Predictably Naive
Chapter 1: Gate Crashing Reminisces
Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own the show or any of the characters in it.
A/N: The short hiatus for Second-hand Emotion eventually grew into a long one. But I am by no means giving up on it. However, this idea just popped into my head and wouldn't go away. It's two chapters for right now and thankfully I already have the second one done. So it'll probably be updated in a week or so.
Slightly AU. Summer and Seth are already together and have been for six or seven months.
Song Featured:
Mest – Jaded
Tuesday 3:23 p.m.
"You're not reading." Irritable, Summer glances up from her textbook, throwing a caustic look at Seth.
Seth feigns innocence, "is open," he motions toward the book in front of him. "Words are visible," running a finger under a line of script. Scratching his head, he enunciates as if teaching a child, "Seems like it's reading to me."
Exasperated, Summer responds, "You were staring at me. I highly doubt your eyes can see two places at once."
His mouth drops in mock horror. "Oh no, you've endangered the world! Everyone will know who Superman is and now I must die before the villains kill me…" Seth clutches his throat as if to choke himself and after a few retching noises lies flat in the booth.
Summer shakes her head, smiling widely. "You've saved me the trouble, thanks."
He hastily appears besides her coughing a bit before raising to shake his finger at her. "You know you're not such a nice girlfriend."
"I am too," she defends herself. "Just because I won't worry whether or not you might suddenly collapse doesn't make me any less."
A small smile residing on her lips convinces him to bypass her last comment. Seth stops behind her chair, moving his hands down her arms until they're both securely in the middle of her palms. He bends down, slightly resting his head on her right shoulder. "Come on, we can study anytime."
His voice is alluring but she holds off, unwilling to play the part of the doting girlfriend. Summer turns to face him; his arms still around her and she kisses the side of his mouth. He turns a little more and they meet, full on. Cupping his cheek, she leans closer and he responds moving his hand down to her waist, securing his position.
Shameless, Summer turns back to her textbook a few minutes later. Seth is frozen, fixed in motion. "That should be illegal," he announces as his verbal is finally restored. He stands upright, still shaky walking back to his seat.
Summer merely looks up, internally feeling as crappy as he does but never allowing her affections to filter through for the world to see. "We've gotten the coffee you requested to feed your sick habit," her hand waves across several empty cups and continues on, "you've eaten half of the menu which scares me by the way." Summer pauses to see Seth obviously pleased for unknown reasons, must be the whole men-aren't-men-without-appetites thing. She's now worried about herself; senseless musings never happened before Seth. Oh my, he's rubbing off on her. Summer shudders and moves on, not wanting to psychoanalyze. Finishing she says, "And you've gone to the bathroom half a dozen times. Just study."
There is actual silence over the next few minutes... but it barely lasts.
Another coughing fit ruins her concentration and she glares at Seth, daring him to do it again.
He motions his hand to signal 'one minute' and finally stopping, he smiles sheepishly. She couldn't really blame him, could she?
Seth's finally quiet, his mind drifting to other things beyond the French in front of him.
*
Tuesday 3:23 p.m.
Anyone glancing at the back corner of the coffee shop will notice the couple, one sitting across from the other. The girl is bending over her textbook, periodically pausing to scribble onto a stray piece of paper. The boy is flipping through his book but never actually glances down at the text. His eyes have wandered across the table, studying her instead. The young woman leaving the counter scowls, suddenly being bombarded with unwelcome thoughts of ex-boyfriends.
A second stranger steps up to the cash register. He sidesteps waiting for his order; idly, he looks around, his eyes landing on the couple in the back. He sees the boy stepping to the other side of the booth and reaching down, he cradles his head on the girl's shoulder. They exchange unheard words before she slightly rises out of her seat and grasps the back of his neck, pulling his head down with her. The stranger bashfully turns away, not wanting to be pegged as 'Peeping Tom.' Hearing his order, he picks up his drink and out of the corner of his right eye he sees the girl abruptly pulling away. Curious, his attention once again pauses on them while stirring sugar into his coffee. The boy is rooted in place and the stranger chuckles, remembering a similar situation.
Strangers entering and leaving only see that, a couple. They won't see the fragments of Seth that still retain the need to please Summer, even when she hasn't deserved it. Even when she's ignored him for practically his whole life; even when she'd rejected him over and over until one fateful day. The fragments are disappearing day by day, but he doubts they will ever leave him. Strangers will never take notice of the new appearance in Seth's eyes, the smile hiding behind every glimpse toward Summer.
Change is also evident in Summer's demeanor. She's realized the hypocrisy surrounding her, something that has been always known but she had buried for fear. Fear that it was all she knew; how to dress, how to act… how to be a debutante. Summer won't allow herself to think of him as his 'knight and shining armor'- as Seth puts it- because that would mean that she would have had needed saving. He had just come along at the right place, right time. Nonetheless, Summer isn't exactly complaining about the extraneous amounts of time spent with him.
*
3: 47 p.m.
"I'm boredddd…" Seth believes stretching the word will emphasize his point. He drags the salt shaker from the middle of the table and spins it in circles proving to be more than a mild distraction.
Summer looks up, somewhat amused. She's almost through and feeling a bit more calm. "I know something fun…" She raises her eyebrows suggestively and he is immediately re-energized.
"Really…" Seth hastily stands up trying to stuff several books into his backpack all at once.
Summer is digging through her purse and finding her wallet, slides a five-dollar bill across the table. "There's an arcade next door." Waving she smiles sweetly, "Have fun."
Seth isn't even fazed; he's used to being kicked out at erratic moments. He quickly finishes packing up and stealthily reaches over to grab Summer's purse, coming up with her car keys. She is now in the middle of a creased copy of The Color Purple but even it can't hold her attention when Seth dangles her car keys in front of her face. Deadpanned, she says, "Theft is illegal in all fifty states."
"You won't report me," Seth sounds confident. "You'll run out of people to bicker with." He grabs her arm and picks up the last few abandoned things on the table. His hand finds its way to hers as they walk out the door. He leads her to the car vaguely recalling thoughts substantially blotted out. He could barely believe his nerve… his luck.
"You brought me out here to look at my car?" Her voice jolts him out of his tangent and he opens the door hoping into the driver seat.
Summer is quietly settling in her seat as Seth turns the key then automatically reaches to press the knob.
There's a time
and place, for everything.
There's a reason why, certain people meet.
There's a destination, for everyone.
What's the explanation, when we're done?
The car backs out of the parking spot as Summer groans while adjusting her seatbelt. "Kill me now."
Seth becomes defensive falling into routine. "Hey, just because you're slumming in the music range-"
She whips her head to look at him. "There is nothing wrong with my music taste… just because I like the variety instead of hearing the same screeching from twelve different bands-"
They are constantly interrupting each other, clearly knowing the ending of the uncompleted sentence. "Screeching is easily one of the least profane adjectives that come to mind when forced to sit through your music." A full statement is finally achieved as Summer's best comeback would have been, 'Oh yeah?'
She focuses on critiquing his driving. "There's a reason why people buy cars instead of bikes Seth. It's called speed though I know you've obviously never used it."
He goes for a cheesy proverb. "Patience is a virtue."
Summer releases her smile but doesn't forget her sarcasm. "Thank you grandma; I'm so glad your wit matches your driving."
"I'm doing the exact limit." Seth looks at her, incredulous. "What have you got against the law?"
She ignores his question. Summer looks through the window of the adjacent Toyota and watches as the man passes them. She cringes after she establishes a second figure in the car's passenger seat bending over the steering wheel. "Okay, look at that guy! He's totally distracted, and he still passed you." They both bend over the dashboard in disbelief. However, moments later, they simultaneously lean back, their doubts affirmed… and feeling a little stunned.
Seth
chuckles and adds, "He definitely doesn't have God on his side."
She joins in the laughter astonishing them both. It's moments like these when
she forgets her sardonic façade, leaving Seth feeling pleased… It's moments
like these that reveal the pre-eminent dents in their relationship.
These daily quips are considered excess since Summer is fully functional to drive. Yet Seth always opts for the driver's seat and Summer never says a word.
I'm jaded,
stupid, and wreckless.
Not sorry, we'll never regret.
These years spent, so faded and wreckless.
Not sorry, and I'll never regret these years
*
Slowing down while entering his driveway, Seth stops the engine and gets out of the car, puzzled when Summer doesn't follow suit. "Aren't you coming in for a while?"
She furiously shakes her head, trying to convince the both of them. "I can't, I still have this load of homework." This is foreign to her. She actually cares this year, wanting to eventually get out of O.C. if not only for a couple of years. "Sorry," she says lamely. Excuses are also new…
"Hey, not everyone can be a genius like me." Seth is standing, considering his assessment.
Ignoring him, Summer moves into the driver's seat, rearranging the seat to fit her position. He quickly leans into the open window knowing she's capable of leaving without another word; Summer is caught in an urgent kiss. After a few seconds, Seth eases his hand to the door and tries to quietly pop the handle. She smiles through his mouth and moves back, catching him in the act. "You're not as smooth as you wished you were," she says watching Seth retreat as she slams the door into place. She starts the car and accelerating, leaves him standing, staring at the fresh tire marks on his driveway.
*
"Seth! Get a move on or you're going to be late!"
"He's probably playing a game," Ryan's obviously trying to be helpful but realizes he's just stated the obvious.
"Every day…" she mutters and starts walking toward the stairs. Ryan quietly dashes around the island, his cup poised above the sink. Before a drop hits the surface, Kirsten's voice is heard. "Finish your milk Ryan." Every day…
"Seth! Turn off the game!" Kirsten opens the door, half expecting Seth to be cowering behind the bed, ready to be caught with a creative alibi. However, he is found in bed, hidden beneath his comforter. She is instantly concerned. "Seth… what's wrong?" Kirsten rearranges the covers; light shines through the now unveiled vicinity near the top of the bed causing Seth to groan and try to reach for his misplaced covers.
"Seth, I swear," her voice echoes as she walks into the bathroom. "If you are faking this to get out of some test…" Her threats are never complete. She's well aware silence will only provoke clever punishments she couldn't and wouldn't actually inflict. Kirsten pokes at his mouth, trying to stick the thermometer inside. Seth begrudgingly agrees with his eyes firmly shut.
"Alright," she says, shaking the thermometer. "I think you should stay home today." Her fears wane when there is no clandestine smirk on Seth's face.
"Hey Seth, what level did you-" Ryan becomes mute, seeing Kirsten hovering over the bed, Seth crouched in the bed. "Did you hit him?"
Silence really does affect the mind… She shakes her head, smiling at the protective tremor underlying his composed tone.
"Okay Seth," She feels his forehead causing him to groan and turn on his side. "I have to be at work today but I'll make you breakfast-" Kirsten sees him grimacing and proceeds to ignore him, "before I leave and just call me if you need anything, okay?" She briskly walks out, heading to the kitchen.
"I have a feeling the breakfast will just make you worse." Ryan reaches up to scratch his head. "I'll bring you something when I get home."
Seth has turned on his other side trying to find a decent position. He's almost asleep when he hears Ryan, "If you're actually skipping school without me…"
After a pitiful wave from Seth, he makes his way out of the room. Unfinished threats are nothing new.
*
To be continued…