Chapter 24: Glove Love and Mistaken Johns

On Tuesday, the usual group was standing by the computer lab with the new additions of Meg and Mac. Veronica, glad for the estrogen, and decided upon the meeting place partly because she wanted to see how her friend was coping with the party aftermath; but also because from the room they had a straight view of Troy's locker.

Logan and Casey merely smiled when Meg came over to them in the parking lot that morning, and Duncan had stammered appropriately. Mac's introduction from Veronica had brought raised eyebrows when the purity test was mentioned.

"Do you really have to add that on to my name every time I meet someone new?" the hacker asked her friend quietly. "It's not something that the rest of the school will find so amusing."

"Hey, it's not my fault that you decided to make money off of sex-crazed 09ers." Veronica responded, holding up her hand in defense.

Casey looked appreciably at the brunette girl. "How much did you rake in?"

"As much as I intended to." She replied flatly. "And you're the cultist."

Nodding, he stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you, other odd friend of Veronica's."

Meg reached out to shake as well. "Thank you, for helping her with that purity test thing."

"It wasn't a problem." The girl said. "You don't look like the Whore of Babylon, so I figured it was a setup." At the cheerleader's blush, Mac smiled.

Wallace merely shook his head at the introductions, before turning to Veronica. "Besides me, do you have any normal friends?"

The blonde detective was unable to respond coherently, as she and Logan broke out into sputtering laughter. Duncan had to take the coffee out of her hands to keep it from spilling as his ex-girlfriend collapsed into his best friend's shoulder.

Wiping her eyes, Veronica stood and smacked her boyfriend on his shoulder. "He's here."

Once again, the focus was on Troy as he spun the dial on his locker. When it opened, a cascade of condoms fell out, his books having been removed.

Logan shook his head. "Not very creative, Ronnie. I give it a D."

"The day's not over yet, Echolls." She responded lightly, before retrieving her coffee and grasping Meg's arm as the two headed to class.

"What do you mean, the day's not over?" the cheerleader asked as they turned a corner.

Smiling, Veronica rolled her eyes. "Let's just say that I emptied out the free condom bowls at all of Balboa County's free clinics."

Blushing, Meg matched her smile. "I see."

"Logan's right though, today wasn't very creative. I just feel that since my 'piece de resistance' is coming on Thursday, that quantity should be my focus until then."

"So this is going to be a daily thing?"

Nodding, she entered their math class. "At least until Thursday. I'm thinking I'll stop then and let him try to catch up."

After class, Logan was standing outside with a puzzled look on his face.

"How were you able to switch his backpack for one full of condoms?" he asked. "You were in math. And didn't go near him before class."

Pecking him on the cheek, Veronica grinned at Meg's face. "A lady never reveals her secrets."

"His bag was full of condoms?" Meg asked, shocked.

"Entirely. Every pocket, no books." Logan said with a nod. "Just sandbags in the bottom to make the weight right."

The cheerleader shook her head. "Who switched it for you?"

"Not gonna tell." She said simply. Turning to her boyfriend, she extended a hand. "Walk me to class?"

Entwining their fingers, the boy still wouldn't give up. "I still don't think that it's very creative."

"Not yet." She smirked. "But today's more about a combination effect."

True to her word, the prank became bigger and bigger as the day went on. As Troy walked down the hallway before lunch, a ceiling tile above his head split, and more condoms rained down. During lunch, his delivery box from Cho's pizza was filled with flavored prophylactics. And when the boy went to his rental car to get away from school, two dozen helium-filled condom balloons floated out with faces drawn on them, the seats filled with provocatively posed balloon animals. Logan had merely shaken his head when his girlfriend asked him for his final score of her prank.

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Tuesday evening, Meg called Veronica.

"Veronica, I know that you and Logan are dating but--"

Interrupting her, the detective smiled. "Duncan finally asked you out again?"

"How did you... yes. Is that alright?"

"Meg, Duncan and I both know that we're not getting together. It's the rest of the student body at Neptune who can't let go. I'm dating his best friend, and he's fine with that. I set the two of you up the first time, remember?"

"You didn't set us up, he was my secret admirer!"

"All the more reason for the two of us not to be together. If I had a secret admirer, I'd think he was a stalker. And then the poor guy would end up getting tasered."

The cheerleader giggled. "True. So you're really okay with it?"

"Yes Meg, should you accept Duncan's offer, I won't fall into depression over lost love."

"You don't fall into depression over anything. Even when people were saying those awful things about you, you didn't crack."

"Neither did you." Veronica responded proudly. "You got tough."

"Not without your help. Thank you for that. And not being weird about me and Duncan."

"It's cool. So, what did you think of today's balloon collection?"

She could almost hear Meg blush over the phone. "It was... extreme."

"Funny extreme, or 'Whoa- that Veronica Mars is a bitch' extreme?"

"Both?" the girl replied weakly.

"Good." She said with a grin. "Tomorrow's going to be even better."

"Is it going to be sexual again? The car was funny, but raining condoms?"

"Hey, he cheated on me. By society's rules, I have the right to go snip him. Troy should be glad Logan and I have escalated into a prank war."

"It is sort of amusing. Caitlin's still jumping at loud noises."

"Yeah, I rather liked that one. See you tomorrow, Meg. Tell Duncan I gave you my blessing, but also a threat not to hurt you."

"Bye Veronica. Thanks."

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After first period on Wednesday, Wallace came running up to Veronica.

"Girl, you will never guess what happened while I was in the office this morning!"

"What?" she asked, giving Logan a peck when he put an arm around her shoulder. "What happened while you were being the world's best office aide?"

"A stampede of strippers came through! It's a bitchin' senior prank!"

When Veronica snorted at his assumption, two pairs of eyes widened.

"You didn't." her best friend said. "Tell me you didn't. Why would you..."

"How many strippers do you know?" Logan asked with a smile. "Maybe we can get them for the next 09er bash."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She said, grinning.

"Mr. Vandegraff!" a bellow was heard in the hallway. Clemmons stormed towards the boy with thunder in his face. "Come here immediately!"

"What is it, sir?" the boy asked, confused.

"Can you tell me why three exotic dancers just stormed the teacher's lounge?" the vice principal asked. "While the superintendent was visiting?"

The hallway burst into gasps, and gleeful whispers rippled through the crowd. As soon as the administrator looked at them, silence reigned again. Returning his attention to the boy in front of him, the man's tone was stony. "And why they all state that they were called by you?"

Gaping, Troy stood flabbergasted. "I didn't do anything!"

"I'm sure. Come with me, young man." Turning, Clemmons started back towards the office. Realizing that he wasn't being followed, he looked over his shoulder sternly. "Now, Mr. Vandegraff."

Wallace and Logan turned towards their friend again.

"You seem to be making a habit of framing guys you don't like, Ronnie." Her boyfriend said with a raised eyebrow.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She repeated, then frowned. "Although I didn't factor in the fact that people would consider it a senior prank and respect him."

"How are you going to keep him from getting suspended?"

"I have to make a phone call." Veronica said, then walked away from the pair.

Turning towards the 09er, Wallace smiled. "You know, you've fallen pretty behind in the competition, Echolls."

"Yeah. Feel like helping me even the score a little?"

The other boy took a large step back. "Are you kidding? I get in enough trouble as her best friend. There is no way in hell I'm going to do anything to make Veronica Mars lose at something."

"Wuss."

"At least I'll still have my balls. I can't say the same for whoever you rope into working for you."

Logan laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "She's terrifying, isn't she?"

"Man, she's got most of the 09er men, the PCH bike club, and Clemmons under her thumb. Girl's something."

"You have no idea."

Wallace shook his head while he closed his eyes with exasperation. "I told you not to do that."

"What?"

"Murmur with that look on your face when we're talking about Veronica."

"What look?"

"Like you want to slam her against the lockers and go at it."

"I can't help it if my girlfriend is hot when she's scheming."

"Dude!"

Veronica returned to the twosome and her eyes darted between them. "Everything alright? I heard Wallace yelling."

"Nothing." Her best friend said quickly.

"Wallace is simply in awe of your familiarity with the working force of Neptune."

Identical glares hit him and he took a step back. "Joke!"

Shaking her head, the blonde detective's tone turned icy. "Not funny the first thousand times you said it. Now that I'm dating you? Less funny, as it negatively impacts you in a whole new way." Picking up her backpack, she turned and walked away.

Giving the boy a pitied look, Wallace also shook his head before following his friend. "Echolls, think before you speak."

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Veronica skipped lunch and left last period early. During journalism, she had taken the seat closest to the door and was the first one to leave, allowing herself to be taken along by the sea of students that flowed into the hallway. Avoiding Logan seemed like the best course of action, but the plan ended when she saw the distinctive yellow car in the parking lot of her apartment complex.

Getting out of her car, she pulled out her bag. As she walked by the pool, she wondered why he hadn't run up to her the second she pulled in. Turning to her door, Veronica then saw that he had camped himself out on her doormat with flowers and a take-out bag. Backup stood on the other side of the glass, panting happily at the visitor who had arrived with food.

"I'm sorry." The words came out of his mouth as soon as he saw her see him. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think, and then I remembered what I used to say, and then Wallace—please don't break up with me." Logan stopped his rambling when she held up a hand.

"Are you coming inside?" she asked, taking out her keys. "Backup looks excited to see you again."

A grin grew over his face and he stood. Reaching out to hug her, he quickly drew back when he realized she might still be mad at him. Veronica shook her head softly and a soft smile graced her lips.

Walking into the apartment, she gestured to the bag. "What's in there?"

"Oh! Um..." Logan trailed off and handed her the bag. At her questioning look, he shrugged. "You told Lilly once that flowers and chocolate were too cliché and shouldn't work for forgiveness."

Looking inside, Veronica laughed. "So you decided cheeseburgers would stand a better chance?"

"Well if you threw them back at me, these I would still eat. Are we okay?"

"Logan... I'm not going to lie. What you said hurt me. Do you know that during that week before we told Duncan, I had to reassure myself that this wasn't some sort of joke you had set up? That I had to convince Wallace that I wasn't going to leave him for the shiny world of 09ers? Look back at the year the two of us have had, then replay what you said." Noting his wince, she nodded. "But we're okay. It was a joke, a really bad one, but a joke. I had to remember that you used to say things like that when it was the four of us, but it's okay."

Unable to control himself, the Echolls son reached out and pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry. I'll think more, I promise."

"Good. Can you try to be funnier next time?" came the smooshed reply from his chest. "Because it was a really bad joke."

Laughing, he walked her over to the couch and flopped them both down. Kissing her on the forehead, Logan tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "We okay?"

Sighing, Veronica kissed him back. 'Yes, you insecure dramaqueen. We're okay."

"Okay enough for you to tell me what the plan is for tomorrow?"

"No."

"Okay enough to tell me who you called to take away Troy's street cred?"

Grinning, she acquiesed. "Just one of the girls, who then told Clemmons that he wasn't the guy. But, Troy's dad was already called down to the school, so he still got in trouble."

"They called his dad?"

"Nice guy." She nodded. "Said hi to me during lunch."

"But nothing about tomorrow?"

Veronica didn't answer him and looked amusedly behind his shoulder. "Logan, you need to get me a different gift." Backup was sitting on the empty takeout bag, licking his lips.

To make up for my absence, I give you... WOOBIE LOGAN!!! Thank you all for being so patient, and the sympathy over my laptop's plight.