Chapter Eleven

VERONICA:

Pulling slowly back, I bit my sore lip, and glared up at Logan. He was staring back at me, a smug grin on his face.

"You have 2 seconds to get that smirk off your ugly mug, or I'm going to hit you with every ounce of strength my dad ever taught me with, okay?"

He smiled back at me.

"No? Fine. My dad owns a gun, and when I tell him that you took advantage of his sweet little daughter, I'm sure he'll be more than happy to introduce you to it."

"You're so cute, acting all tough," Logan murmured softly.

My mouth turned up, disgusted. I opened my mouth again, about to call him some very nasty names, when he covered my mouth, and said softly, "Veronica, I knew you couldn't resist me."

So, I'm sure you can understand why I rammed my heel against his shin, grabbed my bag, and headed out of the room. Again.

"Veronica!" Logan called from behind me, following me out. I was just reaching the doors leading out of the school when a voice stopped me.

"Where are you going?"

I turned slowly around. Logan was a few feet behind my sister, who had an angry expression on her face. She never could pull off pissed off, but it looked like she was getting better at it.

"Look, Becky. I'm sorry, I am, but I think I may stab my eyes out with one of those plastic forks in there if I am forced to watch Madison Sinclair dry hump Dick one more time!"

Logan was smirking again. If Becky wasn't staring at me, I probably would have resorted to sticking my tongue out at him.

"How are you even going to get home?"

"I was going to drive you home, right Veronica?" Narrowing my eyes, I slowly turned my head towards Logan, clenching my hands into fists.

Letting out a deep breath, I replied, "Yes, see Becky, I have a ride and everything."

"But we came together," Rebecca said, confused, "in a limo." I glared at Logan.

"Well, yes we did, Rebecca," Logan answered, "but I was just about to call it back to take us home. By the time you and Duncan and the rest of them are ready to go, it'll be back."

"Um, wait!" Rebecca exclaimed, "why are you two leaving together? You don't even like each other!"

"Yes, um-" I started.

Rebecca interrupted me before I could finish, "And what about Troy!?" she demanded, outraged, "were you just going to ditch him? And you, Logan! What about you're date?"

I closed my eyes briefly, before snapping, "Becky! Mind your own business! I don't feel well, I just want to go home, and last I checked, Troy was checking out Amy Transon's double D's, I really don't think he'll be missing me that much! Good-bye!" I started down the hall, not stopping to shrill down the hall, "Come on, Logan!"

Logan grinned at Becky as he passed her, "Later, Sunshine."

"So, you wanna stop off somewhere?"

Turning my head, I glared at Logan. "No."

"There's this 24-hour diner, a couple blocks from here-"

"Not interested."

"Great burgers, greasy fries, even a juke box, maybe we can do some danci-" Logan continued on, ignoring me.

"Logan!" I exclaimed, my hands balling into fists, "no, thank you, but no, okay?"

Silence... Logan looked out the window. I sighed. I wasn't going to feel bad. He just had to keep pushing. We were not on a date; hell, we had just left our dates behind. Now he wanted to go to dinner?

"Veronica," Logan suddenly said, making me jump. I raised my eyes, met his brown ones. My stomache leaped. I crossed my arms, trying to keep my face blank.

"Yes, Logan?"

"We have to talk-"

"No, we really don't."

"Yeah, we do," he argued, his brows scrunching together. My hand twitched, wanting to smooth them out. "Look, you may think you have no feelings for me, and if I really believed that, I would have given up a long time ago. But there is something."

"Yeah, it's called annoyance," I muttered.

"Maybe, but until we try, we won't know," Logan sighed again, moving closer to me on the leather seats.

"Logan, really, I'm not," I trailed off as I watched his hand lift, move down, then land on my red-covered knee.

"Let's just get a bite to eat before I drop you off, okay?" he asked, and when he saw that I was going to say no again, he said, "Please."

My arms tightened around my stomach. I wanted to say yes. This was not right. I was not interested. Except my body was highly interested. To a jackass. What was the world coming too?!

"Fine," I gave in finally, "whatever."

A smug smile lit up his face, and when I glared at him, Logan thankfully toned it down. I might have snapped even if hadn't, what with the night I had.

We pulled into Fred's Diner, and Logan took my hand in his as we got out of the limo. It felt nice. I let it go. Just this once, though. I didn't want him thinking he could grab me anytime he wanted to.

Taking our seats, we sat down across form each other on large plastic seats, burgers grilling feeling my nostrils. I was pretty hungry.

"This isn't that bad, I suppose," I admitted quietly, reaching for the menu. Logan thankfully withheld any comments that might set me off.

Even after everything in Seattle, I had never felt so... moody. Being around Logan brought out my defensive side; I did not like rich guys, I did not like arrogant ones, ones who got what they wanted whenever they wanted it. I had known that type, and they weren't nice.

But Logan was a jackass... with a heart. Even I could see that. He had been nice, except when I provoked him. Even as this realization came to mind, I looked up at Logan to see him checking out the waitress down the aisle.

I threw a sugar packet at him. "Aren't you supposed to be trying to win me over? Wasn't that the whole point of coming here?" I asked.

Logan's eyes flashed to me, a twinkle in his eye. "Jealous? Don't worry Veronica; I like blondes."

I huffed, returning to my perusal of the menu. The waitress came and took our orders. Logan grinned at me, then leaned over to watch her backside as she went to put in the order. I rolled my eyes.

He clicked his tongue, than leaned across the the table. "Veronica, chill out, okay? Take a breath. We are trying to have a good time. Let go."

I forced my hands that were seated in my lap to unclench. "Fine, you're right."

He opened his mouth, but I quickly snapped, "Don't! Just... don't." Logan's mouth snapped shut.

It was silent. We stared at each other.

"So, you wanted to get to know each other? What did you want to know?" I said finally.

"You're even putting in the effort to be nice? Veronica Mars, I am amazed," Logan smiled, "okay, okay, seriously?"

"Yes, seriously."

"Um..." he thought. It seemed when he had the chance to talk civilly to me, he couldn't think of anything. "What is your... favorite color?"

"That's your question?" I asked, "okay, then. Blue. Yours?"

"Green. Favorite movie?"

"The Big Lebowski." I raised my eyebrows questioningly at him. "Yours?"

"Easy Rider. Favorite-" I interrupted him.

"Logan, this is fun and all, but we're not really talking."

"I know, I just... talking to you, trying not to be an ass?" He shook his head, whistled, "it's hard."

"It's hard being nice to me?!" I uttered, "hey, I'm trying now."

"I know, but past trying to get you on a date with me, I didn't really consider what would happen when we were both being civil to each other. It's... quiet."

"Logan..."

"I'm trying to think of things we can talk about, but I don't want to inadvertantly piss you off, and all my replies come out... sounding sarcastic, and I don't know! I don't know what to say to you! I am flummoxed, okay?"

I smiled. I couldn't help it. He was babbling! "You're flummoxed, you say?"

His eyes flashed to mine, and seeing my smile, he grinned in return. "Oh, utterly."

I sighed, smiled softly at him. "Yeah, me too."

REBECCA:

I screwed my eyes shut so I couldn't watch Veronica and Logan (of all people!) leave. What was she doing?! She was ruining everything. It was so perfect, too. Dancing with Duncan had been... magical. He'd been so sweet, staring down at her as they swayed together to the music, foreheads touching. He'd lightly kissed her cheek, and even now, the thought made me grin. Lilly had gone off somewhere a while ago with a guy with lots of tatoos (she suspected Weevil, but knowing Lilly...), and that's when I'd noticed Troy, sitting at a table, talking to Amy, not Veronica, and where was Veronica anyway?

I had excused myself from Duncan, and gone looking for her. I had been just in time to see Veronica and Logan exit the girls bathroom. Together. Well, Veronica had looked like she was escaping, but Logan had come running out after her.

And now... now they had gone off together! Veronica said she was going home, but why would she want Logan Echolls, whom she hated, to escort her? What was going on?

Everything had been so perfect. It was supposed be Duncan and me, Veronica and Troy. Lilly and whoever, maybe Logan. But not Veronica, and Logan Echolls. According to Lilly, she was just waiting for him to come back to her, on his knees, sorry for everything. And Lilly said he always did. Come back, that is. So if Veronica and Logan got together? Lilly'd be pissed. Logan would break Veronica's heart, when he left to go back to Lilly. Veronica would freak, and take down Lilly and Logan.

And my life would be over. Again. Duncan wouldn't want to date me with their sisters fighting, his best friend and her sister going all World War III (which they would, because Veronica never let anything go). I'd be outcasted from the 09's, my friends!

Overcome, I let out a sob.

"Becky?" Duncan called from behind me. I hunched my shoulders.

"I'm okay, I'll be right there!" I called, my voice breaking on the last word. I heard his steps come up behind me, then his hands came down on my shoulders.

"Hey, hey, you okay?"

"I – I," I turned around, and hid my face against his chest. He hugged me closely.

"Everything's going to be okay. Tell me what happened," he said, rubbing my back. I looked up at him.

"It's nothing. I'm just having such a good night; Veronica just had to go ruin it." I sniffled, trying to smile up at him.

Duncan shook his head, "Your sister? What did she do?"

"I don't want to think about it right now," I said softly.

"You want me to take you home?"

"Can't... um, Veronica left with the limo."

"I could call a taxi, or borrow Dick's car, maybe," Duncan continued, thinking.

His concern made me smile. "No, no, it's okay."

"You wanna go and dance? Or get some punch?" he asked, running his hand down the length of my hair.

"Yeah, that sounds nice." I took his hand, held it tightly. "Thanks."

"No problem," Duncan said. "Becky? I'm really glad you came to the dance with me."

"Me, too," I said. My heart filled.

I wouldn't let Veronica do this. I couldn't. Duncan and I belonged together. I wouldn't let anything get in the way of that.

A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update! Yeah... I'll try to be better! Swear. I alway have the next chapter written, so I'll have that one up soon!

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