How Naked Are You Willing to Get for a Case?
How "Veronica Mars" might have gone were it not for TV censors and Kristen Bell's reluctance to do nudity. Enjoy!
***
"I think you're falling for one of our suspects," I told my friend as we stood in her dorm room.
Mac gave that little grin of hers. "What? This spot here?" She pointed at her crotch and then circled with her finger. "For all cute guys who help the environment." She almost cracked up saying that.
"Is Bronson an environmentalist or an animal rights guy?"
"He's both, Veronica. He used to be in Greenpeace before he devoted all his energy to our college's PHAT-chapter."
"I'll bet People for Humane Animal Treatment chose their name while 'phat' was still a trendy term for 'cool.'"
"Probably. And the two movements have a lot of overlap."
"Such as?"
"Factory farms. They force animals to suffer all their lives to save a few pennies, but they also do insane environmental damage. Factory farms leave huge lagoons of animal feces. And livestock farming creates more greenhouse gasses than all the cars, trucks, and SUV's on the planet, according to the United Nations report on -- "
"Okay, Mac, I get the point. I'll help you give Bronson ... what you've got waiting for him." I pointed at her pussy and moved my finger in a circle. "But first, we have to convince PHAT to trust us so we can find those missing lab animals."
Mac confessed, "I really can't see Bronson going out with me."
"He already likes you. And nothing brings people together like fighting for a cause. We can win PHAT's trust and Bronson's heart in one fell swoop."
"Do you have a plan?"
"For a brainy college girl, Mac, you sometimes ask silly questions."
My plan worked beautifully. Mac and I publicly embarrassed an animal-hating celebrity, and we were soon invited to a private meeting with Sam and Darla, two PHAT-members who were my top suspects in the missing lab animal case. If I really had their trust, I figured, this case was practically solved.
"You guys were great," Darla gushed. "We definitely want you for our big project."
"Excellent," I said, trying not to sound like Mr. Burns.
"So whenever you're ready," said Darla, "just go ahead and take them off."
"Umm, take what off?"
"Your clothes," Darla said as she stepped behind a camera.
"You are committed," Sam asked. "Right?" He woke up his computer and showed the results of their last photo session. The photo showed Darla completely naked, and surprisingly attractive. Beneath her bulky sweater, this photo revealed, Darla had a firm body with curves in all the right places. The photo was not X-rated: Darla's nipples were covered by her hands, and her crotch was obscured by the back of someone's head. The caption read, "I'd rather eat p#$$y than factory farm meat."
I had seen this poster around campus, but I'd never noticed the woman in the picture was Darla! I couldn't tell who the naked man was. Maybe that was Sam, but it was hard to imagine such a fit body hiding under his grungy clothes.
And now they expected me to pose? And Mac?
I told them, "I'm not sure this is ... um..."
"Factory farms are torture chambers for animals," Darla said. "The so-called farmers make the animals live in filth just to save a few bucks and increase profits. We need to hit them where it hurts."
"Oh, totally," I said. "I would kick them in the balls if they had any."
Sam said, "We hit them in their profit margins by convincing people to eat better foods."
"But," I said, "is nudity the best strategy?"
"It gets attention," said Darla. "You'd be surprised. A lot of men really like looking at naked women."
"Yes, I've heard that before," I told her.
"PETA has all those nudie pictures on their website, and they've grown to eclipse other animal rights groups," Darla said. "We have to compete. PETA has celebrities, but PHAT has college-aged hotties like you two."
"We're certainly flattered," I said. "But couldn't we do more for animals by -- "
A curtain was pulled open and I stopped talking the moment I saw Bronson step out wearing a robe. Bronson Pope was the reason PHAT's membership was 80% female. This stud-muffin was going to pose nude with us?
"Well," I said, "if you really think this will arouse people's interest in going vegan, I guess we can give it a shot. Right, Mac?"
Mac stood nervously silent.
"Great," said Sam. "Let's start with Veronica taking off her top."
"Me?" I wasn't sure what worried me more: the danger that I might steal Bronson's attention away from Mac, or the danger that I might not. "Uh, okay."
I took off my shirt, wishing I'd worn a prettier bra. Mac and Sam and Darla and Bronson were all seeing my un-sexy white underwear. But that was all the more motivation to remove my bra, I guess, and convince PHAT of my dedication. I tossed my bra next to my shirt, my tits now displayed to the whole room.
I tried to act natural. This was no big deal, right? Studies routinely show that roughly half the adult population has boobs.
But Sam was now staring at mine. As awkward as that made me feel, I was even more embarrassed that Bronson was staring at Mac. She was fully dressed, and Bronson wouldn't take his eyes off her even to glance at my naked tits. I really wished the Mammomaxx had worked.
Sam said, "Now, Mac, you get behind Veronica and put your hands over her breasts."
"Oh," said Mac. "Okay." She gave an awkward smile, then walked behind and wrapped her arms around me. I thought she might hold her hands in front of my boobs, but she actually laid her hands on them. The feel of her palms on my nipples was a surprise that made it hard for me to act casual.