Veronica approached the group of students surrounding the flagpole. She pushed past the kids and looked up at the guy taped to the pole. She didn’t recognize him.

New kid, she thought.

The guy had guts though. He didn’t flinch as the group laughed and pointed. He kept a cool and defiant look on his face.

Veronica saw Logan and Duncan make their way to the group. Logan, of course, erupted into laughter and he joined in on the finger-pointing and taunting. Duncan, on the other hand, showed no reaction in seeing a naked kid strapped to the flagpole.

She looked up at the new guy again. Not too long ago, she probably would have been right next to Logan. Pointing and laughing. Had things changed? Had she changed?

The guy made eye contact with her. He pleaded silently with her to help him. Part of her called him a loser, the other part wanted to reach inside her bag and pull out the pocket knife to cut him down.

Suddenly, the group started to disperse. Clemmons and a security guard appeared, waving the students off. Veronica watched Logan and Duncan walk away. For a moment, she saw herself walk away with them.

**

Logan lost track of time. All he could do was stare at that hotel elevator and wait. He would wait forever if he had to, just to make sure if his mother was here or not.

He heard the elevator door slide open. He sat up as a woman with a floppy hat on her head stepped out. She looked like his mom. Short skirt. Black silky blouse. Boots that went up to her thighs. He raced to her. His heart raced too.

“Mom?” His voice was soft, meek—everything he hated about himself.

The woman turned. “Logan?”

He stared at his mother, stunned. There was life after death, after all. He wondered if Lilly had known that.

**

“What are you doing here, Logan?”

He barged inside the Kane mansion. “I’m not going anywhere until you let me explain.”

“Explain what?” Lilly put her hands on her hips. “You kissed another girl, Logan!”

“I was drunk,” he said.

“Veronica said—”

“Fuck Veronica,” he spat out.

She turned to the living room. “Leave me alone!”

He followed her. “No.” He grabbed her arm. She glared at him and he let go of her, softened the tone of this voice. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“What are you going to do? Stay here all night until I forgive you?”

“Yeah, if I have to, I will.”

She didn’t push him out her front door, but she didn’t say he could stay either. She walked outside to the pool. Again, he followed.

They sat down on a lounge chair.

Lilly sighed. “You don’t have to do this, Logan.”

“I’m gonna do it.”

She looked at him after a moment. “You know I’m going to forgive you anyway.”

He smiled. “I know.”

“Asshole,” she muttered.

His smile grew. “Bitch.” He wrapped his arm around her. They stayed that way until her parents and Duncan came home.

**

“Dad, do we have anymore boxes?”

Keith Mars looked up at his daughter. “Check the kitchen.”

“Okay.” Veronica hesitated at the door. “Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“Never mind.” She left the office just as Lianne walked in.

“How’s everything going?” his wife asked.

“Just finishing up some paperwork.” He tucked the papers into a folder and rubbed his forehead. “This isn’t fair, Lianne.”

“It’s the only way,” she said.

“Is it?”

“We can start over.” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll have a new house, a new school for Veronica—”

“But we’re taking her away from her school, her friends…”

“She can have all of that in Phoenix.”

Keith frowned. This wasn’t his idea. Moving out of Neptune. Moving to an entire different city, state. He didn’t like it, and he knew Veronica didn’t like it either.

But Lianne liked it.

**

“I thought you were on my side, Veronica,” Lilly said.

“I am, but…”

“But, what?”

Veronica wasn’t sure why she had had her dad drop her off at the Kanes. Maybe it was because she hated seeing Lilly and Logan fighting. They were her friends and she felt responsible for their rift.

“I just wanted to see how you were,” Veronica said.

“Uh-huh.” Lilly rolled her eyes and stepped out into the back patio. The moon reflected off the pool water. “You know how it goes, Veronica. Logan pisses me off. I give him the cold shoulder. We’ll be back together by the end of this week.”

It was true. Lilly often mocked Veronica’s relationship with Duncan because it was too sweet. “Where’s the pain and hurt? Because that makes a relationship work.”

Lilly stretched out on a plastic lounge chair. “It seems to me, Veronica Mars, you’re more worried about Logan than me.”

Veronica raised her eyebrows. “Then, why did I tell you he was kissing another girl?”

“Because you want me to break up with him so you can have him all to yourself,” she said casually.

Veronica sat down next to Lilly’s legs. “That’s not funny.”

Lilly giggled and sat up. She pressed her face next to Veronica’s ear. “You like Logan. Admit it.”

Veronica pushed her away. “Shut up.”

“You do! You’re blushing!” Lilly’s laughter echoed outside—and then—“Did you hear that?”

Veronica jumped to her feet. She didn't hear anything.

Then, she screamed.