Let me know if you think I should continue on with this story after this chapter...
Chapter 1: Stormy Night
"And here we are!" Mr Douglas clapped his hands together as they neared their coach.
"Ugh finally!" Summer said. "I swear if he told us once more that it would be the next block I would take that stupid bow tie off his neck and…"
"Ook…I get the point, but we're here now so are we agreed no more threats to the annoyingly chirpy English teacher?" Seth put his arm around Summer, who had almost entered the dark realm of a rage blackout.
"Ok I suppose. Though I really hope they have those sick bags on the coach!"
"Oh are you feeling a bit funny too? You know I swear I saw that waiter dude come out of the toilet with surprisingly dry and dirty looking hands."
"Eww! Cohen why were you watching the waiter at the toilet?" Summer hit his chest in disgust.
"You can eww all you want. I just happened to need the toilet at the same time. My Jewish stomach couldn't handle that burger. Anyway I thought you were feeling sick too?"
"Not from the food Cohen! From them!" she motioned in disgust to Ryan and Marissa who were walking ahead of them. "They're just so…" she scrunched her face up trying to think of the word.
"Happy?" Seth suggested.
"Yes!"
"Since when is sickness a symptom of happiness?"
"It's just when Coop and Chino are happy they're just so…happy," she tried to explain.
"Wow really!" Seth said in mock surprise.
"Zip it Cohen you're comedy wore off like 10 blocks ago. Come on look! If Atwood's hand gets any lower it's going to get indecent! We all signed a sheet of conduct which I am pretty sure involved not participating in sexual activities of any nature."
"Well there go my plans for seducing Mrs Thornton at the back of the bus!" Seth said sarcastically.
"Well you'll probably have to throw Ryan and Marissa out first!"
"Are you not in the least bit happy for their happiness?"
"Of course I'm happy for them!" Summer exclaimed.
"Oh so maybe you're just jealous…" Seth suggested sliding his hand lower.
"Get that pervy hand away! Look it's great that they're happy but it just makes it so much worse when they break up."
"Don't you think you're jumping the guns a bit?" Seth asked raising his eyebrows.
"Are we talking about the same people?"
"Fair point, but maybe it will work this time. I can smell it in the air."
"What love?"
"No my burger," Seth said making a face and screwing up his nose.
"Well I hope it lasts. For all our sakes!"
They slowed and stopped beside Marissa and Ryan at the coach.
"Right everyone gather round!" Mr Douglas called. "Come on hurry up!" he shouted to the students lagging behind. Mrs Thornton hurried everyone along from the back. "You'd think I was a slave driver! You're supposed to be young and fit!"
"I was … 10 blocks ago!" Summer muttered under her breath to Marissa who suppressed a laugh.
"So did everyone enjoy the play? Whether you did or not I hope you've remembered it because you're going to have to write me an essay incorporating both the play and the book!" he raised his voice at the end over the groans. "Oh it looks like it's going to get a bit damp," he commented, looking up into the stormy sky as drips of rain started to fall. 'So foul and fair a day I have not seen'. Now we all know whose great mouth that came from don't we?" he smiled out towards the sea of blank, bored and tired faces.
"Ben Dover!" a voice called from the back, followed by sniggering.
"I'm sorry I didn't catch that?" Mr Douglas said completely oblivious to the mocking he was getting. "Anyone care to have a guess?" Silence. "No? Well it comes from…"
Summer rolled her eyes and looked up at the dark sky as more rain started to fall. Mr Douglas stopped when a hand shot up in the air in front of him.
"Ah Miss Roberts, do you know who it is?"
"No offence Mr D but why are you telling us this out here in the rain when we could be in there?" she pointed to the dry and comfortable coach. Groans of agreement came from the group.
"Indeed Miss Roberts. We should stay dry. Don't want anyone catching the sniffles now do we?" he laughed with a slight snort while everyone looked at him weirdly.
"Eww!" Summer exclaimed quietly. Mr Douglas stopped laughing and looked at the group.
"Umm the coach?" Ryan asked awkwardly.
"Ah yes! All aboard!" he shouted with another chuckle. He tapped the door and the driver opened it. "Single file now!"
Ryan, Marissa, Seth and Summer slotted in between students and filed onto the bus. Ryan and Marissa took seats about half way up, and Seth and Summer followed sitting across the aisle. The other students took seats around the coach, a few guys rushing to get to the back seats.
"Well there go your plans with Mrs Thornton!" Summer said watching the guys scrambling to the back.
"Well I'm sure I could change my plans," he said playfully nuzzling into Summer's neck causing her to giggle.
Marissa leaned her head onto Ryan's shoulder and clasped his hand in hers.
"So today was fun," Ryan said sarcastically.
"It was kind of fun actually." Marissa smiled at Ryan's shocked expression. "Well I mean I got to spend the whole day with you so how couldn't it have been."
Ryan smiled and leaned his face towards hers capturing her lips in a sweet kiss. They were interrupted by Mr Douglas.
"Right, before we set off I'll have to take a register. So from the top: Amanda Aiken?"
"Here."
"Ryan Atwood?"
"Here."
"Alex Baird?"
"Yup."
"Chris Bringhurst?"
"Yo!"
"Seth Cohen?"
"Present!" Seth called loudly and raised his hand.
"Ok, thank you Mr Cohen. Where was I…oh yes, Marissa Cooper?"
"Yeah," Mr Douglas ticked off her name.
"Well we're both here that's all that matters," Ryan said with a smile.
"And well we all know Seth's here," Marissa said with a laugh.
"Oh god he reminds me of that everyday," Ryan put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. Marissa absently placed her hand on his thigh and started tracing her finger over it. Ryan smiled, noticing she was completely oblivious to what she was doing. He watched her for a bit amazed at how beautiful she was without even trying.
"What was that a picture of?" he asked. "I got lost towards the end."
"Huh?" Marissa suddenly came back to reality and noticed what she was doing. "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't realise."
"No, don't apologise. It was nice, soothing."
Marissa smiled and kissed him gently.
"Ok then!" they were interrupted again by Mr Douglas. "We seem to have everyone. Now you all know the drill by now. I don't want to see any litter on the floor when we get back to Harbor. Oh and the toilet's out of order on this coach but I'm sure you'll be able to last."
"Oh no. I knew I shouldn't have finished Ryan's burger," Seth groaned clutching his stomach.
"Oh that's just great!" Summer said in exasperation. "Cohen, you're like a 5 year old!"
"I'm sorry ok! My eyes are just a lot bigger than my stomach!"
"Oh and don't forget to collect your assignment sheet as you get off the coach," a wave of groans travelled up the coach. "Look I'm giving you a week, due next Friday so you should be thanking me! Right, everyone buckle up and lets head home. It's presently 21:00 hours so we should arrive back at Harbour approximately 22:30 hours. Right on scheduled time," he added proudly. The engine started up and he took a seat at the front beside Mrs Thornton.
Ryan took his arm from around Marissa's shoulder and they both pulled their seatbelts across their laps. They turned their heads to Seth and Summer when they heard an annoyed groan.
"Ugh! My seatbelt's stuck!" Seth groaned.
"Too many burgers maybe?"
"Haha, that's funny!" Seth laughed sarcastically at Summer. He continued tugging at his seat belt when Summer grabbed his hands away.
"God Cohen! You're useless! Let me!"
"Oh because you'll be able to do it!" he said with a scoff. Summer pulled his seatbelt over and clipped it in with ease. She folded her arms and looked at Seth triumphantly.
"Yeah well I loosened it for you!" he retaliated like a small child.
As they started to move Marissa wiped a space off the steamed up window and peered out into the dark. The rain was now steadily falling, streaking the windows with small droplets of water. Ryan leaned over and peered out beside her.
"I wish I was in the pool house," Ryan groaned looking at the lashing rain.
"Yeah me too," Marissa replied. Ryan turned his head slightly, their noses almost touching. Ryan smiled at the though coming into his head. He leaned back over and sat square in his seat.
"Maybe you can be," he said mysteriously.
"What?" Marissa asked in confusion.
"Close your eyes."
"Ryan…"
"Come on, please."
"Fine," Marissa closed her eyes.
"Ok, so imagine it's a beautiful summer's night." He was interrupted by a laugh from Marissa.
"Kind of hard with this rain battering on the window!" she opened her eyes.
"Hey did I say you could open your eyes?"
"Oh sorry," Marissa said closing them again.
"Right so it's a beautiful night and you're outside at the Cohen's making your way towards the pool house. Its blinds are drawn, a warm glow coming from inside. You carry on and your hand rests on the smooth handle." Marissa gasped when Ryan took hold of her hand. "You gently push the handle down in anticipation of what's on the other side. The door opens and you step in letting the door swing shut behind you," Ryan moved his hand from hers and started very slowly tracing up her arm. "In front of you there's a figure sitting on the bed. His head looks up and you're eyes connect." Ryan slowly moved his face towards hers. "You suddenly both rush towards each other not able to hold back the desire. You fall back onto the bed, closer than ever. Your lips draw close to his, and you can feel his hot breath on your neck…" Ryan stopped, his face right in font of Marissa's.
"What happens next?" Marissa asked after Ryan fell silent, her eyes still closed.
"Well that's usually when Kirsten or Seth walk in!" he said casually his face still right in front of hers. Marissa opens her eyes, to see his right in front of her.
"Ryan! You spoiled it! It was just getting good!"
"It's true though!"
"No actually we are usually interrupted half way through," Marissa moved her face an inch and captured his lips.
"God look at those two! Going at it like rabbits!" Summer screwed her face at Ryan and Marissa who were lost to the rest of the world, in a deep kiss, Marissa's hand running through Ryan's hair. "Ryan is going to choke on Coops tongue soon if I don't stop them!" Summer picked her bag up from at her feet and swung it hitting Ryan. Ryan and Marissa suddenly separated and both glared at Summer.
"Would you guys stop with the tonsil tennis!"
Ryan laughed at her disgusted look.
"Oh you think it's funny do you Chino? I'll show you funny!" she lifted her bag up to swing it at him again but Seth grabbed it in mid air. "Cohen what are you doing?!"
"I vote we all just sit quietly for the rest of the journey. My stomach can't keep up with all the excitement."
"Cohen you're so weak!"
"Are we agreed?"
"Fine!" she said grumpily.
"Ryan?"
"Whatever, fine."
"Marissa?"
"Hey, when did I come to be a part of this?"
"Well Ryan wasn't making out with himself!" Marissa looked at Seth in offence then shrugged her shoulders.
"Fine."
"Good!"
"See I told you we're always interrupted!" Ryan said quietly to Marissa.
"Yeah by Summer this time. It was so embarrassing when Kirsten walked in on us that first time!"
"Yeah, they were pretty cool with it though."
"Yeah. It wasn't quite how I planned to go public with our relationship but it worked out alright."
"Yeah, it definitely did."
Marissa smiled and snuggled up to Ryan as the rain drummed on the roof of the coach.
"Seriously what is with this weather?" Summer asked as another bout of thunder boomed in the sky above them. The whole coach lit up as a flash of lightening forked the sky.
"Did you see that?!" Marissa asked Ryan. "Is it really safe to be driving? It's pretty stormy!"
"We're pretty near to Newport. Probably just want to get home as soon as possible," Ryan commented. He leaned his head out and looked down the aisle. The wipers on the drivers windscreen were flying back and forth. After each swipe more rain fell. Ryan didn't know how the driver could do it. He couldn't see a thing through that window.
"Is everything ok?" Marissa asked, worried.
"Huh? Oh yeah. I just don't get how the driver can see out his windscreen."
"I'm sure he's driven in this kind of weather before." Ryan relaxed back into his chair and held Marissa close to him. The bus was silent, everyone mesmorised by the thunder and lightening. Marissa snuggled close to Ryan as the loudest crash of thunder echoed above them. Ryan felt Marissa flinch at the thunder and gently kissed the top of her head as lightening forked across the sky. Ryan smiled when he noticed that Summer and Seth were in the same position as he and Marissa, except it was Summer comforting Seth.
Suddenly there was a loud crash and the bus lost control, swerving to the left.
"What the hell?!" Ryan held onto Marissa tightly. There was a screeching of tyres and he felt himself being flung about. The last thing he remembered was Marissa's terrified screams of "Ryan!" then there was blackness.
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