A/N: I'll try not to make this one too long, but I might get carried away…lol. But enough rambling,…here it is…hope its not too bad. Song in the chapter is called: Look After you by The Fray

Chapter 3

I Loved You All Along

It was a typical Friday night in Newport Beach, the sky covered in darkness, the waves hitting the beach like thunder. The Newport Youth were all scattered around to the various cliché highschool parties.

If I don't say this now I will surely break
As I'm leaving the one I want to take
Forgive

the urgency but hurry up and wait
My heart has started to separate

This night was hell for a lone figure sitting in the dark, amidst all the laugher and frolicking from the Harbor students. Seth Cohen could not even comprehend all his emotions at that moment. He was trying to face facts that his childhood sweetheart (who never knew he existed) shunned him in the most awful way he had ever experienced. He didn't feel like wallowing in tears, because he liked to believe he wasn't that much of a loser. He decided to do the only thing he knew that could get him through this pain. He headed back toward the party and grabbed himself a beer.

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Summer rushed Brad out toward the beach and immediately began kissing him. She didn't know how to deal with the problems in her life, so she decided to partake in the oldest highschool ritual known to her. Making out.

She didn't want to think of the look on that boy's face when she publicly humiliated him. She knew that he kept his distance from everyone, and that this was the first time he actually made an attempt to come out of his shell. And she torched him so bad.

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Oh, oh
Be my baby
Ohhhhhh
Oh, oh
Be my Baby
I'll look after you
And I'll look after you

Seth almost hated himself for falling head over heels for that devil-hearted woman. Almost. He still saw her as the most beautiful girl he ever laid his eyes on. He had her all wrong his entire life. He was convinced from the beginning that her whole personality she put on at school was just an act. And that she was in fact a completely different person, a different person that Seth adored. Not the one that chewed him up, and then spit him out without even a hint of emotion.

There now, steady love, so few come and don't go
Will you won't you, be the one I'll always know
When I'm losing my control, the city spins around
You're the only one who knows, you slow it down

By now, Seth was heavily hitting the bottle and was completely zoned out to the world. His heart was still shattered, but the alcohol slightly numbed the pain.

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Summer was still going at it with Brad back on the beach. She could smell the alcohol on his breath after every time they broke apart for air. He was beginning to slur his speech to the point she couldn't understand a damn thing he was saying

"Smmmmer…yorrr ssso dmmn fne" Brad slurred not even making a full sentence.

" Brad, I didn't hear a word you said retard" she was in no mood for his cheesy pickup lines. She knew already that they would probably go all the way, but still she didn't need to hear his crap.

Brad broke apart from her suddenly, anger written all over his face. He didn't like to be yelled at, especially from the school slut. He just starred at her in rage for a brief moment, than hit her so hard across the face that it sent her tumbling to the sand. She lay motionless. Brad looked down the beach for his friends and called them over.

When they arrived to the scene of a motionless Summer Roberts, they decided that they'd take liberties with her. After all, she was the school slut.

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Oh, oh
Be my baby
Ohhhhhh
Oh, oh
Be my Baby
I'll look after you
And I'll look after you

If ever there was a doubt
My love she leans into me
This most assuredly counts
She says most assuredly

Seth stumbled around the house, attempting to hit on as many girls as possible with his new found, alcohol influenced, confidence.

"Hey Girl, you wanna know what it feels like to be with a real man?" Seth slurred. He grinned cheekily until he was shut down with a hard slap.

He made his rounds to the different single girls at the party, receiving the same answer, with the added slap.

He stumbled upon a small, blonde haired girl sitting in the corner alone. Reading to Seth's amazement, the new Legion comic. He could spot those from a mile away. He couldn't believe his own eyes, this was too good to be true.

" Hey girl-girl-girl friend!" Seth shouted into the girl's ear. She jumped up and clenched her fist of Seth, who was already making friendly fist gestures.

"You wanna go? Let's go then!" Seth slurred playfully. To his amazement, the girl laughed at his joke.

" So what's your name"

"Cohen, Seth Cohen" Seth replied, trying to feign a mysterious tone.

"Oh haahaha I'm Anna Stern." She answered and reached out her hand. Seth realized this girl was actually giving him a chance, so he reached down and grabbed her hand, then kissed it trying to act like a gentlemen.

She blushed slightly then began laughing. The two hit it off instantly, sharing stories about their life, dreams and secret crushes. Seth couldn't stop talking about Summer, he realized she was beginning to get bored with him. So he decided to break the awkwardness and strung up a comics conversation.

" You like comics?" She grinned from ear to ear.

" Yeah, sometimes there the only thing that gets me by" he replied with sadness.

They were now both very intoxicated, flirting with each other every chance they got. Just when Anna was about to make a move to kiss him they heard a shocking and sudden scream.

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Oh, oh
Be my baby
I'll look after you
After You
Oh, oh
Be my baby
Ohhhhh

It's always have and never hold
You've begun to feel like home
What's mine is yours to leave or take
What's mine is yours to make your own

The entire group of teens hanging inside suddenly broke off in different directions. Obviously, they took the scream as a sign of the cops coming. The house was all but empty, except for Seth, Anna, Marissa Holly, Luke and the rest of the water polo team.

Every one of them glared at Seth. Wondering what the hell a geek like him was doing at Newport rager.

The group began to break out in search of the mysterious voice. Marissa was already out the door and looking for the unknown person. She had an uneasy feeling in her gut that it was someone she knew.

Seth had that same feeling, except he was 10 times worse. He was about to head out the door to begin searching when he was stopped by an infuriated Luke

"Go home geek!" He said and shoved Seth to the ground, but Seth immediately got up. For the first and only time in his life, he was going to stickup for himself. He felt that he needed to get to the owner of that voice as soon as possible

" Yeah who invited you suckass!" another water polo player beamed. Seth just stared at him, clenched his fist and punched him with everything he had. To his amazement, he hit the ground like a sack of rocks. Seth couldn't stare in awe as he quickly bolted out the door and out towards the beach.

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He ran out with a full head of steam, he needed to find that girl. It was the first time in his life where he was scared, yet didn't result to sulking in a corner. He looked and saw a small group of extremely buff guys surrounding a small body curled up in ball. She was screaming with all her might. Then Seth realized who the voice belonged to.

It was his Summer. Well not exactly his Summer as she rejected him numerous amount of times, including the one about 3 hours ago that still stung him. He felt enraged at what those jerks were trying to do to her. They were feeling her up all over. While the seemingly ticked and unlucky small one, held her to the ground.

He stormed over toward the group and was about to get their attention, when he was cut off by Anna. She grabbed his arm, and Seth turned around his fist already clenched

"Let go of me!" He said coldly. Anna noticed the darkness in his voice but held on tight.

"Don't do this Seth, she's just a girl. She doesn't give a crap about you!" She said desperately. " Let's just go hang at my house and read some more comics." She tried to convince him with puppy dog eyes. Seth wasn't buying it, not for one second.

" No! Leave me alone!" He ripped his arm out her grasp and started back toward the group of pricks.

" Hey assholes!" Seth yelled. Getting all of their attention. " Get your damn hands off of her." He said more coldly than before.

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" Hey look Brad, it's little emo lover boy!" One of them said. They all had their attention on the thin, fragile Seth Cohen, but still had a grasp on Summer.

"Did you meatheads hear me?" He beamed in anger. " Let her go!"

They were becoming angry with the way this geek was talking to them, so they placed full attention on Seth, throwing Summer to the ground as she whimpered towards Seth.

He pulled her up so she could stand and whispered into her ear.

" Are you alright? Did they hurt you…Those son of a.." Seth said with his full attention on her. Completely forgetting about the angry mob in front of him.

She starred into his eyes, sensing concern and fear for her, she lightly nodded with her tear filled eyes quickly fixating on the sand.

Seth was in another world. He was leading Summer Roberts away from the perveted, chest shaving jerks, but was suddenly yanked back by a strong arm

" Where you going lover boy, you can't take that bitch away that easy." One of them glared. Seth turned to Summer who was pleading with eyes of fear. Seth surprised himself, and took his eyes off Summer, and looked behind her. Luke and the rest of his gang came stumbling down to the beach. Marissa joined Summer and wrapped her in a friendly embrace.

A crowd quickly gathered and felt like all eyes were on Seth, he never showed the slightest sign of intimidation.

Luke, Brad and the entire water polo players circled Seth. The party people returned to the beach, making yet another circle behind Luke and his cronies. They were expecting a beating.

Summer and Marissa were excluded from everything. Summer looked at her knight in shining armor once again, she actually was finding Seth Cohen charming. He was defending her. But she couldn't let him get killed.

"SETH!" She yelled, Seth jerked his head to a scared Summer. He was surprised she knew his name. " Don't do this, get out of here now!"

"No can do Summer, But how about you take your own advice and get out of here quick." He said and flashed her a smile.

" Don't worry about me, I'll see yeah later at school!" Seth said nonchalantly, trying to make himself believe he'd make it to school on Monday.

" Hey Queer!" Brad jerked Seth around and punched him straight in the jaw. Seth dropped. Summer shut her eyes, still not leaving the scene. The team was about to pile on him and begin beating him, but to their surprise Seth sprung up.

Seth punched Luke in the nose, sending him scurrying to the side. Seth felt like a hero. Hell he felt like Superman. As he was basking in his glory, he was not aware of a lurking Brad creeping up behind him. Suddenly Seth was tackled from behind.

He just laid on his stomach and closed his eyes. The team continued beating Seth. Seth couldn't feel his face. He was slowly fading out, but could hear the crowd cheering. He gazed around until he met Summer's eyes. She looked in near tears.

Seth surprised himself and gave her a weak smile. He was in his darkest hour of need, and here he was smiling at Summer.

"God I'm such an idiot!" Seth thought to himself.

Luke decided to end this with one last blow to the face, Seth was out. The team laughed and walked off toward Holly's house. The crowd eventually followed.

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Summer saw the crowd fading away, she then rushed over to Seth's side. Her face looked horribly, she had mascara all over the place. She was immediately joined by Marissa, who was already calling 911.

Summer lifted Seth's head onto her lap and began frantically attempting to comfort him.

"COHEN WAKE UP GOD DAMN IT!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Seth barely managed to open his eyes, to a crying Summer Roberts.

He quietly whispered to her " Are you alright Sum? Di-Did they hurt you?" He asked in fear of her answer. He was genuinely more concerned for her then himself.

That did it for Summer. Hear he was, beaten to a bloody pulp and he was asking if SHE was okay. She gave a quick smile and she started blushing. Seth saw her face and then slowly slipped of into darkness. With a grin spread from ear to ear.

He knew she was safe. He protected his Summer. Before he dozed off into darkness, he realized that he was right all along, Summer was in fact the girl of his dreams.

Oh, oh
Be my baby
Ohhhhh
Oh, oh
Be my baby
I'll look after you

You are so beautiful to me

Okay I hope that wasn't too bad please read n tell me what you think. R/R n let me know.