--**For those of you with short memories, let's cover the bases**--
Disclaimer: I do not own the O.C. I am not in any way affiliated with the actors, producers, writers, etc. All I own is my thoughts, the plot and the new character, yet to be uncovered by you guys. Enjoy.
Title: Jump Over The Candle Stick
Rating: PG-13 [There might occasionally be some language, drug use - i.e. cigarettes, alcohol, and sexual references. If anyone of the previous things offends you, I am sorry but you have been warned]
Summary: Four angst-ridden teenagers on the path to discovery or greatness or whatever. Finding your soul purpose in life might be hard. That's why you have so many eventful parties on the way. [Please read and review]
Chapter Two: Seth: Hi, I'm Seth - Not a Geek
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My dad has unsuccessfully planned five surprise birthday parties. He started when I was twelve, and decided my love for alternative music should be rewarded. He tried to hire The Clash impersonators. Actually, to put it more accurately - he did hire The Clash impersonators. However, it didn't go as well as he had planned. It turned out then was more than one person - my mother - who could not put on an English accent to save their lives. It would also help if they could actually sing. That and sing the right lyrics. Somehow I don't imagine 'London Falling' was a hit.
Well, it doesn't help that the party absolutely sucked, but I think the surprise at the beginning ruined it all. I had just had my first embarrassing moment in front of a far less evil Summer and wasn't at all in the mood for parties. Especially surprise parties. And especially because this party wasn't a surprise. I was smart as a pre-teen. I was quite able to complete eighth grade math work, and so I believed I was also quite able to suss out whether a surprise party was being thrown in my house. That and the fact that my best friend at the time had complained that the were going to be no alcohol at my twelve year old surprise birthday party. Yeah. That kind of gave it away.
So. I'm twelve. I'm on the verge of 'manhood'. I had just had an extremely embarrassing moment in front of Summer and her posse. I'm coming home to my welcoming bed, when I remember - my dad was planning me a surprise party. I had to act surprised. Half of me felt bad that and I wanted to make dad happy and the other half ... well, let's just say I wasn't going to be launching into song anytime soon.
I arrive home. The living room lights are slightly dimmed, and I can see the outline of half my class. Even if I didn't know about the party, I probably would've guessed by now. Dad turns on the lights. Everyone jumps up and yells the traditional 'Surprise!' Then I surprise them all. I knock their expensive shoes right off their feet, before not leaving them anyone time to catch their breath. I tell my dad, the maid, my sixth grade homeroom - and The Clash impersonators to "Fuck off."
From then on I knew I was grounded. But my punishment was to sit through The Clash impersonators set of horrible, horrible songs. In my opinion they were horrible. In my dad's opinion they were great. That was why I grounded for the next six months. And Dad still didn't have enough sense not to throw me a surprise party the year after. And the year after that. And the year after that, and so on.
I was turning seventeen years of age next week. As it turned out, my father had decided to drag Ryan along this time. Oh, will he ever learn? I think not. Will he be surprised when I arrive home on my twenty-first absolutely hammered. Oh, I say again. I think not.
Dinner was well and truly digested. Ryan was desperate to scope out Marissa - except for the fact that he swore to me that he wasn't stalking her. I know I shouldn't judge. Summer. Oh, Summer. Just the name alone makes me act like a convicted stalker. Luckily, I am not a felon. There is only enough room for one of those in our house.
"Seth."
"Stalker. You want to borrow my night vision goggles?"
Ryan laughed. Then he stopped. "You have night vision goggles?"
"No. Joke, man." For future reference: hide the night vision goggles.
"OK. Seth, I need help."
I turned around and looked at him. "Like school help? I may be a geek, but I'm not a smart geek." I chuckled nervously. "Yeah. Those ones are weird."
"No. Girl help."
That made me laugh. I let out a long laugh. Ryan Atwood, Mr. Smooth, was asking me for girl help. I didn't even know about girls until I found my Dad's Penthouse magazine.
"Sorry, man. I'm not the one to ask about this stuff," I told him. I felt sort of bad for him then. He had taken his eye's off Marissa for just a few seconds to come all the way upstairs into my room, only to be told he needed to ask someone else. The next best thing would be my Dad. God, that would be a laugh.
"Actually, I'm going for hard to get," he began. "You ignored Marissa all those years, tell me how you did it."
Finally, something I can answer. "Ah ... the art of ignorance. You have come to the right place, my friend." I paused and started to remember the first time I had saw Marissa. I had been so nervous that when she waved I fell off my skateboard - at the time I couldn't skate to save myself - and ran back into the house. That was pretty much where the geek thing started.
"All right. All right. When she waves or starts up a conversation - nod at her existence, but don't reply."
"But won't that make me seem like a total jack-ass?" he asked. Yes. It would. But I don't tell him that. Well, not in those words.
"Don't girls always fall for the jack-asses? I mean, look at her and Luke."
"Luke's history," he told me. "I saw her burning photos of them together outside last night."
I stared at him in disbelief. "And you didn't help her?"
"Believe me, man. It took every fiber of my being not to go down there and watch them burn." He sighed and banged his head against the door. "One day. One day."
"You know, Ryan? You're becoming obsessive," I point out.
"Really?"
"Nope. You're just weird."
There is comfortable silence between us. Suddenly, I remember something. "You know, Marissa had a sister."
Ryan raised his eyebrows. "She died?"
"She left. Mrs. Cooper sent her to England."
"Why?" Oh, story time. Ryan is genuinely interested.
"She was out of control. Actually, no, in Orange County rules, she was out of control. I thought she was just fine. And, no, not in that way." I looked at Ryan, who seemed to be processing this information.
Suddenly, he spoke. "Mrs. Cooper sent her to England? So, she thought this sister would be converted by tea and biscuits?"
I laughed. "I guess so."
Another silence.
"Seth?"
"That's my name. Oh, God, that was dumb."
"Why'd you tell me that?"
"Oh, the sister thing? Just in case you decide to bring up the 'So, any other siblings?' line. You'll just know what you're getting into. The sister and little old Marissa were kind of close."
"What was her name?"
"Jack."
Ryan smirked. "As in Jack and Jill?"
"No, as in Jack Jumped Over The Candle Stick." I rolled my eyes. Something I hadn't done in a few years. "It was short for Jacqueline."
"Oh. Thanks for that. I feel smarter."
"And I feel dumber. We should do it again sometime."
"Agreed."
Ryan paused and then began down the stairs. "Hey, Seth?"
"Yes."
"You really suck at giving advice."
"Thank you. I'm sure there's a compliment in there somewhere. Goodbye."
"Bye Seth."
Another heart-felt moment in the Cohen house. Don't you just live for those?
[Hey guys! Or whoever is reading this. OK, that's it for now. And I must say I really like the explaining sister part of this chapter, but I felt it was necessary. I'm sorry if you found it to cliché, but it will get better! Loads and loads better! Please review, because I don't want to waste time over this story. Thanks for reading]