If you wait for me
Then I'll come for you
Although I've traveled far
I always hold a place for you in my heart
-The Promise, Tracy Chapman
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Veronica sat on her bed at the house that had once been her home, packing up photos when Lilly came into the room.
"Hey!"
"Hey Lil. Have a good break?"
"Yes. Los Angeles was phenomenal! I mean yeah I had to spend a good part of it in meetings but the nights were awesome. I cannot begin to tell you how much I love the night life. Now that is my type of place."
It had been almost 4 weeks, twenty two days to be exact, since Veronica and Lilly had gotten into the worst fight of their relationship and even though Lilly had seemed to move on, Veronica hadn't.
"So, how about you? You do anything fun?" Lilly asked
"Not really."
"You didn't go see anyone special? Someone who works with your dad for example?"
"No, I didn't see Leo." Veronica said rolling her eyes.
Ever since Lilly had seen Leo that day at the sheriff's department she had decided it was her mission to get Veronica with him. But that plan was easier said than done.
"Are you going somewhere?" Lilly asked finally noticing that Veronica's room was filled with boxes.
"Yeah actually I am. I'm moving out of here and in with my dad."
"He finally found a place?"
"Yep."
"Anywhere close?"
"Not even. But I like it."
"That's good. So, are you doing anything tonight?"
"Just packing. Why?"
"There's going to be this concert in the park tonight. I met one of the bands while I was in LA and they are so cute. We have to go."
"I don't know..."
"Come on, please? Logan and Duncan are going. Come on it'll be the fab four all over again. When was the last time the four of us hung out together, huh?"
"Lilly..."
"Please?"
"Who all's going to be here?"
"A bunch of local bands, some band from Boston, a couple bands from the Midwest. Please?"
"Fine. Fine I'll go."
That night Veronica and Lilly stood back out of the crowd listening to a little band from Missouri called Someone Still loves you Boris Yeltsin.
"This band is awesome!" Lilly shouted over the music as she took a drink of the rum and coke that she had snuck in, "But the security kinda sucks. I mean there are minors drinking all over the place, present company included, and no one is doing anything about it!"
"I wouldn't say that too loud!" Veronica told her pointing to Leo who was walking towards them, "Say hello to the nice deputy."
"We're so screwed!"
"Well there's nothing we can do Lilly, we've been had!"
"What are we going to do?"
"Smile and act like you haven't been drinking 'cause he's still coming this way."
"Well, well, well. If it isn't my two favorite debutant delinquents." Leo said as he walked up.
"Hi Leo." The girls said in unison
"What are you drinking there?"
"Oh nothing to bad Officer." Veronica said turning on the Mars charm, "Just your usual rum and Coke. You know, sans the rum."
"Uh huh. Just stay out of trouble."
"Oh we will." Lilly said smiling, "I'm going to go track down Duncan and Logan."
"Lilly..."
"Have fun."
"What was that all about?" Leo asked as Lilly hurried away.
"Lilly was just...being Lilly."
"So, how have you been? I haven't really seen you since..."
"Yeah. I'm sorry I never called you."
"It's okay. It's not like I've never had a girl not call me after a date before."
"It wasn't a date."
"It ended with a kiss goodnight..."
"It wasn't a date."
"Okay, keep telling yourself that."
"Hey you." Logan called to Veronica as he headed up to her.
"Hi Logan." Veronica said as she hesitantly looked back and forth between her ex's.
"I should probably make rounds again." Leo said smiling at Veronica, "I'll see you later?"
"Probably, yeah."
As Leo walked away Logan looked at Veronica and asked, "Who was that."
"That was Leo. You met him at the Total Eclipse of the heart dance."
"Oh yeah, Crocket."
"So, what are you doing here? These aren't really your type of bands."
"Yeah, they're not, but Trina's here and after what happened the other night I wanted to make sure that she stays out of trouble."
"I didn't know that Trina was back in town."
"Yeah, she was staying with some friends in LA until she crashed her car and had to come crawling back to daddy to ask for more money."
"That sounds like Trina. What did she do the other night?"
"She was out with Kendall Cassablanics, you know Dick and Beaver's step-mom and they had a little too much to drink and since Trina only had three martinis instead of the four everyone else had, she was driving home. And they got pulled over."
"Oh no."
"He let them off with a warning, 'cause she's Aaron Echoll's daughter but he did call my dad and boy did he give Trina an earful when she got home."
"How do you know all that?"
"I uhmm, I was over there."
"You were what?"
"As part of the custody agreement I have to spend vacations with my dad."
"How did I not know about this?"
"We haven't exactly been speaking lately."
"We haven't have we?"
Veronica looked down and shuffled her feet timidly.
"Hey," Logan said lifting her head up, "Why don't we make up for lost time."
"That sounds good to me."
"Good. Want to take a walk?"
"Sure."
They started heading towards a small path that went around the park, trying to figure out what to say.
"So, how have you been lately?"
"Ok. My parents are getting divorced."
"I heard that."
"Yeah. I'm moving in with my dad."
"Has he found a place?"
"Yep."
"Do I know where it is?"
"You sure do. It's the old apartment."
"Really?"
"Yep."
"That's good that you were able to get some place that you know so well."
"Yeah it is."
"So, I heard that you and Lilly got into a big fight."
"Yeah we did." Veronica said with a big sigh.
"But it looks like you two are doing better."
"It looks that way doesn't it?"
"You aren't doing better?"
"Let's sit." Veronica said as they came across a bench.
They both took a seat and Veronica looked at Logan with tears filling her eyes.
"Hey what's wrong?" Logan asked as he ran his thumb across her cheek
"Lilly---she really has no idea how much she hurt me."
"What do you mean?"
"She said I slept with Weevil. She said I was trying to steal her men. She called me a slut." Veronica said with her voice breaking.
"Hey, it's okay."
"No it's not! She called me a slut. You can't realize how much that hurt me."
"How bout you tell me. 'Cause I think something else hurt you besides her calling you a slut."
"You remember Shelly's party? The party that would have been?"
"Yeah?"
"After I woke up and realized I had----"
"I know."
"I felt dirty and used and I felt like a slut. And when I went out to my car, there it was in big bright letters on my car. Slut."
"That night really screwed you up didn't it?"
"That's not all. I then told her about Aaron beating you and she said I was lying. She also said that..."
"What?"
"Never mind."
"What?" Logan asked again.
"Never mind." Veronica said standing up, "Happyendings should be on pretty soon; we should probably be making our way back up."
"Veronica..."
"Logan, never mind. Let's go."
"Fine." Logan said throwing his hands up, backing down, "Let's go."
"Thank you."
After the last band performed Veronica, Lilly, Duncan and Logan all made their way up towards the parking lot.
"So, you guys want to go do something?" Lilly asked as she and Veronica walked arm in arm, "I mean the night is still young."
"What do you have in mind?" Logan asked
"We could go get something to eat."
"Lilly, it's almost one in the morning." Duncan told her in his older brother voice, "What place is open at one in the morning?"
"I don't know but there has got to be some place."
"I think we should call it a night." Veronica said, "Especially if we want to hit the mall early for the big sale."
"Oh I forgot about that. What time does it start?"
"Nine am."
"That means we have to leave by 8:30." Lilly groaned, "That's so early."
"I know. Which is even more of a reason to get home and go to bed."
"So, I guess logic rules over fun." Logan said
"It sure does. So, how's everyone going to get home?" Duncan asked, "'Cause I rode with Logan."
"I rode with Lilly." Veronica said.
"I can take you home Veronica." Lilly said trying to be nice.
"It's okay." Logan said placing his hand on Veronica's back, "I'm going to my mom's so it would be easier if I took Veronica home."
"Are you sure?" Veronica asked apprehensively
"Yeah. It's okay."
"Okay."
As the gang walked into the parking lot Lilly and Logan looked opposite ways.
"Well I guess this is where we split up." Lilly said sending Veronica a look that said, 'Are you sure you're going to be okay going with him?"
"This is where we split up." Veronica repeated nodding her head.
"I'll see you tomorrow then."
Veronica and Logan walked down the rows of cars to Logan's bright yellow XTerra.
"Let's get out of here." He said as he unlocked the car and climbed in and Veronica did the same.
As Logan started the car and was about to pull out of the parking space his phone began to play Trina's ringtone.
"What Trina?" Logan asked answering the phone.
"Little brother!" Trina slurred, "I need your help."
"Let me guess. You're drunk and your friends ditched you?"
"How'd you do that?"
"Where are you?"
"I'm still at the concert. I'm at the front gate."
"We'll be right there."
"We? Who's---?" Trina asked but Logan hit end before she finished.
"We've got to go get Trina."
Logan drove over to the front gate and helped Trina get in the back seat before taking off. They were halfway to Aaron's house when Trina finally realized that it was Veronica who was sitting in the front seat.
"Oh my god you're little Veronica!" Trina exclaimed
"Yes she is Trina." Logan sighed.
"Wait are you and Logan---Oh my god! Did I interrupt your date?"
"Veronica and I aren't---" Logan started
"It wasn't a---" Veronica interrupted
"It was more of a group hang." Logan finished.
"A group hang---" Trina started and then gasped and exclaimed, "Wait! I've read about group hangs. It's where a group of teens go out and then---oh. I get it. The two of you are just---I'll shut up so that you can drive faster so the two of you can get on with your night."
"What is she talking about?" Veronica whispered.
"I have no idea." Logan told her as he stopped at a red light and pulled out his ipod and handed it to Veronica, "Here. Pick a song."
Veronica scrolled through the songs and finally picked a song by Skye Sweetnam.
"I'm so frustrating; you're not the type that I should be dating." The song started to play, "No matter where I go, what I do, it sucks 'cause I wanna be with you."
They all sat listening to the music until Logan pulled up hid dad's driveway.
"Well, this is where you get out Trina." Logan said as he parked.
"Here. We are." Trina slurred as she opened the door and stumbled out of the car.
"Do you need any help?" Veronica asked considerately
"No. I'm fine. Now, I hope that the two of you have a really good night. And be safe. You know what I mean?"
"No." Logan said with a smile, "But that's normal."
Logan pulled out of the driveway and began heading towards Veronica's house.
"So, this was a fun night." Logan said as he drummed his fingers to the beat on his steering wheel.
"It really was." Veronica said with a smile that quickly turned to a frown, "I never told you what Lilly said to me."
"You don't have to."
"Logan you deserve---"
"No I don't."
The rest of the car ride was in silence except for a few polite words here and there until Logan got to Veronica's house.
"Well here we are." Logan said as he pulled up to her house.
"Here we are." Veronica repeated, "I had a really nice time."
"So did I."
They both sat in silence, letting the music be the only sound in the phone.
"I should be heading in." Veronica sighed.
"Right."
"I guess I'll see you around?"
"Yeah."
Veronica got out of the car and as she headed up towards her door Logan silently cursed himself.
"Great going." He whispered.
He turned the music up and put the car into reverse but as the song ended he felt a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was the same feeling he had the first time he kissed Veronica, but this time it was stronger somehow. As if it were saying "Do this now or loose her forever."
"Veronica!" Logan shouted putting the car back in park and getting out, rushing up to her.
"What?"
"I just wanted to say---Oh screw it."
Logan placed one hand on the small of her back and the other on the back of her neck and pulled her in close for a kiss.
"No I don't hardly know her." His speakers blared, "But I think I could love her. Crimson and Clover."
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Well, I hope everyone had a good Weekend and that you enjoyed this chapter.