"…And now I'm static
As your sky is turning purple and gray
I'm learning that the further that I crawl
The farther that I fall, is that ok?"

--Something Corporate

Seth rides with Marissa to the soccer game, Ryan having caught a ride with Luke.

"You don't think the whole Ryan and Luke thing is weird?" Seth asks Marissa.

"God, yes. It's fucking outrageous. I mean, them being friends is fine, it's better than them beating the hell out of each other at every turn, but it's weird as hell," Marissa replies. "But let's not talk about Ryan. What's going on with you?"

"Me? Nothing…" Seth replies quickly.

"Liar. You're a worse liar than Ryan, and that's saying a lot. Something's going on with you. Are you dating Anna?"

"No."

"Summer?"

"No."

Marissa grins at Seth. "But you're talking to them both, aren't you?"

"I have the right to remain silent…" Seth mutters.

"Seth…"

"I have the right to an attorney. If I can't afford one, one will be appointed to me…" Seth continues.

"Summer likes you…" Marissa teases.

"Just drop it, Marissa."

She glances at him, concerned. "This is really bothering you, isn't it?"

"I go seventeen years without a chance at romance and now I have…I have, like, Ryan's luck with the ladies. I mean, Anna likes me but I've always been into Summer…and Summer…well, she seems to like me but she's too worried about her social status to be seen with me. So, I can either settle for Anna, which isn't fair to her or I can wait around for Summer to decide whether or not I'm worth it." He sighs.

"Summer, she'll come around, Seth…"

"I shouldn't have to wait for her, Marissa," Seth replies honestly as Marissa parks her car.

"You're right. I shouldn't bring it up. But if you want to talk about it…you know, like a female perspective…"

"Thanks, Marissa," Seth answers, surprised. "That means a lot…"

"Well, you're a friend. Now let's go watch your brother stumble around the soccer field," Marissa grins as they start toward the field.

Seth waves at Anna when he spots her at the same time that Summer joins Marissa.

"I heard the whole soccer team is wasted," Summer tells Marissa. Her brown eyes are locked on Seth as she talks to Marissa. She doesn't acknowledge him.

Seth walks away before Marissa can respond, joining Anna.

"Hey, Seth. What's hanging?" Anna smiles. She is Seth's closest friend after Ryan and he has turned down her advances so far, trying to keep her as a friend rather than a 'girlfriend'. She has accepted his reasons but still flirts shamelessly with him. He has feelings for her, but he doesn't want to lead her on. Ryan has been encouraging him to get over his crush on Summer and focus on the real chance for a relationship with Anna, but Seth can't seem to get over his attraction to Summer.

"Absolutely nothing," Seth replies.

"You're not sitting with Summer and Ryan's other half?"

"Do you want to sit with them?" Seth asks, confused.

Anna snorts. "No, Seth. It was a joke."

The two settle into their normal banter and begin making fun of the people around them as they find a seat in the bleachers.

Ryan catches Seth's eye before the game and staggers drunkenly onto the field. Luke and some of the others see him joking and join him, all swaying and acting drunk. They fall in a heap on the foul line and Seth and Anna laugh uncontrollably. Marissa yells something and Seth realizes that Summer is watching him intensely a few rows down.

Seth is stricken with dread. A few months ago, Seth was alone. There was no best friend from Chino and no comic book ally from Pittsburgh. There was also no chance that Summer Roberts would ever be interested in him. Now, his life is changed. He has a brother and two girls that want to get into his pants. Anna, she's his mirror image. She loves graphic novels. She loves anime, even the cartoons he doesn't get into. She listens to the same strain of music that he does and she always has something funny or shocking to say. But…damn the butt of Summer fucking Roberts. Seth just can't shake his longing for Summer.

"Hey. What's wrong? You having, like, a dark mood swing or something?" She asks.

"No," He replies immediately. "Not at all. I just remembered that I'm against organized sports of any kind," He covers and starts to talk animatedly about his hatred of sports and their effect on jocks and the bully mentality of kids. The game starts and Anna and Seth focus on the game.

*****

"…Give me space so I can breathe
Give me space so I can sleep
Give me space so you can drown in this with me…"

--Something Corporate

Newport wins the game despite the lingering effects of their afternoon binge. Seth waits with Anna on the bleachers as the viewers clear out.

Marissa and Summer approach them, taking a seat behind them on the bleachers. Seth doesn't even notice them until Marissa touches his shoulder. He jumps.

"Hanging out with Chino's making you jumpy," Summer mutters. Marissa glares at her as Seth's face goes blank.

"Waiting for Ryan?" Anna asks Marissa after giving Summer a cold look.

"Yeah, well, almost. We were thinking of hitting the mall and I wondered if you could get a ride…"

Seth pauses before replying.

"I can give you a ride. It's only few blocks out of my way and you can return that Gundam dvd set you borrowed…" Anna offers smoothly.

"Ryan hasn't watched them all yet," Seth replies, smiling. Summer glares at Anna until Marissa nudges her, scolding.

"Is he going to say that if I ask him?" Anna replies.

"Hey guys," Ryan says, walking up. He looks exhausted but he's clean from his shower and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.

"Ryan, have you seen all of the Gundam episodes that Seth has?" Anna asks.

Ryan glances from her to Seth, his face confused. "Um…sure, yeah."

Seth shakes his head disapprovingly. Anna and Marissa laugh. Summer is looking away.

"Busted. Let's go," Anna says, standing up.

"I'm going to the mall with Summer but I'll be by later," Marissa tells Ryan. She kisses him quickly and they go to the parking lot.

*****

*****

"Always think we get more time
Now flying through the air
Maybe living maybe dying
In this motor crash it's you who comes to mind
Don't we always wish had more time…"

---3EB

"Shit…" Anna mutters, seconds before the SUV skids sideways to avoid the stalled vehicle. The music plays loudly but Ryan, Seth and Anna are upside down. The crash is deafening on the first rotation and then the sound of metal. Seth never knew that 'metal' was a sound.

Seth snaps alert as he hears his name.

"Seth!" Ryan's voice reminds him of Tijuana. He feels hands on his head. "Seth?"

"Why are you touching me?" Seth asks, realizing that he hurts all over. Something's wrong.

"You're bleeding, are you okay?"

Seth can't see Ryan and there's something sticky on his face. Blood.

"Check on Anna, Seth, I can't get out…" Ryan says urgently. Seth manages to unbuckle his seat belt and crawl through the shattered window. He coughs, tasting blood. There are crashed cars everywhere. He sees Anna as he staggers around to the driver's side. He falls to his knees beside her.

Anna's blonde hair is red with blood and she's lying in a puddle of glass.

"Anna…" Seth breathes. He ignores the shard of metal piercing her stomach. He focuses on her fading blue eyes.

"Seth…are you okay?" She asks weakly. He grasps her bloody hand and squeezes it.

"I'm fine, you're okay…"

"You're a shitty liar, Seth…" She smiles slightly through her pain.

"Anna, just hang on…" Seth urges, panicked. The sirens and yells start to pound in his head.

"Seth…I loved you…I mean…I love you…" She whispers.

"Anna…" Seth says as her hand goes limp. "Anna…Anna, no…"

*****

Ryan has to get out. He doesn't know what's happening to Seth or Anna and he can't get his legs dislodged from the seat that's crushing him. He tries again, straining his arms and upper body to pull himself out.

"Hey, you okay? Ryan?"

Ryan barely recognizes Chip's voice.

"Luke, come here!" Chip yells.

"Shit…" Luke's head peers through the window. "Damn, we were right behind you, are you okay?"

"I can't fucking get out," Ryan replies. "Are Seth and Anna okay?" He hears Luke tell Chip to look for them.

"What do you need?" Luke asks.

"I can't get out…can you try and push that seat up a little?" Ryan asks. Luke reaches in and uses all his strength to push forward the seat. It barely moves but Ryan manages to pull his legs free. He can move them and he's relieved to realize that his legs are intact. He's breathing shallowly but he knows that he's probably only bruised some ribs.

"All right. I'm going to get you out…" Luke says. Ryan's legs are tingling as circulation returns. Luke puts his arms through the window and grabs Ryan's biceps, pulling him toward the window. Ryan pushes himself with his feet.

Suddenly, Ryan can see the sky as they fall roughly to the ground. Ryan loses his breath and everything spins.

*****

"No…Don't…" Seth's world is red. Every time Chip pushes on Anna's chest, trying desperate CPR, blood trickles from her ruined body. "She's…she's dead…"

"We have to try…" Chip says, but he sees the blood trickling from her mouth. Seth reaches out and closes her eyes with a sob. Police and paramedics are swarming suddenly.

"Dude, I'm so sorry," Chip says, but Seth is beyond words. He can't hear. He shakes off the hands that are reaching for him. He pushes himself to his feet and tries to get away.

"Seth. Seth, look at me…please, Seth…" Strong hands are around his arms. Ryan.

"God…" Seth says, relaxing. Paramedics surround him. He can't see Anna but Ryan is holding him steady. He starts to cry harder, his energy gone. He cries into Ryan's chest. She's dead. Anna's dead and she loved him.

*****