Throughout his life, Seth Cohen had never really found people who he was like. Sure, there were a handful, but they rarely shared more than a few of the same interests. Marissa, for instance, shared the same taste in music as Seth, but that was really about it. If they were ever alone together, all they could talk about would be music, and that would get old fast. And Ryan, he didn't really share any traits with Seth. They were compatible as friends, sure, but they didn't have too many common hobbies, except for those that Seth had gotten Ryan semi-interested in, like comics and videogames. Summer – she was nothing like Seth whatsoever. Not really.
In fact, the only person that Seth had met up until his senior year that he considered a perfect match was Anna. Anna... he missed her a lot. She was smart and spunky, and full of confidence. She was basically the female version of him – plus the confidence. She loved comics and cereal, she had her own unique sense of style, and she found things funny that others didn't. Though he didn't always show it, Seth had a hard time moving on from Anna.
He had started the Comic Book Club at Harbor School, hoping to find someone else like him. He forced Ryan to be a member, but it was obvious that Ryan would rather have been anywhere else (but, like the loyal friend he was, he still showed up). Seth would have creamed in his pants if there were someone exactly like him that would join the club – especially if it was a girl. A girl who liked comics? It would be his living wet dream. Like a second chance with the one that got away... sort of.
But, the only person to join was Zach. Not just any Zach, but water-polo-playing, Summer-dating, popularity-king-of-Harbor-School Zach. When Seth quizzed Zach on the spot, he was amazed. He had never met someone so... so... so perfect when it came to comic book – graphic novel – knowledge. He didn't think that even Anna knew that much about them.
It was astonishing how Zach could be completely obsessed with something so often connected with nerdiness yet be so absolutely cool and popular. And, Seth would soon find out, the perfect answer to his girl problems.
---
Knockknock.
Seth answered the door to see Zach standing on his doorstep. He was completely dressed down from his school appearance – he was wearing torn jeans that were less than fashionably baggy (meaning they were too tight for a popular kid to be seen wearing), a faded t-shirt with the Green Lantern symbol on it, and a weekend's worth of stubble. His hair wasn't even tidy. It was weird.
"Hey, come on in," Seth greeted, stepping back so his new comic companion could enter the house. He had been extremely lonely – both parents busy with work as usual, Ryan and Marissa off doing who knows what (and who cares to know what), and Summer still not talking to him – so he decided to call Zach over for a little comic chat.
"Nice place," Zach said as he stepped in, looking around.
"Thanks," Seth replied, closing the door behind Zach.
"Your family home?"
"Nope. Just us," Seth told him. "So, you wanna go up to my room? That's where all of my graphic novels are." He bit his tongue. He tried not calling them that anymore. It reminded him too much of Anna. "My comics, I mean."
"I know what graphic novels are," Zach grinned.
"Right. Go ahead on up and I'll get us something to drink. Door's open, so it's not easy to miss. Make yourself at home and I'll be right up," Seth said, stepping towards the kitchen. He smiled as Zach made his way up the stairs. He had never really had any friends over to hang out, except for... well, Anna.
He scrounged around in the fridge until he found a couple cans of Coke and carried them up to his room. When he got there, Zach was on his bed, inspecting the cover of a comic. "What's that?" Seth asked, not recognizing it as one of his own.
"Oh," Zach said, looking up. "Oh, it's uh...." He turned the book so Seth could see the cover.
Seth's jaw dropped. He sputtered for words, finally managing to choke a few out. "That's... that's... Action Comics #1!"
"First appearance of Superman," Zach said. He glanced at the cover again and smiled before looking back up at Seth. "I thought that even you would appreciate this one."
Even though Seth wasn't the biggest Superman fan, he could indeed appreciate an Action Comics #1. "Is that real? Is it a reprint or is it a first edition?"
"Real, first edition Action Comics #1. Near mint condition, too." Seth jaw was still practically touching the floor, which made Zach smile even wider. This was just too great. Even he knew that being able to make Seth Cohen speechless was an accomplishment.
"That's so incredibly rare... it must have cost you a fortune! Where did you get it?" Seth asked, sitting down a little too close to Zach on the bed. Neither seemed to notice.
"No, actually, my grandfather gave it to me. He used to be a big comic book fan, and when I started to get interested, he gave me his whole collection. This one was his pride and joy," Zach told him. "Do you want to see it?"
"No, no I couldn't even touch it," Seth said, as if him holding the comic would cause an erosion through the protective plastic that surrounded it and end up ruining the book. Though he would never say it – because he was so glad to be able to see such a rare DC comic book – Seth couldn't believe that Zach had even brought it. If it were his, he would have left it encased in a safe or something, and he definitely wouldn't move it much. Why lower its value any?
Zach shrugged. Seth still couldn't get over the comic. "My friend Anna—" Seth paused quickly, not long enough to take away from his sentence, but long enough for Zach to notice "—had an Action Comics #6, first appearance of Jimmy Olson, but that had been the earliest Action Comic I've ever even seen in person."
"I've never seen a #6. Does she live in Newport? I'd really like to see it," Zach said, interested.
"Oh, no. She used to, but she moved back to Pittsburgh. She didn't live here for very long," Seth explained.
"Wait, I think I remember her... short, blond hair?"
"Yep, that's Anna," Seth said, a hint of sadness evident in his voice.
"I had a math class with her last year," Zach said. "She was a really cool chick. Why'd she move?" Seth looked up at Zach. He couldn't very well say that it was his own fault, could he? He just shrugged and told the other boy that it was a long story.
The two spent the rest of the time comparing comic books and talking about them. After a while, Zach announced that he had to go and that he had had a lot of fun. "My parents are going to be out of town next weekend if you want to come and hang out at my place. I'm thinking about inviting a few kids from school and just having a little get-together or something."
Seth knew that any little get-together in Newport Beach was just another name for huge party, but he agreed to stop by. In less than a week's time, on the night of the party, Seth would be the happiest he'd been since Anna left.
---
Seth had dressed up a little more than normal for Zach's party. He was wearing a pair of jeans with a white t-shirt, a blue-and-white button-up shirt casually thrown over top. He had even put a little bit of gel in his hair, and he didn't think he looked half bad.
When he arrived at Zach's, he followed a group of girls in the door. He felt out of place inside, but soon spotted Zach getting himself a cup of beer from the keg. He meandered through the girls that already looked like they were going to be sick on the couch, the couples making out so fiercely that Seth wouldn't have been surprised if they were doing more than that, and a group of guys that were attempting to play beer pong on a very low coffee table, finally reaching the host.
"Hey," Seth greeted, and Zach turned to face him.
"Hey," Zach replied with a smile. "Glad you could make it. Want a beer?" Before Seth could reply, Zach was shoving a cup in his hand.
Cheers, Seth thought, and began drinking.
---
Seth had been at the party for hours and he was very, very tipsy. He had lost track of how many beers he had consumed and how many times he had already peed, but he knew both numbers were pretty high. The crowd was smaller than when he had arrived, and a majority of the people left were either passed out or so close that they were immobile.
Although neither applied to Seth, he felt like he wanted to faint. He rounded a corner and ran smack-dab into Zach. Seth laughed. "Heeeeey, buddy."
"Hey, you want to come see my room?" Zach asked. Seth nodded, not really even hearing Zach's words but recognizing what he said as a question. He followed him up to his room, stepping over a few of the fainted people on the staircase. "Here we are," Zach said, waving an arm into his room, which he had just unlocked.
Seth looked around. It wasn't too different from his. Okay, so it was. It was very untidy, clothes and random things littering the floor and every other surface available. Sports posters were lopsidedly covering the walls, and a huge corkboard was covered with pictures of Zach's friends. "Nice room," Seth commented.
"Thanks," Zach said, shutting and relocking the door.
Before Seth knew what was happening, Zach was right there and their lips were pressed together. Seth's eyes expanded wider than normal and pulled himself away. "What was that?"
"What do you mean?" Zach asked embarrassedly.
"You- you kissed me!" Seth sputtered.
"Yeah?" Zach said.
"I'm so confused right now." Seth cleared away an area of Zach's bed and sat down.
"Why fucking deny it?" Zach slurred, stumbling a little bit to his bed. "I've seen the way you look at me Seth. And I know that I want you the same way that you want me."
"What way that I look at you? What are you talking about? I'm not gay," Seth said.
"Neither am I," Zach said, and Seth didn't know if he was being sarcastic or if he was serious. "Come on, Seth. Don't try to avoid this. Are you honestly saying that you don't want it to happen?"
"I don't know... maybe?" Seth forced himself to say. Truth was, he did think about it. Hooking up with Zach. It was wrong, it was crazy, but that's what made it so intriguing.
Zach took that as a go-ahead and kissed him again. This time, though extremely nervous, Seth didn't pull back. The alcohol was swirling around in his brain and it was making him more laid-back. And more willing. He returned Zach's kiss.
They spent a long time on Zach's bed, and it was almost five in the morning by the time Seth decided to walk home. The crisp air sobered Seth up a little and he was able to think more clearly on his walk. He thought about what he had originally thought about Ryan, Summer, and Marissa. They weren't like him. Zach was.
He had decided that what they said – opposites attract – wasn't necessarily true. He thought about Zach. For once since Anna left, she didn't haunt his thoughts. And Seth was finally able to move on.
end