At Last
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the gorgeous men characters of the OC… yet. Okay, twist my arm… I don't own anything related to the show. The title, At Last refers to the song by Ella Fitzgerald. That song will be in the last chapter.
Chapter 1: Summer, Anna, and Shrek
Seth should have realized the death sentence Anna had placed upon him with her words. 'I'm going back to Pittsburgh.' She had said it so carelessly, like she was actually happy about it. Shoot him now. He was ready for the green mile. He didn't know how he was supposed to take this. He wasn't sure how he felt about Anna, but he knew he didn't want her to go. Someone caressed his hair. He looked over. It was Summer.
She ran her fingers through his hair again. "Where are you?"
"Here. I'm here, Summer. Where else would I be?"
"I don't know." She bit her bottom lip. "Anna."
He choked, "What?"
"This is about Anna!"
"No---" He started.
She got out of his bed and put her hands on her hips. "Then who were you thinking about? It wasn't me!" She grabbed his pillow and threw it at him.
"Hey!" He protested. "I was!" He said quietly.
"Cohen," She said, exasperated.
"Seth!" He yelled. "My first name is Seth! Will you use it!"
"I knew this would be about Anna, ever since she said she was leaving…" She continued, ignoring him. "Why are you with me when you still have feelings for her?"
Seth's mouth dropped open like a cash register making a sale. It was like she actually cared about him, under the ice princess exterior, there was this little sweet girl. But hadn't their whole relationship been based on sex?
His thoughtful silence did nothing to calm her nerves. She grabbed her jacket and fought back her tears. "You told me 'it was always me' for you. I should have known it was just another line from just another guy."
And before he could do or say anything, she had left him standing in his bedroom, alone.
Blood finally traveled to his legs, and he was out his bedroom door, down the stairs and into the foyer. Empty except for Ryan, who was digging in his book bag.
"Has Summer
been down here?" He asked.
Ryan looked up at him. "Yeah. She steam rolled through the door, nearly
flattening me. She seemed upset."
Seth smacked both hands to his head.
"Are you alright, man?" Ryan asked.
"No. I'm not alright. My Oreo sundae just ran out the door, and my deep dish pizza is getting on a plane."
Ryan arched his brows at him.
"Sit down," Seth moped. "And listen to a poor man's misery." He quickly relayed the whole horrible scene upstairs.
After a minute's consideration, Ryan replied, "Do you still have feelings for Anna?"
"I don't know. But I know I don't want her to leave. She's the first girl I really connected with. But then there's Summer. I liked her nearly my whole life, and now that I have her, it's not what I expected."
"You mean the ignoring you thing?"
"Right," Seth said. "It's like she's an onion. All these layers. She's Shrek, man. She's Shrek."
Ryan gave a grin. "You know, with girls like Summer, they always hide who they really are in public. I guess she's…" He paused, "okay underneath."
Seth nodded. "She's a totally different person when we're alone." He rubbed his hands through his unruly patented Cohen hair. "Here I am, singing a sad song when my friend Ryan is in a sea of his own women."
"If you start singing Old Man River, I'm out of here." Ryan grinned.
Seth opened his mouth at what could have been a likely note, and then waved his hand, "How's the Marissa/Theresa thing?"
Ryan shook his head. "Complicated. We're in the same boat."
"Ah," Seth nodded. "You know, Old Man---"
"Don't say it."
"But we're in this together."
"Seth---"
"He just keeps rolling along," Seth said quickly.
Ryan walked out the door.
"What?!" Seth asked after him. "I said nothing."
The door opened again. Ryan grinned, and walked back out.