This One's For the Girls, an o.c. fanfic

This one's for all you girls about thirteen
High school can be so rough, can be so mean
Hold onto, on to your innocence
Stand your ground when everyone's giving in

Dear Journal,

Today I'm starting Harbor, and it's a lot different than boarding school. Of course, I'm the 'lone Cooper' in the school, at least according to Marissa. She came to visit me a while back, and she was telling me about everything she regretted about her life in Harbor. The intense partying, crazy drinking, all that stuff. But she was glad she met Ryan, and she didn't want to leave him for a year, but she wants that fresh start.

I miss her. Sure, I'll talk to her every day, but that doesn't mean I can't miss my sister. Three months down, nine to go until Marissa is back home. I better go; Mom's going to bring out the camera soon. I told her she didn't need to, but you know Mom.

Kaitlin Cooper, 2006

This one's for the girls

This is for all you girls about twenty-five
In a little apartment, just trying to get by
Living on, on dreams and spaghetti-o's
Wondering where you life is gonna go

Journal,

Thank God, finally. I just got enough time to sit and relax after sending Rianne off to school. But, I only have … 15 minutes to get ready for work and leave for another shift at the bar. This definitely wasn't how I imagined myself 7 years ago.

I pictured myself with Johnny and raising Rianne, not working as a stripper and raising my daughter alone because some rich Newport Barbie killed her father, the love of my life. No, I'm not bitter; I just have to get it all off my chest. I better get going so I can afford our next dozen cans of Spaghetti-O's. I don't want this, I want to go to college, and be more than the hot brunette that'll give you a lap dance for 20 bucks. I want to be Casey Harper, lawyer. I know, it sounds far-fetched, but it's the one thing that keeps me going, along with my daughter and the staple of our diets.

Casey Harper, 2013

This one's for the girls
Who've ever had a broken heart
Who've wished upon a shooting star
You're beautiful the way you are
This one's for the girls
Who love without holding back
Who dream with everything they have
All around the world
This one's for the girls

Dear Diary,

He left me. Seth Cohen left me. Left me for some skanky, slutty, comic book-loving bitch that he met at RISD. OK, maybe not officially, but he's on this project or something, and he's always spending time with Autumn. C'mon, naming your kid after a season? Talk about 'ew'. Of course, I keep on talking to Chino, and he's saying something like … my name is a season, he loves me, and that rock that's on my finger means he's mine. So why am I sniveling? Good question, although I think it's the possibility of losing Seth and these damn hormones. Who knew being pregnant was so hard?

I've gotta head out, I have class and knowing me, I'll have to stop and make a morning sickness stop. Later, and remind me to call Coop later.

Summer Roberts, 2007

This is for all you girls about forty-two
Tossing pennies into the Fountain of Youth
Every laugh, laugh line on your face
Made you who you are today

Dear Reader,

Well, this is the time that all women dread, their birthday. Of course, this birthday is a stressful one for me, because I don't know what to ask my family for. A gift certificate for some cosmetic surgery is tempting, but something that was told to me made me decide against it. Let's face it, I'm not getting any younger, and my face is showing it. I'm starting to develop laugh lines, and other unsightly facial developments, but it's all good, I think. Each laugh line I developed from a special memory with my husband, or my kids. Everything has come from the life I have now, and I personally would like to show off my happiness.

So, I guess this is … a way to tell everyone that laugh lines are good, and not to try and hide your age. I'm 42, and I'm happy that I've made it this far.

Marissa Cooper-Atwood, 2030

This one's for the girls
Who've ever had a broken heart
Who've wished upon a shooting star
You're beautiful the way you are
This one's for the girls
Who love without holding back
Who dream with everything they have
All around the world
This one's for the girls

Journal,

I can't believe I let him go. With one phone call, I lied to him, and let him leave me. We weren't supposed to be divided, we were supposed to stay in Chino, together. Is the baby even his? I think so, but you never know with this world. All I know is that now I'm alone, and my mom is going to help me through this.

I know it was for the best, but is it OK to regret it, and be selfish, wanting him back? I knew I shouldn't have gone there, and lied about Eddie. Eddie wouldn't have done that. I was the one who was unhappy, so I was seeing someone else, and he was hitting me. But instead of going to Eddie, I went to Ryan. God how he made me feel safe.

Now I've abandoned that to give him his new life back.

Theresa Diaz, 2004

Yeah, we're all the same inside (same inside)
From 1 to 99

Maddie,

Don't forget I have work today, and then it's our girl's night. You know it's good for bonding. Love you, Mom.

Alex Kelly, 2027

Today was my Union class reunion, and when I went there, everyone stared at me and whispered, calling me the slut that cheated on Johnny Harper and ruined his life, causing the spiral that killed him. Do they know that I'm raising his daughter, and I was … am, in love with him? Casey Harper, 2011.

I don't go a day without wishing that Justin would come back, but I know he won't, because he's dead, and I'm here with my daughter, alone. Kaitlin Cooper, 2013.

I woke up the other day, and to my dismay, I found a wrinkle. But, before I could whine about it to my husband, he spoke up and told me how beautiful I was. So, I tell every young girl that walks through my office: 'You're beautiful the way you are, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.' Because that's what got me this far in life. Marissa Cooper-Atwood, 2038.

I love him, and I let him go. I still will love him, and I'll be there when Marissa won't be. Theresa Diaz, 2004.

Today was Harbor's college fair, and I walked through it with Cohen. Brown seemed so appealing, and it made me think of what I wanted to do. Seth already had his life planned out, so, in the time I was there, I made a choice. To dream, and to keep dreaming until I had it. Summer Roberts, 2006.

My name: Alex Kelly. My mission: To help other young women just like me, beaten for her life, bouncing back with what I've got. This one's for the girls. Alex Kelly, 2011.