Three Months Earlier

            Seth pulled his pillow over his ears trying to muffle the cries of his baby sister.  Christina was little, but she had a powerful set of lungs.  It seemed like she was always wailing and the floor was always creaking as either one of his parents walked the floor with her.  He was starting to become sleep deprived and summer was over.  Labor Day had passed.  School was starting.  It was his senior year.

            The pillow wasn't working so Seth rolled over and glanced at his clock.  He might as well get up, he thought, because he had to be school in two hours to register for classes.  Registration week at Harbor… it wouldn't be as unforgettable as his junior year when Marissa was still in the hospital after her drug overdose in Tijuana and Ryan ditched his entrance exam to rescue her from Julie Cooper's evil clutches. 

Nothing about this year would be the same.  Ryan wasn't just someone living with them anymore.  He was Seth's brother, the adoption having been finalized in early summer.  Seth would not be an outcast, the lone member of the sailing, comic book, and the film preservation clubs.  He had friends for a change, even if they didn't share his interests.  There was Ryan, Marissa and Summer.  Luke wouldn't be there, because he had moved to Portland after his accident.  Not that Seth had ever considered Luke a friend.  Mostly he had tolerated Luke for Ryan's benefit.  Senior Year would definitely be memorable.

Seth sat up and stretched.  Christina had finally quieted down.  He could hear his mom in the other room crooning a lullaby.  His baby sister loved music.  From the time she was a week old, he had softly played some of his music for her.  From Rooney to Ryan's preference Journey.  She would smile and gurgle and act all cute.  It was the version of his sister that he preferred to the one he heard at night.

Dressed in khaki cargo pants and the first clean t-shirt that he found, Seth made his way into the kitchen.  He wasn't sure if he matched and he hadn't combed his hair but as soon as Ryan was ready they could leave to school.  He should have realized Ryan was all set.  He was the early bird in the family.

Ryan sat on the stool at end of the island counter with a cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other.  Seth noticed the sleepy look in his eyes.  It wasn't as bad as it had been a few months ago, but it was obvious that Christina wasn't only keeping him up.

"Ready for school?" Seth asked.

Ryan shrugged.  "Beats sitting around all day."

"We didn't all sit around this summer.  I did.  You worked." 

Ryan threw Seth one of his looks.  But it was true.  After a couple of weeks of sitting around and driving Kirsten and Sandy crazy, they had relented and allowed Ryan to get a job.  He had worked for Caleb at the Newport Group and while it had been interesting, Ryan had wished that Kirsten had been there to show him around. 

"What did you do all summer?"

"Sail.  Read.  Worship the sun."  Seth sighed.  "I'm going to miss it."

"Oh, you can do all those things once school starts.  It's not like you have to work very hard for your grades."

"And you do?" Seth asked with raised brows.  He peered into the fridge and looked for the milk.  He took out a small container that looked like milk, but Ryan stopped him.

"I wouldn't use that milk if I were you."

Seth opened up the container.  "Why not?"

"It's breast milk."

Seth hastily put it back in the fridge, allowing some of the milk to slop over the sides.  "Oh gosh.  Mom has got to label this stuff."

"Seth, milk doesn't come in Glad™ containers."

"Hey, it's early.  My mind is on sleep mode.  I can't start analyzing what's in the fridge.  It's liquid and it's white.  That usually means milk."

Ryan smirked.  "It is milk.  Just not from a cow."

"Are you drinking my breast milk again?"  Kirsten strode into the kitchen her silk robe flying behind her.  She went straight for the coffee maker and asked, "Caffeine free?"

"Uh, no.  Sorry.  I needed the caffeine this morning."

"I know.  We all do."  She poured the coffee into a thermos, rinsed out the pot, and filled it with water.  She took out the decaffeinated coffee and started a new pot.  "I could use some caffeine."

"Up all night?" asked Ryan.

"I think I dozed for a half hour."  She stifled a yawn.  "That little girl does not like to sleep at night."

"She's quiet now," Seth threw in.

"Dad's rocked her to sleep.  As soon as I see the two of you off to school, I'm going back to bed."

"Mom, it's not like we're six-years-old and need to be escorted by hand to our first day of school."

"It's not even our first day," added Ryan.  "It's just orientation.  Go to sleep."

"Ten more minutes won't kill me."  She grabbed a bagel from the basket and sliced it in half.  "Do you have money?  You'll have to submit your senior dues."

"Dad left us a check last night."

"You should take some money for school supplies."

"School supplies?" Seth scoffed.  He turned to Ryan, "I think I want a shiny red pencil case."

"I want one of those big fat pens.  The one with ten different colors."

"Oh don't make fun," cried Kirsten.  "I'm sleep deprived.  You're going to need a notebook or two, some pens, and a backpack."

"The backpacks from last year are fine.  And thanks Mom.  We'll take the money you offer.  If we don't get pens and pencils, at least it'll buy us a cup of coffee."

Kirsten glanced at the clock.  "Okay, stop picking on me and get going."  She threw them keys to the car.  Both teenagers dove to catch it, but they landed in Ryan's hands.  "I expect you both home for dinner," continued Kirsten.  "No later than seven.  You hear?" she called after their receding figures.

Walking on to the Harbor campus didn't feel strange anymore to Ryan.  He had once been so awed by the grounds that were the Harbor school.  His old school in Chino was lucky if it had a hoop with a net but Harbor had Tennis courts, swimming pools and plush ball fields.  There was the student lounge, which had a pool table, arcade games, and a coffee bar.  Going to the Harbor school was like going to a country club with classes.  But it no longer felt strange.  It felt like home.

"Who did you get for homeroom?" 

Ryan and Seth were sitting at one of the outdoor cafeteria tables.  They were waiting for Summer and Marissa who had yet to finish registration.  Marissa was probably done and just hanging out with her best friend, because like Seth and Ryan they all fell into the beginning of the alphabet, while Summer was an R.

Ryan glanced at his program card.  "Tolliver."  He rolled his eyes.  Last year he had fallen asleep in the monotonous history teacher's class.  It was during a period of time that Ryan suffered terribly from nightmares.  "If Christina doesn't keep quiet at night then he's going to start calling home about why I keep falling asleep."

Seth laughed.  "I thought babies were supposed to start sleeping through the night by the time they were Christina's age."

Ryan shook his head.  "I looked it up in one of Kirsten's baby books.  They say there's no right age, but they gradually sleep longer and longer."

"It's killing me man."

"I know.  Me too.  So who do you have for homeroom?"  Ryan asked, changing the subject.

It was Seth's turn to glance down at his program.  He grinned.  "Tolliver."  They grinned and slapped each other five, glad to be sharing at least one class.  "I'll cover for you if you fall asleep."

"And since the sleep problem isn't all mine this year, I'll do the same."

Ryan jumped up.  "I've got to go see the coach.  I'm going to go out for soccer again."

"Okay.  See you later."

And Seth was alone.  He didn't mind it.  It wasn't like the old days, when no one would speak to him, and he felt out of place.  Instead it was a chance for him to get a moment's peace.  He looked around to see who was hanging around and if there was anyone he wanted to talk to, but there were only some jocks loitering at the adjacent table, and Seth made it his businesses to limit his time with jocks.

He lay across the bench attached to the picnic table and closed his eyes against the sun's glare.  He didn't hear anyone approach him, until the looming figure cleared his throat.

"Sorry to bother you," the stranger said, "But I was looking for the administrative building."

Seth opened his eyes and squinted as he took in the figure hovering over him.  The boy was tall and lanky, about Seth's own height, six foot two, with carrot-red hair and dark freckles splotched all over his face.  Seth swung his long legs over the bench and sat up. 

"Up the path and to the right," he said pointing.

"Thanks."

"You new here?" Seth asked, before the boy could walk away.

"Yes."

"Just moved to Newport?"

"Sort of."

"I'm Seth Cohen."

"Mitchell Weider.  Everyone calls me Mitch."

Seth stood.  "I'll walk you if you want."

"Oh – you don't have to do that."

"It's okay.  I'm bored.  My brother went to talk to Coach Snyder and my girlfriend is still registering."  Seth grabbed his bags and started strolling alongside Mitch.  "So how long have you been here in Newport?"

"I've been living here with my dad on and off for three years now.  But my parents decided that I should live with him permanently for my senior year."

"I'm a senior too."

"You've been here long?"

"In Harbor?  Since Pre-K.  But my brother just started last year."

"How come?"

"Long story."  Seth hesitated for a moment and then said, "I guess it's his to tell."

Mitch shrugged.

"You have to meet with Dr. Kim?" asked Seth.

"Yeah.  What's she like?"

"We call her the dragon lady."

Mitch laughed nervously.  "Just what I need."  But despite the nervous laugh, Mitch was relaxed as he walked alongside Seth, comfortable on the strange campus.  He was nothing like Ryan, who had been ill at ease for the first few months at Harbor.

 "Well, we're here," said Seth.

"Thanks.  I appreciate you showing me the way."

"Maybe I'll see you around.  Do you have a schedule yet?"

"Nope not yet.  I'm sure we'll run into each other.  Thanks."  Mitch waved and went into the administrative building. 

Seth stood for a moment, thinking about the new kid, wondering if they had anything in common.  If appearances said anything, then there was a lot to be said.  If it weren't for the red hair and freckles he and Mitch could be twins could be twins.  Mitch had been wearing beige cargo pants and a black t-shirt with "Chaos! Panic! Disorder! My work here is done," in white block letters.  They obviously shared their sense of style and a sense of humor – if the t-shirt said anything. 

Kicking a pebble with his toe, Seth turned around to see if he could find what was taking Summer so long.  Maybe his senior year would be as interesting as the last one.