3. Paint The Town Shades Of Saving Logan Echolls' Ass
"Urg," the fifteen year old girl groaned. "Logan, you little shit, I almost fell over your stupid skateboard. I could have twisted my leg or worse, fell and broke my head and died."
The brunette boy tensed for a moment before realizing that their father wasn't home and sighed out with relief.
"Not my fault you're a klutz," the eleven year old dryly remarked before he munched on his apple.
The redhead huffed, furious with him for the millionth time that day. "Just put your stupid stuff away, okay?! God, you're annoying!"
"Yeah and so is your face!" He heatedly threw back, feeling more and more irate with his sister.
"Like you're one to talk," she huffed and stormed away.
Logan rolled his eyes, she was so annoying.
"Logan, sweetie," he heard his mother call through his door. She cracked the door open without waiting for his consent. "Your friends are here to see you."
"Alright mom," he acknowledged. His eyes lingered on the glass in her hand and he sighed. He loved his mother, more than anyone in the world and he knew she felt like she needed addition liquor courage to cope but that didn't stop him from feeling disappointed every time he saw her drinking.
She smiled and somehow Logan had hope that one day they'd be okay - without his father around to ruin everything.
He'd reluctantly agreed to view the annual girls vs boy match; school activities weren't exactly his thing. Surprisingly, the place was crowded with kids and parents that acted like they cared, among the crowd he'd easily spotted the Kanes. Celeste held the camera in hand and Lilly was loudly cheering for her best friend instead of her brother, he was sure.
He'd started to make his way toward the Kanes and maybe actually show some support for his best friend. His eyes flickered to the field as he moved and saw that the ball was flying directly at him. He quickly readied himself to hit the ball away, before he could, a petite blonde girl swiftly head-butted the ball out of his way.
His eyes grew wild as he stared after her. He blinked slowly, wondering if that really just happened. He licked his lips, his eyes trailing after the girl, her unruly blonde hair flying about while she darted after the ball.
It took him a few minutes but he recognized her. He hadn't met her before personally but she had somehow managed to become a popular topic in his life (thanks to Lilly and Duncan).
He'd spoken to her a few times on the phone, a brief hey how are you and silly comments on the stories that were narrated by their friends.
It was surreal, looking at the person that he was sure was a mythical creature of some sort. She was always sweet and playful with her innocent teasing. It'd been refreshing from the praising he'd gotten from his pseudo friends, the blatant insults he'd gotten from Trina and Lilly, and the appeasing from Duncan.
He'd looked forward to meeting her. A part of him had been afraid to. But as he watched her, she seemed different than the Veronica he'd spoken to.
And somehow that had made her even better.
He wondered how she'd react to him. Would she like him? Would she be disappointed?
His eyes trailed over her as she chased after the ball, her blonde braids knocking back and forth with loose strands sticking out. Her face was flushed as she sharply navigated between the players to get the ball. When she finally got the ball, she wasted no time running it back to the other goal post and he wasn't sure what movement she'd done with her feet but she'd kicked and successfully scored the goal.
Her lips broke into a wide smile and he was mesmerized.
The whistle blew and the announcer had declared the girls the winners. He blinked.
He hadn't realised that he'd spent the entire game staring at her, silently cheering for her.
The girls hurdled up around her and cheered. He found himself smiling along with her. He watched as she offered Duncan a smile and playful shoulder bumb and his best friend had given her a sheepish smile.
The next moment a man with a bright smile caught her and picked her up in a big hug. Logan supposed that was her sheriff of a father. Lilly loved to brag about how she'd got an in with the law enforcement and that no one would dare cross her 'cause she'd have Veronica's dad scare the heebie jeebies out of them.
A woman with long blonde hair was next to them smiling ecstatically as she congratulated Veronica. And Logan supposed that was her mother.
He sighed longingly.
"Logan!" He heard a loud familiar voice call out to him.
He turned to see the shaggy haired blond jog toward him. His eyes momentarily flicked back to Veronica and saw her gulping down water before turning his attention onto the boy in front of him.
"Hey Dick," Logan acknowledged with a slight nod.
"Dude, why are you all by your lonesome? We're having a party over there."
"Watching the game, man. Those knee socks, huh?" Logan grinned and Dick high five'd him in agreement.
His walk with Dick to the other side of the bleachers had been short, the guys made small talk and threw around plans for later.
He hadn't been purposefully watching the other end of the field but his eyes easily spotted the petite blonde and for the first time he'd finally saw her walking alone.
He threw out a quick I'll be back and speed-walked his way over to her, a high-pitched hey came out. He silently cursed, he'd intended for it to be low and ruff. Was he nervous? Since when did he get nervous around girls?
She tilted her head and stared at him and he could only stare back, flushed and mesmerized. Her blonde hair was ruffled, sweat glistened on her flushed pink coloured skin, her green and white uniform was messed up with dirt trailing on her knee long socks and for whatever reason it made her seem all the more appealing.
For all of the pictures he'd seen of her, he'd thought she was pretty and sweet-looking but damn was she hot, he whistled mentally.
Her bright blue eyes stared into his brown ones and it was like she was trying to figure out who he was and he'd suddenly realize that he hadn't said anything.
"Thanks for saving me." He airly let out. He inwardly cringed. You're supposed to introduce yourself, idiot.
She blinked, confused. "Earlier," he swallowed, more nervous than he'd liked to be. "The ball was about to whack me in the face but you head butted it outta the way." His hand gestured around and he inwardly cringed at how dorky he must have looked in front of her.
"Oh," she thoughtfully let out as if trying to recall the moment. "Well, you're welcome," she cheerfully declared.
He chuckled, feeling impish. "That was one hellova game," he admiringly remarked.
"Thanks," she beamed, and his cheeks coloured, he'd always wanted to see her smile and not just hear it over the phone. It was even more beautiful than he imagined. He sucked in a breath and tried to diminish the affects she had on him. "I'm Veronica."
He swallowed, she hadn't realized who he was as yet. Despite the fact that they spoke on the phone and he was sure Lilly showed her pictures of him, he was nationally known as the son of Lynn and Aaron Echolls.
The idea of tricking her was tempting but if he didn't tell her who he was, wouldn't she just leave? Or maybe she'd wanna get some ice cream with him.
He resisted the urge to grin wickedly and said, "William."
She sharply nodded and gave him a smile, "It was nice meeting you, William."
She'd turned and took a step away from him. "Veronica," he called out to her and she stopped in her tracks. She turned her head to look at him. "You, maybe, wanna get some ice cream?" He swallowed, unsure of where this feeling of nervousness came from. "My treat, as a thank you for saving me?" His tone was hopeful and light and she looked dazed for a moment.
"Sure," she slowly smiled and he'd let out a breath of relief he hadn't been holding.
He smiled back, unrestrained and bright.
"So, are you new here?" She casually made conversation as they walked toward the ice cream cart and Logan wondered if Neptune was the type of town where everyone-knew-everybody. He considered it, maybe Veronica did, after all her dad was the sheriff.
"Yeah," he shruggingly responded and he knew that the next question would be 'where were you from' so instead of giving her the chance, he continued, "Neptune is surprisingly great, and I'm pleased to note that it does live up to being the god of the ocean."
She chuckled. "Ah yes Neptune's full of mythological sites."
Logan's thoughts briefly flickered to the moments he'd thought she was indeed a mythological sight.
"So are you trying to impress me with your intellectual prowess?" She grinningly arched her brow.
He chuckled, "Is it working?"
"You're gonna have to try harder than that," she playfully remarked.
He grinned and before he realised it they were in front of the cart and she was ordering ice cream.
"Thank you," Veronica smiled.
He eyes twinkled at the sight, a smile spread across his cheeks. "No, no, this was a thank you from me."
She grinned gleefully. "Well then, you're very welcome."
"You were really great out there," he coyly complimented.
"Thanks," she began to walk and he followed in step. "Do you play?"
"For fun, sometimes," he shrugged. "I'm more into surfing." She'd settled into the bench and he sat down next to her. "You know it's just so... free."
She glanced at him from her ice cream cone and smiled at the peaceful look on his face. "I feel the same about soccer." She quickly took in another suck of her chocolate ice cream before she continued. "The adrenaline, the moment you let it all out and that feeling of not worrying about anything else in the world."
"Exactly," he agreed giddily, his bright eyes focused on her. "You know, I think you'd like surfing a lot. I could teach you, if you wanted." He sucked on his melting ice cream.
She bobbed her head enthusiastically, "Sure, Will."
He blinked, momentarily forgetting about giving her his second name.
"It's okay if I call you Will, right?" She coaxed, her head tilted, her tongue locked the cold sweetness from the ice cream on her lips.
"Sure, Ronnie?" He tested out and bit into his cone.
Her wrinkled her nose. "Doesn't that sound like a boy's name?"
"Nope," he shook his head. "Sounds good to me."
She frowned, not happy with the nickname but unable to tell him. "I'm sure you can come up with something a bit more creative."
"And Will is so unique?" He teased.
"Willy? Willy-wonka? Chocolate? Charlie?"
He laughed, "A bit too creative aren't you, Ronnie?"
She struck her tongue out at him. "And you're not even trying."
"Mac-a-ronnie?"
"Seriously?" She let out louder than intended with the underlying giggly tone.
"Where you serious about Chocolate?"
"What's wrong with Chocolate? It's delicious."
He giggled and he almost couldn't believe that sound had come from him, she was surprised but her lips twirled into a smile and she chuckled along.
"So you think I'm delicious, huh?"
Her smile immediately dropped, her blue eyes widen and her cheeks redden tremendously. "Well, you did just eat ice cream..."
He's not sure how his cheeks weren't tearing apart from his wide grins. She was a spluttering mess and he found it absolutely adorable.
"It is really good ice cream," he admitted.
"Right!" Her voice picked it up a level. "But not as good as Amy's."
"Really?"
"Amy's is the best."
"You'll have to introduce me," he smiled and she bobbed her head with agreement before listing her favorite ice creams that he had to try.
He didn't know how he created this care free space with Veronica Mars in such a short time; he wanted to know more about her, he wanted her to know more about him and he's a bit disappointed that she didn't figure out he's Logan Echolls by now.
He'd caved and admitted he's from L.A and that would have been a dead giveaway because Lilly or Duncan must have told her about his relocating to Neptune, right?
But she hadn't given away any hints that she knew him. She mildly passed on any questions of his family and he found it odd because as he recalled Veronica was a curious little bugger.
He sort of wished that the others weren't waiting on him or her because then they'd have a little bit more alone time together - but he'd stretched the time for as long as he could and soon this little game he started of 'guess who I really am would be over.'
Veronica continued to talk about the highlights of Neptune and the places he had to see to truly experience the perks of living here and he suggested that she'd have to show him around.
He'd waggled his brows and smiled charmingly but the words came out a giddy mess and he hoped she hadn't noticed the nervousness he felt for his continuity in asking her out for future hang outs.
She blushed and smiled and bobbed her head and distractingly added onto her list, he found it absolutely adorable.
She'd been so into her words, with her rapid hand gestures and bright eyes looking at him as they walked that she hadn't noticed the rock she was about to walk right into, thankfully Logan did.
His hands wrapped around her waist and he swayed her to the left, bringing her body closer to his and her eyes widened, first she stared up at him and then she noticed his gaze on the rock on the ground.
She let out a breath and thanked him with a smile of gratitude. His hands still on her waist, he smiled back with a soft, you're welcome.
As he let go of her, his fingers graze over the small section of bare skin on her hips and she giggled, skirming a little.
He cocked his head and a grin spread across his face when he'd realized that Veronica Mars was ticklish.
Her eyes widened and he knew that she knew what he was going to do next because she backed away cautiously with her hands spread out in front of her. She shook her head with a warning don't you dare and he couldn't resist.
His hands found their way around her waist, his fingers wiggle into her sides and she became a spluttering mess of laughter and he absolutely loved it.
He's not sure if it's seconds or minutes that pass before Veronica gasped, "Logan!"
His hands fell away from her and he gawked. "You knew?!"
Her eyes widened when she realized that she'd said his name and inadvertedly ended whatever game he'd started. "Well, of course I knew!"
He blinked at her stupidly. "Since when?"
She pouted, disgruntled that she hadn't gotten him to own up to it first. "When you said my name for the first time."
His wide brown eyes stared at her with disbelief. "Basically this whole time!"
She shrugged and continued to walk. "You're the one that lied."
He followed her, confusion covering his features. "I just wanted to see how long it'll take you to recognise me. How did you recognize me?"
"You looked familiar when I saw you, but of course with the shorter hair and braces gone... you look different. But it was the way you said my name. You say it differently, somehow," she softly said before accusing, "I've told you this before so that's a rookie mistake on your part!"
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Only you would lecture me on how to trick you better."
She huffed, still somewhat upset about her own rookie mistake. "And you couldn't have found a better alias than your middle name?"
He scrunched his eye up, smiled all crinkly and shrugged.
She shook her head, it felt different now that he was Logan - that he knew that she knew he was Logan - And somehow it didn't feel all that different at all.
"Have you seen Duncan and Lilly yet?" She quizzed as they drew closer to the bleachers.
"Nope," he shook his head and provided, "But I saw Dick and some of the guys."
Her brows furrow, her eyes gaze up at him. "When did you meet Dick?"
He met her gaze for a moment. "Uh, his mother brought him over to extend their hospitality to the new neighbours," he shrugged. "He seemed cool. We went surfing this morning."
She shot him a look of disbelief. "You think Dick is cool? And here I thought you had taste."
"C'mon, he's not that bad."
She almost gagged. "He's not that bad. He's worse."
Logan watched with amusement as she grumbled about just why Dick Casablancas was the worst.
It didn't help that the moment Logan let the nickname Ronnie slip out, Dick adapted it as his new favorite word for her.
A/N. This chapter was inspired by Veronica and Logan's first meeting (and unofficial first date?)
