Story so Far: Veronica wakes up in her fifteen year old body with all her memories intact. She makes a list of things she wants to change before she is sent back to her time. The list is long and fifteen year old Veronica has no access to her contacts, PI web site and she can't even drive. No longer pink and frilly, Veronica cuts her hair and changes her wardrobe. Logan and Lilly like the new attitude but Duncan is not as happy. Veronica starts to work on Lilly; October 3rd cannot happen.
Lilly sitting at the table with Veronica eating supper comments, "When you invited me over for dinner I expected it would like... include your parents."
Veronica passing the ketchup over to Lilly says, "Yeah well Dad is working late tonight and I had a fight with my mom so she's in her room."
Accepting that parents can be a problem, Lilly starts telling Veronica what happened to her today at Pep Squad tryouts. She pouts, "I still can't believe you would rather play soccer."
Veronica smiles.
After putting their dishes in the sink to soak, Veronica and Lilly go to Veronica's room to look over her new clothes.
Lying on her bed watching Lilly go through her closet Veronica asks, "Lil, this new guy is getting under your skin, isn't he?"
Lilly quickly hides her shock but not before Veronica sees it. Lilly casually says, "He's a good time, that's all."
Veronica gets off the bed and goes over and stands in front of Lilly. She says, "I am your best friend but more importantly I love you."
Lilly looks at Veronica her face softening answers back, "I love you too."
Veronica wraps her arms around her best friend and says, "You saw the red satin under the pink taffeta in me." She leans back and looks Lilly in the eyes and adds, "I see the girl who wants to be loved inside you."
Without waiting for the sarcastic, defensive response she knows is coming, Veronica continues, "You don't think there is much to love in you but you are wrong. You are this loyal, vibrant, super smart, beautiful person and I'm going to keep telling you until you believe me."
Lilly gets tears in her eyes at her friend's absolute belief in her. She tries to lighten the atmosphere by saying, "I already know I'm fabulous."
Veronica undeterred by her friend's manner says, "No you say that but you don't know it deep inside where it matters."
Looking into her friend's eyes Lilly sees that Veronica gets her; truly gets her. Veronica says, "Lil, your parents love you but they don't know how to deal with you."
Veronica pulls Lilly to sit on her bed with her. Lilly alarmed at the depth of the conversation deflects, "Ronica, I am just a selfish, spoiled rich girl."
Genuinely laughing Veronica says, "Well you are but there is way more to you. You just hide it."
Lilly has to smile at Veronica's laughter. Only her best friend would dare tell her to her face she is selfish and spoiled.
"You have to stop hiding the real you." Veronica states. She puts her hand up and says, "I want you to listen to what I have to tell you; really listen. I am really worried about you. "
Lilly doesn't meet Veronica's gaze and she squirms a little as she sits. Veronica talks to Lilly about how she runs from love and how every time Logan or any guy she dates starts to want to deepen the relationship, Lilly gets scared and bolts.
When Lilly tries to disagree Veronica shakes her head and tells Lilly she knows because deep inside she feels the same way. Definitively she tells her friend, "Putting up walls may make you safe but it also makes sure you are alone."
Surprised Lilly can see that Veronica is telling her the truth. Lilly had never thought that Veronica had walls and was afraid of love but now she sees she is.
Lilly listens as Veronica tells her that if she doesn't learn to let others in she will end up like Celeste, alone, bitter and unhappy.
Veronica sadly tells Lilly that Duncan is closed as well. She says, "He will never let me in. He won't let down the walls for me. He stays in his fortress all protected and isolated."
Shocked Lilly thinks about what Veronica is telling her and she sees she is right. Veronica finishes with, "You are more like your father." Taking her shoulders and looking into her friend's eyes Veronica says emotionally, "You are fire, light and passion. You have to let the real you out. When you meet the right guy you have to take a chance and let him all the way in."
Mouth open Lilly looks at Veronica.
Veronica says, "We are best friends forever and I want you to be really happy. You deserve to have a real relationship."
Veronica hugs her friend and holds her close.
When she pulls away she says, "Last thing Lilly. Logan is my friend too. This on again, off again relationship is truly hurting him." She looks in Lilly's eyes and says, "You know what his home life is like."
Veronica can see Lilly does know. She says, "His parents make him feel worthless and unlovable."
Lilly's eyes widen in surprise as Veronica has never talked to her about Logan before. Veronica says, "Every time you drop him, you are just confirming that he is not worthy of love. He loves you Lil."
Lilly frowns and says, "We are too young to be serious. We need to have fun."
Shaking her head Veronica says, "No Lilly. If Logan is the right guy, you can have fun but have a deeper more trusting relationship."
Veronica tells Lilly that she can't lead Logan on and hurt him anymore. She has to give their relationship a real try or let him go.
Lilly is angry and upset. She says, "I'm only sixteen. I am not ready to settle down."
Veronica says, "As long as your fun doesn't hurt others Lilly it's fine but when you know you are hurting people you care about, it's not OK. That is the line you shouldn't cross."
Lilly stands and before she can get say something angry, Veronica says, "We can talk without anger Lilly. I get that you are young and not ready to settle down. I am just asking that you remember Logan's more than just a guy you fuck."
Shocked at Veronica's wording Lilly just stands there looking at her. Veronica says, "I can tell you have feelings for this guy on the side."
Unhappy at the turn the conversation is taking, Lilly says, "I don't want to talk about it."
Nodding in acceptance Veronica says, "OK." She goes over to her closet and says, "What should I wear to Dick's party?"
Lilly happily accepts the change in topic and helps Veronica pick an outfit for the party. They spend another happy few hours doing each other's nails and talking.
***
Lying in bed Veronica thinks about her day. She didn't get everything she wanted done but she got some things off her list started. She thinks about her conversation with Lilly.
Lilly is right in a way. She is only sixteen and shouldn't have to be serious with a guy right now. Maybe she should talk to Logan about not being serious about Lilly and just enjoying his time with her.
She ponders what to do about Cassidy, the other boys and Woody Goodman. Woody Goodman is in some other town probably hurting other boys. She thinks about Cassidy, Peter and Marcos wondering if any of them are ready to talk.
Well she's pretty sure that Cassidy is not since he kills a bus load of kids and a plane to keep his secret. She thinks about Marcos and Peter wondering if either of them would talk. She wonders how to even approach a conversation like that.
The first Hearst rapes don't happen for another year but Mercer probably didn't just start raping girls in college. He probably started in high school. She thinks about how to find out more about him.
She thinks about what to do about Mr. Rooks. He doesn't get Susan pregnant for another year but what if there were other girls before Susan. He just transferred here. How was she going to watch him?
She thinks about the IT guy and decides she might need Mac's help to find out more about him.
She's not sure how to get closer to Lynn and get her the support she needs. If she asks Logan for help, he will suspect something. He's smart and has proven he knows her pretty well.
Once she has the tapes from the pool house copied, what should she do? Should she give them to a reporter? Once the news came out about all the affairs and the tapes, would Lynn divorce him or would it throw her over the edge? Would she let Aaron back and would he take his anger out on Logan? Aaron deserves to lose his precious career and be disgraced but the cost can't be too high for Lynn and Logan. If she gives her father the tapes, will Aaron and his high priced lawyers ruin her father?
Right now Tim Foyle is just a student at Hearst College. Veronica doesn't know what to do about him. He can't be allowed to kill the Dean.
She rolls over and punches her pillow in frustration. There are so many problems that might be too big for her fifteen year old self to deal with. She just hasn't established a network she can use to help her solve cases or a group of contacts yet. She is really hampered by the fact she can't even drive yet.
Her mind racing with thoughts, Veronica finally gives up on sleeping and heads into the kitchen to get a snack. When she gets there she sees her father is home and warming up a hamburger.
Smiling at him she walks over and gives him a hug gently chastising him for working so late.
He turns from the stove and wraps his arms tightly around his daughter.
Veronica feeling the tension in her father knows he is close to catching the real serial killer or he has caught him. He always gets emotional when he thinks of young girls in danger.
She remembers that at this age he doesn't talk about his cases with her so she settles for reassuring him that she just woke up and that she wanted a snack. She doesn't burden him with her fight with her mother or anything else on her mind right now.
She helps him get his supper and she gets out some ice cream and has a bowl while watching her father eat.
Looking at her father now she is struck at how lonely his life with her mother is. She makes no attempt to keep care of him or give him the emotional support he deserves. No her mother is too wrapped up in loving Jake Kane and drinking to be a good wife.
Veronica tells him some gossip from school and about Lilly coming over for supper. She knows it will reassure him she is OK. She also tells him that she is not joining pep squad this year.
He smiles in happiness when she tells him she is going to try out for soccer. When she is done with her ice cream she puts the bowl in the sink and tells her father she is going to go back to bed. She says, "I love you pops."
Immediately he tells her he loves her back. He gently kisses her forehead and gives her another hug. Veronica heads to her bedroom more relaxed and ready to get a little sleep.
***
The next morning Veronica's father drops her off at school. She heads towards Logan's locker and happily finds him alone there. Now that he is single again, it is hard to find him without a girl or two hanging off him. Veronica bounces up to him and greets him. She sees he is looking her over. Today she is wearing tight black jeans with a grey t-shirt. She has her hair wavy and loose around her face. Last night Lilly did her nails so they are a glittery bright fuscia.
Logan looks fine today and Veronica smiles at the double shirts he always wears. She says, "I'm glad I caught you alone."
Smirking he says, "You know I expect that from other girls but not from you."
Laughing Veronica teases, "I am not like other girls. I have standards."
Putting his hand to his heart Logan feigns hurt. He laughs and says, "Yet you are dating DK."
Frowning a little Veronica looks down the hall for a few seconds obviously thinking. Logan notices the abrupt change in her manner when he mentions Duncan.
Turning her head back to look at Logan Veronica says, "Anyways I was thinking you should transfer to some advanced classes."
Surprised at her statement Logan looks at her and says, "You and DK are the brains of the group. I don't want to work that hard."
Tilting her head a little Veronica looks at Logan. She says, "OK but at least transfer to AP English. You shouldn't be wasting your writing skills."
A little dazed by her head tilt Logan looks at Veronica. Before he can say something sarcastic, Veronica says, "I know how good a writer you are Logan. Don't try and snow me."
Logan looks at Veronica in surprise. She meets his gaze and then suddenly says, "Oh, that reminds me..."
She looks in her big purse and pulls out a piece of paper. She says, "Would you look over my poem? I am having trouble finishing it and it is due next Monday."
She holds the paper out to Logan. He looks at the paper and says, "Veronica you are the one in advanced English, not me."
Giving Logan a tiny pout Veronica says, "Please Logan? For me?"
Hesitantly he takes the paper and puts it in his binder. Veronica smiles brilliantly at him. He looks a little mesmerized by her smile. Giving him a quick hug she says, "Thanks I really appreciate it."
As she walks off she turns. Walking backwards she gives Logan a parting shot of, "Please think about the advanced classes Logan. It is where you belong," before she turns and walks towards Duncan's locker.
Logan watches her walk away. He is definitely noticing the sway of her hips and how good her butt looks in her tight jeans. He is left wondering what is going on with Veronica. He is constantly surprised around her lately.
Veronica walks away happy that her poem is going to get done. She hates writing poetry and she got a horrible grade on this poem with her teacher telling her the ending needed work. She remembers that it took forever for her to revise it to improve her grade.
She feels satisfaction that she averted that frustation. Logan's good at writing poetry. His ending will get her a better grade and she won't have to waste time revising the stupid poem.
She wanders over to Duncan's locker ignoring the looks she receives from her classmates. She leans up and gently kisses him good morning. She says, "I'm transferring from Business Comm to Journalism."
Duncan looks over his girlfriend and frowns a little. He says, "We don't have to take Journalism until next year."
Nodding in agreement she says, "I know but I'm not really interested in business. That is more your forte. I'm thinking of becoming a journalist."
Taken aback Duncan says, "Really? That's doesn't seem like something you would enjoy."
Sighing Veronica says, "What you mean is it is not something your parents would approve of?"
Frowning Duncan says, "What do you mean?"
Hands on her hips Veronica quietly says, "Let's face it Duncan. Your mother hates me and nothing is going to change that."
Stepping closer she says, "Duncan dating me is always going to cause problems with your mother for you. It's always going to be uncomfortable. You have to decide if you want that because I am not going to put up with her anymore."
The first bell rings and Veronica says, "I have to run. I'll see you in English."
She walks off towards her home room without waiting for Duncan to walk her. She knows Duncan will never confront his mother about her and Celeste will never accept her. Although she can't really blame Celeste for being uncomfortable around her, it is not really her fault that Jake and her mother are having an affair.
Veronica sighs as she walks towards her home room class. She mentally writes her first story for journalism class. 'Student at Neptune High arrested in Dog Napping Ring' sounds good to her.
*****