A/N Ok I'm sorry this took so long but muse is not wanting to help me write this but I finally finished so you can celebrate and I can sleep, it's like 11:30 at night here. Just to finish this of thanks to my two reviewers missshay16 and Josielynn. Your comments are appreciated more than words can say. Anyway enjoy this new chapter.
Chapter 29
Lily opened the door to her locker to be met with two teddy bears. The first had stitched along its sweater 'I love you beary much' and she knew instantly that it was from Dick. The second one had 'I miss you teddible' stitched across its sweater so she knew it was from Casey. The two boys had been leaving bears in her locker every day for two weeks while Lily had been deciding what to do about the two boys and reconnecting with her best friends, the old and the new. She and Logan where now on more civil terms than they had been before so the time away from boys, and sex, had done her some good. Running one finger over the stitching on both bears Lily looked at them and watched as they bounced on the rubbish already in the bin. On the first day she had gotten her first set of bears she had kept them until the second day when she realised the boys were going to send her a bear everyday until she had come to a decision about them. So from that day on she had thrown out each and every bear the boys gave her the second she opened her locker.
Veronica walked up behind Lily unnoticed and said, "Why do you do that every morning?"
"Because there is no need to keep them, I still don't know which one I want more."
"I don't think that's why they keep sending them. Maybe they just want you to remember that they are alive." Veronica replied with a shrug.
"I know they're alive. I see them every day at school for crying out loud. In other news where is your hip?"
"Between my thigh and my waist," Veronica said confused.
"I meant Logan."
"Oh, he's not a hip silly and he has gone to a place far, far away."
"Really"
"Yes. He's suppose to click he's heels together three times to get back." Veronica quipped.
"So he was sure to wear he's parting gift."
"Oh yes. He really does like those red sneakers I got him. He thinks it means that he can as stealth as me." Veronica said with a shrug.
"So you didn't get him the traditional ruby red slippers?" Lily asked shocked.
"Times are changing Lil, jump on the bandwagon."
"Well back in my day..." Lily started.
"Oh please don't start." Wallace groaned as he stopped by the pair.
"If you don't want to hear it then don't stand here," Lily said.
"But if I don't stand here than who is going to tell you the bad news?" Wallace asked.
"Oh no, what did they do now?" Lily groaned.
"Who?" Wallace asked confused.
"Dick and Casey," Veronica replied.
"Nothing as far as I know. I just wanted to warn you that Clemmons wants to see you." Wallace said just as Clemmons came down the hallway towards them.
"Miss Kane. Will you come with me please?" Clemmons said.
Lily held out her hands like cuffs and replied with, "Take me away officer but I swear anything you try and throw at me won't stick," before following Clemmons down the hall.
"Well I guess she won't be walking me to class," Veronica said.
"Well I'd offer myself up as a substitute but I don't think your boyfriend would like that." Wallace said with a shrug.
Veronica smiled and threaded one of her arms through he's before saying, "Boyfriend, I don't see this boyfriend you claim I have anywhere, so you have to be the excellent substitute you are and walk me to class."
*******
Lily sat in the seat in front of Clemmons desk, her legs tucked underneath him as she waited for him to speak.
"When we arrived at school this morning Polly was gone." Clemmons said.
"Missing or pthwt?" Lily asked making the universal hand gesture for dead.
Clemmons looks at Lily a little appalled, "Missing!"
"Somebody stole our mascot?" Lily asked a little confused. Clemmons nods before he begins to pace behind he's desk, "Well let's get to it already. You know it was me and I know it wasn't and now I'm suspended or expelled, tarred, feathered..."
"Excuse me?" Clemmons asked confused.
"I didn't take the bird."
"I'm not accusing you. I'm asking for your help." Clemmons replied leaning forward towards her, "I want you to find Polly. You know how out of control the rivalry between Neptune and Pan High is. It used to be toilet paper on trees but in recent years things have..." Clemmons sighed, "escalated. If this matter isn't resolved quickly and discretely, things could get ugly. We don't really have the money to hire a professional but I have noticed that you have certain... skills plus as I understand it, you work for Don Lamb in some capacity."
"I do." Lily replied suspiciously.
"And what do you normally charge for something like this?"
"A lot. Yeah it's going to set you back."
"How far back?"
"A personal letter of recommendation. I'll write it, you'll sign it. My own parking space and.... a different locker, preferably in the east hall."
"The letter and the locker I can do but you're not getting your own parking space."
"Can you get me out of PE?"
"No."
"How about a few excused absences?"
"How about one?"
"See now I was thinking more like three."
"Miss Kane..." Clemmons said warningly.
Lily shrugs, "You're the one with the missing bird."
"Fine, two." Lily leans forward and shakes hands with Clemmons to seal the deal.
"This is obviously a confidential matter."
"It'll be our little secret." Lily said before heading to the door and to her first class.
**********
Veronica sat on Logan's lap and trailed a hand down he's cheek as she ran her tongue skilfully along his. Sighing Logan moved one of his hands from her neck and started to trail it up and down her back. Both were oblivious to the teacher entering the room until she spoke to them.
"Miss Mars kindly remove yourself from Mr Echolls lap." Miss Stafford. Veronica pulled away and climbed off Logan's lap and into the chair beside him. "So the new edition of the Navigator comes out tomorrow and we're still short on articles. Let's do something fun."
"How about a story on oxycontin replacing ecstasy as the drug of choice for high school students." Veronica suggested.
"I'm sure your parents don't want to read about drugs at the school where they send their precious little ones." Miss Stafford said.
"I thought this was a student newspaper." Logan commented.
"Where's your Pirate Pride, y'all, lots of good stuff happens here." Miss Stafford continued as if Logan hadn't spoken. Veronica looks at Logan and sighs before reaching up and kissing him quickly on the lips, "Did you know that Madame Rousseau's been teaching French here for forty years now? Maybe we could do an in-depth profile."
Logan raised his head quickly from its path to Veronica's neck to comment, "A loving tribute to a sadistic crone." Some of the students at the desk around them started to laugh as Logan pressed a quick kiss to a spot just behind Veronica's ear.
Miss Stafford sighed, "The janitors work so hard and no one even pays attention to them. Maybe we could do something on them?"
"Maybe," A voice from behind Veronica and Logan called. The pair turned around and where surprised to see that Caitlyn was the speaker. Before anyone else could speak though the fire alarm started to ring.
"What is with the fire drills?!," Veronica cried to the roof of the building before standing up and grabbing her bag, "This is the third one this week."
Logan leaned down to her ear and whispered, "Maybe we should do a story on oxycontin use in the administration office," before he kissed her on the check and grabbed his bag.
"Okay Pirates. Single file. Straight line." Miss Stafford said in manner that prompted Logan to say.
"Heads up, chests out, big smiles. Ready? Okay."
Veronica laughed before grabbing his hand and saying, "Come on honey. Your practise for head cheerleader will have to wait for a time when we're not about to be attacked by fake fire." Pulling him along they enter the corridor towards the nearest exit. Removing his hand from hers he brings it up along his back and pulls her closer to him. Just as he is about to kiss her, though, Miss Stafford interrupted.
"You know what, Veronica? There's a good story in all this fire drill business."
"A fire drill story! Someone alert the Pulitzer Community." Veronica replied sarcastically.
"You'll find a way to make it interesting. I believe in you." Miss Stafford replied before leaving the pair alone.
Veronica sighed, "Its days like this that I wish I was still a sophomore." Logan opened his mouth to speak but before he could Veronica cut him off. "Not a word out of you mister or no making out for a month," Veronica threatened.
"Whatever you say, dear?" Logan whispered before placing his lips back on hers.
************
Later in the day Veronica was sitting silently inside the reception area of Doctor Johnson's office trying to ignore the weird guy talking to her, who was waiting for the other counsellor in the building.
"And I was told that... that... that... that people who touch door handles contract mono. You know, mono mono." The guy said to her as Veronica picked up a magazine, "And did you know that the easiest way to catch.... catch... catch... catch a cold is to pick up magazines."
Veronica nodded enthusiastically, "That's wonderful, really. You know really really."
"Veronica." Doctor Johnson called from her doorway, "I'll see you now." She continued motioning Veronica into her office. Veronica dropped to magazine back onto the table before entering the office and taking her usual seat.
"Now Veronica," Doctor Johnson said as she closed the door, "It's not nice to be sarcastic with Jim especially since he doesn't know you're being sarcastic."
"Well maybe if he didn't tell me about every little thing that could make me sick I'd be more than happy not to be sarcastic with him." Veronica snapped.
"Ok, let's talk about this. Why does his topic of conversation bother you?"
"If I wanted to know where I could contract mono or get a cold I'd look it up on the net."
"I think your harbouring some hostility towards Jim that shouldn't be directed towards him. So why don't talk about what's wrong?"
Veronica sighed, "There's nothing wrong."
"Ok. Then why are you irritated?"
"I'm not. God! What makes you keep thinking that?"
"Well the mood swings are a good place to start. So why not give in and tell me what's going on."
"Nothing is going on. Can we talk about something else?"
"Fine but it would just be easier if you opened up to me now."
"Well... if I tell you, you can't tell anyone else, right?"
"Of course not"
"Ok. So..."
*******************
When Veronica entered the apartment she was surprised to find Lilly sitting on the lounge. The bigger surprise was that Veronica knew her father was still at the office so how Lilly had gotten into the apartment was the bigger mystery.
"Lilly, I did think you payed enough attention when I was teaching you to pick a lock. Cause I distinctly remember a hot guy being around."
"I think the hot guy was Logan and that's 'cause he really did want to know how to pick a lock. I, on the other hand, was just trying to get into Logan's pants." Lilly replied with a shrug.
"Ok, then how did you get in?"
"Your dad gave me the key before I left the office."
"Okay, so then why are you here?"
"Did you keep any of your bubblegum pink clothes you use to wear?"
"Probably somewhere in a box. Why?"
"I have a case."
"And that requires you to become the old me that you hated?"
"Yes, because the basketball players are more likely to talk to me."
"Ok I'll find it for you."
"Thank you"
Mac sat quietly on the rim of her bath, checking her watch every few seconds to see how much time had passed. It was an ineffective way to spend five minutes. It made the time drag on. Like the five minutes had turned into an hour. Although the time seemed to be a waste to her brother, who kept pelting the door with darts from his dart gun, and her parents, who kept knocking on the door and asking if she was ok, it was a necessary sacrifice because once she had the answer that would be all she needed. It would clear her mind one way or another. Then she could make plans or move past it depending upon the answer. She sighed when her watched beeped and reached over to grab the stick resting on the basin and quickly glanced at what it said.
******************
The next morning Veronica stood at her locker sorting through the books she would need for the school day when Logan came bounding round the corner and grabbed hold of her waist.
"Hey gorgeous." He whispered in her ear before kissing her cheek.
Veronica pulled away quickly, "Can you not be all over me today." She snapped.
Logan took a quick step back before responding, "What's wrong?"
"Why do you assume something is wrong just 'cause I don't want you all over me at the moment." Veronica snapped.
"You know what, when you become yourself again come find me because I don't like this bitchy person." Logan sighed before turning and leaving.
Veronica shut her eyes to stop the tears from falling and as much as she wanted to call him back she didn't. She was going to have to figure out her problem by herself before letting Logan in again and as unfair as that seemed it was the way it had to be because she couldn't stand to hurt him and that's what her news would do to him, whether she was wrong or right about it.
******************
Wallace stood on the basketball court, sweaty, calculating his next move as his opponent Jack stood 3 feet in front of him watching, like a hawk, waiting for Wallace to make his move so that he could do everything in his power to counter it. Slowly Wallace began to head right only to have Jack move quickly in his way, so quickly, in fact, that Wallace was able to double back and shot the ball into the hoop from the left.
Lily stood in the corner watching the boy's interaction on the court as she waited to for Wallace to finish so they could go to class together. "Hey superstar," she called, "Are you ready for the real world?"
"In a minute woman," Wallace joked back, "I gotta teach Jack to respect the jumper. This kid's got rank."
"Enjoy this moment, 'cause it's over now." Jack said.
"I've got space and opportunity, man," Wallace replied before picking up the ball, ducking past Jack and sinking another basket, "Ooo, that's your jock back there."
"Do you need to jump back and kiss yourself? 'Cause I can wait." Lily joked. Wallace smiled and shook his head at her as he knocked knuckles with Jack.
"Good practise, good practise" Wallace said as he and Jack headed to the locker rooms, "I'll back in a bit freak."
Ten minutes later Wallace left the locker room and walked with Lilly to their lockers. As they went some of the students that passed them in the corridor started to call out to Wallace.
"Yo, bro!" said one boy.
"Wallace, my man!" said another boy who held his hand up for a high five, which Wallace met.
A third boy called out, "Hey, what's up Wallace?" Wallace held up his fist so that the boy could pound it. Lily just stands next to Wallace watching in amusement.
Finally unable to contain it anymore Lily spoke up in her best fan girl voice, "They like you! They really like you!"
Wallace laughed at Lily as a girl walked towards them, swaying her hips. "Hi Wallace." She said with a flirty little wave.
"Hi." Wallace replied with a head nod, as he turned to watch appreciatively as she walked away.
"Who's the hoochie and how is it your girlfriend hasn't ripped her into pieces yet?"
"Nadine? She's in your grade. See you need to socialize more, that's your problem and the girlfriend isn't happy about it but she accepts that it's one of the things that happens when you date a superstar like me."
"Wait you mean my problem is that I don't socialise?"
"Yeah, I know. This school hasn't always been that great to you."
"The gentleman does have the gift for the understatement."
"I'm just saying..." Wallace replied with a helpless shrug.
The pair rounded the corner to their lockers they saw Meg and Logan, who where talking and walking down the corridor towards them.
"They seem friendly." Wallace said trying to get his jealousy under control.
"Yes and one is dating you and other is madly in love with a short pixie girl who returned from the dead." Lily said with a shrug while turning to open her locker, "There is nothing for you to worry about. I, on the other hand, have a few things to worry about."
"Does this have anything to do with why you changed lockers?"
"Why did you change lockers?" Logan asked as he and Meg joined the other too.
"Ah, this is prime real estate, Wallace Fennel adjacent." Lily said, faking shock.
Jack walked up to the four of them and said, "Wallace! Did you hear some guys from Pan High stole our parrot? We are not taking this lying down."
"They stole Polly?" Wallace said, shocked.
"Gone," Jack said making a poof motion with her hands.
"And Polly matters to you?" Meg asked.
"I have plenty of free time as an office aide. Me and Polly, we bonded. It'll eat right from my hand." Wallace said with a shake of his head.
"Oh baby." Meg cooed before giving him a kiss on the lips, "I'm sure Lil will try and find Polly and I'll help anyway I can."
Wallace looked at Lily to make sure it was true. When she nodded her head he felt a little better about the whole thing, "Thanks Lil, this means a lot to me. Thank you too Meg." He said before gently pecking Meg on the lips. Turning to open his own locker he was pleasantly surprised to find a spirit box in their, "I'm telling you. This is so much better than my old one. Look at this." Wallace pulled out the box and showing it to the others before pulling out a cookie and eating it, before he could close the lid though Logan stole a cookie and took a quick bite from it.
"Hands off man." Wallace said with a fake glare before quickly putting the box away.
Logan looks at Wallace in shock, "These are snickerdoodles."
"Yes and they just appeared in my locker, bam. Homemade cookies." Wallace said as another student gave him a high five. "And that's not all."
"You mean someone put a peeled grape in there too." Lily said with a tone of fake shock in her voice as she closed her locker.
Wallace pulled the box out of his locker and pointed to the top of the box before reading the words to her, "'Go Wallace. We love you. You rock.'"
"Wow. So it's a snack and an ego stroke. I wish I was a baller." Meg said mockingly as Wallace shut his locker and the four of them started heading to class. As they went they ran into Casey and Luke walking to class.
"Hey Wallace!" Luke said, "Great game the other night, man." Casey and Lily both stood around awkwardly while Luke continued oblivious, "Eighteen points, eight assists."
"On the streets, we call those dimes." Wallace replied with a mocking tone in his voice.
"Streets! You live on the corner of Pleasant Valley and Marigold." Logan snarled with a funny tone in his voice. Wallace shook his head at the fact that Logan was trying too discredit his street cred.
"We gonna beat Pan, right man?" Luke asked.
"You can beat on it." Wallace said as he shook Luke's.
"But not literally Luke. We don't need a repeat of your last gambling adventures, now do we?" Lily said with a wide smile.
"How do you know about that?" Luke said, shocked that someone had discovered his secret.
Lily shrugged, "I just do." Luke looked quickly amongst all who was there before quickly turning and leaving.
Casey turned to Lily, "What did Luke do?"
Lily shrugged again, "I'm not at liberty to tell you that."
"Well can you tell me why you keep throwing out my bears?" Casey asked, crossing his arms.
"Nope can't tell you that either." Lily replied with a sad smile.
"Fine, I guess I'll talk to you later but since you haven't talked to me in two weeks I'll give it another two weeks before you do." Casey replied before turning and following the path Luke had taken.
Lily sighed and closed her eyes, only opening them when Wallace patted her on the back, "So that's why everyone keeps doing that." The other three laughed at her joke.
"Well shall we eat lunch then?" Logan asked.
"Actually I have plans with the basketball team." Wallace said as three members of the basketball team ran past.
One of them called back to Logan, "Wallace, you coming or what?"
"Yeah, I'm coming now." He replied before he quickly kissed Meg on the mouth and hugged Lily before following the path of the basketball player.
"Okay it looks like it's the just you two ladies in my pleasant company." Logan said with a wistful smile as he placed his arms around their shoulders.
"Actually," Meg said, "I have plans with Veronica." She finished with a tight smile before leaving Lily alone with Logan.
"As much fun as this has been I have plans too." Lily said before leaving Logan alone.
"Well see if I invite any of you to lunch again." Logan whispered before heading to the cafeteria to see if any of his other friends wanted to have lunch.
**************
Veronica sat with Mac and Meg playing with her food and watching Logan's back from where she was. Mac shook her head at her friend and said, "What did he do now?"
"He didn't do anything." Veronica whispered.
"So you went from all lovey dovey, with hands everywhere yesterday to arguing today." Meg said.
"We're not really arguing. He grabbed me, I told him to stop touching me, and he told me he'll talk to me again when I get my own personality back."
"And when will you get said personality back?" Mac asked.
"Could be around Thursday," Veronica replied, "Now what's new with you two?"
"I'm dating Wallace." Meg said.
"And how's that going?" Veronica asked.
"Fine, we're still in that getting to know you stage but it's really nice. Really, really nice." Meg said with a secret smile.
"Oooh" Veronica and Mac both cooed.
"What about you Mac?" Meg asked with a small blush on her cheeks.
"Well Weevil's fine." Mac said with a shrug.
"What are you leaving out?" Veronica and Meg asked quickly.
"Well... We... We started... You know..." Mac said looking uncomfortable.
"Yeah we know," Meg said.
"And well there was a time we did... You know." Mac continued.
"Oh my God... You think..." Meg gasped.
"Yep," Mac whispered before lowering her gaze to her lunch.
***************
Pan High is the exact opposite of Neptune High. You head 15 miles inland where there are no yacht clubs or water front views and no house costing more than a million dollar. The parking lots here are littered with American made cars, mostly second hand and made in the nineties, and the vending machines here aren't filled with French and German made items. Lily found all these things intriguing, especially with her reduced pocket money.
Stepping through the doors of the cafeteria she spotted the basketball players easily and headed in that direction as quickly as possible, without making it seem like she was approaching them. Looking shyly around she made sure her gaze lingered on the popular table long enough so they knew she was there and that she looked like a lost new student. Turning her back quickly she smiled silently when she heard one of the basketball players call out to her.
"Got some room here," one of the boys called. Lily marvelled at how well she knew the world of the popular kids so well even after being rejected over a year ago. They travel in big packs, and are always the shiniest and prettiest. Most importantly though they were always looking for fresh meat so all she had to do was dangle some in front of them and the old Ronnie look and personality was perfect for that.
Removing all thoughts from her head she sat and looked at the student who had asked her to sit and put on her sorority girl voice, "I was doing the first day scout. Where to sit, where not to sit."
"This is a good choice, I promise," The jock said smiling at her before holding out his hand, "I'm Richie."
Lily shakes his hand and while doing so notices that his jacket has the number thirteen on it, "Uh-oh. Thirteen. Is it my unlucky day?"
"Hardly! It's your first day and you're already at the cool table." Richie said in a tone that remaindered her of Duncan in his happier days, before Napa, "This is Curtis," he continued pointing to the guy next to him.
Curtis nodded his head at her before saying, "How you doing?"
Richie than pointed at the guy next to Veronica, "And that's Zeke."
"Hey" Zeke said with a shy smile.
Lily smiled, "Hi. I'm... Betty. So you all play basketball?"
"Curtis and I do," Richie answered.
"I'm the team manager, which is like being on the team." Zeke said with a small shrug.
"Which is like being near the team," Richie corrected.
"Oh My God!! I love basketball. I-I'm kind of a freak when it comes to sports. I totally get into it." Lily gushed.
"Are we talking face paint?" Richie asked kind of amused by her attitude.
"Face painting, hair streaked the colour of the school. At my old school, I was Horny." Lily watched as Richie shook her head wondering if she said what she meant and Curtis choked on his drink, "We were the Rhinos. I was the mascot." Lily hurried to correct herself.
"And what school was that?" Richie asked.
"Riverdale," Lily said thinking on her feet.
Richie makes a face like he's trying to place the name but can't, "Never heard of it," he said, "Oh but did you guys hear? Someone stole the Neptune parrot."
As the crowd starts high fiving each other and reacting excitedly Lily said, "Parrot? And you thought Rhino was weird."
"Well they're the pirates. So, you know, their mascot's a parrot." Zeke said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Whoever stole the parrot is my hero. Neptune High sucks" Richie said, "Believe me" he continued speaking directly to Lily.
"Oh I do" Lily said genuinely.
"We beat them every year." Richie bragged.
"That was then, this is now. I tell you, that Fennel kid is amazing." Zeke said.
Lily smiled with pride at the accomplishments of her newest best friend, "He is? Really?"
Richie shot Lily a weird look before saying, "We're not gonna lose. I guarantee it. All right? We got something special up our sleeve for Neptune."
Before anyone else could comment though a kid came running up to the table, "Hey Richie! Your not gonna believe it. They've got our goat!"
The sounds of what emerged from around the table before Richie could respond with his own, "What?!"
"Neptune, man, they stole Billy! It's so on!" The kid said before he ran off again and some of the other team members Lily hadn't met yet followed him.
***************
Logan sat, picking slowly at his lunch, with Dick and Luke who were also picking slowly at their food. Dick decided that he was going to be the first to break the silence.
"Girl's suck," he declared.
"I know what you mean man." Logan said.
"What? Trouble in sucks face-ville?" Dick asked.
"Dude that is not as clever as you think it is." Logan said as Luke nodded his agreement.
"Ok fine but the point remains. Has Ronica land closed its doors to Logan?" Dick said.
"No she just opened the doors to bitch city. What's wrong with you?"
"Oh but I think that Lily's in bitch city too." Dick replied.
"She's trying to make a choice dude. You can't rush her." Logan reasoned.
"I know but I just wish she would make it faster. The longer she waits the more I feel like she's not going to chose me." Dick whispered.
"Dude, when you're not being an arse, you're nice and even I can see you're right for Lily." Logan said with a small smile, "So if I know all this how come you can't see it."
"We really need to change conversations now, 'cause I did not know I was going to be sitting with a bunch of chicks." Luke snapped from his seat causing Logan and Dick to start laughing at the sincerity of his comment.
A/N Okay now you review and I'll try and get you the next chapter in 3 weeks instead of 4,ok?
