Y'all, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update. I got sucked into the Assignments thread over at TWoP, and I've spent the last two weeks watching and rewatching all the episodes, over and over and Adam… Yeah, I know, pity me, right? Anyway, here we go. Please continue to read and review. I really appreciate all the feedback, and I love that people are liking my story. It means a lot. Thanks as always to amani, my awesome beta, and to David and DQ.

Ah, the disclaimer: I don't own anything. I don't even own a car. I have a dog, but she kinda owns me, and I doubt you'd want her anyway, so no suing. I'm just a girl who loves the HoYay!

Also, if you'll note, in the summary line it mentions that it's Seth/Ryan slash. So, if that's not your thing, don't read it. No worries.

Whenever I get this way, I just don't know what to say
Why can't we be ourselves like we were yesterday
I'm not sure what this could mean
I don't think you're what you seem
I do admit to myself
That if I hurt someone else
Then we'd never see just what we're meant to be
Every time I see you falling
I get down on my knees and pray
I'm waiting for that final moment
You'll say the words that I can't say

--"Bizarre Love Triangle", Frente!

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"You're late," Summer snits as she opens the door.

"Summer, we're only five minutes late, which isn't even really late when you think about it because it's easy to make up five minutes somewhere," Seth replied, but Summer cut him off.

"Whatever, Cohen." She noticed the small box in his hand, and her face softened. "Is that for me?"

Seth smiled. "Yes, it is. You look amazing." He gently opened the box and removed the fuschia orchid corsage. Summer placed it on her wrist, and held it against her orange dress.

"It's perfect, Seth. Thanks." She kissed him softly on the cheek.

Ryan smiled to himself. You could tell Summer's mood concerning Seth by what she called him. If she called him "Cohen" she was either mocking, mad, or annoyed. Or sometimes all three. When she was sincere, he was "Seth."

Seth must have noticed the "Seth," too, because he smiled. Looking around, he asked Summer, "Where's Marissa?"

Summer's forehead furrowed a little. "She's still upstairs. I'll go get her."

Summer left them standing in the foyer and went upstairs to get Marissa. She returned a few minutes later, alone and frowning.

"She says she's not coming. She wants us to go on without her."

Ryan rolled his eyes. He knew when he got there that Marissa's absence wasn't a good sign. There were times when Ryan could gauge her mood or how their day was going to go by the look in her eyes, but most times it was impossible to tell what she was thinking or feeling. Ever since Oliver's death last year, she had been spiraling, drinking more and more often, skipping visits with her new therapist, and letting her grades slowly slip. At first, her parents had done everything they could think of to keep her under close watch, but after a while Kaitlyn had started getting into trouble, as well, and Marissa fell off their radar. She had begged Ryan to forgive her for what happened with Oliver, to take her back, and he had, of course, but since then she had broken up with him and begged him back so many times Ryan was starting to get dizzy. On New Year's Eve, she had broken up with him, this time for the last time, she said. She wanted a new start, a new year, nothing from the past to remind her of how much she was hurting, she had said. And for four months she hadn't spoken to him, but then three weeks ago, she approached him at lunch and asked him to go to Prom with her, and ever since then, she was acting like nothing had ever changed. Coming over to the poolhouse, waiting for him after work, walking with him in the halls. Ryan wasn't sure if they were back together, or what, but he wasn't going to ask.

Ryan started to walk up the stairs, but Summer put her hand on his elbow. "Ryan…" Summer trailed off and let go of his arm. "Knock first, okay?"

Ryan nodded, and walked upstairs to Summer's room. He knocked on the door quietly. "Marissa?"

Silence.

Ryan knocked again. "Marissa, come on. Let's go…It's prom…" Ryan's voice was pleading. His first instinct was always to placate.

Marissa opened the door slowly. Ryan could tell she had been crying. "I thought you didn't even want to go." Her voice was hollow.

"I don't. But I'm in the tux. And you're in the dress. And Summer and Seth are waiting downstairs. And it could be fun. So let's go, okay?"

Ryan saw Marissa's face soften. Her voice softened, too. "I'm a mess, Ryan."

Ryan smiled a little. He knew he had gotten her. "You're not. You're beautiful." He held out the box with the corsage. "I brought this for you."

Marissa took the box from him and walked to Summer's vanity. She took the delicate white rose corsage out and slid it on her wrist. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Thanks. It's beautiful." She looked at her reflection in the mirror and grimaced. "Not a mess, huh?" She smiled slightly. "Okay, just let me wash my face a little, and I'll be right down. It'll be fun." Marissa sat down at the vanity and wiped her cheek.

"Okay. I'll go downstairs and wait with Seth and Summer." Ryan turned and left the room, grabbing his boutonniere on the way.

Summer and Seth looked at him expectantly as he walked back down the stairs.

"She'll be down in a minute, she's just washing her face."

"Good job, Chino. Thanks." Summer looked relieved. She noticed the boutonniere in his hand. "Want some help with that?"

Ryan shrugged. "Nah, it's okay." He set it down on the table in the hallway.

"So, what's the plan?" Marissa's voice was a million times lighter, and she was smiling as she walked down the stairs.

Seth shot Ryan a questioning look, but he ignored him. He didn't want to think about it. He just wanted to get out of there.

"Pictures at my house, we're having dinner at our dads' restaurant, and then Prom." Seth held out his arm for Summer. "Shall we?"

Summer linked her arm in Seth's and they walked towards the door.

Ryan leaned into Marissa, his voice low. "Feeling better?"

Marissa nodded, and slid her arm into the crook of Ryan's elbow. "Much. Let's go." She smiled a small smile and led him towards the door.

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Seth was trying to make eye contact with Ryan, but aside from kicking him in the shin under the table, it didn't look like he was going to be able to get his attention. Marissa and Summer were in the bathroom, hopefully saving Seth's life. Seth had spilled his water on Summer's lap and there was almost bloodshed until Marissa rushed Summer to the bathroom and dried her dress under the hand drier. While they were gone, Seth had been trying tried to catch Ryan's eye, but he was very focused on his meatloaf. Very focused. Seth worried that Ryan was still uncomfortably weird about what had happened earlier in the poolhouse, but he shook that thought from his mind as the girl approached

When the girls returned from the bathroom, Summer was still glaring at Seth, but things had calmed down. Marissa ever-so subtly moved all the glasses on the table out of Seth's reach and smiled at him. They all laughed, and Ryan felt his shoulders lift. He even smiled directly at Seth, knowing the other boy had been trying to catch his eye while the girls were gone, probably to ask about Marissa. He had been sorting through all the events of the night, putting everything in its proper place to be dealt with later. Kirsten had insisted on taking several rolls of film, and for some reason had insisted on taking a hundred pictures of Ryan and Seth together, and every time Seth's arm brushed his, electricity ran down his spine and into his stomach. No matter what Seth had said about "just promming" Ryan still couldn't completely forget about the kiss.

And from the red that rose up Seth's neck when their hands brushed as they both reached for the check, Ryan was pretty sure Seth hadn't forgotten, either.

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"This is it?"

The four of them were standing just inside the club door. Ryan turned and looked at Seth quizzically.

"What exactly were you expecting?"

"I don't know, dude. This is my first Prom, remember? I guess I was expecting more than twelve streamers and some glitter."

Ryan smiled, even though Seth was exaggerating. There were more than streamers and glitter. There were ridiculous amounts of glitter, and more crepe paper than a float at the Rose Bowl parade. Everything was covered in glitter. The entire room sparkled like really bad eyeshadow.

Summer leaned over to Marissa and almost-whispered. "What was the theme? Life inside a disco ball? Ew."

Marissa laughed and shrugged. "I don't know, I wasn't on the decorations committee this year. It is…a lot of glitter, isn't it?"

They laughed and walked towards the wall where several tables were arranged in a semi-circle. Ryan and Seth sat down, but Marissa grabbed Summer's arm. "C'mon, come with me to the bathroom." She shot Ryan an uncertain look, then walked away with Summer in tow.

Seth scooted his chair a little closer to Ryan's and leaned in. "Hey, dude. Is Marissa okay? What happened at Summer's?"

Seth's breath on his ear made Ryan's breath quicken and his chest tighten. He leaned away from Seth's crooked head and turned to face him. "I'm not sure, Seth. She was just really upset, but I told her it would be fun. And now here we are."

Seth furrowed his brow. "Do you think she's okay?"

Ryan leaned farther back in the chair and took a deep breath. "I don't know. Maybe?"

When the girls returned from the bathroom, Summer grabbed Seth and forced him out onto the dance floor. Marissa sat in Seth's chair and scooted it even closer. She leaned in, whispering. "Wanna dance?"

Marissa's breath made Ryan's chest tighten, as well, but this time it was the liquor instead of the proximity of the lips that got him. Ryan turned to look Marissa in the eyes. "Have you been drinking?"

Marissa's eyes widened. "What? No—Why would you think that? Where would you get that?"

Ryan's eyes hardened. "I don't know, Marissa. Must be those vodka-flavored breath mints you're using." He stood and began walking towards the dance floor.

Marissa jumped up and followed him. "Ryan! Ryan, where are you going? Ryan!"

If anyone could hear her over the music, no one reacted. Ryan wound his way through the crowd and found Seth and Summer dancing. Well, Summer was dancing…

Ryan pulled Seth aside. "Hey, man, I really don't want to be here. I'm just gonna wait in the car. Can I have the keys?"

Seth searched Ryan's eyes for some clue as to what might have happened, but there was nothing there. Seth opened his mouth as though to ask, but closed it just as quickly. Whatever it was, this wasn't the place to talk about it. He fished the keys out of his pocket and handed them to Ryan.

Ryan mumbled a quick thanks, and headed towards the door. Marissa caught up with him, but Summer grabbed her elbow and led her away.

Ryan opened the door to the Range Rover and climbed into the backseat. He rested his cheek against the cool leather of the headrest and closed his eyes. What was going on? First the thing with Seth, and now he had just abandoned Marissa at Prom. He had wanted so badly to make this night perfect, but she had ruined it. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. He just needed to calm down.

After about 20 minutes, Ryan heard the car door open. "Chino, wake up! We're leaving." He opened his eyes to see Summer, Seth and Marissa climbing in the car. Marissa was in the front seat; Summer was sitting in the back with Ryan. Ryan rubbed his eyes and checked the clock on the dash. Almost midnight. "We're leaving?"

"You left 20 minutes ago." Marissa's voice was low and gravelly.

Ryan leaned up, as though to say something to Marissa or touch her, but Summer leaned forward quickly and tapped Seth on the shoulder. "Let's go to Holly's, huh? Everyone's supposed to be going there after prom. Luke asked me earlier if we were going to be there, and I said probably, so let's go, okay? It could be cool."

Seth nodded as he shifted the car into gear. "Sounds like a plan."

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Once they arrived at Holly's, Summer and Marissa left the boys to go get something to drink and talk about how much Prom sucked. Seth asked Ryan if he wanted something, but Ryan just shook his head. When Seth returned with two bottles of water, Ryan was nowhere to be found. Seth exhaled heavily and walked towards the back door.

Ryan shoved his socks into his dress shoes and walked further down the beach, until the music from Holly's party was a low humming. Full moon. How appropriate. He was afraid to mess up his tux, so he took off his jacket and tie and vest and folded them up neatly. He set his shoes on top of a large rock, and set his clothes on top. He sat down and lay back, closing his eyes and folding his arms behind his head. After a few moments, it got darker behind his eyes. He felt someone standing over him, and opened his eyes to see Seth standing, holding two bottles of water.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Can I sit down?"

Ryan just closed his eyes and nodded.

Seth sat down in the sand next to Ryan, almost close enough that their legs were touching. Ryan didn't move. Seth took a deep breath.

"Ryan—"

"If you're going to ask about Marissa, just don't, okay?"

Seth's shoulders slumped. "I was just going to ask if you were okay. Summer told me that Marissa downed, like, a gallon of vodka in the bathroom at Prom. I know that you guys have been fighting about her drinking, and I just wanted to know if you were okay, since this was the first time I'd gotten to talk to you." Seth took a breath. "Are you okay?"

Ryan opened his eyes and looked at the back of Seth's head.

"I don't know. I just…I don't know. I'm so tired of it all. I'm just tired."

"Do you want to go home? I can go find Marissa and Summer, and we can just get out of here."

Ryan sat up, his arm resting against Seth's. "No, it's okay. I'm okay for now."

Seth turned to look at Ryan. Of course, he had a freaking wife beater on under his tux shirt. Seth shivered slightly, and drew his legs to his chest. "Full moon. That's kinda weird, huh?" He turned to look at Ryan, and suddenly they were nose to nose.

"Ryan?" Seth's voice was barely audible.

"I don't know, either, Seth. I just..." Ryan's voice was shaky as he leaned towards Seth.

This time, Ryan wasn't sure whether Seth kissed him or he kissed Seth. He just knew that when they touched again, the electricity from the night ran through his skin like lightning, and Ryan wondered if Seth could feel it through the translucent skin of his lips.