Jalouse

The O.C

A/N: This is a story that Steffi (Lillen) and I are co-writing. She's completely the ideas woman here, I'm just the writer. This is more dialogue driven than my other stories so it's something new and fresh. Hope you like it! Genevra xxox

Disclaimer: We do not own nor are we affiliated with The O.C in anyway. We don't own the song 'Out Of Touch' by Uniting Nations.

Chapter One: Out Of Touch

"You're out of touch. I'm out of time. But I'm out of my head when you're not around," the words and pulsing beats of the music swam around the pool house causing Seth's eyes to roll around his head. He breathed a sigh of relief as the song finished and then groaned and paused the video game that was displayed on the screen as it began again. He threw the controller down and leant his head back so it was resting awkwardly on Ryan's bed.

"What, man?" Ryan asked, turning to face Seth's profile. He positioned himself so his side was resting against the end of his bed instead of his back.

"I can't concentrate with that… what would you call that? Certainly not music," Seth spat as the sounds of United Nations 'Out Of Touch,' span around the room.

"Your point?" Ryan asked wincing as a particularly loud part of the song reverberated through the pool house.

"I can't concentrate with the music blaring like that," Seth shouted. He stood up. "Come on, Ryan."

"What?" Ryan asked, looking up at Seth. "What are you doing Seth?"

"We are going to settle this the only you Atwood's know how," Seth said, squaring his chest.

"Uh, Seth. Chino jokes went out a long time ago," Ryan said, a bemused look crossing his face. "And I don't punch anymore."

"No, I mean confrontation," Seth said, pronouncing all the syllables as he did when he wanted to make a point. "We are going to go over there and hit them with such a verbal frenzy that resorting to fists won't even be necessary."

"Do you realize how lame you sound?" Ryan sighed, as he stood up. They walked out the door and stood close to the pool.

"I think the music's coming from the Cooper's," Seth said, sticking a finger in the air. Yes, it is. Come on. Let's go."

He grabbed Ryan's arm and began walking with him over to the Cooper's old house.

"I'm not saying a word," Ryan called out to Seth as they made their way over to Marissa's old front door.

"Oh don't worry," Seth replied, knocking on the door. "I can handle this. Just leave it up to me."

"Right," Ryan shot-back, rolling his eyes. "Just like you handled the guys on the beach."

"Oh come on, that was different," Seth scoffs. He bangs on the door again. "This will be so easy."

"Or not," Ryan says, as the door swung open and revealed a sun-tanned girl wearing denim shorts and a pale yellow halter-neck that showed off her slightly freckled arms and bare stomach. Her hair was streaked blonde and was left loose to show off the 'it' boho style of the moment. Ryan cleared his throat and smiled. "Umm, hi,"

"You're not pizza," she deadpanned in an accent that was not entirely American, not entirely French. She pushed her tortoiseshell Gucci sunglasses off her head revealing a freckled nose and bright, blue eyes.

"And you're not Marissa," Ryan answered.

"No, I'm not," the girl replied, icily cool.

"Umm, no. We're umm, we're," Seth stuttered as he took in the sight that stood before him.

"I'm Ryan and this is Seth. We're you're neighbors," Ryan smiled politely and came to his rescue. He mentally kicked himself for sounding so pathetic but it was quickly forgotten when the honey blonde spoke again. She smiled and her whole demeanor softened. She was no longer icy and cold just friendly and warm.

"I'm Sianna. Sianna Wattson," she explained. "Everyone calls me Sia."

"Sia," Seth repeated. "That's a cool name. I've always liked the name Sia."

"Sure you have," she smiled, revealing two rows of gleaming white teeth. "Do you want to come in?"

"Sure," Ryan replied, nonchalantly.

"I uh, suppose we could come in," Seth said, trying to copy Ryan's indifferent tone. "I mean, we don't really have anything better to do."

Sianna laughed as she led them through the familiar hallways. Dozens of unpacked boxes lined the hallways and the rooms were filled with unfamiliar but definitely expensive furniture.

"Have you been here before?" Sianna asked. The song was still pulsing around the house but Seth barely noticed as the Sienna Miller look-alike led them through the house and out the back to the patio area.

"We've been here," Ryan replied, looking away.

"This used to be his ex-girlfriends house," Seth piped up eliciting a laugh from Sianna and a glare from Ryan.

"How long have you been here?" Ryan asked, quickly recovering.

"About a week," she answered, sliding the glass door open and stepping into the backyard where a deck chair was set-up. She pulled her sunglasses back to her nose and walked towards the chair. A small glass table that held a bottle of water, some tanning lotion and a novel sat beside it. She pulled two more deck chairs away from the wall and motioned for the boys to sit down. "I didn't realize there were teenagers next door."

"We were on holidays," Seth explained. Kirsten and Sandy had insisted on getting the boys out of Newport and had taken them to Hawaii for the first week back at school.

"Yeah, I lived in the big house instead of the pool house for a week," Ryan joked. Sianna pushed sunglasses back up on her head and gazed at him, her head tilted in curiosity. He had noticed that about her already, the constant movement of her sunglasses. It was like they were there to shield her from the rest of the world or open her up when wanted them too. She leant back in her seat as Ryan explained his whole story to her, including the mess that happened over the summer with Theresa and Marissa.

"Sweet deal," she whistled, when he finished. "I'd give anything to live in the pool house of a wealthy family."

"And why is that?" Seth asked.

"Because it seems like the Cohen's really care about you," she answered, flicking her hair over her shoulder. She turned to Seth whose gaze was fixated on her mile-long legs. "I'd give anything to have parents like yours. Babe, can you pass me the magazine on the floor next to you?"

"Don't call me babe," Seth said, offended. Ryan inhaled and looked away.

"Why not?" Sianna asked, pushing her sunglasses back on her head. She held out her hand for the magazine, which Ryan ended up handing to her. "It's cute."

"Umm, how about because Babe is a smelly pig who lives in a barn with dogs?" Seth asked, getting the words out quickly.

Sianna let out a loud laugh and pulled her sunglasses back down. She turned her head to Ryan.

"Has he always been like this?" she asked.

"Pretty much. Yeah," Ryan answered. "What's your story?"

"Same as every other kid, I suppose," she said, flipping the pages of the magazine as she mused over her words. "My dad's high up in the Government and so he and my mum travel and get moved around a lot. I've been living in France for the last ten years."

"I think you and Marissa would get on really well," Ryan said. "She loves France. Paris, anyway."

"It is pretty awesome," Sianna smiled, her dimples showing. "It's beautiful."

"We've heard," Seth replied.

"I really miss it," she sighed. "I mean, America's great. Newport is beautiful and from what you've told me, it's going to be a lot of fun but I don't know. I guess Paris is home."

"Sianna!" a woman's voice yelled from the direction of the back door.

"My mum," she explained, lifting her sunglasses again and rolling her eyes. She shielded them and looked towards the door. "Yeah?"

"Can I turn this music down now?" she yelled.

"Sure," Sianna answered.

"Oh thank God," Seth muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Sianna murmured, a lazy smile spreading across her face. "You don't like my music."

"I don't not like it," Seth stammered. "I just prefer listening to other things. But I was just saying to Ryan here that I think I need to broaden my horizons. Listen to other things. Maybe even venture into the world of dance music. What do you think?"

"I think you're lying," she stated.

"He is," Ryan replied, putting Seth right in the middle of it. "In fact, that's why we came over here. To ask you to turn it down."

"Ryan, don't lie," Seth said, in aghast. "I would never do that."

"No, no," Ryan said. "It's true. In fact, I think his exact words were 'Anyone who can listen to a song where the only words are 'You're out of touch. I'm out of time. But I'm of my head when you're not around,' deserved to be burned alive at the stake.'"

"Is that so?" Sianna asked.

"No," Seth retorted. "And by the way, I think it's really pathetic that you know the words. I simply said that anyone who could stand listening to a piece of music that was that repetitive must have their head screwed on."

"And burn at the stake," Ryan finished. He looked at Sienna. "He can't help it."

"It's ok," Sianna said, finally. "I still think you're cool."

"Hear that?" Seth asked. "She thinks I'm cool."

"Not anymore," he shot back. He looked at his watch. "We should really get going soon. What school are you going to?"

"Harbor," she replied. "Apparently it's the best school here."

"That is true," Seth answered. "And do you know why?"

"Nope," Sianna answered, sensing immediately after she'd walked into a trap.

"Because that's where we go of course," Seth answered, as if it were the most obvious answer, which of course it was.

"When do you start?" Ryan asked quickly.

"Tomorrow," she replied.

"Great. We'll see you then."

"I hope so," she said. "It's going to be weird not knowing anyone."

"You'll be fine," Ryan smiled, unusually. "You're a knockout. And you used to live in Europe which means you're into fashion so they'll all love you."

"Thanks, I think," she replied. She stood up and walked with them to the front door. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you," Ryan answered.

"Bye, babe," she said, smiling sweetly at Seth who laughed with no noise.

"Good bye, Miss Piggy," he shot back, as they walked towards their own house. When they were a safe distance he turned to Ryan. "She's cool."

"She's hot."

"Well, yeah. She's that too," Seth said. "I think she liked me."

"Of course you did," Ryan retorted.

"She said I was cool," Seth replied, adamantly. "She said nothing about you."

"You have Summer to deal with," Ryan reminded him.

"Yeah but I'd rather deal with Sia," he said, truthfully.

"Wouldn't we all?" Ryan asked, turning back to look at her.

Sianna sighed and leant against the door as she watched them talking, heads bent together. She was a little wistful that they had to go and a little jealous of their closeness. She'd always wanted a little brother or sister but had never gotten one. She sighed and breathed in the still unfamiliar California air. She felt so out of touch with America and it's culture although she was American by birth. It was going to be difficult to readjust too. Ryan turned to her and waved before he entered the house. She shook herself out of her reverie and waved before turning inside and closing the front door.

"Hey," her father said, coming towards her. He kissed her brow and pulled her in for a hug.

"Hey," she whispered into his chest.

"Everything going okay?" he asked.

"Fine," she smiled up at him.

"You nervous about school tomorrow?"

"Nah," she said, explaining about Ryan and Seth. "I think it's going to be okay."

"I'm glad to hear it," her father said, kissing her again and walking back down the hall.

"Me too," she whispered to the empty hallway. "Me too."