PORCELAIN

Preface: PORCELAIN

Teenagers are admittedly naive, so maybe they were wrong to think that they were any different. What they had was something classic, tangible, real, something of fairy tales. It was only a matter of time before reality struck their perfect world in two, and rocked their fantasy lives to their cores.

Four friends seemingly invincible were separated by a force none other than themselves, ironically enough. It has been said that time makes the heart grow fonder, but what Marissa Cooper, Seth Cohen, Ryan Atwood, and Summer Roberts found was something completely different, a paradox. Time had made them cold, it had hardened them. And now at age twenty one and twenty two, where most are stumbling along just about to hit the brink of existence they are somewhere in-between fact and fiction, heaven and hell, tangible and imaginary. They were all now unrecognizable, scattered images of their former selves.

Seth Cohen had struck it big early with acclaimed graphic novel "Atomic County", but maybe it was a little two early. At age twenty two he already has more money than he knows what to do with. Success came to fast for him, and now he sits alone in his condo by the beach having almost everything in his life that he ever wanted. Nothing was left for him to conquer. Life was handed to him on a silver platter. He never has to work again. His comic was taken over by writers who would continue making up fictitious lives for his not so fictitious characters and he got the profit because he had the copyright.

Summer Roberts face was plastered everywhere with the launch of Atomic County and its overnight success. Right out of high school she signed her life away in the form of a modeling contract. Now Summer is doing what she always wanted to do, traveling the globe. The only problem is that she does it alone, with only her cigarettes, cameras and diet pills for company. It was so ironic, on the outside she was beautiful, perfectly put together and coordinated, but on the inside she is empty, emotionless. She lives everyday waiting for the chance to feel again, … to feel anything at all.

Marissa Cooper, Newport's former teen queen. The epitome of a debutante. It was only natural that she would fall from grace. Everyone expected her to hit the ground with a thud, but the truth is ever since the day that she slipped she never stopped falling. It probably started before anyone could ever remember. The icing on the cake though, had been of course, the death of Trey Atwood. To this day nobody outside of the group knows who pulled the trigger, a secret for which Marissa is thankful. The burden of the secret had separated them, initially at least. When Marissa left for college she never planned to return, but she did when her father fell ill. Desperately she ran in Ryans arms which had become strange and unfamiliar. Nine months later while away at school Casey Atwood Cooper was born. Ryan had been there for her birth and much to Marissa's surprise he had even taken an entire week out of his "busy' schedule to make sure that they were set up and okay. Now she lives in a condo just across from the one that she had lived in with Alex. Marissa has wrongfully attempted to fill the void in her life with alcohol and men.

Ryan Atwood, hard, stern, intimidating, a real "go-getter", it has been said. After the death of Caleb, and Ryans graduation the reins of the Newport group were turned over to him. And thus began the disgusting obsession with perfection. Ryan controlled the entire community that once looked down upon him. Who thought him nothing more than the common crook, an invader and a threat to their daughters. Subconsciously Ryan set out to prove them wrong. He wanted to let them know what he was capable of. And thus began long nights at the office and alienation from society and a superiority complex greater than that of royalty. Ryan had built his own kingdom of which he proudly took the throne. He will occasionally take his daughter for the weekend, if ever over night he requires the accompaniment of a nanny.

People always think that they know themselves, what they would do in one situation, what they would do in another… Summer, Seth, Marissa, and Ryan are living proof that there is nothing set in stone. What will it take to bring those who have strayed back?