"Howdya like your birthday present?" Logan Echolls - trademark smirk in place - leaned against the hood of the grey convertible.
She lowered her eyelids for a split second before standing up. No, he was not going to get away with this.
"Absolutely lovely, I dare say," she spoke in impeccable British English. "Nothing like a slashed tire to brighten a lady's day."
"I'm much obliged, milady," he responded with a dramatic bow. Cheers and whistles ensued all around, none meant to encourage the actual lady on site.
Did he intentionally set up the parking lot circus to humiliate her? She didn't know. If she had to guess, he probably did. Unrelenting, she kneeled down again to refocus on her tire-changing ritual, her third for the school year.
"My, my, my, what big arms you have!" Logan's sneered sarcastically.
"All the more to punch you with, my dear."
She didn't have to look up to hear his snort. It was all a game to him.
"Bullies only want to see you shaken so that others won't notice how much they themselves are," her father's voice echoed in her mind. Unfortunate as it may be, he actually had a point. She bit back the words on the tip of her tongue as she hauled out her spare tire.
"Dude! We're missing the party at my girlfriend's place. Let's go!" Logan's buddy Rick slapped his shoulder. "What are you doing watching Little Miss White Trash anyway."
She repeated her father's advice a dozen more times in her mind.
Apparently sick of the scenery, Logan shrugged. "Beats watching a dog fight."
They took off without another word, the afternoon crowd dissipating along with their king's departure.
Her hands painfully bolting her tire in place, she trailed her nemesis's retreating figure out of the corner of her eye. He had no right to be king. He was no idol, no faithful lover, and no tender friend. Logan Echolls was a jackass. He was a total jerk who would use exactly what he knew about you to destroy you in the most hurtful way.
But she refused to be destroyed.
The sun was dipping into the horizon by the time she strapped on her seatbelt. She clenched her jaw. No one could destroy her, not even Logan Echolls.
"Happy birthday, Amber," she greeted herself with a sigh as she backed out towards her plans for the night.

Veronica leans back, re-reading the latest story on the archive: "Echolls Unchained" by M2r5hM2ll0ws. Typing out the drabble was total impulse, and pressing the "publish" button was even more so. Yet here she is, the impossible Veronica Mars, glued to her screen, wondering why she who had condemned fanfiction just days ago is now a publishing author.

At least, no one has to know it's her, right?

Veronica sighs.

There's something oddly therapeutic about sharing inward thoughts vicariously through fictional characters with strangers around the world. And for her? The sweet spot is the anonymity of it all.

Sure, Chelsea's most probably online; but for the most part, these strangers didn't have to know who she is. And since they don't, she's under no obligation to reciprocate any interest beyond their common acquaintance - or obsession, for some - of Logan Echolls.

No one needs to know that he and she used to be friends. No one needs to learn that their intimate friendship has long been traded for ruthless barbs and mutual destruction just because they can't agree about the one person they'd both loved with all their hearts.

He's Logan Echolls - Hollywood's beloved offspring. And right now, she is M2r5hM2ll0ws, a faceless secret agent subverting the world of pretend stories in a quest to reveal the truth.

"Veronica, dinner's ready!" Good ol' Papa Keith hollers down the hall.

Veronica smiles. At least heaven left her one last ally.

"Coming!" she calls as she pulls down her laptop screen.

"You've got mail," pipes her computer, and she unfolds it back to take a look.

A reader has posted a comment on your story – the subject line says it all.

Someone actually read her work? Well, that was fast.

She clicks the given link.

"This story is so exiting! I cant wait to see what will happen next" - rayofsunshine

Next? You mean, they're expecting more?

A string of alerts keep her on her chair.

"I see so much potential! Keep it up!" - lovebirdsforever
"I LOVE THIS! Pls continu" - sassymiriam
"Oooh...who is Amber meeting for her bday? Can't wait for the next chapter!" - bynesforever

People expect these stories to actually go somewhere? Well, that's unheard of.

"Veronica! Lasagna's getting cold!"

Veronica shakes her head, trying to clear off the effects the few sentences gave her.

She's long sworn off living for an audience, not since Lilly died. There's nothing more painful that giving everything you are to make other people's lives perfect only to be shown how little they care for yours. When it comes to finding satisfaction in other people's approval, she's been there and done that. Nothing to see there.

So when her dad threatens to finish off dinner by himself one more time and another e-mail alert jumps on screen - Veronica inexplicably clicks it again.

"You are a gifted writer. I can vividly see what youre trying to portray. Amber is not just a typical teenage girl. She is strong and resilient. You've done a great job!" - PerfectPrincess

But sometimes, that bit of indulgence might just be worth it.


Veronica could kill herself for how she got here. And yet, here she is.

Here she is looking awkwardly at the bathroom door, knowing that Chelsea is about to barge in any minute, ready to exchange notes on how they're now both being bullied online.

Veronica huffs out an exasperated sigh. Who is she kidding? Chelsea doesn't know she's the latest writer on the forum. Chelsea's alias commented as much.

"You write about Logan as if you've met him. Whoever you are, pls keep writing. This is really super good." – LLEcholls4Ever

"Hi Veronica, how are you?" Chelsea's real-life voice has her companion looking up.

Veronica shrugs. "You know, hanging out in my room in front of my computer, hiding in the girl's bathroom, and then going back home to my room to repeat the cycle all over again."

Man, she needs to get a life.

"I'm sorry, Veronica, if my case is bothering you so much," Chelsea apologizes, her voice all sincerity.

Veronica smirks to herself. "No problem, kid." She holds out her hand. "What's the update?"

Chelsea's eyes instantly water as she hands over a stack of fresh homemade posters. Veronica grits her teeth as she flips through the material. Obscenities aside, the bullies have been growing increasingly personal in their attack, making it incredibly clear how much they'd been reading Chelsea's story.

Veronica grips one particular poster that has Chelsea's profile picture pasted and then crossed out with a red marker. The inscription, in sloppy handwriting, screams, "Wait all you want. Logan will never have sex with you."

Veronica sighs. "When did you find these?"

"Right after third period."

Veronica nods. "Based on the IP address, 'SoAwsome' has been posting comments from both a school computer and a location in the 09 zip. She may not know how to spell her own name, but she sure never stops reading. I'll check class records later to see which 09er has computer for fourth period and got a hall pass today during third. That should get her soon enough."

The gratefulness lighting Chelsea's face tightens her grip on Veronica's compassion. The girl may be foolish, but she's definitely just as sweet.

"Thanks, Veronica. You are so good at this."

"I'm not," she huffs. "Can't even figure out that 'kawaiino' girl. But hey, one at a time, right?"

An unexpected glimmer of pain appears and disappears on the freshman's face. Chelsea nods. "Yeah, one at a time. And really, Veronica, you've done so much already."

Veronica walks over to the counter to stuff the posters into her backpack. "I'll keep these for today just to check for more clues. Are you holding up alright?"

Chelsea nods, more firmly this time. "Bullies only want to see you shaken so that others won't notice how much they themselves are."

Veronica catches her breath.

"And I'm not gonna give them that satisfaction," Chelsea concludes.

"That's cool." Veronica's voice sounds entirely too foreign. "Uhm, how did you know that line?"

"You read 'Echolls Unchained' too?" Chelsea instantly gushes. "Isn't it amazing?"

"Oh, yeah, I guess?"

Chelsea grips her hands to her chest in rapt glee. "I so ship Amber and Logan."

"You what?"

Huh?

"I ship them, like totally. Even if I like Logan, others can like him too, you know."

"Wait, what? What's 'ship'?"

Chelsea laughs. "Shipping someone is, like, showing how much you want them together, you know? Amber is so strong and sharp. It's gonna be a great story."

"You think the story is - a romance?" Veronica could feel her lungs constrict.

"Yeah!" Chelsea sputters with a 'well, duh' expression on her face. "Don't you feel the sexual tension? It's gonna be awesome."

Veronica couldn't form a single word before Chelsea's wrapping her in another one of her bear hugs. "I'm so glad you like fanfiction now. It's amazing, right?"

And the younger girl is out the door before the other even catches her breath.


Madison Sinclair – should've known all along without all the investigating.

Veronica narrows her eyes as she watches the long-haired blond flip her locks while sashaying down the rundown mall like an exaggerating prize horse. Veronica lifts her camera. This has got to be good.

Let's see what your boyfriend thinks of your secret crush on Logan tomorrow.

The moment Mac and her computer wizardry synced with Wallace's office sleuthing, only one possible bully candidate was clearly marked in red. Considering most of her test papers were dripping with the same bloody color, it really wasn't hard to pull off the next step.

Veronica slides into position just as Madison turns the corner into the sprawling, gaudy fan-art booth. One private message through the website, three hours of planning with Wallace, and a small bribe of the sleepy manager at the mall office was all it took to erect this mini shrine to Logan Echolls – complete with blurry photo T-shirts, I-Luv-Lo mugs, and posters with a flurry of forged signatures.

Hey, she practiced everyone's signatures back in the day; don't judge.

"You sure this is a good idea, Vee?" Wallace asks over the phone line the moment she picks up.

"She deserves it Wallace, I promise."

"And what're we gonna do with the leftover stock?"

She never did like questions she can't answer. "Chelsea or someone's gonna want it. Stop talking. She's right in front of you now. Bye."

She snaps off the line just when Madison walks up to Wallace in his salesman garb. Veronica can't help a chuckle. Leave it to Madison to not recognize a Sac'n'Pac uniform recycled.

Fifteen minutes and a few dozen stolen shots later, Miss Sassy Sinclair lugs out her Logan Echolls merchandise out the mall entrance, all the while scowling at her dirty surroundings. It's a wonder she responded as enthusiastically to the message as she did.

Back next to Wallace in their patched-up stall, Veronica sighs. Did she go too far?

"Stupid M2r5hM2ll0ws. Another person who wnats to dream of Logan lovin' her. Ya guys are a bunch of skanks. Lo needs to be with someone in real life, not like you." - SoAwsome

You get tough; you get even.

She can't wait to have the world congregate at Madison's locker tomorrow.


Hands shoot up over ears all over the hallway at the piercing scream right after the lunch bell. Veronica leans partially into the shadows. Always one to claim her victories, she just can't find herself too proud of this one at the moment.

"I am going to kill whoever did this!"

It's a wonder the windows stay intact.

Things rarely go as planned for Veronica Mars, but this time seems to be a rare exception.

Madison screams, Madison thrashes every photo of her trying on Logan T-shirts and kissing Logan mugs, and Madison yells at everybody to go away.

Dick Casablancas marches up, takes a while to comprehend, declares the situation uncool, and breaks up with her on the spot.

The school gasps, the school watches, and the school chatters the day away.

What's new, really?


Nothing, apparently.

For as Veronica leans back on her bed that night, instinctively logging on to her alternateuniverse account, life feels more like an old and boring chess game than an exciting teenage adventure. There's really no fun without the curveballs.

"You right really well. Luv you." – flamencogirl
"Amber is a smart girl who deserves so much better. Can't wait to read the next chapter!" – RosemaryAnne

She smiles. Who knew broken little phrases could be the best part of her day?

"U should write 4ever! Looooooove this to pieces." – helena0troy

And guess what? Even her nerd side couldn't resist it.

"Amber is as feisty as they come. It's nice to see strong, intelligent female characters being created on this site." - V3nd3tta

Veronica smiles. Maybe life could be interesting again, after all.


A/N: Here ends Act I out of III. Thank you to wolfe80 for inspiring the Little Red Riding Hood reference with her beautiful work "Rocky Shores." Veronica's descent from skeptic to avid part of fanfiction actually echoes my own. As always, I hope that no one was offended by the humor involved in the very meta approach of this story. I hope to hear your thoughts in any shape or form. Enjoy!

A/N: And for those awaiting the next update to "In Between," I'm sorry for the delay. This new chapter just felt more ready to be written than the other one. I'll get to that one soon. I promise!