Chapter 2
Last time in Diet Coke: Veronica goes to Shelly Pomeroy's party, but Madison is the one to drink the laced rum and coke. Logan takes the drugs instead of dosing Duncan. Veronica decides to toughen up on her own and teaches Logan a lesson during a game of truth or dare. Dick tries to rape Madison but Veronica stops him with Duncan's help. When Veronica goes to leave she finds Logan waiting for her at her car.
Logan looked up into Veronica's eyes. "I miss you." he said with sincerity. Well, that was not what I expected.
"Logan what is that supposed to mean?" she asked desperately. His face remained the same so she continued. "You have been torturing me for the last two months and now you try to tell me that you miss me? How dare you say that to me?" By this point Veronica's voice is hitting a crescendo. "I miss you, not the other way around. You are the one that ruined the possibility of a friendship between us. You have tried your best to destroy me, Logan!" After her rant Veronica could feel tears welling up in her eyes so she looked down at the ground to avoid his gaze. What am I doing? Logan is offering me something here and I'm yelling at him? This is what you want Veronica. Why are you sabotaging yourself? Take it graciously and thank him for letting you back in. But Veronica realized that she had changed. She loved Duncan and Logan, but she was no longer a 'forgive and forget' kind of girl. She deserved better, and now she could see that. She could no longer trust anyone but herself.
"Veronica please, I miss you. I don't want to hate you anymore." He shook his head a little too vigorously as he said the last sentence, and she could see that he was very drunk and possibly high, and that made her even angrier. She realized that he would just forget her again in the morning; he would probably go back to being overjoyed by her absence from his life. She couldn't deal with that.
"Logan you have no right to say you miss me. If you don't want to hate me, then don't hate me, but leave me alone." With that she got into her car and drove off in her LeBaron.
A dejected Logan walked up the driveway and back inside Shelly's house where he ran into Cindy. He had her in his Xterra within fifteen minutes. He was Logan Echolls after all.
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Logan woke up the next morning with a small hand that was not his own resting haphazardly on his face. Oh yes, the freshman. What was her name again? Cathy? Lindsey? Who cares, I just need to get her out of here. Logan woke her up and told her he had somewhere important to be. She not-so-subtly asked him if he wanted to have breakfast with his parents first. Right, she really likes you for you, he thought.
This was only the third time he has had mindless sex since Lilly died and it is getting slightly easier every time. He and Lilly weren't even together when she died, but he still feels like he is cheating on her, or on her memory. He's not dumb, he suspects that Lilly cheated on him multiple times when they were together. There were several times when they were making out that he discovered a hickey that he was sure he didn't give to her. She could somehow always talk him into it though—like maybe he just forgot? Right, so why do I feel so guilty?
After the girl was gone he fell backwards onto his bed and tried to remember the party last night.
He remembered drinking, flirting, and laughing—then he remembered Veronica. What had she been doing there? The memory of their first encounter hurried back to him. He remembered taking the drugs he got in Tijuana because he couldn't take the thoughts of Lilly any more. He tried to remember what happened after he took the drugs. I made out with someone, maybe a few different someone's, I swam in the pool, I played truth or dare with everyone—oh God I kissed Veronica Mars and she turned into a complete psycho. She threatened me. What was she thinking? Logan moved on and worked hard to remember the rest of the evening. After the kiss, I numbed my tongue with another bottle of something, I remember being outside. I told Veronica I missed her. Oh hell, I'm never doing drugs again. All of those speakers at school assemblies were right; drugs really do bring about bad decisions.
As the fuzzy recollections crept back, Logan was pelted with the memory of what Veronica had said back to him. She didn't care. She didn't care that I said I missed her. She acted like I should be ashamed of myself for saying I miss her. But she did admit that she missed me. Logan wasn't sure if that made him feel worse or if it made him feel better. Logan sat up in bed and decided he needed to clear his head. He called Duncan and asked him if he wanted to go surfing. That always did the trick.
Duncan and Logan hadn't gotten much surfing in yet that morning. The waves had been pretty tame so far and so the boys had plenty of time to talk. Duncan was obviously pissed off at Dick. Logan thought Madison was a total bitch, but he still completely agreed with Duncan. Logan never even imagined that any of the guys would end up using the drugs for something like that when they were in Tijuana. He was also a little worried that if Madison pressed charges it would get out that he had the drugs as well and his dad was not the type to let him get away with something like that.
Since Lilly's death his dad had been going easy on him. It was as if he felt sorry for Logan. But it had been over two months now and though he hadn't had a full on beating yet, that's not to say he hasn't been knocked around a little. Logan found it ironic that during a time in his life when he was acting out more than ever, his father was holding back. But lately he could tell that his father was itching to break out the belts and Logan knew it was only a matter of time until all the anger his dad had been keeping bottled up would come out. When it does come it will be one hell of a thrashing.
Logan's mind had wandered while thinking about his dad, but he snapped out of it at the mention of a certain tiny blonde. "Just think man, if Veronica hadn't been there he probably would have totally gotten away with it too. Maybe Madison will lay off the blatant Veronica-hating she's been doing lately." Duncan sounded hopeful about that. Logan didn't understand him. Why does he care what Madison or anyone else does to Veronica? Didn't she support her father as he tried to destroy his family? And didn't she do something horrible enough to cause him to break up with her without even telling her?
"Duncan come on, you're making her out to sound like some kind of hero or something. What, are you still in love with her?" he said with a laugh. When Duncan didn't respond Logan looked up and saw a red tint creep up his neck and face. He is still in love with her. "Why did you break up with her?" he wondered out loud. This was something that he had been puzzled by for some time, but Duncan never said anything about it and Logan figured he was embarrassed that she had cheated on him or something equally as shameful so he didn't press the issue.
"It's not important, ok?" he stated with finality; and that was that. Logan could see that the topic of Veronica Mars was no longer being discussed. Logan decided it would be best not to mention their run-in at the end of the night anyway. The topic turned to the surf, the party, and the drama that was sure to ensue after a party like that. They called it a day when there hadn't been a decent wave to come along in a good twenty minutes and they went their separate ways.
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Veronica spent the rest of the weekend studying for semester finals and finding her inner red satin. She cut off her long blonde locks and took her savings with her on a shopping spree. Well Lilly would never call five shirts, two skirts and a pair of butch boots a spree, but I don't have a no-limit credit card to my name either. Veronica giggled at the idea of Lilly being with her while she chose her new wardrobe. She wished she could be there for every purchase, every twirl in front of the mirror and every trial hairstyle. Veronica even practiced hiding her emotions in the mirror when she got home. By the end of the weekend she felt like a pro.
Veronica's mom had left not even a month ago and it still hurt her every second of every day. She was unsure if her dad had tried to track her down yet, but she was also unsure of what he would find if he did. She had been drinking heavily ever since her dad's 'conspiracy theories' had lost him his job. Veronica wished she could talk to her mother about what was going on at school but she didn't dwell on it. She's gone and I might as well accept that for now, she thought.
She was certain that Lilly would have been proud of the courage Veronica had at the party with Logan, Dick, Madison and the sea of faces that scowled at her throughout the duration, and she would have laughed her ass off at the prank Veronica pulled on Logan during truth or dare. Lilly always said that Duncan and Logan needed to be put in their place every once in a while, but it was usually Lilly who would knock them down a peg or two. Lilly would definitely appreciate her deviousness.
Veronica was going to be ready for anything that they threw at her at school on Monday. Tomorrow is a new day, and it's the first day in months that I won't let myself cry at school. It's time for a change, and I hope that it's a change you will be proud of Lilly.
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At school on Monday morning, Veronica was pleased to note that there weren't any 09ers waiting for her to arrive to taunt her as she walked to her locker. That wasn't an everyday occurrence however, so she was unsure if it had anything to do with her display at Shelly's or if it was just due to finals beginning that morning. Veronica decided to go ahead and write it off as a small victory to boost her confidence.
She walked into the school building without looking a single person in the eyes. She was somewhat scared she would lose her nerve if she did. Veronica curled her short blonde locks to flip away from her face this morning and she was wearing one of her new outfits. She sported black combat boots, an army green, cut-off mini skirt and a tight black sweater with a scoop neckline. She felt hot in her new clothes and assured herself that the gazes she could feel on her back while she stood at her locker to get out the appropriate materials for her first final were a mixture of awe and jealousy. Ha ha—right, you just need to keep in mind that you don't care what they think anymore, Veronica.
Logan saw her walk in. He watched her walk right past him without noticing he was in the building and he was pissed. But then he fixed his eyes on her new clothes and those feeling evaporated and were replaced by something else. Logan was in awe of her new attitude and her sexy new style. He heard Shelly's voice and realized he was staring and if he was honest with himself he was salivating a little bit too. But he wasn't ready to be honest with himself just yet.
"Logan, you had fun at my party, right?" Shelly asked again with a little irritation in her voice this time. She saw the looks Duncan, Logan and the other guys were giving Veronica when she walked in and she couldn't help but be jealous. They were definitely not the usual hate-filled stares that she usually received. Duncan's jaw literally dropped and Shelly tried desperately to draw the attention back to her.
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Logan wasn't happy with his reaction to the new look and attitude that Veronica Mars walked into the school with today. He just stood there unable to look away and unable to come up with any type of insult. He knew he needed to make up for it at lunch when he saw her sitting alone, as usual, at her red plastic table in the sun. On his way to the 09er table he stopped by for what he expected to be a little drive-by cruelty. "Looking sluttier than ever this afternoon, Mars" he said in passing and he gave her a mock salute as he kept on going. But her words stopped him in his tracks.
"Gee, thanks Logan. You are looking far more pompous than usual yourself," she said easily with an obviously fake sweet smile.
"Excuse me, Mars? Are you talking to me?" he said while turning back around. He wasn't used to her talking back. Normally by now she would be silently crying and would have gone back to eating her disgustingly cheap cafeteria meal. He is in a state of shock and at the moment he has no witty comebacks for her.
"You're the only obligatory jackass I see around here. Oh, wait there's Dick." She points to Dick who is just arriving at the 09er table. "Now I see why you might have been confused." Her look says she is sorry for confusing him.
He can't believe she is comparing him to Dick after what happened this weekend. Logan was cruel, yes, but he would never hurt a girl in that way. And after what Duncan told him about Veronica being the one to stop him, Logan knows that it is not just a coincidence that she is using Dick as an example. Logan is angry and hurt but he just mutters a "Whatever" under his breath as he walks away.
But as he is retreating her perky voice calls out one last blow and he can hear the smirk on her face without turning around to see it. "Bye Logan, I'll miss you."
His blood is boiling now. Who does she think she is, talking to me like that? Logan could feel the eyes of his friends around the table on him. He knew they were wondering how on earth Logan Echolls just got his ass handed to him by Veronica Mars. To be honest, he was rather ashamed of himself, but he was not expecting that from Veronica and neither were they so, how could they blame him? Apparently I need a new game plan.
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After school Veronica spots Madison walking out to the parking lot. Madison has been terrible to Veronica since Logan proclaimed open season on her, but she was still an old 'frienemy' as Lilly called her, and Veronica wanted to make sure she was ok. "Madison," she called as she caught up to her. "Hey, how are you?"
Madison looks at her with her usual hatred at first and opens her mouth to insult her, but is stopped by the memory of her friend's explanation of what happened at Shelly's party. She may hate Veronica Mars, but she supposes she owes her at least a little gratitude. "Hi. I'm fine, thanks." she says and she thinks it comes out a little cold, but she can't manage to feel sorry about that.
"I just wanted to check up on you. If you need anyone to talk to about it, I'm here." Veronica gives her a half smile as she says this. She can't help but feel slightly hopeful. If she was to regain one friend of all of the 09ers, she would not have chosen Madison Sinclair, but she just went through something terrible and Veronica wondered if it would change her outlook on life in the slightest way.
"I'm alright Veronica, really. I don't need therapy or anything, God." she declares sounding annoyed. Veronica nods to her and starts to walk away, but Madison calls out to her. "Veronica." Veronica turns back around already a few feet away and looks up at Madison waiting for her to continue. "Thank you." she utters looking a little misty-eyed and she walks away to her car.
Veronica mentally adds this to her list of victories for the day. Veronica Mars 3. Neptune 0. It's a good start for day one.
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When Madison reaches her car, Dick is waiting for her. "Madi, baby, you haven't returned any of my calls." he says and she thinks that he sounds more worried about himself than he does about her.
"Dick, I told you that it's over. Ok? So leave me alone. Last time I checked I had 37 missed calls from you. Can you really be that desperate?" she says wanting to hurt him like he hurt her. "I'm not listening to any more of your voice mails, so you can go ahead and stop leaving them." To be honest, Madison was a little frightened talking to Dick right now with the closest people to them being several yards away, but there was no way in hell she was going to show it. "If you don't leave me alone Dick, I am going to press charges."
Dick seems to believe her, because he walks away and Madison can't be more grateful. Too bad Dick can't stop himself from drunk-dialing her 11 more times before its even dinner time.
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I was floored by all the reviews and story alerts this got! I had no idea there were quite so many readers out there that would like my story. Thank you all so much! Please review this chapter as well and let me know if it is still good!