Chapter 4—Mistakes we Knew we Were Making
"I need to talk to you." Was all Logan heard before following Vice Principle Clemmons into the office? "Dick Casablancas was caught trying to sell ecstasy he received while in Tijuana last week with you. Now I know you are a smart kid Mr. Echoll's, and I doubt you had anything to do with this, but I need to know if you knew he had it." Logan sat in his chair for a second trying to comprehend what the principle was asking him.
"No sir, I had no clue about the ecstasy." Logan says, finally putting all the practice he had with lying to keep appearances up to goof use. It's not like Dick would be too hurt either, Logan was almost sure he would have done the same thing.
The thought made him sad though, back before Lilly's death he had been a member of the fearless foursome. They were so close back then, they never would have turned their backs on each other like his friends now did. Then a though of her came into his mind and he wondered when he had lost all loyalty to friends.
0123456789
"Veronica, how can you stand by him in those press conference, While he says Lilly's flesh and blood did this to her." Logan's voice was cold and distant. Veronica could tell he was worn out.
"He's my father Logan; I'm all he has, what do you expect me to do?"
"Help us get Lilly's rightful murderer put to death."
"He will be, when they find him."
"They already found them Veronica!" Logan's voice was angry and while not yelling had raised.
"It's too easy to have been him." Veronica stated calmly hoping that she could somehow get him to listen.
"It's him or us Ronnie" His voice had finality in it that told Veronica she wouldn't be able to convince him. "You're either with us or against us."
Logan waited a few minutes and then took Veronica's silence as his answer. Leaving her crying in front of her apartment. He was hurt, for years they had never let their social status get in the way; they had beat the odds that living in Neptune gave you. Now, however, their friendship was over.
0123456789
By third period Veronica had heard about dick having drugs, and Logan's questioning. She decided to question Logan first, considering the fact that he had been bugging her all day. What if what she thought was a roofie was really a hit of X? That would explain his sudden interest in what's wrong with me.
As the class finished Veronica walked to her car, lost in thought. She hadn't realized she was standing outside her car until she heard a voice from behind. "I thought I was supposed to find a ride home?" She jumped a little at his voice.
"You wanted to talk, let's talk." She was uncertain of what she was doing, but she unlocked her door and got in, waiting for Logan to follow suit. As she watched Logan there was certain shyness to his moves, A hesitation as to what was about to happen.
"What's going on Ronnie?" Veronica tenses as she hears that name leave his lips. Deciding that it's now or never she starts talking. She will be the one to control the talking.
"Did you have ecstasy with you on Saturday?" She glances at him quickly to judge his face, and knows the answer.
"Yes." Her heart drops, and she stops the car. She had wanted to believe that he was innocent, that it was still her Logan. "Why do you want to know?" The tears are building up in her eyes as she gets out of the car to walk on the beach, their beach. She can't handle this.
"Did you give me any?" Her voice sounded stronger than she felt. He looked at her as she sat on Dog beach with tears running down her face. He wanted to hold her, and teller it would be okay, but opted against it.
"What??? Ronnie you know me better than that!"
"Knew, I knew you better than that." She stops and looks at him wiping tears from her face before she continues. "But the Logan I knew would have NEVER made me a human shot glass." Tears form in his eyes as he starts to piece together what she is asking him. "The Logan I KNEW wouldn't have allowed me to leave with a strange guy, He wouldn't have told me I didn't love Lilly, he wouldn't have made me choose. So Logan I don't know you."
"I never let you walk off wit a strange guy."
"Really, than who stopped the body shots?"
"Who do you think? Duncan saw what was going on and yelled at me, and then he helped you walk to a guest room." Her face turned white as she heard his words. Duncan had taken her to the room.
"Duncan…"
"Yes, Duncan"
"Who else had ecstasy?"
"Just Casey Grant, What's going on Veronica?" She thought for a minute, debating on rather to tell him or not. "Casey gave it to some junior who slipped it to his sophomore girlfriend. Dick used his for him and Madison." He looked at the ground for a moment before he continued. "I slipped some in Duncan's drink before he left with you. I just wanted him to have fun, he never does anything but mope around." Now it was Veronicas turn to look at the ground, letting a tear slide down, and her turn to talk.
"I just wanted to show you guys that I wasn't going anywhere." Her voice was quiet and she wasn't sure Logan had heard her. At his nod she continued. "The drink was handed to me, I didn't look at who gave it to me. I remember drinking it and passing out on the bench. When I woke up I didn't know where my underwear was, or where I was. I was alone and scared, so I left and went to the Sherriff." She was sobbing by this point. "He told me to go see the wizard and get a backbone. I couldn't control my tears when I left, and that's when you saw me. I just felt so dirty and used."
Logan clenched his fists together. He cautiously wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close, allowing her to cry into the shoulder of his t-shirt. "Why do they hate me so much?" Her voice was muffled and broke in-between her tears.
"They don't" She looked at Logan suddenly and as their eyes met she moved in and kissed him. She wasn't sure what had gotten into her. As soon as she realized what she had done she pulled away, fear emanating in her eyes. He slowly pulled her back into him, knotting his hands in her hair. The kiss was soft, yet passionate.
0123456789
"Duncan, what are you doing?" Her voice was playful and teasing as she lay in the sun.
"Kissing my girlfriend." He replied lightly.
"Oh how I love the sound of that" She smiled as they intertwined their fingers. Watching as Lilly approached.
"So you two finally got together?" Lilly asks, though they know she isn't interested. "At least now that Veronica's off the market I get all the boys to myself." They all laughed at this."
"May I ask who your first conquest will be?"
"I was thinking the new guy from soccer practice, he could be fun." Veronica wiggled her eyebrows at her friend.
"Logan?" Veronica asked, suddenly interested. "Going for the younger ones now?" They all laughed at that.
"Well I do hang out with them. So you'll help me?"
"I'll put in a good word."
0123456789
When she got home Veronica had a million things running through her head. Duncan had possibly raped her. She kissed Logan and he kissed her back. The kiss had been filled with more passion than she had ever felt with Duncan. She sighed as she laid down on her bed, letting her thoughts overtake her.
She groggily awoke the next morning. She had Journalism as her last exam and decided to confront Duncan after class. As she walked out the door she saw Logan standing there, mocha in hand. "We should talk."
She nodded and followed him to his car. As he opened the door for her she got in, avoiding his eyes. Before she completely got in he grabbed her arm and turned her around, kissing her lightly, and smiling. When Logan got in the car he smiled at her and placed a hand on her knee.
"What…?"
"I wanted to reassure you it wasn't a bad talk."
"Oh…" Veronica blushed and thought about how easily they had fallen back into being Veronica and Logan. A silence fell over them as they left her parking lot. "I'm going to talk to Duncan today." She stated with a bit of nervousness. The rest of the ride was silent.
"Ronnie?" His voice was uncertain as he parked the car. "What are we?"
"I don't know." She answered honestly.