duct tape, which was also covering his midsection, but he was otherwise naked.
Veronica gasped quietly, then made her way to the front of the room. As her history teacher began passing out a worksheet, Veronica told her she was having a "feminine emergency" and she was excused to the restroom.
Sliding out the door and looking down the empty hall, Veronica made a mad dash down the stairs and out the side doors to the flagpole.
As she made her way to the flagpole, she saw the boy's face, his jaw set and his eyes fixed with a steely gaze.
"What, teachers letting you out to witness my humiliation?" The boy asked once Veronica was within hearing distance.
"Actually, I'm supposed to be in the little girl's room." The blonde replied snarkily as she extracted a pocketknife and advanced towards the boy.
"Wait, what in the hell are you doing?" The boy said, his voice getting louder.
"I think she's going to cut you down, man." A voice came from behind Veronica.
Veronica lowered her pocketknife and turned to face Duncan Kane, her ex-boyfriend.
"I was planning on it." Veronica replied. "What are you doing out here? Doesn't Logan have you on a choke chain?"
"I was picking up a ad for the Navigator and thought I might help this guy." Duncan replied icily. "You must be new. I'm Duncan. She's---"
"Veronica Mars." Veronica cut in. "I'm a big girl, Duncan. I think I can take it from here." She said, turning around again and starting to cut the kid down.
Duncan shook his head and a small grin played on his face as the intrepid blonde worked on Wallace's tape. Duncan sighed and turned around, making his way back into the school.