Chapter Two

Why me? This is torture. Can we not?

I've been repeating those three things in my mind for five minutes. Carrie Bishop, the school gossip, has me cornered in the girl's bathroom after third period. The girl never even knew my name until Mr. Murphy's class and he asked about my semester abroad. Now she's acting like we were best friends.

" So were there really hot Australian guys in every class just like in Our Lips Are Sealed? " She asks ready to receive the dirt.

Too bad I'm not in the sharing mood. " A few... But they didn't like American girls. We're too " loose " according to most Aussie guys. "

Of course, I'm lying through my teeth, but at least she'll get off of my back.

She hmmphs and goes back to fluffing her hair in the mirror. " Well, then I know where I won't be going for Spring Break. "

" Sorry to ruin your plans. " I say getting the hell out of dodge.

The rest of the week goes by with few incidents. Logan Echolls is the same douche bag to me that he always was so no shocker there. Madison Sinclaire, and I don't have any classes together which suites me fine since she's a bitch.

Eli hasn't tried to talk to me again and the only time I've seen him is at lunch when he's with his minions. I've caught him looking at me from the other side of the quad but that's it.

Veronica and I pull up to school at the same time Monday morning. A huge crowd is around the flagpole. As we walk up we could see a boy our age is duct-taped naked to it.

" Who put him there? " A girl asks.

" The bikers did it. "

" Why doesn't somebody cut him down? " She asks.

Another guy snickers. " Yeah cus I want to be up there tomorrow. "

Some douche bag goes up to the poor boy and takes a picture with him. Me and Veronica get our pocket knives out and she tells him to move.

" Who died and made you- " He says before noticing our knives. " Your whole family is freaky. " He says moving away.

We start cutting the tape as people boo us. " You new here? " Veronica asks him.

He nods.

" Welcome to Neptune high. " I say.

" Go, pirates! " Veronica yells in a fake peppy voice.

The first half of the day goes by smoothly. I know Eli and his boys are the ones who taped that poor boy to the flagpole and they'll most likely be coming for him and whoever helped him. AKA me and Veronica. Not that I'm worried or anything... I've never been afraid of him.

By the time lunch comes I grab my crappy meatloaf and scan the crowd. The boy we cut down is sitting with Veronica so I decide to join them. She looks the other way when I sit down but he smiles.

" I'm Wallace. Thanks for you know, cutting me off of that flagpole. " He says.

I smile. " I'm Tori, and no need to thank me. It was the decent thing to do. "

" My bitch! " Comes the voice that sends shivers down her spine. He sits next to Wallace and stares him down. " Weren't you supposed to wait for me at the flagpole? I don't know how I could have made that any clearer. "

Wallace laughs nervously. " Okay. I get it. Very funny, I guess we're even now? "

" You get what boy? You get that you're a dead man walking? Is that what you get. " Eli asks getting in his face.

I always hate when he's an ass hole like this. " Leave him alone. " I say bravely.

He looks at me like he just realized I'm here. Getting up he yells. " Sister! The only time I care about what a woman has to say is when she's riding my big ol' hog. Then again it's not so much as ooh's and ah's you know? " He asks winking.

" So it's big huh? " Veronica asks taking the heat off of me.

Eli looks at her with amusement. " Legendary. "

" Well, let's see it! I mean if it's as big as you say I'll be your girlfriend. " She quips faking excitement. " We could go to prom together! " She says making him laugh with his boys. " What seems to be the problem? I'm on a schedule here vato. "

Felix goes from laughing to yelling. " Yo Weevil don't let blondie talk to you like that! "

" Sounds like your buddy here wants to see it too. " I say finding m,y voice again.

Felix gets closer. " Hell, I'll show you mine! "

" Felix Tombs. What on earth is going on here? All right gentlemen move along. " Vice-principal Clemens said making them leave us alone. " Veronica Mars, why does trouble follow you around? " He asks in disdain.

Veronica just shrugs. Once he leaves I get up to throw my food away. Cold meatloaf is gross. As I'm walking away from the trash cans I see Eli by himself in the shadows, true bad guy fashion. He nods me over and I can't help but comply.

Once we're away from prying eyes he pulls me into a tight hug. Confusion fills me as his cologne tickles my nose. God, he smells so good.

When he pulls back I try and fail to regain my composure. " What was that? "

" I didn't know how much I missed you until just now. " He confesses.

He missed me? It's really hard to believe. " What's with the pulling me away to do it? Didn't want your boys to see? "

He looks away for a second. " Maybe I thought you wouldn't want anyone to see us talking. "

" Why would I care what those fools think? Have I ever made you feel like I didn't want to be seen with you? " I ask seriously.

He looks guilty for three-point five seconds. " Things have changed Tori. Some you can see and some you can't. " He says leaning closer to me.

Our noses are almost touching and I can feel his breath on my face. If he gets any closer we'd be kissing. I keep my eyes on his and get sucked into his chocolate orbs. Feeling him reach into my front pocket he pulls out my cell.

Pulling back he smirks at me as he puts his number in. " You make sure you use this. " He says handing the cell back and walking away.

I can't help but smile as butterflies fill my stomach. Then I remember why we haven't spoken in a year and a scowl forms on my face replacing the smile. If he thinks that giving me his number and working his charm is all he has to do to make things right he has another thing coming.