A/N It's been awhile since I posted a crazy long author's note, so I guess I'm about due. I thought this was as good a time as any to let everyone know what I decided earlier this year. After I wrap up this story and Mr. Darcy (and get that pesky KtD epilogue posted) I'll be finished writing for this fandom. I feel like I'm telling/have told all of the stories I wanted to tell. And I'm assuming the movie will tie up any loose ends so I can finally rest easy as a Veronica Mars fan.

This isn't to say I won't still be popping my head in here to read other fics, maybe offer beta services, etc. And there's a very good possibility I'll be writing for other fandoms that have my interest (Hannibal, Homeland, The Borgias, The Killing and American Horror Story are all reasonable possibilities.) But as far as VM goes, I think it's time for me to move on to other projects.

I also owe it to myself to give the story I started for NaNo some love and attention. I was moving along nicely when I got interrupted by Hurricane Sandy (we lost power for a week) and I think there may have been something there. And maybe I'll get that blog going again? Who knows.

Anyway, it'll be a good, long while before I'm gone. Darcy and Bound both have a bunch more chapters left to go. And this isn't a bad thing; it's a good thing. I'm sure the movie will inspire new writers with new voices who you guys will love. But this is it for me. So I'm going to pour all of my love into my ongoing fics, and I wanted plenty of time to chat with you all before I'm gone. You can always find me on Twitter (VMsteenbeans). I have no words to properly express what writing for this fandom has meant to me. I thank you all so much for your unwavering support, over the years. Love you guys xoxo

This one's for all my VM chat ladies. You girls rock :)

Chapter 7: Quadratic Equations

Veronica

Veronica stands in front of the full length mirror in her room, holding a denim skirt up to her hips. She tilts her head to one side, eyeing the skirt speculatively. It's short. Very short, in fact. She purchased it on a whim last month, but she's never worked up the courage to actually wear it.

Yet she's feeling rather bold today. And this is the only thing in her closet that even comes close to matching her mood.

Before she has time to change her mind, Veronica steps into the skirt and zips it up. She pulls on a black tank top and takes another peek at herself in the mirror. Not bad, she appraises. Lilly will definitely approve.

It crosses her mind that Logan will likely approve as well, and that thought brings a nervous fluttering to her stomach. I should be trying on garbage bags instead. Maybe that would stave him off. Veronica rolls her eyes at her reflection. Oh who am I kidding? I'm the one who kissed him yesterday.

She's been trying not to think about her most recent failure in self-control. Being alone in the dark with Logan had been tempting enough to begin with. And then he'd started to touch her. She hadn't been strong enough to resist, not after two agonizing days spent in his company. It seems almost impossible that something that makes her feel so good can simultaneously make her feel so awful.

The strange thing is, what she's been dwelling on the most isn't Logan's touch: it's his words. Those artless whispers he'd spoken into her ear, as they'd clung to one another in the darkness. "This is what I want… This is what I want every time I'm near you."

She turns away from the mirror.

Veronica heads over to her closet, pulling a white button down shirt off the hanger. She slips it on and begins to button it. The tank top is rather low cut, and covering up seems a safer plan. Yet, when she reaches the third button from the top, she stops. A wave of defiance surges through her, and she can't seem to make her fingers cooperate.

She drops her hands and walks towards the bathroom, trying to decide what she's going to do with her hair.

xxXxx

"Well aren't you looking sassy this morning?" Lilly proclaims, as Veronica slides into the passenger seat. She eyes her for half a moment, nodding approvingly. "You're totally rocking the sexy librarian vibe. I especially like these." She reaches forward, tugging on one of Veronica's braids.

Veronica smacks her hand away, laughing lightly. "Thank you for that assessment. Can we please go now?"

Lilly grins and complies, backing out of the driveway and pulling out onto the street. "Fine. But only because I don't want you to fine me for all of those overdue library books."

Veronica sighs, already regretting her outfit choice. She glances at the back seat. "Where's Duncan?"

"Practice," she replies. "So you're still coming over tonight, right?"

"Of course," Veronica confirms.

"Good. I have a present for you."

Veronica flashes her a suspicious look. Lilly's "presents" are notorious for getting her into trouble. "What kind of present?"

"You'll see…" Lilly glances at her quickly. "Trust me, you're gonna love it."

Feeling like an incredibly ungrateful friend, Veronica looks down guiltily. But she's immediately distracted, and slightly alarmed, at the amount of skin that's exposed. She tries, unsuccessfully, to pull her skirt down over her thighs. "Jesus, I didn't realize how much this thing would ride up when I sat down."

"Well, yeah, but isn't that kind of the point?"

"No," Veronica mutters. "I just wanted a change."

"Stop stressing, Veronica," Lilly commands. "He's going to love it."

Her heart skips about five beats. "Who?" she manages.

"Duncan. Duh." Lilly stops at a red light and looks over at her. "Look, I know he likes to play the wholesome little school boy, but trust me- he's still a guy. And guys like it when you wear as little clothing as possible."

Desperate to change the subject, Veronica blurts out the first thing that comes to mind. "So how'd your therapy session go?"

Lilly grins, unfazed by the change in topic. "It was hilarious. He kept crossing and uncrossing his legs, and like shifting in his seat. I suspect he had to visit his own therapist when we were done. Dirty old man." She sounds inordinately pleased with herself.

"You're terrible."

"I know." The light turns green, and Lilly continues down the road. "Guys are so easy to mess with though, aren't they? I started giving him all these details about this time Logan and I hooked up in the music room-"

"Wait, hooked up how?" Veronica interrupts. She bites down on her lip so hard it hurts. Why the hell did I just ask her that?

"Um, the usual way?" Lilly returns. "If memory serves, I think I was on top…" She glances over at Veronica, who's trying very hard not to react. "Oh, I get it. Those Victorian sensibilities of yours are kicking in again. You're appalled that I had sex at our sacred school, aren't you?"

"No, I don't care," Veronica mumbles, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm just surprised you never told me." She clears her throat. "So, what did your therapist have to say about that?"

"I thought the poor doctor was going to have a stroke." Her face breaks into a devious grin. "Poor choice of words. I'm sure he had several, as soon as I left."

Veronica shakes her head disapprovingly, because she knows it's what Lilly expects her to do. But she can't get the image of Lilly and Logan out of her mind. She'd felt so daring, yesterday, kissing Logan during class like that. Anyone could have walked in on us, even the teacher. I've never done anything like that before. But Logan… that was nothing, compared to the things he and Lilly have done…

"Only thing is," Lilly continues, "now he thinks I have NPD."

Veronica snaps back to the present, looking at Lilly with concern. "Oh, god, is that an STD?"

She breaks into laughter. "No, silly. It stands for Narcissistic Personality Disorder."

"What's that?"

"Just another way for doctors to try and categorize people," she replies breezily, as she turns into the school parking lot. "Besides, I looked it up and it doesn't seem so bad to me. All it means is that I'm aware of how fabulous I am."

Veronica suspects there's more to it than that, but she lets the subject drop. Lilly pulls into an empty space and puts the car in park. "Hey, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure."

"I'm supposed to go make nice with Lewis before homeroom. Can you make sure Duncan gets this?" Lilly rummages through her backpack for a moment, handing Veronica an English textbook. "Celeste reminded me like eighty times before I left this morning."

"Yeah, no problem."

"You're the best."

They get out of the car and say goodbye. Lilly heads towards the school, while Veronica walks across the lot towards the soccer field.

It doesn't take her long to spot Duncan. Practice is still going on, and Duncan is currently dominating the field at left forward. She watches him feint a pass to Casey, then swiftly take a shot on goal instead. The ball sails over the goalie's head, landing in the right corner of the net.

Several teammates come over to congratulate him, and Veronica smiles. Most freshmen would have been happy just to make it onto the varsity team, but that wasn't enough for Duncan. It took him weeks to convince Coach Barnes to move him from mid-field, yet he wouldn't take no for an answer. It's clear that he's more than proven his worth as a forward.

As she watches him jog off the field, she can't help but appreciate how lean and muscular he's become. It wasn't so long ago that Lilly had teased him endlessly about his height and his slight pudginess, often referring to him as Munchkin or Chunkin instead of Duncan. Veronica had always thought him cute, even with the baby fat. But his growth spurt had piqued her interest significantly.

He spots her before she's entirely prepared, and suddenly he's heading her way. Veronica toys with the end of one braid, searching her mind for something to say. The truth is, she's been incredibly uncertain about her feelings for Duncan, this week. She'd almost thought they'd begun to fade. But Veronica feels her heart rate increase and her palms grow warm, as he approaches, and she realizes she's just been fooling herself.

I wanted to not like him anymore, because it would be easier. But look at him. He's practically perfect. Even now, his hair wet with perspiration and his green and yellow uniform stained with grass, Duncan is the picture of success. His walk is confident, his smile easy. He knows he's respected; he knows he's loved. There is no darkness in his world.

She can still conjure up the fantasy so clearly in her mind. The one where they walk down the halls holding hands, his letter jacket draped over her shoulders and his eyes fixed only on her. She feels special. She feels like she belongs. In that future, there's no place for crushing guilt or bitter resentment or hopeless confusion.

Veronica knows how silly her fantasy is. It's something she lifted from a bad movie she and Lilly watched last year. But the prospect of being Duncan Kane's girlfriend still has quite a foothold in her imagination. After a week of lying and secrecy, she suddenly finds herself yearning for the simplicity of a traditional high school romance.

Duncan stops in front of her, smiling warmly. "Hey," he greets her. "Thinking about joining the team?"

"Yeah, I'm sure your teammates would love to share a locker room with me," she remarks dryly.

He laughs, but Veronica notes that he's blushing. I've been spending too much time with Logan. Duncan's not used to me joking around like this. She holds his text book out in front of her. "Um, this is for you," she says quickly. "Lilly said you forgot it at home."

"Oh, right. Thanks." As he takes the book, Veronica notices his eyes drop to down to her bare legs. He stuffs the text in his duffel bag and clears his throat. "You look, um, really nice today."

"Thanks," she replies. Their eyes meet, and now it's her turn to blush. She's never seen Duncan look at her with such open admiration before. Lilly was right.

"I've got to get back to the gym to shower," he tells her. "You want to walk with me?"

Veronica glances at her watch. She'd planned on meeting Mr. Whitten before Homeroom, to ask him a question about their English assignment. But that doesn't seem so important, anymore. "Yeah, sure," she replies.

They head up the path towards the side entrance of the school. The heels on Veronica's new sandals are a bit higher than she's used to, and she has to take care not to trip. Despite her caution, she loses her balance as they're walking up the stairs and nearly falls into Duncan. He takes hold of her arm firmly.

"You're all right, I've got you."

"Thanks."

Duncan's hand remains on her arm, his fingers warm against her skin. She glances up at him questioningly. His blue eyes are intent on hers, his expression serious. He looks down at the ground, then back at her. "Hey, Veronica, um…"

"Yes?" she prompts. She's not sure what he's about to say, but she's suddenly very interested in hearing it.

The silence stretches on for half a moment. And then Duncan shakes his head, letting go of her arm abruptly. "I was just wondering if you're doing anything fun this weekend?"

"Uh, well I'll be at Dick's party on Saturday," Veronica replies slowly, hiding her disappointment. She makes a face. "Although I'm not really sure how much fun that'll be."

"No, it'll be really fun," Duncan assures her. "I'm glad you're coming; I wasn't sure if you'd be there."

"It's not like we have a whole lot of options around here," she reminds him. "Oh, and tonight I'll be over at your place for a bit. Speaking of which, do you know anything about this present Lilly has for me?"

"No," he answers. "But I'd be very afraid, if I were you." He flashes her that smile again, and Veronica finds herself dwelling on just what it was that he'd been about to ask her. They reach the entrance to the locker room and stop walking. "I better get in there. See you in Algebra?"

"Okay, see you later."

When he turns the corner, Veronica leans against the wall and closes her eyes. I didn't think it was possible for things to get even more complicated than they already were. Silly me.

xxXxx

Logan's mouth drops open when she walks into English, and Veronica can't help but feel a rush of pleasure at his response. His eyes follow her all the way to her seat, where she pulls her textbook and notebook out of her backpack as nonchalantly as she can manage. When she's set them on her desk, she finally turns his way. "Hi."

"Nice skirt," he replies.

"Thank you."

"Bit of a different look for you, huh?"

Veronica shrugs, doing her best to remain indifferent to the path his eyes are currently traveling. "Not that different."

Logan leans forward and whispers in her ear, "Then why do I suddenly need a cold shower?"

Her eyes meet his, and she smiles.

The rest of their class passes uneventfully. Veronica half expects Logan to bring up what happened in the darkroom yesterday, but he never mentions it. She can't help feeling grateful. Their silence on the subject makes it so much easier to pretend they haven't done anything wrong.

Things get a bit trickier during Algebra. She meets up with Duncan at the door to the classroom, and he gestures for her to cut in front of him. "Ladies first."

"Thanks."

As they walk together towards their regular seats, she spots Mac in the corner. Veronica waves at her, and her new friend smiles and waves back. But then Mac's eyes flicker from Veronica to Duncan to Logan, and she raises an eyebrow. Veronica frowns slightly as she takes her seat. What was that all about?

"So," Duncan begins. "I consulted the other guys on the team, and they all said they'd be happy to have you." His smile grows mischievous; for a second he looks just like his sister. "And we promise not to look when you hit the showers."

Veronica's a bit surprised by his teasing; she doesn't often see this side of him. "Yeah, right," she laughs. "Can I get that in writing?"

"There's no need for signed contracts. Don't you trust us?"

"You, I trust," she clarifies. "The other nineteen guys on your team? Eh, not so much."

"I'll keep them in line," he promises. "We could use your skills on defense."

"Well I hate to disappoint you, but my soccer days are long gone. I was doing it for the wrong reasons anyway."

"Was it so you could drive all the boys crazy, prancing around in that little uniform of yours?" Logan speaks up.

Veronica turns her head to look at him, slightly alarmed by his words. Yet his expression is composed, his gaze cool. She forces a laugh. "No," she replies. "I was just trying to help my dad come to terms with the fact that he never had a son."

"How very after-school special of you," Logan retorts.

Veronica continues to look his way for several seconds, studying his face for some clue as to what he's thinking. But, true to form, Logan is giving nothing away. Frustrated, she turns back to Duncan. Yet before she can continue their conversation, their teacher begins class.

Halfway through class, Logan asks for the bathroom pass. Mr. Amico has just gone back to the problem on the board when a pretty redhead walks in with a note. The teacher glances at it briefly, then looks up at her. "Veronica? Guidance needs to speak with you."

Her stomach drops. She gets up from her desk quickly, not sure if she should bring her books with her or not. She decides to leave them behind, more concerned about what she's done wrong. Do they know I wasn't really sick on Monday? No, that's crazy… How would they know that?

She's walking down the hall, utterly distracted, when someone suddenly grasps her arm. Whoever it is pulls her into a classroom quickly, leaving her totally off-balance. As she's about to fall, strong arms wrap around her, preventing her collision.

Veronica looks up, barely making eye contact with Logan before he crushes his lips against hers. He presses her into the wall, lifting her up easily with one arm while the other cups the back of her head. His kisses are hard, his movements urgent. He spins her around, depositing her atop a nearby desk, and she wraps her legs around his waist for balance.

His lips leave her mouth and travel down her neck, his teeth grazing against her skin. When he reaches the nape of her neck, he bites it lightly and pulls her even closer to him. His grip on her waist is firm, preventing her from doing much of anything. She closes her eyes, knowing nothing but sensation.

Logan's fingers sneak across the bare skin of her stomach, roaming upwards until she feels them brush lightly across the bottom of her breast. For the first time, his movement stills. He smiles against her cheek. "No bra? Why, Veronica Mars…"

"Shut up and kiss me," she replies.

He complies, kissing her shoulder, the hollow of her throat, behind her ear, and then finally, her lips. Her hands find the back of his head, her fingers grasping at his hair. Logan makes a sound deep in his throat, and she thinks maybe she's hurting him.

But no, he's pressing her even closer to him now. Logan's left hand rests against her lower back, both steadying her and drawing her towards him. His right hand is at her knee…and then his fingers are trailing up the inside of her thigh… and then his thumb is stroking the edge of her panties.

Veronica gasps, pushing Logan away rather roughly and scrambling to get up off the desk. He pulls away immediately, looking at her with a slightly dazed expression. Logan blinks a few times, his eyes slowly becoming more focused. "I'm sorry," he says quietly. "I, uh, got a little carried away."

"No, it's-" She shakes her head, feeling like an enormous prude and hoping Logan can't see her blush. "It's fine, really." Veronica pulls her tank top back down over her stomach and adjusts her skirt, then smoothes her hand across the top of her head.

Reality returns in a rush. Veronica glances through the glass window in the door nervously, but thankfully there's no one in sight. As she casts her eyes about the room, trying to get her bearings, something occurs to her that makes her instantly tense. "This is the music room," she states flatly.

Logan looks at her with a quizzical smile, taking a seat on the desk she just vacated. "So… was I supposed to serenade you first, or something?"

"No, just…" She stops and shakes her head. "Never mind."

"What?" he presses.

"Is this where you take all of your conquests?"

"What?" he repeats, although in a much different tone.

Veronica sighs, wishing she'd kept her mouth shut. "I know what you and Lilly did in here, okay?"

He pauses. "She told you about that?"

"We're best friends, Logan. She tells me everything."

Logan rubs his open palm across the back of his neck, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "Look, I wasn't trying to make you upset, or anything. This isn't, like, my lair. I just knew this place was empty this period, and I needed to see you…"

"It's okay. I'm sorry I brought it up," Veronica mumbles. "Listen, I've got to get back to class."

"I think we should talk," he suggests.

"There's nothing to talk about," Veronica insists.

"Well…then I think you should stay and make out with me some more," he counters. He raises both hands, palms facing her in surrender. "I promise to behave this time."

Veronica fights a smile, and loses. Taking her reaction as an invitation, Logan jumps off the desk and walks towards her. He reaches out and grabs hold of one of her braids. "I like these."

She remembers Lilly, that very morning, saying almost the exact same things as she'd tugged on Veronica's braid playfully. She feels an immense pang of guilt, and her smile fades. I'm in a competition that I didn't sign up for, and there's no way I can win. I'm not even sure I want to win.

"We said we weren't going to do this, anymore," she reminds him.

"Yeah… and then you attacked me in the darkroom."

Veronica shakes her head. "That was-"

"Hot?" he supplies.

"A mistake," she corrects. "And we both know it. I'm serious, Logan. No more."

He brushes her cheek with the tip of her braid. It tickles, and she moves his hand away to scratch her face. She's not even sure if he heard her.

"Logan?" she prompts.

He takes a small step back, placing one hand on his hip. "Is that what you really want?"

Veronica stares at him. Logan's eyes are nearly black in the dim lighting, and once again she can't tell what he's thinking. She opens her mouth to say yes, closes it, and then opens it to say no. Yet her voice doesn't seem to be working.

"Should I take that as a maybe?" he asks wryly.

She sighs. "Take it as…" Veronica shakes her head. "I don't know. But I do know that both of us leaving class at the same time, and meeting here like this during school, while Duncan and everyone-"

Logan's eyebrows lift at the mention of Duncan's name, and Veronica stops speaking abruptly. Up to this point, she's managed not to bring him into this. How could I possibly explain my secret crush on one boy to the boy I've been kissing in secret? The boy who just happens to be his best friend?

Yet she knows, after seeing the look on his face, that Logan's been aware of her feelings for Duncan this whole time. It occurs to Veronica that Logan may have orchestrated this trip to the music room simply because she and Duncan were flirting in class. The two friends have always been competitive. So is this thing with us partly about him winning?

He's still looking at her intently, almost daring her to continue. She shifts uncomfortably and glances at the floor. "Look, maybe we need to… take a step back, from all of this. Give ourselves some time to think."

Logan crosses his arms over his chest and leans against the desk. "So, what, avoid each other?"

"No," she corrects. "But we should probably... try not to be alone, for a while."

She sees a muscle in Logan's jaw tense, yet his voice remains calm. "How long?"

"Just a couple of days," she clarifies. "Maybe this weekend? You mentioned your dad is going away, right?"

He stares at her, arms still crossed. "Did you wear that outfit for Duncan?"

His question takes her by surprise, but her response comes quickly. "No. I wore it for me. Why are you-"

"Fine," he interrupts her. "I'll make myself scare this weekend."

Veronica frowns. "Logan, I… I really don't want things to be weird, with us."

Much to her relief, he smiles. "I think it's a little late for that. Don't you?" He stands up straight and steps toward her, taking one braid in each hand. "This is a good look for you, Mars. See you in class."

He kisses her on the tip of her nose and leaves the room. Veronica exhales a breath she feels like she's been holding for years, sinking down onto an empty chair. She squints at her watch. Twenty minutes left until the end of class. I'll go back in ten.

Yet the time moves by at a painfully slow rate, and there's nothing here to distract her from her swirling thoughts. I was right to stop Logan when I did, she decides. Every time, we seem go a little bit farther. How much longer until we're the ones having sex in the music room?

Veronica stands up, quashing that image quickly, and begins pacing back and forth. What exactly is this thing, between us? Is it just physical? Or does Logan want something more? For the first time, she tries to picture what it would be like to walk down the hallway holding Logan's hand. There's no letter jacket, this time. But he only has eyes for her…

…and then Duncan approaches from the other direction. She smiles and says hello, but he walks by her as though she's invisible. She spots Lilly heading their way, flanked by Madison and Carrie. Lilly's face hardens when her eyes meet Veronica's, and as she gets closer Veronica can feel the disgust and hatred radiating off of her best friend. As she and Logan pass, Lilly turns to face her. "Whore."

Veronica snaps back into the present. Her stomach is churning, and her palms are sweaty. In a matter of moments, she's gone from feeling elation to despair. These emotional peaks and valleys are starting to take their toll. She takes a shaky breath and glances at her watch. It's only been six minutes since Logan left.

She heads towards the door anyway, incapable of being alone with her thoughts for a moment longer. As she pushes the wooden door open and steps out into the hallway, she catches sight of her reflection in the glass display case across from her. I should have gone with jeans and a ponytail.

xxXxx

Veronica runs into Lilly on her way out of gym class, and they begin walking to lunch together. As they head down the hall, she spots Mac trying to stuff a green hoody into her already crammed locker. She's muttering something to herself, looking annoyed.

"Hey, Mac!" Veronica calls.

She slams her locker door shut and spins around to face them. For a second, Veronica spies something like guilt on her face. But it's gone so quickly she's not positive she even saw it in the first place.

"Hi," Mac replies.

"Bad day?" Veronica asks.

"No, just…" Mac shakes her head and grimaces. "Someone has made it their special mission to annoy me, today. But that happens most days, so."

"Well do you want to have lunch with us?" Veronica asks. She turns towards Lilly. "I'm sorry, this is Mac. Mac, Lilly."

"I sort of got that, from you calling her 'Mac'," Lilly replies.

"And I'd have to be dead not to know who Lilly Kane is," Mac points out.

"Well, dead or a complete loser," Lilly agrees.

Veronica ignores her. "So you want to come have lunch with us?"

Mac stares at her, seeming taken aback. "Um… Thanks for the invite, but I've actually got to head to the computer lab. But I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"I'll be there," Veronica confirms.

They say their goodbyes and Mac walks away. Lilly and Veronica continue on down the hall and out into the courtyard. "Um, who the hell was that?" Lilly asks.

"Don't say it like that," Veronica admonishes. "Mac is awesome."

"Yeah. Love the hair."

"Stop it; she's my friend. We work at the diner together."

"Ah," Lilly replies. "That explains everything."

"Don't be such a snob," Veronica retorts, with more heat than she'd intended. "Not everyone's father is a billionaire, remember?"

"Alright, alright. Geez, you're so touchy lately. I was just joking."

Veronica is silent. I have been touchy, lately. And for me to take my crap out on Lilly, of all people, is completely unfair. If anything, I should be kissing her ass and praying she never finds out about me and Logan.

"I'm really sorry," Veronica says softly.

Lilly rolls her eyes. "Relax," she instructs. "I'm already over it."

They take seats at their usual table. Conversation ebbs and flows, while Veronica picks at her taco salad disinterestedly. Logan hasn't arrived at their table yet; she can't help wondering if he's decided to avoid her completely, despite what she'd said.

Someone taps her on the shoulder. She spins around to find Casey, sliding into the empty seat next to her. "Hey," he greets her. "I hear you're tutoring Logan."

"Uh, yeah," she replies, impaling an olive with her plastic fork. "Word travels fast."

"Duncan told me," he explains. "So I was wondering… how are your Geometry skills?"

"Ugh, Geometry is the worst," Lilly speaks up. "I guarantee you, I will never be in a situation after high school where the stupid quadrilateral equation comes into play."

"Quadratic," Veronica corrects automatically.

"Oh, whatever," Lilly replies. "You're not even taking Geometry yet. You have no idea what you're in for. Quadratic equations, or whatever? They're just the tip of the iceberg."

"It sucks pretty hard," Casey agrees. "So what do you think, Veronica? Can you teach me?"

"Uh…" Veronica spies Logan in the distance, walking towards their table. He looks upset, and she momentarily loses her train of thought.

"Veronica?" Casey prompts.

"Oh, sorry. Um, like Lilly said, I don't take Geometry yet. So I wouldn't be too much help to you."

"Bummer." She sees his eyes flicker down to her exposed cleavage, and she suddenly wishes she'd buttoned up those last three buttons after all. He leans in closer, lowering his voice. "I guess I'll just have to find a subject you can help me with."

He winks at her and stands up, walking over to Bodie without another word. She glances over at Lilly, who's giggling into her carnitas.

To her surprise, Logan takes the seat Casey just vacated. She slides his enchiladas over to him silently, trying to catch his eye. "Thanks," he mutters. He opens the Styrofoam container, but makes no move to eat his food.

"Hey, what's wrong?" she asks him quietly.

He glances around quickly, but no one else is paying them any mind. "My mom just called. Turns out my dad isn't going up to LA after all," he tells her. "So there goes my weekend."

Veronica wants to take his hand, or put her arm around him, or stroke his hair softly. But any one of those gestures would do more than just raise eyebrows, no matter how platonically she meant it. She stares down at her food, frustrated. After a moment, she looks up at him. "Look, forget what I said before," she whispers. "Obviously we should hang out this weekend."

Logan shakes his head, glancing over at her briefly. "No. You were right."

"Logan-" she protests.

"No," he repeats firmly. "We're going to try this your way." He finally picks up his fork, using the side of it to cut the end off an enchilada. "I've got a ton of stuff going on this weekend, anyway. I'll just stay out of the house."

As he takes a bite, Veronica can't help wondering what he's got planned. And who with. Logan's got that dangerous glint in his eye, that expression Veronica knows all too well. It means he's about to do something stupid, or self-destructive. Usually both.

He tosses his fork into the box abruptly and looks up at her. "You know what?" he asks. "Screw your way. Let's cut the rest of the day."

"Did someone say 'cut'?" Dick speaks up. "Sounds like a plan! Ronnie, you in?"

Veronica hesitates. She's caught squarely between wondering exactly how much Dick heard and a strong desire to stick with Logan so she can keep an eye on him. "Um, I don't know," she finally replies.

"Don't be silly," Madison chimes in. "Princess Veronica would never tarnish her perfect record by skipping school. But if you're leaving early, I'm totally in."

Veronica looks at her, surprised. She and Madison have never been particularly close. But she used to at least pretend to like me. Part of her wants to announce that she'll join them, just to prove Madison wrong.

Other people are getting involved in the conversation, now, trying to decide what they'd like to do with their Friday afternoons. Bodie, Shelly, Luke, Carrie and Casey all agree to the plan quickly. Meg and Duncan say no, and Lilly opts out as well. Veronica suspects it's due to Shelly's involvement. They all stand up, getting ready to leave.

Logan turns to Veronica, one eyebrow raised. "Coming?"

Veronica shakes her head no. She could blame the Spanish test she's got coming up seventh period, but the truth is she doesn't want to get in trouble. It hardly seems worth the risk, just to skip out on a couple hours of school. Detention I could live with. But if Dad ever finds out…

Something disturbing occurs to her, and she looks at Logan apprehensively. "Logan, maybe you should think about this for a second," she suggests. She glances around, then lowers her voice to a whisper. "Do you really want to give him an excuse?"

He reaches for his backpack, pulling one strap over his shoulder. When he looks back at Veronica, his expression is hard. "I told you. He doesn't need an excuse." Logan grabs his container of food off the table and nods at her curtly. "I'll see you Monday." He walks away quickly, Madison hurrying to catch up.

Veronica looks down at her salad. She knows he's not angry with her; it's the threat of his father's presence this weekend that's got him so on edge. But he is disappointed in me. And he should be. I made Logan a promise, and I'm letting him down.

She sighs and pushes her salad away from her, vowing to find a way to continue helping him. A way that doesn't complicate things between us any more than they already are. Unfortunately, Logan will have to be on his own tonight. I'll be at the Kane's, and those are plans I can't break.

xxXxx

Veronica lounges on Lilly's queen-sized bed while she waits for her friend, flipping through Cosmo without really reading it. She's about to check her phone for messages when Lilly returns with drinks.

"Sorry I couldn't get anything stronger," Lilly says, handing her an iced tea. "Celeste finally realized that we were the ones who took the key to the liquor cabinet." Veronica accepts her drink, and Lilly smirks. "Not that you'd partake anyway."

"I do sometimes," Veronica replies.

"Sure you do," Lilly laughs. She takes a sip of her drink and sets it down on the bedside table, then takes the Cosmo from Veronica. "So, which quiz do you want to take first? Should we find out what your lust level is? Or see what kind of sexual vibe you give off?"

"Isn't there something you were going to tell me, first?" Veronica asks pointedly.

"Huh?" Lilly asks.

"Come on, don't play dumb. Who's asking me to the dance?"

Lilly sets the magazine down on her lap and smiles at her triumphantly. "Oh, that. Well, I have it on very good authority that a certain goody-goody brother of mine has decided to ask you."

Veronica blinks twice, as Lilly's words sink in. "Duncan?"

"The only brother I have," Lilly confirms. "That I know of, anyway. I hear Celeste was pretty rowdy during her boarding school days, though, so who knows?"

Veronica is barely listening to her. She's thinking back to her conversation with Duncan, this morning. Was that what he was about to say? She turns towards Lilly. "Well how come he hasn't asked me, yet? The dance is only two weeks away."

Lilly shrugs. "Honestly? I have no idea…" She trails off, looking speculative, but then shakes her head slightly and turns towards Veronica. "But you're still into him, right?"

"Yeah," Veronica admits quietly. She looks down at Lilly's comforter. Saying it aloud feels like a betrayal, even though she's never said otherwise. And Logan knew, anyway. I'm certain of that.

"Because if you're not," Lilly continues, "you could always go with option B."

"Which is…?"

"Casey," Lilly grins.

"Casey Gant?"

"You could do worse. He's a fantastic kisser."

Veronica rolls her eyes at her friend. "And why am I not surprised that you're privy to that information?"

"I never kiss and tell," Lilly replies.

"You always kiss and tell," Veronica corrects her.

"Not always," Lilly says, smiling secretively. "And then, there's always option C."

"Are you seriously telling me there's a third guy?" Veronica asks in disbelief.

"Well, no, not a guy…"

"Are you kidding me?" Veronica exclaims. "What girl wants to go with me?"

"Duh. Me."

Veronica stares at her, speechless. And then Lilly bursts out laughing. "I so wish I had a picture of the look on your face right now. It's priceless."

"But-"

"I didn't mean we'd go as a couple, dummy," Lilly clarifies. "I meant we could go together as friends. Although I have to say, you do look very hot today."

"Oh, shut up."

Lilly flops down onto her bed, still snickering. "I'm pretty sure everyone thinks we're lesbians, anyway," she grins. "We can give them all something to wonder about."

"They do?" Veronica asks.

"Probably," Lilly returns carelessly. "You know Neptune, everyone loves to gossip. Plus, you've never dated anyone and I'm… well, I'm me, so. And we're always together." She glances up at Veronica. "Well, we used to be. Before you got too busy for me."

"I know, I'm sorry," Veronica replies. "I really did miss you, this week."

"Me too," Lilly replies softly, her expression growing serious. "I can help you out, you know. So you don't have to work anymore." Her lips curve into a rare, sincere smile. "I'll be your sugar mama. And then we'll really get people talking."

Veronica smiles, genuinely touched and a bit surprised. "Thank you," she says. "But I can't take your money, Lilly." She sits up straighter and takes a sip of her iced tea. "Besides, it's actually not so bad, working there."

"With your new best friend?" Lilly adds, sighing dramatically.

"Come on, Mac's cool," Veronica insists.

"Whatever you say," she responds skeptically.

This is the second time today Veronica has had to defend her new friend to Lilly, and it's making her uncomfortable. She decides to change the subject. "So are you going to the dance with Lewis?"

Lilly makes a face. "Eh, I don't know. He asked me, but so did a lot of other people." She rolls onto her back. "I think I might go with Devin. Soccer players have the hottest bodies. Did you know…"

She continues on, but Veronica can no longer focus. So, Duncan…or Casey? She's always thought Casey good looking, but she's never seriously considered dating him. Maybe because I never thought he was interested. Veronica thinks about lunch, earlier; Casey approaching her out of the blue about tutoring. So is that why he came over to talk to me? Am I "officially" under consideration?

"…and Carrie told me he just had a nasty breakup with his ex. Dana Underwood, remember her? They kept dating when she went to college, even though she…"

Maybe going with Casey makes more sense? Because how would Logan feel, if I went with Duncan? Would he even care? Veronica chews on the end of her straw, as she considers that question. If his reaction to me talking to Duncan in Algebra today is any indication, then… yeah. Maybe he would care. But could I really say no, if Duncan asks?

"…but we have to go visit my stupid cousins in Tahoe next weekend. So how about after school next week instead?"

Lilly is looking at her expectantly. Veronica struggles to recall the last thing she said. "Uh, sure," she replies blindly.

"Excellent. Now I can make sure you don't buy a dress that makes you look like Laura Ingalls Wilder," Lilly teases.

Dress shopping. Got it. "Fine," she replies. "But I get final say over my dress."

"Which means it'll be predictably pastel," Lilly sighs. She sits up and reaches for the remote, turning the TV on before Veronica has a chance to defend herself. As Lilly flips through the channels, Veronica gets a glimpse of Aaron Echolls. It's a trailer for his newest movie, a sequel to his blockbuster hit "Breaking Point". The one Logan's been referring to as "Broken and Pointless".

To her surprise, Lilly pauses on the commercial, watching with interest. Veronica turns towards the TV to see what has her attention. It's a typical Aaron Echolls movie trailer, showcasing shot after shot of Aaron performing seemingly impossible feats: jumping off a moving train onto a speedboat, navigating the speedboat expertly through massive explosions, pulling a young woman out of a sinking car.

When the trailer is over, Lilly stands up and walks over to her dresser. She looks at her reflection in the mirror, pulling her hair up into a makeshift twist. "Who do you think is hotter?" Lilly asks slowly. "Logan or his father?"

Veronica stares at her. "Are you seriously asking me this?"

"Oh stop being such a prude," Lilly returns. "It's a fair question."

Veronica takes a sip of her iced tea, biding her time while a frenzy of images flicker through her mind. Logan's scarred back…Aaron's unexpected visit to the diner last night…Logan's face just before he kissed her this morning…

"Logan," she replies firmly.

"Really?" Lilly asks, surprised. "Hmm. I don't know. In his prime, Aaron was a hottie. Wasn't he? God, those biceps. Maybe when Logan fills out a little more…"

Veronica can no longer hide her distaste. She's still shaking her head in disbelief when Lilly turns around.

"What?" Lilly asks innocently.

"You don't think there's anything wrong with comparing your boyfriend's body to his dad's?" Veronica demands. "How can you even think about him like that?"

"Ex-boyfriend," Lilly points out calmly. "And it's not like he's an accountant or a banker or something. He's an actor. We're supposed to be looking at him. We're his demographic. And let's be honest- he's still kinda sexy."

Veronica can't manage a smile. Inside, she's cringing. She's biting down hard on the inside of her lip, to stop from shouting that Aaron is a sadistic and abusive monster. But she can't reveal Logan's secret, not even to Lilly.

Luckily, Lilly is too distracted to notice Veronica's distress. She walks towards her closet and reaches up onto the shelf, emerging with a white-handled boutique bag. "Speaking of hot," Lilly smiles. "A gift, for you."

She hands the bag to Veronica, who's struggling to keep up with the shift in conversation. She's gone from being thoroughly aggravated with her friend to intrigued by what's in the bag in a matter of moments. Veronica lifts the item out and unwraps the tissue paper, to reveal a tiny red bikini.

xxXxx

After a suitable amount of goading, Veronica agrees to try it on. She eyes herself critically in the Kane's bathroom mirror. It's not something she would have chosen for herself- ever- but she has to admit, it looks better on her than she'd expected. Still, not something I'll be wearing in public any time soon.

She's heading back towards Lilly's room when, much to her surprise, she sees Duncan and Logan walking down the hallway towards her. Despite being incredibly ill-prepared to handle seeing either one of them, in her current state of dress, she has no choice but to face them both with a brave smile.

"H-hey," Duncan greets her, looking rather flustered by her presence. "I, uh, didn't know you'd gotten here already. You heading to the pool?"

"Um, no, I was just-"

"'Cause we're dragging the trampoline out next to the diving board," he continues. "Should be fun."

Veronica glances over at Logan. He's got both hands in his pockets, and he's studying a painting on the wall. Even from this distance, she can smell the alcohol on his breath.

"Hey, Veronica, what's taking you-" Lilly emerges from her bedroom, stopping short when she sees Logan. She takes several steps towards them, rolling her eyes at Logan as she gets closer. "I see you started early, today."

He shrugs. "So?"

Lilly puts one hand on her hip. "So are you gonna share, or what?" she replies.

Logan studies Lilly for several seconds, before producing a fifth of Jameson from the side pocket of his cargo shorts. He hands it to her wordlessly, and Lilly takes a long sip.

"Thanks." She hands the bottle back to him, and he slips it into his pocket. Lilly turns towards her brother. "We'll be out in a minute," she informs him. "I just have to change."

Veronica wants to protest. She's not even close to being prepared enough to handle this sudden renewal of their formerly-friendly foursome. It's only been two weeks since Logan and Lilly's breakup split them all apart. But in those two weeks, absolutely everything has changed.

Yet she's not able to think of a single excuse why she can't go out to the pool with them. I'm even dressed for it. And if the look on Duncan's face is any indication, he approves. Veronica risks another glance at Logan, but he's not showing the least bit of interest in her new bikini. In fact, he's back to staring at that same painting on the wall. She can't decide with any certainty whether she's relieved or disappointed.

Duncan says he'll see them out there, and they continue down the hall. Lilly grabs her hand, pulling Veronica towards her bedroom. As her friend changes, Veronica stares at her own reflection in the mirror. She's not feeling nearly as confident about her new bikini as she was before. My chest is too flat and my hips are too slim, she decides.

Her eyes shift to Lilly's reflection behind her. Lilly's bikini is red, as well, and similar in style to her own. But she looks like she just walked off a photo shoot for Sports Illustrated.

Yet it's too late to change, now. The boys have already seen her, anyway. So, resigned to her fate, Veronica grabs her iced tea and follows Lilly out to the pool.

xxXxx

"What the hell is that thing?"

"Some kind of beetle, I think."

"Ugh, it's freaking nasty!"

"Dude, stop splashing it towards me."

"Lilly!"

"Ignore them," Lilly instructs. "Okay, question five: 'when you're out on a date and you're feeling frisky, are you more likely to-'"

"Lilly, go grab the net!" Duncan calls. "There's an enormous bug in here!"

She makes a face and sets the magazine down on her lap. "Um, aren't you supposed to be taking care of that kind of thing?" Lilly asks. "You're the boy."

"C'mon, you know how I feel about bugs!" Duncan returns.

Lilly sighs. She hands the magazine to Veronica and gets up off the lounge chair, stretching lazily. "Fine. Where's the net?"

Duncan pulls himself up out of the pool and walks towards them, dripping copious amounts of water across the patio. "I think it's on the top shelf of the utility closet."

"Well then you have to come with me," Lilly instructs. "I can't reach."

They walk towards the house together, while Logan lifts himself up out of the pool. Veronica looks down at the Cosmo, determined not to pay him any mind. He hasn't said two words to me since we got out here.

She hears him walking towards her, and to her surprise he takes Lilly's vacated seat. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees him stretch out onto the chaise, making himself comfortable. He reaches beneath the table for his previously stashed bottle, and helps himself to a healthy sip. Veronica turns the page of her magazine.

"I can practically feel you judging me, over there," Logan remarks. Veronica remains silent, and he continues. "Just say it."

"No."

"Why not?" he goads her. "I know you want to."

Veronica finally looks over at him. He's smirking at her, one eyebrow raised, looking primed for a fight. "Because," she begins, "if I tell you to stop drinking, you're just going to roll your eyes and tell me what a buzz kill I'm being. Didn't you hear Madison, before? I'm 'Princess Veronica' now, apparently."

Logan takes another swig from his bottle. "I don't know too many princesses who dress in skimpy little bikinis," he remarks dryly.

"Oh, so you did notice?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," she mutters.

They're both silent for a moment, avoiding one another's eyes and staring out at the empty pool. Logan sighs. "Well this isn't awkward at all."

Veronica glances over at him. She's struck with the oddest desire to laugh. "It really is," she agrees.

Logan's eyes meet hers, and he smiles. "I don't know how you're managing this sober."

"Who says I am?"

He holds up his bottle. "Want a little help?" he offers.

Veronica shakes her head no, reaching for her iced tea instead. She takes a sip and sets it back down, then looks back at Logan. He's still watching her. "This is…" she trails off helplessly.

"I know," he replies. Logan's eyes shift towards the house, then back to her. He reaches out his arm and places his hand on hers, squeezing it once.

"Hey, Logan?" she asks.

"Yeah?"

"Stop drinking," she says. "Seriously."

Logan pulls his hand away, sitting up straighter in his seat. "And there goes Princess Veronica, being a buzz kill again."

Veronica flashes him a dark look and moves to stand up. Logan reaches out again, closing his hand over her forearm. "I was kidding. Okay? Stay." He lets go of her arm and looks down, shaking his head slightly. "Honestly? Your concern is endearing."

Her expression softens. She lays back down on the chaise and turns to face him fully, and Logan mirrors her position. His eyes are glassy and a bit unfocused, but she recognizes the look he's giving her all too well. It's a look he shouldn't be giving her. Not here. But when he grabs hold of one of her braids, she doesn't stop him.

"Listen," she begins, "about this weekend-"

Logan gives her a warning look and clears his throat. "Hey, Duncan?" he calls. "What do you think of these braids?"

"He thinks they're cute!" Lilly yells back.

"Lilly!" Duncan protests.

Logan frowns and sits up straighter, and Veronica does the same. "That's it," she mutters under her breath. "I'm chopping off my freaking hair."

He studies her for a moment, with an expression almost like pride. "I like you this way," Logan states.

"Yeah, you mentioned that earlier," she responds. "I get it. The braids are a big hit."

"I'm not talking about the braids," he clarifies. "I like you, being like this."

Veronica glances towards the house. Lilly and Duncan are getting close. She lowers her voice to a whisper. "Being like what?"

Logan's lips curve up in a half-smile. "The real you." He winks at her and stands up, just as Lilly and Duncan reach them.

Lilly looks down at her empty seat and sighs heavily. "You got it all wet, Logan."

"Wouldn't be the first time," he grins. His eyes flicker towards Veronica, who's staring at him in horror. Without another word, he runs and jumps into the pool. Duncan follows suit, and the two boys begin racing towards the other end.

Lilly rolls her eyes, placing her towel over the chaise fastidiously before sitting back down. Veronica pretends to re-tie the string on her bikini, while she tries to recover. Lilly opens the magazine back up. "Okay, where were we?"

"Um… something about lust?" Veronica mutters.

Logan and Duncan are climbing out of the pool now. The sight of the both of them, shirtless and dripping with water, is incredibly distracting. Logan climbs up onto the trampoline and begins to jump, higher and higher, until he builds up enough momentum to do a full somersault into the pool. The resulting splash soaks Duncan with water, but he merely shakes it off and jumps up onto the trampoline for his turn.

"I know your real answer is 'B', but you're going to say 'A' aren't you?" Lilly asks.

"Uh, yeah," Veronica replies vaguely. "'A' sounds more like me."

"Figures. Okay, question six…"

Veronica continues to observe the guys, while Lilly reads from the magazine. Logan's speaking animatedly to Duncan, his hands gesturing wildly as he tells his story. She can't hear what he's saying, but whatever it is has Duncan doubled over in laughter. They're such good friends, she thinks. Yet so different.

Duncan is just himself, all of the time. Easy-going, relaxed, solid. And Logan… As she watches him laugh with his friend, her eyes drop down to his exposed back. Only one of the marks is still visible, and it's insignificant enough not to raise any eyebrows. It simply looks like a scratch. But it's not a scratch.

Observing Logan, now, he appears not to have a care in the world. Just a normal teenaged boy, joking around with his buddy. The truth is far more complicated. He's far more complicated. He's unpredictable, and moody, and such a guy. Logan never says what I think he's going to say, or does what I think he's going to do. Which sort of… freaks me out.

Veronica thinks about how quickly he's able to shift roles; how he's one person at school and another at home. And yet another, when we're alone. So which one is really him?

"…or 'D: A romantic evening in, complete with red roses and a bottle of expensive champagne'?"

She glances over at Lilly ruefully. She hasn't been listening at all, and it isn't like her not to give Lilly her full attention. The truth is, she's finding it difficult to be near her best friend today. There are so many things to hide. And the guilt… it's nearly unbearable. The only time I don't feel it is when Logan and I are alone. But the second he leaves…

Veronica manages a smile for her best friend. "What was 'C' again?" she asks.

"Um, 'You're usually not one to make plans, but you'd enjoy skydiving lessons followed by a wild night out on the town'." Lilly marks the magazine with her pen. "Well that's obviously not you. I put down 'D'."

"Yeah," Veronica agrees, settling back into her chair. "'D' is more my speed."

xxXxx

"I'm telling you guys," Logan insists. "I can do a triple somersault, no problem."

"But can you do a triple lindy?" Duncan jokes. "Because that would be way more impressive."

"Don't be an idiot, Logan," Lilly says. "You're wasted and the pool's not that deep."

"Watch and learn," Logan replies. He climbs up on the trampoline and begins to jump.

"Fine, go ahead," Lilly says. "Just try not to get blood all over our patio when you crack your head open."

Veronica looks over at her friend. Despite her words, she can tell she's genuinely concerned. She glances back at Logan, who's reaching new heights on the trampoline. "Logan, Lilly's right," she adds. "I don't think you should-"

Logan takes one last leap, then tucks his body into a ball and spins through the air. Defying expectations, he manages two and a half somersaults before landing in the pool. But he lands at an odd angle, and when he comes up there's a trickle of blood coming from his nose. Lilly, Veronica and Duncan all rush to the side of the pool.

Logan simply laughs and wipes it away. He gives Lilly a pointed look. "And how does the Russian judge score my performance?"

"Yeah, you're hilarious," Lilly replies. "Get out of the pool, you're bleeding all over the place and it's gross."

He complies, while Veronica grabs her towel off the chair. But when she goes to hand it to him, Lilly waves it away. "No, Celeste will freak if she sees blood. Come on, let's go into the kitchen."

Veronica watches in surprise as Lilly leads Logan towards the house, feeling unsettled. It's because I'm worried about him… right?

Yet the feeling doesn't go away, while she and Duncan discuss some of Logan's past crazy stunts. And when she sees Lilly and Logan reemerge from the house smiling, she begins to realize what's bothering her.

Logan asked me if I was jealous, yesterday. And I denied it. But… I think he was right. I think that's why I got so upset with him. She watches Lilly smack Logan on the arm, as he laughs lightly. He's holding a bloody tissue in his hand, but his nose is no longer bleeding. Veronica looks down. I'm starting to think of him as mine. Like I have some sort of claim over him. And that's very, very dangerous.

The former couple reaches them quickly, and Duncan and Logan are back in the pool within seconds. Lilly takes her seat, but now she's the one looking at the pool distractedly. "Boys are so funny," she begins thoughtfully. "Aren't they?"

"Yeah," Veronica says noncommittally. She's not sure where Lilly is going with this, but something tells her she's not going to like it.

"Like Lewis," she continues. "Such a go-getter. Mr. All-American, you know?" She gives Veronica a conspiratorial smile. "But in bed? Totally shy."

"Really?" Veronica asks. She's never spent any time wondering what Lewis is or isn't like- he's just not her type. But her curiosity has always been one of her downfalls, and Lilly knows it well.

"Now, Logan, on the other hand…"

Oh no.

"He likes it nice and rough."

I don't want to hear this. But it's too late. She's already heard it, and she can't un-hear it. Veronica glances over at Logan with a slight frown. In my fantasies, he's never rough… She clears her throat and looks back at Lilly. "He's never…hurt you, has he?"

"No, no," Lilly laughs. "You don't understand. He likes it when I'm rough."

And now Veronica's mind is swimming with questions and disturbing images, wondering why he's like that and how far it's gone. It also hasn't escaped her notice that Lilly is speaking about her and Logan in the present tense. As she looks at her friend, so curvy and confident in her own bikini, she acknowledges that she's been a fool.

"He is a lot of fun," Lilly admits, her eyes still lingering on Logan. "I'll give him that." She reaches for the sunscreen, and begins to spread it on her arms. "Although he has been acting a little weird, lately."

"Well, you're broken up," Veronica says quietly.

"No, it's different this time. I mean, it's been two weeks right? And he hasn't even called me?" Lilly starts to apply the sunscreen to her legs. "Usually he misses my hot body too much to stay away for more than a couple of days." She turns towards Veronica. "You two have been hanging out more, lately. You don't think he's hooking up with someone else, do you?"

"Uh, no," Veronica responds automatically. "Not that I know of."

"Hmm. Well I have to admit, I'm a little surprised he hasn't come crawling back yet. I'm sort of impressed he's managed this long." Lilly sets the bottle back down on the table and reaches for her nail polish. "Of course, if he crashes here tonight I'm sure he'll sneak into my room, as usual. Maybe I've let him suffer long enough. What do you think? Should I let him in?"

Veronica can't bring herself to reply. They're going to get back together. They're going to get back together tonight, while I'm asleep in my bed. Why did I blow this thing with Logan so out of proportion? This whole week has just been a distraction, for him. Everything we've done has been so minor, compared to what he has with Lilly.

She stands up quickly, and a wave of dizziness passes over her. "I, uh, think I got a little too much sun," she tells Lilly. "I'm going to go grab a water."

"Oh, hey, can you get me more iced tea?" Lilly asks, handing her an empty glass.

"Sure." Veronica takes the glass and hurries inside.

The marble tile is cool against her bare feet, as she walks through the living room and into the kitchen. She refills Lilly's glass with ice and opens the refrigerator to look for the iced tea. She's pouring it into the glass when she hears footsteps behind her.

"Red's a good color for you," Logan remarks. "You should wear it more often."

Veronica closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before turning around. "I'm not so sure," she replies. "This isn't really my style."

"Maybe it should be," he suggests. He takes a step closer. "You look… really good."

Veronica shakes her head. "Stop."

"What? I was giving you a complim-"

"Just stop," she repeats. "Okay? It's not helping."

Logan gives her a questioning look. "Veronica… Did I do something?"

"Not yet," she replies. "But I'm sure you will."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

She sets the glass down on the counter and places both hands on her hips. "Tell me something, Logan. If I'm really so cute in this bikini, how come you barely even looked at me, when you first saw me in it?"

"Well, let's see. Aside from the fact that Duncan would think it's a little weird if I suddenly started checking out the girl he's got a thing for? Or that Lilly would cut off my balls if she knew what's been going on with us?"

The mention of Lilly's name is too much for Veronica, at the moment. She throws up her hands in defeat. "You know what? We're not having this conversation right now. Not here." She moves to go around him, but Logan reaches out and takes her arm.

"Wait. Didn't it ever occur to you that it's because you look so good?" he demands. "That if I looked at you, I wouldn't be able to hide what I was really thinking?" Logan glances around the room, then lowers his voice. His grip is still firm on Veronica's arm. "Do you have any idea how fucking hard it is for me to be here right now?"

"Yeah, well it's no picnic for me either," she informs him. "Besides, then why did you come? You knew I was going to be over here tonight."

"No, I didn't," he corrects her quietly.

Veronica thinks back, trying to remember if she'd mentioned her plans to Logan. I didn't, she realizes. So he didn't know I'd be here.

He lets go of her arm suddenly, taking a step backward. "I listened to your advice," he tells her. "I stopped drinking. And you were right, before. I shouldn't have skipped class today."

She nods. "Well, I covered for you in Photo, so… Look, I'd better get-"

"Call me later?" he asks.

Veronica looks down at the floor. Why, Logan? We both know you'll be busy… "I don't, uh…I don't want to bother you."

"So our little break means no phone calls, either?" he inquires. "Because I'm confused. Are we actually friends, or was that all bullshit?"

"What? No, we're friends," she replies quickly. "Of course we're friends."

"Then call me."

She glances up at him, meeting and holding his stare. Logan doesn't look away, and that familiar warmth begins to spread through her body. And she realizes that she has no control over this part of her that responds to him so wholly. That, despite her suspicion that he's going to get back together with Lilly, she can't simply switch it off.

And I can't walk away from his friendship. What she has with Logan is completely separate from what she has with Lilly or Duncan, yet it's become equally important. And Logan and I are joined to Lilly and Duncan, irreversibly. There's nothing we can do about that, and I know neither one of us wants to try.

Yet Veronica smiles at Logan, content with the knowledge that her relationship with him is more than a mere distraction. It's difficult, and it's messy, and there's no solution in sight. But at least I know it's real. "Okay," she finally agrees. "I'll call you later."

"Good," he returns. He leans forward and kisses her on the forehead before she can protest, and then he walks back towards the pool without another word.

Thanks for reading, please review :)