Disclaimer: I don't own The O.C. or any of it's characters

Author's note: I just can't stop writing, hope you enjoy!

Chapter 3

If Ryan had known what was waiting for him in English he would have ditched, he would have suffered through one of Seth's three hour monologues, he would have done pretty much anything to get out of that class.

When he arrived people instantly surrounded him, one girl even asked him for his autograph. People who had never talked to him before were suddenly acting like his best friends and a couple girls had actually gotten into a low-level catfight over the desk next to him.

When Ms. Johnson finally arrived, he let out a relieved sigh little did he know the situation was about to get a lot worse.

"Sorry I'm late class, I just got some very interesting news," as she says this, Ryan could swear he sees her wink at him, but he must be imagining thinks, Ms. Johnson has never so much as glanced his way before. "In light of this news I have decided to change todays lesson plan," again Ryan's almost positive she's looking at him again and he's starting to get a really bad feeling. "Apparently one of Harbor High's students has a few hidden talents," if Ryan wasn't certain she was talking about him before he definitely was now and he was almost his face was bright red, as he silently cursed Ms. Johnson, while simultaneously hoping for a place to hide. "Mr. Atwood, do you want to come to the front of the class?" Ryan was pretty sure that was a rhetorical, but he wanted to tell her no he didn't want to come to the front of the class anyway.

Instead, he forced himself up onto knees he hoped wouldn't buckle and walked up to stand in front of his peers, trying to pretend he was not there that he was, in fact, invisible and no one could see him.

"Ryan I must admit I was very impressed with your YouTube videos," Ryan wanted to tell the lady before him that there was a reason adults over fifty weren't allowed to use YouTube. "With you're permission I'd like to play one of your videos for the class."

Ryan gulped this women had to be joking…but sure enough the next thing he knew she was typing in "Foster The People- "Pumped Up Kicks" Cover by Ryan Atwood. Ryan suddenly felt really warm and tried to look anywhere else, but at the people around him; he had forgotten he had song that song… to be honest when he really got into the music he wasn't all that aware of anything.

He was shocked to find this song had seven million views, he honestly hadn't really believed Summer before. It was weird watching himself bend over his guitar singing pumped up kicks, not knowing that Seth was stand right there recording the whole thing. This was unreal watching his classmates watch him play a song. It was also surprising, everyone actually seemed to be impressed, he couldn't help the small smile that crossed his face as he saw Chip, one of the water polo jocks, nodding along.

When it was finally over, he turned to return to his seat only to have Ms. Johnson, but an arm on his shoulder. Seriously, he couldn't understand, what more this women could possibly want from him.

And then he saw it, a guitar sitting behind her desk. If she made him play he thought he might just die. Sure enough his wish was her command, "Ryan honey, I think we would all love to hear you play a song, if that's alright with you?" Ryan was really starting to hate being asked those stupid rhetorical questions. Of course he minded, he hadn't even wanted anyone to see the video in the first place!

When he saw the students around him getting out there camera phones he just gave up. At least if he could play something he would have to think about being stuck here.

He grabbed the guitar of the floor and spent a few minutes tuning it, and then looked up, "what do you want me to sing?" he asked finally, usually he just played whatever came to mind, but right now his mind was blank.

"Do 'let her go' by passenger," one of the girls called out.

Ryan smiled he knew that one well enough. Slowly he began to play the guitar getting lost in the notes and before he knew it he was singing along. This had been one of his favorites and the escape the music allowed him was a welcome one. He tuned out Ms. Johnson, who he now officially hated, and the students around him, who all seemed to have a camera phone in their hands. Allowed himself to be taken away by the music.

When the song ended the class was silent. Confused he opened his eyes to find everyone staring at him, not for the first time that day and then they started clapping.

He smiled a little and couldn't ignore the feeling the twinge of happiness he felt at knowing that people liked his music. He was so used to finding a secluded spot where he wouldn't both his mother's boyfriends, he had forgotten what it help like to have others listen to him. He allowed himself a quick, bow and was about to sit down when a knock came at the door.

There standing at the door of Ryan's English class stood Sandy, who at the moment stood staring wide eyed at Ryan, as if he were seeing Ryan for the first time, "may I help you Mr. Cohen?" Ms. Johnson asked.

"Umm…Sandy what are you doing here?" Ryan asked confused.

Sandy seemed to gain a bit of control over himself and looked to Ms. Johnson. "I'm sorry Ms. Johnson, but I'm going to have to take Ryan out of school for the day. Don't worry, I'll be sure to sign him out in the office."

Ryan almost laughed when one of the girl's, he was pretty sure her name was Christina, actually called out, "no don't take him." He felt a little like a bone surrounded by a crowd of dogs.

Ryan handed Ms. Johnson back the guitar and collected his books before following Sandy out the door. They made there way to the office in silence, and Sandy only spoke once they were in the car, at that point Ryan was beginning to understand why his silence irritated other people so much.

"Ryan, don't you think you should have mentioned you're YouTube video to me and Kirsten?" Ryan stared at Sandy wide-eyed, he had completely over looked the fact that this whole thing might reach Sandy's and Kirsten's ears. "I had to find out this morning when I went to the house and found our voicemail flooded with interview requests and hoards of reporters and teenagers outside the gates. Ryan's mouth fell open, people wanted to interview him? People were outside the gates? "Ryan?" Sandy asked.

"I…I swear Sandy…I didn't…I didn't know about any of this until today. Seth…he sort of taped me without me knowing, I didn't even know he was in the room when I was playing and then he put it on YouTube. When I got to school everyone was staring at me and people were giving me their numbers. Summer finally told me and then I went to English and my teacher got the YouTube video up and that was the first time I'd even seen it and then she made me play for the class and…I'm really sorry Sandy. I swear I would have told you."

"Wow kid, I think that's the most I've ever heard you speak since you moved in with us. Well, I suppose we'll have to have a little talk with Seth—"

"Seth didn't mean it…I mean well, I don't think he thought it was a big deal, I'm almost positive he didn't think this would happen."

"Relax kid take a deep breath…I took a few days off—"

"W-what? why?" Ryan asked, shocked.

"Well kid, I'm not sure if you realize this, but the amount of people viewing you're videos isn't normal. I want you to be safe, and I know that when a person is famous—"

"Famous?" Ryan interrupted, caught off guard by the idea.

"Well, with the amount of fan mail delivered to the house today I'd say that so…"

"Fan mail? I don't understand. How do people even know where I live," Ryan was official hyperventilating.

"Relax kid, everything's going to be okay. You can thank Seth for putting our address and personal information on those videos, which he will definitely be in trouble for later. Some things are going to have to change though kid."

"What do you mean?"

"Well for one I don't really think it's safe for you to live in the pool house anymore. I know we have the gates, but—"

"That's not fair!" Ryan protested indignantly. He loved the pool house and now he was starting to rethink whether or not he was mad at Seth.

"Honestly, Ryan, I never really liked you living in the pool house to begin with and Kirsten never liked it. Your fifteen Ryan and right now I think it would be better if you stayed inside the house—"

"But—"

"If things calm down and when you get a little older maybe you can move back."

Ryan stared out the window too upset to argue. Sandy pulled the car to the side of the road and stopped, "Ryan…kid come on look at me," Ryan forced himself to look at Sandy, "it won't be that bad, I know you like you're privacy and I'm sorry, but I think this is for the best."

"Fine," Ryan replied, though it was anything but fine. He wanted his pool house back, and he didn't care if that made him sound like a petulant child. "What else?"

"What?"

"What else has to change?" Ryan forced himself to ask.

"Well, why don't we talk about that once we get home."

Ryan nodded. He could wait; he wished there didn't have to be any changes. He wished everything could go back to the way it was.

When they got to the community gate, Ryan was shocked to find news vans and teenagers all milling outside. As soon as they spotted their car though they all closed in and Ryan found himself once more donning his hood in an attempt to escape notice.

It didn't work. Reporters were shouting questions right, left, and center, and girls were shouting. It was only with the help of the security officers that they managed to get through the gates.

"Oh my god, I don't understand how this happened. I just don't understand."

"Yeah, neither do I kid," Sandy rolled into the driveway and stopped.

Ryan was surprised to find other cars waiting in the driveway, "who else is here?" Ryan asked, confused.

"Kirsten, Caleb, unfortunately—"

"Why's Mr. Nichol here?"

"Come on inside Ryan, and we'll talk," Ryan was really starting to dread talking, but walked forward into the house non-the-less.

As soon as he was through the front door Kirsten had her arms wrapped around him and he was beginning to think he had been transported into some strange new world.

This idea was reinforced when Caleb approached him and held out his hand, "Ryan," the old man greeted. Ryan just barely managed not to gaped, mouth wide open, at Caleb. He hadn't even realized the man knew his name. He managed to shake the outstretched hand before him.

"Ryan why didn't tell us you were so talented," Kirsten asked Ryan, and he felt himself blush.

"I guess I should have said. I've never really performed for other people, it's always been more for me."

"Then why did you upload yourself onto YouTube, seems to be a contradiction," again Ryan blushed.

"As it turns out we can thank Seth for that. Though I think in some ways this might be for the best," stated Sandy.

"How?" Ryan asked Sandy shocked at the idea that any of this was good.

"Well I think we're finally starting to see the real Ryan. Ryan you have talent and you shouldn't be hiding it. If this hasn't convinced you you're good I don't know what will. Ellen DeGeneres left a personal message for you asking for an interview."

Ryan didn't know what to say, he just nodded, "so what are the other changes?" Ryan finally asks Sandy.

"What?" Kirsten asks Ryan and Sandy, "what are you talking about Ryan?"

"I told him he can't stay in the pool house anymore," Sandy informs his wife.

"Why is the boy staying there in the first play, I thought you and Sandy are trying to adopt him," Caleb asks.

"What?" Ryan asks looking now from Caleb to Kirsten to Sandy.

"Thank you Caleb, for that. Ryan—"

"You…you want to adopt me?" Ryan asked, all of a sudden he felt the need to sit down.

"Ryan, Kirsten and I talked about and we…we started the process after your parents terminated their parental rights."

"But I'm fifteen."

"Ryan, that's why we want to adopt you," Kirsten said. "You're a child and it's time you got the chance to act like one, to have people taking care of you not the other way around. Unless…unless you don't want us to adopt you," Kirsten's face fell at the idea and she looked crestfallen.

"I…I love you both…but don't you want to adopt a little kid?"

"No Ryan," Sandy reached over to Ryan and cupped his face in his hands, "we want to adopt you…if you'll have us."

"Of course, I'll have you…you guys are the best parents a person could ask for, but…shouldn't you ask Seth first."

"Are you kidding," Sandy laughed, "He wanted us to adopt you the minute he met you. We love you kid," he told Ryan as he continued to cup his face.

Ryan felt himself blush and tried to look down, but Sandy's hands still cupping his face stopped him, "I…I love you guys too," he finally spoke, trying to keep any wetness from his eyes, while Kirsten began to cry and drew Ryan into a tight embrace.

After a couple of mooshy minutes, Sandy and Kirsten finally let go of a slightly uncomfortable Ryan, "so I still can't stay in the pool house then?" Ryan asked a small smile playing on his lips.

"No," both Kirsten and Sandy said at the same time.

"You can still go there if you need some privacy, but I think it's past time you live in the house," Kirsten added.

"Fine," Ryan agreed, "are you gonna tell me what the other 'changes' (he uses are quotes) there are going to be?"

"Well," Kirsten looked uncomfortable, "until the things calm down, were going to increase security—"

"Like a new security system?" Not sure why he'd need to know about that.

"Not exactly Ryan…" Sandy began, it was at this point Ryan finally noticed, which was weird considering how big they were, two huge guys in suits.

"Um, who are they?" Ryan asked getting a bad feeling he already knew the answer.

"This is Andrew," Caleb pointed to the larger of the two, who was completely bald and had more muscle than the Harbor entire water polo team combined, "and this is John," Caleb pointed to an equally large man with short brown hair, "and they'll be working as you're bodyguards.

"What?!" Ryan yelled, "that's ridicules I don't need a bodyguard let alone two. That's insane!"

"Would you rather not be allowed outside the gates Ryan?" Kirsten asked, with a look that said she was serious.

"But…I don't want…" the steely look in Kirsten's eyes made him realize he was getting nowhere.

"You guys can't do this! I'm not a prisoner! Please, I'll move into the house, but you can't make me walk around with them! I can take care of myself."

"Ryan this isn't a democracy. We're the adults, our job is to take care of you because you are a child—" Sandy began.

"I'm not a kid—"

"That's where you're wrong Ryan and as long as that's still true you will allow John and Andrew to protect you," Kirsten stated. Ryan wanted to scream and yell and tell them it was bullshit, but instead he crossed his arms and glared down at the floor.

"Can I go now?" Ryan asked.

Kirsten nodded, "yes, but Sandy made a few appointments with a manager and a label representative. So you can go with Andrew to get dressed and then we'll go."

"I'm just going to the pool house he doesn't have to follow…" the looks from all the adults in the room silenced Ryan, "fine. Let's go then Andy."