Chapter One: Coincidence?

She watched as Alex led her girlfriend d'jour down the stairs and into her office, shushing her and giggling. She sighed and shook her head.

I've been here less than a week, and already I know more about this girl than I want to.

She stuck her auburn hair back behind one ear and began to put the glasses back in their correct spots behind the bar. The words "Bait Shop" were painted behind her, and this girl, Amy Thomas, had just become its new bartender. She had moved to sunny Orange County almost a week ago from San Diego, looking for a job to help pay for her tuition at a school with an outrageous selling price. She hadn't been looking forward to moving there; she had heard the horror stories of the people living in the OC, as they fondly called it and wasn't at all thrilled. Thankfully, she had met Alex, who had given her this job and seemed almost normal. That is, until she found out about her many women, those not including her "girlfriend" Marissa, whom Amy had never met. She also knew about Seth, Alex's ex-boyfriend who she still had feelings for, but liked Marissa more. That was how she had put it when her life story spilled out, shortly before she passed out on the bar in front of Amy. Amy watched her with amusement and picked up her thin frame and carried her back to her office. That had been three days ago. She had been working here, watching Alex leave and come back with numerous girls and guys, wondering about this Marissa and what she would say if she knew all this.

Amy sat on the bar thinking about this, listening to her scratched up Journey record, when she heard footsteps coming behind her. Thinking it was Alex, she swung around ready to spy. But it wasn't Alex. It was a young guy, about seventeen or eighteen, standing there with a puzzled look on his face. He had sandy blonde hair, dark eyes- she couldn't make out the color from where she was sitting- and was wearing a dark collared shirt with jeans. If that was Seth, she would make sure to slap Alex hard across the face for breaking up with him.

"Hi," he said, looking around quizzically.

"Hi," Amy returned. "You don't happen to be Seth, do you?"

He laughed then said, "No, I'm Ryan, Seth's brother. Are you a friend of Alex?"

"Nope, just her bartender. Actually, I can't really serve drink drinks here because I'm under 21. Something about kids selling alcohol. Not a good combination, I guess," she smiled at him and he smiled back.

God, he's cute.

"So," she said, continuing, "you're Seth's brother. Are you also his wingman?"

He laughed again and said, "You could say that."

"So, is he looking for Alex?"

"Actually, I'm here for Marissa. She's the one looking for Alex. Do you know where she is?"

Amy swallowed quickly, but her smile never faltered. "No, she went out about an hour ago. Do you want me to have her call Marissa when she gets back?"

"No, no, that's okay. So, um, were you and Alex, uh…"

Realizing what he was saying, Amy jumped in. "No, no, I just moved here actually." Remembering her manners, she jumped off the bar and stuck out her hand.

"I'm Amy." Smiling, he shook her hand.

"Amy. Hi. Where did you move from?"

"San Diego. My parents heard of this school up here and they wanted to move. Plus, my dad got a job here, so here I am."

"What school are they sending you to?"

"Some place called Harbor something. I start on Monday."

"Really, well that's a coincidence. That's where, well most everyone we've mentioned in this conversation goes to school."

"Well, that's good. Now, I get to meet the famous Seth and Marissa." Inside, Amy was screaming. Not only was she standing less than three feet from this guy, she was going to be able to see him on a daily basis. Standing closer to him, she thought she could make out that his eyes were blue.

"Maybe Newport won't be so bad anymore."

Ryan smiled and leaned towards her. "It kinda grows on you after awhile."

Oh, yeah, they were definitely blue.

She smiled back and watched as he turned away. She then watched as he stopped, cocked his head, and turned back to her, smiling.

"You like Journey?"

"They're my favorite," they both said this at the same time. They looked at each other and smiled sheepishly.

Newport's definitely not looking so bad now.