Summary: Marissa goes to the Dawn Patrol and sees some familiar faces, will this meeting of chance develop into something more? Something like Episode 6: "The Swells", during scenes "Simpatico" and "Nothing going on?". Malex. (MarissaXAlex)
A/N: Johnny is Marissa's best guy friend ever since she has been expelled from Harbor, Volchok also goes to Newport Union with Marissa, Chili and Johnny. Warning forAU
(I think, maybe. . ), OOC, Language, Femslash. Don't mind all my spelling and grammar mistakes; I did my best.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, obviously; otherwise, I wouldn't be stuck here with these losers…pfft…
Dedication: To Raleigh because you graduated this year (Class of 2007, woot!) and I'm too lazy to buy you a nice gift like all those other crazies. Since you're achieving something and finally getting out of this shit state for good, hope you find time to read this while you're baking in AZ. Party it up for me, drink some for the dead and remember to wear sunscreen this time!
Chapter One: Dawn Patrol Priorities
The last bell of the day finally rang and Marissa Cooper tore out of the classroom like there was no tomorrow. It was a tempting September afternoon in Southern California, with the waves of the ocean beckoning and rays of sunshine beating down, Marissa found it hard to resist.
Just as Marissa had made up her mind to head for the beach, she heard the screeching of tires on pavement and looked up from her current view of the sidewalk. A blond boy of about 17 with a goofy little grin stepped out from the driver's side and circled around to the back of the Escalade, popping the trunk.
Marissa grinned as the song "Forever" by Papa Roach continued to serenade her from the stereo system and two somewhat shady looking teens hopped out of the vehicle. Grinning, the three teens standing before the senior girl looked at each other and with a confirming nod from each said teen they all ran for Marissa.
Marissa stared at the three people running towards her, eyebrow raised and thinking they were going to stop, Marissa waited, but it was in vain, as Kevin Volchok screamed.
"SLUT PILE-UP!"
Before they all plowed into the lanky brunette. Marissa came crashing down with a thud, smacking her delicate little head on the pavement as she fell. Marissa groaned as the weight of three teenagers was added to her already aching body.
"Hey guys!" Marissa croaked from underneath all the weight.
"Did ya miss us?" Johnny Harper grinned as he stared down at his friend.
"Yes, but I'd miss you more if you got off me." Marissa let out a small laugh.
"Sure thing Marissa." Dennis (Chili) Childress grinned before he stood up, the surf nazi following suit.
"And what about you?" Marissa stared up into the eyes of the last teenager to remain on top of her, who also happened to be straddling her hips.
"Make me."
Marissa laughed at Johnny as she slipped her hands around the boy's waist and pulled downwards, only to have the moment ruined by a certain bobble-headed geek in size 27 jeans and an Abercrombie and Fitch convert.
"Ooh la, la…" Seth Cohen commented, his eyes bulging at the sight in front of him.
Ryan Atwood stood at Seth's side looking rather uncomfortable, his hands fidgeting with the zipper on his sweater as he stared at Marissa, his girlfriend. Johnny shot the curly haired Jew a glare and if looks could kill, the two Harbor senior boys would have been riddled with bullets. Sending Marissa a grin, Johnny stood up and held out his hand to help up the brunette. Turning to the idiots in front of him, he said.
"Hey Ryan, Seth." Johnny smiled.
"Hey…" the boys greeted.
Behind the couple, the other two Union boys held mixed expressions, just then there was a yell from behind Seth followed by the clinking of two pairs of heels on the pavement.
"Seth! I told you to wait for me! I have the latest of Yakuza from Japan!" Taylor Townsend said as she waved the DVD over her head frantically.
"Taylor, wait up! I promised Coop I'd wait for her to get out of detention!" Summer Roberts yelled after the overly hyperactive Townsend.
"Taylor?" (Seth)
"Coop?" (Summer)
"Townsend?" (Marissa)
"Summer?" (Johnny)
"Marissa? Newport Union freaks?" (Taylor)
The four of them, Marissa included, looked rather offended by this remark and Taylor quickly dismissed it as shock upon seeing her again.
"Coop, I thought you had detention." Summer said, turning to her best friend.
"You and detention in the same sentence, not separated by the words are-not-in, no way?!" Johnny laughed as he slapped her on the back.
"Way." Marissa grinned, turning to Summer. "Eh whatevs, it's only Novak, no big deal."
"Are they even allowed to do that? Give you detention when you don't even go here anymore?" Seth asked, but then quickly covered his mouth and mumbled an apology.
Marissa shrugged. "I don't care, I was only shadowing Sum, it's not like he really expects me to serve it anyways."
"Marissa, I'm so sorry that things didn't go as planned at the board meeting last night." Taylor said sympathetically.
"That's okay, I guess I'll just have to stick it out with these losers for the rest of my senior year," Marissa shot her Newport Union friends a grin before continuing. "I don't mind, I mean, at least I won't have to see your face every day for the next couple months."
"Ooh, you want some water for that burn?" Chili whooped, earning a smack over the head from Volchok at the cheesy remark.
"Well I see you certainly haven't changed Marissa, you could at least show a little gratitude, I did try you know."
"Tried and failed, what are ya gonna do? That's life." Marissa rolled her eyes at Taylor.
"Yeah, and life's a bitch." Johnny laughed.
"Alright, let's get out of here, there's a party tonight anyway." Chili said as he got back into the driver's side.
"Cheers to that." Volchok grinned as he returned to the back of the Escalade, Chili having folded down the backseats in the vehicle so that it was just the two front seats. the bucket seats removed as well.
"I'll see you guys later or something." Marissa said a rather cheap farewell.
"Wait Marissa, I thought we were hanging out today?" Ryan called after her.
"We will, tonight." Marissa said simply.
Ryan let a frustrated sigh escape his lips and he subconsciously wound his hands into fists. "Alright, pick you up at seven?"
"Try eleven." Marissa corrected.
Ryan stared at his girlfriend, "Why so late?"
"I have plans."
"No, we have plans."
"Ryan, must every conversation we have turn into an argument?"
Ryan sighed. "Eleven it is."
"See ya then." The brunette answered before she gave her boyfriend a hug goodbye and walked with Johnny back to the rear of the Escalade.
The door slammed and it wasn't long before the Harbor students heard the familiar screeching of tires on pavement and the Escalade disappearing from view.
"What's her problem?" Ryan asked as the four of them stood outside rather shocked.
"Don't ask me." Seth answered.
"Yeah, you were never so good with girls." Taylor said blatantly.
"Hey!"
"She has a point Seth." Summer added.
"No one asked you." Seth mumbled.
"Maybe she's just PMSing?" Taylor suggested.
Seth and Ryan shared a glance, both looking rather uncomfortable with where this conversation was going.
"I don't know, but I hope she's okay." Summer said as they headed towards their cars.
"Alright, party time!" Chili yelled as they came to a halt in front of a liquor store. "Volchok, if you would be so kind."
"Money." Volchok replied with his hand out.
"Um, about that…" Chili said as he ran his hand through his hair.
"Oh, its okay, I got it." Marissa spoke up and shoved a wad of dollar bills into Volchok's gaping mouth.
Volchok spit them out and went to cup Marissa over the back of the head, only to be stopped by Johnny.
"Bitch." he whispered before lightly shoving the girl.
"Slut." Marissa grinned.
"You only wish." Volchok said with the tiniest hint of a smile on his face before he pocketed the money and got out of the Escalade, making his way into the liquor store.
"So where's this party tonight?" Marissa asked the group before her.
"My place, in preparation for Johnny's surf competition. We all know that he's going to get sponsored by Pac West this year right?" Chili grinned.
"You better." Marissa grinned.
"I will, if Volchok doesn't get it first." Johnny said rather worriedly.
"Get what?" Volchok asked as he reappeared in the back doorway holding two cases of beer.
"Nothing." Chili answered, hoping to move the subject away from this longtime rivalry.
Volchok, as if sensing what they were discussing previous, said "Hey Harper, there's no way you're getting my sponsorship."
"Yeah right Volchok, I'll cream you."
Volchok let out a laugh and tossed the beer to Marissa before getting back in. Chili sped off and soon they were at the end of Dune Road.
"This is crazy…" Marissa whispered as she stared at the chaos of people before her.
"This isn't just any party Marissa, its grande awesomeness. We're talking about this weekend!"
Marissa stared at the boy confusedly.
"The swells are coming in from Antarctica, which means they're finally going to get some height." Johnny explained.
"Okay, I have no idea what that means."
"I forgot, born and raised in Newport and has never surfed a wave."
"That's me."
"It means that after the flattest season ever, we're finally getting some decent waves."
"We like to welcome these southern swells with an ancient ritual know as 'Dawn Patrol'." Chili grinned.
"Does that mean you stay up all night and party before you surf?"
"Hey, she's not entirely hopeless." Volchok scoffed.
"Yeah, maybe we'll even teach you a few moves?"
"Or I'll just sit on the sand and watch?" Marissa countered as they all disbanded and she went into Chili's house.
Johnny walked with the brunette, "Come on, I'll give you a tour, introduce you to some of my fan girls, ya know, the usual."
Marissa laughed and followed her friend through the mob of people; he stopped and turned to get her a drink as she scanned the room. No familiar faces, which for quite awhile had been a relief.
"Here you go Ris, now come on, let's mingle." Johnny famed a feminine hand flip and discoed through the crowd with Marissa at his side.
Marissa laughed at the 18-year-old surfer running through 70's dance steps. "See Marissa, white boys can dance!" he laughed as they stopped in front of a group of girls, most of whom looked like they surfed, though there were a couple of odd ones out. Johnny went around the group of people and Marissa greeted them all the same, wishing this was already over and then Johnny reached the last two of the group.
"Marissa, I'd like you to meet my cousin Sadie, and Sadie, this is my friend Marissa."
"Hi." Marissa greeted with a small wave of the hand, looking slightly uncomfortable with all these people staring at her.
"Hey, nice to finally meet you." Sadie smiled, and Marissa looked at her, confused for the second time in the past twenty minutes. "Johnny never shuts up about you." Sadie explained and Marissa grinned, rather embarrassed.
"Anyway…" Johnny started, changing the subject. "Last, but not least, is-"
"My girlfriend Jodie." Sadie interrupted her cousin and kissed the Hispanic on the cheek.
Marissa's head snapped up from staring at the floor, ready to greet another face she didn't care for, when a familiar voice brought her back to the present.
"Actually, we've already met." the voice said and Marissa was willing herself to look anywhere but towards that voice, maybe they would just disappear?
It can't be her, it can't be her, it can't be her… Marissa said repeatedly in her head as more voices interrupted her thoughts.
"Have you? How's that?" Sadie and Johnny both wondered.
"Oh let's just say…a mutual friend." the girl let out a small laugh, barely audible, but it only confirmed what Marissa had feared.
Marissa sighed and brought her eyes to meet the girl's in front of her. Sure enough, there she stood, the curvy little Hispanic that Marissa had met one year ago, Alex's ex, Jodie.
"Hey bitch." Jodie greeted with a grin.
Marissa stared at the girl slightly shocked, but not caring that much, she just nodded in reply.
"So what are you doing back in Orange County?" Marissa asked, rather curious.
"Sadie came to support Johnny and I came with her." Jodie said as she put her arm around said girl. "What are you doing at the Dawn Patrol?" Jodie asked incredulously. "Shouldn't you be shopping or something?"
Marissa stared at Jodie, annoyed. "I'm here to support Johnny."
"Are you sure you're not here to support Volchok, I mean you two did used to be together."
"Johnny is my best guy friend, not Volchok." Marissa said defensively. "And besides, I'm with Ryan now."
"That's too bad, because if you weren't, well let's just say that you certainly wouldn't be any worse for the wear." Jodie whispered that last remark so that only Marissa could hear before she backed off and went back to her seat on the couch.
"I'm going to go get myself a refill." Marissa excused herself and walked back over to some partying surfers.
Her mind muddled from having seen Jodie again, being confused by her last words of 'wisdom' and lastly, seeing Jodie almost automatically brought thoughts of the inevitable to her mind, thoughts of Alex. Not wanting to think about any of this, she downed the two refills she had already gotten from some unknown teen and quickly received another one when some rather unwanted company joined her at her side.
"Marissa, what was up with you back there? You just kind of ran off." a worried Johnny pulled Marissa back to the present, away from her jumbled thoughts.
"I didn't run off, I just…I needed a drink, that's all."
"Oh okay, well you know I'm here if you want to talk."
"I'm fine and thanks Johnny."
"Sure, no problem, now if you'll excuse me, I have to go fish Chili out of the toilet."
Marissa blinked and Johnny grinned. "A couple of Volchok's bros just gave him a swirley."
Marissa muffled a laugh and watched Johnny disappear towards the bathroom before she made her way over to the couch and if she was lucky, she wouldn't have to get up for the rest of the night. Taking a couple swallows of the pungent liquid, hoping she would pass out soon. Marissa downed what remained in the cup and then threw the plastic container on the floor. Letting her eyelids rest for a moment, her eyes welcoming the darkness, Marissa leaned her head back on the plush surface and breathed in deeply.
Fifteen minutes, that's all it had been, maybe not even that, before a certain hyper blond screamed. "Marissa! Wake up!"
Marissa's right fist connected with the Chili's face faster than he could react and he recoiled, clutching his nose. Opening her eyes to see the scene she had just caused, Marissa let out a sigh; must everyone interrupt her while she was trying to think, or when she trying to do just the opposite? Forget everything and everyone. Once again, someone's voice found its way into her thoughts.
"Great, just great Marissa, thanks a lot. First a swirley and now this?"
"You should know better than to wake a sleeping beauty." Johnny chuckled as he sat down on the couch next to Marissa.
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that little rule." Chili rubbed his sore nose.
"He once woke up Sadie last year after Dawn Patrol, huge drama, she nearly killed him."
Marissa managed a weak smile before trying to disappear even further into the couch. Chili joined the two and he handed Marissa another drink as a peace offering. Marissa half-heartedly apologized for Chili's nearly bloody nose and then drown her half-awaken state in some more alcohol.
Marissa managed to pass the next six hours with a little help from the Russians and a near death experience with a keg stand and frat boy dropouts. Chili and Volchok plopped down on the couch that Marissa had accompanied previous. Marissa, her tired body dropping back against the oh-so-welcoming sofa cushions with Johnny alongside her, was just about to take the smallest of naps on her friend's shoulder, when someone interrupted them over the deafening music and screams of drunken teens.
"Hey Harper! Looks like you got yourself a couple of new groupies!"
Marissa didn't bother to lift her head; she didn't even bother to open her eyes. Already thoroughly exhausted, all she wanted to do was sleep.
"I never expected you to be here, when did you come back?"
"A few days ago, it actually feels nice to be back."
"Really?"
"Maybe. A little." they answered.
As Marissa listened to their conversation, her neck managed to hold her head in an upright position, hoping that whoever was owner to the voice would go away, Marissa still didn't open her eyes.
"Shh…" the teen whispered.
Finally, Marissa thought, some peace and quiet, no interruptions, well pushing aside the blaring music and yelling of course. Or not. Someone decided that it would be funny to hit Marissa, who was desperately trying to get a decent amount of shuteye, over the head with a pillow.
"Fuck!" Marissa screamed.
Frustrated at the fact that people couldn't just leave her alone, Marissa opened her eyes. Glaring at the person in front of her, her anger soon turned to surprise and then the smallest of smiles graced her delicate features.
"Oh shit! Marissa?! Is that you?" Alex yelled, shocked.
Marissa grinned. "The one and only." she replied before she surprised them both by enveloping Alex in a warm embrace.
Wrapping her arms around the blonde's back and shoulder, pulling her close, Marissa breathed in Alex's scent, how she missed that smell. Alex reciprocated the touch and soon her hands were gently resting on Marissa's back, just as an annoying little tune interrupted them. Marissa silently cursed whoever was calling before the two girls broke apart and Marissa reached into her front pocket for her cell phone.
Glancing down at the Caller ID, Marissa slapped a hand to her forehead and answered the call.
"Ohmigosh Ryan! I'm so sorry, I completely forgot!"
End Chapter One: Dawn Patrol Priorities