· Although I like to fantasize, Seth is not mine. Nor is any part of The O.C.
[ Sorry about the time between updates... midterms started this past week and I haven't had the time to just sit down at the computer, much less actually think of anything outside of geometry, hemingway, and government. Yeah, big 'eww!' Anyway, I'll try to get out at least another update by Tuesday.]
Saturday Surprise
Summer stirred in her sleep. She was dreaming that she was floating lazily in a remote river, the sun shining down on her, one toe dipped into the warm, clear water. The tide rippled over the side of the raft, splashing lightly onto her white denim shorts.
'Hey, no. You'll get my clothes all wet…'
There was a bird splashing beside her, diving in and out of the water, pecking for fish.
'I said stop, go find your fish somewhere else…'
The bird looked at her and squawked loudly, pecking at her face.
"OW!"
Marissa laughed loudly as she stood above Summer, smiling brightly down at her.
She bent down again and pinched Summer's cheeks, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
Summer groaned and shook her head, pulling her paisley quilt over her ears. "Yes. Lovely. Now leave," a muffled voice sputtered from under the covers. Her throat was hoarse and scratchy and it was way too early to be jumping up and down on a Saturday morning. But then again, Marissa liked to wake up early on Sundays to go shopping. Who did that? I mean shopping, sure, Summer knew how, why, when, and where to shop. But Sunday mornings? That was most definitely not when.
"Sum, you're seventeen! That's like, a year away from being legal, right? Which, by the way, is totally awesome."
Summer ignored her and willed herself to get back to her paradox of a dream. Her Father got to go to France, her step mother was in Seattle, and she was stuck here in Newport. Alone. Well, unless you count Marissa. And Ryan. And… Seth?
"I want to sulk in my room. Alone."
Marissa rolled her eyes and hopped off the bed, pulling the quilt onto the floor and yanking Summers legs off of the mattress until they landed with a thud on the beige carpet.
"You are not going to be alone on your birthday. We're going over to my Mom's house for breakfast, come on."
Summer looked at her, her facial expressions showing that she was too tired to even put out a good whine.
"Now, Summer. It's going on eleven o'clock. Get your seventeen year old ass in the shower!"
Summer couldn't help but smile as she was pushed in the direction of her bathroom. "Alright… I'm going. You are so weird, Coop."
Marissa smiled as Summer stumbled into the yellow bathroom and started the shower. Weird? Possibly. Naughty? Most definitely. She tip toed out of Summer's bedroom and sauntered into the office, pulling her cell phone from her back pocket.
"Hey. Are you guys all set up? Yeah, we'll be there in like a half an hour. Great. See ya."
---
Seth cringed as Ryan flew past him, humming a song as he rummaged through the drawers in the kitchen.
Wow, Ryan. Way too early to be chipper and like… productive, man."
Ryan raised his eyebrows in question. "Are you not getting dressed? She's gonna be there in like, twenty minutes."
Seth took a long sip of coffee and tried to ignore how painfully loud Ryan's voice seemed to him this morning. Which, come to think of it, was extremely unusual in their daily routines. Seth always played the over-excited, rambling geek, while Ryan played the cook, laid back quiet one. That was just how mornings were assigned in the Cohen household. Speaking of, where was his Arts and Leisure page lately?
"Who's going to what, where?" Seth asked without true interest as he sifted through the unruly stack of newspaper lying on the counter. "God, is it too much to ask to keep one section of the newspaper in actual form?"
Ryan stopped in front of him and slid the newspaper to the edge of the counter until it fell off and into the garbage can. "Seth. Summer's surprise party. Today. Marissa's house."
Seth's eyes widened and Ryan chuckled but slowly stopped when he saw Seth's eyes move downward. "Hey… what's up, man? I mean, if Anna's not cool with it-"
"No, no… that's… that's not it."
Ryan shrugged, washing off his bowl in the sink. "Well, what's the problem then?"
Seth scratched his stomach nervously before trying to pass an 'everything's cool' look. It didn't work. "I wasn't… you know. Invited."
Ryan stopped and shut off the water. How had he not been invited to Summer's surprise party? I mean it was Seth… of the infamous bantering couple named Seth and Summer. Hadn't Marissa invited everyone days ago?
Ryan slapped Seth on the back encouragingly. "Hey, you know what… that's all on me. I think I was supposed to invite you. I mean Marissa didn't want to send out invitations in such short notice, so she just called people. I'm sure I was supposed to just let you know. Sorry, man."
Seth nodded unsurely. "Yeah, naw… it's cool."
Ryan stared blankly at him. "You gonna go get dressed, then?"
Seth's expression was void of any emotion. It was truly rare when not even Ryan could read the thoughts flashing though Seth's eyes… mainly because Seth was not good at subtlety and also because Seth usually told him everything, never really leaving Ryan to wonder about him. Or anything at all that had happened in his day. Down to what sneakers he wore and how many true and false questions had been on his biology exam. But that was Seth, and Ryan appreciated his every ramble, each run-on sentence, because Ryan knew what it was like to have no one to talk to, and he needed Seth just as much as Seth needed him.
After cleaning up the kitchen and showering, Ryan walked into the living room to see Seth sitting on the mauve colored lounge chair in dark jeans, a simple white t-shirt, and a black jacket. "So, I didn't really ever buy her a gift, seeing as things are kind of. You know. Seth and Summer."
Ryan nodded as he pulled on his coat. "Hey, we'll just put your name on our present. I think Marissa got her this huge spa package. Just give her twenty bucks, I'm sure it'll be cool."
"Yeah. Cool." Well, that was easy. Why was this so hard for him? He was happy, after all, that Summer was actually getting a party - what with her own Father skipping out on her seventeenth birthday and all - but it felt weird, first to not be invited, and then… well, to be going. Would she even want him there? And not to be totally shallow, but he admitted to himself that he was more afraid that she wouldn't want him there than he was happy for her. But it was her birthday. How could he skip out on her when it seemed like that's what everyone she was close to had been doing lately? That's just it… he couldn't. The thought of how Anna would feel when she found out he had gone to Summer's surprise party… without mentioning it to her… that didn't even cross his mind.
Well, until he saw her there.
She was standing with a friend of theirs from school, drinking a soda and smiling politely, but Seth could see she her mind was wandering away from the party. He started to make his way over in her direction when he saw Summer out of the corner of his eye. He prepared a smile and turned toward her.
Strike that, being prepared was out of the question.
She was wearing a pastel pink ruffled skirt that hit her legs at about mid thigh, and as simple as it was, adorned with a white tank-top trimmed in pink lace, she was beautiful. Not just hot, but beautiful. Knee shaking, jaw dropping, beautiful. Her eyes were beaming, and he felt the greatest urge to kiss the smile that was plastered onto her face. She was happy.
"Cohen."
He smiled at her. Not just to smile, but because it was impossible not to when he could see the pure joy that was radiating from her deep brown eyes.
"Summer. Happy Birthday."
She nodded in thanks before glancing over his shoulder at Anna. "Surprises all around today, huh?"
Seth smirked. More than she knew. "Actually, you have no idea…"
The tones that played in his voice made her palms sweat and she had to remind herself that she and Seth Cohen were done. This was the new Summer. Seventeen years old, happy, friendly, Summer. She wasn't going to let some indecisive teenager and his giddy girlfriend upset her today, because today was for her.
"Well, you guys have fun. I'm gonna go mingle."
Seth saluted her and she laughed as she walked away. Today was for her. So why did her heart ache so badly, and why did she feel like there were fishhooks holding her smile up? Her friends had thrown her a great party, totally surprised her, all her friends were here… and all she could concentrate on was him. And how great he looked.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to see a tall, curly haired, blue eyed boy about a foot taller than her. Her heart stopped.
"Surprise!"
[ Sorry about the time between updates... midterms started this past week and I haven't had the time to just sit down at the computer, much less actually think of anything outside of geometry, hemingway, and government. Yeah, big 'eww!' Anyway, I'll try to get out at least another update by Tuesday.]
Saturday Surprise
Summer stirred in her sleep. She was dreaming that she was floating lazily in a remote river, the sun shining down on her, one toe dipped into the warm, clear water. The tide rippled over the side of the raft, splashing lightly onto her white denim shorts.
'Hey, no. You'll get my clothes all wet…'
There was a bird splashing beside her, diving in and out of the water, pecking for fish.
'I said stop, go find your fish somewhere else…'
The bird looked at her and squawked loudly, pecking at her face.
"OW!"
Marissa laughed loudly as she stood above Summer, smiling brightly down at her.
She bent down again and pinched Summer's cheeks, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
Summer groaned and shook her head, pulling her paisley quilt over her ears. "Yes. Lovely. Now leave," a muffled voice sputtered from under the covers. Her throat was hoarse and scratchy and it was way too early to be jumping up and down on a Saturday morning. But then again, Marissa liked to wake up early on Sundays to go shopping. Who did that? I mean shopping, sure, Summer knew how, why, when, and where to shop. But Sunday mornings? That was most definitely not when.
"Sum, you're seventeen! That's like, a year away from being legal, right? Which, by the way, is totally awesome."
Summer ignored her and willed herself to get back to her paradox of a dream. Her Father got to go to France, her step mother was in Seattle, and she was stuck here in Newport. Alone. Well, unless you count Marissa. And Ryan. And… Seth?
"I want to sulk in my room. Alone."
Marissa rolled her eyes and hopped off the bed, pulling the quilt onto the floor and yanking Summers legs off of the mattress until they landed with a thud on the beige carpet.
"You are not going to be alone on your birthday. We're going over to my Mom's house for breakfast, come on."
Summer looked at her, her facial expressions showing that she was too tired to even put out a good whine.
"Now, Summer. It's going on eleven o'clock. Get your seventeen year old ass in the shower!"
Summer couldn't help but smile as she was pushed in the direction of her bathroom. "Alright… I'm going. You are so weird, Coop."
Marissa smiled as Summer stumbled into the yellow bathroom and started the shower. Weird? Possibly. Naughty? Most definitely. She tip toed out of Summer's bedroom and sauntered into the office, pulling her cell phone from her back pocket.
"Hey. Are you guys all set up? Yeah, we'll be there in like a half an hour. Great. See ya."
---
Seth cringed as Ryan flew past him, humming a song as he rummaged through the drawers in the kitchen.
Wow, Ryan. Way too early to be chipper and like… productive, man."
Ryan raised his eyebrows in question. "Are you not getting dressed? She's gonna be there in like, twenty minutes."
Seth took a long sip of coffee and tried to ignore how painfully loud Ryan's voice seemed to him this morning. Which, come to think of it, was extremely unusual in their daily routines. Seth always played the over-excited, rambling geek, while Ryan played the cook, laid back quiet one. That was just how mornings were assigned in the Cohen household. Speaking of, where was his Arts and Leisure page lately?
"Who's going to what, where?" Seth asked without true interest as he sifted through the unruly stack of newspaper lying on the counter. "God, is it too much to ask to keep one section of the newspaper in actual form?"
Ryan stopped in front of him and slid the newspaper to the edge of the counter until it fell off and into the garbage can. "Seth. Summer's surprise party. Today. Marissa's house."
Seth's eyes widened and Ryan chuckled but slowly stopped when he saw Seth's eyes move downward. "Hey… what's up, man? I mean, if Anna's not cool with it-"
"No, no… that's… that's not it."
Ryan shrugged, washing off his bowl in the sink. "Well, what's the problem then?"
Seth scratched his stomach nervously before trying to pass an 'everything's cool' look. It didn't work. "I wasn't… you know. Invited."
Ryan stopped and shut off the water. How had he not been invited to Summer's surprise party? I mean it was Seth… of the infamous bantering couple named Seth and Summer. Hadn't Marissa invited everyone days ago?
Ryan slapped Seth on the back encouragingly. "Hey, you know what… that's all on me. I think I was supposed to invite you. I mean Marissa didn't want to send out invitations in such short notice, so she just called people. I'm sure I was supposed to just let you know. Sorry, man."
Seth nodded unsurely. "Yeah, naw… it's cool."
Ryan stared blankly at him. "You gonna go get dressed, then?"
Seth's expression was void of any emotion. It was truly rare when not even Ryan could read the thoughts flashing though Seth's eyes… mainly because Seth was not good at subtlety and also because Seth usually told him everything, never really leaving Ryan to wonder about him. Or anything at all that had happened in his day. Down to what sneakers he wore and how many true and false questions had been on his biology exam. But that was Seth, and Ryan appreciated his every ramble, each run-on sentence, because Ryan knew what it was like to have no one to talk to, and he needed Seth just as much as Seth needed him.
After cleaning up the kitchen and showering, Ryan walked into the living room to see Seth sitting on the mauve colored lounge chair in dark jeans, a simple white t-shirt, and a black jacket. "So, I didn't really ever buy her a gift, seeing as things are kind of. You know. Seth and Summer."
Ryan nodded as he pulled on his coat. "Hey, we'll just put your name on our present. I think Marissa got her this huge spa package. Just give her twenty bucks, I'm sure it'll be cool."
"Yeah. Cool." Well, that was easy. Why was this so hard for him? He was happy, after all, that Summer was actually getting a party - what with her own Father skipping out on her seventeenth birthday and all - but it felt weird, first to not be invited, and then… well, to be going. Would she even want him there? And not to be totally shallow, but he admitted to himself that he was more afraid that she wouldn't want him there than he was happy for her. But it was her birthday. How could he skip out on her when it seemed like that's what everyone she was close to had been doing lately? That's just it… he couldn't. The thought of how Anna would feel when she found out he had gone to Summer's surprise party… without mentioning it to her… that didn't even cross his mind.
Well, until he saw her there.
She was standing with a friend of theirs from school, drinking a soda and smiling politely, but Seth could see she her mind was wandering away from the party. He started to make his way over in her direction when he saw Summer out of the corner of his eye. He prepared a smile and turned toward her.
Strike that, being prepared was out of the question.
She was wearing a pastel pink ruffled skirt that hit her legs at about mid thigh, and as simple as it was, adorned with a white tank-top trimmed in pink lace, she was beautiful. Not just hot, but beautiful. Knee shaking, jaw dropping, beautiful. Her eyes were beaming, and he felt the greatest urge to kiss the smile that was plastered onto her face. She was happy.
"Cohen."
He smiled at her. Not just to smile, but because it was impossible not to when he could see the pure joy that was radiating from her deep brown eyes.
"Summer. Happy Birthday."
She nodded in thanks before glancing over his shoulder at Anna. "Surprises all around today, huh?"
Seth smirked. More than she knew. "Actually, you have no idea…"
The tones that played in his voice made her palms sweat and she had to remind herself that she and Seth Cohen were done. This was the new Summer. Seventeen years old, happy, friendly, Summer. She wasn't going to let some indecisive teenager and his giddy girlfriend upset her today, because today was for her.
"Well, you guys have fun. I'm gonna go mingle."
Seth saluted her and she laughed as she walked away. Today was for her. So why did her heart ache so badly, and why did she feel like there were fishhooks holding her smile up? Her friends had thrown her a great party, totally surprised her, all her friends were here… and all she could concentrate on was him. And how great he looked.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to see a tall, curly haired, blue eyed boy about a foot taller than her. Her heart stopped.
"Surprise!"