Chapter 4: Social Combat

It is the next day at school, in the Life Skills classroom. Groups from the previous chapter are working in their assigned kitchens. Veronica, Logan and Wallace are talking amongst themselves while cooking. The two are filling him in on the previous night's experience.

"So do you know what you're going to do?" Wallace asked Veronica while he poured batter into a pan. "Any ideas circling in Veronica Mars' revenge-filled head? I'd like to know ahead of time what they are so I can set aside the appropriate amount of bail money."

"Not yet, but I'm pretty sure he'll do something stupid soon." The petite girl replied, quickly moving to show Logan how to operate the oven. "Does Weevil know I don't want him punching Troy in the face? I want to do this revenge thing on my own."

"If Weevil punches Tory in the face, can I do it too? I know you decided we would each take care of our own significant other's punishment; but I really want to punch the guy in the face. No? Then I'm simply going to settle with taking away what Caitlin found so alluring to begin with." Logan sighed.

"You're giving all your money away to charity?" Veronica said sarcastically.

"No, banishing her from the 09er group. Status, Ronnie. That's what she wanted. Besides, if I give away my money, I'd have to rely solely on my good looks, rapier wit and superior intelligence. Nobody would want me to do that." Logan corrected.

"Status isn't everything, Logan. I get along fine without it." she replied quietly.

The boy turned her around and tilted Veronica's chin up, looking in her eyes. "You have drive, Veronica Mars. You're a survivor. Caitlin has nothing on you Ronnie. Remember that." He nods at her before letting her go back to work.

After the girl turns around, Logan's gaze lingers over her body. Wallace, having watched the exchange between the two, is slightly confused. His eyes narrow at Logan and catches the boy's eye. Logan blinks, and starts talking again.

"Besides, we all know you're good at revenge. Need I remind you of the cock-bong plant?" Logan asked.

"Someone planted a bong in your locker?" Veronica gasped, face full of innocence with a hand clasped across her mouth. "How awful! I hope you didn't get in much trouble. Why on earth would anyone do such a horrible thing?" The tiny girl emphasized each word with a new, fluttering hand motion.

Wallace and Logan both chuckled as they put the bread into the now heated oven.

Mrs. Vankley gets up from her desk, where it can be seen she had simply been reading a Cosmopolitan. "Ok, are everyone's baked goods in the oven? Clean up your areas during this time, and then take a break until it's time to take them out." The volume in the classroom rises, and most students begin washing bowls.

Caitlin walks over to Logan and Veronica's area. Veronica, Wallace and Casey are talking to each other while she shows them the proper way to wash Teflon cooking pots. Casey and Veronica have been much friendlier to each other since the cult/crazy parents incident.

"Hey Logan, my parent's are going to be out of town this weekend- do you wanna come over to help me with Vankley's homework?" the skinny blonde asked seductively.

"Now Caitlin, just because Veronica and I didn't acknowledge you last night doesn't mean I didn't see you cheating. Leave, I'm sure there's a vital purse store opening you should be attending. The old one looks like a knockoff." Logan said, not turning from the recipe he's reading.

"You don't understand baby," Caitlin whined, wrapping her arms around the taller boy's waist. "I was just lonely because you were spending your time with her. I promise I'll make it up to you this weekend." She continued, sliding her hands lower on his body.

Veronica loudly slams down the bowl she was scrubbing and flips around to face the girl. Ripping the taller girl's arms off of Logan, she begins speaking in a low but menacing tone. "Listen Elizabeth-Taylor-in-training! Everyone here knows the only reason you were with Logan was for status. The fact that you cheated on your last boyfriend with a PCHer hasn't been forgotten." The classroom has gone silent, Veronica's words cutting like glass. "Leave him alone, he wants nothing to do with you. This momentary lapse in taste on his part will be chalked up to the 'easy lay' factor. Bother him again, I will use all of my free time in thinking up ways to ruin you. And I have a lot of free time, now that the newspapers' on hold and my loss of pep. Leave him alone. Do you understand that, you ball-juggling whore?"

Dick snorts at the insult, Wallace grins and Casey lets out an audible chuckle. The other students in the class look to one another, not knowing what to make of the showdown. Logan puts his hand on Veronica's arm and moves slightly in front of her. Caitlin is still reeling from the confrontation, blinking stupidly and looking like a fish. Totally not hot.

"Caitlin, I figured that since I caught you cheating I would be spared the task of thinking up a breakup speech. Apparently I was wrong. Listen, we need to talk…" he begins, speaking condescendingly towards the tall blonde. "I'm not going to lie to you and say we had a good run. You were an acceptable lay- not great, but serviceable. I really feel that we don't have anything in common, I don't cheat on my partners- you do; I'm not a shameless dramaqueen- you are… I hope you understand."

An oven timer went off and Mrs. Vankley, slightly annoyed with what had happened broke the mood of the room.

"Alright, that's the bell that ends the match. This tiff is over, and someone take out whatever was baking in that oven. Everyone get back to your stations. Talk with your group members about the jobs for next class. If your recipe is going to need more ingredients than the list you gave me last week, you need to buy them yourselves. Work this out people! And Mr. Casablancas, despite your generous offer, I will not allow you to bring your maid from home to wash the dishes in here. Do it yourself."

The woman walked over to Veronica's station, "I'm not going to ask what that was about. Although the gist of it wasn't hard to pick up. Veronica, it's nice to know you can still stand up for yourself. But next time, can you interrupt someone else's class?" She stopped talking directly to Veronica and turned to include Logan in the conversation. "I'm not going to punish either of you for the disruption- but only because I enjoyed the verbal smack down that just occurred. Mr. Echolls, remember this moment if you're ever tempted about cheating on her."

She turns and walks away, an amused smile on her lips. Wallace looks after her with an open mouth, appalled at the teachers' antics. Veronica smirks and turns to the subject at hand.

"Why would she assume the two of us are together?" she asked Logan.

"It may have something to do with the fact that you just tore down a girl for touching me Ronnie. I'm not complaining, as it was totally hot to watch- but I can see where she got the idea." Logan replied with a smile. "Anything you want to share with the group?"

Veronica looked at him again, bemused. "We came to the agreement that neither of us has good relationships because of our pasts Logan. I'm not the kind of girl who jumps into anyone's arms that shows her affection. For that you want Carrie Bishop."

The boy speaks again, in a lower voice than before, "You're right Ronnie, you defy definition." His flirting tone showed respect for the blonde, a fact not lost on Wallace.

"He's right V; you sort of break the girl-mold. The whole 'jaded yet perky' deal? All you, girl. I lost the sheet for next class. Can you go get one from Mrs. Vankley for me? Lady seems to like you more." The boy asked, closing his backpack.

"Sure Papa Bear, but it's not that she doesn't like you; you intimidate her with your gangsta ways." Veronica replied, and left to go talk to her teacher.

Wallace turned towards Logan, eyes narrowing as he spoke. "Real quick- you and me, Echolls. We're gonna have a talk after class. Stay in the hallway after she leaves."

"Dude, you know Ronnie was joking about your 'ghetto roots'? The whole intimidation thing doesn't fit you. However, I'm intrigued. I'll see you then, if I can get away from Dick."

Veronica, having heard the last part of Logan's sentence interjects, "I might be able to help get Dick away, but only if you tell me why you and Wallace need to meet."

Thinking quickly, Logan replied "Wally here is going to help me in one of Caitlin's revenge punishments. Status is no longer the only thing I'm going for, after he reminded me of your more recent achievements in the humiliation department. I can't let you top me in this, and we agreed to work separately. However, your help with Dick would be most appreciated Ronnie."

A slow grin came over Veronica's face. "Oh, game on Echolls."

She motioned Casey to come over, and spoke to him quickly. After the boy got a smirk of his own, he nodded and walked back to his station and said something to Dick out of the corner of his mouth. Dick's head shot up are he whipped around towards Veronica.

"Mars, you spread that around school and I'll make your life hell!" he bellowed. "You think that you can just--"

"Dick, do you remember what I talked to you about?" Logan questioned harshly. "Leave her alone."

"Yes Mr. Echolls, I agree. And Mr. Casablancas, there's a small fire on your stovetop. You've shown that you have no respect for this class. Please go visit the Vice Principal's office while I try to clean up this mess." Mrs. Vankley added, coming forward with a copy of Wallace's mysterious missing paper in her hands.

"And that boys, is how it's done." Veronica stated, winking at Casey from across the room. The other boy had obviously started the fire, judging by his quiet chuckling as he helped clean his area. Glancing over, he returned the wink as Veronica smiled genuinely.

"The bread's finished. Nicely done Mars." Logan growled, having seen the interaction between her and Casey.