Thanks for all the great feedback :) Im really excited about this story, especially since I finished my COHEN! book lastnight, just watched four episodes of the OC dvds, and a new episode is on in 2 days :)

Under The Stars

Seth brushed his teeth slowly, still mesmerized by the events earlier that day. The cinnamon toothpaste was burning his gums, so he rinsed his mouth and kept brushing, thinking back to his favourite conversation at dinner...

"I really wanna change, you know?" Summer said, piling more noodles onto her spoon. "I just realized, this town is fake. We should be able to be friends with whoever we want to be, not have people ruled out by what our friends think. And I don't want to be part of the problem, I mean, hello? Theres so many poor people out there, people who need our help!" She paused to put the noodles in her mouth, and chew. Then, she sighed. "Am I being a total hippy or something? I mean, god. I have been this motivated to do anything for the world since I was in second grade and started cutting up plastic soda holders to save the dolphins." She rolled her eyes, then giggled. "What do you think?"

"I think you have a plan there, Summer." Seth said, raising his glass of water to her.

"But I want to do more than change myself. I want to change the world

Did she really mean everything she said? Seth thought, rinsing his mouth again, spitting, and shuffling back into his room. What if she was just saying it to please his Mom, that she didn't want to change at all, and that she'd still be the same old Summer at school tomorrow? He shook his head, thinking it was rediculous, and climbed into bed. He shut off his light, said 'goodnight' to the Captain and fell asleep.

"Summer! We're going to be late! Hurry up!"

"Coop come here!"

Summer heard Marissa jog up the stairs and an exasperated "Yes?" In the doorway, so she turned to face her.

"Which looks better?" She asked, holding two tops up to her neck, one grey and low cut, the other a red halter.

"The red one, hurry up!"

"Wait, okay, so the red one. But which skirt goes better with the red one?" She held up a short, black, pleated Gucci skirt, the other a longer Miss Sixty denim skirt.

"The black one," Marissa said shortly. She watched as Summer slipped them both on, looked at herself in the mirror, and fixed her makeup.

"Okay lets go."

They were pure fashion icons. All the girls wanted to be them, and the boys just wanted them. But all Summer could think about was what she was wearing. A day earlier she had complained about poor people having nothing, and now? She was wearing the latest & greatest brands. She sighed to herself. What could she do?

Marissa giggled and Summer turned to see what was going on. Luke was watched onto her waist, kissing her neck softly, and Summer turned back around. She didn't need to throw up first thing in the morning. The bell rang, and Summer pulled her bag off the picknic table she was leaning on, and walked toward the main building, Marissa trailing behind.

"Summer!"

"Sorry," She yelled, and slowed down so Marissa could catch up.

"What do you have first period, again?"

Summer thought for a minute, then they reached her locker. She spun out her combination - 23,21,4 - and said "Bio. You?" She dug out her Biology text book and and her notebook.

"Gym. I hate it," She glanced at her watch. "I have to go. Seeya!"

Summer smiled and waved 'bye, then went into the second door on her left. She glanced around the room, and saw exactly who she wanted to. He was a lone figure, sitting by himself in the back right-hand corner of the room, right next to the built-in pencil sharpener. Perfect, she thought.

The second bell rang, and she had a seat, next to Melanie, across the room from Seth.

Summer ripped out a piece of paper, scribbled a messy "I had alot of fun yesterday. I'll meet you at your house at 3:00. And I'll whoop your ass at something more difficult than Spiro." She folded the paper a few times, and then headed to Seths desk. She dropped the piece of paper on his table, and sharpened her pencil. She turned to look at him, and he smiled, and nodded, then turned back to finish copying the note.

Marissa pushed through the cafeteria line, picking up a salad, a diet soda, and a banana. Infront of her, Holly and Melanie had the same thing. Behind her, Summer was pushing to get the last salad, and the last diet Dr. Pepper. She picked up an apple, and they went to sit down with Luke and his friends. Summer opened her salad container and ripped open her caeser dressing, pouring it all over her lettuce.

"Summer! Hey!"

"Beat it, queer." She heard Luke say. She lifted her head and winced. There was Seth, with his brown paper bag and a smile plastered on his face. He didn't even seem to notice Luke standing up.

Oh, no. Luke standing up only ment one thing.

"I told you, to beat it, fag." Luke said, getting closer to Seth.

"Actually I think you said queer."

"If you heard me, then why aren't you gone yet?" Luke pushed him.

"Stop it, Luke," Marissa told him half-heartedly.

Seth got up and tried to walk away, but Luke stopped him. "Where do you think your going?"

"You told me to beat it," Seth said and tried to move around him. But once again, Luke didn't let him move.

"Move, Luke." He wispered.

"What? I couldn't hear you." Luke grabbed Seth's jaw. "Say it again."

Seth tried to jerk his face away, but Luke was too strong. "I said, say it again." Luke yelled in Seths face.

"Move." He muttered.

Luke held onto Seth's face, squeezing his jaw, punched him, and pushed his head toward the ground. "Stay where you belong, queer." Luke laughed and went back to his table. Seth got up and ran away.

"You are such an asshole, Luke." Summer said, leaving.

Summer pounded on his door, once again, and rang the doorbell. "Come on!" She muttered, and finally, the door opened, with a grim looking Seth standing in the doorway.

"H-hi." She wispered. He had a black eye and dirt in his hair. "Oh, Seth." She said, reaching up to touch his face.

Seth winced and jerked back. "Don't touch me." He muttered.

"Why are you mad at me?" She asked, getting frustrated.

"Why am I-?" Seth laughed a cold, empty laugh. "Why do you think, Summer? It was just yesterday you told me you wanted to change, you wanted to be different, you wanted to hang out with whoever you wanted to and you didn't want to be held back by your friends! And I get punched in his face just because I wanted to talk to you! That's bullshit!"

"It's not my fault you got a black eye, Cohen, you know what Luke's like."

"Yeah, I do, and so do you. You could've stopped him, you could've gone with me. I thought you wanted to be my friend." Seth said, half closing the door.

Summer placed her foot in the way, the removed it. "I do. I want to play Spiro, and eat Chinese food, and I want to pass notes in class, and.. and sleep under the stars. I want to be your friend."

"Then you need to learn what the word friend means. Im not going to be a 'secret friend', Summer, thats not how it works," He said softly, and slammed the door in her face, leaving her outside in the cold.

Okayyyyyy did that move too fast? I like the idea of it, but I think it kinda suckss. Review & tell me :)