A/N: I've decided to split this chapter into two, since it's a such a huge one this time. Many Dair parallels here - hope you guys can find them and will appreciate them! :)

Also, I really wanted to thank all those that are consistently giving me reviews. They make my days brighter and make it easier for me to continue writing, even on days where i'm exhausted. Thanks again for all the support!

"Do you think maybe we should just, you know, take a day off? Catch a movie? Hit the beach or something?" Seth asked as they got out of the car and got ready to walk into the school. It was Monday, the first day of school after he had told Summer that he just wanted to stay friends with her. Throughout the weekend, he had played the moment over and over again repeatedly in his head, each time assuring himself that he had made the right decision. Summer had been silent, as if thinking quietly about what he had said, and, without a word, had turned and walked back into her house. Unsure what to do, he sat there for another hour after that, and did not leave until he could hear dogs howling in the distance. He sure wasn't looking forward to bumping into her at school today, only to have her inevitably punk him off.

Ryan gave him a blank stare. "It's not gonna help if you run away, Seth," he pointed out matter-of-factly.

"And I'm not running away. I just, you know, wanna do something fun today. Do something daring, something risky. Come on, Ryan! YOLO!" Seth almost pleaded with Ryan, who didn't budge. Just then, they saw Summer and Blair, walking together, and heading straight towards them. "Oh my God Ryan. Okay, quick. Hide me. Or better yet, I'll wait for you in the car," he said quickly, preparing to make a dash towards the parking lot.

Ryan grabbed his arm, preventing his getaway. "You want to do something daring and risky? Stay here and face these two," he whispered fiercely to Seth. Seth had no choice but to plaster a smile across his face and the girls approached them.

"Heeeeyyyyy Blair! Summer! What a pleasant surprise!" Seth yelled out, a little too energetically.

Blair gave him a weird look. "We go to school together. Why would you be surprised?" she asked, rolling her eyes at him as usual. Seth stood there and nodded, trying his best to avoid eye contact with Summer. He wished desperately that he could just hide behind Ryan and take cover for a while until Summer walked away.

This situation could not possibly get any more awkward, Seth thought. Except maybe if Luke also walked in singing Happy Birthday without his shirt. He wrinkled his forehead at the thought.

"Um, hellooo – earth to Cohen?" he saw Summer waving her hand in front of head, snapping him back to attention. Seth was surprised at how absolutely normal she looked – as if nothing had happened at all. He became even more concerned than he was before he saw her. Unsure of what to make of her cheery mood, Seth pulled her to the side, away from Blair.

"Summer, are you okay? I mean, I know…you know, what I said to you last Friday, I know…" Seth babbled on endlessly, unable to make his point.

To his astonishment and genuine fear, Summer started to laugh – a loud, throaty laugh that made even Ryan and Blair glance over. "You think I'm sad? Gosh, Cohen!" she slapped him hard on the arm while she cackled.

"Ow! Summer, could you maybe, be careful with your superhuman strength?" Seth complained, running his sore arm. He was really getting concerned about her apparent display of mental instability.

"Cohen, I'm not mad! I'm relieved! To be honest, you've put me through so much drama the last few weeks and made me so confused that I was hoping we could just go back to being…non-friends, like we were. This – me and you – let's face it. Wasn't really working out," Summer chided, nodding knowingly. Seth observed her carefully, paying attention to every last detail, from the lines on her forehead, to the way she positioned her feet. She didn't seem like she was in denial. Even though that realization hurt his ego a little.

"So, you're not pissed at I broke up with you?" Seth pressed on, still a little doubtful.

"Well, considering we were never actually together, let's just say I'm not upset that you decided we shouldn't take things further," Summer replied, earnestly. She glanced over a little at Blair, who was trying to make small talk with Ryan, looking bored. "Besides," she added, "it's not as if I don't understand why. I get it. You like her. And, well – believe it or not – I kinda do too. So don't mess it up!" Summer slapped him hard again, on the very same spot.

"Ow! Okay! Can you try to make your point in a less violent manner, next time? You're gonna leave a bruise!" Seth whined.

"It's your fault you have chicken arms!" Summer laughed as she teased, continuing to hit him on various parts of his body.

Blair, finally running out of ways to keep Ryan engaged in conversation, couldn't help but glance over at Summer and Seth, who were now laughing loudly in the parking lot. Seth had a sweet smile on his face, which showed off his deep dimple, and Summer had her hands on her waist, also looking quite happy. "They make a cute couple," Blair remarked, sincerely feeling happy for the two of them.

"Uh – Blair," Ryan started, but just as he was about to explain to Blair what had happened between them, Seth and Summer were already heading back in their direction. Blair flashed her teeth and widened her eyes, trying to look pleased as Summer rejoined her side.

"Walk you to class?" Summer offered, taking Blair's arm.

Blair nodded sharply. "Why not?" she replied. They walked off together, arm in arm, noses high up in the air, while Seth watched the two of them from behind.

"Close call," Ryan said, giving Seth a look. Seth sighed heavily as he watched Blair turned her back on him, barely bothering to beat an eyelash. He had passed the first level rather easily today with Summer, but something told him the rest of the day wasn't going to be as easy.

Seth hesitated before walking into the classroom, both eager and nervous that he was about to see Blair in their regular drama lessons. He had seen her numerous times in drama class before, but this time was different – this would mark the first time he would do so knowing exactly how he felt about her. He swallowed hard, trying to banish the butterflies that were cramping up his stomach, and suddenly felt the urge to go to the washroom. He was just about to turn away to visit the boys' room when he ran smack into Blair Waldorf.

"Ow! Watch where you're going, Cohen!" Blair exclaimed, examining her elbow. "Where are you rushing to, anyway? Class is about to start!"

Seth took a step back and looked at her – she looked even more radiant and beautiful than she had this morning, when she was with Summer. Her hair was swept into a long ponytail which showed off the fine features of her face, and she opted for a light lip gloss today instead of her usual rigid red lipstick, which brought an innocence to her expression. Their was also something magnetic about her eyes – the way they sparkled and glistened as if there were a million secrets waiting to explode out of them, each of them leaving Seth thoroughly curious and mesmerized. He cleared his throat. Suddenly, his bladder was no longer full, and his need to visit the washroom disappeared completely. He gestured towards the inside of the classroom, as if escorting Blair to her seat.

"Thanks," she replied smartly, throwing a self-satisfied grin towards Seth. He slid down in the empty seat next to her, lost in his own dreamy thoughts, when he suddenly realized that something was missing.

"Where's Luke?" Seth whispered to Blair, looking around the classroom. Try as he might, he wasn't yet able to forget the rather significant obstacle that stood between him and Blair.

Blair smirked and leaned over to reply, which made Seth blush a little. "He dropped the course. Wasn't able to figure out the difference between a chorus and a coral," she informed him, holding back her laughter. How Blair could be dating such a moron, albeit a romantic one, was beyond him.

"Alright class, hurry up and get back to your seats. We have a lot to discuss today," Mr. Bieman called out in an authoritative voice.

To be honest, Seth had thought about dropping drama too, until he realized that Blair was in his class. He was a fan of comics and action movies, but not really a fan of Broadway musicals and the like. Plus, public speaking wasn't exactly his strong suit, considering before Ryan came, every sentence he uttered would be automatically followed by the word "faggot". He drew in sharp breath while he waited for the teacher's announcement.

"After weeks of preparation, we are finally ready to start our very own production," Mr. Bieman declared, while Blair clapped excitedly beside him. "This year, we will be doing a true classic by the lovely Edith Wharton, the –"

"The Age of Innocence!" Blair cut in, struggling to keep her poise. Seth looked over at her curiously. He didn't remember seeing her this excited since the time he was manipulated into taking her to the dance. He smiled at the memory, and how much things have changed since then.

"Didn't know you were a fan of the classics, Waldorf," he couldn't help but remark, amused at her expression, which resembled a child at a candy store.

"Shows how little you actually know about me," Blair remarked lightly. He knew that she had said it harmlessly, but her reply bothered him a little all the same. She was right – he really didn't know her that well, and every squabble he's had with Blair since the day they've met was proof of that. But he was planning to change that.

"First off, I'd like to know whether any of you are familiar with the story," Mr. Bieman asked. "Any takers?"

Eager to impress Blair, Seth's hand went up casually, without realizing what it was he was actually admitting to. He looked around, his heart filling with dread as it came to his knowledge that he was the only boy that had put up his hand. Even Blair raised an eyebrow at him, suppressing her giggles.

"Ah, Mr. Cohen," the teacher said, looking pleasantly surprised, "it's not every day that a gentleman knows how to appreciate these types of literature. Care to give the rest of the class a little summary of what the story is about?"

Seth gaped at him in horror. He struggled to think fast, as he caught Blair looking at him inquisitively. "I believe…well, actually it's quite complicated and the, um, genius of the, uh – masterpiece cannot be summarized in such a short time frame," he managed to spill out.

"Do try," the teacher pressed on, adamant now.

"Well, uh…if I must, I would say that the book is about…love," Seth finally replied weakly. He looked over at Blair, certain that he had blown it. She gave him the same raised eyebrow, eye-rolling look that he supposed she had mastered since the age of three.

"Excellent!" Mr. Bieman replied. His reaction shocked both Seth and Blair, who both knew that Seth had absolutely no idea what the book was about. "The Age of Innocence is indeed a masterpiece, exploring the complexities of both love and social class." Blair nodded appreciatively, completely immersed in the lesson and no longer paying any attention to Seth.

"I normally invite the students to read the script first before auditioning, but since we are on such a tight schedule, I have decided to shorten the entire process today, and have you audition on the spot," he explained, passing out a sheet of paper. "I have here an excerpt of the script, since you will only really be acting out a part of it for the actual performance. You have ten minutes to prepare."

Mr. Bieman handed a piece of paper to Seth, and one to Blair, who immediately snatched it up and began going through the lines, a smile crawling upon her lips. It was inspiring for Seth to see Blair so entranced in something, and in spite of himself, he also began to look over the script. It was difficult to see what all the fuss was about, especially from one scene, but Seth could tell that all the lovey-dovey stuff was making Blair swoon. He finished scanning the page and looked up.

"So class, I trust by now that you've all had some time to look over the script," Mr. Bieman remarked. "Now we have a few major roles open – of course, one of them being the irresistible Ellen Olenska, and the other being the charming, successful Newland Archer. May I have some volunteers, please?"

Blair's arm immediately shot up, as she squirmed in her chair. Again, any attempts that where made at containing herself failed as she reached desperately, waiting for the teacher to call on her.

"Alright, Blair," Mr. Bieman finally said, pointing at her, "whom I presume will audition for the role Ellen. Then any takers for the role of Archer?" Mr. Bieman's eyes scanned the room, looking for someone to undertake the attempt.

This is your chance, man, Seth told himself. Confidence, Cohen, he repeated, remembering Blair's words that had helped him conjure his courage to ask Summer to dance. But this was different – he would be required to stand in front of the class, and act like a charming, successful lawyer. Sure, his dad was a lawyer, but it would take more than that connection to get Seth to pull off the role. The only thing he was successful at was Grand Theft Auto. He hesitated, literally hearing the seconds tick away at the clock while he thought. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw someone else's hand go up, which prompted him to immediately shoot up his hand, standing up as he raised it.

"Well, I'm glad that we have such an enthusiastic volunteer!" the teacher remarked. He nudged Seth forward, giving Blair and Seth the stage while he walked to the side. Seth took a deep breath and headed to the front of the class, praying that he knew what he was doing.

He looked at the paper in front of him for a minute, and then, throwing it aside, looked right into Blair's eyes, willing himself to forget for just a moment who he was, and allowing himself to open up to her. He reached out for her hand, while Blair seemed to have stripped off a layer of her habitual protection herself, waiting for his next move. Seth took Blair's hand in his, and kissed it tenderly, making Blair flush ever so slightly. She took a shaky breath and looked up at him.

"You didn't expect me today?" Seth asked in a surprisingly strong voice.

"Oh, no," replied Blair, continuing to blush. The effect worked rather well, considering everyone else would have just assumed that she was deeply immersed in her role.

"Do you know – I hardly remembered you, when I crossed you in the train," Seth-as-Archer asked, speaking now from his heart, feeling every word that was coming out of his mouth.

"Hardly remembered me?" Blair-as-Ellen asked, looking up in query.

"I mean: how shall I explain? I –" Seth took a step closer now, growing braver. He swallowed hard. "Each time you happen to me all over again," he said to her slowly and deliberately.

Blair swayed a little, her hands still in his. He held both her hands now, even though this wasn't specified in the script. She was also pretty sure they weren't supposed to be this close to one another at this point in the story, but she couldn't seem to step away. "I know," she replied quietly, not even noticing that she had slightly fluffed her lines.

"And for you – do you feel the same? About me?" Seth-as-Archer asked, also making up his own lines, now filled with his own self-interest in asking Blair the question.

"Why do you ask?" Blair demanded, completely lost in the moment now. She hadn't even realized the rest of the class was still watching the two intently.

"Because you must know," Seth replied, now returning to the actual script, "that this can't last." His eyes melted the very core of her heart.

"What can't?" asked Blair, eyes filling with genuine wonder.

"Our being together – and not together," Seth answered flawlessly. He had meant every single word. He was tired of being friends, or non-friends, with Blair Waldorf. He wanted more. He wanted her. Blair kept still, and faltered a little, as if trying to think straight. Confidence, Cohen! he demanded to himself as he put his hand on the small of her back, feeling her warmth, and then, propping her up every so gently, reached in to kiss her. Their lips were just about to touch, when Blair suddenly held up her hands, stopping him, and then turned her face away. She bit her lip, then stepped away from his embrace, leaving Seth feeling thoroughly confused.

The rest of the class applauded politely, though everyone was equally confused at what had just happened in front of their eyes. Even Mr. Bieman clapped hesitantly, watching Blair closely.

"Well, that was most impressive, Mr. Cohen and Miss Waldorf," Mr. Bieman asserted, nodding his head in approval. "Now, any others? And perhaps those who would like to follow the script?"

Seth watched as Blair returned to her seat, visibly disturbed from their intense interaction. She actively avoided his glance, and drummed her fingers nervously on top of her desk, unable to concentrate on the other performances.

Stupid Seth Cohen, Blair thought to herself. Any other day, she would have perfected the role and the lines and everything would be in the bag. She was born to play Ellen Olenska – she had no doubt about that. However, she had once again let Seth Cohen distract her from the things that actually mattered. What was wrong with him anyway? Wasn't he having the time of his life with Summer, love of his life? Blair shook her head in what was a mixture of confusion and frustration.

Seth watched as Blair fidgeted non-stop in her seat. He was worried that he had blown it for Blair, who obviously had really wanted the part. His thoughts were interrupted by Mr. Bieman's voice:

"And of course, the moment you've all been waiting for – Ellen Olenska will be played by Lucy Rivers, while Newland Archer will be played by Horace Penfield! Congratulations!" The class clapped along politely, no one actually caring. "Alright then! It's decided! We will sort out the rest of the roles tomorrow. Now get out of here!" he shouted, his usual farewell to the class.

Seth started towards Blair, hoping they would finally be able to have an honest heart-to-heart after that outward display of affection he had just given. Afterall, she was the one who had taught him that girls were all about the grand gestures. Surely she knew how he feels about her now. But to his surprise, Blair abruptly got up from her seat, throwing him an angry glare, then stomped out of the classroom.

-TBC-