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Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to The OC or the South lyrics.
A/N: Takes place aftet "The Ties That Bind". I really like this, I'm playing with the idea of a sequel or companion. For right now this is it. I've never really thought there's a real end to the triangle...
"You ask about forgiveness
I've not defined the words yet
A chance to set your back straight
A chance to find some feeling
You say you will come home soon
Won't see you most the weekdays
I miss you at the best of times
You help me walk that fine line"
-South, "Nine Lives"
"It figures, anyway," Summer mutters under her breath.
"What does?" Anna asks, painting her big toenail with a coat of Summer's slick nail polish. Pineapple Blue. Anna's never seen or heard of a blue pineapple, and the color's actually a deep purple. She decides to ignore it.
"That Cohen would pull something like this. Some shit like he always does," Summer says.
Anna sighs and continues to paint her toenails. She's sick of this. She's sick of Summer's complaints and tearful outbursts about Seth Cohen. She's not even sure why she's still listening, but she is.
Summer sometimes reminds Anna of a candy cane. The cinnamon kind that everyone licked once, but didn't finish because it's too spicy. Too much flavor for such a pretty package. Anna knows she wouldn't throw Summer away. She could take the strong flavor.
She has been all summer.
Summer shows up at Anna's door one cloudy Tuesday morning. She's standing in three-inch wedges next to two of the biggest luggage bags Anna's ever seen. Her eyes are teary, and she just says quietly, "Can I stay here this summer?"
Anna's heard about Seth and Ryan both leaving. Seth's been calling her for nights now, begging for apologies, saying he loves her, telling her he's lost, in love with too many. Anna always wants to say she loves him back, but she never lets herself.
And Summer's standing there, hurt and it's sort of ironic. She's trying to look strong and angry, but if she really was, she wouldn't have to have Anna hold her. Anna knows she has to have Anna hold her.
So Anna just pulls Summer into a hug for as long as Summer needs.
Summer doesn't know the exact moment when she decided to go to Pittsburgh for the summer. The idea had been floating around in her head for a while. Finally she just decided to buy a plane ticket with her father's credit card and leave the next day on an impulse, just telling her father two hours before she left for the airport.
It made sense, anyway. Everyone had left, why should Summer stay?
Marissa was still in Newport. But she had left Summer the moment she met Ryan.
"I think Swifty hates me," Summer says after a sip of her milkshake.
"He doesn't hate you. He's just cautious," Anna replies, swirling her vanilla and chocolate fusion of a milkshake.
"Maybe I shouldn't use my Fuzzy Peach oil anymore. He's always sniffing me, maybe that's it," Summer suggests, her mouth full with two fries.
Anna usually gets annoyed when people talk with their mouths full. But when Summer does it, it isn't annoying. It's...it's something.
Anna shakes her head. She remembers the rush of the fruity scent to her nose as Summer clung to her as she slept.
"Keep it."
"I like this," Summer states, her head resting on Anna's stomach.
"You do? It's Death Cab," Anna replies, staring at the ceiling of her bedroom, idly playing with strands of Summer's hair.
Summer lets out a small exhale and smiles a little.
"No, not the song. The song is like bullshit at its finest. This. This moment," she replies, sitting up and crawling next to Anna, resting her head on the pillow.
"I like this too," Anna whispers. Her heart's doing a little dance and she's not completely sure why.
Summer leans her head in, just asking. Before Anna can answer, and God, does she want to answer, Summer's cell phone rings.
Summer springs up and answers, "Hey, Cohen."
Anna turns on her side and listens to Summer talk to Seth. She knows what he's saying. Sometimes he's saying the same things to Anna. It's a cycle.
"Hanging out with Anna."
"I haven't talked to him, you call him."
"Shit, Cohen, why should I go back?"
"She doesn't need me. She doesn't."
"You of all people shouldn't be telling me this shit."
"Stop being such a selfish asshole, Cohen."
"Don't say that. Oh, God, Cohen, stop saying that."
"I miss you too. Fuck, I miss you."
"Stop! Just...just stop."
"Bye, Cohen. Call your mom and Ryan."
Summer evolves into a crying mass on Anna's bed. And all Anna can do is hug her like she does and wish that someday they'll figure this out. Someday nobody will have to cry.
Anna's sitting up straight at the kitchen table, her posture more rigid than usual, a little lost. Confused.
Summer slams the front door and walks into the kitchen with a brown paper bag from Sun Lee's.
"I got your orange chicken," she says.
Upon seeing Anna's expression she asks, "What?"
Anna's eyes avert to Summer's. "Your dad called. Registration week is coming up," she says.
Summer shrugs and opens the bag, taking out a few cartons. She gets it, she just doesn't want to. Anna stands up, her hand touching Summer's.
"He bought your plane ticket. You're leaving in two days, Summer. You have to go back," Anna says quietly.
Summer gets the familiar salty taste in her mouth and she blinks quickly, trying to ignore the tears. Then, suddenly, she puts her lips to Anna's and wants to keep them there forever. It's what they both know they wanted to be doing all summer, but didn't want to figure out.
It's anice kiss and it's not their last. The pair end up in Anna's bedroom, the orange chicken forgotten.
Seth calls Anna mid-September. He begins chattering away animatedly about Newport and his and Ryan's returns. They both dodge any thoughts of what Seth said to her, how they feel. Feeling doesn't matter, doing does. And they're not going to do anything about the lingering feelings.
Anna listens and responds half-heartedly, her mind wandering other places. Then Seth mentions something about he and Summer, and Anna freezes.
"What?" she asks. Her voice is colder, sharper than she intended, but Seth doesn't notice.
Seth is definitely not an observer. He didn't notice the marks on Summer's neck, or the way Anna excitedly talked about Summer.
"We're back together. I thought she'd told you, she said you guys talk everyday," Seth explains.
Anna pauses, tears stinging her eyes. It makes sense why Summer never made anything official. Why she dodged those, "Where are we?" and "Is this a long-distance relationship or what?" questions. Summer didn't want to define anything because she already defined something with Seth.
"We do. She just never mentioned that."
"Funny thing happened," Anna announces to Summer as they have their daily talk.
"What's that?" Summer asks playfully, longing for the days of Sun Lee's, Swifty, diner milkshakes and Anna.
"You and Seth got back together," Anna says bitterly. She has every right to be bitter. Summer was with her the entire summer and technically lead her on up to this point.
"I was gonna tell you, I just..." Summer stops.
She just what? Just fell in love with Seth Cohen and Anna Stern? Just wanted them both? Just snuck around commitment to Anna? What?
"I wanted to have everything," she says.
Anna swallows. "I get it. I'm just what you and Seth use until you guys decide to want each other again. I get it. I'm like an appetizer or a toy. I fucking got it, okay?" she says, her voice getting louder with every word until she's yelling into the phone, fighting back the urge to cry.
Summer's given up on fighting that urge. "No, no, no. Anna. You're more. I need you. I...I love you," she chokes, feeling stupid and embarrassed for letting herself go.
Anna sighs, "But you love him too. And I might love you both. And Seth might love us both. But I left for a reason. So...that's it."
Summer tries to protest, but the words can't meet her mouth. She knows Anna's right. She just wishes Anna wasn't so practical, so smart. She really wishes that Anna wasn't so hurt.
That any of them were hurt.
"Bye," Anna whispers.
"Bye. I'll call, you know," Summer says before hanging up. She isn't sure when she'll be able to call again, but she will.
She can't go without Anna for too long. Not anymore.
Anna sits on her bed and chips off the last of Pineapple Blue. That summer is over. She knows that.
She wishes AnnaSummerSeth wasn't. But it is. And everyone knows three's a crowd.
Anna left. They all left.
Anna's just the only one that didn't go back.