Faithfully, I trace your name while you sleep
It's the only true comfort I feel
I still run, I still swing open the door
Still think you'll be there like before
---Still Holding out for You, SheDaisy
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It had been two weeks since school started and Veronica had said less than a dozen words to Logan and neither Lilly, Mac nor Cassidy had brought up the break up.

"Hey you." Lilly said coming up to Veronica on Wednesday morning as she stood with Wallace at his locker
"Hey!" Veronica exclaimed
"So how are you doing?" Wallace asked as he shut his locker door
"I'm okay." Lilly told him and then turned to Veronica, "By the way, Celeste told me that you called last night."
"You're mom actually told you that I called?"
"Yeah, she had some work done and she's still a little out of it. I'm pretty sure she doesn't even know who you are right now."
"Hmm, well do you think she'll let me stay with you for a few days?"
"Of course. I'll just slip her some painkillers tonight at dinner and she won't bother us for the rest of the night."
"And you're sure your dad won't--"
"My dad is out of town until Monday."

"Hey I'll see you history?" Wallace asked as they got to the end of the hall.
"Yeah, see you then." Veronica said nodding her head.

As Wallace turned the corner Lilly and Veronica continued going strait, towards the journalism room.

"So why do you need to stay at my place?"
"My dad has to go out of town for a few days and he doesn't really want me to be home alone and my mom is god knows where. "
"You don't know where she is?"
"She went to visit a friend but I know from experience to take everything my mother says with a grain of salt. She's a habitual liar."

As the girls walked up to the journalism room they saw Logan in an intense conversation with a leggy blonde in a short skirt.
"Who's the skank that Logan's talking to?" Veronica asked brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"That's Hannah. She and I had gym together last year. "
"Are they, you know, dating?"
"I don't know." Lilly told her and then asked, "Does it bother you?"
"Bother me?" Veronica asked faking a laugh, "We're over, why should it bother me?"
"Back down girl. I was just curious. And it's okay to be jealous. "
"I'm not jealous."
"I'm just saying, you know, if Logan's moving on maybe it's time for you to move on too."
"Move on?" Veronica asked, "To who?"
"Hello ladies." Troy said walking up to the girls, "Can I just say that you two look marvelous today?"
Lilly raised her eyebrows mischievously and chewed on her bottom lip as she looked at her best friend.
"No." Veronica said bluntly, "And now I've got to get to class."
"Veronica…" Lilly called out.
"No!" She said again before she walked into the journalism room.

That afternoon at lunch Veronica and Lilly walked to their usual table finishing up the conversation they were talking about that morning.
"Why not? Troy's a great guy."
"That all depends on your definition of great."
"Come on V, you hardly know him."
"I know him enough to make my mind up about him."

"Oh my god!" Lilly exclaimed, "I see it now. Troy is your Mr. Darcy! That's so sweet!"
"Mr. Darcy? You've been getting a little to into Pride and Prejudice haven't you? Besides, if he's anyone from that book it's Mr. Wickam."
"Hmm. Okay." Lilly said nodding her head and then asked, "Who was he?"
"The army guy who married Kitty. He tried to marry Darcy's sister."
"Oh yeah. He didn't deserve Lizzy."
"And Troy doesn't deserve me." Veronica said as she sat down at the table where Mac, Cassidy and Wallace were already seated
"What are you talking about?" Wallace asked.
"Nothing important."
"It kinda is considering I told him that he should come over tonight and hang out with us. More importantly, you."
"You didn't."
"I did."
"Oh Lilly." Veronica cried throwing her head into her hands.

That night Duncan, Troy, Lilly and Veronica sat on the edge of the Kane pool filling the air with awkward conversations.

"Oh my god! " Lilly exclaimed suddenly, "So Troy and I are reading this play in our psych class and there are these characters, Putnum and Banton, and their relationship is just like Duncan and Meg's!"
"It's true." Troy laughed, "'Cause Banton's all controlling and Putnum just goes with it. And Meg's all like 'I want you to drink skim milk'."
"And Duncan's all like, 'Okay.'" Lilly laughed, "And then she's like, 'I want you to stop drinking soda.'"
"Hey I chose to do that myself!" Duncan exclaimed interrupting his sister
"But come on didn't Meg have a little bit to do with that?" Veronica asked
"I'm not going to answer that." Duncan said sheepishly as Meg walked onto the patio
"Did I just hear my name?" She asked
"Meg!" Veronica exclaimed, "I didn't know you were coming."
"Yeah Duncan invited me. "
"Well this is going to be fun." Veronica whispered, then stood up and announced, "I'm going to go get something to drink."

As she walked up to the house Lilly nudged Troy and whispered, "Go after her."
Troy raised his eyebrows, "I'm kind of getting the impression that she's not that into me."
"Believe me Troy, she is. She just doesn't want to be too obvious out here around Duncan."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes!" Lilly told him and then held out her glass, "And get me something to drink while you're at it."

Troy sighed and walked into the house and into the kitchen where Veronica was leaning up against a counter reading the comic's section of the paper.
"Ah that Marmaduke." Troy said as he looked over Veronica's shoulder, shaking his head, "Always getting into trouble."
"What are you doing in here? Aren't you supposed to supposed to be out there?"
"Lilly asked me to get her something to drink." Troy said holding up the glass, "And why are you in here? Wait--wait--wait. Let me guess. It's to weird to see your ex with his new girlfriend. I know what it's like. You see my ex---"
"Troy," Veronica said interrupting him, "I don't care about you or Shauna or any of the stories you're going to tell me to make me feel sorry for you."
Troy was silent for a moment and then asked, "How do you know so much about me?"
"I'm Veronica Mars. I make it my business to know all I can about the parasite, that would be you, that has attached itself to me and my friends."
"I don't believe that."
"You don't?" Veronica raised her eyebrow
"No. At least not the parasite part. I think that you like me."
"You're delusional." Veronica said picking up her glass and walking outside.

A few hours later while Lilly walked with Troy out to his car he turned and looked at her.
"What?" She asked raising her eyebrows
"There's this band playing tomorrow at this club downtown and I wanted to ask Veronica to it…"
"But you're she won't go if she thinks it's a date?"
"Yeah."
"I'll take care of it."
"Thank you."