The O.C. Drabble: A Problem Shared Is a Problem Doubled
A drabble for beingothrwrldly, who issued the prompt, "Seth / Marissa. Book. Mittens. Leaves."
A Problem Shared is a Problem Doubled
The parking lot was almost empty by the time Marissa made her way out of school for the day. As much as she enjoyed the actual social aspects of being social chair, sometimes the chair aspect was beyond dull. Mindful of the breeze that was beginning to mist the sky with clouds, she quickly began to cross in the direction of her car. Coming down the steps, she saw for the first time a figure over to the side, sheltered under the half dappled shadow of the closest tree and went to greet them.
"Seth?"
"Sorry, what?"
Startled, Seth looked up at Marissa, squinting as the sun caught his eyes.
"You know your book is upside down, right?"
Seth looked down at the fat hardcover volume in his hands, as if he was seeing it for the first time, "Oh, so that's why I... thought I was having an aneurysm. Good to know."
Laying her jacket down on the grass first, Marissa sat down carefully next to Seth. Taking the book out of his hands, Marissa looked at it. "Photosynthesis. How thrilling."
"Had a pop quiz in bio. on Monday. Professor Jenkins found out we'd forgotten everything we'd ever taught and did his nut. He's giving us a test each week: step up, basic eco."
Marissa dropped the book back on his lap, amused as Seth grunted wimpishly.
"Jenkins is a troll. So glad I opted for chem. this semester."
"Yeah, cause exothermic reactions are a real laugh riot," Seth deadpanned shoving the textbook roughly into his bag before getting to his feet and offering a hand to Marissa.
"Thanks," she said, taking it. "Hey, what are you still doing here anyway? It's gone five."
"Yeah. Just didn't feel like going home yet. It's kinda weird."
"Because of Ryan."
A statement, not a question. Seth looked at her quizzically. Marissa was being unusually perceptive for a girl who took the best part of six months to work out what a lying dog Luke could be.
"And Mom and Dad. Ryan's always walked the line up 'til now. Kinda don't know what to do about the new dark version."
"He broke into the school. He attacked Oliver in the student common room."
"Yeah," Seth said, the confusion on his face the perfect echo of that on Marissa's. They regarded each other, a committee of bewilderment.
"Guess I should get home. I promised I'd bring back his assignments. So he can keep up."
"Uh-huh."
Stuck on what else to say, Marissa opted for the easy.
"Hey, you want a ride? I mean, I am going your way."
"You are?"
"I promised Katie I'd help her and some friends on a project for school."
"Oh?"
"Fashion."
"Oh."
"Yeah. There's mittens involved."
"'Cause that's what every SoCal teen needs, a good scarf set."
"Uh-huh. Should be a joy."
"Then again..." Seth looked up at the sky and the sweep of dark clouds that were rapidly beginning to crowd it. A quiet roll of thunder echoed. "Do you mind?"
Marissa shrugged warmly. "Come on, it's started."
Running for the car as the drops began to fall, Seth felt his heart flip-flip. Ryan suspended, Marissa and him on the same wavelength and now rainstorms without warning. He'd read about pathetic fallacy in Lit. class and it did not sound like fun things were ahead. It was all going to get worse, he just knew it and somehow he got the feeling that there was no textbook for this one.
He would have to wing it.
A Problem Shared is a Problem Doubled
The parking lot was almost empty by the time Marissa made her way out of school for the day. As much as she enjoyed the actual social aspects of being social chair, sometimes the chair aspect was beyond dull. Mindful of the breeze that was beginning to mist the sky with clouds, she quickly began to cross in the direction of her car. Coming down the steps, she saw for the first time a figure over to the side, sheltered under the half dappled shadow of the closest tree and went to greet them.
"Seth?"
"Sorry, what?"
Startled, Seth looked up at Marissa, squinting as the sun caught his eyes.
"You know your book is upside down, right?"
Seth looked down at the fat hardcover volume in his hands, as if he was seeing it for the first time, "Oh, so that's why I... thought I was having an aneurysm. Good to know."
Laying her jacket down on the grass first, Marissa sat down carefully next to Seth. Taking the book out of his hands, Marissa looked at it. "Photosynthesis. How thrilling."
"Had a pop quiz in bio. on Monday. Professor Jenkins found out we'd forgotten everything we'd ever taught and did his nut. He's giving us a test each week: step up, basic eco."
Marissa dropped the book back on his lap, amused as Seth grunted wimpishly.
"Jenkins is a troll. So glad I opted for chem. this semester."
"Yeah, cause exothermic reactions are a real laugh riot," Seth deadpanned shoving the textbook roughly into his bag before getting to his feet and offering a hand to Marissa.
"Thanks," she said, taking it. "Hey, what are you still doing here anyway? It's gone five."
"Yeah. Just didn't feel like going home yet. It's kinda weird."
"Because of Ryan."
A statement, not a question. Seth looked at her quizzically. Marissa was being unusually perceptive for a girl who took the best part of six months to work out what a lying dog Luke could be.
"And Mom and Dad. Ryan's always walked the line up 'til now. Kinda don't know what to do about the new dark version."
"He broke into the school. He attacked Oliver in the student common room."
"Yeah," Seth said, the confusion on his face the perfect echo of that on Marissa's. They regarded each other, a committee of bewilderment.
"Guess I should get home. I promised I'd bring back his assignments. So he can keep up."
"Uh-huh."
Stuck on what else to say, Marissa opted for the easy.
"Hey, you want a ride? I mean, I am going your way."
"You are?"
"I promised Katie I'd help her and some friends on a project for school."
"Oh?"
"Fashion."
"Oh."
"Yeah. There's mittens involved."
"'Cause that's what every SoCal teen needs, a good scarf set."
"Uh-huh. Should be a joy."
"Then again..." Seth looked up at the sky and the sweep of dark clouds that were rapidly beginning to crowd it. A quiet roll of thunder echoed. "Do you mind?"
Marissa shrugged warmly. "Come on, it's started."
Running for the car as the drops began to fall, Seth felt his heart flip-flip. Ryan suspended, Marissa and him on the same wavelength and now rainstorms without warning. He'd read about pathetic fallacy in Lit. class and it did not sound like fun things were ahead. It was all going to get worse, he just knew it and somehow he got the feeling that there was no textbook for this one.
He would have to wing it.