[Several Days Later]
Logan was leaning casually against the wall of the school building beside the main entrance. Duncan was beside him, talking more animatedly than Logan had heard him speak in ages. Of course, Logan also had absolutely no idea what Duncan was saying. He was too busy tuning his friend out, watching the crowd of kids as they made their way toward the school from buses, cars, and the parking lot. Duncan didn't even notice.
Lilly, however, did notice. She bounded up to the two boys and hip-checked Logan as if they'd never had a falling out and whispered to him both loudly and dramatically, "What in the world is The Donut going on about now?"
Logan gave Lilly a bland look, thinking fleetingly that her perfume was just a bit too strong per usual, silently shrugged, and then went right back to watching the tide of students.
Lilly's eyes narrowed and she frowned. Sure they were broken up and she was pretty sure he was pursuing Veronica now but that didn't mean that she shouldn't be 'the one who got away.' Unable to resist, she rubbed herself seductively against Logan's side and whispered in her tantalyzingly husky temptress voice, "Don't pretend you don't want me, lovah."
Surprisingly, Logan stepped away from Lilly and Duncan. They watched in annoyance as he bounced lightly down the couple stairs before swiftly and gracefully changing directions to throw an arm around Veronica. Duncan's jaw dropped open as he watched his friend become completely absorbed in his ex-girlfriend. He felt like he'd just been sucker-punched in the gut. A chill ran through him and he thought he just might puke.
Not even noticing her brother's unease, Lilly snarled and barely kept herself from stomping her foot. She turned to him for a brief moment before turning back to watch the new pair. Under her breath, she murmured to herself, "This has the potential to become a problem."
Both oblivious to the Kane siblings' thoughts and stares, Logan and Veronica walked side by side. They bumped against each other often, wanting to be as close as humanly possible without openly declaring their new status to the world around them. As they walked, they talked, bringing each other up to date on their mothers' progress and potential discharge dates from the local hospital.
Logan alternated between matching her stride going forward and seamlessly turning to walk backwards and face her as he spoke so he could see her facial expressions better. Her scent, a much more sweet and delicate fragrance than the in-your-face Lilly Kane variation, pulled Logan in and reminded him of snuggling by a campfire. It blended well, he thought, with the ocean breeze light and airy musk he always wore.
"Are you paying attention, Logan?" Veronica asked skeptically when he failed to answer a question she had posed.
"Always," Logan answered immediately. Then he turned to face her again and grinned ruefully, "I'm always paying attention, just not necessarily to what you want me to pay attention to."
Rolling her eyes, Veronica gave him a tolerant smile and asked again, "Have things been ok at home for you with your mom in the hospital?"
He stumbled a bit but regained his footing fairly easily, hoping she wouldn't notice his misstep. "Umm...define ok," he responded tersely.
Sighing, Veronica stopped and grabbed him by the forearm as they stood in the corridor maybe 20 yards from their destination, "You're stalling," she blurted before demanding, "What's not ok?"
He shrugged uncomfortably, taking a slow, deep breath to steady himself and then answered with a carefree shrug, "Nothing. It's fine. I'll just be glad when mom's home again, that's all."
Giving him an understanding look, Veronica reached for and took his hand, squeezing it in hers. When she looked into his eyes, he was blown away how easily he could read her thoughts. His heart clenched just knowing that she was doing everything she knew to do in order to comfort him when she was going through just as much.
He cleared his throat and asked awkwardly, "And how are you?"
Sighing, Veronica frowned. She worried her lower lip between her teeth, debating how much to say before she blurted, "They're sending mom to rehab. She's gonna have to wear an ankle monitor. She'll be there at least until her court date. The lawyer is telling us to be prepared for charges to be filed but he's not telling us what."
Frowning, Logan took the time to pull her into a brief but warm embrace. Then he joked, "Maybe we should run away together. Join the circus. Or get married in Vegas."
Tinkling laughter emerged from her lips and the sound made his spine tingle. She shook her head and said just before they entered the classroom, "How about we keep that as our backup plan, kay?"
"Damn," he grumbled shrewdly with a snap of his fingers that startled a couple people standing near the back lab tables, waiting for the lesson to begin.
Veronica chuckled and poked him in the side with her elbow before leaning up to kiss his cheek. Then she took her seat and watched as he made his way to his. They discreetly passed cutesy messages back and forth on their cell phones throughout the entire period.
Their next class together also included Duncan. This time Duncan was paying attention and noted the amplified coziness between his best friend and his ex. How had he not seen it before? Had they always been like this? It made him uncomfortable, he realized, and he began to wonder if he might not end up losing them both. In a determined manner, he interjected himself several times into their teacher-mandated topic of discussion, but it wasn't long before he gave up. They were both quick thinkers while his thoughts took a good bit longer to marinate. By the end of the period, Duncan had decided that he and Lilly were going to need to have a serious talk.
Oblivious to the Kane heir's thoughts and concerns, Logan and Veronica finished their debate and made plans to meet in the quad for lunch. As she was leaving the room and heading down the south corridor, Veronica heard light and tapping footsteps heading toward her at a brisk pace. She paused in her intended course and turned with a smile toward the slightly older girl she assumed she would see there. Sure enough, Lilly Kane was making her way confidently down the hall, chatting and laughing flirtatiously while leaving slack-jawed boys in her wake.
When Lilly reached Veronica, the two girls air-kissed each other's cheeks before they linked arms and continued down the corridor. Knowingly, Lilly looked over at Veronica as they moved and scolded playfully, "Veronica Mars, have you stolen my boyfriend?"
Surprised by Lilly's direct approach, Veronica chuckled nervously and looked over at her friend, "Ummm...no? I thought he was your EX-boyfriend, Lill."
"Oh, he is," Lilly responded reassuringly as she slung an arm around Veronica's shoulders, "And I may even think he COULD be good for you. Just make sure, dear friend, that you don't forget me or, you know, the other Kane."
Feeling both relieved and on edge, Veronica replied with an ill-at-ease smile, "Not a chance, Lill. You'll always be my bestie. You know that."
They parted ways and as soon as Veronica took her seat in 3rd period English, she pulled out her phone and texted Logan.
'Lilly doesn't seem too happy with us...' - Veronica
Not even 30 seconds later, she received a response from Logan that read: 'When is Lilly ever happy with what she's not controlling?'
Sighing, Veronica responded, 'Good point. Still, I don't like it.'
'Want me to back off?' came Logan's reply.
His words startled Veronica and she gasped out loud. Looking up instantly, an expression of guilt and embarrassment on her features, she apologized silently to the teacher and held her breath to see what the recourse would be.
The teacher narrowed her eyes at Veronica and, as expected, asked in the form of a reprimand, "Something you'd care to share with the class, Ms. Mars?"
Thinking fast, Veronica reached for her copy of War and Peace only to say ironically, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."
Snickers could be heard throughout the room before the teacher said in a warning tone, "Make sure you're paying attention, Ms. Mars. I would hate to have to put you in after school detention."
Veronica pursed her lips and gave the woman a thin smile of acknowledgment and a single nod. For the rest of the period, she worried about not being able to answer Logan's text. She knew he'd be taking her silence the wrong way. As soon as the bell rang, she raced for the door and pulled her phone out to tap a message into it as she walked. Narrowly missing several other students as she moved swiftly through the halls, she hit send on her hastily written, 'Where are you?'
When she didn't get a response right away, she feared the worst. Looking up, she saw Logan at his locker. He had just stuffed his phone dramatically into his pocket and slammed the metal door shut, punching it after for effect. She winced along with him and hastened her approach. Reaching him, she grabbed his arm without warning and, having caught him by surprise, dragged him along behind her.
Reaching the girls' restroom, she pulled him inside and jammed the door so it wouldn't open. Checking the stalls to be sure they were alone, Veronica then turned back to Logan who looked both miffed and curious as well as guarded and apprehensive all at once. Facing him now, she took two determined strides toward him, grabbed his open over-shirt and yanked him down so she could kiss him.
It took him a few moments to respond in return but when he did, things warmed up quickly. She broke off for a moment to say breathlessly, "Do not back off. If I were to say otherwise, I'd be lying."
Her words brought a renewed fervor to the dance between their mouths. He picked her up, her legs slipping easily around him as he held her thighs firmly in place. Twirling them around, he nearly slammed them into the paper towel dispenser before he settled her in the perfect location: on the edge of the sink. As soon as she was anchored there, the groping and touching commenced. His wide hands splayed fingers across her back, right upper and left lower, while her fingers tangled in his hair at the base of his neck.
Several minutes later when both were tousled and breathless, Logan released a short laugh of disbelief and shook his head. Cupping her face in his gentle hands, he leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes twinkling in delight. "What, exactly, was that for?" he asked.
Veronica raised an eyebrow and sat back enough to cross her arms over her chest before she answered haughtily, "If you don't know, why should I tell you?"
This time his laugh was one of amusement. He shook his head and kissed each of her eyelids and then the tip of her nose, asking himself in wonder, "What did I do to deserve you?"
Grinning wickedly, Veronica couldn't resist retorting with an answer full of sass, "Haven't you heard? I'm your worst nightmare and your greatest gift all wrapped up in one petite package."
His corresponding smile mirrored her own and now it was his turn to push back a bit so he could cross his arms over his chest like she had done. "Worst nightmare and greatest gift, huh? So both my punishment and my reward no matter what it is I've done," he paused thoughtfully for a moment, narrowing his eyes as if thinking while tapping an index finger on his lips. Then he nodded, and teased her playfully, saying, "I can work with that."
Uncrossing her arms, she reached for him and pulled him closer again. She nipped at his lower lip and nibbled his neck. When her mouth arrived at his ear, she murmured softly, "I couldn't answer your text. Ms. MacGregor would have caught me," then she apologized in a soothing tone that was barely even audible, "I'm sorry if I scared you."
His eyes were burning intensely with emotion as he turned his face and searched for her mouth. The kiss they shared was less fervent, more intimate than before. She inhaled sharply and the sound urged him on until they were both breathless and groaning when they finally broke apart. Resting their foreheads on each other's shoulders, Logan rubbed feather-light circles on her lower back with his thumbs.
Breathing sighs of contentment they slowly and reluctantly moved to rest their foreheads against each other so they could look one another directly in the eye. Veronica had a dreamy look on her face she was sure and Logan's quite clearly told her that he adored her. Finally, after staring as if mesmerized, Veronica reluctantly said, "We should get back to class."
"Can we talk about this first?" Logan asked, not wanting to leave.
"This as in the making out or this as in the text conversation we were having?" Veronica couldn't resist questioning in a tone that Logan found utterly entertaining.
"Both," he responded, then waited for her to speak again.
It took her a moment, but as much as she wanted to deny or ignore that what was going on between Logan and herself would impact more than just them, she finally ran a hand through her hair and said with a frown, "Well, as they say, you can't please everyone. I don't think they'll be happy no matter what we do. Is it wrong that right now I don't really care?"
"Not wrong," Logan returned, "Normal. Human. But the question is, what do we do? Do we risk our friendships to explore what we have here or do we try to resist and keep ourselves locked down?"
"Why do those have to be the only two choices?" Veronica wanted to know, her mouth curved downward in a frown, "What if we talk to them? Let them know what we're thinking. Maybe they'll be happy for us rather than think we've let them down?"
"That's awfully optimistic of you, Veronica," Logan scoffed doubtfully, "But if it's what you want, I'm willing to try. Just don't pretend that I didn't try to tell you so when it blows up in your face."
"My face?" Veronica frowned, eyes narrowed with a flash of anger mixed with annoyance in them, "If it blows up on one, it'll blow up on us both. We won't have them to fall back on and we likely won't even have each other."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Veronica Mars," Logan said with a self-deprecating grin, "You see, you're the one that we all adore. You'll be the calm in the middle of the storm. If something happens, you'll almost surely still have all of us. If you choose. It'll be me who loses everything if I fuck up and can't keep you."
"So poetic, Logan," Veronica smirked, "And fatalistic."
"It's the truth," he insisted.
"Whatever," Veronica rolled her eyes before getting back to the subject, "Anyway...regardless of the outcome, I don't want this," she motioned between the two of them, "to stop. I want to find out where it may go. Are you - is that, what you want, too?"
Reassuringly, he moved closer again and cupped her face in his hands. Holding her scared blue-eyed gaze with his own dark and determined one, he said firmly, "Yes. Yes, I want to date you. Yes, I want to see what this is. No, I don't care what Duncan and Lilly think. If they're really our friends, they'll be happy for us. That's what I think. And I hope that we find out that they are."
Biting her lower lip again, Veronica slowly nodded, placing her hands lightly on his chest. "Agreed," she confirmed.
The bell had long since rung but neither seemed in any hurry to get to class. It was no surprise to either one when Veronica challenged with a mischievous grin, "Kiss on it?" and Logan just laughed.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the school, two separate Kanes were making two separate plans for how they might scheme to get their best friends back.