A/N: This is my first "The O.C." fan fiction…so bear with me! But I've got a pretty good plot ahead, so don't worry. By the way, this chapter is set ahead of time, in May, to be exact.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy the story! I'll try to update it as often as possible…but it honestly depends on how much homework I've got. :)
Well, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own The O.C. or any of the characters or settings mentioned in this story. But I wish I owned Adam Brody.
Just to clarify, in this story, Seth and Summer broke up long before this takes place.
Chapter One
"New girl?" Seth asked, while walking over towards the school lounge, a frosted latté in hand. It was clearly lunch break, and the boys finally had a few minutes of free time.
"Yeah…I forget her name though. Marissa might know." Ryan replied, following Seth, and collapsing onto one of the various couches.
"Heyyy, there she is now. Summer too." Seth said, waving to the two girls, more specifically Marissa and Summer, who entered the lounge shortly after the boys had been seated.
"Hey guys." Marissa greeted, sitting down on the couch across from the boys, followed closely by Summer, who waved a silent greeting. "Have you met her yet?"
"Well not exactly but—" Seth began, only to be cut off halfway into his sentence.
"Met who?" Summer interrupted, glancing from Marissa, to Seth, to Ryan.
"The new girl." Ryan replied, blinking a few times. "Haven't you heard?"
"No." Summer answered, shaking her head.
"Oh. Well, there's a new girl in school." Ryan replied sheepishly.
Summer nodded in understanding. "What's her name?" She asked, arching a manicured eyebrow.
Ryan, Seth, and Summer all glanced over at Marissa. She blinked awkwardly and shrugged. "How should I know?" She replied.
"Weren't you the first one to know?" Seth asked.
"Yeah, but I don't know her name…" Marissa replied.
Summer frowned, and sighed slightly after a long interlude of silence. "Well, 'Riss, we'd better head off to the Library to get those books for Geography, before lunch is over." She suggested, beginning to stand up.
Marissa nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right." She stood up as well, and waved to the boys, "Later." She said simply.
"Bye." Seth and Ryan said, coincidentally at the same time.
"Bye guys." Summer said, and walked off down the hall, heading for the Library, Marissa in tow.
After the girls left, Seth looked over at Ryan. "What if this new girl is a secret agent from the FBI or something? What if she's here to spy on all of us Californians?"
Ryan rolled his eyes. "Seth, you've been watching way too much T.V."
Seth shrugged. "Just a thought." He said, taking a sip of his latté.
Ryan sighed, and glanced down at his watch. "We'd better get to class; lunch is over in two minutes." He said, standing up, while yawning jaw-crackingly.
Seth nodded in agreement, and stood up too, tossing his finished latté into the garbage. He slowly sauntered out of the lounge, following along-sided Ryan. He entirely wished lunch lasted longer than this. "What do subject do you have next?" Seth asked, struggling to stifle a yawn of his own.
"We've known each other for…ever, and you still don't know?" Ryan asked, staring disbelievingly at Seth.
"Nope."
"Well, I have Science next." Ryan replied dully.
"I've got History." Seth countered, smirking. "Hurray."
Ryan grinned slightly, and stopped by his locker. Seth stopped too, waiting for him to collect his books. He would've gone to get his books, but he had already taken the time after English to go get them. Ryan grabbed his books, shut his locker, and began walking down the hall again, Seth following.
"I'll see you after school, right?" Ryan asked, once they finally reached the Science classroom.
"Of course." Seth promised, and waved, once Ryan entered the classroom. He began walking towards the History class, flipping through one of his textbooks. He sighed dramatically, continuing to walk and absentmindedly stare at the literature, until he bumped into something, well, really…someone. Seth looked up immediately, and spotted an unfamiliar looking girl bending down to pick up the books she had unintentionally dropped.
"Oh my gosh…I'm so sorry! I should've been watching where I was going…" She said hurriedly, as she knelt down on the floor, carefully picking up an armload of schoolbooks.
"Hey, don't worry about it…it's not your fault." Seth replied, kneeling on the floor next to her, to help her pick up the books.
The girl smiled gratefully, and once she had finished picking up her books, she stood up. "Thank you so much." She said appreciatively.
"No problem." Seth stood up as well, and stared at her for a moment.
She was stunningly pretty, and even though he had only been looking at her for a few seconds, he instantly decided she looked as if she belonged on the cover of People magazine. She had straight, chocolate brown hair that cascaded merely a couple of inches below her shoulders, and her front bangs were pulled back, held with a single black clip. Her blue eyes twinkled with the slightest hint of mischief, and her smile was to die for. She wore a pair of tight-fitting, low-rising, flared dark denim jeans, a pair of green All Star high-tops, and a quarter-sleeve polo shirt, the same green as her shoes. The first couple of buttons on the shirt were undone, and the collar sat neatly on her shoulders.
"I'm Rory Beckinsdale, by the way." She said, smiling and extending a free hand for him to shake.
"Ohh, so you're the new girl, eh?" Seth shook her hand gently, and smiled back. "Seth Cohen, at your service." He replied.
"I love the name Seth." She commented, idly tucking a loose strand of her dark hair out of her eyes.
"Thanks." He said, his smile widening, if at all possible. "Rory's a really pretty name."
"You think so? I don't like it all that much." She replied, shrugging. "It's short for Aurora, which I think is the most horrific name EVER."
Seth smirked, and stood there in awkward silence for a moment or two. "Can I walk you to class, Rory?"
Rory chuckled, and grinned. "Sure." She said. "I've got…History next." She added. "How about you?"
"History."
"You're kidding!" She exclaimed, staring at him disbelievingly.
"Nope." He replied, shaking his head.
"Creepy. I mean not literally…but…" She said uneasily.
Seth grinned and nodded in agreement, slowly beginning to walk towards the History classroom, Rory walking directly beside him. "Sooo…how do you like your new school?"
"I used to go to a private school, so this is a HUGE change." Rory replied, glancing over at him. "But I like it, so far."
"A private school? Don't you like…wear uniforms there?" Seth asked grimacing slightly, and glancing back at her.
"Yeah. But they aren't as atrocious as everyone says. They're actually quite comfortable…I guess you get used to the pleated mini skirts, v-neck sweaters, knee high socks and mary-jane shoes after a while." She explained, shrugging faintly.
"I don't think I could survive one day in a private school." He said, smirking, and stopped by the History classroom, opening the door for her.
"Thank you." She whispered appreciatively, noticing that the class had already begun. She quietly walked over to an empty desk, and Seth silently shut the door and crept after her, sitting down in his regular spot during History.
At last, school was over. Only homework was left to do, and that didn't seem too hard. Seth had walked out of the school, looking for Rory, Marissa and Summer, but more hopefully Ryan. No sign of any of them, yet.
"Hey, Cohen!"
Seth turned around, grinning at the sight of his friend. "Hey Summer…what's up?"
"Nothing much…have you met the new girl yet?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Yep." Seth replied casually.
"Really?"
"Yep."
"Well, what's her name?" Summer asked, not exactly sure if she should believe him or not.
"Rory Beckinsdale." Seth answered, grinning.
Summer frowned thoughtfully. "So…where is she?"
"I'm trying to figure that out, too…where's Ryan, though? I thought he might've wanted to meet her." Seth asked, glancing over at her.
"He's with Marissa…again." Summer replied, sighing. "He's like, all Marissa ever talks about now-a-days."
"Same with Ryan. Marissa this, Marissa that…" Seth said, and grimaced slightly.
"I really don't hope they get back together…" Summer groaned.
"Really? Despite the fact they'd probably get on my nerves in a few…hours, they're really cute together." Seth replied, smirking.
Summer shuddered. "No way…" She mumbled, pursing her lips into her infamous pouty-frown. He looked over Summer's shoulder, for just a minute, and instantly spotted Rory walking out of the school, juggling a stack of books. He smiled, and waved her over.
She caught sight of him, and waved back, walking over to the two.
"Hey guys…" Rory greeted shyly. "Sorry I wasn't here earlier…my last class was dismissed late."
"Hey," Seth welcomed, and glanced over at Summer, who looked as if she had to force a friendly smile to her face. "Summer, this is Rory, Rory, this is Summer."
"Nice to meet you, Summer." Rory said, smiling warmly.
"Nice to meet you too…Rory." Summer replied hesitantly.
Seth glanced from one girl to the other, sensing the tension.
"Hey, sorry to leave so suddenly, but I've definitely gotta go save Coop from Chino." Summer said, grinning cheekily.
Rory glanced at Seth, a puzzled expression on her face.
"Ryan and Marissa." Seth said, noticing the look on Rory's face.
Rory continued to stare at him, still looking thoroughly confused.
"Friends of ours."
"Oohhh, I see." She murmured finally, blushing slightly, feeling rather unintelligent and embarrassed.
Summer stood there for a moment, and blinked a few times. "Yeah…I'll see you guys around." She said and waved good-bye, and before either Seth or Rory could protest, she dashed off towards the school.
Seth watched her leave and sighed slightly, running a hand through his thick, curly hair.
Rory stood there awkwardly, also watching at Summer departed. "So…?" She mumbled, blinking several times.
"So, how was your first full day of school?" Seth asked, leading her over to a bench nearby. They sat down, and Rory shrugged slightly.
"It was okay…but I've never really liked school in the first place." She replied, laughing airily.
Seth grinned. He only now realized how cute her laugh was. "School's not that bad…it's something to do, at least."
"You're right, but it's NEVER going to be my favorite pass-time." Rory replied, shrugging slightly. She glanced down at the rhinestone-studded watch on her wrist, and winced. "Seth, I'm rreeaaalllyyy sorry, but I've gotta go. I'm supposed to meet my mom at the mall in like…five minutes!" She exclaimed hastily, biting her bottom lip anxiously.
"Oh, okay."
"I'm so sorry!" She said, standing up. "I'll see you tomorrow, I guess?" She twisted the phrase into more of a question than a statement.
"Yeah, I guess." He replied, grinning weakly.
"Bye Seth!" She called, smiling slightly, and dashed off towards the parking lot.
"Bye, Rory." He said quietly, waving, and watching as she left. He sighed, and ran a hand through his hair, standing up, and wandering aimlessly back to the school, hoping to find Ryan, or the girls.
A/N: Was it good? Please let me know! Reviews are always welcomed!
Hopefully I'll get Chapter Two up soon!
Sophia
xoxo