Goodbye, there's just no sadder word to say
And it's sad to walk away
With just the memories
Who's to know what might have been
We'll leave behind a life and time
I'll never know again
-- Please Remember, LeAnn Rimes
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Tuesday afternoon at lunch Veronica stood by the flagpole watching Duncan, waiting for the right time to go over to him and talk things out.
"Don't even." Lilly said walking up behind Veronica, "Turn your little butt around and head inside 'cause I'm not going to let you do this."
"I..."
"You can't do this anymore."
"I just want to see if he's alright."
"Well he's not. And he's not going to be all right for a long time. So just turn and let time handle it."
"Would you be telling this to me had Logan and I gotten the chance to tell him?" Veronica asked, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans.
"Yes. Now come on lets go get a Frapachino. My treat."
As the girls walked inside the school Shelly and her friends stopped them.
"Veronica!" Shelly exclaimed, "I just want you to know that we, the girls and I, totally voted for you and Logan to be on the sophomore class's court for best couple."
"Gee thanks Shelly." Veronica said with an eye roll, "Come on Lil."
"Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't she hate you?" Lilly asked glancing back at Shelly
"Oh yeah."
"So where's Logan this lovely day?"
"His mom's came home today so he's with her. Getting her settled."
"He's certainly turning into a good son isn't he?"
During the last few minutes of school Veronica sat in her math class doodling in her notebook when Vice Principal Clemmons came over the intercom.
"Excuse me all, if I could have your attention for a minute. I have just one announcement today before school lets out. The votes have been tallied and the 2004 Spring Fling court is as follows. Freshman class: Cindy Sanders and Chase Stern..."
Veronica began to zone out but came back to when she heard two familiar names called.
"...Logan Echolls and Veronica Mars, Duncan Kane and Meg Manning, Steve Largo and Carrie Bishop..."
The entire room began to clap while Veronica looked around in shock.
"Did I just hear that right?" Veronica whispered to the guy sitting next to her
"You certainly did. The people like you Veronica Mars."
"...and Catherine Counterman. Congratulations to everyone and there will be a short informational meeting directly after school for everyone who made court."
Just then the bell rang and Veronica sprang out of her seat and rushed out the door
"Hey you." Mac said hurrying up to Veronica, "Congratulations on making the court."
"You know I'd say thank you if I meant it."
"Come on, you're dating Logan Echolls, he's was bred to be in the spotlight. You had to see this coming."
"I know." Veronica let out a quiet sigh and then looked at her friend, "So are you going to the dance?"
"Are you serious?" Mac asked raising an eyebrow.
"I know that the Spring Fling is probably the last place you want to be..."
"I think that's an understatement."
"But you see Logan already rented this limo and it seats a ton of people. And it would be a little depressing for there to be this huge limo and only the two of us in it."
"So you want it to be the two of you and me? Oh yeah that won't be depressing."
"Please?"
"Tell you what, if you find someone else, someone who doesn't have a date, to go then I'm in."
"We've got a deal." Veronica said with a smile, "Now I've got to get to this informational meeting. I'll call you later?"
"You bet."
Veronica walked down the hall and ran strait into Meg.
"Congratulations." Meg said with a giant smile spread across her face.
"You too." Veronica said trying to seem as happy as her friend.
"You're thinking about how weird this is going to be aren't you?"
"Is it that obvious?"
"A littler bit. But everything's going to be okay. Right?"
"Right. 'Cause I mean it's not like your boyfriend hates me or anything." Veronica said sarcastically as they walked into a classroom where they found Duncan standing at the front of the class.
"Look if all of you want to point and stare and whisper at me, knock yourselves out." He yelled, "'Look at Duncan isn't he sad and pathetic and heartbroken. Maybe he's gone mental.' Maybe I have but leave Meg alone. She's not the one who found out her ex, her first love is screwing her best friend."
"Well this is going to be fun." Veronica mumbled under her breath
That night Veronica made her way up to Logan's doorstep with a brown paper bag filled with Styrofoam containers of chinese food.
"Logan." Veronica called out as she opened the door and walked into the house.
"We're in here." he called out from the living room
"Hey you." Veronica said to Logan as she walked into the room, "Hi Mrs. Echolls."
"Hi Veronica." Lynn smiled
"It's good to see you home again."
"It's good to be home again."
"Is that dinner?" Logan asked pointing to the bag
"You bet. And it's chinese. Your favorite."
"Oh I love you."
"So how was school today?" Lynn asked
"School was...school." Veronica sighed
"That bad?" Logan asked
"Oh yeah doesn't begin to cover it. Duncan announced to the entire Spring Fling court, of which we are apart of by the way, that he hates you and I."
"I'm sorry that you had to go through that. And we made Spring Fling Court?"
"Apparently the people like us. And while we're on the subject of the Spring Fling," Veronica pulled a piece of paper out of her bag and handed it to Logan, "You need to fill this out and give me Beaver's phone number."
"Why?"
"Don't ask questions."
"Alright. Well Beav's number is upstairs, I'll get it for you in a little bit. First let's fill this out. First question: What is one secret about you? I am a model train enthusiast. " Logan said and then smiled "Oh and about five years ago I killed a man in a bar fight."
"Thank you for that Ron Burgundy." Veronica laughed.
The rest of the week went slow and finally Friday night arrived. Veronica sat in her room, in front of a mirror watching Mac work on her hair.
"So you're sure that Cassidy doesn't think that this is a date?" Mac asked, as she pulled a curler out of Veronica's hair.
"I'm positive. Believe me I made it very clear not to have any expectations about tonight. And I hinted that if he tries anything funny I have friends in low places that are good at making people disappear."
"Good to hear that."
The girls continued to talk until they heard the doorbell ring.
"They boys are here!" Keith called out from the front room
"We're coming!" Veronica yelled as she opened her door before turning to Mac, "Ready for this?"
"Ready." Mac smiled.
"Hello fellas." Veronica said walking into the room with a large smile plastered across her face
"You look--wow." Logan said looking her up and down.
"You might want to pick your jaw up before someone trips over it." Keith said looking at Logan.
"You look nice Mac." Beaver said nervously.
"You look nice too."
"Oh I uh, I know this isn't a date or anything but I got you something." Beaver held out a carton with a white rose corsage inside.
"That's sweet. Thank you." Mac said holding out her wrist.
"So I guess we should go. Right?" Veronica asked looking at everyone
"Yeah we should." Logan agreed as he started to head towards the door.
"Wait right there. You too Cassidy. Girls you can go to the car." Keith instructed
"Good luck." Veronica whispered as she and Mac headed outside
"Listen I'm sure that you intend to treat these girls with the utmost respect but if you don't, if anything happens to these girls, I got a .45 and a shovel and I doubt anybody would miss the two of you."
"Veronica already gave Beaver this talk." Logan whispered
"But you made it much scarier. If that means anything."
Fifteen minutes after they arrived at the dance the Mac, Beaver, Logan and Veronica all sat at a table looking like they were about to go insane.
"We've been here long enough don't you think?" Veronica asked
"God I hope so." Mac and Beaver whispered.
"So we all agree that we can leave now right?"
"Wait a minute." Logan said as he watched Duncan walk into the bathroom, "I'll be right back."
As Logan followed Duncan a new song began to pump through the speakers "A few questions that I need to know. How you could ever hurt me so. I need to know what I did wrong. And how long it's been going on."
"We need to talk." Logan said as he walked into the bathroom and stuffed a doorstopper under the door.
"What?" Duncan asked leaning up against a sink, "You want to apologize for stealing the love of my life?"
"Maybe once upon a time you loved Veronica, but not anymore. You're in love with some idealized version of Veronica. But she's not the same innocent little girl who you loved. She's this bad ass action figure who the former Veronica wouldn't recognize."
"Maybe your right. And perhaps you've changed too, because my best friend would never sneak around with Veronica."
And with that Duncan walked out and Logan quickly followed suit.
"You okay?" Veronica asked as Logan walked up to them
"Yeah. You guys ready to take off?"
"With pleasure." Mac said picking up her bag.
As the four began to walk towards the door when Lilly walked up to them.
"You guys leaving?" she asked.
"Yeah, this whole thing isn't really our thing." Logan told her
"Tell me about it. Weevil stayed long enough to get his picture taken with me and then he split."
"You want to come with us?" Veronica asked
"If you don't mind."
"It's cool."
An hour later the five teens all sat on the beach most of them drinking from a bottle of Champaign as they watched the water.
"So one year ago who would have thought that this is how we would be spending our time during the night of the Spring Fling?" Mac asked as she passed the Champaign bottle down the line, "Certainly not me."
"Me either." Beaver said as he looked over at Mac.
"I think it's going pretty well though." Lilly said smiling."
"I agree." Logan said as he held the bottle of Champaign in the air, "To friends."
"To life." Veronica smiled
"Viva la vie Bohem." Mac laughed.