You know that I'm just the kind of girl that feels so hurt

and smiles

- Just Let me Cry by Ashley Simpson

The night that blanketed Orange County was heated and heavily hung, stars sparkling in the sky. It had been a night like any other, Marrisa mused, her mother had a scathing comment to make about Marrissa's weight, which caused her to skip dinner. Hunger gnawed at her stomach as she lay in the bed, her room dark and silent. The red numbers of her bedside clock glared at her and as her stomach rumbled for the millionth time, she climbed out the open window to sneak out of her house.

She had learned that the only way to keep her food cravings and unrest at bay was a quick walk in the warm air of the summer's night. She'd been coming down her driveway to sit on the sidewalk every night, it was becoming some sort of ritual.

That was until she sighted him, flipping his skateboard on the sidewalk. He was concentrating fully on mastering the art of whatever trick he was attempting on the board, not noticing her in the darkness. She was half-thankful for this, her intentions to slink back inside her house. But that was what she'd do any other night, and her ritual was not about to be spoiled by some stupid Seth Cohen, so she called out to him.

"What are you, like, a vampire or something? Stay holed up inside during the day and lurk around in the night?"

The cold voice shocked him and his skateboard slid out from under him, rolling to a halt infront her bare feet. He looked up at her, shocked, and walked toward her. She couldn't help but notice how different he looked, growing what seemed like at least a foot and letting his curls fall more haphazardly so they almost clouded his vision. This wasn't the same boy who Luke tripped in their last exam of ninth grade two months earlier.

"Oh yeah, that's me, creature of the night," he said sarcastically, and he was taken aback at how easily the response came - she was shocked to see he had the backbone. He covered his shock long enough to continue his response, "Now that I've confessed to being a blood-sucker, will you go back into your house and leave me to my board?"

"Uh, how about ... no?" She responded coldly, sarcastically, and his brown eyes shone. "Besides," she haughtily continued, "It's kind of fun, watching you fail misereably at some stupid trick and anticipating you fall to break a bone or two."

"Don't mock boarding," he said, mock-offense in his voice.

"What you are doing, Cohen, is not boarding. That is a piece of wood on wheels, boarding is something done in the water."

"Like your boyfriend and the rest of his little lackeys?"

With the mention of Luke, she tensed and crossed her arms over her chest, "Well, yes."

"Your boyfriend who shaves his chest hair?"

"He plays water polo," she stated defensively before flicking her eyes up and down him, "Like you even have chest hair."

"You'd be suprised," he quipped, his eyes shining with mirth.

"Ew, Cohen," she responded, grimacing, "Thanks for the mental," she ended sarcastically causing him to chuckle darkly.

"Anytime, Cooper."

A silence hung between the two as crickets chirruped loudly, Marrissa biting her bottom lip and evading Seth's eyes. He sighed, walking closer to her and she blushed in spite herself. She didn't know what he was doing and she licked her lips subconciensly, his eyes locked on hers. Her heart began to beat faster in anticipation of what stunt he was about to pull. But as soon as he reached close enough to her to have her take a deep breath, he bent down and picked up his skateboard from her feet.

She breathed a sigh of relief that she hoped he wouldn't catch as he straightened himself, but didn't move.

"I'm going to go to bed now." He stated simply, his eyes still in contact with hers and his face oddly emotionless. She knew he was waiting on her to say something, to possibly say a couple words to just keep him outdoors long enough for them to salvage their lack of communication. She wanted to scream, to tell him how hungry she was and how sorry she felt for him and apologize for all those times Holly and Luke and everyone else teased him.

Instead she simply responded with, "There's nothing keeping you out here." He broke the eye contact and she realized soon after a hollow feeling in her throat. He cleared his throat, backing away from her, his skateboard in his hand.

He snuck his way into the pool house and she sat on the sidewalk, her legs outstretched into the dark road of perfectly-laid pavement. She tilted her head back to study the stars and listen to her stomach grumble, trying as hard as she could to not think about stupid Seth Cohen.

Author's note: right. I don't watch the O.C. I've seen a grand total of one episode, that being the finale, and I've mocked the show countless times. But it was actually very good and I fell in love with the Seth/Summer relationship and so I TvTomed the show and read the book "The Outsider," which is about the first couple of episodes. And it's kindof alternate universe type thing because Seth and Marrissa state they've never had a conversation; Seth is out of character cos he's so not-awkward. Whoops. Well... yeah.This is set when they're fifteen, as I said in the summary.

Review, please?