Rating: K+ for a brief reference to underage drinking.
Summary: When Logan Echolls moves to Neptune, he meets Veronica Mars. He is blissfully happy with their friendship, until it is changed forever by the beginning of the Fab Four.
Spoilers: Pre-series
Relationships: LoVe, Duncan/Veronica, Logan/Lilly
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this fanfiction belong to Rob Thomas and his creative team at The CW/UPN. The story is my own creative work and my intention is to pay homage to the universe they created, not to profit from it. I do not own William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, the Bangles' "Walk Like an Egyption," or the Annuals' "Fair."
Author's Note: I do not have a beta, so all mistakes made in this story are mine. Reviews are always appreciated.
The first time he saw her he was heading to his mother's car--more accurately, her overpriced, paid-with-father's-blockbuster-money car. He happened to glance to his left, and ever since he's been grateful he did.
To his left was a sports field, more accurately, a soccer field. He had registered to the middle school in October, due to his father's sudden interest in settling down outside of Tinsletown. To be honest, Logan was surprised by his father's actions; Aaron adored Hollywood, adored paparazzi, adored everything and everyone except for his wife and son. And it was because of him that Logan saw her, a girl his age tearing up the field.
Upon further inspection, he noticed that she was short. Make that very short. She had angel-like blond hair, and he expected the heavens to open the clouds and scoop her up, so she could be placed where she belonged. She ran with such confidence that he was sure she was worshipped by everyone.
Too early, his mother called for him, and he had to tear his eyes away from her, which made his heart ache.
It was the next week that he walked through Neptune Middle School's hallways like he belonged, or at least he tried to. Glances and whispers darted back and forth between his classmates. He didn't dare look anyone in the eye--he was too afraid.
When Mr. Silverman called upon him to recite Helena's soliloquy from A Midsummer Night's Dream, he was horrified. It was his first day, and on top of having the company of whispers and looks all day long, he had to recite a lovesick girl's stupid rambling. All of the guys snickered as he slowly stood up, trying his hardest not to show that their comments got to him.
"Go ahead when you're ready," Mr. Silverman said.
He cleared his throat. "How happy some o'er other some can be! Through Athens I am thought as fair as she." More snickers ensued, but he read on.
"But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so; He will not know what all but he do know: And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes, So I, admiring of his qualities:" This time it was full-blown laughter, and he quickly looked down at his feet, wanting to scream, but he would then probably be sent to a mental institution. Honestly that would be better than here.
Nevertheless, he tried to prove he was a man…by reading a girl's complaints about her love.
"Things base and vile, folding no quantity,/Love can transpose to form and dignity:/Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;/And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind:/Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste;/Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste:/And therefore is Love said to be a child,/Because in choice he is so oft beguiled./As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,/So the boy Love is perjured every where:/For ere Demetrius look'd on Hermia's eyne,/He hail'd down oaths that he was only mine;/And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt,/So he dissolved, and showers of oaths did melt./I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight:/Then to the wood will he to-morrow night/Pursue her; and for this intelligence/If I have thanks, it is a dear expense:/But herein mean I to enrich my pain,/To have his sight thither and back again."
He felt himself release a sigh of relief once he finished, though his classmates could still barely repress themselves.
"That was beautiful," joked Cole.
But Logan kept his cool, and sat down while Mr. Silverman picked another student to read.
Lunch came too slow; by the time the bell rang, Logan ran to the library, not wanting to face the entire school's stares. He said hello to the librarian, then settled into an out-of-sight corner, watching the clock tick by slowly.
Logan didn't consider himself a bookish guy, but the only way the clock could tick by faster, other than time travel, was by picking up one of the dusty books lying around.
The students must really not use their library much. He wiped off a thick layer of dust off the book.
"Ahh. I see you like Charlotte Bronte. You certainly are a unique guy. Most boys at Neptune Middle School wouldn't dare pick up a story full of a girl's longing for her employer."
Logan's head darted up from the page, and his eyes settled upon a petite blonde who was flashing a wide grin. My god. It's her.
She, as he had yet to find out her name, kept talking about the book, but he didn't listen to a word she said, because he was enchanted by her beautiful blue eyes.
She finally got the hint that he didn't really care about what she was saying, and said, "OK. Well I'll be going then. Have a nice lunch period."
Logan jumped out of his chair when she started walking away, and ran after her. "I'm sorry. I'm Logan. Obviously new around here."
"Veronica. Obviously not new around here." She flashed that grin again, and Logan felt the urge to swoon.
She asked him if he'd like to eat lunch with her and he jumped at the chance, making her laugh shyly. I would act like a complete fool if it would make her laugh all of the time.
His first two weeks at Neptune, he followed her around, and a day did not pass that he didn't talk to her. Nobody knew yet about Logan's parents, surprisingly, and he was glad to keep it that way. Therefore, he spent his time with Veronica, who also had very few friends. More accurately, no friends.
He soon learned that Veronica's father was Sheriff Mars, and had been for a year. Nobody really took interest in her, for she wasn't wealthy compared to money dripping Neptunians. Logan decided to keep his father's extravagant fortune to himself. Veronica was sibling-less and mother-less. Lianne Mars had been an alcoholic, and probably still was, but Veronica didn't know for sure—Lianne had skipped town eight months ago, reason unbeknownst to Veronica.
She occasionally invited Logan over to her house, and they watched cop movies with Keith, who insisted to keep them company. Logan didn't mind; as long as he was with her, he was content.
Logan's presence in Neptune during his first two months was under the radar, until word spread that Aaron Echolls had a new movie to film, and his relocation was revealed. It then became the gossip of the year. No one knew why he went so unnoticed when he first moved in. Logan knew it was Aaron's publicist who leaked the information; Aaron could never go long without the public's eyes watching him.
When word finally reached Veronica, she never let on that it had. She and Logan still talked about the normal subjects, and she never brought up his family. But though it didn't matter to Veronica or her father, it mattered to everyone else in Neptune. Logan found himself the subject of lunchtime chatter, and he was once again bombarded with stares.
It didn't make too much of a difference until mid-December. He was sitting with Veronica at their usual table—just the two of them, like every normal day. But Logan felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to face Lilly and Duncan Kane.
The Kanes were billionaires, and their software company was the reason why everyone else in Neptune was a millionaire. Lilly and Duncan were beloved and they were without question the most popular students at Neptune Middle School.
Lilly was completely outgoing and her life was full of parties and boys, and the occasional glass of champagne she managed to sneak from the kitchen. Duncan was quiet. He seemed passive most of the time, though he did have vivacious moments of his own every now and then. Lilly was a year older, and wherever she went, he was towed behind.
This was why they were both smiling down at Logan that afternoon.
"Logan, right? I don't believe we've officially met. I'm Lilly. And this is Donut."
When Logan raised his eyebrows at the peculiar name, Duncan corrected her: "It's Duncan actually. That's just Lilly's nickname for me. I honestly don't know where she got it from."
"Hello. This is my friend Veronica." Veronica looked uncomfortable in the situation.
Lilly paid no attention to her, but Duncan gave her a nod. "Anyway, there's this Christmas party coming up next week. I was thinking you might like to come. It's awesome; every year our parents leave town for a weekend, and for the past two years we've held the biggest blowouts. It's going to be great."
Logan raised his eyebrows again. He wasn't surprised that his family had made him more worthy of popularity in their eyes, but he was surprised it took them this long to make a move. He glanced at Veronica, who was looking down at her science book. She had put a pair of headphones on and was bobbing her head to a song.
Logan then glanced back at Lilly and Duncan. He considered it for a moment, and then slowly nodded his head, "Sure. Sounds like fun."
In his opinion, Logan wasn't abandoning Veronica, he was just expanding his circle of friends, and hopefully Veronica would with him, and they could both lose their outcast status.
He glanced at her again and chuckled. She obviously knew he was looking at her, because she was doing the Egyptian walk, while sitting down. She finally looked up at him, and tried to look confused, making him laugh only harder.
Logan was holding Veronica's arm, as he led her through the crowd at the Kanes' party. It was packed, and everyone was dancing to the music coming from a massive stereo system. Logan had been to big and elaborate parties before, but never one on this scale. It was sure to be the blowout-of-the-year.
When he finally found an area in which he could breathe, he shyly took Veronica's hand in his, and led her to a large chair, in which they squeezed into, Veronica slightly on his lap. She seemed shy at the close vicinity they were in, but his comforting smile seemed to make her somewhat comfortable.
The music changed to a very soft slow song, what Logan thought was "Fair" by the Annuals. If there was one thing that Veronica and Logan had in common, it was music. Together, they had a huge music collection, and whenever they had free time, they perused music catalogues online, looking for the next alternative hit. They definitely knew this song—it was even one of their favorites. Veronica called it "the Modern Day Love Song." Which was why Logan held out his hand, and she cautiously obliged, getting off of him, and then letting him lead her to the dance floor.
Logan thanked the heavens that this song was more than four minutes long. When he placed her hands around his neck, he saw some emotion flicker in her eyes, and prayed that it was love. Now Veronica's eyes aren't drop-dead gorgeous—they're captivating, intoxicating, making him want to drink her in. He wondered what she was thinking while they slowly swayed, and then beat himself up for thinking like a girl. Veronica was about to say something, but then looked behind Logan and changed her mind.
The next thing he knew, Lilly and Duncan had run up to them, Lilly exclaiming about something or other—most likely his presence—while eyeing Veronica. Veronica took the hint, and started to walk off the dance floor, but Logan quickly grabbed her wrist, and then took her hand again. She hesitated, but didn't argue. Lilly continued to talk to Logan, a hint of flirtation in her voice.
The rest of the night Lilly talked Logan's ear off, while Duncan and Veronica stood in the shadows and made conversation casually. Logan felt himself get jealous, and then he felt embarrassed. She wasn't his girlfriend; Donut, here, could have her. He tried to get rid of the feeling, but he felt enraged when he saw Duncan shyly talking to Veronica, his view of her obviously different from before. No. He likes her, doesn't he? Well what should I expect? I think I love her, and I only met her a few months ago. Logan spent the rest of the party trying to care about what Lilly said, surprisingly finding her interesting, though very shallow and bossy.
Logan glanced at Veronica, who was laughing at some stupid joke Duncan had made. Why did I even let her near him in the first place? Logan was still, of course, hung up on Veronica, but it seemed that those few minutes in heaven they had in December had lost its meaning to her. But not for him. Logan often had dreams about Veronica, and they were mostly about that night. About what would have happened if Lilly and Duncan hadn't interrupted. Would he have kissed her? Would she have kissed him back? But those hopes were crushed by a certain Donut who clearly adored his Veronica. Veronica didn't seem to return the same passion, but she liked him well enough. Logan wouldn't be surprised, though, if it took Duncan years to ask Veronica out. The guy was too shy. But doesn't she understand that I love her? Why is she letting him flirt with her? ...You're a hypocrite. Logan let Lilly plop into his lap, and throw her arm around him. You really are such a hypocrite.