The Return 6: Belong (Ensemble) PG-13
Title: The Return 6-Belong
Rating: PG-13 (for profanity)
Characters/Pairings:Veronica, Logan, Piz, Parker (mentions of: Lilly the first, Duncan, Dick, Mac, Wallace, Weevil)
Word Count: 2,997
Spoilers: All episodes (from 1.01: Pilot to 3.20: The Bitch Is Back. Just to be sure) Although this is obviously AU and there are obviously going to be some alterations to events and especially some in the last couple of episodes.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Literally, nothing. So don’t sue me over his, because you won’t get anything. It all belongs to Rob Thomas and if I had owned it when it was still on the last season would have been way different.
A/N: This story was also no originally mine, and I’d really like to stress that in the first two chapters. The original story can be found here) And this is my first attempt at anything AU, so… enjoy
Chapter 1: Awake/ Chapter 2: Homecoming/ Chapter 3: Forgive/ Chapter 4: Arrival/ Chapter 5: Reconnect
The Return
6
Belong
~Veronica~
Sprawled out on her stomach on the bed in the room she currently occupied, Veronica stretched, arching her back and pushing her arms out as far as she could reach. With the movement her torso pushed deeper into the mattress, making her look ‘U’ shaped as her legs were bent at knee and sticking straight in the air. Releasing the position and letting her taut body relax again she refocused her eyes on her computer screen.
She was putting in some face time with her lap top, getting a break from the human species. She’d been alternating her time between Lilly and Wallace for the past three days, spending as much time with both of them while trying not to alienate anyone else. Logan had pretty much set up camp in the game room with Duncan and Dick, occasionally Wallace when she wasn’t around. And occasionally Piz when Logan wasn’t around. She wasn’t quite sure why they had thought inviting Piz or Parker was a good idea, but when Logan had suggested it she had agreed. Now she wished that Logan had only invited her, so that when they had found out about Lilly they could of come up and it would just be the four of them. Then again that would’ve been weird her ex-boyfriend asking her to take a trip up into the mountains, even if he knew that they were going up to meet Duncan.
Still, we could of left out the awkward exes. Veronica thought to herself, glancing at her open bedroom door. Any minute now she expected Piz to come in and give her the puppy face, asking her to ‘go for a walk’. Or Parker, telling her she thinks she may have been too hasty, ending things with Logan the way she did. Or Dick, wondering why the hell she was doing homework. Or Logan, leaning oh so casually on the door frame, smirking at her.
Actually, she didn’t have to expect that one anymore, because there he was, doing exactly that.
“Can I help you?” Veronica questioned, her tone innocent and casual.
“This is pretty weird, everyone else here on vacation. Lilly awake from a coma. Duncan and his daughter here, even though he’s facing a kidnapping charge. And you, sitting up here doing homework.” Logan moved from the door frame to tower above her.
Craning her neck back to look straight up at him, she replied in the same nonchalance that he’d used. “It’d only be weird if it were Dick doing homework. I’m a brown-nosing over-achiever. Remember?”
The right corning of Logan’s mouth lifted a little more, turning the smirk into a smile. “True.”
She saved her files and exited out of all her programs, shutting the computer down. Slowly she shut it, scooting over at the same time to make room for Logan. “Again, can I help you?”
Logan walked around the bed to lay next to her, completely parallel. His legs hung off one side of the bed and his arms the other if he didn’t keep them folded up. Turning his head slightly to the right, Logan looked directly into her eyes.
“What’s going to happen now?” He questioned, the look in his eyes telling her that he was talking more about her plans for the remainder of the day.
“With what Logan? Now that Lilly’s awake or that you’ve brought Duncan back?” Veronica had no tolerance for beating around the bush today, especially with this particular topic.
“Both, but mostly with the Lilly thing. Duncan might not stay, so he’s not really a big deal. But Lilly… She’s not going anywhere. Not unless you decided to move to Siberia.” Logan said, a sudden though coming over him and causing his eyes to darken with the seriousness of his next sentence. “Don’t move to Siberia.”
“Okay, I won’t move to Siberia.” Veronica laughed a little at Logan before getting serious again herself. “I don’t know what what’s going to happen now. I guess it all depends on the next move. Lilly may want to finish up high school and then start going to Hearst. Or she may finish high school and got to Vassar like she wanted. I can’t exactly predict what Lilly is going to do. Remember? That wasn’t something that was ever possible.”
“I meant with us.” At Veronica’s stern look, Logan went on. “I don’t mean us us. I mean us, like you and me and our friends. I mean us, as in you and me and the friendship we’ve finally figured out. I mean the way we are without her, who we are. What happens to the people we became without her. Because it’s all going to change you know, everything.”
Veronica’s stomach dropped, and she felt like she was going to be sick. She had told Wallace that nothing was going to change, that they’d always be like they always were. She had told herself the same thing. That nothing was really different, just one extra friend, but when she looked at it now all she could see was the lie she told herself. That everything would be the same.
She hated change.
But it would have to change. Case in point right in front of her, Logan didn’t let anything be. Logan Echolls was usually the catalyst for change, whether it was for the good or the bad, he made things change.
Crap.
~Logan~
Veronica is starting to fidget with the comforter, and he’s starting to realize just how little she had thought about this.
That wasn’t the girl he knew now. The girl he knew was always prepared and thought about things. Over-analyzed. The one that didn’t think about consequences and side-effects was the old Veronica. The Old Veronica always thought all good things came for free, there wasn’t ever any price on her happiness. All good things came for free, while it was the bad things you paid for.
“I mean, are we still us? Or is Lilly really going to change everything?” Is Lilly going to change you into someone else?
Logan couldn’t ask the question. He knew as soon as he did it would transform into some jab at her independence and she was going to get mad and they would fight. She has a mind of her own, he knew that. He also knew how powerful the draw of Lilly Kane was, and he knew what a tight hold she could have on you when you were stuck in her web. It was near impossible to leave break free.
“We’ll always be us, Logan. It doesn’t change the fact that we have a friendship separate from them.” Veronica nudged him with her shoulder, almost pushing him off the small part of the bed she had afforded him.
“I hope so, especially considering…” Logan let himself trail off, unsure how to broach the topic of Duncan’s return. There had been now discussion on whether or not Duncan would be there long-term, just that he was there and all was good.
Logan had gotten a call a little over a month ago, from Clarence Weidman of all people. Logan had been cryptically informed that Donuts would be back in season next month if he was interested and had a secure location. Logan had gone about his grocery shopping, looking behind him periodically with a concern that the crazy man was stalking him.
Two days later it dawned on Logan exactly who he was and what that statement would mean. Of course, that’s when he’d gotten a letter with instructions. That’s when they had made all the plans for Duncan to be in Tahoe, for Veronica and Logan to be there, for the rest of their friends to attend as a cover (Logan’s idea, to cover for the weirdness that was surely to happen with just him and his ex-girlfriend). Never once had they discussed how long Duncan could stay. Now Logan wished he would have asked.
“Especially considering what, Logan?” Veronica asked, seemingly not for the first time, pulling Logan from his thoughts.
“Considering that we didn’t have too much of that the last time it was the four of us.” Logan rushed out, chickening out on his real question. He could tell she knew that wasn’t what he really wanted to say, but she didn’t push it.
“Well, we’ve changed. All of us. Well, except for maybe Lilly, but it’s not like that was her choice. If she had been awake these last four years she wouldn’t be the same.” Veronica paused, a small smile on her face as she looked off to the side in thought. “Of course, if she had been awake all these years there’s a pretty good chance that none of us would be the same, and we wouldn’t be friends with any of these people. Except Dick, I don’t thing we’ll ever escape him.”
“Speaking of friends, how are Wallace and Lilly getting along?” Logan decided a change of subject was needed before things got tense and awkward and they stopped dancing around the subject. Was she going to go back to Duncan if he was back?
“They haven’t really seen each other, actually. It’s not like I’m purposely keeping them apart, they just don’t have much in common really. With Lilly I’m catching her up on gossip and fashion, which by the way she approves of my less than pastel wardrobe. And with Wallace it’s the pool and video games.” Veronica’s mood and face visibly lightened at the mention of her friends.
“I can think of something they have in common, without any thought at all really.” Logan grinned at the confused look on her face. “It’s really quite obvious.”
“What?” Veronica pressured, before adding. “And if this is going to be something dirty, you can forget it.”
“You.”
“Oh. That.”
“I like that you just called yourself ‘that’.” Logan took a breath before continuing, shaking his a head a little at her choice of word. “Wallace loves you, you’re like his sister and believe me, I know.” Only a brother could be that protective when talking to a girl’s boyfriend. “And you know Lilly has always adored you. You’re the one person she loves more than herself. They’ll get along, you just have to give them a chance.”
Rolling her eyes, Veronica brushed off his reasoning, a look of concern coming over her face.
“But what if they don’t get along?” Veronica’s worry was sweet and endearing, her eyes widening with it so that she seemed almost like a child.
“They have more in common than just you, but you’re enough for them to want to get along. Will you stop worrying about it? It’s not like they’re going to hate each other and force you to choose between them.”
~Piz~
“Does it seem like we don’t really belong here?” Parker asked as she slid onto the couch next to him.
He’d been trying to fit himself in for the last couple of days, find a place to hang out. Oddly, with only ten people-eleven counting the baby-there seemed to be quite the development of cliques. There were even a little crossover cliques, depending on the time of day. Sadly, Piz hadn’t been able to fit into any of these groups.
Mac, Wallace and Veronica formed a group. They were like the ‘Bond Team’, all involved in the solving of crimes and sleuthing. Sure Veronica did all the field work, but Wallace and Mac were like her back-up and tech support. That was one group Piz had no way to get into, since he’d botched one of Veronica’s jobs back in August. They didn’t seem to be working on anything right now, but the mere fact that they did that together made them separate. Plus they were specifically Veronica’s friends, she’d laid claim and they were her most loyal. At least that’s what he’d thought before this trip.
Mac, Dick, Wallace and Logan formed the ‘Gamers’, holed up in what had become the game room in this over-sized cabin. Or was it an under-sized mansion? They played game after game, hour after hour. And no matter how many times they promised him a turn, Piz had come to expect that he was never going to get it. Especially if Mac and Wallace were with Veronica. If it was Logan and Dick they just grunted in response, barely tolerating him. If it was just Dick her either just got a slew of insults or ignored completely. He preferred the latter, since Dick’s insults were always on his looks or his former relationship with Veronica.
The big group seemed to be Veronica, Logan, Lilly and Duncan, the ‘Popular Kids’. He’d never really heard of Duncan before this, just a casual ‘my first boyfriend’ explanation when they had been recounting past relationships. Lilly seemed to be this amazing creature that floated around the house, barely deigning to look at him, let alone speak to him. Logan followed Veronica and Lilly around like a puppy. The odd thing was, around these people Logan seemed happy and mildly chipper as apposed to his brooding, angry silence. Veronica giggled and smiled and just seemed more open and trusting, like these were the people she trusted. There was no way in hell he was going to get into that group, not when they seemed like such a force.
The last group consisted of him, Parker and that Weevil guy, the ‘Outsiders’. Even then, Weevil didn’t seem like he was in there group. Weevil could have his own group, ‘Scary Loner Guy’, while him and Parker kept this clique.
“We don’t. We didn’t go to Neptune High, we don’t know why this Duncan guy is never around. I’m not exactly sure why Lilly was in a coma or why she’s so sorry for whatever it was she did to Logan.” At Parker’s strange look, he continued. “I’ve heard her say it a couple of time, then he gets that angry face that he gets and he goes off to pout. But we don’t know these people, not like we thought we did.”
“I talked to Lilly at the hotel that day. But since then, when I’ve tried to talk to her, it’s almost as if the resents me for being here. Logan and Veronica haven’t really said much to me and Mac is always off with Wallace or Dick.”
“Why is she with Dick?” Piz questioned, that pairing didn’t seem right.
“They went to high school together too, and I think they used to be friends with this guy Cassidy, who had pet beaver.” Piz turned his head slowly to look at her, his expression clearly questioning her sanity. “They’re all rich here, well in Neptune, maybe money can buy you illegal pets. It didn’t work for Paris Hilton, but it might work for others. But I kind of get the impression that this Cassidy guy committed suicide or got killed in a car accident with a bus or something.”
“I’ve never heard Wallace or Veronica mention a Cassidy, but it’s not like they’re the most open people either.” At least not with us. Piz didn’t think that he had to voice the last part, Parker already knew.
“And that Weevil guy? He’s kind of scary, like in a quiet and casual kind of way, you know? It’s not over the top, ‘I’m gonna beat your ass’ kind of scary, just ‘I’m here and if you do something I don’t particularly like you’re gonna find yourself bleeding in a ditch’ kind of way. Like he wears it comfortably, you know? Like it’s always been there, naturally.” Parker finished her description of the guy Piz had only known as a maintenance guy with a look around, making sure it was still just them and their subject hadn’t suddenly popped in for a visit.
“You should have heard what he said to me that first day, that old school Weevil did something with a pole, but the new one has been to prison. I guess he used to be the leader of a biker gang or something, at least that’s what I got out of Wallace before Logan came to get him for their little DDR tournament.” Piz finished bitterly, still trying to picture Logan playing DDR seriously, but it was impossible. Logan was way too serious for that.
“Yeah, I guess that got a little out of hand and they broke a lamp and the coffee table. Mac said that she thinks the boys had been drinking beforehand, but Wallace swears up and down that she was the drunk one. The both seemed to agree that the judge was more than a little trashed though.” Parker’s voice didn’t seem all that upset when she spoke about the even no one had bothered to invite her to. In fact, it was as though she really did think it was funny.
“Who was the judge?” Just another thing Wallace didn’t tell him. He was starting to get a little sick of this, being left out simply because he didn’t go to high school with them.
“Veronica. It was her idea, she basically bribed Logan with cookies to get him to agree and bring the game out. Something about Monopoly and pink houses or lipstick, I can’t really remember. He was mumbling about it when we were in the kitchen.” Parker stretched, her arms reaching over her head as her back arched, showing a strip of bare stomach as she did so. Why isn’t she my type again? “Veronica volunteered me to help with dinner, but then switched from lasagna to snickerdoodles when he agreed and I got stuck with the actual dinner.”
That’s why, because I apparently go for emotionally unavailable best friends’ of my roommate that aren’t really all that interested, just on the rebound.
“Yeah, I definitely get the feeling that I don’t belong.” Piz said, referring back the question she’d asked him when she first sat down.
“Toto, we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore. Or Colorado. Or Oregon.” Parker joked.
7:Bets
Rating: PG-13 (for profanity)
Characters/Pairings:Veronica, Logan, Piz, Parker (mentions of: Lilly the first, Duncan, Dick, Mac, Wallace, Weevil)
Word Count: 2,997
Spoilers: All episodes (from 1.01: Pilot to 3.20: The Bitch Is Back. Just to be sure) Although this is obviously AU and there are obviously going to be some alterations to events and especially some in the last couple of episodes.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Literally, nothing. So don’t sue me over his, because you won’t get anything. It all belongs to Rob Thomas and if I had owned it when it was still on the last season would have been way different.
A/N: This story was also no originally mine, and I’d really like to stress that in the first two chapters. The original story can be found here) And this is my first attempt at anything AU, so… enjoy
Chapter 1: Awake/ Chapter 2: Homecoming/ Chapter 3: Forgive/ Chapter 4: Arrival/ Chapter 5: Reconnect
The Return
6
Belong
~Veronica~
Sprawled out on her stomach on the bed in the room she currently occupied, Veronica stretched, arching her back and pushing her arms out as far as she could reach. With the movement her torso pushed deeper into the mattress, making her look ‘U’ shaped as her legs were bent at knee and sticking straight in the air. Releasing the position and letting her taut body relax again she refocused her eyes on her computer screen.
She was putting in some face time with her lap top, getting a break from the human species. She’d been alternating her time between Lilly and Wallace for the past three days, spending as much time with both of them while trying not to alienate anyone else. Logan had pretty much set up camp in the game room with Duncan and Dick, occasionally Wallace when she wasn’t around. And occasionally Piz when Logan wasn’t around. She wasn’t quite sure why they had thought inviting Piz or Parker was a good idea, but when Logan had suggested it she had agreed. Now she wished that Logan had only invited her, so that when they had found out about Lilly they could of come up and it would just be the four of them. Then again that would’ve been weird her ex-boyfriend asking her to take a trip up into the mountains, even if he knew that they were going up to meet Duncan.
Still, we could of left out the awkward exes. Veronica thought to herself, glancing at her open bedroom door. Any minute now she expected Piz to come in and give her the puppy face, asking her to ‘go for a walk’. Or Parker, telling her she thinks she may have been too hasty, ending things with Logan the way she did. Or Dick, wondering why the hell she was doing homework. Or Logan, leaning oh so casually on the door frame, smirking at her.
Actually, she didn’t have to expect that one anymore, because there he was, doing exactly that.
“Can I help you?” Veronica questioned, her tone innocent and casual.
“This is pretty weird, everyone else here on vacation. Lilly awake from a coma. Duncan and his daughter here, even though he’s facing a kidnapping charge. And you, sitting up here doing homework.” Logan moved from the door frame to tower above her.
Craning her neck back to look straight up at him, she replied in the same nonchalance that he’d used. “It’d only be weird if it were Dick doing homework. I’m a brown-nosing over-achiever. Remember?”
The right corning of Logan’s mouth lifted a little more, turning the smirk into a smile. “True.”
She saved her files and exited out of all her programs, shutting the computer down. Slowly she shut it, scooting over at the same time to make room for Logan. “Again, can I help you?”
Logan walked around the bed to lay next to her, completely parallel. His legs hung off one side of the bed and his arms the other if he didn’t keep them folded up. Turning his head slightly to the right, Logan looked directly into her eyes.
“What’s going to happen now?” He questioned, the look in his eyes telling her that he was talking more about her plans for the remainder of the day.
“With what Logan? Now that Lilly’s awake or that you’ve brought Duncan back?” Veronica had no tolerance for beating around the bush today, especially with this particular topic.
“Both, but mostly with the Lilly thing. Duncan might not stay, so he’s not really a big deal. But Lilly… She’s not going anywhere. Not unless you decided to move to Siberia.” Logan said, a sudden though coming over him and causing his eyes to darken with the seriousness of his next sentence. “Don’t move to Siberia.”
“Okay, I won’t move to Siberia.” Veronica laughed a little at Logan before getting serious again herself. “I don’t know what what’s going to happen now. I guess it all depends on the next move. Lilly may want to finish up high school and then start going to Hearst. Or she may finish high school and got to Vassar like she wanted. I can’t exactly predict what Lilly is going to do. Remember? That wasn’t something that was ever possible.”
“I meant with us.” At Veronica’s stern look, Logan went on. “I don’t mean us us. I mean us, like you and me and our friends. I mean us, as in you and me and the friendship we’ve finally figured out. I mean the way we are without her, who we are. What happens to the people we became without her. Because it’s all going to change you know, everything.”
Veronica’s stomach dropped, and she felt like she was going to be sick. She had told Wallace that nothing was going to change, that they’d always be like they always were. She had told herself the same thing. That nothing was really different, just one extra friend, but when she looked at it now all she could see was the lie she told herself. That everything would be the same.
She hated change.
But it would have to change. Case in point right in front of her, Logan didn’t let anything be. Logan Echolls was usually the catalyst for change, whether it was for the good or the bad, he made things change.
Crap.
~Logan~
Veronica is starting to fidget with the comforter, and he’s starting to realize just how little she had thought about this.
That wasn’t the girl he knew now. The girl he knew was always prepared and thought about things. Over-analyzed. The one that didn’t think about consequences and side-effects was the old Veronica. The Old Veronica always thought all good things came for free, there wasn’t ever any price on her happiness. All good things came for free, while it was the bad things you paid for.
“I mean, are we still us? Or is Lilly really going to change everything?” Is Lilly going to change you into someone else?
Logan couldn’t ask the question. He knew as soon as he did it would transform into some jab at her independence and she was going to get mad and they would fight. She has a mind of her own, he knew that. He also knew how powerful the draw of Lilly Kane was, and he knew what a tight hold she could have on you when you were stuck in her web. It was near impossible to leave break free.
“We’ll always be us, Logan. It doesn’t change the fact that we have a friendship separate from them.” Veronica nudged him with her shoulder, almost pushing him off the small part of the bed she had afforded him.
“I hope so, especially considering…” Logan let himself trail off, unsure how to broach the topic of Duncan’s return. There had been now discussion on whether or not Duncan would be there long-term, just that he was there and all was good.
Logan had gotten a call a little over a month ago, from Clarence Weidman of all people. Logan had been cryptically informed that Donuts would be back in season next month if he was interested and had a secure location. Logan had gone about his grocery shopping, looking behind him periodically with a concern that the crazy man was stalking him.
Two days later it dawned on Logan exactly who he was and what that statement would mean. Of course, that’s when he’d gotten a letter with instructions. That’s when they had made all the plans for Duncan to be in Tahoe, for Veronica and Logan to be there, for the rest of their friends to attend as a cover (Logan’s idea, to cover for the weirdness that was surely to happen with just him and his ex-girlfriend). Never once had they discussed how long Duncan could stay. Now Logan wished he would have asked.
“Especially considering what, Logan?” Veronica asked, seemingly not for the first time, pulling Logan from his thoughts.
“Considering that we didn’t have too much of that the last time it was the four of us.” Logan rushed out, chickening out on his real question. He could tell she knew that wasn’t what he really wanted to say, but she didn’t push it.
“Well, we’ve changed. All of us. Well, except for maybe Lilly, but it’s not like that was her choice. If she had been awake these last four years she wouldn’t be the same.” Veronica paused, a small smile on her face as she looked off to the side in thought. “Of course, if she had been awake all these years there’s a pretty good chance that none of us would be the same, and we wouldn’t be friends with any of these people. Except Dick, I don’t thing we’ll ever escape him.”
“Speaking of friends, how are Wallace and Lilly getting along?” Logan decided a change of subject was needed before things got tense and awkward and they stopped dancing around the subject. Was she going to go back to Duncan if he was back?
“They haven’t really seen each other, actually. It’s not like I’m purposely keeping them apart, they just don’t have much in common really. With Lilly I’m catching her up on gossip and fashion, which by the way she approves of my less than pastel wardrobe. And with Wallace it’s the pool and video games.” Veronica’s mood and face visibly lightened at the mention of her friends.
“I can think of something they have in common, without any thought at all really.” Logan grinned at the confused look on her face. “It’s really quite obvious.”
“What?” Veronica pressured, before adding. “And if this is going to be something dirty, you can forget it.”
“You.”
“Oh. That.”
“I like that you just called yourself ‘that’.” Logan took a breath before continuing, shaking his a head a little at her choice of word. “Wallace loves you, you’re like his sister and believe me, I know.” Only a brother could be that protective when talking to a girl’s boyfriend. “And you know Lilly has always adored you. You’re the one person she loves more than herself. They’ll get along, you just have to give them a chance.”
Rolling her eyes, Veronica brushed off his reasoning, a look of concern coming over her face.
“But what if they don’t get along?” Veronica’s worry was sweet and endearing, her eyes widening with it so that she seemed almost like a child.
“They have more in common than just you, but you’re enough for them to want to get along. Will you stop worrying about it? It’s not like they’re going to hate each other and force you to choose between them.”
~Piz~
“Does it seem like we don’t really belong here?” Parker asked as she slid onto the couch next to him.
He’d been trying to fit himself in for the last couple of days, find a place to hang out. Oddly, with only ten people-eleven counting the baby-there seemed to be quite the development of cliques. There were even a little crossover cliques, depending on the time of day. Sadly, Piz hadn’t been able to fit into any of these groups.
Mac, Wallace and Veronica formed a group. They were like the ‘Bond Team’, all involved in the solving of crimes and sleuthing. Sure Veronica did all the field work, but Wallace and Mac were like her back-up and tech support. That was one group Piz had no way to get into, since he’d botched one of Veronica’s jobs back in August. They didn’t seem to be working on anything right now, but the mere fact that they did that together made them separate. Plus they were specifically Veronica’s friends, she’d laid claim and they were her most loyal. At least that’s what he’d thought before this trip.
Mac, Dick, Wallace and Logan formed the ‘Gamers’, holed up in what had become the game room in this over-sized cabin. Or was it an under-sized mansion? They played game after game, hour after hour. And no matter how many times they promised him a turn, Piz had come to expect that he was never going to get it. Especially if Mac and Wallace were with Veronica. If it was Logan and Dick they just grunted in response, barely tolerating him. If it was just Dick her either just got a slew of insults or ignored completely. He preferred the latter, since Dick’s insults were always on his looks or his former relationship with Veronica.
The big group seemed to be Veronica, Logan, Lilly and Duncan, the ‘Popular Kids’. He’d never really heard of Duncan before this, just a casual ‘my first boyfriend’ explanation when they had been recounting past relationships. Lilly seemed to be this amazing creature that floated around the house, barely deigning to look at him, let alone speak to him. Logan followed Veronica and Lilly around like a puppy. The odd thing was, around these people Logan seemed happy and mildly chipper as apposed to his brooding, angry silence. Veronica giggled and smiled and just seemed more open and trusting, like these were the people she trusted. There was no way in hell he was going to get into that group, not when they seemed like such a force.
The last group consisted of him, Parker and that Weevil guy, the ‘Outsiders’. Even then, Weevil didn’t seem like he was in there group. Weevil could have his own group, ‘Scary Loner Guy’, while him and Parker kept this clique.
“We don’t. We didn’t go to Neptune High, we don’t know why this Duncan guy is never around. I’m not exactly sure why Lilly was in a coma or why she’s so sorry for whatever it was she did to Logan.” At Parker’s strange look, he continued. “I’ve heard her say it a couple of time, then he gets that angry face that he gets and he goes off to pout. But we don’t know these people, not like we thought we did.”
“I talked to Lilly at the hotel that day. But since then, when I’ve tried to talk to her, it’s almost as if the resents me for being here. Logan and Veronica haven’t really said much to me and Mac is always off with Wallace or Dick.”
“Why is she with Dick?” Piz questioned, that pairing didn’t seem right.
“They went to high school together too, and I think they used to be friends with this guy Cassidy, who had pet beaver.” Piz turned his head slowly to look at her, his expression clearly questioning her sanity. “They’re all rich here, well in Neptune, maybe money can buy you illegal pets. It didn’t work for Paris Hilton, but it might work for others. But I kind of get the impression that this Cassidy guy committed suicide or got killed in a car accident with a bus or something.”
“I’ve never heard Wallace or Veronica mention a Cassidy, but it’s not like they’re the most open people either.” At least not with us. Piz didn’t think that he had to voice the last part, Parker already knew.
“And that Weevil guy? He’s kind of scary, like in a quiet and casual kind of way, you know? It’s not over the top, ‘I’m gonna beat your ass’ kind of scary, just ‘I’m here and if you do something I don’t particularly like you’re gonna find yourself bleeding in a ditch’ kind of way. Like he wears it comfortably, you know? Like it’s always been there, naturally.” Parker finished her description of the guy Piz had only known as a maintenance guy with a look around, making sure it was still just them and their subject hadn’t suddenly popped in for a visit.
“You should have heard what he said to me that first day, that old school Weevil did something with a pole, but the new one has been to prison. I guess he used to be the leader of a biker gang or something, at least that’s what I got out of Wallace before Logan came to get him for their little DDR tournament.” Piz finished bitterly, still trying to picture Logan playing DDR seriously, but it was impossible. Logan was way too serious for that.
“Yeah, I guess that got a little out of hand and they broke a lamp and the coffee table. Mac said that she thinks the boys had been drinking beforehand, but Wallace swears up and down that she was the drunk one. The both seemed to agree that the judge was more than a little trashed though.” Parker’s voice didn’t seem all that upset when she spoke about the even no one had bothered to invite her to. In fact, it was as though she really did think it was funny.
“Who was the judge?” Just another thing Wallace didn’t tell him. He was starting to get a little sick of this, being left out simply because he didn’t go to high school with them.
“Veronica. It was her idea, she basically bribed Logan with cookies to get him to agree and bring the game out. Something about Monopoly and pink houses or lipstick, I can’t really remember. He was mumbling about it when we were in the kitchen.” Parker stretched, her arms reaching over her head as her back arched, showing a strip of bare stomach as she did so. Why isn’t she my type again? “Veronica volunteered me to help with dinner, but then switched from lasagna to snickerdoodles when he agreed and I got stuck with the actual dinner.”
That’s why, because I apparently go for emotionally unavailable best friends’ of my roommate that aren’t really all that interested, just on the rebound.
“Yeah, I definitely get the feeling that I don’t belong.” Piz said, referring back the question she’d asked him when she first sat down.
“Toto, we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore. Or Colorado. Or Oregon.” Parker joked.
7:Bets