Oh Lord, I'm so sorry for the delay, it's been too long… I've missed you guys!
Have I mentioned that I'm sorry? This was a hard chapter to write. I'm not sure why, but it was. Took me whole days to write and then days to decide weather to smut this story up or leave it as a nice little innocent story (I decided on the latter eventually, sincere apologies). Also, my sweet beta-reader wildhorses is the busiest little bee in all the verses out there (that a Firefly reference, pretty please go watch that show and that movie. There's always hope!).
Now that we're done with my kneeling and begging for forgiveness, on to the… kneeling and giving out mountains of gratitude? I mean, of course, all the wonderful reviews I got from you guys. I tried to replay most of them, but at some point I forgot to whom I've replied already – yes, I am an idiot, why do you ask? I just got too excited by this whole replying thing, so cool. Hope no one's feeling were hurt… hum, I love you forever?
Anyway, I do hope you enjoy this longer-than-usual chapter. They're just getting longer and longer, huh? I'm guessing it has something to do with the total lack of LoVe on the show (it's like science!) or the total lack of show, for that matter. By the way, three bags of gold for anyone who finds the Simpsons reference in the chapter!
Yeah, okay, I'm done now. Sorry…
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"So anyway, coach said that if I practice hard enough, I might get to the state's championship," Luke finished his story, his arms spread and his chest puffed out in pride. "Who'd a thunk it, huh?"
Logan smirked knowingly. "And how many steroids did it take to make that happen?" he asked, quite pretentiously.
Luke's face turned bright red, "Shut up, asshole!" he hissed, "I've been clean for months, you know that!"
"Oh, so you finally just said no?" Logan mocked viciously.
Before Luke had time to retaliate, or at least pout and storm off, Dick plopped on the bench next to him, passed a hand through his Malibu surfer hair and groaned, "Oh man, Worst. Day. Ever."
"What's up?" Logan asked, "cleaning lady giving you dirty looks again?"
Dick ignored him completely, which was what one needed to do with Logan sometimes (or, you know, lots of times), "I just lost 700,000 bucks in FBLA."
Beaver sniggered like an eight-year old while the rest of the group wondered why Dick cared about something school-related when he didn't even care enough to turn off the gas.
Logan shrugged, "Dude, the problem is you live in the past. Who puts money on dog races these days? Hamsters, man. Hamsters mean money."
Beaver patted Logan's shoulder and chuckled. It was his way of saying 'sorry I sold you out to your girlfriend and betrayed your trust. Bygones?' and he had been doing it every few minutes or so for the past week.
"Seriously," Logan continued, patting Beaver back and using a bit too much force, "they're fluffy and well-trained. Just like dogs, only smaller."
"Very funny, Mr. Mary-Kate and Ashley Beauty Products," Dick marked, mussing his hair and batting his eyelashes adorably (what? He is adorable!)
Luke sputtered his coke and doubled over with laughter, "Please say you didn't!".
Logan shrugged, unmoved, "Worked, didn't it? I've doubled my values. I am currently rich enough to buy a date with both."
"Yeah, well, you've got the cash and I've got the looks. Can't have everything."
Logan flashed him the cockiest smirk the world has ever seen. "Mm-hmm," he murmured, very much aware that he, in fact, had both the money and the looks, along with a few other splendid things.
Wasn't life grand?
"Hey guys, we're going to buy a new surfboard tomorrow for Dick," Beaver said, looking directly at Logan, "wanna come with?"
Logan ignored him, deciding he deserved to squirm a little, and turned to Dick instead, "Aww, a new baby for the Casablancas family?"
"Even better than the first one!" Dick exclaimed joyfully.
"Only if you're planning on adoption," Luke said under his breath.
"Yeah, let's see how funny you are when you're begging me for a ride, jackass," Dick snapped.
Logan frowned in mock-concentration, "Hmm, it's seems like such a small sacrifice to make… I think I'll just keep badmouthing it, if you don't mind."
"You might wanna be nicer too if you ever plan on crashing at my house ever again."
Logan chose not to mention that Beaver would probably offer him his own bed if it meant forgiveness and raised his hands in faux-surrender instead, "Ooh, he's serious. Sorry, man."
"Yeah, sorry," Luke added.
A downloaded ring tone exploded from Logan's bag. He checked the caller-ID and smiled to himself. The guys started their own soulful rendition of the Bamp Chica Pow-Pow ballade.
Logan waved his hand to shut them up and pressed the send button, "Hello?" he greeted with his most cheerful voice.
"Is this Logan Echolls I'm talking to?" he heard his most favorite voice in the whole wide world respond.
He walked away from his friends to a more deserted corner and hoped it was far enough away to drown out their annoying singing. "No, sorry ma'am, I think you have the wrong number."
"Meh, whatever," she said indifferently, "you sound pretty cute too, do you have any wheels?"
"I do. I also have a motor and air conditioning," he cooed.
"Ooh, there's the way to a girl's heart. Do you have a convertible?"
"Nope, sorry."
She sighed with fake disappointment, "Oh well, you'll just have to do."
"For what, Miss Unknown?"
There was a slight pause, "Picking me up from the hospital and taking me home?"
WooHOO!
Logan's mind almost exploded with joy but he didn't dare break her game with any irksome ecstasy. "Hum, I don't really dig hospitalized chicks. I mean, if I wanted that, I could just go and visit my own girlfriend, you know?"
Someday, they will write books about the self-control he was showing at the moment. Also, when was the parking lot moved to southern Australia?
She laughed, "I'm sorry, I must have missed the part where you had a choice. Now come pick me up already!" some was starting to sound as anxious as he felt.
"I'm getting there, Sugar puss," he soothed.
"I bet you call all your girls that," she said, and he could almost see her cute little lip pouting.
"Sadly, I do."
"And I bet I can guess what you're wearing," she added mischievously.
"Give it your best shot."
She hemmed and hawed a little before saying confidently: "Sort of navy blue jeans, white t-shirt and a dark green shirt over it with folded sleeves… am I close?"
He looked down on himself and frowned, "Okay, either I'm very predictable, or I'm being duped."
"Which seems more likely?" she whispered.
The sight of his X-Terra in the horizon has never made him happier, except for maybe the first time he saw it in the car company and knew it would be the one that would stay. He cursed and congratulated himself at the same time for having tainted windows, knowing that although they were extremely annoying right now, they were going to come in very handy in a minute or so.
He slammed the end button and almost ripped apart the car door, only to discover that the car was completely empty. Well, of course. He looked around, trying to spot her somewhere in the mass of cars and people to no avail. Well, of course.
His stupid cellphone rang again.
"Oh Logan, don't you know that when you assume you make an ass out of you and me?" Veronica cooed.
No one had ever managed to keep him guessing all the time. No had ever made him feel like he was worth the time it took to think about these little irritating games she always played with him. "Ha ha," he said bitterly, "very funny, Veronica, now will you kindly expose yourself already?"
"Why? It's so much more fun this way…"
He rolled his eyes and sat heavily on the backseat, "Veronica, this is bordering on abusive."
There was no answer for a while, so Logan lay back to wait. She had to show up eventually. Ever the tease.
"Hey kid, why so blu…" she didn't even get the chance to finish the sentence before he grabbed her hand and flattened her on top of him. Veronica allowed herself to spare a moment to stroke his hair before leaning over and attacking his mouth.
"Surprise," she murmured, panting.
"I love surprises," Logan said, licking his lips and pulling her down again.
"Do you… do you have any important classes today?"
He tried to concentrate on the question but every time Veronica so much as breathed, her body moved slightly against his in a very distracting way. "I don't know," he blurted out, "what day is today?"
She laughed, "Um, I'm pretty sure it's some day between Sunday and… that other day that comes before Sunday."
Logan also laughed, but it might have been because Veronica was planting ticklish kisses all over his neck.
After a few minutes, and a couple of sordid stares from some Juniors, she pulled back. "Right, that was fun."
"Was? As in past tense? Why?"
"Because you need to be in a condition to drive," she said, chuckling, "I'm not driving the Yellow King Kong, thank you. And it'd be nice not to be involved in another car accident this month."
Logan sighed deeply and straightened up. He tried to look at the big picture: House equals Bed equals Comfortable equals Drive Already, JACKASS!
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"This is kind of a big deal for me," she said shyly, lowering her eyes.
"For me too… Look at you, you're actually blushing," he whispered adorably.
She laughed and it only deepened her blush, which seemed to spread across her entire body. "Aren't you supposed to be supportive or something? I don't know, a 'don't worry, I'll be gentle' would be nice."
Logan smiled wickedly, he slipped her jacket off and brought his lips to her ear. "Veronica," he whispered, "I'm not going to be gentle."
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Veronica opened her eyes slowly. The room was dim, she could smell something chocolaty and Logan was caressing her back. Sure, it sounded perfect, but honestly, it was just really, really, perfectly perfect.
"I was starting to think you were gonna sleep 'till morning," he said softly, putting away the ice cream he was endearingly munching on. Veronica was pretty sure she could never be quite as upset about anything as she used to be – not after witnessing that, that's for sure.
"Hmm, I guess my internal clock is set to my curfew," she checked her watch, "hey, what d'you know, I have just enough time to take a quick shower."
He winked, "Not if I can help it."
Their lips somehow found the way to each other again. This was obviously becoming a pattern. The difference this time was that they were taking their time, softly, slowly. Before, everything had been a rush, a hot and passionate rush. But this time, it was nothing like that. And at this rate, there was really no way Veronica would have time to take that shower.
"Mmm, I guess I can be a little late," Veronica murmured serenely.
Logan smiled, "That's my girl. Always willing to ignore the rules completely."
She raised her eyebrows suggestively, "Well, we could probably save some time if we took a shower together."
"That's multitasking!" Logan declared.
Veronica laughed and heavily got up, blanket wrapped firmly around herself.
His gaze followed her as she gathered her clothes and made her way to the bathroom. He didn't mean to feel this needy, but it seemed to come naturally to him. He didn't mean to feel so blissful either, but that seemed to come naturally to him, too.
Logan's chain of disturbing thoughts were broken again when Veronica stepped out of the bathroom, showered and dressed. She was so beautiful it almost made him ache. "You're not gonna start avoiding me now, right?"
She frowned, "Huh? Where did that come from?"
He could hear traces of fear and uncertainty in her voice; it reminded him that this was her first time after all and that maybe he should find something reassuring to say. Yeah, like what? "Don't worry, you were really good"? Riiight.
"Well," he said instead, "where to begin… there's past history, with you, some baggage, and… just a general insecurity, I guess."
Veronica smiled tenderly, "Sounds like the must-haves for any healthy relationship."
He narrowed his eyes, "You're not saying no."
She took a seat next to him and pressed her lips to his roughly.
"Still waiting for that no," he said pointedly when they broke apart for air.
She laughed and cupped his face, "Fine. No. No, no, no. I'm not gonna start avoiding you now."
He fought the urge to go all 'me thinks the lady doth protest too much!' but decided against it. Instead, he took the opportunity to steal a few more making-out seconds before he had to drive her back home. It was not in his best interest to make Keith angrier than he already was. After all, they had promised to take things slow.
Oh well, promises. Like we ever keep them anyway.
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"So… is this thing on? tap, tap nah, I'm just kidding with you."
"… So anyway, I don't really have a whole lot to say, Lily just told me some chick called moirariordan said I was pretty and asked for me to do this. She also said I should promote this crapfest or something. Well, forget the story! moirariordan, if you're between the ages of 16-29 and you look at all like Madison or my step mom, gimmie a call!"
"Hey, did y'all notice I was added to the credits? Seriously, how hot do I look when I'm shooting that gun? If I was a chick I'd be all over me right now."
Lily: "Dick, do shut up and get on with the promoting part?"
"Oh, right, whatever. This chick could be a real nag sometimes, y'know? Anyway, REVIEW this story already, so we can go on with the fun."
"Let's see, what else can we talk about? Oh, yeah, I know even the Mexican said this, but why aren't there any Dick stories out there? Am I too complex to write or somethin'? What's the problem? Just stick me in a beach somewhere with a few girls in bikinis and we'll call it a smut! Easy as hitting the Meyor's daughter!"
"Anyway, I'm getting kinda bored, and Madison's flashing her boobs at me. Guess she found out I got my eye on someone else… hmm, I should probably try and make the best of this. Hey, maybe if I make Gia jealous too I can have them both? Definitely worth a shot, am I a genius or what? Oh, right, before you go off to imagine that little scenario, don't forget to REVIEW! Adios!"