Summary: Marissa makes an early reclaim of her duty as Harbor High social chair head when she hosts the freshman welcome dance for incoming freshman. Seth joins along for the ride. Why? Because he's got nothing better to do, right?

Story Notes: I'm starting to map out a distinct structure and plan. So you may soon notice that I am reaching to some form of ending and yes maybe some romance. I won't lie. Just don't expect them to be making out anytime soon. -- BTW, this act takes place about a week from the last. And yes we are still in the non-school summer. This dance is for incoming freshman and is held a few weeks before school would start.

Story title taken from a sonnet by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Song lyrics used in the closing moments of this act are that of Joe Beleznay's "Something New". Google for his web site. You'll find the lyrics there.

Disclaimer: oddsbodkin17 is the queen of witty disclaimers. So I won't even try to live up. I own nothing of value. Not our house (apartment), not our car (it's the banks), and no, not even the characters of The O.C. (They belong to some guy named Josh Schwartz). But I do own my fingers, and this computer I am typing on, and the words in my head, which flow, through my fingers and on to this screen. Yup, I own all of that. So in other words don't steal my ideas! -- Hey, I actually created some new characters here. So I am claiming rights to Charles and Bunny. If by some weird chance a big wig for Fox, Warner Brothers or The O.C. would actually like to use said characters I demand large sums of cash. You're unmarked bills can be left at Sonny Corinthos's penthouse. Oh, wait, that's Resse's penthouse. Oh wait, no one from Fox, Warner Brother's or The O.C. would even know anything about some daytime soap opera called General Hospital. Never mind.

Rating: It's as clean as they come.

Feedback Notes: You have showered me with feedback. This has pleased me. However, I'm still waiting for someone to give me constructive criticism, other then something about how Summer/Seth would never end and are going to one day get married. Yeah, they probably will. Be happy you'll get the ending you want on TV. But please don't ruin my or other Seth/Marissa fan's fan fiction fantasies. It's just about all we got.

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Bright lights were shinning over the dance hall. Littering the walls were loud colors of neons and reds. It felt like entering into the 80's and all in one night. Going back in time, well it seemed to work for these kids who remained lost in the music.

Marissa turned herself around, shifting and moving away from the DJ's table. The noise that overtook the room was nothing more than foreign sounds. One note, beat, song, after another, it didn't resonate with her. But she put up with it. After all it was her duty as social chair. She was in charge. She was the master of ceremonies whether she liked it or not.

As he sat perched on the edge of a table, he saw Marissa come from out of the DJ's abyss of bright lights and techno beats. Seth lifted his head from the ground and smiled, acknowledging her. Marissa smiled back, taking in his warm smile. She proceeded to him and positioned her ass by his side, on the table.

Before they could fully take in the moment, or express words, two borderline tweens entered into their site. There in front of them was a sexually dressed 13-year-old girl and a likely of equal age boy who looked like a young Luke. He was the sweet, water polo team playing type. But he also could of passed for an underage frat boy.

The young girl was anxious, her body moving up and down as though she was on uppers. But this was no drug-induced state; she was naturally this high and this nervous.

Seth coked an eye as he watched them come in closer, obviously wanting to get Marissa's attention.

"Hello, Yoo-Hoo.," the girl rudely shouted in Marissa's direction.

The girl, who in some sectors of Newport went under the pet name Bunny, grabbed the young man beside her by the arm and pushed him into Marissa's view. After being spun into place his eyes met with Marissa's and he smiled. It was obviously because he began to notice her beauty. Marissa smiled back, politely, but with out much of her usual glow.

"Charles, here said he's going to spike the punch," Bunny said, trying to squeal on her airhead date.

"Oh," Marissa replied.

Seth looked on not at all surprised the young boy was going to resort to adding toxics to the punch. After all, if Marissa could make out with Luke in the back of the bus in fifth grade, he thought to himself, then a 13-year-old boy could get his hands on liquor and toss it in the kool-aid.

"Actually, Charles here is going to be spending a day with me...," Marissa chimed in.

Charles smiled back at Marissa and began to get a warm feeling. Bunny had noticed and shot him an evil glance.

"and my mother," Marissa continued.

"Wait, isn't your mother that evil witch Julie Cooper," Charles asked.

Bunny, who knew well of Mrs. Cooper through the stories her own parents told her, flashed a pleased grin.

"Hmm Hmm," Marissa hummed under her straw as she took a sip from her drink.

Seth released a light laugh that prompted Marissa to move her eyes to him for a brief moment. She then went back to the two kids. Seth continued to look on amused and shocked.

Clearly, Charles's face had changed. He wasn't exactly looking forward to ever meeting Julie Cooper, a woman whom had her share of folklore attached to her. Bunny could see he had seen the light and again grabbed him by his arm and forced him away from Seth and Marissa.

"Come on Charles! You're gonna dance with me and make me happy."

Marissa tried to take in the moment of tween silence that came after their departure and then looked over to Seth.

"I'm glad your here. I don't think I'd be able to get through this without an equally lonely, but ultimately charming good friend such as yourself," Marissa said with a smile.

Obviously touched by her words Seth lifted his face again and met with her eyes. The two of them locked into each other for a number of seconds until Seth pulled himself out of the trance.

"However odd, I'm glad to be here. Besides what else was I gonna do tonight? Watch the Valley on DVD?"

Marissa cocked an eye, sure he wasn't telling the whole truth. Seth took notice and gave a look of discomfort.

"What?"

Marissa returned with the same look and held it there till Seth budged.

"Ok maybe I watch the Real Valley on NTV, but that's it. I swear."

Marissa laughed and then unintentionally dropped her hand over Seth's who was resting it on the table. Although slightly surprised, he didn't at all feel uncomfortable. His eyes followed her touch and came up to meet her eyes. He then shifted his head away from their hands as though nothing strange had happened.

Just then Charles turned back once again obstructing Marissa and Seth's view.

"Wait, aren't you Seth, Seth Cohen? Son of Sandy and Kirsten Cohen? You know, the gay-geek-boy of Harbor High?"

Seth was baffled that he would be so naive. 'But then again, weren't all potential water polo players that naive?', he thought to himself.

"Oh my god, they actually already have the freshman believing the lies," Seth said with a bit of worry in his tone.

Seth cocked his eye and then shot a witty remark the kid's way.

"Wait a minute. Do you shave your chest?"

Charles's eyes peered away and he snickered, trying to hide what could be the truth.

Marissa coked her head in the kid's direction and with little emotion, and almost out of nowhere, responded.

"Seth's not gay. He just appreciates a good wife beater"

Both Seth and Charles looked back at Marissa not knowing how to respond to her last line. Seth was also a little hurt she didn't try to disband the geek rumors.

She reached over with her other hand and grabbed her drink, once again taking another sip. Charles followed her hand and then shifted his eyes to the other where he noticed it was meeting with Seth's. Feeling threatened, he fought back with words.

"Oh come on. Everyone's been talking about how that girl of yours was a front. I mean with all those public declarations of love and such. I mean who else would be dumb enough to get on top of a hot dog stand for some chick?"

"Hmm, I thought it was kind of romantic," Marissa casually said.

"Really," both Charles and Seth said at the same time.

They looked over at each other in shock they had shared each other's word. Charles then processed what she said and began to smile as he thought of jumping on the stage of the dancehall and declaring the warm feeling he was having for Marissa.

Seth shot him a evil, archenemy like grin, hoping it would shift his attentions away from them. But Charles responded back with a harsher tone. He clenched his fists, rolled up his sleeves, and jumped into Seth's face, prompting Seth to move back and stumble on the table. He had actually felt threatened by a 13-year-old boy and it showed. Seth's eyes followed up and down Charles's firm and well built body and positioned himself back even further on the table. It was almost a bit comical. And it definitely had Marissa laughing.

Obviously annoyed by her chuckling and grinning, Seth shot her a look of distaste. His eyes them made there way down to his side as he saw she was releasing her hand from his. Before he could react to it Marissa took another snip from her drink and then pointed it out to behind Charles. Both boys shifted their heads and saw Bunny standing behind. She was angered and temperamental. Not wanting to set her off, Charles laid off of Seth and walked away from him and Marissa.

Marissa continued laughing as she looked on while Seth tried to recompose himself. He looked back at her, obviously unamused by her lack of support. But his mind raced and his thoughts swirled. And then his mind fixed back to when she acknowledged a romantic streak.

"So you didn't think I was a total loser for declaring my love to Summer like that," Seth asked.

"Hmm, well it was a little odd seeing you attempt to stand erect on top of a giant hot dog, but I thought it was sweet."

"Just sweet?"

"Hey, it's nothing Ryan would ever do. It's not like I was holding out for it myself. I mean what would I have done if he had anyway?"

"I don't know, said thank you," Seth said with a half smile.

Marissa sighed and laughed, trying to show she agreed. She then shed a half smile.

There in front of her view were a group of roughly hundred-and-fifty freshman boys and girls all preparing to enter Harbor High, just as Marissa once was. Before her and under her helm was a crowd of bratty little rich kids and a token geek.

Marissa's eyes shifted to the corner of the room where she saw a tall, skinny, boy wearing a black jacket with a white, untucked, shirt, and a thin black tie. His hair was disheveled, but not in a dirty, sexy way. There he stood, trying to chat up with a charming young girl who could have easily been a Summer. And in his hands he fiddled with a Fantastic Four comic book.

"Awww look. It's a little Seth."

"What," Seth said as his eyes shifted out to where Marissa was staring.

He noticed the young boy and put two and two together.

"I was never that geeky as a freshman was I," Seth asked looking for assurance.

Marissa tried to think of the polite thing to say, but opted it was better to go with honesty.

"Do you want me to lie?"

"You've never lied to me before. In fact, you've been the more honest of all my friends.," Seth said as he lifted his eyes.

He was questioning his own words.

Marissa lifted her brows and then frowned.

"You have other friends," Marissa said with in a sarcastic tone just before laughing. "But anyway, I'll never hold back for you Seth."

"Yeah," Seth said smiling. "You know how to put me in my place, with love of course."

Seth started to look out into the distance taking in his surroundings. His feet shuffled against each other and his hands were placed closely to his sides. The bright lights were barely enough to distract him from Marissa and the overwhelming positive presence she was having on him tonight.

Deftly pop music rang through the speakers. It was the kind of pop music that got the caffeine idled youngsters to dance faster then they ever had before. In hoards and groups of four and five they jumped up and down to the beat of the music.

There was only so much he could take. Watching youngsters dance to bad summer techno music was wearing thin. Seth's eyes wandered to the stage where he once reclaimed his queen. It was there, just last year that he had made his choice. He was going to proclaim his love to Summer once again. But wasn't that the way it had always been, him having to make the grand gesture of love? She couldn't muster no more than an 'I love you' provided he had played hero to her romantic fantasies.

Marissa could see Seth was drowning out the world around him and she knew she had to step in.

"You're thinking about Summer aren't you?"

Seth didn't respond.

"It's ok you know. I understand. Just because the relationship ended, doesn't mean the feelings fade. Believe me I know."

Seth crouched his head and brought his hands together. Marissa peered down taking notice of his joyless face and his interlocked hands. She paused, only for a moment, and then moved her hand over his, taking one away from the other and fitting it into hers.

Seth glanced over, cautious of her touch, and barely smiled. He felt safe, but unsure how to react, both to his feelings over Marissa's touch and the way he was loosing himself in thoughts of Summer. It wasn't as though he thought him and Summer should be back together. He just found his reflections of the past to hold so much weight and emotion. In a way it brought him down and he didn't know how to release the visions.

Thinking of nothing else to do he moved into Marissa and rested his head on her shoulder and frowned, almost like a sad puppy. Marissa responded with a slight smile. She took her arm around and brought him even closer. Now bringing her head down on his, she began to look into his eyes.

"You me and Seth, this is our world. The one where the lonely and broken hearted can safely mope and relish in self pity."

Seth smiled and then sighed.

"Yeah, I'd be lost if I didn't have someone to drown in my own self-pity with.," he said as he smiled.

Slowly, he lifted his head off of Marissa's and shifted his body to face her. Unsure of what she should do next Marissa grabbed for her drink and took another sip.

Just then Seth was sparked with a urge to bring them together in a never before done embrace. He jumped of the table, quickly turning to face Marissa, and went for her hand.

"Care to dance?"

"With you?"

Seth awkwardly looked around to make sure there were no underage boys who cold possible take his place.

"I was kind of hoping Charles would ask me, but I'll guess you'll do," Marissa replied as she smiled.

Seth returned her smile with a large grin. To the trained eye, there was no fooling that he was happy and alive. And it could be said, Marissa made him feel this way.

Marissa propped herself off the table and met with Seth's other hand. Just then the music shifted. It was a song unlike anything else heard that night. It was free of the conventions of pop and it brought out the perfect mood for a classic slow dance. Although they were likely to ignore the words of the song, they seemed to have a perfect fit to what Seth was beginning to feel.

And what was Seth feeling? He wasn't exactly sure himself. But he knew he felt warm and safe And above all else he oddly never wanted to leave Marissa's side because this evening was bringing him hope for the future. Sure it might take a few more sympathetic words and glances from Marissa, but the emotions and visions of his past with Summer that had tied him down would soon leave him.

Walk me slowly

You and only

Show me something new

He took Marissa's hands and brought her close to him, as they started to move to the music. For a moment he wondered if she was feeling the same. Or had this all been about nothing more than taking their shared pain and using it for the betterment of a friendship. His eyes peered down to her face and he took in her beauty, almost getting lost in it. But he was then brought back into his thoughts when he realized he was questioning if all of this was just about camaraderie.

I've been waiting

Hesitating

Breaks my heart in two

Marissa stared at the ground thinking of how she would of responded if Ryan showed up here tonight. She had mustered up the courage to invite him, although conveniently, at the same time, she invited Summer. Her intentions weren't romantic, she just wanted to experience the old feelings of having him there by her side.

She realized it was all an illusion. Sure, maybe they would still come, but what good would it do her to sit around waiting. All this time she had been hesitating to talk to Ryan and deal with their breakup. 'Maybe now is the time to just put it all to rest and look to the future' she thought.

Her head lifted up and she was surprised, but genuinely pleased, Seth had been fixed on her face. She smiled back and then rested her head on his shoulder. Her mind began to drift to all the time they had spent together since Summer's mother had passed on. She could have never imagined they would grow this close and become such good friends. Maybe Seth was right when he wondered if they had just talked to each other in early high school maybe they could of been friends all this time. Reflecting on it, she thought, 'I would have liked that'.

But still questions raced through their heads. Questions of what it would be like for Summer and Ryan if they discovered how close their friendship was. And they also weren't ready to face that these newly formed feelings could all be a lie. Was their friendship, nothing more than about using each other to heal from their wombs?

If it's a lie

Walk away

If it's a lie

I could leave today

Seth started to breath in Marissa's hair. Its light sent intoxicated him. He found his hand was slowly moving down the small of her back. Her short slinky dress exposed enough of her skin for her to feel the body-to-body contact. She moaned, quiet enough for Seth to not hear her. But in her mind there was a sudden explosion of silenced fire works. As quiet as they were, they brought the most brilliant colors and shinned over the whole area, in other words, over their little world. But these fire works were new and resounding. Sure she had been growing close with Seth. And it could be said they were spending all their free time together. But she never equated it to being more than a supportive friendship and a unique bond. But something was clearly changing. She could feel it in the air, now, tonight.

Everybody

Needs somebody

You are something new

Most of the dancing teenagers that circled around them barely knew Seth and Marissa or only knew them from parental and sibling associations. The one great thing about being here tonight was that there were few who would snicker or talk behind their backs. Sure some would whisper, and other's might go home and tell their brother's or sisters, but they wouldn't let the tattle telling, soon to be freshman, bring them down.

Strange attractions

Awkward glances

I'd be good for you

Seth's hand trailed lower down her back and it caught Marissa off guard. She shifted herself until his hand moved upward and away from the lower part of her back. She soon regretted it though, as she found her self missing the sensations it gave her. As Seth repositioned his hand he looked down at Marissa's whole body.

If it's a lie

Walk away

If it's a lie

I could leave today

"Should of said this sooner, but you look amazing tonight. Very hot," Seth said.

Marissa smiled and then giggled as she took in Seth's words. Her thoughts changed, in the moment. She tried to relax her mind and focus on their dance, rather then worry about its outcome. The music's speed changed. He pulled apart from Marissa and took her by one hand, allowing her to come out and come back into him. The two of them were smiling, laughing and happy, each holding a unique glow to their faces.

But you could be my girl

And stay…

Why don't you stay?

There was a crescendo to the music and they were falling into each other. Just as the sound and speed of the song progressed to it's peak, Marissa had come back into Seth who could not contain his wide grin. He paused and starred into her eyes. She looked down noticing his hand was coming up to meet her face. He hesitated realizing what he was about to do. But in a matter of a second he threw caution to the wind and ran his hand across her face. Just then the song stopped and Marissa released herself instantly. She was satisfied, but wondered if the dance between them could of ended with something more. She forced the thoughts out of her head and brought her self away from Seth.

Before Seth could react to her sudden defensive body movements two familiar voices came out from the distance.

"Hey Guys," Summer said. "Did you save a dance for us?"

Ryan surveyed the crowd and turned into Seth.

"So this is the future of Harbor High?"

Seth quickly shifted his eyes to Ryan and responded.

"Afraid so Ryan."

Ryan's eyes glanced over to Marissa who was trying her best to stay emotionless. But she couldn't help drifting towards Ryan who stood there next to Seth.

Seth caught her glance and started to shutter inside as Ryan looked back at her. He didn't know what to make of it and wondered if he should even try to analyze.

He paused and then peered his eyes over to Marissa. She noticed him out of the corner of her eye. She quickly tried to cover up the fact that Ryan's presence was affecting her. But Seth could see through it all. Her look, her body movements, they were all tactics to cover up her true, unresolved, feelings.

Maybe the future wasn't so bright after all. Maybe she was still stuck in her past no matter how hard she tried to escape it. But Seth, he was fully focused on Marissa and he knew whatever the future held, it was worth it just to have her be a part of it.