A/N: Well, I take it back - this fanfic will have at least ten chapters.
The next excerpts from Anna Karenina are some of my favorite in the novel.
The next two chapters have the excerpts interwoven with the scene - all
passages have the entire paragraph in quotations. Please read and review!
********************
Summer fidgeted in class. Thank god it was Friday, she thought. The week at school had been exhausting. Her cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but she was satisfied that she's regained her position in Harbor's social circle. It fact, she'd become more popular than ever before - with Marissa off in permanent Ryan-obsession-land, there'd been a vacancy for cheerful queen bee. It wasn't a position that Summer had ever thought of assuming, but it was better than pining over Seth Cohen.
She felt heat rising in her cheeks and tried to focus on her biology textbook. Her grades has skyrocketed this year, and she'd earned pair of diamond earrings from her father for her straight A average on her fall report card. Well, she thought bitterly, they weren't really from Dad. Her father's secretary had picked them out, as she discovery when she noticed the forged signature at the bottom of the card.
Summer glanced around the room. She'd already memorized the information last night with a study session with Tom. The great thing about Tom, she'd realized, is that she was not interested in him at all, so she never got nervous or distracted around him. His presence allowed her to remain completely in control - just the way she liked it.
From across the room, she couldn't help watching Seth hunched over his textbook. He was chewing the end of his pen thoughtfully when he stopped, looked up and noticed her. Their eyes met, and she couldn't help it. She gave him a small smile, watching as he returned her glance with a large grin as he leaned back in his stool.
BAM! Summer startled as Seth's stool toppled backwards and he hit the floor hard. She leapt out of her seat and rushed over to him, kneeling beside him as the rest of the class looked on.
"Ow." Seth groaned, rubbing his head as his face wrinkled in pain. Summer pushed the stool off his body and startled as he caught her hand. She looked up at his face and softened as she noticed a cut across one cheek where he'd scraped the side of the table behind them when he fell.
"Are you okay?" Her voice was soft. She was acutely aware of his breathing, his hand tracing circles over her own.
"See, Summer." Seth struggled to sit up, murmuring something only she could hear. "You're not the only one who got hurt."
********************
"There's my girl!" Tom was waiting for Summer at her locker. "I heard you were a regular Florence Nightingale in bio today."
"Yeah, that's me!" She swallowed her discomfort and smiled as she changed the subject. "So, what time are you picking me up tonight?"
"7:00 good for you?"
She nodded, and he smiled.
"Can't wait."
Summer opened her locker, watching as Tom walked away, high-fiving his water polo buddies.
I can, she thought.
***************
Summer had been visiting Mr. Feinberg throughout the week, and he'd encouraged her to read chapters 22 and 23 by herself. "There will be passages that you will want to memorize," he'd intoned, "and you should. Remember them when the novel parallels your own life." At the time she'd laughed - like an old Russian guy could really know anything about the world of Newport parties. But as she and Tom glided into the club's "Under the Sea" benefit, she felt the words rushing back to her.
"The ball was only just beginning as Kitty and her mother walked up the great staircase, flooded with light, and lined with flowers and footmen in powder and red coats. From the rooms came a constant, steady hum, as from a hive, and the rustle of movement; and while on the landing between trees they gave last touches to their hair and dresses before the mirror, they heard from the ballroom the careful, distinct notes of the fiddles of the orchestra beginning the first waltz. Although her dress, her coiffure, and all the preparations for the ball had cost Kitty great trouble and consideration, at this moment she walked into the ballroom in her elaborate tulle dress over a pink slip as easily and simply as though all the rosettes and lace, all the minute details of her attire, had not cost her or her family a moment's attention, as though she had been born in that tulle and lace, with her hair done up high on her head, and a rose and two leaves on the top of it."
Summer knew that she was a natural at these club parties. In the last year she'd gained a new type of poise and maturity, and it reflected in her outward appearance. Before, she might have chose a cleavage-baring dress, but now her taste was more classic - though just as sexy, as she'd discovered from Tom's approving look. Her Carolina Herrara gown was the deepest inky blue velvet - almost black, but with a richness to the fabric. The dress has a wide, scooped neckline that displayed her neck to its best advantage, and a hand-embroidered Valentino shawl fell appealingly off to one side, showing a hint of skin. Her matching stilettos gave her an extra three inches in height, and she drew herself up as Tom took her arm and guided her into the room.
The room was lovely. A sea of tonal blue tulle was draped from the ceiling, and tiny fishbowls everywhere caught the light of the hundreds of candles through the room. "You look so good, Summer." Tom whispered.
"She smiled at his praise, and continued to look about the room over his shoulder. She was not like a girl at her first ball, for whom all faces in the ballroom melt into one vision of fairyland. And she was not a girl who had gone the stale round of balls till every face in the ballroom was familiar and tiresome. But she was in the middle stage between these two; she was excited, and at the same time she had sufficient self-possession to be able to observe. In the left corner of the ballroom she saw the cream of society gathered together."
Holly and Ally looked on as Summer gave them a small wave. They returned the gesture, and in doing so acknowledged her new reign as queen of the Harbor social circle. Summer greeted Tom's parents politely, and then excused herself with the pretense of finding Marissa. Tom encouraged her to dance, telling her that his friend Lance was single for the night.
"But I came to be here with you." Summer gave a slight pout.
"I know." Tom smiled. "But I've got to get in some quality family time if my parents are going to let me use the house in Malibu for that party next week."
Summer had acquiesced, secretly relieved. She handed him her shawl to hold, not wanting to be encumbered as she moved through the ballroom. She knew Marissa probably wouldn't be at the party, but she needed some excuse to wander.
Just when she thought she was free, she saw him.
Seth looked at her and immediately took a step towards her before pausing and fidgeting as he stood still.
She watched his eyes carefully, and read them as he looked her over.
".a black, low-cut, velvet gown, showing her full throat and shoulders, that looked as though carved in old ivory, and her rounded arms, with tiny, slender wrists. The whole gown was trimmed with Venetian guipure. All that was noticeable was the little wilful tendrils of her curly hair that would always break free about her neck and temples. Round her neck was a thread of pearls. And her black dress, with its sumptuous lace, was not noticeable on her; it was only the frame, and all that was seen was she-simple, natural, elegant."
Summer moved toward him - to do what? the voice asked. To apologize, to explain, to kiss him? She didn't know and yet she was moving towards him, her little feet delicately kicking up her dress, revealing flashes of her silver shoes.
"Hi."
Seth bit the inside of his cheek. "Hey, there, Summer. I'm not here to stalk you or anything, my mom dragged us along when my grandpa decided to buy a few of the tables at this thing."
"Oh, right." Summer looked down, unsure of what to say. They were standing near the edge of the dance floor, and she looked at the moving couples before returning her gaze to his face.
"She expected him to ask her for a waltz, but he did not, and she glanced wonderingly at him. He flushed slightly, and hurriedly asked her to waltz."
Seth's right hand hesitantly circled around the deep velvet that covered her waist, and she circled one hand around his neck while clasping her other hand is his left one. They moved slowly, and felt all the words boiling up inside her. He spoke.
"Hey, so, 'Under the Sea' - that's a pretty cool theme. I guess that your wish really came true after all."
Summer looked up at him, startled.
"Yes, Sherlock, you've got it. My fondest wish is to be here with Tom and get stuck dancing with a loser like you." She felt the words tumble out of her mouth and saw him recoil as they struck him like little knives.
"He had only just put his arm round her waist and taken the first step when the music suddenly stopped."
"I meant that - under the sea - you're finally a mermaid." Seth's eyes glistened as her face softened. God, she'd hurt him again.
"Kitty looked into his face, which was so close to her own, and long afterwards-for several years after-that look, full of love, to which he made no response, cut her to the heart with an agony of shame."
********************
Summer fidgeted in class. Thank god it was Friday, she thought. The week at school had been exhausting. Her cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but she was satisfied that she's regained her position in Harbor's social circle. It fact, she'd become more popular than ever before - with Marissa off in permanent Ryan-obsession-land, there'd been a vacancy for cheerful queen bee. It wasn't a position that Summer had ever thought of assuming, but it was better than pining over Seth Cohen.
She felt heat rising in her cheeks and tried to focus on her biology textbook. Her grades has skyrocketed this year, and she'd earned pair of diamond earrings from her father for her straight A average on her fall report card. Well, she thought bitterly, they weren't really from Dad. Her father's secretary had picked them out, as she discovery when she noticed the forged signature at the bottom of the card.
Summer glanced around the room. She'd already memorized the information last night with a study session with Tom. The great thing about Tom, she'd realized, is that she was not interested in him at all, so she never got nervous or distracted around him. His presence allowed her to remain completely in control - just the way she liked it.
From across the room, she couldn't help watching Seth hunched over his textbook. He was chewing the end of his pen thoughtfully when he stopped, looked up and noticed her. Their eyes met, and she couldn't help it. She gave him a small smile, watching as he returned her glance with a large grin as he leaned back in his stool.
BAM! Summer startled as Seth's stool toppled backwards and he hit the floor hard. She leapt out of her seat and rushed over to him, kneeling beside him as the rest of the class looked on.
"Ow." Seth groaned, rubbing his head as his face wrinkled in pain. Summer pushed the stool off his body and startled as he caught her hand. She looked up at his face and softened as she noticed a cut across one cheek where he'd scraped the side of the table behind them when he fell.
"Are you okay?" Her voice was soft. She was acutely aware of his breathing, his hand tracing circles over her own.
"See, Summer." Seth struggled to sit up, murmuring something only she could hear. "You're not the only one who got hurt."
********************
"There's my girl!" Tom was waiting for Summer at her locker. "I heard you were a regular Florence Nightingale in bio today."
"Yeah, that's me!" She swallowed her discomfort and smiled as she changed the subject. "So, what time are you picking me up tonight?"
"7:00 good for you?"
She nodded, and he smiled.
"Can't wait."
Summer opened her locker, watching as Tom walked away, high-fiving his water polo buddies.
I can, she thought.
***************
Summer had been visiting Mr. Feinberg throughout the week, and he'd encouraged her to read chapters 22 and 23 by herself. "There will be passages that you will want to memorize," he'd intoned, "and you should. Remember them when the novel parallels your own life." At the time she'd laughed - like an old Russian guy could really know anything about the world of Newport parties. But as she and Tom glided into the club's "Under the Sea" benefit, she felt the words rushing back to her.
"The ball was only just beginning as Kitty and her mother walked up the great staircase, flooded with light, and lined with flowers and footmen in powder and red coats. From the rooms came a constant, steady hum, as from a hive, and the rustle of movement; and while on the landing between trees they gave last touches to their hair and dresses before the mirror, they heard from the ballroom the careful, distinct notes of the fiddles of the orchestra beginning the first waltz. Although her dress, her coiffure, and all the preparations for the ball had cost Kitty great trouble and consideration, at this moment she walked into the ballroom in her elaborate tulle dress over a pink slip as easily and simply as though all the rosettes and lace, all the minute details of her attire, had not cost her or her family a moment's attention, as though she had been born in that tulle and lace, with her hair done up high on her head, and a rose and two leaves on the top of it."
Summer knew that she was a natural at these club parties. In the last year she'd gained a new type of poise and maturity, and it reflected in her outward appearance. Before, she might have chose a cleavage-baring dress, but now her taste was more classic - though just as sexy, as she'd discovered from Tom's approving look. Her Carolina Herrara gown was the deepest inky blue velvet - almost black, but with a richness to the fabric. The dress has a wide, scooped neckline that displayed her neck to its best advantage, and a hand-embroidered Valentino shawl fell appealingly off to one side, showing a hint of skin. Her matching stilettos gave her an extra three inches in height, and she drew herself up as Tom took her arm and guided her into the room.
The room was lovely. A sea of tonal blue tulle was draped from the ceiling, and tiny fishbowls everywhere caught the light of the hundreds of candles through the room. "You look so good, Summer." Tom whispered.
"She smiled at his praise, and continued to look about the room over his shoulder. She was not like a girl at her first ball, for whom all faces in the ballroom melt into one vision of fairyland. And she was not a girl who had gone the stale round of balls till every face in the ballroom was familiar and tiresome. But she was in the middle stage between these two; she was excited, and at the same time she had sufficient self-possession to be able to observe. In the left corner of the ballroom she saw the cream of society gathered together."
Holly and Ally looked on as Summer gave them a small wave. They returned the gesture, and in doing so acknowledged her new reign as queen of the Harbor social circle. Summer greeted Tom's parents politely, and then excused herself with the pretense of finding Marissa. Tom encouraged her to dance, telling her that his friend Lance was single for the night.
"But I came to be here with you." Summer gave a slight pout.
"I know." Tom smiled. "But I've got to get in some quality family time if my parents are going to let me use the house in Malibu for that party next week."
Summer had acquiesced, secretly relieved. She handed him her shawl to hold, not wanting to be encumbered as she moved through the ballroom. She knew Marissa probably wouldn't be at the party, but she needed some excuse to wander.
Just when she thought she was free, she saw him.
Seth looked at her and immediately took a step towards her before pausing and fidgeting as he stood still.
She watched his eyes carefully, and read them as he looked her over.
".a black, low-cut, velvet gown, showing her full throat and shoulders, that looked as though carved in old ivory, and her rounded arms, with tiny, slender wrists. The whole gown was trimmed with Venetian guipure. All that was noticeable was the little wilful tendrils of her curly hair that would always break free about her neck and temples. Round her neck was a thread of pearls. And her black dress, with its sumptuous lace, was not noticeable on her; it was only the frame, and all that was seen was she-simple, natural, elegant."
Summer moved toward him - to do what? the voice asked. To apologize, to explain, to kiss him? She didn't know and yet she was moving towards him, her little feet delicately kicking up her dress, revealing flashes of her silver shoes.
"Hi."
Seth bit the inside of his cheek. "Hey, there, Summer. I'm not here to stalk you or anything, my mom dragged us along when my grandpa decided to buy a few of the tables at this thing."
"Oh, right." Summer looked down, unsure of what to say. They were standing near the edge of the dance floor, and she looked at the moving couples before returning her gaze to his face.
"She expected him to ask her for a waltz, but he did not, and she glanced wonderingly at him. He flushed slightly, and hurriedly asked her to waltz."
Seth's right hand hesitantly circled around the deep velvet that covered her waist, and she circled one hand around his neck while clasping her other hand is his left one. They moved slowly, and felt all the words boiling up inside her. He spoke.
"Hey, so, 'Under the Sea' - that's a pretty cool theme. I guess that your wish really came true after all."
Summer looked up at him, startled.
"Yes, Sherlock, you've got it. My fondest wish is to be here with Tom and get stuck dancing with a loser like you." She felt the words tumble out of her mouth and saw him recoil as they struck him like little knives.
"He had only just put his arm round her waist and taken the first step when the music suddenly stopped."
"I meant that - under the sea - you're finally a mermaid." Seth's eyes glistened as her face softened. God, she'd hurt him again.
"Kitty looked into his face, which was so close to her own, and long afterwards-for several years after-that look, full of love, to which he made no response, cut her to the heart with an agony of shame."
