I do not own Veronica mars or any of the characters besides Rachel she is my pride and joy! I hope you enjoy the story, it is a prequel to my first story 'The Greatest Love' I hope you like them both. Long Live the King Rob Thomas!

The day was longer then usual, or maybe without Rachel around he had started paying attention to time again. It had not gone as bad as he expected there were the usual snickers, gossip, and rumors about Logan and veronica's relationship, Duncan, and the trial. But all of it seemed to quiet down my lunch. He grabbed his food and tipped the delivery guy a ten before turning back to the busy quad. He looked over the crowd and spotted the 09er table with Dick and Madison taking their place as queen and king in the middle. They were merely pretty faces, the poster children, everyone knew the school ran through Logan and Duncan, and now a very feisty and sometimes intimidating Veronica. He spotted Wallace and Veronica sitting at their usual spot smiling and chatting away and he decided to make his way over through the crowd. He shot a glance and yelled over his shoulder to Dick "He man I got some things to take care of chill with you tomorrow."

Dick just nodded and went back to talking to the other sheep. Duncan walked over and sat next to Wallace. They sat silently and Duncan started to eat his Chinese cuisine. Logan plopped down next to veronica and planted a kiss on the back of her neck then pushed the bag of fast food in front of her. She squealed and started eating a quick as she could, she was always able to eat twice the amount of normal people. The Logan produced two more bags and handed one over to Wallace, he just smiled and accepted the food. Over the summer they had become a little closer (now Logan actually knew his name) and had a mutual understanding.

Logan hating silence began his daily rant about whatever he had a problem with earlier that day, Duncan had learned to tune him out at this point and went on eating his lunch. Then in a sudden surprise Logan stopped talking and Duncan looked up noticing their three stares at him. Knowing someone must have asked a question he acted hard of hearing adding "What?"

"So tell us about this 'perfect' girl?" Logan restated using a slower voice.

"Well…" he started trying to come up with the best description to give her justice. "she is about 5'9 short auburn hair, vivid green eyes, and a normal body shape." He continued.

"Man, did you just say Auburn?" asked a shocked Logan.

"Yeah I called it red once and she had corrected me saying it was "auburn"' he said using his finger to make in the air quotation marks.

"Well she sounds pretty" stated veronica with a pleasant smile. "What is she like?" she added.

"Well, that's hard to explain." He said trying really hard to think of what she meant to him. "I guess she is kinda like everyone I know, she is fun and peppy like Lilly, she is a smartass and has a temper like Logan." Logan looked over with a pseudo shock face.

"I am not a smartass" they all gave him a 'Yeah right' look them turned back to Duncan.

"She sweet, with a twinge of mischief like veronica, and she is talented in sports and social skills like Wallace." He says feeling triumphant at his description.

They all looked at him as though he was an alien. "And you say you met her in Neptune?" veronica inquired.

"Yeah but she lives in Poway she was only visiting for the summer closing down her grandpas beach house." Duncan replied.

"Oh so she is loaded" Wallace remarked

"Actually no her parents died when she was young and her grandpa died just recently all the money she is entitled to she isn't even going to get until she is 21."

"Wow that sucks" veronica replies her smile replaced in a sympathetic frown.

"Yeah what really sucks is she has no one to live with, her lawyers made sure she could live in her grandpa's house back in Poway until she graduate." Duncan says now feeling a little upset himself.

They just sat their a couple of seconds before Duncan asked "hey veronica, could you go with me to see her after school, I really don't want to go alone."

"Sure, we will go after school"

The rest of the school day flew by and they made their way down the Freeway coming close to their destination. They were listening to the radio and both moved their heads to the music, he could no longer feel the tension between them anymore, she was a totally different person to him and he liked how she had become a friend and not a sudden crushing reminder of what he didn't have. He guessed she felt the same; she had been looking at him more and wouldn't turn her head when he would look back. They were content.

They made their was through the town and were stunned, it was a rural town full of parks and trees and small quaint houses. That is until you look at the hills and see the hundreds of palatial mansions grazing the sides.

"If it is all possible this place looks richer then Neptune" Duncan remarked looking for the school. He came up to a hug football stadium and pulled into the schools front parking lot. "School should get out in a couple of minutes want to take a look at campus."

Veronica nodded and they jumped out of the car.

It was a beautiful open campus with a hug courtyard in the middle and classes around the sides, It was the size of a small college. Just then the bell rang and the doors flew open spilling out thousands of kids. They backed their way toward the front and waited for the flow of kids to die down. They once moving courtyard was soon bare and the kids rushed to their cars and buses.

"Damn we must have missed her" he said looking around.

They turned to leave and he head a familiar laugh from behind. She was walking through the courtyard with a couple of friends on each side. She had her hair down now and she was laughing, her dimples making their way to her eyes. He smiled at the beautiful sight in front of him then looked at Veronica for approval. She was staring straight forward and gawking, he could tell she was not what veronica had expected. But she turned and smiled whispering over to Duncan.

"Nice Job."

Just then a guy rushed over to Rachel and pulled her up into his arms, picking her up and twirling her around. She laughed and screamed "Your going to break your back, put me down."

Duncan was in complete shock, he couldn't believe this, she had a boyfriend. He suddenly felt really stupid. Veronica touched his arm and in a calm voice said "maybe it is not what you think"

Rachel looked up and saw Duncan at the end of the quad, she detangled herself from the guys arms and ran full blast toward him. She stopped right in front of him and swung her arms around his neck. She pulled herself up to give him a kiss and he turned his head. She shook off the gesture and turned toward Veronica sticking out her hand "Hey I am Rachel."

"Veronica" she said coldly.

"This is Veronica" she said shocked looking back at Duncan. "Wow I thought you would be taller, Huh."

He smiled slightly at the remark then whipped it off when he looked back at the guy who had engulfed her earlier.

Rachel met his cold gaze and realized what he was probably thinking, just then she burst out in hysterical laughter, grabbing her sides. He looked at her shocked, she was cheating on him and all she could do it laugh.

She turned around and called the guy over, he ran over quickly and they all stood and stared. "Duncan, Veronica this is Paul, Paul Duncan and Veronica" gesturing her hands between them.

Paul had a huge grin on his face as he looked at Duncan. "This is Duncan, you are so right he is hot." He said leaning into Rachel, giving Duncan a once over with his eyes. "Hey if you ever get bored with her you should come give my team a try." Duncan had gone in a catatonic shock.

"Yeah right girlfriend, shoo" she said giving his butt a playful swat as he made his way back to his group of friends.

She and veronica couldn't stop laughing at what just happened, it was absolutely the best story. Duncan broke into a smile and looked at Rachel, "I knew he was gay" he said acting not surprised.

"O that's why you looked like you were going to take my head off" she teased placing her hands on her hips.

He suddenly got really depressed, he never wanted to not trust her and there he was accusing her of cheating before she could explain. "I am so sorry" he said looking sincerely into her eyes.

"Its fine I love it when guys get jealous" she joked, "Makes me fell all wanted and stuff."

They made their way to Duncan's car and drove over to Rachel's Mansion. They talked for a couple of hours and finally decided to leave. He gave her a kiss at the door and hugged her one last time.

On the way back to Neptune Veronica couldn't help a devilish grin rise to her face. He looked at her and asked suspiciously "What is that for?"

"I am just thinking of how much the guys are going to laugh when I tell them about today." She said.

"O god, fine I deserve it" he said rolling his eyes.

"Hey Duncan" she said her smile gentler.

"Huh" he replied looking forward.

"your right she is perfect" with a crackle in her voice.

Tears started to form in his eyes and he kept his gaze forward.

"Thanks" he said.

The rest of the car ride was silent and he could not help but think what Rachel was doing right now.

PLEASE REVIEW I cannot go on without reviews! More chapters to come including the huge mystery.