Author: Young Republican

Rating: Pg-13

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC or any of the characters; they belong to Fox and all that good junk. But god wouldn't it be amazing if I owned Ryan? Yummy…the things I could do with that boy ;)

Authors Notes: This story is set at the beginning of season 2 right after the first episode. Ryan and Seth are back and school is starting. This is chapter one obviously and I promise it only gets better from here :) Please leave some feedback and your ideas for what might happen next? ;)

When the Music Stops

Ryan wasn't sure why he didn't see Marissa as soon as he was back and settled into the Cohen house again. God knows he's crazy for that girl. But the more he racked his brain for a plausible reason the more he realized the only reason was because he was scared.

That Monday morning there was a flurry of activities in the Cohen house. Not only was the intense construction around the house a distraction, but both Seth and Ryan could only think of one thing. For Seth it was seeing Summer again after having left her. For Ryan it was seeing Marissa, of maybe holding Marissa and kissing Marissa and telling her how much he…Well, he wasn't sure what exactly he wanted to tell her. During his time with Theresa he knew that Marissa was the most important thing in his life. But was the word love really appropriate? He wasn't quite sure of that yet.

Seth didn't look too great that morning as he hastily ate breakfast. Ryan walked past him and clapped him on the back, nearly sending the boy choking. Ryan raised an eyebrow.

"Problems?" He asked in his usual speak-no-more-then-five-words-at-a-time manner.

Seth snorted. "Summer looks like a little girl, you know? But let me tell you, she could kick my ass. And I'm man enough to admit it."

Ryan smirked and took out a glass from the cupboard. "Do you really think Summer will even come close enough to kick your ass?"

"Thanks." Seth said sarcastically. "That really helped. Made me feel much better."

"Truth sucks."

"What about Marissa? Think she'll be cool?"

Ryan didn't say anything as he took a drink; all he did was shrug his shoulders. After the glass was drained he set it on the counter. "Let's go find out."

oOo

The school hadn't changed as much as Seth expected it to. In fact, nothing about Newport had changed in the slightest. What surprised him the most, he realized, was how much he changed. No longer would he look at the floor when a jock or somebody popular walked by; no longer would he be embarrassed to talk to a pretty girl; and no longer would he be a pushover. He was not going to be a loser anymore. And strangely enough, he could sort of feel the difference in himself.

"I don't know how people can do this." Seth told Ryan as they got out of Seth's SUV and walked towards the school.

"Do what?" Ryan asked.

"Come to school like this every day. It's so early."

Ryan chuckled and looked towards the school. Everything was green and bright and clean and new. Thanks in large part to Caleb Nichol, really, who basically owned Newport Beach. His plastic was what built this town, what gave the town the elegance and glamour that it had. Without Caleb would any of this really exist? Ryan often wondered.

"So what do you think is going to happen with Marissa and Summer?" Seth wondered out loud.

"That's easy. Marissa will come running back to me with open arms. And while she's doing that, Summer will take one look at you and head for the hills." Seth looked at Ryan with a puzzled expression. "What?'

Seth snorted. "That's the most words I've ever heard you speak at once."

"It happens." Ryan shrugged as usual.

"Yea, that's true. Unfortunately they completely sucked and did not help ease my worries anyway. Way to go, kid."

Ryan lifted one eyebrow. "Cohen what the hell did Summer ever see in you?"

"That's a damn good question. But I suppose if you want to ask her you could. And then while you're at it you could remind her that I'm still like that. Only, except, I'm not as geeky."

"You were away from home for three months. You didn't even leave the west coast for that matter."

"It was a long three months, man. Unbearable at first but I adjusted."

"Really?"

"Oh yes." Seth shifted his bag to a more comfortable shoulder and took a look at the school. His eyes scanned the crowd for Summer. "There they are."

With Seth's finger pointing to where the girls were, Ryan zoned in on Marissa. As if the girls felt they were being stared at they turned and stared at Seth and Ryan.

"We've been spotted." Seth told him in mock-suspense-movie style. "Is that a bad thing?"

"We'll find out in a minute right?" Both boys grinned and started to walk over towards the girls. But the girls didn't follow according to the boys plan: to sweep them off their feet (literally) kiss them, and never let them go. Instead they turned on their heels and hurried into the school. Seth was sure he saw Summer roll her eyes.

"Guess that wasn't a good thing." Seth piped.

"Don't think so."

"Good thing I'm not against groveling." Seth smiled, still sure he would win back Summer. After all, he'd waiting sixteen years for her. What was a few more days? Weeks if need be. Hell he could go for months if he really had to. Years might be pushing it though.