The O.C.

She Will Be Loved

By: Mark Hogan

The Call

Ryan was laying on the couch of Theresa's house, listening to her and her mother arguing in the kitchen. They were again fighting about why Ryan was there and if he should stay. He had figured out that at this point, her mom didn't know that Eddie could also be the father. He just stayed out of it and let them duke it out.

Her mother began screaming. Ryan got up to make sure everything was alright, that is until her mother came out of the kitchen in a rage, knocking Ryan back onto the couch with a powerful shove. Theresa came out of the kitchen, tears running down her cheeks. Ryan looked at them both, that is until her mother slammed the bedroom door.

"I'm so sorry, Ryan." Theresa said quietly, rubbing the tears away.

Ryan walked up and held her, rubbing her back and running his hands through her hair. She rested her head on his shoulder and cried. He held her as close as he could, wanting her to stop crying, to stop fighting with her mother.

Eventually Theresa and her mother talked things over and everyone went to bed. Ryan was awake staring at the ceiling for hours after everyone else went to sleep. He had the cell phone that Sandy had hidden in his bag on and sitting on the floor next to the couch. He was just starting to feel sleep take over when it rang.

He quickly sat up and picked up the phone, "Hello?"

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"Hello?" he asked again.

"Ryan…?" came a girl's voice, soft and scared.

The voice struck a bell instantly, "Summer?"

"I'm so sorry, Ryan," she said quietly, he could tell she was crying.

"What's wrong, Summer?" he asked concerned.

"It's my fault, my fault that all this happened," she began to ramble.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you sorry about?" he asked confused.

Summer was crying full force, he could barely understand her, "You don't know?"

Ryan sat still for a moment, "Don't know what?"

Summer quickly quieted, "Seth's gone, he ran away."

Ryan fell back against the couch, letting a deep breath escape his lips. He couldn't believe that Sandy or Kirsten hadn't called him, letting him know that Seth ran away. He sat back up, using his free hand to rub his forehead in frustration. Summer finally spoke again.

"It's my fault!" She said at a near scream.

"Summer," Ryan said calmly. "It's not your fault. You didn't make him leave."

"I'm so sorry, Ryan…" and the line went dead.

Ryan shut the phone, opening it up again a few seconds later. He called Summer's cell. She had it off. He tried Summer's house (the number that he'd memorized for Seth) and no one answered. He quickly became worried. After ten minutes trying to decide what to do, he began to do what he did best.

Pack.

The lights came on, "Ryan?"

He looked up from his bag and saw both Theresa and her mother, standing in the hallway. He stood up, and walked over to them. He had a single tear in his eye. He hugged Theresa and then her mother. He stepped back a few steps and began to explain.

"Summer called," he started, "Seth ran away, she hung up on me and won't answer. I'm assuming that Marissa is out of the picture and I can't call the Cohen's."

"Ryan." Theresa said quietly. "Go."

He looked at her puzzled.

"I had a DNA test today," Theresa said quietly. "I didn't know how to tell you this. It's not yours."

Ryan looked at Theresa and then her mother. Both of which were nodding their agreement of him going back to Newport. He quickly returned to packing. After a few more minutes he was backed and walking out the door, until Theresa stopped him.

"I'll take you," she said quietly.

Ryan looked at her, "It's late. I'll get a ticket for the bus or something."

Theresa grabbed his arm as he turned away, "I am taking you."

Ryan stood for a moment, and then nodded quietly.

The rain was pouring down over Newport. All the houses were dark with the dead of night. Ryan watched all the houses they passed as Theresa drove through town. He hated waiting to get there, but Theresa was not hurrying in the rain. It seemed to take hours.

Finally.

He saw her house alone the dark line of homes. He told Theresa to stop the car. He looked at her a moment, rain pounding on the car. He smiled for old times sake and she nodded quietly. He opened the door, grabbing his bags and ran off into the night, the door closing loudly behind him. Theresa wiped tears away as she drove off back to her world…

Ryan reached the door of her house, no cars in the driveway, not a light on in the house. He pounded on the door, there was no answer. He dropped all his stuff and tried the door, it was unlocked. He opened the door, throwing all his stuff in the entryway and ran up the stairs, calling her name. She never responded. He quickly began checking rooms, he couldn't find her anywhere. He tried the last room in the corridor, and there she was.

She was laying on her bed, her arms outspread. He saw the red liquid coming from her wrists. He ran to her bed, and tried to wake her up. She opened her eyes long enough to see Ryan and smile. She tried to sit up, but she fell back, arms sill stretched out.

"Ryan…" she said quietly, in a daze.

"Summer! What where you thinking?!" he shouted at her in fear.

"I'm sorry, Ryan," she said completely dazed. "It was all my fault, and I lost everyone because of it."

Before Ryan could say another thing, she fell back on the bed completely. He ripped the sleeves of his shirt and tied them around her wrists. He searched his pants for his cell. He grabbed it and quickly dialed 911. He picked her head up and ran his hands down her cheeks, tears running down his face. He waited till the EMTs arrived and rode with her to the hospital, where her fate would be determined.

TO BE CONTINUED…