Author's Note: This takes place in the spring of 2006, almost three years after Lizzy's graduation party. Turns out, Lizzy has ties to Neptune she doesn't know about.
LIZZY AND ELI
Chapter One
When I finally returned to Neptune three years after my one great night with Logan, I had no idea where the night would eventually take me. I knew Logan was living at the Neptune Grand, so that's where I went. I had not known that the day I arrived would turn out to be the same day as Logan and Dick's infamous Alterna Prom. Formulating a plan quickly, I sent my best dress out to be pressed and scheduled an emergency appointment with my mom's hair dresser. It took almost no convincing to get me to agree to the full treatment; facial, mani/pedi, deep condition. Janine tried to talk me into letting her cut my hair. I had been letting it grow for the last three years. I wasn't ready for that so we compromised. I let her trim it by a good four inches and roll it up in curlers the size of soup cans.
As I sat under the big dryer, I perused a celebrity rag that had a feature article about Logan's exploits over the last three years. I knew from one of my spies that Logan had refused to grant the writer an interview, so the article had become what's known as a "take down" piece, written deliberately to put the subject in the worst possible light. Although I already knew about his less than stellar past, I had never seen everything catalogued in one place, in chronological order. As I read, I was more convinced than ever that Logan needed someone in his life to provide some stability, love and support. He had been living a rudderless life practically since birth, and since his mother's death it had gotten worse. I did not presume to be that person, but I thought I should at least confront Logan and make sure he knew that I cared about what happened to him, and that the decisions he made affected me. I also planned on telling him that I had thought about him every day I had been away and that even though the timing had not been right for the two of us, it didn't mean that he was not worthy of someone's love.
I was able to slip unnoticed into the party amongst the other guests. I watched Logan for a little while, hoping for a chance to catch him alone. Timing worked against me once again however. Veronica Mars showed up a short time later and from that moment I saw firsthand how Logan's attention was completely consumed by her. Not long after her arrival I was privy to a conversation between the two of them and heard for myself exactly how Logan felt about her.
I chickened out. I got out of there quickly and immediately checked out. Changing out of my party duds, I threw on some old jeans and long sIeeved tee shirt, with a short sleeve top layered over it. I packed only what I needed for the night and arranged for the rest of my stuff to be put in storage for a few days. I hopped in the rental car and just started driving. Eventually I would go home, but the family was at The Cabin and I was not ready to go to a big empty house alone. I decided to get a drink and pulled over to the first bar I came across. I should have paid better attention to my surroundings. After downing three vodka tonics in rapid succession, I became aware that my presence had not gone unnoticed. Before I could leave, I was surrounded by a group of rather inebriated young men. I was in no mood for their shenanigans but they were persistent, taking advantage of my solitary state. It was then that my luck finally changed for the better.
Another patron at the bar watched as I was teased and harassed by the drunken guys. When they started putting hands on me, he stepped in and told them to leave me alone. At first they tried to ignore him, but he stared them down. A moment later, one of the guys recognized my would be rescuer and quickly corralled the others, making sure they understood with whom they were dealing. Whoever he was, they clearly were intimidated enough to return to the other side of the bar. My head was spinning when I turned to the other man to thank him. The words didn't come. Instead I stared at him, struck by his quiet strength and confidence. And his anger. Because he was angry, with me.
"What the hell do you think you're doing in here alone? This is not a safe place for your kind." I could only gawk at him, mesmerized by how his eyes flashed at me. He waved a hand in front of my face. "Hello? Anybody in there?" And then I realized that I knew who he was.
"Weevil? Oh my god, it is you!" I tried to climb down off the tall bar stool, but stumbled. Weevil caught me and placed a stabilizing arm around my waist.
"Okay, take it easy. Let's get you out of here." Still supporting me, he reached over and scooped up my handbag and started walking me towards the door.
"Wait, I have to pay for my drinks."
He kept walking. "Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it." As we approached the door, he called out to the bartender. "Milio, put her drinks on my tab."
"Sure thing Eli."
Once outside, I took a deep breath and tried to stand on my own. I was still a bit unsteady so Eli maintained his hold on me. Even though my head was swimming from the alcohol, I was also very aware that his closeness was affecting me in a most surprising and pleasant way. Throwing caution to the wind, I leaned in to him and rested my head against his chest, my hands sliding onto his broad, strong shoulders. "Thank you Weevil, for coming to my rescue." I took another deep breath and was instantly intoxicated by the combination of his cologne, soap and his natural musky scent. It was a heady mixture. I switched to shallow breathing, not wanting Eli to think I was more drunk than I actually was.
Belatedly, I became singularly aware of the intimacy of the situation. Tilting my head, I risked looking at him again, hoping his anger had faded a little at least. I think I caught him off guard and surprised a look that was most decidedly not motivated by anger. His eyes had lost the glare and softened considerably. The scowl had been replaced by a wistfulness that took my breath away. "Eli?"
He looked up and marshaled his emotions. When he looked back down, he wore his usual smirk. "You're welcome, princess. You feelin better yet?" He was pretending to be a little annoyed.
I took the hint and stepped back. "Yeah, sorry." Self-consciously, I reached out to take my handbag from him, looking away sheepishly. "Thanks again for your help," I stammered, suddenly very nervous.
"Uh huh," he murmured. I looked around distractedly. He regarded me apprehensively. "Look at you. You're in no shape to drive. You better come with me."
"Where are you going?"
"Just to a place I know." When I hesitated, he became mildly derisive. "Relax chica, I'm not luring you back to my lair." This of course only served to make me more apprehensive. Softening, he smiled and added, "I'm just gonna go get some dinner. You look like you could use a good meal."
Smiling back at him weakly, I replied, "You're not wrong." And that's how I wound up having dinner with Eli "Weevil" Navarro, former leader of the PHC Biker gang.