the alcohol to the flame

[logan_echolls]

Aaron Echolls! Next spectacle this Tuesday night, 6pm, after the premiere of "Beyond the Breaking Point", sequel to "The Breaking Point". Starring in this spectacle is Aaron, himself, as The Punisher; his wife Lynn Echolls (formerly the one time famous Lynn Lester) as The Pill-Popping Alcoholic and Ignorant Mother; and lastly, his son, Logan

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[renewedsoul_v]

"Hi, Logan." I said, eyeing the smile a little suspiciously. There was no Lilly or Duncan in sight, so why put in the effort?

I thought about refusing for half a second, but who was I kidding...it was still a bit of a walk to the Kane's from here, and I could deal with Logan for 5 extra minutes.

"A ride would actually be nice, if you wouldn't mind." I admitted to him after a moment.

[logan_echolls]

I reach over and pop open the passenger door for her. I can tell by the look in her eyes that she's all too suspicious of my actions like I'll have an alterior motive for her. What devious and evil thing will Logan think of next? I'm truthfully getting a little tired of that attitude. So, I sigh and settle back into my seat

[renewedsoul_v]

"Thanks." I say, smiling just slightly as I get in the car and get buckled in. "I appreciate the ride. I guess I just wasn't expecting it. I mean, I know you don't like me and I'm not expecting you to. So thanks."

I let out a little breath and stared out the window for a moment as he started the car again.

"I take it from the suit you didn't stay home long enough to get changed after the premiere?" I asked, entirely unsure of why I was even asking it other than to have some noise other than the radio.

It's not like I hate Logan or anything, just, without Duncan and Lilly, we'd probably go out of our ways to avoid contact. Instead we're constantly together for the sake of the people we love, with absolutely nothing else short of the fact that we attend the same school in common.

[logan_echolls]

Oh, Veronica, where could you have possibly gotten the idea that I just don't like you? I didn't see much of her past the pep and just her being together with Duncan. Maybe, if I saw some substance, I would like her or even know what to say around her. I knew how to make her uncomfortable and I knew a good percentage of things that would make her blush, but I was sure that I didn't know Veronica at all.

No, it's untrue and I'm being unfair. She did have substance. She was fun at homecoming. But then again that adventure was all what we needed then. We all had fun. Just let loose and were ourselves.

I let out a breath as she asked about me staying home long enough to change. Part of me hadn't even realized that I was still in the suit until the tie seemed too tight around my neck. I wanted to get out of my house as fast as I possibly could.

"No. I told Lilly I'd meet her after it." I make this fake smile towards Veronica which makes me grimace inside. "Lilly doesn't really like to be kept waiting, now does she?"

[renewedsoul_v]

"No, she really doesn't." I agreed, laughing softly. There were countless times she'd threatened to leave without me because I wasn't ready when Lilly decided I should be. When she says she wants something, she means it. Right at that second.

"You guys got anything special planned, or just hanging out?" I asked. I knew Lilly found the big Hollywood events boring. Otherwise she probably would have been with Logan already, showing off for Entertainment Tonight or Access Hollywood, or something. "Either way she's probably been impatiently waiting for you to get there since before you even left tonight."

[logan_echolls]

I have to spread a real smile at Veronica's words and at her expression. The same face that knew that Lilly always got what she wanted or she'd go elsewhere. It was Lilly Kane, who would deny her? I had no trouble admitting that I couldn't.

I'm pretty sure that exchanging saliva was in the plan for Lilly and I, but I don't say it to Veronica. She says it enough for the two of us, plus some. Lilly may not have had any problem with actually promenading our sex life, but I was friends with Duncan and that sort of thing never went over well. He knew that was enough. I'm pretty sure that Veronica knew more than he did.

"Just hanging out." I say, tapping my fingers against the steering wheel for a moment. "You've got plans with Duncan or just hanging too?" Knowing the two of them, the four of us would probably be pulled together in a room.

[renewedsoul_v]

"Just hanging out, too." I nodded in response to his question. Duncan and I were generally pretty content to just spend time with each other most of the time. Didn't really matter so much what we were doing.

I knew enough from Lilly to know they'd probably be doing a lot more than hanging out, but I wasn't about to call him on that. Somethings were better left unsaid.

"Hanging out with Duncan's definitely a better option than spending the evening watching dumb old movies with my parents. You don't want to be around when they're watching that stuff, trust me." I commented, "It's kinda scary."

[logan_echolls]

I couldn't help but wonder what she meant by it being scary to watch dumb old movies with her parents. She was supplying a topic I could ask about and keeping conversation between two non-friends was something rather than nothing.

"Scary?" I asked, a bit of amusement on my face as I glanced over to her. "How so?" Even though her dad was sheriff, I truly didn't find him in any way frightening - not even with a gun. Lianne Mars didn't exactly strike fear into me either, but it was hard to compare. I knew more than anything her parents probably mocked the movie, talked in weird voices that mimicked the actors, and recited quotes.

"They're big black and white movie buffs or something?" Fans of Natalie Wood, Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, that was something I imagined for Veronica's parents.

[renewedsoul_v]

"Sometimes it's classic stuff. Be nice if it was, actually." I commented. "But no, half the time, like tonight's selection of 'Staying Alive', it's stuff they watched when they were dating at when that happens...well, you know how you think Duncan and I can be sappy at times? They put us to shame on the sap meter. And that? Is a side of their parents no kid needs to see." I shook my head. There was nothing but embarrassment in the fact that my parents were sitting watching that movie right this minute.

Logan was partly right, they had a tendency to love the old detective movies and things like that, but they also watched a scary amount of Travolta's early stuff.

"I don't mind watching movies with them generally. Especially if it's something we're all enjoying mocking, but I don't have any great desire to be included in what amounts to a date night."

[logan_echolls]

I had to groan aloud at her parents taste in movies. "You know, if you had said Grease it would have been at least a step up in the right direction. If you pick something with Travolta in it at least go for Pulp Fiction, am I right? I'm not even including the fact that you called it a date night for them."

I shook my head towards her, a small smile curling on my face. Bumbling sheriff and his bumbling wife; at least Veronica didn't share their opinions of good movies - not as far as I knew.

Movies and date nights - Hey, what ever works for them. "Maybe it's the ever-so-attractive sideburns?" I suggested.

What was once considered cool had now more than definitely changed. I'm sure they'd always think fondly upon that past. It wasn't as if occasionally I didn't see moments of my parents rising to that level of era nostalgia. No, I never did. Our constant need for image and example continued to leak into our family life.

[renewedsoul_v]

"Exactly. At least Grease is considered to be a classic worth remembering. And I really can't argue with the choosing Pulp Fiction, or even Broken Arrow, just about anything Travolta over Staying Alive, actually." I commented, smiling back just slightly. "Well, of course the Look Who's Talking movies need to be banished from whatever archive they're in, but that's beside the point."

Can't really blame Logan for thinking my parents are being total geeks right now. Which the groan made it clear he was, but the thing is? They are. I love them dearly, but come on. I'm cooler than they are, and I know that's not saying much.

"Sideburns?" I rolled my eyes slightly, laughing at the idea. Some 70's fashions should just be left there. "Right. Must be it. Well, that explains my mom anyway. My dad's probably just watching because she wants to. Dad's good like that though. Can't begin to count the amount of times he's watched the South Park movie with me."

[logan_echolls]

I laughed, the grin of pure amusement still on my face. It was such a relief to just be away from the house discussing nothing at all. This was what I wanted to do: put my parents out of my mind and take in the company of my friends (or rather almost friends in this case - Veronica was... something

[renewedsoul_v]

"I don't know if I'd cal it a full set, but it is fairly substantial." I told Logan. That bit of info was embarrassing enough without going into exact details. Not that I really thought my mom was going to care much what Logan Echolls thought of her. His parents maybe, but not him. She never cared what kids thought of her

[logan_echolls]

I could almost bet that her mother's set included the movie Carrie just for the brief moments he spent on screen. I silently listed the movies off in my head. Hey, when you spend a fair amount of time looking at IMDB.com, you pick up some things. Not to mention how show business and the Echolls were intertwined

[renewedsoul_v]

"They only exist because they make the studios easy money, built in audience and all, right? I mean that basically explains how your dad still has a thriving career." I commented when he pointed out sequels should be avoided at all costs.

"Sorry, Logan." I laughed as he tsked me. Wasn't really all that sorry and we both knew it. "Just don't really believe South Park was the sole factor in your warped brain. Contributor I'd buy."

"Would it really be as fun for you if I were to just tell you?" I questioned. Sure, it'd be faster, but if he wanted maximum amusement, why just tell him? He'd known me long enough, known the two people I was closest two outside of my parents long enough, to make a few decent guesses, I was sure.

"I mean, if you just want to get right to the teasing, I can tell you. Whatever." I shrugged. He was right though, if we weren't snarking we basically weren't talking unless we were forced to. Why mess with what worked?

[logan_echolls]

"My dad still has a career because of obsessive fan girls who like to see him with his shirt off and because of crack producers who like that he sells because of previously said girls." I corrected Veronica almost immediately.

Reasons or not my father had a career was past me. I was the epitome of not caring. "Come to think of it, I think they just let out one of his sequelled movies today. It's not nearly half as touching as the one he's putting out at Christmas."

If you want the real reason I have a warped mind, Veronica... - I shook it off, ignored the pain still spreading on my lower back.

"Let me guess. Since, yes, you did point out that it would be fun," I said, motioning towards her with the usual witty smile. "Among these movies would be... Spice World and Batman Forever. Though, I do suspect that out of the Travolta collection you'd own Saturday Night Fever and Grease. Like you said, at least Grease is a classic."