Disclaimer: own nothing, don't sue
AN 1: for scm36, who asked for drabbles. Don't know if this counts.
AN 2: They mightboth be out of character. I still need a beta to tell me when I'm of.
AN 3: I looked at my other fic and realized that I tend to write too much internal monologues and not enough dialog. I tried to do better this time. You´ll have to tell me if it worked.
New Years Eve
He follows the stretch of the beach, trying to concentrate on the sound of the waves instead of the loud music coming from the party. He's not in the mood.
After the chrismukkah barmizvakkah – and just how did Seth come up with those names? - Anyway, after the party that was masked as being about him but really was all about Johnny, Kirsten had been so ecstatic about the fact that she still knew how to plan a party, she had decided to go ahead and plan a big New Year's Eve celebration. Which meant that right now, the Cohen home was hosting a Newpsie gathering of gigantic proportions. The fact that those people never got tired of celebrating themselves and their superiority was disturbing and calming at the same time. Some things never changed.
He had tried to join the festivities, not for fun but for Kirsten's sake, but the guest list had made it pretty much impossible to enjoy the party.
About sixty snobs who still considered him to be unworthy of being in their presence, unless he was getting paid to serve them food.
Sandy's new protégé Matt, who seemed to have no problem monopolizing his foster father's attention, even though the man was supposed to be co- hosting the party. Never mind that maybe he wanted to be with his wife on New Years Eve.
Summer was ok, but she and Seth were so busy planning their exodus to the East that it was impossible to get them involved into any conversation not concerning Brown.
Spending New Years Eve with Marissa might have been fun, but she was dead set on her perceived duty to entertain the resident wanna-be minni mart robber. Apparently the fact that he didn't really know anyone besides Marissa did not mean that he might be better of at a party with his friends, it meant that Marissa had to do everything she could to keep him entertained. After all, she was his friend and she had invited him. He hadn't even bothered to protest.
And to top it all of, Kirsten was constantly talking to the woman who not long ago had believed to be absolutely justified to frame him for attempted murder.
Considering the saying that the way you started your new year was the way the whole year was going to be like, he really didn't want to wait for the countdown with those people.
He shoves away the thought that now he is going to start the new year alone, which isn't really what he wants the rest of the year to be like, either. If you consider the alternative, he chose the minor evil.
He plops down on the sand and takes a sip of his beer. Why the hell hadn't he bought the cigarettes at the mini mart? God knows he could use one.
"Hey man, what the hell are you doing down here?"
He turns around so fast; he almost falls over into the sand. "Luke? What…when did you come back to Newport?"
"Mom insisted that I should be here for at least part of winter break. You know, holidays and family values and all that…"
"Yeah. If your mom wants you to be with her, then what are you doing here?"
"She wanted us all to go to the big Cohen party. We only arrived a couple of minutes ago. But then I saw Mrs. Cooper and…"
"Didn't want totalk toher?"
"Not really. Why start the new year by torturing myself, right?"
"Definitely. I'm not really into the idea of having a party with her, either"
"I heard. I mean the Newport gossip mill does not always get everything right, but apparently Mr. Cohen gave Mr. Cooper a pretty impressive verbal strip down for allowing her to pull that stunt."
"Yeah?" He hadn't known that. Apparently the Cohen's hadn't forgiven her instantly after all. That was something.
"Yeah. Listen dude, you know I'm sorry, right?"
"Sorry for what? You didn't do anything" It's not as if the Atwoods need help screwing up their lives.
"I know. I meant, I'm sorry all that crap happened to you. You didn't deserve that. Are you ok?"
He doesn't remember the last time someone asked him that. And it's nice to hear that someone thinks he didn't have it coming. Doesn't change the fact that he brought it on himself, but it's still nice to hear. Even if it's coming from someone he hasn't talked to in over a year.
"Ryan?"
Right, there had been a question. "Yes, I'm ok."
"You know you're a shitty liar, right?"
Is he really? Everyone else seems to fall for it, nowadays.
"Doesn't really matter. You need to look at this whole thing positively."
"And what am I supposed to see when I look at it positively?" Seth´s constant sarcasm is wearing of.
"Well, your life over the last years has been like a freaking soap opera, right? There is no stupid, dramaticplot twist that hasn't happened to either you or someone you know. So now that everything that could happen, has happened, thinks are bound to calm down."
He really wishes he could agree, but that's what he thought after Trey had taken of for God knows where, and stuff still kept happening. Apparently, Luke could see his scepticism on his face.
"You don't think so." It´s a statement, not a question.
"I did. But then Marissa found herself a new friend who thought that the correct way of paying for his knee surgery was to take gun and try to rob a mini mart, I had to stop him, and I realized that there is no guaranty that things don't happen twice."
"No one we know ever robbed a mini mart."
He debates not responding, but then he figures, why the hell not. It's not as if Luke is going to tell anyone.
"My dad did. That's why he's in jail. Armed robbery is taken pretty seriously, if you get caught"
"Damn, Ryan. Sorry, I didn't mean to…Is Marissa's new friend in jail now?"
"No. I kept him from doing it, so there was nothing to get arrested for."
"But at least he is no longer your problem, right? I mean, Marissa must have totally flipped when she found out."
"He's at the party. Marissa figures that he just needs help and understanding." He doesn´t sound nearly as bitter as he feels.
"You're kidding, right?"
He doesn´t say anything.
"Dude, that's sick! Why would she do that? He almost committed armed robbery!"
"I stole a car."
"You didn't have a gun."
There's not really much he can say to that, because he didn't. And yes, he thinks it makes a difference.
"Is he more than a friend?" Sometimes, Luke can be perceptive. It happenes so rarely that when it does, it shocks him a little.
"He wants to be. She says she isn't interested" Maybe talking about this with Luke isn´t such a bad idea. They have both been there before.
"Damn. I see why you said things were repeating themselves. She does remember what happened with that jerk Oliver, right?" Seems as if Seth stayed in Portland long enough to teach Luke a thing or two about sarcasm, as well.
"She says it's different. There isn't really anything I can do about it. I'll just have to wait and see." Which is a lot easier said than done. Wait and see is pretty much the opposite of his usual approach. But he is tired of argueing.
"Why the hell did you keep him from robbing that store? You would have gotten rid of him."
He just glares at the other boy, partially because it is stupid to ask why he had to keep things from escalating and partially because he doesn't want to admit that the thought crossed his mind. Also, he really doesn't feel like explaining that he wants Marissa to choose him because she wants to and not for a lack of other options. Luke might ask why he allows her to jerk him around that way, and he isn't sure he would have an answer. The look seems to work, as Luke doesn't ask again.
"Well, I still say you have to look at things optimistically. Dude, really. Considering how much things have sucked so far, it can only go up from now on."
He still doesn't believe him, but it is nearly midnight and he decides that maybe the way he wants to spend the coming year is by being an optimist. He lifts his beer, clanks it against Luke's and both of them take a sip. He didn´t expect to spend New Years Eve with Luke, but it is better than being alone.
"There's no way it could get worse." Now he feels like scolding Luke for jinxing him, but that is something Seth would do, so he doesn't say anything and just takes another sip.
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