You're feeling sad you're feelin' lonely
And no one seems to care
You're mother's gone and your father hits you
This pain you cannot bare
---Hold on, Good Charlotte
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As Veronica walked into her first block class everyone stopped talking and turned to look at her.
"Yay." Veronica whispered, "This is exactly what I wanted today. Unlimited attention. "
"We saw Sean Penn." Duncan said from the back, to the group that was congregating around his desk, "He's a pretty fast walker. He walks almost as fast as me and that's hard to do."
"Ah yes, the Sean Penn story." Veronica said joining the group, "A personal favorite of Lilly."
"Hey Veronica. What's going on?" Duncan asked
"Can I talk to you for a minute? Alone?"
"Sure."
Veronica walked to the middle of the room and sat down at her desk.
"Take a seat." She said pointing to the desk next to her
Duncan sat down and frowned, "Something's wrong."
"It really is. I'm worried about Logan."
"Why?"
"I can't really say here in mixed company." Veronica whispered motioning towards Carrie Bishop who was sitting three seats away, "She's got ears like a wolf."
"You've got to give me something."
"You heard about what happened to his dad right?"
"Yeah. You don't think he's responsible do you?"
"At least partially."
Duncan opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by the tardy bell ringing.
"Good morning class." Their teacher said as Duncan walked back to his seat.
After class Veronica was the first person out of the door.
"Veronica!" Duncan called as she was half way down the hall.
"I can't talk now! I've got to go see Ms. James. We'll talk later!"
Veronica walked into the counseling center and took a seat in one of the uncomfortable orange chairs.
"Oh my god there's Veronica Mars." She heard a spectator whisper.
"Did you hear that she was with him the night that his mom was attacked?" A second spectator said.
"I heard that while that attacker was trying to kill his mom he was having sex with her."
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah, my cousin saw them sneak off onto this path at the concert Friday."
"It's just so weird 'cause I knew, I know, both of them. You know?" Dick said walking out of Ms. James' office, "And I'm worried about how Logan's handling all of this. He's my best friend and he hasn't even returned any of my calls."
"That's a load of crap." Veronica mumbled under her breath.
"What did you say Slut bag?"
"I said 'that's a load of crap', small Dick." Veronica said with a sarcastic grin on her face, "Ms. James is this going to take very long? 'Cause as happy as I am to be out of science it's actually more boring in here."
"You can go into my office; I'll be there in a second."
Veronica picked up her corduroy bag and walked into Ms. James' happy little office. She plopped herself down in a chair, drawing her feet under her, and began nervously tapping on the arm rest.
"How are you doing today Veronica?" Ms. James asked walking into her office, shutting the door.
"Just peachy. What did you want to talk to me about?"
"I talked with your father earlier. He said that you were with Logan when he found out about what happened to his mother."
"That's right."
"How did he react?"
"His mother was almost killed, how do think he reacted?"
"So he's grieving in the proper ways?"
"I wasn't aware that there was a proper way to grieve. Look, what is this about?"
"I called Logan into my office after the news of his father's affair surfaced and he wasn't even fazed by it."
"That's because not only did Logan already knew about the affair but it was also getting the best present in that instant. Every since he was a little boy the one thing he always asked Santa for was a divorce for his parents."
"You know a lot about him."
"He's one of my best friends."
"Ms. James?" Barbara, the counseling secretary, said coming over the intercom, "Deputy Lamb is here to see you."
"Send him in." Ms. James said and then turned to Veronica, "You can leave now Veronica. Barbara will write you a pass back to class."
"Thanks."
Veronica walked out of the room brushing past Lamb on her way to the secretary's desk.
"How are you doing Veronica?"
"Fine." Veronica smiled, and then threw her head back, "Oh no."
"What's wrong?"
"I forgot my bag in Ms. James' office." she said sheepishly.
"I'll let Ms. James know."
"Thank you so much."
Veronica walked to the door and stood listening intently to the conversation going on inside.
"You think he did it?" Ms. James asked
"It makes sense."
"But why would Logan try to kill his father and then---"
"Becky?" Barbara said coming through the intercom, "Veronica Mars left her bag in your office."
There was a moment of silence before the door opened and Ms. James stood in front of Veronica, holding her bag out.
"I'm sorry." Veronica said taking the bag, and then paused for a second trying to collect her thoughts.
"Is there something else Veronica?" Lamb asked.
"Yeah, there is actually. Logan didn't do it."
"That's funny your father believes the same thing."
"He should."
"And why is that?"
"Because Logan was with me last night. At the apartment."
"All night?"
"He woke up in my bed this morning."
And with that Veronica turned around and headed back to Barbara's desk.
"What class are you in right now darling?"
"Science, room 220."
The rest of the day seemed to go by like a blur until lunch was over. Veronica stood in line to get a bottle of pop from the vending machine when Lilly came up to her.
"Hey you!"
"Hey Lilly."
"You look tired."
"I look exhausted. I couldn't sleep last night."
"That sucks." Lilly said as the line moved forward and Veronica got herself a much needed bottle of Mountain Dew, "So where are you headed now?"
"First day of study hall with Mr. Rooks."
"Me too!" Lilly exclaimed, "And Duncan."
"And Logan. Looks like the fab. four's back together again."
The girls walked inside and began to make their way to the History Wing. As they passed Weevil and his friends assembled by the water fountain Lilly suddenly felt like getting a drink.
"Hold on a minute." Lilly whispered before heading over to the water fountain, got a drink, and then shared a few words with Weevil.
"What was all that about?" Veronica asked when Lilly came back
"Nothing."
"Really?"
"He asked me if I believed the rumor that Logan was the one who beat up his father."
"And what did you say?"
"That I didn't. But he said he did. That he could see Logan going off on his dad."
"Huh." Veronica said nodding her head before the girls started to hurry to Mr. Rook's class.
They got into to class and grabbed two empty seats by Duncan moments before the tardy bell rang.
"That was close." Duncan whispered as Mr. Rook walked up to the front of the room with his attendance form.
"I know what some of you are thinking, 'Why do I have to take this class. It's pointless. But you've got to think positively. I mean don't you remember those times when you came into class and you had to tell your teacher that you couldn't do your homework 'cause there was a Beverly Hills Marathon on?"
"That's you." Veronica whispered to Lilly
"Well now you have a class to do your homework in so you can watch that Beverly Hills Marathon...or Melrose Place...or Dawson's Creek or whatever you kids are watching now."
"It's like he knows me." Lilly joked.
"Now I'm going to take attendance. Cassidy Cassiblancis?"
"Here." Beaver said raising his hand, "And can I ask a question?"
"What?"
"Is it true that Aaron Echoll's almost died in front of your house?"
"Cassidy I'm sure that no one wants to hear anymore about what's going on with Aaron Echoll's."
"I do." Luke said.
"Me to!" Susan Knight exclaimed and the rest of the class joined in!"
"Excuse me but you're interrupting my class." Mr. Wu said walking into the room
"The class just wanted to hear about Aaron Echoll's being left for dead outside of my house."
"So? That's nothing. Remember that guy who shot six guys after he got back early from a business trip to find them at his house waiting to have sex with his wife? That was my neighbor." Mr. Wu said before heading back to his own class room.
"Did you try to kill Logan's dad?" Lilly asked jokingly
"No."
"I don't believe you. You're like a major suspect. I can see it now, 'Mommy, Mommy my study hall teacher tried to kill Aaron'...I mean Mr. Echoll's."
The class began to laugh and Veronica pulled out a small notebook from her bag and began to write: Map Quest, Time from Rook's to my place.
Later, Veronica walked into the apartment and dropped her bag on the couch next to Backup, who was fast asleep with his head on a pillow.
"Well aren't you a good guard dog?" She laughed and then called out, "Honey I'm home."
"I'm right where you left me." Logan called out.
"Have you moved at all?" Veronica asked walking into the room.
"I attempted to take a shower. I got half way to the bathroom when I just gave up and headed back here."
"Does it still hurt?"
"It's a stab wound. What do you think?"
"Sorry." Veronica began stroking Logan's head and after a moment she asked, "How'd you do it?"
"I told you I fell on a metal---"
"That's not what I'm talking about, although I still don't believe that. I'm talking about your dad being dumped outside of Rook's house."
"I didn't do that."
"I know. Weevil did and I can't figure out how you talked him into it."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes you do. And you have two options. You can tell me or I can call my dad and you can tell him. Which will it be?"
Logan sat silent for a moment looking at the floor and then finally he spoke, "I told Weevil about Lilly and my dad. I told him that if you and I hadn't intercepted her she would be dead, because of him. I figured that if he loves Lilly as much as he claims to he'll help me."
"And he did."
"Yes."
"Huh." Veronica said sitting down on the bed, "You and Weevil. That's like Clark Kent and Lex Luther working together."
"Hey, I watch Smallville and a) Clark and Lex used to be friends, Weevil and I will never be friends and two, they have this whole homoerotic thing to them that Weevil and I don't have."
"I just can't believe it. You and Weevil fighting for the same cause."
Veronica laid down next to Logan and placed her head on his chest.
"So, you want to have that talk now?" Logan whispered as he ran his hand across her hair.
"Now?"
"As good a time as any."