I don't want to go in there. I stare at Shelly Pomroy's house in front of me and frown. Directly in front of me is a house filled with people who used to be my friends. Before my best friend Lily died and my father accused the richest man in town of being her killer. The man that my father accused? He just happened to be her father, Jake Kane and one of the richest men in town.
When my father focused his investigation on Jake, the town of Neptune turned against my father. When I did not publicly declare my father as being wrong, my friends turned against me.
I was once a part of the Fab Four. Me, Lily, her brother Duncan and Logan Echolls were inseparable. They ruled the school and I was just happy to be included on the fun. We had been friends for years and eventually we paired up. Logan was my first crush but when Lily started dating him, she convinced me to date her brother so we could live happily ever after.
Unfortunately, we were not meant to lead fairytale lives. Prince Charming, AKA Duncan, decided one day that he did not want to be with me anymore and dropped me without even an explanation. I was heartbroken. Not because we had some kind of epic love but because I thought that we at least had a strong enough friendship to be honest with each other. I guess I was wrong.
Before I could figure out why Duncan left me, Lily was found murdered by her pool. A piece of me died that day too. My dad was sheriff at the time and he felt like Jake Kane was hiding something from him. When it seemed to the world that my dad thought Jake was guilty, we lost everything.
The people of Neptune ran my father out of office, calling him incompetent. My mother started drinking heavily. Logan, the only member of the Fab Four that I could still count on, felt that I should admit that my father was wrong. When I wouldn't renounce my father, Logan felt like I was disloyal to him and the Kanes.
Suddenly it became Logan's mission in life to make my life a living hell. Logan was the King of the school due to his good looks, charm, money and father being The Aaron Echolls. He had the entire school against me in a single day. The Fab Four was no more. I was a social pariah.
So why am I here, about to walk into a house full of the people who have tormented my life at school? It's simple. It is what Lily would have wanted me to do. She was the Queen B and loved the drama that she could stir up. She would want me to step into that house, chin held high and act like I owned the place. That's how she would have acted.
In the past, I tended to be more of a wallflower, content to let others shine. However, after Lily's death, Duncan's ignoring me and Logan acting like a complete grade A jackass, I find myself unable to go back to that Veronica. The pain of it all had killed the innocence that used to define me. I had to be stronger to survive being the punch line of life's big joke.
I look down at my white dress and laugh. God, Lily would have hated this dress. She always thought I was more red satin than delicate pastels. Maybe my new attitude deserved a new wardrobe. I see a thrift store adventure in my near future. Unfortunately, I see this as being a solo trip.
I shake my head of these thoughts as I prepare to walk into the house. "I can do this" I think to myself. As I walk into the house, the room goes quiet as people realize who just came in. Then the whispers start. I can only imagine what they were saying. I shrug as I make my way outside.
"10 minutes Veronica. Give it 10 minutes to prove that you are not afraid of them and then you can leave." I look around at all of these people that I used to consider friends. Duncan, skulking in the corner, Logan smirking at me. Dick being, well, Dick. God, I don't think I can do this. I turn to leave when someone thrusts a drink into my hand. Without thinking, I take it and keep on walking.
"I wouldn't drink that if I were you" a quiet voice told me.
I turned around and saw Meg, the only person in this group who still acted like a friend. "What?" I asked her.
"The drink. Madison gave you a trip to the dentist." She explained this like I should know what that meant. I was not a big fan of Shelly's so I tended to be ignorant of the things that she did. When she saw my confusion, she told me, "When she doesn't like someone, she spits in a drink and then gives it to them. It's like she forgets that we are not in middle school anymore."
You know the saying about the straw that broke the camel's back? This was it for me. After everything that I had gone through, it was Madison Sinclair spitting in my drink that made me tips me over the edge. Meg must have sensed my break because she blinked and said "It's ok Veronica, she is just being a bully. Let's go get you a new drink"
The old me would have let Meg take me away from the situation, too afraid to confront anyone. The new me was tired of feeling sad and decided this angry feeling made me feel powerful. I whirled around and walked back up to Madison. Her back was turned so I tapped her on the shoulder. As she turned around to look at me, with a smirk on her face, I lost it.
"Hey Madison, looking a little thirsty. I hope that you enjoy your trip to the dentist!" I say as I throw the drink in her face. Her shriek of outrage brought the party to a standstill as all eyes turned to watch us.
"You bitch!" She screeched as she lunged at me. Unfortunately for her, my father used to be the sheriff and he taught me how to deal with bullies. Madison shrieked again, only this time in pain as my fist made contact with her face.
"Maybe next time, you will think before you spit in someone's drink." With that parting shot, I turn to walk away only to stop short at the people blocking my exit. Duncan, Casey, Logan and Dick all stared at me, unable to believe what I had done.
Dick was the first to speak "What the Hell Ronnie? You know Madison won't let me hit it tonight after you busted her nose! Way to cock block!"
I stared at him in disbelief. Dick and I had been friends since kindergarten. Out of all of these people, we had been friends the longest. That didn't stop him from being a good lap dog to Logan though. He had been calling me a slut and spreading rumors about me all across the school.
"Sorry to disappoint you Dick. I am sure that little Dick will make due with your hand tonight. As usual." I reply back to him. Duncan looks shocked at my response. Logan just continues to smirks. Asshole.
Dick meanwhile realizes what I had said to him and starts to unbuckle his pants. "I will show you little!" he says, frustrated that he cannot get his pants down.
"Not today thanks. After all, the football team would be jealous I'm sure." I say as I push Dick into the pool. Dick pops back up, looking at me confused. "Ronnie?" he asks.
"Not anymore" I tell him. I then push my way in between Duncan and Logan as I make my way to the door.
"Veronica! Wait up!" Casey says as he makes his way after me. I continue on through the party. I just want to leave. I feel hands grab me and I shrug them off, turning to look at Casey.
"What do you want, Casey? Come to heckle me on behalf of Logan? Did he offer tips on what to say?" I see him pause, trying to think of how to respond. I roll my eyes and start to turn away.
"I just wanted to see if you were ok?" he asks. I used to be friends with Casey but in the past year he had become somewhat of a pompous ass. However, unlike everyone else at this party, he didn't turn on me when Logan demanded people to. I think he just didn't care enough about the situation to bother paying me any attention. Him coming after me struck me as odd. Of course, this whole night is striking me as odd.
"Of course I am fine. Never better. Have a good night Casey." I say as I turn away. I hear him softly say "Stay safe Veronica" as I finally found the door to leave.
It wasn't until I made it to my car that I allowed myself to break down. Those people used to be my friends. At least, I thought they were. Now they treated me like I was trash.
I could hear Lily tell me "God, Veronica Mars! You are so much better than those losers!" For the first time in a long time, I smile. I am better than those guys. And they are going to be sorry that they ever messed with me.