Chapter 6

The weekend came and passed as soon as it came, now it was Monday morning. Veronica was eating breakfast in the loft, when Maya came in strolling through her front door.

"Hey there scruff," She greeted, "It's seven o'clock!" Ever since finding out that Maya and Fletcher lived close by, it had become a daily routine for one or both of them to show up at her door.

"I'm coming," She said, grabbing her bag.

"Oh, wait! Veronica!" Her mother, Alexis Hale, called out to her; just as the older woman was descending down the stairs, "Don't forget that you have a recital at the end of the month," Veronica rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Mom, why do we always put up these recitals?" She asked.

"Sweetie, it's so that you can earn a good scholarship from talent scouts," Her mother answered.

"What's this?" Maya squeezed herself into the conversation, "Scruff's got a recital?" She grinned, more ideas for her plan were popping up like little plot bunnies. Veronica turned to her friend.

"It's nothing-" "Oh! Yes!" Her mother cut her off, "Oh, sweetie! You should invite your friends to come!" The woman exclaimed, gleefully. Veronica blanched at the idea, not because she didn't wanted them to see her perform. No, it was mostly because when she performed at recitals, she usually felt herself suffocating from being stared at. But thankfully she had gotten used to it, if she knew that her friends were among the crowd, she might have an anxiety attack.

"I don't know, mom..." She trailed off, "I don't think classical music is..." She paused to think of a better word to describe her predicament, "...fit for Maya's interest..."

"Ah, don' cha worry about that, scruff," Maya waved her off, "Music is music, and I like music!" Veronica eyed the blonde.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Yeah, now c'mon, we're gonna be late!" She said, tugging the girl by the arm as she gripped on her bag.

Jonathan Crane felt sore as he place his tray down on the table. His whole entire body were enthralled by the severe beating from both Griggs and his great grandmother. He hiss silently as he leaned back. He still felt the painful stings of the lashes he had received from his great grandmother over the weekend. He hoped that they wouldn't reopen and bleed through his clothes. Jonathan heard the scuffling of the chair legs against the floor and gazed up to see Veronica, Maya, and Fletcher.

"Hey there Ichabod!" Maya greeted, patting his back. Jonathan tensed up and bit his tongue, holding back a hiss. Veronica saw how he tensed up and gave him a concerned expression.

"Jonathan, are you okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine," He strained out, "I'm just sore..." He muttered.

"What'd ya been doing, Ichabod?" Maya wondered, "Hard labor or something?" Jonathan winced as she was spot on.

"Something like that..." He muttered, "I help around at the house," He answered.

"Oh, that's right, Ethan said your house was something similar to a farm, must be hard to take care of a place like that," Veronica noted.

"Hm," He hummed. He wasn't in the mood for any talk, he wanted to just wanted to get over with his senior year and move far away from Georgia. His thoughts were interrupted when he felt his head make contact with the tray. A hand forced him down against the table. Great, just what he needed...

"Enjoying your lunch, Scarecrow?" Bo asked, applying more pressure on him.

"Oh, would you look at this degenerative, walk of shame here," Veronica commented, disgusted with him.

"How about you two girls ditched these losers and come hang with me?" Bo flirted with the blonde and brunette.

"Ew," Maya scoffed with disgust. Veronica's face contorted as she pried his hand away from Jonathan.

"I rather be a stay with guys who don't flirt with other girls when they have girlfriends," She replied. Apparently, Bo didn't like how she waved him off and grabbed both Jonathan and Fletcher.

"Apples! Apples!" Fletcher cried as he and Jonathan were flung into the floor. The two groaned as they rolled on their backs. Jonathan winced, he could feel the sting on his back burn. This was the last thing he needed.

"What's so great about these two nerds?" Griggs picked up Fletcher, who continued to cry his safe words, and threw him onto the table.

"Hey! Knock it off!" Maya called out, pulling him off of Fletcher as Veronica went to the young Dolton boy and help him up.

"Fletcher! Are you alright?" She asked.

"I'm fine, I'm sure that that's definitely going to leave a bruise..." He strained as he sat up, rubbing his back. He got off the table and the two went to Jonathan, who was still on the floor.

"Jonathan," She helped him and placed her hand gently on his back.

"I'm fine!" He snapped, taking his arm out of her grasp. He stood up, ignoring their attempts to help her.

"Aw, look at the new girl helping out the nerds," Bo cooed. Veronica huffed as she ignored his taunting.

"Ugh," She rolled her eyes and turned around, "How mature..." She scoffed, "Let's just go guys," She said, as Maya was helping Fletcher. Maya paused as she gazed back at Bo.

"You better keep one eye open tonight, Griggs," She smirked maliciously, "Remember I know where you live," The four exited the cafeteria, heading to their next class.

"Why are always helping me?" Jonathan asked the trio, specifically Veronica.

"I told you before, Jonathan," She sighed, "I like you, you're a really smart guy," She said.

"That's not what I mean," He muttered.

"Then what do you mean?" She asked, raising a brow.

"I mean, you know that everyone picks on me, yet you still want to be around me..." He trailed off. It was awkward for him, a girl pretty like her wanting to be around him. It was a first. Usually no one would willing want to be around with him.

"Well maybe I want to be around you, maybe I want to be your friend," She answered, calmly.

"What if I don't want you to be my friend?" He questioned, she merely smiled.

"Well then too bad, I'm still going to be hanging around with you," She replied. It was at this point that Jonathan knew that there was no point in telling this girl otherwise. He would just have to put up with her persistency to be his friend.

"Oh good!" Maya clasped her hands together, "We're finally solidifying our band of misfits friendship!" She said.

"'Our'?" Jonathan echoed.

"Well, duh," The blonde said, wrapping her arm around Veronica's shoulder, "Scruff's my friend, and if you're gonna be her friend, then you're my friend as well, by default!" She answered, "And because of that! How about we head to this cool diner after school?" She asked, "Its pretty good, if you ask me!"

"Sure, I have nothing to do at home," Veronica answered.

"I'll go wherever Maya goes," Fletcher sighed dreamily, leaning against Maya as he stared up at her since she was slightly taller than him.

"So, what'd ya say, Ichabod?" Maya asked, giving Jonathan a look. He shifted his eyes at them and sighed. He really hated their persistency.

"Fine..." He muttered.

Later on, the four met up at said diner. Veronica looked up at the diner as they headed inside.

"So we've got the project done, but we've got bigger things to deal with!" Maya said.

"And that is?" Veronica asked as they all took a seat.

"The Halloween party is coming up, and although these type of things aren't really my style, it'll be fun to mess with the socs!" She grinned at the idea.

"I can finally wear my cape without being judge!" Fletcher grinned at the thought.

"Don't say that again," Maya hushed the boy, "Makes you even more of a nerd," She added. Fletcher pouted and sighed.

"When's this party?" Veronica asked, curious. Jonathan wasn't really interested in the conversation and was deep in thought, trying to remember how he gotten dragged into this.

"It's at the end of next month," Maya answered. Jonathan huffed, incoherent grumblings escaping his lips. Veronica elbowed him in the ribs for his rudeness.

"I don't know, Maya," She muttered, "I have to practice for my recitals," She said.

"Oh, that's right!" The blonde nodded, "Your mom said something that you had a recital this months!" At this Veronica shrunk slowly in her seat as they all, including Jonathan, stared at her.

"You play something?" Fletcher asked, curiosity peaking his evil, genius, mastermind.

"Yes, the violin..."She replied, shrinking away even more. The one thing that Veronica Hale hated was being uncomfortable. And being stared at by her misfits of friends was making her very uncomfortable.

"I heard you play the violin at the library on your first day," Jonathan recalled, "I understand that you were talented, but I didn't expect that you were a professional," He noted. Veronica shyly smiled and looked away.

"My mom thought that if I played an instrument, it would help with scholarships and look good on my records..." She explained, "I wanted to learn the cello, but she got me a violin instead..." She chuckled at the memory.

"She's not wrong," Jonathan muttered.

"That's true, but it's not that I don't like play the violin, I just-"

"Don't want it to be the only thing that defines you..." Maya interrupted. There was an unfamiliar expression from Jonathan's point of view. As if she understood what it was like to be known for something you're not.

"You wanted another adjective..." Fletcher finished the blonde's sentence. Jonathan watched the three, particularly Maya and Fletcher.

He never viewed them to understand how he felt. Being judge for how you look or act, being something you're not. Perhaps he was wrong to think like that. He always viewed Maya as the notorious bad girl that she was and Fletcher to be the teacher's pet with a coy attitude and a "Evil, genius, mastermind" complex. He guessed that the phrase "Don't judge a book by its cover" was true.

The next day, Veronica entered her first period, taking a seat next to Crane. Jonathan was sporting a black eye and there was also a crack in his glasses. She sighed upon seeing his disheveled appearance.

"Was is Griggs again?" She asked. Jonathan looked back at her and huffed.

"Sadly no..." He muttered, "I haven't see that idiot the whole morning..." Veronica narrowed her eyes, If Griggs didn't do this then who? She thought.

"Jonathan, who did this?" She asked.

"Don't bother yourself with it..." He waved her off.

"Jonathan, this isn't something you can handle by yourself," She pressed, "If this bullying continues the way it is, you might get seriously hurt!"

"I didn't ask you involved!" He snapped, quietly though, since they were in class. Veronica gave him a stern stare before huffing, and faced the board. She was really getting annoyed with his guarded nature. He needed to take some of her help if this was too much for him. Once class as over, Veronica stood up and headed to the library. She sighed and looked around the library. She hoped that they would have the book she was looking for. After a few minutes of searching, she finally found the book she was searching for. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Some time later on, during lunch, Jonathan was trying to eat his lunch in peace. Keyword trying. Bo was still flicking pieces of his food at his back. Jonathan sighed, trying to contain his frustration when Veronica pulled up a seat next to him, holding out a book towards him.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Read it!" She said. He raised a brow at her.

"Why?"

"Ssh!" She hushed him, "No questions, just read it!" She pressed, handing the book towards him. He took the book and gazed down at the title.

"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?" He questioned.

"It's one of my favorite books, alright!" She said, "Read it! I think it'll help you," He gave her a look and sighed.

"I doubt that a book would have any solution to my problems..." He muttered.

"You won't know if you do t try, please read it! For me?" She grasp his hand, making him flinch slightly. Green eyes staring into his piercing blue ones. He frowned and grumbled to himself.

"Fine, but only because you're so persistent on having me read this." She gave him a smile and pushed the book closer to him. She soon stood up and left, leaving Jonathan to himself as he sighed. She'll be the end of him.

When you get into a new fandom you tend to get into a bit much. But that doesn't mean I putting this story off, I just need time to think of the storyline since this background origin is strictly made up from my mind. Sorry for any mistakes and if this chapter doesn't seem that great.