Disclaimer: I don't own Veronica Mars. Maybe for Christmas?
"Veronica we need to talk." His words are low in her ear, and she almost jumps, barely able to control her reaction at his closeness. She's almost certain the entire world can sense the awkwardness between them. She begins to walk down the hallway, smiling to people as she passes, but he is right behind her. "You can't pretend it didn't happen, Ronnie." She stops suddenly, aware of the scene they'll cause, but unable to hold back her anger.
"It was a mistake, Logan." Her voice is barely above a whisper, but her tone is all steel. "A stupid, stupid mistake that didn't mean anything…to either of us." Her eyes can't meet his as she utters the last words, and it takes all of his willpower not to grab her and kiss her right there.
"Hey guys." Lilly's voice from behind them breaks the spell. She can barely stop herself from recoiling as they kiss. It isn't your place Mars, she knows it's true, but she can't help but remember the one perfect night she'd had in his arms…
"Logan!" Her face is pasty pale, and her eyes are bloodshot. Lilly is nowhere to be found, and he is her only hope. She stumbles over a lawn chair, sending it into Shelley Pomeroy's pool, and she wants to die right there. "Logan," she mumbles, losing her balance again, and almost tumbling on to his lap. "I think someone spiked my drink." Her eyes are wide and guileless, and he can sense her sense her panic, urgency, her fear
"Shh. It's Ok, V." He whispers, steadying her. "I've got you." She smiles weakly up at him, trusting that he'll take care of her…
"Hello? 'Ronica? Earth to Mars!" She is startled out of her reverie by the snapping of Lilly's fingers. "Where'd you go just now, kid?" She smiles, forgetting her question, wrapping her arm around Veronica's shoulders, chatting away, but Veronica can't hear her. Her eyes are trapped by Logan's, and the current that passes between them is so thick it's almost tangible. Overhead, the warning bell rings, and it's Logan's turn to take her arm.
" Where did you go just now, Veronica?" He asks her, his voice low and urgent in her ear, and as she turns to face him, he can see that her heart is breaking in her eyes. He reaches forward to touch her, and she takes a step back, visibly shaking.
"We can't do this." Her tone is final; her eyes are dead and numb. "We can't. The fact that it happened once is horrible enough, but this is Lilly, Logan. It wouldn't be just some random nobody that we'd be hurting, but Lilly. She's my best friend. I can't do that to her." The hall is empty, the morning bell having just rung, and there is no one there to witness their argument.
"Do you think I want to love you, Veronica?" She recoils at his words, but he continues on, oblivious to her distress. "Do you think it feels good pretend to care about the boring details of her day, just so I can hear about you?" She gasps at his last words, tears springing in her eyes, but he still doesn't stop. "She's my best friend too." His voice breaks the final words, and he looks away from her, keeping her from seeing the pain in his eyes.
"So what do you want from me?" She asks, her tears bursting down her cheeks, her voice ragged. "If she's your best friend too, and you love her, then that doesn't leave much for us, Logan." He takes a step forward, to comfort-to hold her, but she holds her hand up to stop him. "Because you may love me," She whispers, her voice hard. "But we both love Lilly." She turns to leave, her heart breaking, unable to be so near him and not have his arms around her.
"I just wish…that there was like, an alternate universe or something." His broken voice calls her back. She turns slowly, a wry smile gracing her lips.
"It wouldn't matter." She replies, shrugging, unshed tears shining in her eyes. "Because wherever we are, there's always Lilly. And I don't think either of us would want it any other way."
A/N: I know it's a bit shorter than the first one, obviously, but I mean, there's a lot to work with here. And I'm really excited about it. I hope you guys liked this.