The words are hushed let's not get busted, just lay entwined here, undiscovered
Safe from the earth and all the stupid questions...
"Hey did you get some?" Man that is so dumb.
Stay quiet, stay near, stay close they can't hear, so we can get some

Hands down this is the best day I ever remember
---Hands Down, Dashboard Confessionals

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday morning Veronica sat on the gym floor painting a sign advertising the Time after Time dance when Lilly took a seat next to her.

"How you doing?" Lilly asked.

"Okay." Veronica said holding up her paintbrush, "But I am wondering how we get roped into advertising the dance? I mean isn't it the cheerleading squad's job?"

"Yes it is, and more importantly it's Madison's job. But you know Madison. She's got to be in charge but she can't do any work."

Veronica sighed and went back to painting.

"So, did you have a good Valentine's day?"

"You mean after you ditched me? Yeah. I did." Lilly said and a large smile spread across her face, "But last night was even better."

"Really."

"Uh-huh. I went out with Weevil."

"Are you serious?" Veronica exclaimed, "How'd it go?"

Lilly puckered her lips and looked at her best friend, "We have another date tomorrow night."

Veronica let out a loud shriek and pulled Lilly in for a hug, "That's terrific."

"I know."

"Ms. Mars, this doesn't look like working to me." Ms. Stafford said walking up to the girls.

"Sorry." Veronica said letting go of Lilly.

"And Ms. Kane isn't there something you're supposed to be doing right now?"

"Probably Ms. Stafford."

"Then you should probably get to it. Don't you think?"

"Yes ma'am." Lilly said standing up, "I'll talk to you later, okay Veronica?"

"Yeah."

As Lilly and Ms. Stafford walked away Logan walked up behind Veronica.

"Hey sexy." He whispered into her ear.

"Logan." Veronica smiled, turning around.

"I missed you yesterday. "

"I know."

"Did you get home alright? I was a little worried when I woke up and you were gone."

"Yeah, it was almost seven when I woke up and I figured that getting home was more important than saying goodbye."

"How much trouble are you in?"

"Actually, none. My mom wasn't even awake when I got back. So we're safe."

"That's good." Logan smiled, "So you want to, maybe, come over later tonight?"

"I'd love to, but my dad got back last night so we're going to do the whole dinner thing."

"Tomorrow then?"

"I've got pomping---"

"Ms. Mars!" Ms. Stafford exclaimed, "What did I just get through telling you?"

"I got it!" Veronica called out, "I need to get back to work."

Veronica picked up her paintbrush and before she started to fill in the bubble letters she looked back up at Logan

"I think I can manage to swing by for a little bit after school."

"I guess I'll see you later than."

Veronica smiled to herself and then went back to painting.

That afternoon in study hall Dick stood in front of the class reading from his English essay while Logan and Duncan were in the middle of a ferocious game of tic-tac-toe and Lilly and Veronica sat gluing rolled up streamers to a heart shaped piece of construction paper.

"In seven days God created the earth and Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." Dick began, "And many years later a guy named Geoffrey Chaucer was born and he wrote 'The Canterbury Tales', a story featured in that is The Wife of Bath's Tale. This featured a guy who was you know mostly a good guy, he did a few bad things but who among us hasn't done that?"

"You mean rape?" Logan perked up from his seat, "You really want to go there."

"Don't bother." Lilly said as she tapped his leg with her pen, "So I heard a rumor that you're throwing Friday, is it true?"

"Yeah." Logan said with a sigh, "Embaum talked me into it."

"You let John Embaum talk you into throwing a party?" Veronica asked raising an eyebrow

"Why shouldn't he?" Duncan asked, "I mean after everything that's happened I think that Logan deserves a fun time."

"I know." Veronica said shaking her head, "But 09-er parties never end up well. I mean I don't need to talk about Shelly's. And then I mean do I have to remind you about your guys' party?"

"My party ended well." Lilly said, pretending to look hurt

"Really? Did you forget about Weevil crashing the party, or the part where Logan and I got wasted and passed out in your study?"

"That was a fun night." Logan said smiling

"Are you sure that you two didn't have sex?" Lilly asked and Veronica started coughing

"Did I miss something?" Duncan asked confused.

That afternoon Veronica and Logan laid curled up in Logan's bed watching Risky Business on HBO.

"So I couldn't believe that Lilly was able to keep from tackling me after she heard about you and me." Logan said as he ran his hand through Veronica's hair

"She doesn't know. You know about us."

"She doesn't?"

"You sound surprised."

"I got to say I am a little bit." Logan said sitting up, "I know how the two of you can hardly keep any secrets from each other and what happened is big news…"

"Lilly has a tendency to go on and on about her sex life ad nauseam and I don't want to do that. What we have is special. Once other people start finding out about it then it'll get complicated. "

"Is that the reason that our little liaison hasn't made it out of the closet? 'Cause you don't want it to become complicated?"

"Logan you know why I don't want…"

"No." Logan said standing up, "I don't. I did before. Back when my mother was in a coma and my father was on the loose and to be honest we were a little on edge and the last thing we needed was a full blown relationship to be thrown into the mix. But now dad's in jail and mom's awake and for the first time in four months things can be normal. Except you won't let that happen."

"Normal isn't everything it's cracked up to be Logan."

"

The rest of the week past by slowly, especially since to Veronica and Logan who weren't speaking, but Friday managed to arrive none the less.

"Oh my god, I forgot to tell you about the dream I had the other night. I had a dream where one of my teachers was painting my stomach with Vaseline." Lilly said as she walked with Duncan and Logan across the parking lot.

"Sounds like sexual repression to me." Logan said as he took a sip of his iced coffee

"See that's what my psych teacher said. But I'm thinking maybe it just meant that my stomach itched..."

"Sexual repression." Duncan said looking over at Logan

"'Cause you know..."

"Sexual repression." Logan said again

"When you itch..."

"Sexual repression." Both Logan and Duncan said in a sing song voice

"You guys should go on the road with that Freud dance remix you've got going on." Lilly said with an eye roll as Veronica walked up to them.

"Hey guys. What's going on?" Veronica asked looking Logan in the eyes.

"I've got to go. I have a test here in a few minutes and I can't be late for it." Logan said as he looked away, "I'll see you guys later."

Logan turned away from the group and began walking away quickly.

"Logan wait!" Veronica called out but he pretended not to hear her and kept walking away.

"What was that about? You two have a fight or something?" Lilly asked placing her hand on Veronica's back

"Or something." Veronica said with a frown, "Come on we should be getting to class too."

That afternoon, near the end of lunch Veronica sat talking with Mac when she saw Lilly walk by with Meg.

"I've got to go talk to them. We're still on for the movies Sunday, right?"

"Yeah."

"Awesome. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay."

Veronica stood up, walked behind her friends and stood for a minute trying to work up the courage to say what she needed to say.

"You guys?" She finally managed to say.

"Veronica hey." Meg said as she and Lilly turned around.

"There's something I need to tell you guys. I, umm, I'm---" She began but was cut off by Corny calling her name.

"Veronica there you are." he said walking up to her, carrying a plastic bag, "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"You got the thing?" She asked hopeful.

"You bet." he said handing the bag over, "I even threw in a glazing gradice."

"You rock Corny. I owe you big time."

"Don't worry 'bout it." He said with a smile, "So, I was thinking about ditching school early, heading to White Castle. Wanna come?"

"There's not White Castle in Neptune."

"It's kinda an expression. What do you say?"

"I'd love to but I've got to talk to these guys and then there's someone else I've got to see."

"Okay, I'll see you around."

As Corny walked off Veronica turned back to the girls.

"What the hell was that all about?" Lilly asked, utterly confused.

"He made me a bong. Now come on, let's walk, I need to tell you guys something."

Ten minutes later Veronica stood outside of Study Hall watching Logan come towards her.

"You can't ignore me this time."Veronica said holding the plastic bag out, "Sorry I didn't have time to wrap it."

"What is this?" Logan asked exasperated as looked in the bag.

"A peace offering."

"Veronica---"

"I told Lilly, and Meg, about us."

"All about us?"

"Yeah."

"How'd it go?"

"Meg was happy for us. Lilly was happy too, but at the same time you could tell that she was a little sad. It's the end of an era."

"Why'd you tell them?"

"Because I could see that my plan of keeping us a secret was going to end the same way it would have if everyone knew."

"What are you talking about?"

"Remember your birthday party that wasn't? The night everyone found out about us?"

"Yeah---"

"Well the moment we made it, us, public it was like the kiss of death and I didn't want that to happen. "

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"This whole time I was so dead set on us being secret wasn't because I was ashamed. It wasn't because I was afraid of you being my boyfriend. I was afraid of you being my ex-boyfriend."

"That's not going to happen."

"I hope not 'cause I told Lilly and Meg that we're going public tonight."

"You did?'

"Mmm-hmm."

Logan smiled to himself as he looked down at his girlfriend and gave her a kiss on the head.