Disclaimer : Josh owns the OC. I own not that much.

Like I said in the summary this story takes place before season 1. This story is slightly AU, because this story never could have happened for real, because Summer didn't even know who Seth was in the beginning of the OC and she definitely would have known who he was if this story happened. Secondly Summer's father is a bit different from his character in the OC, but you'll find that out in the next chapter.

In case someone wanted to know, I think the first two chapters of this story are the most angst, the other chapters are more focused on the other main genre of this story.

Reviews, suggestions etc. are always appreciated.

She looked at the older woman sitting beside her. The wrinkles in her face were easily to spot, caused by the sorrows she went through. Her brown steep hair covered more than the half of her head like she didn't want to be seen by anyone. Her clothes were in all the sallow colors she could think of. The clothes that someone wears who wants to be so inconspicous as she can be, hidden in the background, adapted to her surroundings. The only trouble was that if someone tried to be inconspicious sometimes their actions made them the most interesting things to look at. Even her clothes, her hair for her face and her silence couldn't disguise her impatiently fear.

She looked at the other side, away from the woman. She sighed, just 10 more minutes - slowing-downs included - and her train would appear. She desperately wanted to see a face instead of the almost empty station. To be precise not just a face, she wanted to see his face, his stupid stubborn face. She knew it was going to be very unlikely, remembering their last meeting, but there was still a small part of hope sparkling through her body. One more time seeing his face, was that too much to ask?

She got up and walked nervously a few metres. Suddenly she heard her name, she stopped breathing, her heart stood still and she turned round. She saw a face, but all her hope shattered when she saw the blue eyes. She saw the woman at the platform seat watching her and the boy with red hair closely. She vaguely knew the guy, she had to make sure he wasn't going to get suspicous. She started to talk, chosing her words carefully and looking around to see whether the person she was hoping for maybe... As the conversation went on she realized she rattled the same old story she had done for so long. She hardly listened to the things the boy spoke of. To her relief they were almost done talking and the reddish bloke said goodbye to her. Then she heard his last sentences echoing through her head, filtering the information. Repeating it to make sure she had heard it right. She ran quickly to the boy who was on his way to leave the station, which shocked the old woman.

"Are you sure?" She asked gasping for breath. She explained him what she meant when he looked confused back at her. He nodded. She felt a pain coming in her heart. She gave a short gaze of anxiety to the woman on the platform seat and her incoming train. What was she supposed to do? Everything that had happened the last weeks flashed back.

Tuesday

"Seth?"

"Seth Cohen?"

When he opened his eyes, he looked right into the eyes of Mrs Lenor. After seeing the blackboard and hearing some giggling behind him, he became painly aware he was at school. Mrs Lenor obviously had asked him a question, because she was staring at him with her mouth shut.

The only thing he remembered was an image of himself having wings and flying away. That could either mean he had fallen asleep or he had had a daydream caused by reading too many comics. It didn't matter which of the two options it was, because he still wouldn't know what the question was, not to mention what to answer.

The sound of a shrill tone relieved him of giving an answer, he was saved by the bell.

He sauntered through the enormous hall on his way outside. Children ran screaming past him, trying to get the best seats at the play-ground. The lunch was a torture everyday. He had to watch his class-fellows eating together, while he had no one. Although he was surrounded by tons of people, he would feel more lonely here than he ever could feel when he was alone in his room. He wished he was invisible, so nobody could see how lonely and pathetic he was. Finally he found a retired spot in dark shadows, where he could be as much out of sight as possible.

In a glimpse he saw her. Her long dark hair flew behind her, following her proudly. It was obvious she was far out of his league. He had liked her since the first time he saw her. She was the reason his favorite season became the summer, which had the same name as she had. Not that he ever had talked to her, he only watched her and she had never looked back at him. He didn't even know if she knew he existed. She smiled, not to him of course, but to the girl who was walking next to her. The girl who was his neighbour's daughter Marissa Cooper.

He watched the two girls who were probably busy talking about the latest gossips. Surprizingly enough they were walking towards him. He quickly grabbed his bag to take out his lunch. Above all they mustn't have the chance to see him glaring at them.

"When are we going to come together?" he heard and he looked up, seeing the faces of Marissa and Summer in front of him.

He looked round to see to who Summer was talking to, but he saw no one else sitting or standing behind him. She was talking to him... for real? He realized that she had asked him a question and he had been looking sheepish at her for some seconds now.

"You want to be...with me? You and me? You and me?" he asked enthustiastic.

He immediately regretted his words when he saw her raising one of her eyebrows. He became very aware of his rambled sentence and how uncool it sounded.

"Oh, great. That odd bird thinks I like him," she rolled her eyes and smirked to Marissa who laughed back.

Seth felt like a complete moron. How could he have thought she would just come to him someday, because she liked him?

"Does the word history project ring a bell?" Summer asked him.

He looked confused at her, not understanding what she was talking about.

"Maybe if you hadn't fallen asleep you would actually know something. Mrs Lenor has divided the class in couples and unfortunately we have to work together."

He let the words sink in. He must have been very deeply asleep to miss such information. He knew that if he had heard he was going to be working together with Summer Roberts, the girl of his dreams, he would have jumped for joy. But he already had ruined their first real contact now by one sentence.

"I'll see you friday, after school, your house," Summer commanded when he didn't give a reaction at her words.

He held his sandwich in his hands, eating very slowly, hearing Summer and Marissa talk, while they were walking away.

"Are you sure you want to be in his house? You might catch a disease."

"Well, if he tries anything. I'll run right to your house next door."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Empty. Almost empty. He looked carefully through the blurred window. The play-ground was almost deserted with the exception of some indolent children. Looking back and forth from the clock to the people who slowly disappeared from his sight, he waited. The time was ticking on and it started to become late. Some of the teachers were already heading home as well.

When he didn't see any children standing on the play-ground, he reassured himself it was the right time to go home. He zipped up his jacket and grabbed his spiderman bag which was ridiculous big, especially for him. He was a lanky thin boy who was just 14 years old.

The sun was going down and shone only a weak ray of light on the streets where he was knocking about. He walked past all kind of houses, in the most of them families were already eating their supper, which made him want to be home sooner. His parents were probably worried about his whereabouts.

"There he is!" he suddenly heard, immediately realizing they meant him.

He ran as fast as he could, while he heard footfalls following him. He listened closely to judge with how many of them they were. Four, five... maybe six. He should have staid longer at school, where it was safe.

He ran, it was the only thing he could do, although he knew he was never going to make it to safety before they catched him. His running was a weak form of postponement, but at the same time a short moment of pure resistance. They've already had taken his happiness, his dignity and his existence. The only thing remained was a small sparkle of hope for a change which made him run. It would only take a matter of time before they would steal that as well and a day would come he wouldn't run anymore. A day his resistance would break, a day he would let them do everything they wanted. It was the one day he feared.

The old grey paving-stones touched his face. The street where he now lay felt cold and hard in comparison to his body. It was his own fault, he stumbled on a protruding stone. It didn't take long before the sound of the footfalls became louder and ultimately stopped which meant they were here next to him.

He turned to lie on his back so he could see them. Most of the faces he saw were familiar, however there were a few new persons he didn't know. He probably wouldn't even had a chance if it just had been one of them. Their statures were more much impressive than his obvious thinness.

He closed his eyes, because he didn't want to see anymore. Someone took hold of him so he couldn't move. He heard their laughter and breathings, while he felt the drones of their kicks and punches in his side. All he could do was waiting for the moment they would stop. He didn't scream or cry, he wouldn't give them the pleasure of knowing they hurt him.

One blow in his face. The faces in front of him, the sound of laughs, the shaking of the punches began to fade away just as long until a silent darkness remained.