Taylor sat down next to Seth. "Here, this is for you. It came yesterday by UPS."

"What is it?"

"I don't know. Mine was a drawing of you and me dancing at the ball done by Peyton, so I'm figuring you got something along those lines too."

Seth opened his envelope up and slid out the drawing. He smiled and showed Taylor. It was a drawn copy of a Polaroid Brooke had taken at Nathan's party after the ball. Taylor was on a bar stool with Seth behind her; both were smiling and Seth had a hand on Taylor's shoulder. Across the bottom it said 'Friends Forever.'

"Did yours say anything?"

"Uh yeah. It said 'A Lady & Her Gentleman'."

"I'll have to remember to call and thank her."

"Yeah me, too. So, what are we doing for Christmas break?"

"Well, I'm avoiding any and all females with any interest in kissing me."

"Oh good, so you'll be able to spend lots of time with me and Brooke," Taylor smiled.

"Looks like," Seth nodded. "When does she get in?"

"Soon, I think. She wasn't really clear." Taylor looked around the quad. "Who's the new guy?"

"Oliver something."

"So, how'd he score a seat at Marissa's table? I thought you either had to be dating her or be her best friend for the last seven years before you got that honor."

"They know each other from group therapy according to Ryan."

"Ah."

"He's got a thing for Marissa."

"Yes, I know that. That's why they're dating."

"Not Ryan. Oliver."

"How can you tell?"

"He's got the look on his face that Luke always had when they were going out. Like he'd do anything for her if she'd just smile at him," Seth said.

"Great, just what the world needs. Another member of the 'Marissa Cooper Fan Club'," Taylor rolled her eyes. "Think we should warn him about leaving his drink unattended around her?"

Seth made a face and Taylor shrugged.

Seth shook his head before asking, "Want some gossip?"

"I swear you're worse than-what does Sandy call them? Newpsies?"

"Yeah. So, do you?"

"Let's hear it."

"Ryan's considering terminating his membership," Seth raised his eyebrows.

"Excuse me?"

"I think he's gonna break up with her."

"That's abrupt. What brought this on?"

"Uh, the fact that she almost killed you."

"Seth, you told him," Taylor hissed at him.

"No, I didn't. Ryan's not an idiot. The cops asked him the same questions they asked us and he put it together on his own."

Taylor dropped her head into folded arms and sighed before she lifted her head to rest her chin on her arms. "I don't want him breaking up with her because of me."

"It's not all you, Taylor. I don't think Ryan really wants to be dating a sociopath right now. He got enough of crazy girls back in Chino."

"Oh. Yeah, well I'm vain, aren't I?"

"You're a girl and a Delaney. It's in your DNA to be vain sometimes."

"Thanks," Taylor smirked at him. "And thank you for spreading that food poisoning story around school."

"No problem, but I can't take all the credit. Summer helped with that one too."

"I'll thank her when I get home later."

Seth nodded, "So, how are you feeling?"

"It's been two weeks, Seth."

"Answer the question, Taylor."

"I'm fine Dr. Cohen."

"Hmm. Dr. Seth Cohen," Seth mused.

"Okay you faint at the sight of blood," Taylor said. "You'd never make it through medical school without getting a severe concussion and possible brain damage."

"To be fair, we were eight and it was a lot of blood. You know, I'm still not quite sure how you managed to get a cut that deep playing 'I Never'."

"I told you I'm cursed when it comes to that game," Taylor said as she lifted her forearm to look at the scar from her stitches. "I can't even remember why we were playing it."

"Brooke had heard about it and wanted to try it out, remember?"

"Oh right," Taylor nodded. "And instead of liquor we used candy. God, we came up with some ridiculous 'I Never's' didn't we?"

"Yes, we did," Seth nodded.

"Ever wish we could go back to the days before our hormones kicked in and made us stupid?"

"Oh yeah," Seth said looking over Taylor's shoulder.

Taylor turned her head and saw Summer walking across the quad. She turned back to her friend with a grin, "There she goes again, racing through your brain, and you just can't contain those feelings that remain."

"Funny."

"I thought so. But anyway, Summer doesn't count. You liked her before you hit puberty. She's the girl."

"I thought you liked Anna for me."

"No. Don't misunderstand me. I think Anna's great. But I've also seen the way you've been looking at Summer for the last five years and I think when it comes down to it, it's always gonna be Summer for you. I also think if she gives you half a chance that it's going to be you for her, and that works out great because then you won't just be my best friend, you'll also be my brother."

"Don't go marrying us off just yet. We still have to get through high school and college," Seth warned.

"Oh, c'mon like Sandy and Kirsten would let you two get married now. No sane parent would," Taylor grinned.

"My parents aren't exactly sane, Taylor."

"They're the sanest people in Newport, Seth."

"Considering the competition, that's not saying much."

"Good point."

OCOCOCOCOCOC

"Hey," Marissa said as she walked into the pool house after school. "I waited for you after school. How'd you get home?"

"I walked," Ryan said not taking his gaze from the ceiling. He'd been putting this off all day. He knew what-make that who he wanted and now was the time to go about getting it. First things first though.

"Why?"

"I needed some time to think."

"What about?"

"Stuff."

"Ryan, are you okay?"

"No," he sat up, "and neither are we. Marissa, I don't think we should see each other anymore."

"What?"

"I've been thinking about it for a while and I just don't think we're a good idea."

"Is this about my mother, because she's coming around."

"This isn't about your mother. I just don't think you and I are right for each other."

"Since when?"

Since I realized you nearly killed Taylor. Since I realized I like her as more than a friend and that I like her as a person a hell of a lot more than I like you. Since I realized that you are a selfish bitch who can't let anyone be happy if you're not.

"Does it matter?"

"I can't believe you're doing this."

"If it makes you feel better, tell people you dumped me."

"That's what you think this is about," Marissa looked outraged.

"That's what this is always about," he returned calmly.

"Go to hell, Ryan," Marissa said before she turned and walked out of the pool house.

"After you," he said quietly as he lay back on his bed sighing as he felt a little of the tension drain from his body.

OCOCOCOCOC

"I just found the weirdest thing in my locker," Anna said as she sat down in front of Taylor in English.

"Let me guess. It looked like this," Taylor showed her an envelope.

"You got one too?"

"So did Seth."

"You think someone wants to kill the three of us?"

"That must be it. We probably pissed someone off," Taylor nodded.

"Hey," Summer sat down in front of Anna and pulled something from her bag. "Check this out."

"That lets out the mass murder theory," Anna said.

"I don't think three people could be considered a mass murder Anna," Taylor said.

"Four including Summer," Anna pointed out.

"What are you two talking about?"

Anna and Taylor held up envelopes identical to the one Summer was holding.

"Seth got one too," Taylor said.

"This is weird," Summer said.

"Life is weird," Anna observed in a bored tone, resting her chin on her hand making the other two girls giggle.

OCOCOCOCOC

Taylor turned left and then right as she considered the dress she had on. She'd always liked this dress but she wasn't sure if red was a good color for her.

"Damn girl."

Taylor turned around and smiled, "Hey Anna. I didn't even hear the bell."

"Oh I got to the door at the same time Dr. Roberts was leaving. He let me in."

Taylor nodded, "So I take it you approve?"

"Definitely."

Taylor looked at herself in the mirror again and nodded, "Yeah I guess this'll do." Taylor walked into her closet to change. "Did you find something," she called to Anna.

"Yeah I decided on that green dress you made me buy last time we went shopping."

"Good, that's looks awesome on you and if we're going to die tonight, I think we should look our best."

"You've been friends with Seth to long. This whole murder thing sounds just like something he'd come up with." Anna moved over to Taylor's CD collection, "You a country fan?"

"Some country. I like Rascal Flatts a lot and SheDaisy is good. And while Seth is forever teasing me about my taste in music, I love Johnny Cash. There's just something about a man in black," Taylor's voice smiled. "I especially like his version of I Won't Back Down."

"I've never heard it."

"I'll have to play it for you sometime," Taylor came out of the closet. "I also really love the duets Johnny does with June."

"I think I've heard a few. There's one that I think is them that my aunt plays all the time. Jackson?"

"Yeah, that's them."

Anna nodded and looked through the CDs some more, "You like Bon Jovi?"

"You can thank my cousin's best friend, Peyton, for that one. One summer when we were ten, her mom took us to a concert in Charlotte and ever since then, I just love his music."

"No, I like his stuff too. I'm just surprised. I thought all the girls in Newport were all about pretending to be ghetto with the gangsta rap."

"No, thank you," Taylor rolled her eyes as she sat on her bed. "Hell I think I'd rather listen to that emo crap Seth listens to."

Anna joined her, "What's your favorite Bon Jovi album?"

"These Days. I don't think there's a bad song on that album."

"That is a really good album."

"But my favorite Bon Jovi song is I'd Die For You from Slippery When Wet."

Anna nodded, "That is a really good song."

"Your turn. What do you listen to?"

"Def Leopard," Anna smiled.

"Okay. I like some of their stuff," Taylor nodded. "Promise not to laugh?"

"Okay."

"I always liked Pour Some Sugar on Me."

"I love that song," Anna giggled. "That and Love Bites."

"Good song."

Knock-knock

"C'mon in Summer," Taylor said to the bathroom door.

"Hey," Summer poked her head in. "Oh, hi Anna. So, I completely forgot to tell you guys the latest gossip today." She made her way in and sat down on the bed.

"And what is the latest gossip, Gossip Guru," Taylor asked.

"Coop and Chino broke up."

"What?"

"Yeah. Coop says it just got old," Summer said. "But she's more ticked that she didn't get an invitation like we did."

"Neither did Ryan," Anna said.

"What?"

"Yeah. When you told me that Seth got one, I asked Ryan when I saw him."

"And the plot thickens," Taylor raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure we should be going to this?"

"Safety in numbers. Besides, I've got pepper spray," Anna said.

"Okay, I will pick you up at six-thirty. You okay with riding with me and Seth?"

"Sure."

"Summer, do you want to ride with us too?"

"Yeah, but where is Seth going to sit?"

"Well, seeing as I'm the only girl he's not romantically interested in at this point in time and I'm driving, I think he should ride up front with me. You two can sit in the back."

"Okay."

OCOCOCOCOCOC

"Okay, this is it," Taylor said as she opened the door to the hotel room that they'd been directed to by the concierge and walked into a room where a single table was set with six places.

Anna rose an eyebrow, "Okay, what is going on here?"

"Yeah, really whose party is this," Seth asked.

"It's mine," a voice said from behind them. "And you better be grateful I invited your ass, Cohen."

Taylor whirled around, "Brooke?"

"Surprise!"

The girls collided in a tangle of limbs and squealing and talking too fast for actual words hug accompanied by hopping around in a circle.

"So, we know our host?"

"That's Taylor's cousin Brooke."

"Well that takes care of one of the extra places. Who's the other one for," Anna asked.

"Unless I miss my guess, it's for a certain blonde artist," Seth said.

"Seldom wrong and right again," Peyton's voice greeted them from a doorway to their right. "Sorry I'm late. I was having some technical difficulties with my dress. Hi Seth," Peyton hugged him. "Summer, right? I think we met once a while back."

"Right. It's nice to see you again. This is Anna Stern."

"Nice to meet you," Peyton shook her hand.

"You, too," Anna nodded. "Although I have seen you before. Taylor showed me your website."

Peyton nodded and looked over to where Brooke and Taylor were still hugging. "Okay B. Davis, time to release the cousin and give someone else who just flew three thousand miles a chance to hug her."

Brooke frowned but released Taylor to hug Seth while Peyton took her turn hugging Taylor. Then Brooke was introduced to Anna and reacquainted with Summer and then they sat down to dinner.

OCOCOCOC

"So, you're gonna stay here the whole time you're in Newport," Taylor asked as Brooke and Peyton walked them downstairs after dinner. Taylor and Brooke were arm in arm, leading the group through the lobby with Summer and Anna following and behind them was Seth with a friendly arm around Peyton's shoulder. Peyton had returned the favor with an arm around his waist.

"Well, I can't exactly stay where I usually stay, now can I? Unless you think Ryan would like a roommate?"

"Doesn't he have a girlfriend," Peyton asked.

"No. They broke up," Summer said. She decided she liked Brooke and Peyton and she wanted to know them better. Brooke was pretty much family and Peyton was cool.

"So, maybe I could stay with him," Brooke got a devilish look in her eyes.

"Oh yeah, that's just what Sandy and Kirsten need right now," Taylor said. "Another beautiful girl attempting to corrupt one of their boys."

"Hey, he's from Chino. If anything, he'd be the one corrupting me."

"Yeah right," Peyton snorted.

"Personally, after everything I've learned tonight, I think it'd be a mutual corruption," Anna smiled.

"Corruption aside, maybe you and Peyton could stay at my house," Summer suggested.

"Actually it's just going to be Brooke. My dad docks tomorrow in San Diego for a week, so I'm headed down there tomorrow morning," Peyton said as the six of them stopped at the doors to wait for Taylor's car to be brought around.

"That's great Peyton," Taylor said. "Stop by the house before you go, I've got your present for you. I was gonna send it out tomorrow but since you're here, I don't have to."

"I will. I've got yours too."

"Brooke, what do you say," Summer asked.

"Well, I wasn't really looking forward to being here by myself, so okay."

"Great. We'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Brooke nodded and hugged Taylor before her cousin got into the car. Seth hugged both girls and then got into the shotgun seat. Then Anna and Summer said their goodbyes and gave their wishes to Peyton for a happy holiday before they lifted themselves backwards over the sides of the car and dropped into the backseat.

Peyton and Brooke waved bye as the car drove away.

OCOCOCOCOC

"Seth," Ryan called when he heard the front door open and close. His brother appeared a few moments later.

"Hey man."

"How was dinner?"

"It was good. It was Brooke's idea of a surprise."

"The eagle has landed."

"Yeah," Seth smiled.

"Taylor's not with you?"

"No, she had to drop Anna and Summer off so she's just gonna sleep at home tonight. Speaking of, I'm gonna head up. Night," he turned to go upstairs.

"I wanna ask her out," Ryan said.

Seth stopped and turned around, "Say what now?"

"Taylor. I want to ask her out on a date."

"You just broke up with Marissa. Give yourself some time to get some perspective."

"I've got my perspective. I want Taylor."

Seth came further into the kitchen and leaned on the counter across from Ryan, "Okay, then give your ex some time so that she won't automatically think that she just lost a guy to a girl she cannot stand. You know she's dangerous, Ryan."

"I don't want to miss another shot at Taylor because of Marissa."

"Ryan."

"I'm not telling you this because I want your permission. I don't really think I need it. I get that you want to protect her but Taylor's a big girl. She can take care of herself."

"I know that. I just don't want her hurt."

"I don't plan on hurting her."

"I'm not talking about you," Seth said carefully.

"Look, I just wanted you to know before I did it because make no mistake, Seth. I'm going to do it."

"Like you said, you don't need my permission."

"No, but I kind of think I'd like your blessing. She's your best friend and you're my brother," Ryan said. "Your opinion means a lot to both of us."

"Don't hurt her and don't let her get hurt," Seth said before he went upstairs.

"I'll do my best," Ryan said to the empty room.

OCOCOCOCOCOCOC

Okay I want you all to know that I do have a plan for this story, I'm not just torturing you all for fun. Marissa's downfall will come but it will be a while. So stick with me, please? And Obsessed, Waltzy, and WhiteLily? You guys rock! Your updates were awesome.