Surfing Lessons

Rating: One or two bad words… Cover your eyes ^^

Chapter summary: Dick's POV. Follow directly the end of chapter two. Dick tries unsuccessfully to push Veronica away with her false words and apologies but come to a sudden realisation of his own.

A.N: Ok, someone asked me to make chapters longer. Wish granted!

Chapter three: The art of shoe lacing

It was close to midnight and Dick was at the Pi Sigs' attending their usual Friday night big fiesta. Usually, he would get a blast of being there, happily drinking the night away while meeting new interesting lady friends.

Sadly enough, he had to resign himself that it would be impossible for him to get anything akin to fun as he survived all the way through this night. In the last few hours, he had drunk way much more than he would normally have –and that meant a whole lot of cheap beers and hard liquor- but he couldn't figure out exactly why he couldn't even feel the smallest buzz out of his drinking stupor.

Life had such a way of turning you down when you needed your candy the most.

The even-more-crappier revelation out of his non-drunkenness state was that he couldn't help but consider the situation he found himself in. Sure, it wasn't that big of a deal, it wasn't the first time he'd been disappoint by Madison Sinclair. It wasn't even the first time he'd felt let down by Logan. Really, he shouldn't feel like that bad, or that shocked. It wasn't like life was really kind with him over the last year…

Loud music was blaring from the speakers as he sat on the living room couch, pondering over those dark and unwelcome thoughts. Feeling depressed sucked big time. It felt as if he was mimicking Logan whose favourite past time during the entire week had been about sulking in a corner in a badly lit room. He decided it was the time to shake out of this moping state.

Dick stood up and put on a bright smile for the effect. He scanned the room. It was an easy task for him, being somewhat taller than average people. The place was dark with people having a nice time.

When he spotted her, he walked over to a good-looking brunette who had all her attributes in the right places –if you know what he meant. "Hey," he said before turning on the charm. He had her eating in his palm within minutes. Maybe she would be tonight's ideal solution to his miserable state of mind tonight.

He smirked slightly to himself; life could be easy too.

"Do you want another drink," he asked his voice loud against the even louder music.

She nodded, looking somewhat content at his proposal. Getting her in his bed would be a piece of cake.

Dick turned from her with in mind the mission of finding new drinks for him and his new friend but he stopped all movement, looking like a deer watching its impending doom rushing down a highway at seventy-five miles per hour. His eyes met her little form standing toward the doorway and all his previous thoughts about forgetting his forlorn train of thoughts were destroyed by her presence. Veronica Mars was there. Damn.

She was there and was looking around, certainly in search of something or someone -he could care less about what or who it was, really. But as he tried to convince himself of this very same lack of care, he saw her talking with a very drunken Jenkins whom pointed in his general direction and couldn't help but hit the ground on all four as Veronica's piercing gaze scanned his corner of the room.

The girl he had been talking to seconds before –Tracey, Marty, really, he could care even less if one ask him- gave him a weird look from her standing position. He smiled sheepishly at her and motioned to his shoelace.

He griped his shoe laces, acting like he was lacing them. Heartbeats later, he examined frantically different types of shoes; sharp high heels, cute sandals, bad-asses high kneels boots and even one interesting pair of brown leather moccasins.

How much time could one fake tying his shoelaces anyway? Maybe it would have been a better idea to fake loosing his lens contact. Really, he was such a girl tonight, he scolded himself reproachfully.

He scrutinized again what could only be referred as the dwarf vision of the world and his gaze landed upon a nice pair of legs. He looked up, smirking to the nice-legged lady and leering all the way up to her body; slightly curvy, yet nicely shaped mini-skirt covered thighs, slender waist, and modest -but delicious looking from upside- breasts. His look went upper and met blonde tresses; yummy.

What was less thrilling though was that the nice package belonged to the very girl he was trying to avoid. He sighed and stood back up, facing her with a strained smile. "What's up, Ronnie?"

If Veronica had make all that way to the Pi Sigs that was for option a) do some other amazing quest to prevent the rapist to strike again or option b) apology to him. Dick hadn't heard about any other rape since Mercer and his acolyte had been put behind the bars. That meant that little Veronica Mars here was attending the party because of a pang of conscience.

She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her head to the side, her brows going heavenward. "I gotta say, Dick. That's a really nice floor. Is it hardwood?" She tapped her foot against the floor in an attempt to humour him.

He didn't bit to the bait and stood up in a huff. 'God what a drama queen I am today' he thought a second. Now facing her, he shrugged and motioned to his shoe. "I was tying my shoelace."

She nodded, her blonde locks bobbing over her shoulders with the movement, with a serious doubtful expression gracing her features. "Hu-uh. Yeah."

"Dude, I'm outta here. I'm not a fan of hot and bothered."

Dick did a few backward footsteps, smirking at her, happy to have the last word in their little play, for once. He was about to turn but Veronica grabbed his forearm, stopping his departure.

"For a P.I. extraordinaire you sure can't you get a hint," he deadpanned. He sighed with frustration and faced her once again, waiting for what came next.

He didn't know why he was this infuriated with her. She hadn't done anything wrong to him. For all he knew, she should be the one angry at him. She had many reasons to be, even; him being a friend that turned his back on her when Lily died, him being the one to offer her to his sick brother at Shelly's party and him being an ass to her for years. She all but continued speaking to him after that and here he was, brushing her away for simply telling the truth.

Yeah, he had been an asshole to her. Maybe it was time for him to put their rowdy relationship behind and actually started acting better toward her. He wouldn't go as far as hope that they'd get back to the past when they were pretty good friends, a time when their lives were much simpler.

Dick glanced down at her face and saw hesitation there. Veronica was staring to a point behind his shoulders, clearly struggling with what to say. When she gathered enough courage, she looked straight into his eyes: "Look, I'm sorry about this morning..."

He rolled his eyes at her, somewhat coming to terms with his new resolution; he would put the past with the past.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. I'm over Madison and Logan already did his little sappy speech. And honestly, there's nothing you should apologize for." Then he felt the need to add: "So, do you want a beer or something?"

Dick had proposed a drink, but in fact, he had been offering something completely different, something both of them were unfamiliar with. Something he couldn't describe. She could refuse his peace offering or accept it. It was now hers to take.

She smiled up at him; a little smile, but a smile nonetheless. She must have anticipated another brush off from him or another typical Dick rudeness. They were on new grounds now and he pinpointed the exact moment she realised that too.

He knew Veronica wasn't the type of girl to drink, but he was pleased when she nodded and accepted his proposal. "Yes, a beer would be nice, thanks."

"Alright, a beer for the lady, then." He made a first attempt at a smile to her; not his usual trademark grin, a real smile this time; one of those he had in store back in the days. He twisted them around and the both of them make their way toward the kitchen.

To be continued...