Three months in the nagging doubt in Veronica's head was proved right when she walked into the pool house to find Logan kissing a tall blonde.
It was the longest second of Veronica's life before she turned and ran.
"I think your little friend just left." The blonde said when Logan pushed her away.
"What?"
"Short cute blonde." She described.
"Dammit Veronica." He yelled and ran after her. He had to double back to get his keys as he heard Veronica drive away. "Stay away from me." He warned the girl.
"Veronica, open the damn door." Logan pounded on the door to the Mars apartment. "Let me explain."
Inside Veronica sat in a chair hugging a cushion sobbing, after an hour of him pounding she knew he wasn't going anywhere and picked up the phone wiping her eyes.
"Leo, it's Veronica. I need a favour." She said when it connected.
"Mr Echolls." Leo said when approached the Mars apartment ten minutes later.
"Deputy."
"Do you want to tell me what you're doing here?"
"I'm trying to get Veronica to open the damn door so I can explain."
"If she won't open the door there is a very good chance she doesn't want to hear your explanation."
"I need her to."
"No Logan, you need to leave or I'm going to arrest you for disturbing the peace and trespassing." Leo crossed his arms. "She doesn't want to talk to you."
The following day Logan tried to talk to her at school but he was stopped by a wall of Weevil.
"If the girl runs away from you it's sign that she doesn't want to talk to you."
"I just need to explain."
"She doesn't want to hear it. Stay away from her." Weevil warned.
It didn't stop Logan trying but Veronica's friends tightened the borders not allowing Logan anywhere near her.
"Mac." Logan sank into a chair the following day.
"Logan you're not even in this class." Mac pointed out.
"I know but I wanted to talk you. I need your help, I need to get Veronica to listen to me for five minutes, I can explain."
"You want to explain why she caught you kissing a porn star in your pool house?" Mac asked.
"She's not a porn star, she just played on in an episode of Law and Order once." He paused realising how that sounded. "That's not the point. She kissed me, I pushed her away Veronica just happened to walk in at the wrong moment."
"Logan I'm Veronica's friend not yours. She doesn't want to hear it, so just stay away from her and respect her decision."
"Mr Echolls, I don't believe you're in this class would you please leave?" The teacher requested. Logan reluctantly left.
Logan's attempts to have Dick talk to Veronica didn't work either when she told him that she didn't except envoys.
By the third day Logan was desperate he took a deep breath and walked into the Mars Investigations office. The outer office was empty, Veronica not having the energy to do anything but go to class than straight home. Logan took another breath before he tapped on Keith's door. He looked up from his desk.
"Logan, if this about Veronica."
"I know I don't deserve it but if she would just let me explain what happened. But I can't get her to answer my calls, everyone she knows at school is keeping her away from me. I just need to talk to her."
"Logan." Keith got to his feet. "My daughter has barely stopped crying for the past three days, she's hardly eating you broke her heart."
"Mr Mars, I love her I would never do anything to intentionally to hurt her."
"Logan..."
"Look I know I don't deserve it but give me five minutes, let me tell you what happened and if you want me to go then I will."
When Keith got home Veronica was sat on the couch with the biggest tub of ice-cream she could find dressed in Logan's sweatshirt which she has stolen.
"Veronica."
"Hi Dad." She wiped her cheeks.
"So Logan came by the office today." He said broaching the subject carefully.
"Did you throw him out?"
"He asked for five minutes." Keith said. "I think you should hear him out."
"You are my father you're supposed to want to kill him for hurting me." She got to her feet. "At least Leo offered to have his car towed and Weevil offered to beat him up." Veronica headed towards her room.
"Veronica." Keith put a hand on her arm to stop her. "I love you and I want what is best for you. You never found out what happened when Duncan ended things I think you need to let Logan explain what happened for your own piece of mind. If you don't ever want to talk to him again after that at least you will know. He gave me these to give to you." He handed her an envelope and a DVD. "I also want you take tomorrow off from school, you're making yourself ill, stay home get some rest." He kissed her forehead.
"She's not here." Meg said when she found Logan watching Veronica's locker the next morning.
"What?" Logan turned to look at her.
"She's not here. Her father made her stay home, she hasn't been sleeping. Why Logan? She was the best thing that ever happened to you."
"You think I don't know that?" Logan asked. "You know you are the first person who actually wanted to hear an explanation."
"I'm still waiting."
"She kissed me, I pushed her away but apparently not quick enough for Veronica not to see."
"Why were you even in the pool house alone with her?" Meg crossed her arms.
"She's got a bit part in Dad's next film he invited her over and asked me to give her a tour of the house while he took a call. I don't know why she kissed me and I never want to see her again."
"You know what your problem is Logan?" Meg asked. "I actually want to believe that you wouldn't hurt Veronica after everything but six months ago it is exactly what you would have done. Veronica's not one stupid bimbos who will fall at your feet, she got burned by you guys when Lilly died and..."
"You think I don't know that. I've been in love with her since I was 13 years old. I pushed her away when Lilly died because I couldn't deal with everything, by the time I got my head above water again it was easier to keep the distance."
Meg was surprised with his honesty.
"I believe you but it's not me you have to convince."
"I just need to talk to her."
"Give her some time." Meg told him. "I'm going to be late for class."
Mac shook her head as she approached Dick the following day.
"Dick."
"Mac." He echoed.
"I have a message for Logan from Veronica."
"Are we back in fifth grade?" Dick asked.
"Third." Mac corrected feeling stupid about this whole thing. "I'm better with e-mail. If he still wants a chance to explain she'll meet him in the park after school."
"Which park?"
Mac gave him the rest of the details.
Veronica was already sat on the bench waiting when Logan arrived he had got caught in traffic.
"Veronica." He slid onto the other end of the bench. "I can explain."
Veronica held out a hand to stop him.
"I get to go first. There is something I need to say." She requested. He nodded. "I hate the fact that you had the ability to make me into that girl." He looked confused. "The kind of girl who can't stop crying who can barely function and I hate the fact that I let you get close enough to break my heart and I hate that I knew something this would happen but I did it anyway."
"Veronica, she..."
"I know she kissed you, and I 99 percent believe you but right now I don't trust you and I don't trust my judgement."
"So that's it it's over?" He asked.
"I love you too much for it to be over, but I can't right now I need time."
"How much time?"
"I don't know Logan, but I can't get the image out of my head. I want it to work out I do but I need some time. We went from 0 to 360 in the space of a kiss, I don't think we ever figured out how to be friends again."
"Veronica I love you tell me how to fix this."
"Maybe we need take it slow be friends, work on the whole trust issue. But I need time and I need to figure out who killed Lilly I owe her that much."
"Okay." He agreed not sure what else to say.
Veronica let across and kissed him and then kissed his forehead.
"I have to go." She got to her feet.
"Veronica?" Logan called when she was ten feet away. She stopped and turned to look at him. "I'm sorry."
"Me too. I'll see you at school on Monday."
TBC
