Thanks to the people that reviewed. I am very grateful. Hey, if you guys like it, review, so that I know and continue.
I don't own 'The OC' or anything associated with it... hell, I've never even been to California.
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The door bell rang. "Anna, answer that!" her mother shouted from the kitchen.
Anna groaned and got off the couch. When they'd moved, they'd let the staff go and now, her mother talking about how they really didn't need a full time housekeeper or a cook, and how they'ld just hire a cleaning crew to come once a week. The move back was becoming less and less appealing because it seemed that in addition to the awful winters, she'd have to start doing her own laundry and cooking. Cooking? She missed Jean Pierre already, because Mom's scrambled eggs looked and tasted worse than soggy oatmeal.
She looked through the peep hole and smiled. She hurriedly opened the door and screamed.
"Hey! Oh my goodness! Amy! What are you doing here?"
"What does it look like?" her redheaded friend asked. They embraced warmly before walking into the house.
"Wow? How did you know I would be home? You should have called so that I could prepare."
"Prepare?" Amy looked at her curiously.
"I don't know... this is a surprise to me!" Anna exclaimed still beaming.
"I wanted to surprise you. Your skin is glowing. California must agree with you."
"Whatever, I guess so... I thought you'd left on your yearly European trip, because I called and didn't get an answer."
"Yeah, my phone was off, but I got your message. Besides, we are going to Safari this year. But it's raining really heavily over there now, so we are going next month."
"Oh, goody! I have no idea what my Mom and I are doing this Summer. Probably just try to get back into the groove of things then maybe a short trip to Rome. My aunt has planned a private tour of the Basillica so maybe we'll just go there and my Mom can take some pictures... I have no idea, yet."
Amy observed her for a moment. "Stand up!" she ordered.
"Huh?" Anna replied a little confused.
"Come on, get up. I want to look at you."
Anna laughed and did a little twirl. "Like what you see?"
Amy shook her head, "You look great. Did you lose some weight?" Anna shook her head. "I think you did, even though I don't know where you could have lost it from. Skinny bitch."
Anna laughed. "You are imagining things. Besides, I am not skinny, I am slim."
"Whatever. But 'em, Anna can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Why the hell are you wearing a tube top over your sweater?"
Anna burst into laughter.
"I am serious," Amy said in a stern voice. "What the hell did they do to you over there?"
"Leave me alone, I like it. It's my style."
"Well, you look like a fool. We have to go to the mall and get you back to wearing normal clothes again."
"Hmmm... sounds like a good idea - not the making me look normal part, because I think my style is fabulous, but ehm, I feel like some shop therapy right now," Anna said earnestly.
"Why? Is everything alright?" Amy asked concerned.
"Yeah, yeah, but I want to go shopping. Wanna come?"
"Well, you know I am always up for spending..."
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Anna and Amy were walking around the mall when Amy stopped in her tracks.
"Anna, you wouldn't believe who's in Tommy Hilfiger."
"Hopefully, nobody I know because Hilfiger is so ewww,"
Amy let out a cackle, "Ewww? I know you didn't just so 'ewww.'"
Anna looked at her like she was crazy, "Ewww? Of course I didn't just say that."
Amy was still laughing, "Yes you did. You just said 'ewww.' I feel like I am on an episode of 'Clueless.'" Amy kept on laughing. "Oh, my goodness, Anna just said 'ewww,' wait till I tell Brad," Amy said as she pulled out her cell phone.
Brad was Amy's boyfriend. Brad was a cute but quiet sophomore Amy had been dating for over a year. Initially, Anna had been skeptical of their relationship because he was a year younger but after seeing them together, one could not deny that they were a perfect match. If things kept going the way they were, Anna was sure that they'd probably get married after college.
Anna grabbed Amy's phone. Amy held on to it. For about thirty seconds, they were both tugging at the phone.
"Anna! Stop it! Leave my phone alone!" Amy screamed, her voice filled with amusement.
"Only if you promise to put it back!" Anna replied.
Amy got into her fit of giggles again. "Anna, do you realize we both look crazy here? We are in the middle of the mall, fighting for a phone. Stop! We are sophisticated ladies, here."
Anna let go of the phone and smiled. "Alright, you win." Amy smiled back and put her phone back. "So, what were you saying about Hilfiger?" Anna looked around. "Where's the store again?"
Amy pointed to it.
Anna peered in and didn't see anyone she recognized. "Who's there? I don't see anyone."
Amy looked into the store. "Hmm, I guess I was wrong, 'cos he's not there anymore."
"Who?"
"Forget about it. No one. Come on, let's go back to the salon, my nail appointment is in about 5 minutes."
Amy and Anna spent the rest of the day getting facials, waxed and massaged. They emerged three hours later, refreshed and ready to do some more shopping.
"Anna, I can't believe you won't let me get you an appointment with Delucci to get your roots done," Amy complained.
"Could you just back off? I love my hair the way it is."
"Yeah, it's cute, but there's too much undergrowth. At least let him lighten some of it. I promise you, you'd end up looking amazing - he is a miracle worker."
"Whatever, Amy, in fact.."
"Anna." A voice from behind interrupted her. Anna instantly recognized it and turned around.
"Winston," she said with a forced smile.
Winston and Anna had met at a New Year's eve party in 2002 and fallen instantly in love. In fact, it was the most passionate relationship she'd ever encountered. Anna had thought she'd found her soul mate and even though she moved to Newport, they'd continued their relationship - till she met Seth Cohen.
The day she'd called him to break-up with him was one of the worst days of her life. She remembered it like it was yesterday;
She'd called him and after making some small talk, she delved in,
"Winston, there's something I'd like to talk to you about."
"What, honey? Are you moving back? Please say you are - I miss you so much." Many guys wouldn't have been so honest with their feelings but Winston and Anna had been so comfortable with one another that there were not secrets or insecurities. And this made the entire ordeal harder.
"No, Win, I'm not moving back."
"So, what do you want to talk about? Sound's serious."
Anna wasn't sure how to go about saying what she needed to, so she decided to be direct.
"Win, it's about us."
"O.K..?" It was obvious that he was getting a little worried.
"I don't think it can work."
"Why not? I know we can't see each other all the time, but remember we are already planning for me to come over in a few weeks and we talk every night, sometimes twice a day."
"I know, but it just seems so difficult. Almost, like it's not worth it. I think it's just bad timing," she said, coming up with excuses.
Winston was silent for a moment. "I'm not worth it?"
"No, of course you're worth it, you know you are a great guy."
"So, what are you saying?"
"I think we need to take a break. You know, I need to get used to this California life and all that."
"I see. Is there someone else?"
"Of course not!" she lied. Anna couldn't bare to be honest with him about it. She knew it would only break his heart and she just couldn't do that. She still cared deeply about him.
"Anna, why are you doing this?"
"Win, you have to understand - this is new and loving you, knowing you are so far away, makes this really difficult. We need a break so that I can focus on adjusting to my new life."
They talked a little bit more about it but Anna knew there was no way she could keep dating him -Seth was the man she wanted. After that conversation, they spoke about once a week the following month until the calls dwindled to the occasional one. Standing in front of Winston after almost a year was quite surreal.
"Anna, I didn't know you were in town," Winston said, stating the obvious.
"Yeah, my Mom and I moved back." They stared at one another awkwardly for a moment before Anna moved closer to hug him.
"Well, it was nice seeing you again," Anna said when they broke apart.
"Yeah, you too," he said, before he walked away.
"That was weird," Amy commented as they walked out of the mall.
"You don't say," Anna replied sarcastically.
I don't own 'The OC' or anything associated with it... hell, I've never even been to California.
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The door bell rang. "Anna, answer that!" her mother shouted from the kitchen.
Anna groaned and got off the couch. When they'd moved, they'd let the staff go and now, her mother talking about how they really didn't need a full time housekeeper or a cook, and how they'ld just hire a cleaning crew to come once a week. The move back was becoming less and less appealing because it seemed that in addition to the awful winters, she'd have to start doing her own laundry and cooking. Cooking? She missed Jean Pierre already, because Mom's scrambled eggs looked and tasted worse than soggy oatmeal.
She looked through the peep hole and smiled. She hurriedly opened the door and screamed.
"Hey! Oh my goodness! Amy! What are you doing here?"
"What does it look like?" her redheaded friend asked. They embraced warmly before walking into the house.
"Wow? How did you know I would be home? You should have called so that I could prepare."
"Prepare?" Amy looked at her curiously.
"I don't know... this is a surprise to me!" Anna exclaimed still beaming.
"I wanted to surprise you. Your skin is glowing. California must agree with you."
"Whatever, I guess so... I thought you'd left on your yearly European trip, because I called and didn't get an answer."
"Yeah, my phone was off, but I got your message. Besides, we are going to Safari this year. But it's raining really heavily over there now, so we are going next month."
"Oh, goody! I have no idea what my Mom and I are doing this Summer. Probably just try to get back into the groove of things then maybe a short trip to Rome. My aunt has planned a private tour of the Basillica so maybe we'll just go there and my Mom can take some pictures... I have no idea, yet."
Amy observed her for a moment. "Stand up!" she ordered.
"Huh?" Anna replied a little confused.
"Come on, get up. I want to look at you."
Anna laughed and did a little twirl. "Like what you see?"
Amy shook her head, "You look great. Did you lose some weight?" Anna shook her head. "I think you did, even though I don't know where you could have lost it from. Skinny bitch."
Anna laughed. "You are imagining things. Besides, I am not skinny, I am slim."
"Whatever. But 'em, Anna can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Why the hell are you wearing a tube top over your sweater?"
Anna burst into laughter.
"I am serious," Amy said in a stern voice. "What the hell did they do to you over there?"
"Leave me alone, I like it. It's my style."
"Well, you look like a fool. We have to go to the mall and get you back to wearing normal clothes again."
"Hmmm... sounds like a good idea - not the making me look normal part, because I think my style is fabulous, but ehm, I feel like some shop therapy right now," Anna said earnestly.
"Why? Is everything alright?" Amy asked concerned.
"Yeah, yeah, but I want to go shopping. Wanna come?"
"Well, you know I am always up for spending..."
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Anna and Amy were walking around the mall when Amy stopped in her tracks.
"Anna, you wouldn't believe who's in Tommy Hilfiger."
"Hopefully, nobody I know because Hilfiger is so ewww,"
Amy let out a cackle, "Ewww? I know you didn't just so 'ewww.'"
Anna looked at her like she was crazy, "Ewww? Of course I didn't just say that."
Amy was still laughing, "Yes you did. You just said 'ewww.' I feel like I am on an episode of 'Clueless.'" Amy kept on laughing. "Oh, my goodness, Anna just said 'ewww,' wait till I tell Brad," Amy said as she pulled out her cell phone.
Brad was Amy's boyfriend. Brad was a cute but quiet sophomore Amy had been dating for over a year. Initially, Anna had been skeptical of their relationship because he was a year younger but after seeing them together, one could not deny that they were a perfect match. If things kept going the way they were, Anna was sure that they'd probably get married after college.
Anna grabbed Amy's phone. Amy held on to it. For about thirty seconds, they were both tugging at the phone.
"Anna! Stop it! Leave my phone alone!" Amy screamed, her voice filled with amusement.
"Only if you promise to put it back!" Anna replied.
Amy got into her fit of giggles again. "Anna, do you realize we both look crazy here? We are in the middle of the mall, fighting for a phone. Stop! We are sophisticated ladies, here."
Anna let go of the phone and smiled. "Alright, you win." Amy smiled back and put her phone back. "So, what were you saying about Hilfiger?" Anna looked around. "Where's the store again?"
Amy pointed to it.
Anna peered in and didn't see anyone she recognized. "Who's there? I don't see anyone."
Amy looked into the store. "Hmm, I guess I was wrong, 'cos he's not there anymore."
"Who?"
"Forget about it. No one. Come on, let's go back to the salon, my nail appointment is in about 5 minutes."
Amy and Anna spent the rest of the day getting facials, waxed and massaged. They emerged three hours later, refreshed and ready to do some more shopping.
"Anna, I can't believe you won't let me get you an appointment with Delucci to get your roots done," Amy complained.
"Could you just back off? I love my hair the way it is."
"Yeah, it's cute, but there's too much undergrowth. At least let him lighten some of it. I promise you, you'd end up looking amazing - he is a miracle worker."
"Whatever, Amy, in fact.."
"Anna." A voice from behind interrupted her. Anna instantly recognized it and turned around.
"Winston," she said with a forced smile.
Winston and Anna had met at a New Year's eve party in 2002 and fallen instantly in love. In fact, it was the most passionate relationship she'd ever encountered. Anna had thought she'd found her soul mate and even though she moved to Newport, they'd continued their relationship - till she met Seth Cohen.
The day she'd called him to break-up with him was one of the worst days of her life. She remembered it like it was yesterday;
She'd called him and after making some small talk, she delved in,
"Winston, there's something I'd like to talk to you about."
"What, honey? Are you moving back? Please say you are - I miss you so much." Many guys wouldn't have been so honest with their feelings but Winston and Anna had been so comfortable with one another that there were not secrets or insecurities. And this made the entire ordeal harder.
"No, Win, I'm not moving back."
"So, what do you want to talk about? Sound's serious."
Anna wasn't sure how to go about saying what she needed to, so she decided to be direct.
"Win, it's about us."
"O.K..?" It was obvious that he was getting a little worried.
"I don't think it can work."
"Why not? I know we can't see each other all the time, but remember we are already planning for me to come over in a few weeks and we talk every night, sometimes twice a day."
"I know, but it just seems so difficult. Almost, like it's not worth it. I think it's just bad timing," she said, coming up with excuses.
Winston was silent for a moment. "I'm not worth it?"
"No, of course you're worth it, you know you are a great guy."
"So, what are you saying?"
"I think we need to take a break. You know, I need to get used to this California life and all that."
"I see. Is there someone else?"
"Of course not!" she lied. Anna couldn't bare to be honest with him about it. She knew it would only break his heart and she just couldn't do that. She still cared deeply about him.
"Anna, why are you doing this?"
"Win, you have to understand - this is new and loving you, knowing you are so far away, makes this really difficult. We need a break so that I can focus on adjusting to my new life."
They talked a little bit more about it but Anna knew there was no way she could keep dating him -Seth was the man she wanted. After that conversation, they spoke about once a week the following month until the calls dwindled to the occasional one. Standing in front of Winston after almost a year was quite surreal.
"Anna, I didn't know you were in town," Winston said, stating the obvious.
"Yeah, my Mom and I moved back." They stared at one another awkwardly for a moment before Anna moved closer to hug him.
"Well, it was nice seeing you again," Anna said when they broke apart.
"Yeah, you too," he said, before he walked away.
"That was weird," Amy commented as they walked out of the mall.
"You don't say," Anna replied sarcastically.