Disclaimer: Don't own them…enough said.
A/N: Okay, I know it's been a while but I've been wrapped up with school and haven't been able to focus on anything but for weeks. Thankfully I have two glorious weeks before I have to go back to that silly place and hopefully will be able to get my focus back with this story. Thanks to any and all of my readers who are still out there. You guys/gals are the best!
Chapter 9 – Shall We Dance?
Seth sat behind the while of the Land Rover exchanging tense glances with Lee through the rearview mirror. Like Ryan, Sandy also refused to attend Cotillion, so Seth was left driving a very irritated Kirsten to the dance. Seth considered himself the master of deflecting parental tension, but this situation was different. Lee and Ryan had upset the balance. Before Seth was able to ignore it because he had no one else but Captain Oats to complain about the situation, but now the Atwood siblings, well Lee mostly, provided a sounding board for his thoughts.
"Hey," Ryan gave Sandy a startled greeting when he entered the kitchen looking for a drink.
"Hey yourself," Sandy smiled from his seat at the table.
"I thought you were at Cotillion," Ryan walked to the fridge to pull out some juice.
"Not really my thing," Sandy folded the paper he had been reading, "What about you?"
"Not my thing."
"Lee went."
"I think she's afraid of Kirsten," he shrugged and poured the juice.
"She's smart."
"And I'm not smart?"
"I prefer to call it brave," Sandy gestured at the free chair, "Come sit." Ryan sat down and looked at Sandy expectantly, "So why aren't you at Cotillion?"
"Not my thing," he repeated.
"Problems between you and Marissa?"
"There is no me and Marissa."
"Is that the problem?"
"Not an issue," Ryan decided to change the subject before Sandy could ask more, "Why aren't you at Cotillion?"
"Pointless drama of the lifestyles of the rich and bored," he quipped, "It's not important."
"All right," Ryan stood up, "I'll be in the pool house."
"You should talk to Marissa," he called after him and Ryan just nodded in acknowledgement.
"Now will you listen when I tell you something is up between your parents?" Lee asked Seth the minute they were away from Kirsten, who was now across the room fulfilling social obligations and explaining Sandy's absence, "Or at least admit I was right."
"Okay," he acquiesced, 'You were right."
"Thank you," she folded her arms and scanned the room, "We need to find Kat so you can tell her that she's now White Knight-less."
"Why do I have to tell her?"
"Because you're the idiot who agreed to let Ryan stay home."
"I wasn't about to argue with him," Seth shrugged, "He's like twice as strong as me."
"Look, there she is," she pointed across the room and pushed him in that direction.
"Where are you going?" he hesitated.
"To find Marissa," she explained, "Maybe she'll be able to get a replacement."
"Good thinking," he paused, "Maybe I should wait until you find out."
"Go now," she gave him one final push, "Good luck."
"Thanks," he muttered as she walked away.
"Hey Seth," Kat smiled as she came up to him, "Where's Ryan."
"You look nice," Seth smiled back.
"He ditched, didn't he?" she asked and he nodded, "Damn, I wish I had to balls to do that."
"What?" he looked at her in surprise, expecting the worse.
"I wish I could have done that," she folded her arms, "My grandmother practically forced me into the car to get here."
"So you're not mad?"
"I'm a little pissed that now I'm going to get some random Newport approved White Knight," she groaned slightly at the thought, "But no, I'm not crushed."
"Thank God," Seth breathed a sigh of relief.
"Are you always this melodramatic?" she smirked.
"That's how I roll," he joked.
"Marissa's not here," Lee joined them.
"You mean, Miss perfect lead-deb is a no show too?" Kat grumbled, "What the hell am I doing here?"
"Does that mean Luke's a free agent as a White Knight?" Seth asked.
"I guess," Lee shrugged.
"Perfect," he clapped his hands and smiled at Kat, "Luke can be your escort."
"Shoot me now," she groaned.
"Now who's melodramatic?" he teased.
"Speaking of melodrama," Lee looked across the room to see Peggy posting on a list on the wall, "I need to find out which deb I need to assist."
"Maybe you'll get me," Kat grinned.
"A girl can hope, but with my luck I'll get Summer."
"Hey…" Seth began.
"Don't start," she made her way to the list and read the list and smirked when she saw the name listed next to hers.
"So, who'd you get?" Seth asked when she got back, "You're smiling so it can't be that bad."
"Marissa Cooper," she grinned, "Who is conveniently absent, so now I get out of half of my official junior deb duties"
"Way to go," Kat high-fived her, "Dare I ask what the other half is?"
"I still have to dance with my own White Knight," she rolled her eyes.
"You seemed to like your dance partner at practice, something change?" Kat asked.
"Yeah," she said with a hint of bitterness, "I got to know him."
"Men," Kat commiserated.
"Oh, I know," Seth teased.
"Hey, I think the White Knights are gathering," Kat looked across the room, "Why don't you join them?"
"And I think that's your assistant junior deb," he glanced over at an approaching girl.
"Hi I'm Taylor Townsend and I'm your junior deb," the girl greeted with over enthusiasm.
"Uh, hi," Kat forced a smile.
"Have fun," Seth smirked as he walked away.
"I'll see you later," Lee ducked off in the opposite direction of Seth wanting to get as far away from the girl as possible. Taylor Townsend was none other than Matt's supposedly ex-girlfriend. In her rush to get away she ran into someone, "Sorry."
"My fault," he quickly apologized, "Hey Lee."
"Hi Matt," she bit the inside of her cheek. This night was just getting better and better.
Ryan walked out to the pool house and looked down the hill at the Cooper household and was shocked to see Marissa sitting outside on her front porch. Just as he was about to duck into his room, Marissa looked up and gave him a wave. He waved back and then entered the pool house to try and come up with reasons why Marissa was not at Cotillion. His questions were answered minutes later with a knock at the door.
"Can I come in?" Marissa cracked open the door.
"I think you already are," he smirked.
"The door is glass," she stepped into the room, "It's not like I couldn't see you."
"Right," he smiled awkwardly, "Why aren't you at the dance?"
"Why aren't you?"
"Not really my thing."
"Well, it's not mine either," she responded in kind.
"You honestly expect me to believe that?"
"Of course not," she sat down on the edge of his bed, "Why would anyone believe that Marissa Cooper is anything more than a Newport Socialite?"
"That's not what I meant," he responded quickly, "I meant that you and Summer seemed so excited, and you already have that beautiful dress…"
"Oh you liked the dress?" she teased.
"It was nice."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," Ryan paused, "So why aren't you going, really?"
"I don't know," she sighed, "My mother, expectations, and Luke."
"Well, you're stuck with your mother, but screw the expectations."
"And Luke?"
"That is up to you," he stopped himself from saying anything more, "I am staying out of that."
"Good idea."
"But Cotillion is all about you," he told her, "It's not about your mother, the expectations, and it's not about your date."
"Really?"
"Well it should be."
"You obviously haven't been in Newport long enough," she laughed, "But I see what your saying, and maybe I will go."
"Good."
"On one condition," Marissa paused and he gave her a wary look, "As long as you are my White Knight."
"Can I take back what I said before?"
"No."
"All right."
"Good," she stood up suddenly, "I'll go change. You'll pick me up in fifteen minutes?"
"Sure."
"Good."
"Yeah, right," he sighed as she left, wondering how he got himself roped into this one.
A/N: So, what did you think? Did you like the Ryan/Marissa? What about the Lee/Seth/Kat scenes? I love your input so please review!