Disclaimer: I don't own any O.C.-related - only the characters I may invent during the writing of the story - they're all FOX's property.. thanxx 2U, guys

Autor's note: Sooo sorry for the long delay! Had to finish some university stuff (urgh) plus I don't always have the opportunity to go online whenever I want. Lame excuse, I know. Gonna post two-in-a-row, 'kay? PS: Still don't have a beta..

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The following two weeks were "project-weeks" at Newport's Harbor High.

Ryan, who'd spent almost every morning on the beach with Sandy, had signed in for architecture – very much to Kirsten's pleasure – what included two trips to San Diego. One to visit a rather old church – old for American standards – and the other to inspect a brand-new apartment-building. Afterwards, the students had to study construction plans and build a model that reproduced some of the architectural particularities of one of those buildings. Kirsten already had offered help and counseling. The results of their work would be given after the spring break that began on Wednesday after the projects.

Seth suffered from a rather discrepant opinion concerning his project. He'd joined Summer's decision for a project that dealt with the influence of gossip on peoples points of view. They had to do interviews, see through magazines and yellow press, put up statistics and even spread some minor rumors to observe how they developed. Seth was both pleased and disgusted. Disgusted because gossip was THE universal Newportean hobby, and he wouldn't stop complaining about now having to run with the shallow sheep. Only the possibility to make out with Summer whenever they took a break partly reconciled him with his miserable fate. On the other hand he was slightly fascinated by the fact that he was kind of "behind the scenes" where he could learn how the crowd "ticked" – at least a little. This aspect crossed his mind when he stumbled over some of the remaining rumors concerning his foster-brother. He'd thought about working on those, but Summer had convinced him that this would lead to a conflict of conscience.

Marissa, always having been a member of and now for one year the leader of the event-committee, didn't neglect her responsibility for this season as well. The "fest-group" had to arrange the traditional "Spring-Blaze", the big party on the beach that was always provided by the next year's graduates.

This year they planned something "special". Which was not THAT surprising, since every year the event was supposed to be special. Only, with Marissa Cooper, being a natural trend-setter, at the head of the social chair the chances were good. Even the teachers were always eager to see what she came up with for the next event. She used to always top herself. The plans were top-secret. Nobody outside the party-crew would know the result before the infamous Wednesday before spring-break.

On the last Friday of project-week, Seth stormed into "Casa Cohen" and into the kitchen, dropped his backpack carelessly at the counter and some glossy magazines on top of it where Ryan was about to finish his model building under Kirsten's attentive eyes. They both looked up at him.

"Hey guys! Wow, looks great. Not exactly cosy but.. yeah, ya know?" "How was school, sweetie?" Kirsten asked when her son stuck his head inside the fridge. Ryan didn't have to go this day. Because of their extensive homework the professor who lead the architecture-project had given them two days off.

"Well, great, Mom. Last days at school are always great. Plus", he began to pick at the left-overs from yesterday's Chinese dinner, "there's a band at the Bait Shop tonight. There were flyers in the cafeteria. I called Alex and she said they're great. A female singer-songwriter and band, a little Cheryl-Crow-Alanis-Morissette-crossover with an amazing voice, she said. And definitely the right thing if one would like to party the last day before the holidays in a more romantic mood. So I thought we'd go, hm?" He patted Ryan's shoulder who slowly removed his friend's hand with two fingers. "Uhm, I don't feel exactly romantic about you." When his mother started to chuckle at this, her son quickly explained: "Of course I wanna go with Summer! But I thought my brother here could use some cultural education, waddayathink?" "Really Seth, I don't know. I wanted to take a walk to the pier and later have a swim.." Seth interrupted him, rolling his eyes. "Oh c'mon, dude! What's that all about, anyway? Surfing in the morning, working out in the evening, hours of swimming.. don't you think you're husky enough? I mean.. If you go on like this no one will believe that you're a budding architect, man." Kirsten threw a side-glance at her foster-son: Seth was right. Except from his short stature he almost looked like one of those surfer-guys. He had obtained a healthy, bronze complexion, his hair was a lighter shade because of the sun and the saltwater and the only two weeks of regular two hours of swimming in the evening had even improved his already v-shaped back. But she considered his now more relaxed and lighter mood the biggest and most welcomed difference.

"Oh c'mon, dude, don't make me beg!" Seth begged. "It'll be fun! Hey: Luke will probably be there. He wanted to come back for the Spring-Blaze. And if I remember correctly, it's Trevor's birthday today. Ya know, one of the waterpolo-players. Luke said he'd been invited. And they usually start their parties either at a beachhouse or at the Bait Shop. And since there's a band.." Ryan stared at Seth in awe: Since he'd participated in this gossip-project he was alarmingly well informed. When he still showed no mercy, Ryan held up one hand. "Okay, okay, you win. I skip the pier."

He'd been there a couple of times during the last two weeks and had finally admitted to himself that he was actually looking for the girl with the black base-cap, but she'd been nowhere to be seen.

"I just gotta take the model and the construction plans to school. ..When do we leave?" "Quarter to eight. The band starts 8:30 and I don't wanna be late." "Are they that good?" Seth shrugged. "I dunno but Summer's never late, ya know.. Don't wanna risk a rage-blackout for making her wait." "So we don't pick her up first?" "No, she'll be at Marissa's before the show", and noticing Ryan's smile falter, he quickly added: "They're just having sushi together. Marissa sprained her ankle a little at school today and she wanted to give it some rest." "How'd that happen?" Ryan couldn't help but be concerned whenever it came to his ex-girlfriend. "Now that's the only thing I couldn't find out. Big secret. Part of the project. Well, not her getting hurt, but the circumstances, uhm, you know what I mean."

Ryan looked at the clock on the counter: Near five p.m. If he hurried up, he'd even be able to take a swim before they had to take off. He'd never have thought that one day he'd develop an affinity for this sport but he'd found that it was perfect for him to clear his mind and relax. It even alleviated the pain he often felt in his back whenever he'd sat over his books for too long or had carried something too heavy. He had a sensitive back since one of his mother's boyfriends had served him with several metal-booted kicks in his spine when he'd been cleaning up a puddle of booze in the living room and didn't move away fast enough. That was over three years ago now but sometimes his back still hurt like hell. He never knew if maybe one of his vertebras had been cracked or sprained, but the tissue around his spinal nerve must have been swollen because it took over three days before he'd finally been able to feel his legs entirely, and another week to regain full control over them.

Trey would've brought him to a hospital if he'd been anywhere near, for sure, but his mom had spent the whole time near passed-out on the couch. He'd recovered too quickly for her to even notice there was something wrong. At that time he would've done anything to be able to run away from there, so terrified he was to end up paralyzed in one house with those two. And to be able to come running back in case his mother needed him.

Suddenly Ryan became aware that Kirsten called out to him. "Sorry, kinda spaced out for a moment", he apologized. She held out the phone to him. "It's for you, honey. It's Luke." "Thanks." He took the receiver and tucked it between shoulder and ear so he could still collect his school stuff while talking to Luke.

"Hey man, guess who!" He heard Luke's voice over a lot of background noise. "Hi Luke, what's up?" "Good guess! Good guess, now guess where I am!" "Uhm, you're in Newport. Why?" "Gee, dude, ya still know how to blast a joke, right?" "Well, the Cohen-spy-network is working pretty efficiently", Ryan tried to explain. "Yeah, uhm.. I'll be here for 'bout a week. Wouldn't miss the Blaze, ya know. And it's Trevor's birthday today. We're already partying on the beach. Wanna come?" Luke asked. "Trevor.. he's the red-head, right? Uhm.. I dunno. I still got some stuff to do.." "Now c'mon! We'll be at the Bait Shop tonight, and afterwards it's party at the beachhouse of Trevor's dad." It was scary: Seth had been right again. "'Kay, then I see you at the Bait Shop. At 'bout eight." "Great! That'll be fun!" Luke seemed to be really excited.

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Thanks for the reviews, luv support and critics - pleeeze don't stop!

Spoiler: What's gonna happen in the Bait Shop? Maybe somebody shows up.. :o)