1They started it slowly. A glance a word to the right people and then it built on took on a form of its own. Madison Sinclair was slowly going insane and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Madison knew it was coming but she just couldn't stop herself. She knew she should leave Veronica alone and stop making comments about her lack of fortune and being Lilly's shadow. Madison was sure however, that she would be able to handle whatever it was that Lilly and Veronica came up with. And now she was the school joke.

Random people were coming up to her. "So I was wonder could I feel them. I just want-"

"Just shut up and keep walking you are not going to feel them. Stop looking at them and keep walking." Maybe the tight sweater was a bad idea. She didn't have any other clothes left though. Everything else was low cut and she wasn't ready for that. Besides tomorrow she had to wear her cheer uniform. Today she tried to keep a low profile.

Although keeping a low profile when one's goal before that had been to be the top dog at Neptune High was something that was more difficult than Madison thought it would be. She didn't know how to walk with her head down. She wasn't sure how to avoid glaring at people that glanced at her; there gazes lowering and lingering down to her chest.

It had taken three days for it to get to this point. She knew who started but she couldn't prove it. She continued to her locker. Once she was at it Lilly walked up behind her. "Hey Maddie. How's it hangin,?"

Madison looked over her shoulder at Lilly and glared. "Fine. Thanks for asking. " Her voice was tight and she immediately turned back to her locker. Madison stared at the contents as thought they would have all the answers to the known universe. Lilly remained leaned up against the lockers beside the one Madison had open.

"So are you going to Shelly's Saturday?"

"Yes."

"I'm having a few people over before. You interested?"

Madison stared at her locker. Books? Yes, they were still in there. Locker mirror? Yes, still on the door. Lilly Kane invited her over to her house? Yes. The world was not how it had been this morning when she left the house then something had changed. After a moment of staring at her locker she slammed the door shut and turned to Lilly. "What?"

"Come on Maddie. You heard me the first. You coming over or not?"

"Well let me see here. You have spent the week torturing me and now you want to be best friends?"

"I don't know about best friends."

"Whatever. Not the point. You make my week miserable and then expect everything to be okay?"

"Never said that. Figured you needed to learn a lesson you learn it yet?"

"Ugh. Whatever." Madison turned to walk down the hall. She paused and then looked over her shoulder at Lilly. "I'll think about it."

Lilly watched Madison walk down the hall head held high. She was more pissed than she was before she had talked to Lilly. Then the moment came when she passed by Dick. His voice carried, he never did learn how to keep his voice down. "What they're fake? No way, dude. No way." Lilly started to laugh and Madison turned on Dick as she came close to him.

"They. Are. Not. Fake. God." And then she continued to walk past Dick and friends, who were are all laughing now. One them was slapping Dick on the back and making comment about how he was never going to get any now. Lilly down the hall was fully laughing. Leaning against the locker holding her stomach, laughing.

Veronica walked out of the girls' bathroom at that moment. All she saw were the remnants of the last few moments. "Lilly what just happened?"

"Oh you are going to be so pissed that you missed this." Lilly was wiping tears from her eyes. "Come on I gotta grab my books. I'll tell you on the way."

XXXXX

Veronica could admit to herself that she felt kinda bad about the whole Madison thing but in reality she just couldn't take the sly innuendos and comments that people thought were okay to make to her face as long as Lilly wasn't there. Duncan had never caught on to what they were saying. So Veronica had put up with it. Then she had just had it. Madison had done it again and Veronica wasn't going to take it anymore.

The first thing that had surprised her was the fact she had explained it all to Logan. It all felt so girl and stupid but he got it. So she knew it was time for her to do something. So she plotted with Lilly. It was almost like Lilly had been waiting for her to come back or something. As soon as Veronica said that she wanted to Lilly mutter something under her breath that sounded a lot like about freaking time. And then they got down to devising a plan. Veronica knew that Lilly would have something that could bring Madison down without Veronica calling her on all of her bullshit.

So even though she felt kinda bad she really didn't feel bad enough to not do it. After it had been done and watching Madison fight people on the facts Veronica felt kinds good. Madison was a bitch and it was about time that she got a little of her own back. Veronica also didn't think it was that horrible it wasn't the first rumor that had spread over the school about Madison it was just the first one that really got to her. People weren't even backing down because they knew that Lilly Kane had something to do with it. Since Lilly was in support of this rumor and since Lilly reigned supreme at Neptune High people fell in line. It didn't matter that on the social scale Madison was till pretty high. This hierarchy intrigued Veronica and shocked her at how well it worked. She was sure that when or if Madison came to Shelly's party things would die down and go back to normal. Now Veronica had something in her arsenal against Madison to be left alone.

XXXXX

It was finally Friday and everyone was excited, Shelly's party was tomorrow. It was the big kick off of Winter Break. Sure they had to come back for that week after but there really wasn't anything to do at school that week except plan for the two weeks they had off. Teachers hated this time of year because they were just as anxious as the students to get out of there for a few weeks. Even Mr. Fielding was being more lax. He had allowed them to break up into groups to discuss.

Veronica was paired up with Meg; Logan had not yet arrived to class. Veronica had seen him earlier and he said he would see her in class but something could have come up. So instead of discussing the current reading material Meg and Veronica were discussing Shelly's party and the winter break.

"So are you going?"

"Yeah Cole and I thought we would stop by. I don't know how long I will be able to stay though my parents have a strict curfew for me."

"Just tell them that you are spending the night at my house. I'll even tell my mom that you are and she won't know if you do or don't."

"Thanks Veronica. I'll think about that." Meg leaned in closer to Veronica. "Although I am afraid Cole will take that to mean something else if I do that so it might not be worth it."

"Well just think about it and let me know what you decide."

The two girls then began talking about previous Shelly Pomroy parties. Though Veronica was a sophomore she had been to three of Shelly's parties since Lilly had dragged her along when she was in eighth grade. Next year would be the last Pomroy party unless someone could convince Shelly to keep throwing them after she graduated. The two were laughing at some of their classmates antics when Logan plopped himself down in the chair behind Veronica.

"Hey, Ronnie. Ronnie."

Veronica swung around in her desk. "What? And don't ever call me that again." Logan's response was just to smile and then lean over his desk like he was about to say something. He didn't though. "What?"

"Just…." He trailed off and his gaze started to wander around the room.

"Logan. Focus. What did you want to ask me?" When annoyed Veronica's voice took on a hard edge that Logan recognized he sighed.

"What are we doing here?"

"We are in class to learn." Logan started to giggle at that. "Logan? Are you high?"

"Yeah."

"Why did you even bother coming to class then?"

"Everyone else went to class figured I shouldn't sit at the bleachers alone. That would be weird right?"

"God." Veronica's head sank to her desk. "Here turn your desk so it looks like you are discussing the book with Meg and me. Although don't worry we will actually be ignoring you because you are an idiot." Meg started to laugh at Logan while he tried to maneuver his desk closer to them.

"Way to go on the Madison thing. It was pretty funny I helped. Had Enbom tell Dick and I heard he freaked out at just the right moment."

Meg was laughing even harder now. Logan had failed to notice the daggers that Veronica was shooting at him with her eyes when he started to talk about Madison. "Meg it isn't funny." It appeared that Meg disagreed because she kept laughing. Logan finally got his chair situated and plopped down creating a circle with their three desks.

"Hey Meg what's so funny?" Meg couldn't answer him because she was now silently laughing. Veronica was glaring at her in a vain attempt to get her to stop. Out of the corner of her eye she saw that Mr. Fielding was making his way towards their group. Veronica resisted letting her head thump against the desk in exasperation, barely.

"Nothing is funny. Meg stop. Mr. Fielding is on his way over here." Veronica was to late in her warning however. Mr. Fielding was now standing behind Logan looking at her and Meg.

"Ms. Manning what do you see that is so funny about Conway's Heart of Darkness?" Meg sobered up right away the teacher having the influence that Veronica hissing through her teeth did not. If Veronica's first detention was in this class then it was possible that Meg's was soon to follow if someone did not come up with something soon.

Meg stared at Veronica she had nothing. No way to cover and seeing as honesty was Meg's usual way of dealing with teacher's she was sure how to get out of this one. She didn't want to turn Logan in for being high but she really knew that if she got detention her parents would kill her.

Meg was in luck Veronica. Though she had had her first detention this year was no stranger to get out of things that other people or even she got herself into. "Oh Mr. Fielding it is my fault I read this passage wrong and messed up the words and Meg and I have a terrible case of the giggles today. So it wasn't anything that Conway wrote. I mean this book is extremely serious and some underlying theme's that are really dark and most defiantly nothing to laugh about." Mr. Fielding looked stunned for a moment and then shook his head sagely.

"You are very right Ms. Mars and I know how this time of year can bring on the giggles all the stress and excitement of winter break. So carry on with your reading." He then moved on to the next group to see what they were discussing and then sat himself down at his desk to watch the class.

Veronica waited for him to be seated before she stopped reading and turned to Meg and Logan. "See I told you that he was not funny."

"Hey I can be very amusing when I put my mind to it."

Veronica ignored him. "Now let's ignore him until class is over just if you see him start to fall asleep, kick him. He will be impossible to wake up if we let his sleep." This was not the first time she had had to deal with Logan when he was under influence of something. Somehow Veronica or Duncan always ended up the caretaker when it came to Lilly or Logan.

"Hey Logan, was Lilly with you?" Veronica knew they were broken up but the two of them usually ended up together when something like this went down.

"Ummmm……Dick was there, Enbom was there, Duncan left before we started smoking, the janitor guy was there and Caitlin was there that Stephanie girl was and then yeah Lilly showed up, but I don't think there was any weed left when she got there. Yeah Lil didn't smoke she was pissed." Logan started to put his head down but Veronica stopped him by tapping on his shoulder. He batted her hand away. "What? Leave me alone. Are you pissed we didn't invite you?"

"No. I don't smoke remember? For three reasons," Logan had heard these reason's before and for whatever reason they did not include alcohol just drugs. "Reason number one; my Dad would kill me. Number two my Dad would kill me. Number three and no one would ever find the body." Logan shook his head in agreement and then started to put his head down again. "Logan stay awake I'll take you to your car after English and then you can sleep through math." Logan nodded.

"Can we get a sprite first and some chips?"

"Yeah, no problem."

Meg had watched the whole exchange wide eyed. Everyone knew that Veronica and Logan hung out. They would have had to they were dating siblings and were best friends of those siblings. Meg had never realized that the two of them were actual friends on their own.

XXXXX

Friday had been a busy day for Veronica she had taken care of a high Logan. Bugged a not so high Caitlin at lunch, coming down was a bitch. Veronica figured she deserved it and she kept asking where Logan was in front of Lilly. Veronica didn't care that Lilly had seen someone other than Logan since the break up you still didn't talk about your friends' ex in front of them no matter how over them they are.

She had made friendly conversation with Duncan and lied telling him that she would be fine if he started dating other girls. She still couldn't reason out why he would ask her permission. She woke Logan up at the end of the school day and made sure he was cool to drive home. Then she went home packed for the weekend and headed to the Kane's. Lilly and she were going to spend the entire weekend hanging out and getting ready for Shelly's party.

Veronica wasn't sure what they needed to do to get ready that would take an entire weekend but she really didn't want to stay at her house lately. She wasn't sure what was going on with her mom but she really didn't like it. So here she was at the police station one quick stop before she started prepping for the party on Saturday.

Since she avoided the house she hardly ever saw her dad and she felt bad about that. He was spending more time at the station though and she wasn't sure where her mom was spending her time. Though Veronica wasn't really sure she wanted to know where her mom was spending her time.

She got out of the car and headed up the stairs to the station. Passing Inga at the reception desk and then heading back to her dad's office. Finally plopping herself in one of the chair across from him, he was focused on paperwork. "Hey Pops."

He glanced up at her sitting there leaning back in the chair. Keith thought briefly that eh was glad that he was sheriff he wouldn't really want her to feel that comfortable in any other sheriff's office. See Keith knew Veronica and even though she was a good kid he knew that she had a tendency to get in trouble. He worried that if he wasn't the law in this town if Veronica might have reason to come into the sheriff's office for other reasons. Heaven knows that he would have Lilly Kane and Logan Echolls in here more often if it wasn't for Veronica and not wanting to get caught by her dad. Not that he thought of it they probably got away with more stuff because Veronica had a head on her shoulders and he knew that she plotted had ever since she was a kid. "Hey Kid. What brings you down to my neck of the woods? Have a crime you want toreport?"

"Nope not today. Maybe I will on Sunday. I am spending tonight and tomorrow night with Lilly. Who knows what we will witness at the Kane's house. Maybe Celeste will do something you can lock her up for." Veronica's strained relationship with Celeste Kane was not a secret in the Mars household. "I was stopping by to say 'hey.' Also to remind you that you have a daughter and what she looks like."

"Hmmm short, blonde, too smart for her own good. Yep I remember her do think she will be stopping by soon?"

"Funny. Anyway we should do dinner next week I never see you anymore you are working all the time." Lianne was the elephant in the room that no one was talking about. Veronica and Keith knew why they hadn't eaten together for a while. Veronica was at the Kane's or another friend's house and Keith stayed at the office.

"We will have to do that just you and me. A date."

"Ugh don't call it that. I can't say that the first date I have since I have broken up with Duncan was with my dad that would be weird."

"C'mon who's your daddy?"

"And never say that again." Veronica's phone began to ring. She had one ring tone. Logan had changed it to P.I.MP. She glanced down at her phone, it was Lilly. "I've got to go Lilly has made her first 'where are you phone call' there will be five more even if I leave right now. So I will see you Sunday night?"

"You sure will kid." Keith got up and hugged his daughter before she left and kissed her on the top of her head.

"Bye Dad." As Keith watched her walk away he realized he would have to stop ignoring Lianne and deal with the problems that she was causing. He just hoped that he could solve the problem with out hurting Veronica more. She was a good kid. She didn't deserve an alcoholic mother and a father, who was never home and ignored the problems in his life.

XXXXX

Veronica had her backpack slung over her shoulder, with all of her overnight stuff and rang the bell at the Kane's front door. Celeste answered. "Veronica?" Veronica wondered why she always said her name as a question. Yes it was Veronica at the door. There really wasn't any question about her standing there.

"Yes." She still answered the question though. "I'm here to see Lilly." The Kanes were leaving for the weekend and didn't know that Veronica was spending the night and whoever else Lilly had or would invite. "We have some school stuff we were going to do before we went out tonight." Veronica always over explained things to Celeste that stare made her nervous.

Celeste raised one eyebrow at that. Celeste was a bitch she wasn't stupid. She knew that whatever was in Veronica's backpack wasn't school work. Celeste would be wrong though this was her school bag and her overnight stuff was in the trunk of her car. Celeste was the kind of mom that not only snooped in her kids' stuff but their friends' stuff as well.

Veronica shuffled past Celeste and made her way upstairs. As she passed Duncan's room she heard the sound of video games. She popped her head in to see who was over. Logan and Dick were manning the controls while Duncan shouted in encouragement to Dick. Beaver, she was pretty sure no one had ever told her his real name, Dick's little brother was sitting on the floor drinking a soda. Veronica decided to help Dick out. "Hey Logan looks like you recovered from your nap."

All three swung around to look at her. Dick however noticed the opportunity and kept playing. "Uh yeah thanks for that."

"No problem." Logan seemed awkward about the situation right now. Duncan looked between Veronica's smiling face and embarrassed expression. He had noticed in the last few weeks that Logan and Veronica had been talking and laughing more often. Usually Logan laughed and Veronica tried to get him to stop. She didn't mind as much anymore.

Veronica's phone rang. "Ugh I swear you sister would make a great stalker." Veronica flipped it open. "Yes no I'm on my way I'll be there in a minute….Seriously….How dare he Logan and Dick? ...Talk to you soon. Bye." Veronica clicked her phone shut and grinned at Duncan and Logan. As she turned to leave she heard Dick cheer and Logan start to protest the fairness of that win.

She walked into Lilly's room without knocking. "Mom not now. I don't care and leave me alone."

"If you want I can go grab Celeste and you can discuss you mother issues with her." Lilly squealed and grabbed Veronica's arm dragging her into the room. "Okay seriously? I just saw you like two hours ago. What could have happened in that time?"

"I found us the perfect outfits to wear to the party tomorrow. Since you weren't there at the mall had to talk to you dad," Lilly rolled her eyes. She just didn't understand why anyone would want to spend time with their parents. "I bought yours for you." When Veronica raised her hands to protest Lilly interrupted her. "Stop Veronica doesn't matter I can't return it I already took the tags off so it is yours. We are going to ROCK Shelly's party tomorrow."