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thegirl20Title: Soulmates, Glitter and Puppy-Love
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
the_girl_20
Fandoms: Veronica Mars
Pairings: Veronica/Meg
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: The characters are not mine.
Summary: Meg's secret admirer turns out to be quite surprising.
Notes: This is a slightly AU version of episode 1.15 'Ruskie Business' and so contains references to the events of that episode and those preceeding it.
Finding Logan’s drama queen sister impersonating their missing mother, being taken for a sucker by a fake Russian mail-order bride and completely failing in what should have been my easiest case of all: discovering the identity of Meg’s secret admirer. All in all, it had been a pretty crappy week. Which is kinda how I ended up at the ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ dance dressed like a cheap version of Madonna. Well, cheaper.
They stood, shoulder to shoulder, in their tragic eighties outfits, declaring their stag sisterhood stand to the world. Veronica surveyed the room and decided that maybe there was such a thing as too much glitter. She caught glimpse of Duncan loitering by the door and idly wondered why he was dressed like a fifties throwback. You’d think the organiser of the dance would be able to remember which decade they were mocking.
“Wow. Eighties fashion. Grody to the max.”
Veronica smirked at Meg’s Bill and Ted-esque delivery.
“Don’t spaz. Weren’t you totally stoked to go to this thing?” she countered, remembering Meg’s bright smile as she had informed her that she would be accompanying Meg to the dance.
“For sure!” Meg agreed. “I just didn’t know the dance would be such a major couple-o-rama.”
Veronica ignored the odd twisting sensation in her stomach that had been happening all week. Strangely enough, it seemed to happen every time Meg talked about her potential suitors. And it had definitely been there when the picture of Duncan had faxed its way into her life. Weird stomach cramps in association with Duncan she could understand. But with Meg? She was trying not to think too hard about that.
“What happened to all the girl-power? The ‘We don’t need dates’ resolve.” Veronica asked, her eyes once again searching the room, this time in resignation.
“Who says we don’t have dates?” Meg said, taking Veronica’s hand.
Veronica’s eyes closed and she sighed. She turned to Meg with an apologetic smile.
“Look, Meg, if you’ve set me up with some poor boy because I was helping you then I appreciate the gesture, I really do, but I don’t need a sympathy da-”
“I’m your date, Veronica,” Meg interrupted, squeezing Veronica’s fingers for emphasis.
For once, Veronica was completely lost for words.
“Oh,” she managed.
Meg smiled, ducking her head a little.
“‘Oh’? No witty riposte? No defensive sarcasm? Just ‘Oh?’” she prodded, although Veronica could hear a crack of insecurity underneath the teasing, and there was a definite tenseness in her shoulders.
“What about the secret admirer?” Veronica asked, the thought occurring to her suddenly.
Meg looked like she wanted to push further on Veronica’s reaction to her admission, but answered the question.
“There’s no secret admirer,” Meg admitted, blushing a little.
“There’s no secret admirer? But…” her eyes strayed to where Duncan had been standing earlier, he wasn’t there. “…Duncan sent you those flowers.”
Meg raised an eyebrow, impressed.
“Wow. You’re good.”
Veronica shrugged and gestured for Meg to explain.
“I asked Duncan to send me the flowers. I told him I was trying to get someone’s attention.”
“Why not send them yourself?” Veronica asked, intrigued by Meg’s apparently elaborate plan.
“Aside from the mortification of buying flowers for myself?” Meg asked. “I…thought you’d probably track down the florist and I didn’t want him telling you that a girl sent them.”
“Which would certainly have got my attention,” Veronica mused. A slow smile spread across her face. “And which shows that you totally expected me to be that good.”
“I prepared for the possibility of you being this good,” Meg said, her posture relaxing as the conversation flowed.
“So, you invented a secret admirer, sicced me on two innocent, and pretty dumb, bystanders, got a patsy to send you flowers…all to get me to go to this dance with you?” Veronica asked, a little in awe of the effort that had gone into the preparation.
“Come on, is there any other way I coulda got you here?” Meg asked, tilting her head and raising her eyebrows.
“So, ‘Veronica, would you like to go to the dance with me?’ is too common for you, huh?”
“You would’ve found an excuse to say no. This way I got to spend time with you, test the waters a little and I got you to feel guilty enough to come with me,” Meg explained, her smile not a little triumphant.
Veronica whistled appreciatively.
“That's some seriously underhanded scheming there, Manning. You ever think of getting into the PI biz?"
Meg giggled.
“Actually, I was thinking that I’d be better suited to the mysterious client role, you know, the woman in a trenchcoat and beret with a secret.”
“Ah, you wanna be the dame,” Veronica said, “Then you’ll have to start smoking.”
“Huh?”
“You gotta puff on cigarettes and exhale the smoke sexily or the dame thing falls totally flat.”
“OK," Meg agreed, pleased at Veronica’s light-heartedness.
“And I believe it's polite not to mention kinky trenchcoat fantasies until at least the fourth date.”
“There's gonna be a fourth date?” Meg asked, her eyes full of hope.
Veronica shrugged.
“Of all the gym halls in all the high schools in all the world, you had to walk into mine. I’d say that’s fate, kid,” Veronica drawled.
Her eyes dropped to their joined hands.
“You certainly don’t do things by halves…could you have picked a more public event for a first date?”
“Veronica, I don’t expect you to make out with me in the middle of the dancefloor to ‘The Power of Love’. I’m not looking to be at the centre of another scandal just yet,” Meg said. “I thought we could hang out, dance to some seriously cheesy music, avoid the spiked punch and then go to a diner, grab a coke and talk for a while or something.”
Veronica looked down at herself and back up at Meg.
“My hair is teased to within an inch of its life, I am in danger of severe glitter-blindness and I generally look like I should be starring in ‘Desperately Seeking Fashion Sense’…if you think you’re not putting out after this you’re sadly mistaken, missy.”
Meg laughed and let go of Veronica’s hand. She leaned in close to whisper in Veronica’s ear.
“Well, maybe just a little.”
Meg stood up straight and held out her hand, wiggling her fingers.
“Gimme the corsage, I saw you put it in your purse before we left.”
Veronica rolled her eyes and reached into her purse.
“Well, I was planning to get you to wear it so that you and Duncan could hook up and I could go home and wallow in hairspray fumes.”
Meg took the flowers from Veronica and slipped the band over her hand, letting her fingers trail over the thin skin of Veronica’s wrist. They both giggled at the corny gesture. Veronica sobered abruptly when she caught Duncan’s eye over Meg’s shoulder. Meg turned to see who she was looking at.
“I take it you didn’t inform Duncan whose attention you were trying to get?”
Meg turned back, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.
“No. Is that…I mean…is he gonna have a problem with this?” Meg asked, worried.
Veronica took in a deep breath and held it for a moment.
“That depends. I think he has a little crush on you.”
Meg’s brow scrunched up and Veronica found that the word ‘adorably’ had taken up residence in her brain in relation to most of Meg’s actions.
“I don’t think so,” Meg said glancing doubtfully at Duncan.
“Maybe I’m wrong,” Veronica admitted. “I’m seriously questioning my sleuthing credentials at the moment.”
“How about less sleuthing and more dancing?” Meg suggested, tugging Veronica in the direction of the crowded dancefloor.
“Well, it is a dance, after all,” Veronica said, allowing herself to be pulled into the throng.
*
“I can’t believe he did that!” Meg said, sliding into a booth across from Veronica.
“I can’t believe he wore tighty-whities in public,” Veronica grimaced.
“And after Labor Day. Has he no class?” Meg said, picking up a menu as she saw a waitress approach.
“Hi girls, my name is Jean and I’ll be your server this evening. Now, what can I get ya?”
Veronica pretended to think hard.
“Gee, Meg, should I order us up a coupla sodey-pops or will we just get a strawberry shake and two straws?” Veronica asked, trying to look as wholesome as possible.
Meg rolled her eyes.
“I’m good with a Diet Coke, thanks,” she said to the waitress.
“Same for me…and do you have pie?” Veronica enquired.
“Apple or peach, hun?” Jean asked.
“I’m a sucker for the classics, let’s go with apple,” Veronica said, closing her menu with a flourish.
“I’ll be right back with your drinks,” Jean said, bustling off in the direction of the kitchen.
Veronica watched her go and then turned her attention to Meg.
“So…” she began.
Meg looked at her, expecting her to continue. Veronica leaned forward, her elbows on the table, her chin resting on one hand.
“OK, I’m just gonna ask this straight out,” she said, obviously working up to something. “How did you know that I’d was…that I’d be…amenable to your plan?”
Meg smirked.
“You think that was asking something straight out?” she teased. “You mean how did I know that you were attracted to girls?”
Veronica nodded, willing the blood not to rise to her face. She’d never actually heard those words directed at her in a civil conversation. She’d had jibes and accusations, mostly relating to her choice of footwear, but she’d never spoken seriously with someone on the subject.
Meg sat back in her chair as Jean dropped off their drinks and Veronica’s pie. She watched Veronica skewer a piece of apple and blow on it before popping it into her mouth.
“I have really good gaydar,” Meg said simply.
Veronica coughed, evidently not expecting such a straightforward answer. She glanced around to see who was listening, but the diner was practically deserted.
“You do, huh?”
Meg nodded.
“Plus, I just kinda assumed that…you know…you and Lilly were…”
Veronica’s mouth went slack, all traces of amusement gone.
“God, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought that up. I’m so sorry,” Meg said, the words spilling out in her haste to remedy the situation.
“No, it’s OK. It’s fine, really,” Veronica assured her. “I guess I just thought nobody knew about that.”
Meg smiled, apologetically. Veronica nodded.
“Right, the really good gaydar, I forgot,” she said, a smile slowly making an appearance.
“Yeah. Sorry.”
“You wanna taste?” Veronica asked, pointing to her plate with her fork.
Meg decided to allow the complete non-sequitur. She nodded. Veronica held up the fork and Meg accepted the proffered food.
“S’good,” she managed around a mouth of apple and crust.
Veronica watched her chew in silence for a moment. Then her eyes dropped to the formica table-top.
“With Lilly it was…it was never serious, not for her anyway. It was wild and out of the ordinary. And it would’ve really pissed Celeste off,” Veronica said, the side of her mouth creeping up at the memory.
“But for you it was more than that?” Meg asked, her voice soft.
Veronica took a long time to respond. She raised her eyes to meet Meg’s.
“I loved her,” she said, her eyes shining. “I don’t know if I was in love with her. I thought I was. Maybe I was.”
Meg reached over and placed her hand on top of Veronica’s as she continued to speak.
“I told myself that if I could talk to her about it…if I could just get to kiss her without tasting vodka in her mouth, that maybe it could’ve been something, you know?” she sniffed and wiped at her eyes. “Guess I’ll never know, huh?”
“I think she loved you,” Meg said.
Veronica smiled then rolled her eyes.
“God, could I be a worse date? Crying into my pie over my dead best friend slash ambiguous girlfriend,” she said, laughing a little at herself.
“Hey! You’re not bad. You hardly cried at all. And maybe on the second date we’ll try for no tears whatsoever!” Meg teased.
*
They walked up to Veronica’s front door, hand in hand.
“Well, this is me,” Veronica said, then cringed. “And you knew that so I don’t know why I just said it.”
“It’s fine. Seems like an end of a date thing to say,” Meg offered.
“So, about that second date…I’m thinking I owe you something pretty darn special after the effort you put into this one, and the whole crying thing,” Veronica said.
“I don’t care where we go, you can take me to Chuck-E-Cheese if you want,” Meg said.
“Low expectations are good,” Veronica said, nodding.
“Friday? Seven. I’ll pick you up…my parents are…well let’s just say they’re kinda religious and…”
“And you don’t want me coming by in case gaydar is hereditary?” Veronica guessed.
Meg grinned.
“I seriously doubt that it is, otherwise I’d have been shipped off to a convent long ago,” she mused. “I just don’t want them spoiling this.”
She gestured between herself and Veronica.
“That’s cool, I have experience in dealing with disapproving parents,” Veronica reassured her.
“Oh…is your Dad…”
“Oh no! No, not at all. I was talking about Duncan’s Mom and Dad…they never liked me hanging around either of their kids,” Veronica explained.
“Right, of course.” Meg said.
They stood in silence, looking at the ground, unsure of what to do next. Veronica spoke first.
“So I should probably go in,” she said, pointing over her shoulder with her thumb.
“Oh. Sure.” Meg said quickly.
“I had a really great time, tonight…I’m glad you are such an awesome schemer,” Veronica said, taking a couple of steps backwards, towards the door.
“I did too, but I think you’re forgetting what I said earlier,” Meg said, stepping closer to Veronica and placing her hands on her waist.
“I am?” Veronica asked, intensely aware of the heat coming off Meg’s body.
“I promised to put out, remember?” Meg whispered, before pressing her lips against Veronica’s.
Veronica’s eyes closed at the contact. Her arms, with no conscious thought, encircled Meg’s torso. Meg’s hands were on Veronica’s lower back, pressing gently, increasing the contact between their bodies. As Meg’s tongue tentatively flicked out to touch her own, Veronica had a flash memory of kissing Lilly.
This was nothing like that. There was no giggling, or alcohol or ‘Truth or Dare’. It wasn’t some re-enactment of something Lilly had seen in a porno once. This was a kiss between two people who wanted to kiss each other.
Meg gently pulled back, blushing or flushed, Veronica couldn’t tell which. She ran her thumb over Veronica’s bottom lip, wiping away the trace of her lip gloss, before looking into Veronica’s eyes.
“Goodnight, Veronica,” she whispered, stepping out of the embrace, letting her hands trail down Veronica’s lace-clad arms as she went.
“Goodnight,” was all that Veronica could manage.
Meg turned and walked back to her car, turning back once to wave over her shoulder before she had disappeared into the darkness. Veronica realised that she was holding her breath. She exhaled shakily as she fumbled for the doorknob.
In the living-room, Keith was sitting on the couch rubbing Back-Up’s ears and reading a book.
“Hi Dad,” Veronica said, passing him on the way to get a drink of water.
“Hey Honey. Did ya have fun at the dance?” Keith asked, glancing up from his reading.
“Yep.”
“Good.”
Veronica finished her glass of water and placed the glass on the counter. She stood for a few moments, looking at her father.
“OK, how long are you gonna sit there pretending that you didn’t just see me kissing a girl on the doorstep?”
“About that long.”
“Uh huh. Are you freaking out?”
“No. I’m thinking that Meg’s a nice kid and that I don’t need to worry about teenage pregnancy.”
“True. Meg and I are thinking of adopting.”
“That’s nice, honey.”
“Probably from Asia. That’s all the rage these days”
“Well, I like their food.”
Veronica rolled her eyes and walked over to place a kiss on her father’s head.
“Goodnight, Dad.”
“G’night honey.”
Veronica paused at the door to her room.
“You’re pretty cool, you know that right?”
He looked over at her and grinned.
“Daddy Cool. That’s me.”
She shook her head and closed the bedroom door.
So, the crappy week had a pretty good ending. Despite the fact that I found out I had been duped. Again. (Seriously, should I consider remedial PI classes?) I like Meg. Meg likes me. Seems like a good start. And the way my life’s been going lately…a good start is a turn up for the books.
Author:
the_girl_20 Fandoms: Veronica Mars
Pairings: Veronica/Meg
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: The characters are not mine.
Summary: Meg's secret admirer turns out to be quite surprising.
Notes: This is a slightly AU version of episode 1.15 'Ruskie Business' and so contains references to the events of that episode and those preceeding it.
Finding Logan’s drama queen sister impersonating their missing mother, being taken for a sucker by a fake Russian mail-order bride and completely failing in what should have been my easiest case of all: discovering the identity of Meg’s secret admirer. All in all, it had been a pretty crappy week. Which is kinda how I ended up at the ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ dance dressed like a cheap version of Madonna. Well, cheaper.
They stood, shoulder to shoulder, in their tragic eighties outfits, declaring their stag sisterhood stand to the world. Veronica surveyed the room and decided that maybe there was such a thing as too much glitter. She caught glimpse of Duncan loitering by the door and idly wondered why he was dressed like a fifties throwback. You’d think the organiser of the dance would be able to remember which decade they were mocking.
“Wow. Eighties fashion. Grody to the max.”
Veronica smirked at Meg’s Bill and Ted-esque delivery.
“Don’t spaz. Weren’t you totally stoked to go to this thing?” she countered, remembering Meg’s bright smile as she had informed her that she would be accompanying Meg to the dance.
“For sure!” Meg agreed. “I just didn’t know the dance would be such a major couple-o-rama.”
Veronica ignored the odd twisting sensation in her stomach that had been happening all week. Strangely enough, it seemed to happen every time Meg talked about her potential suitors. And it had definitely been there when the picture of Duncan had faxed its way into her life. Weird stomach cramps in association with Duncan she could understand. But with Meg? She was trying not to think too hard about that.
“What happened to all the girl-power? The ‘We don’t need dates’ resolve.” Veronica asked, her eyes once again searching the room, this time in resignation.
“Who says we don’t have dates?” Meg said, taking Veronica’s hand.
Veronica’s eyes closed and she sighed. She turned to Meg with an apologetic smile.
“Look, Meg, if you’ve set me up with some poor boy because I was helping you then I appreciate the gesture, I really do, but I don’t need a sympathy da-”
“I’m your date, Veronica,” Meg interrupted, squeezing Veronica’s fingers for emphasis.
For once, Veronica was completely lost for words.
“Oh,” she managed.
Meg smiled, ducking her head a little.
“‘Oh’? No witty riposte? No defensive sarcasm? Just ‘Oh?’” she prodded, although Veronica could hear a crack of insecurity underneath the teasing, and there was a definite tenseness in her shoulders.
“What about the secret admirer?” Veronica asked, the thought occurring to her suddenly.
Meg looked like she wanted to push further on Veronica’s reaction to her admission, but answered the question.
“There’s no secret admirer,” Meg admitted, blushing a little.
“There’s no secret admirer? But…” her eyes strayed to where Duncan had been standing earlier, he wasn’t there. “…Duncan sent you those flowers.”
Meg raised an eyebrow, impressed.
“Wow. You’re good.”
Veronica shrugged and gestured for Meg to explain.
“I asked Duncan to send me the flowers. I told him I was trying to get someone’s attention.”
“Why not send them yourself?” Veronica asked, intrigued by Meg’s apparently elaborate plan.
“Aside from the mortification of buying flowers for myself?” Meg asked. “I…thought you’d probably track down the florist and I didn’t want him telling you that a girl sent them.”
“Which would certainly have got my attention,” Veronica mused. A slow smile spread across her face. “And which shows that you totally expected me to be that good.”
“I prepared for the possibility of you being this good,” Meg said, her posture relaxing as the conversation flowed.
“So, you invented a secret admirer, sicced me on two innocent, and pretty dumb, bystanders, got a patsy to send you flowers…all to get me to go to this dance with you?” Veronica asked, a little in awe of the effort that had gone into the preparation.
“Come on, is there any other way I coulda got you here?” Meg asked, tilting her head and raising her eyebrows.
“So, ‘Veronica, would you like to go to the dance with me?’ is too common for you, huh?”
“You would’ve found an excuse to say no. This way I got to spend time with you, test the waters a little and I got you to feel guilty enough to come with me,” Meg explained, her smile not a little triumphant.
Veronica whistled appreciatively.
“That's some seriously underhanded scheming there, Manning. You ever think of getting into the PI biz?"
Meg giggled.
“Actually, I was thinking that I’d be better suited to the mysterious client role, you know, the woman in a trenchcoat and beret with a secret.”
“Ah, you wanna be the dame,” Veronica said, “Then you’ll have to start smoking.”
“Huh?”
“You gotta puff on cigarettes and exhale the smoke sexily or the dame thing falls totally flat.”
“OK," Meg agreed, pleased at Veronica’s light-heartedness.
“And I believe it's polite not to mention kinky trenchcoat fantasies until at least the fourth date.”
“There's gonna be a fourth date?” Meg asked, her eyes full of hope.
Veronica shrugged.
“Of all the gym halls in all the high schools in all the world, you had to walk into mine. I’d say that’s fate, kid,” Veronica drawled.
Her eyes dropped to their joined hands.
“You certainly don’t do things by halves…could you have picked a more public event for a first date?”
“Veronica, I don’t expect you to make out with me in the middle of the dancefloor to ‘The Power of Love’. I’m not looking to be at the centre of another scandal just yet,” Meg said. “I thought we could hang out, dance to some seriously cheesy music, avoid the spiked punch and then go to a diner, grab a coke and talk for a while or something.”
Veronica looked down at herself and back up at Meg.
“My hair is teased to within an inch of its life, I am in danger of severe glitter-blindness and I generally look like I should be starring in ‘Desperately Seeking Fashion Sense’…if you think you’re not putting out after this you’re sadly mistaken, missy.”
Meg laughed and let go of Veronica’s hand. She leaned in close to whisper in Veronica’s ear.
“Well, maybe just a little.”
Meg stood up straight and held out her hand, wiggling her fingers.
“Gimme the corsage, I saw you put it in your purse before we left.”
Veronica rolled her eyes and reached into her purse.
“Well, I was planning to get you to wear it so that you and Duncan could hook up and I could go home and wallow in hairspray fumes.”
Meg took the flowers from Veronica and slipped the band over her hand, letting her fingers trail over the thin skin of Veronica’s wrist. They both giggled at the corny gesture. Veronica sobered abruptly when she caught Duncan’s eye over Meg’s shoulder. Meg turned to see who she was looking at.
“I take it you didn’t inform Duncan whose attention you were trying to get?”
Meg turned back, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.
“No. Is that…I mean…is he gonna have a problem with this?” Meg asked, worried.
Veronica took in a deep breath and held it for a moment.
“That depends. I think he has a little crush on you.”
Meg’s brow scrunched up and Veronica found that the word ‘adorably’ had taken up residence in her brain in relation to most of Meg’s actions.
“I don’t think so,” Meg said glancing doubtfully at Duncan.
“Maybe I’m wrong,” Veronica admitted. “I’m seriously questioning my sleuthing credentials at the moment.”
“How about less sleuthing and more dancing?” Meg suggested, tugging Veronica in the direction of the crowded dancefloor.
“Well, it is a dance, after all,” Veronica said, allowing herself to be pulled into the throng.
*
“I can’t believe he did that!” Meg said, sliding into a booth across from Veronica.
“I can’t believe he wore tighty-whities in public,” Veronica grimaced.
“And after Labor Day. Has he no class?” Meg said, picking up a menu as she saw a waitress approach.
“Hi girls, my name is Jean and I’ll be your server this evening. Now, what can I get ya?”
Veronica pretended to think hard.
“Gee, Meg, should I order us up a coupla sodey-pops or will we just get a strawberry shake and two straws?” Veronica asked, trying to look as wholesome as possible.
Meg rolled her eyes.
“I’m good with a Diet Coke, thanks,” she said to the waitress.
“Same for me…and do you have pie?” Veronica enquired.
“Apple or peach, hun?” Jean asked.
“I’m a sucker for the classics, let’s go with apple,” Veronica said, closing her menu with a flourish.
“I’ll be right back with your drinks,” Jean said, bustling off in the direction of the kitchen.
Veronica watched her go and then turned her attention to Meg.
“So…” she began.
Meg looked at her, expecting her to continue. Veronica leaned forward, her elbows on the table, her chin resting on one hand.
“OK, I’m just gonna ask this straight out,” she said, obviously working up to something. “How did you know that I’d was…that I’d be…amenable to your plan?”
Meg smirked.
“You think that was asking something straight out?” she teased. “You mean how did I know that you were attracted to girls?”
Veronica nodded, willing the blood not to rise to her face. She’d never actually heard those words directed at her in a civil conversation. She’d had jibes and accusations, mostly relating to her choice of footwear, but she’d never spoken seriously with someone on the subject.
Meg sat back in her chair as Jean dropped off their drinks and Veronica’s pie. She watched Veronica skewer a piece of apple and blow on it before popping it into her mouth.
“I have really good gaydar,” Meg said simply.
Veronica coughed, evidently not expecting such a straightforward answer. She glanced around to see who was listening, but the diner was practically deserted.
“You do, huh?”
Meg nodded.
“Plus, I just kinda assumed that…you know…you and Lilly were…”
Veronica’s mouth went slack, all traces of amusement gone.
“God, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought that up. I’m so sorry,” Meg said, the words spilling out in her haste to remedy the situation.
“No, it’s OK. It’s fine, really,” Veronica assured her. “I guess I just thought nobody knew about that.”
Meg smiled, apologetically. Veronica nodded.
“Right, the really good gaydar, I forgot,” she said, a smile slowly making an appearance.
“Yeah. Sorry.”
“You wanna taste?” Veronica asked, pointing to her plate with her fork.
Meg decided to allow the complete non-sequitur. She nodded. Veronica held up the fork and Meg accepted the proffered food.
“S’good,” she managed around a mouth of apple and crust.
Veronica watched her chew in silence for a moment. Then her eyes dropped to the formica table-top.
“With Lilly it was…it was never serious, not for her anyway. It was wild and out of the ordinary. And it would’ve really pissed Celeste off,” Veronica said, the side of her mouth creeping up at the memory.
“But for you it was more than that?” Meg asked, her voice soft.
Veronica took a long time to respond. She raised her eyes to meet Meg’s.
“I loved her,” she said, her eyes shining. “I don’t know if I was in love with her. I thought I was. Maybe I was.”
Meg reached over and placed her hand on top of Veronica’s as she continued to speak.
“I told myself that if I could talk to her about it…if I could just get to kiss her without tasting vodka in her mouth, that maybe it could’ve been something, you know?” she sniffed and wiped at her eyes. “Guess I’ll never know, huh?”
“I think she loved you,” Meg said.
Veronica smiled then rolled her eyes.
“God, could I be a worse date? Crying into my pie over my dead best friend slash ambiguous girlfriend,” she said, laughing a little at herself.
“Hey! You’re not bad. You hardly cried at all. And maybe on the second date we’ll try for no tears whatsoever!” Meg teased.
*
They walked up to Veronica’s front door, hand in hand.
“Well, this is me,” Veronica said, then cringed. “And you knew that so I don’t know why I just said it.”
“It’s fine. Seems like an end of a date thing to say,” Meg offered.
“So, about that second date…I’m thinking I owe you something pretty darn special after the effort you put into this one, and the whole crying thing,” Veronica said.
“I don’t care where we go, you can take me to Chuck-E-Cheese if you want,” Meg said.
“Low expectations are good,” Veronica said, nodding.
“Friday? Seven. I’ll pick you up…my parents are…well let’s just say they’re kinda religious and…”
“And you don’t want me coming by in case gaydar is hereditary?” Veronica guessed.
Meg grinned.
“I seriously doubt that it is, otherwise I’d have been shipped off to a convent long ago,” she mused. “I just don’t want them spoiling this.”
She gestured between herself and Veronica.
“That’s cool, I have experience in dealing with disapproving parents,” Veronica reassured her.
“Oh…is your Dad…”
“Oh no! No, not at all. I was talking about Duncan’s Mom and Dad…they never liked me hanging around either of their kids,” Veronica explained.
“Right, of course.” Meg said.
They stood in silence, looking at the ground, unsure of what to do next. Veronica spoke first.
“So I should probably go in,” she said, pointing over her shoulder with her thumb.
“Oh. Sure.” Meg said quickly.
“I had a really great time, tonight…I’m glad you are such an awesome schemer,” Veronica said, taking a couple of steps backwards, towards the door.
“I did too, but I think you’re forgetting what I said earlier,” Meg said, stepping closer to Veronica and placing her hands on her waist.
“I am?” Veronica asked, intensely aware of the heat coming off Meg’s body.
“I promised to put out, remember?” Meg whispered, before pressing her lips against Veronica’s.
Veronica’s eyes closed at the contact. Her arms, with no conscious thought, encircled Meg’s torso. Meg’s hands were on Veronica’s lower back, pressing gently, increasing the contact between their bodies. As Meg’s tongue tentatively flicked out to touch her own, Veronica had a flash memory of kissing Lilly.
This was nothing like that. There was no giggling, or alcohol or ‘Truth or Dare’. It wasn’t some re-enactment of something Lilly had seen in a porno once. This was a kiss between two people who wanted to kiss each other.
Meg gently pulled back, blushing or flushed, Veronica couldn’t tell which. She ran her thumb over Veronica’s bottom lip, wiping away the trace of her lip gloss, before looking into Veronica’s eyes.
“Goodnight, Veronica,” she whispered, stepping out of the embrace, letting her hands trail down Veronica’s lace-clad arms as she went.
“Goodnight,” was all that Veronica could manage.
Meg turned and walked back to her car, turning back once to wave over her shoulder before she had disappeared into the darkness. Veronica realised that she was holding her breath. She exhaled shakily as she fumbled for the doorknob.
In the living-room, Keith was sitting on the couch rubbing Back-Up’s ears and reading a book.
“Hi Dad,” Veronica said, passing him on the way to get a drink of water.
“Hey Honey. Did ya have fun at the dance?” Keith asked, glancing up from his reading.
“Yep.”
“Good.”
Veronica finished her glass of water and placed the glass on the counter. She stood for a few moments, looking at her father.
“OK, how long are you gonna sit there pretending that you didn’t just see me kissing a girl on the doorstep?”
“About that long.”
“Uh huh. Are you freaking out?”
“No. I’m thinking that Meg’s a nice kid and that I don’t need to worry about teenage pregnancy.”
“True. Meg and I are thinking of adopting.”
“That’s nice, honey.”
“Probably from Asia. That’s all the rage these days”
“Well, I like their food.”
Veronica rolled her eyes and walked over to place a kiss on her father’s head.
“Goodnight, Dad.”
“G’night honey.”
Veronica paused at the door to her room.
“You’re pretty cool, you know that right?”
He looked over at her and grinned.
“Daddy Cool. That’s me.”
She shook her head and closed the bedroom door.
So, the crappy week had a pretty good ending. Despite the fact that I found out I had been duped. Again. (Seriously, should I consider remedial PI classes?) I like Meg. Meg likes me. Seems like a good start. And the way my life’s been going lately…a good start is a turn up for the books.
