WPFAE - I have never nor do I think I will ever write a story that follows canon. *shrug* Don't know why, I just don't.
bigblusky - *blush* Thank you.
And no worries because I fully intend on updating Proposal. Was just having issues with writing the next chapter even though it's already planned in my head. I'll try getting it done as soon as I can.

Crack in the Surface
CHAPTER TWO

3 months earlier

"Welcome to Harbor High. My very own personal hell." Seth makes a flourishing sweep towards the semi-crowded halls and rolls his eyes.

"I can see you really cherish this place." Comes Ryan's sarcastic reply. He slowly does a three sixty and takes in the kids and classes. "I think you exaggerated. This doesn't look as bad as you've said."

Seth scoffs. "Yeah, because you've only been in Newport for a week and this is the first day of school. Give it another week and you'll be begging for forgiveness for not following in my wisdom."

"Somehow I doubt that."

"Unbelievers shall perish, my friend."

"Uh huh..." Ryan looks at him with a bored look. Seth knew he wasn't going to get anywhere.

"Fine, don't listen." He navigates them to the student lounge and steps in line for coffee.

"This is a very important place. Remember it's location because this is now your home away from home."

Ryan looks confused. "The school? Why would I want this as my second home?"

"What, no! This," He points to the tables, chairs and coffee stand. " the lounge is your second home."

"Riiight." Ryan liked Seth, but now the boy was just getting a bit too weird for him. "Remind me why again."

"We will be spending hours upon hours here talking about comics, comics turned into movies, movies that could work as a comic..."

"Seth, I'm not that into comics."

"Blasphemy! You can-" His incredulous rant is cut off as he grabs someone walking by. "Alex! Hi."

She stops, but doesn't bother actually looking at him.

"How many times have I told you that I don't acknowledge your presence in public?"

"Yeah, and I love you too." He completely ignores she actually said. "This is Ryan by the way."

She gives the other blonde a disinterested once over. "Whatever. Is that all?"

"No, Mom wants to know if you and Grandpa are coming over for dinner tonight."

"It's the first day of school, so you know I'm busy."

"Okay, well, is Grandpa going to come?"

"You'll have to ask him."


Alex stared at the girl in her arms. Her legs were tightly wrapped around her waist with her skirt bunched up around her stomach. Her shirt was mostly undone and with each heaving breath Alex was tempted more and more to nuzzle her face into the alluring cleavage before her. She could feel her face inching forward when something occurred to her.

She was almost certain she'd forgot to lock the door in their haste and if someone were to walk in their position would be undeniable. Not even Alex could spin her way out of it.

"We should probably be getting out of here."

"You're probably right." The girl unwraps her legs and slowly drops to the ground, making sure keep as much contact as possible.

Alex groans and watches the other girl move toward the sink to fix her clothing and Alex quickly reigns in the urge to initiate round two. She quickly cleans up at one of the free sinks before and leaves. She had to meet up with Jodie and she was already late.

"Alex! Hi."

Ugh. She didn't have time for Seth and his new friend. She'd already wasted more than she could afford and she still hadn't finalized her plans for that night. She'd just have to do it during one of her classes. Giving the curly-haired boy a dismissive goodbye she flops next to Jodie in one of the nearby chairs.

"Where the hell have you been? The ice has melted in your drink already."

"I'm sorry. I was on my way here, early even, and Mandy stopped me for a "welcome back" present."

Jodie shakes her head in amusement. "You are such a slut."

"What? I mean, who am I turn a girl down? Besides, don't act like you don't do the same thing."

"First of all, you actively go after girls. A lot." She points out. "And sure, I do hook up every now and then, but I also have meaningful relationships."

"Hey!" The blonde objects. "I so have meaningful relationships."

Jodie rolls her eyes. "Kirsten and your dad don't count."

She waits for Alex to make a defensive remark, but it never comes. She's too busy staring across the room.

"Who are you stare-stalking?" Again she's met with silence.

Jodie scans the area in front of her just in time to see Marissa turn around and look in their direction before turning back to Summer.

"Did you see what she's wearing today?" Alex asks without looking away. "It's like she's taunting me."

"Dude, Marissa Cooper does not have you on her mind. So, I doubt very much she was thinking of you when she got dressed this morning."

Alex's eye twitches as she looks at her friend. "You just had to say it, didn't you?"

A shrug is her answer. "It's not like you even want her."

Alex makes a noncommittal noise.

"Oh, man. You do want her." She accuses.

"She's the Newport princess. Everybody wants her in some way."

"So, why haven't you picked her up?"

"Back during freshman year, before you got here and I was just getting my wings, I tried to run game on her and she completely shot me down."

Jodie bursts into an all out laugh. She'd thought her best friend had a flawless record from the way she acted.

"So, what did you do?"

Alex shrugs. "Let it go and never thought about it again."

"Until now."

Alex gives another noncommittal sound.


The two girls exit Summer's BMW and make their way into the school stopping ever so often to say hello to friends. After getting in line for drinks in the lounge Summer spots someone looking at them.

"Kelly's staring at you like you're a piece of meat."

Marissa laughs and glances behind her to see if the other girl is really looking. "You know she doesn't like you calling her that."

"It's her name."

"It's her middle name." She corrects.

"Oh, whatever. A name is a name."

"Really? So, can I call you by your middle name, Bernetta?"

Summer glares and points a threatening finger. "Say that name again and I disown you."

"A name is a name." Marissa repeats.

"Disownment."

"Okay." She gives in.

The began walking through the halls and Marissa finds herself frantically scrambling to catch her drink before it spills.

"What the hell, Taylor?!"

"What the hell indeed." The dark blonde sneers. "I went to check what my duties would be for this year and it appears that you have mistakenly recommended me as an extra hand on the Freshman Committee."

"Yes, I did and it wasn't a mistake."

"It is a mistake." She forcibly insists. "You promised me social chair!"

"Co-social chair and it was dependent on what you could do last year. I just didn't think it was enough."

"That is bull. I don't want to help mentor freshmen, their problems are their problems, I want be in charge of everything."

"Yeah, and that's your problem."

Taylor steps closer to her. "Don't think I don't know what this is."

"And what is it, Taylor?"

"You know I'm better than you and you're afraid that if anyone sees what I can do they'll boot you to the curb."

"You're absolutely right, I don't want anyone to see what you can do." Taylor gives a smug smile. "Because then they'd see just how crazy delusional you really are. Now get out of my way."

Marissa and Summer move to walk away and Taylor jumps in the way. "This is your last warning: fix things or I will bury you."

Summer, tired of sitting idly by steps up. "If you don't quit harassing my friend I will lay you flat on your ass."

Taylor begrudgingly steps back and lets them pass. Although she didn't speak another word to either of them she took every opportunity to throw as many nasty looks she could. By the end of the day it had annoyed Marissa to the point of being exhausting. She took advantage of the fact that the halls were pretty empty and mostly everyone had left for home to take a much needed breather.

She was putting her things way when she felt someone stop next to her.

"Hello."

Marissa leaned around her locker door to see the blonde.

"Hi, Alex."

"What are you still doing here?"

"Social chair duties to attend to. You?"

"Just hanging out. You know," She places her hands on the other girl's waist just under her shirt and gently pushes her against one of the closed lockers. "You look really hot today."

Marissa lets out an astonished laugh. "You're hitting on me? Really?"

"Oh, come on, Cooper. This has been years in the making."

"Alex?"

The blonde steps closer so that their bodies are barely touching. "Yeah?"

"Remember that promise you gave me three years ago?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

Marissa gives a suggestive smile and trails a finger from the girl's jaw to her chin, down her throat and stops just above her cleavage. She leans over to whisper in her ear. "It'll never happen."

Before the sentence is even finished Marissa is slamming her locker and walking away.

Alex watches her leave. The further she gets away the bigger her smile gets.