DISCLAIMER: Characters of Veronica Mars, the canon events of their storylines, and recognizable dialogue belong to Rob Thomas.
A/N:
In my continuing effort to take breaks from everyday life and to avoid watching the news 24/7 …
Here's another short fic pulled from my "ideas folder."
I considered posting as multiple chapters, but in the end, decided to use lines and headings to mark the sections of the story.
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I've always assumed that Weevil had been held back a year at some point in his schooling.
(Primarily because he turned 18 during Season 1, which was Veronica's junior year. He was not yet 18 when he was arrested in #1.2, but by the time he was arrested for breaking into the Kane house in #1.19, he had turned 18. She was 18 by the time she was questioned by Lamb about Curly in #2.3, but that's fairly early in senior year.)
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This fic is set pre-series, during middle school.
Veronica is in 6th grade.
Weevil is in 7th grade. He is in danger of failing the year and being held back.
Fall – Winter 1999
A committee of teachers and administrators had decided to begin a peer tutoring program at Neptune Middle School. Not only should it help the kids who were falling behind, but it would also allow other students to gain valuable experience – while padding their school record as they moved toward getting into a good college. Although colleges were looking for good grades, test scores, and other achievements, they also looked for community service and extracurricular activities.
But let's be honest – mostly, it was that the teachers just didn't want to take up their free time helping students who couldn't keep up in class. Some teachers would go the extra mile, but some had been at this for too many years and had begun to care increasingly less about their students. And in the opinion of these jaded educators, they just didn't get paid enough to put in the extra hours, which amounted to unpaid overtime.
A general announcement about the tutoring program was made. Individual teachers told their classes. But then the administrators, as well as teachers assigned to honors classes, began to approach students they considered the best candidates – for tutoring in general or to match them up with specific students in need of assistance.
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At the end of English class, Veronica's teacher asked her if she could stay for a few minutes.
"Did I do something wrong, Mrs. Stoudt?"
"No, of course not, Veronica. I wanted to ask if … you would mind giving up your free period to volunteer for the new peer tutoring program." The teacher paused and then continued, "You've met Mallory, right?"
"The new girl?"
"Yes, her father got transferred here. There were some complications with the timing of the move, which is why she was not able to be here at the beginning of the school year. She's a good student, but after missing a few weeks, she has had trouble catching up in some of her classes, including this one. Would you mind helping her get caught up? After that, you can decide whether or not you'd like to continue with the peer tutoring program."
"Sure. What do I need to do?"
"I'll set everything up."
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Things went along fairly uneventfully for the next month and a half. Mallory was doing well in all of her classes, and Veronica had made a new friend in the process. About the time Mallory no longer needed Veronica's assistance, the guidance counselor approached Veronica about another student.
"I'm wondering if you would be willing to tutor a boy in math. He really needs the help. But the last tutor he was paired with … well, let's just say that it wasn't a good match. Mrs. Stoudt told me that you won't be working with Mallory anymore … which means you're available. I just need to know if you're interested."
"I feel like there's something you're not telling me, Miss Barry."
"The student you'd be tutoring … can be difficult. You could start on a trial basis and see how things go. If you're uncomfortable for any reason, I can try to find another option."
"Uncomfortable?"
Miss Barry avoided answering her directly. "This boy has a bit of an attitude and … was about to quit the program because he didn't like the tutor he was previously assigned to. But as I said, he really needs the help."
Veronica agreed to meet with the student for a couple of days and then let Miss Barry know her decision.
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Tutoring took place in the cafeteria. There was plenty of space for the pairs of students to spread out. Unlike in the library, they could talk at a normal conversational level. And the teachers proctoring them could see everyone, just in case there were any problems.
Veronica had gotten there early. She decided to take a look at her homework while she waited. She saw a boy walk in and talk to the proctor. He handed the teacher a slip of paper, and then he looked over at Veronica. As he walked toward her, a smile played at one corner of his mouth.
He dropped into the seat across from her, placing his textbook on the table between them.
She reached her hand toward him. "Hi, I'm Veronica. You must be Eli."
"Weevil," he said as he shook her hand.
He held onto her hand longer than he needed to, but for some reason, Veronica didn't mind.
"Oh, I thought Miss Barry said your name was Eli."
"That's what my birth certificate says, but hardly anybody calls me that." He studied her eyes for a moment, then his gaze dropped to her lips. "I kinda like how it sounds when you say it though."
She was certain that she was blushing, but then she always did when a boy paid attention to her. And that wasn't very often.
"Well, then ... I'll call you Eli."
"I don't recognize you. Are you new? I thought I knew everyone in my grade."
"I'm in 6th grade."
He wondered aloud how she was going to help him with math if she was a year behind him. But he found out pretty quickly that she knew the subject much better than he did.
"Is this your first time tutoring someone?" he asked.
"Why do you ask?"
"You seem a little nervous."
"No, not my first time."
"Damn. I kinda liked the thought of being your first." He gave her a crooked smile. "So … do I make you nervous?"
She didn't respond to that. She just continued explaining a word problem that he had gotten wrong on his last quiz.
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Later in the day, Veronica dropped by Miss Barry's office to tell her how it went. Of course, she left out a few details – like the fact that she thought that he had been flirting with her. She wasn't certain because she hadn't had many boys flirt with her, and she might have misunderstood.
"Glad to hear that it went well," Miss Barry said. "So, you'll consider tutoring him? For the rest of the year?"
Veronica wasn't sure why she agreed to continue tutoring him. But she did.
Maybe it was "the Christmas spirit." They had just come back from Thanksgiving break – decorations were going up everywhere, Christmas music was playing in stores and restaurants, holiday specials were starting to air on TV.
Yeah, that must be it. Why else would she agree to give up her time for someone she barely knew?
But that was the thing, right? She wanted to get to know him.
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On the last day before Christmas break, Eli asked if Veronica would be able to meet him during vacation, saying, "We have a big exam right when we get back to school." He almost whined when he added, "I'm gonna need help getting ready for that."
She agreed to meet him at the public library near the school. Neither of them had cell phones yet, but he could contact her through their school email accounts to set up times to meet.
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By the time they got back to school in January, Veronica felt like they had genuinely become friends, but it was strange now that their holiday break was over. They didn't run in the same circles. And her friends looked at her weird if she talked to Eli outside of their tutoring sessions.
He seemed to notice this but didn't say anything about it. He did, however, take the flirting to the next level. And he almost always walked with her to her locker after they met for tutoring. Occasionally, he would ask if she had time to meet him on weekends – at the library, for tutoring. Or so he said. But to Veronica, it felt like he was asking something more significant.
Winter 1999
The next several weeks flew by, and before she knew it, it was Valentine's Day.
Veronica always looked forward to school dances, but she got nervous too. Even though these middle school events were not formal, they were still a big deal at this age. Particularly for Veronica because she hadn't had a boyfriend yet, and just the thought of dancing with a boy was exciting.
Near the end of the Valentine's Day dance, she saw Eli walk in with a group of his friends. He leaned against a wall and looked around. When he saw her watching him, his eyes locked on hers and a smile spread across his face.
He walked over to her. Standing in front of her, he reached out his hand, saying, "Come with me."
Veronica wasn't entirely sure what he meant. "You're asking me to dance?"
He didn't answer her question; he just tilted his head in the direction of the dance floor. She gave him her hand, and he led her to an empty spot.
She was so nervous that she had to distract herself. She tried to focus on the song that was playing – "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer – in hopes that she would not freak out about the fact that a cute boy was holding her in his arms – his very strong arms.
At first, he leaned his head against the side of hers. But then he began brushing his nose up and down her neck. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt his lips against her ear.
"Come with me, querida."
"Why? Where are we going?"
"Do you always ask so many questions?"
"Yes. Are you always this bossy?"
"Another question. I just want a minute alone with you. It's too loud, too many people in here."
He took her hand, leading her out of the gym and down the hallway. After taking a few turns, he stopped. The hallway was completely empty. They were far enough from the gym that music could just barely be heard.
All of a sudden, she got nervous. Why had she agreed to follow him here? Half of her did not like the idea of being alone with him; the other half of her was thrilled that he wanted to be alone with her.
Just as she began to wonder why he had brought her to this spot, he reached out his hand to touch her face. She shivered as his skin made contact with hers. Her eyes fluttered closed as his fingers caressed her cheek. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she thought he was about to kiss her. When he didn't, she opened her eyes.
"You are so damn beautiful. Do you know that?"
She shook her head. The only male who had ever told her she was beautiful was her father, but he didn't count. Hearing those words from a boy for the first time made her stomach flip.
"Are you gonna freak out if I kiss you?"
"What do you mean by freak out?"
"I don't know … scream, slap me, run away."
Her heart was racing as she said, "I … I don't think so. But …"
"But what?"
"But I've never been kissed before. So I don't really know how I'm going to react."
"Never?"
She shook her head.
His mouth spread in a wicked smile. "I can't believe I get to be your first."
Then, he gently pressed his lips to hers. After a brief kiss, he leaned back to look at her.
She opened her eyes and said, "That was nice."
"The next one will be anything but nice," he said as he pressed her up against the lockers.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Again with the questions." And he proceeded to kiss her senseless. He broke the kiss and looked into her eyes as he said, "Never use the word 'nice' to describe me or anything I do." Then he began kissing her again.
They were interrupted by one of his friends calling him from down the hallway. He said a quick goodbye, and then he was gone, leaving Veronica to wonder what had happened and what it might mean.
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She spent much of the weekend thinking about the kiss and counting the hours until she would see him again on Monday.
She was sitting at their usual table when he finally arrived for the tutoring session. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but this was not it.
He didn't even bring up the kiss.
He did a decent job of focusing on the math problems they were working on, but every once in awhile his attention would drift. She couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his head. However, she was too afraid to ask.
Although she had spent lots of time over the weekend thinking about what had happened at the dance, she still couldn't decide if she wanted the kiss to mean something or not. She did, however, want to know if it meant anything to him.
They managed to get through the class period, but it had been awkward.
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He wasn't in school the next day. On the one hand, Veronica was relieved that she didn't have to endure another awkward tutoring session. But on the other hand, she was now left wondering if he was avoiding her. And if so, what did that mean?
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That night, she and her dad were on their way to dinner – what he called "daddy-daughter time" – when he got a call from the Sheriff's Department.
"I'm sorry, honey. I've gotta stop and take care of this. It shouldn't take too long, and then we'll head to the restaurant."
She found a place to sit and read while her dad talked to one of his employees. She had only read a few pages when she heard a voice she recognized. She looked up from her book to see that Eli was talking to one of the deputies; he was wearing handcuffs. She found herself staring, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. She wondered what he was doing there.
A few minutes later, her dad came over to say they could get going. When he saw that he did not have her attention, he turned to see what she was looking at.
"Honey, do you know him?"
"What?" Veronica needed him to repeat the question; she had been so distracted that she hadn't heard him.
"You two go to the same school. I wondered if you knew him."
Veronica had not yet learned how to lie to her father. "Yes. Actually, I was assigned to tutor him."
Her dad was none too happy to hear this piece of info. It was a topic of discussion at dinner. And he explained to her that he planned to call the school in the morning to put an end to the arrangement that the guidance counselor had made.
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The next day when Eli walked in for his tutoring session, the proctor told him that he would be working with a different student from now on.
Hearing the news, Eli looked around, searching the room for Veronica. When his eyes found hers, they stared at each other for a moment. Then, she dropped her eyes.
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Before her next class, she was at her locker getting a textbook. She felt someone walk up behind her.
"So, I got arrested, and you decide you don't want to tutor me no more?"
"Anymore."
"Fine. You don't want to tutor me anymore?"
"That's not … it wasn't my decision."
"Who then?"
"My father."
"What does your father have to do with this?"
"He's the Sheriff. I think you've met him."
"Your dad's the Sheriff?!" Shaking his head, he continued, "That's why you were at the station. I was trying to figure out what you were doing there."
"Anyway, not my decision."
Although Veronica did not share this part with Eli, she could not help but think of what her dad had said. He had been adamant: "Stay away from the local criminal element."
Fall 2002
freshman year of high school
Student lockers had been assigned alphabetically by last name. Since her last name started with M and his started with N, their lockers were in the same hallway. In fact, they were close enough that Veronica had to go out of her way to avoid contact with Eli. It was gonna be a long four years.
One morning before homeroom, she glanced over and saw that he had a girl pinned up against his locker. He was barely letting her up for air. When he leaned back to tell her something, he noticed that they were being watched.
After the girl walked away, Eli turned his attention to Veronica. Stepping toward her, he said with a chin lift, "Hey."
Shyly she replied without looking at him, "Hey."
He took a few more steps, stopping just behind her. He leaned over her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "I seem to remember a night I had you up against a locker."
Feeling her stiffen, he couldn't help but smile at the effect he had on her.
"You remember that kiss? Of course, you do. Every kiss you've had since then … you've compared to me."
She turned her head toward him but did not respond to what he had said. He noticed that his comment had made her blush.
"You have been kissed since then, haven't you?" He was teasing but studied her face as he said, "Tell me, Veronica."
Again, she did not respond, but she looked away, which gave him his answer. How was it possible that he was the only one who had ever kissed her?
He stroked her cheek. "Still so damn beautiful."
She shivered as he touched her cheek – just like she had that night at the dance.
"Do you remember what song we danced to?"
She gave the smallest nod – as if she didn't mean to answer him, but it happened involuntarily.
"Tell me."
"It was 'Kiss Me.'"
He smiled and then asked, "What was playing before I walked over to ask you to dance?"
Part of her wanted to walk away, but his eyes had her locked in place. Again she answered him. "Um ... 'Bailamos.'"
"Yes. 'We Dance.' Now … tell me what was playing when we left the gym." When she didn't answer, he leaned even closer to her as he said, "Tell me, baby girl."
"'I Need to Know.'"
"So, you remember that night as well as I do. Good to know."
Stumbling over her words, she said, "Um … I should … really … I need to …"
"Tell me what you need, Veronica."
"Not what I … was … I need to go … to class."
He put a hand on her arm to stop her from walking away. "Speaking of class. I could use some help in math. Any chance you know someone willing to tutor me?"
They just stood there staring at each other for a moment. There was an entire unspoken conversation happening between their eyes.
Just as she was about to respond, they heard Mr. Clemmons's voice. "Mr. Navarro, why don't you stop harassing Miss Mars and get to class?"
Eli turned around to explain to Mr. Clemmons what he was doing – asking for Veronica's help in finding a tutor. "She tutored me in middle school. I figured she was a good person to ask."
Clemmons wasn't buying it, and he was about to haul Eli down to the office when Veronica spoke up.
"He's telling the truth." Turning to Eli, she handed him a folded piece of paper, saying, "Here. This person might be able to help you. I've gotta get to class."
She was gone before Eli could look at the paper. But when he did finally open it up, he saw these words: Don't call my house. That was followed by her cell phone number, which he immediately entered into his contacts.
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A couple of hours later, he was sitting at lunch staring at her. She was sitting four tables away from him, but it might as well have been a million miles. Because she was sitting with them. He wondered if he would ever get used to going to the same school as those 09er scum.
He pulled out his phone and started typing. And then he watched as she dug her phone out of her purse and read his text.
She immediately replied.
Then, her best friend leaned over and asked her who she was texting. She explained that someone had asked for her help with math. When she asked who, Veronica explained that she had tutored Eli a few years ago.
Eli was surprised when her friend looked straight at him. He would not have expected Veronica to tell anyone that she knew him.
He was even more surprised when she walked over to his table to hand him another piece of paper, saying, "We can work out the details later."
Opening the paper, he saw a list of times she was available most weeks and a request that he tell her how much help he was going to need.
With math? He was gonna need a lot of help.
With her? He wouldn't need any help at all – now that he had a way back into her life.
He had always wondered if the kiss had meant something to her; now he knew that it had. He had also wondered if they could have had something together if her dad hadn't forced her to stop tutoring him. He just needed more time with her. Enough time for her to see him for more than the motorcycle he rode, the leather he wore, the tattoos on his body – and his arrest record.
She had reacted to his touch the same way she had the night he kissed her at the middle school dance.
That night, he had been her first kiss. But that wasn't enough for him. He wanted to be her first everything.
A/N:
As I usually do with things that are pulled from my "ideas folder" … I'm posting it as a one-shot and marking it complete, but there's always the possibility that my imagination comes up with a way to continue it.
I'll try to edit and post more one-shots soon. (Editing the next few chapters of Commence. Hope to update in the next week or two.)
Thanks for reading.
Until next time …
~Jen
3 May 2020
Songs mentioned in this fic:
Just before he asked her to dance = "Bailamos" by Enrique Iglesias (1999)
Slow dance = "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer (recorded 1997, single released 1998, hit charts in 1999 [when heard in Dawson's Creek and She's All That])
As they leave the gym to find a quiet hallway = "I Need to Know" ("Dimelo") by Marc Anthony (1999)