Marissa Cooper and Summer Roberts were sitting in Summer's bedroom.
Earlier that day was Caleb Nichol and Julie Cooper's wedding. And earlier
that day Ryan had left Newport, ultimately making the day miserable.
"So, how does it feel being related to Cohen?" Summer asked, flipping through Vogue.
"Am I supposed to feel different?" Marissa answered, her mind still on Ryan.
"Well, I don't know. Are you still like, mad at Cohen?"
"He blamed me for Ryan leaving."
"So that's a ?" Summer was still confused.
"Yes. I'm still a little peeved at him."
"Oh. Okay." Summer went back to her magazine, leaving Marissa alone with her thoughts. She really hated Theresa. Why the hell did she have to get pregnant? Why the hell did Ryan have sex with her? In the back of her mind, she knew she was partially to blame. She had spent a lot of time with Oliver. But that wasn't the whole reason. Theresa and Ryan had a history. It was their own damn fault, and Seth Cohen just felt like blaming Marissa. Sometimes Seth was okay, but other times he was just annoying. How Summer managed to stay with him, Marissa didn't know. "What's wrong?" Marissa fell out of her trance and looked over. Summer was staring at her, Vogue put down, with worry in her eyes. Marissa didn't know how long Summer had been staring at her, but she hoped it wasn't long.
"Huh?"
"You have like, total sadness in your eyes."
"Oh."
"What's a matter?"
"Well, my gold-digging bitch of a mom just married the richest person in Newport, and my boyfriend just left to help his pregnant friend, who, might I add, might have been impregnated by him."
"Sorry. Stupid question."
"Yeah, maybe." Marissa remarked sarcastically.
"You're gonna visit him, right?"
"Duh."
"Do you think he'll come back?"
"I have no clue. It's Theresa. He's known her all his life."
"He said he didn't want to go."
"That might have already changed."
"Coop, it's only been like five hours!"
"Well, he only saw her for a tiny bit and he had sex with her!"
"Good point. Well, I have an idea. How about tomorrow we go to the mall, buy some awesome outfits, and go to a party."
"He's probably falling in love with her again."
"Coop!"
"What?"
"If you're so worried about him, why don't you just call him?"
"Maybe I should. No, I would sound way too..."
"Clingy? Obsessive? Overreacted?"
"I actually was gonna say worried."
"Oh."
"I mean, why couldn't he at least have left in two more weeks? We still have two more weeks of school."
"It'll be so strange without him."
"The summer is gonna go so slow."
"We'll still have fun. He could still hang out with us."
"He'll probably get a job."
"Well, then it'll be me, you.....and Cohen."
"That is if I talk to him again."
"Give him some slack. Ryan was his best friend. He's just in a weird place now."
"I guess."
"So, do you wanna hang out tomorrow? Like, go to the mall?" Summer asked excitedly.
"Do I have a choice?"
"No. But this summer...."
"...Was gonna be the best one of our lives."
"It still could be. We could like, fly down to Cancun, spend like two months there, get to know the locals..."
"What about Seth?"
"Oh. Right, him. He could like, um..." Summer thought. "I don't know. Great. He just totally screwed up our plans." Marissa smiled. Summer could always lift her spirits.
At that moment, they heard a loud bang and Marissa shot her head to the door.
"What was that?" She asked, slightly afraid.
"My dad. Lately, he's been hanging out at bars. I don't know why though. I guess him and the step-monster have been fighting."
"Aren't you worried?"
"Me? No. My dad is fine." Summer reassured Marissa. Though inside, Summer wasn't feeling so sure.
Marissa dismissed any thoughts of doubt or fear. Summer's dad was cool. Maybe he didn't see what Summer saw in Seth, but Summer's dad was still cool.
"We should get some sleep if we wanna wake up early to go shopping." Marissa teased Summer. Any time shopping was involved, Summer would turn into a dog. She would beg to go shopping. Marissa knew in Summer's head, Summer was already planning the MSP, or Main Shopping Plan.
Marissa got in her sleeping bag and Summer turned off the lights. Marissa stayed up for another half an hour, staring at the ceiling, until she fell into an uneasy slumber.
Kirsten Cohen couldn't sleep. Four hours ago, she found Seth's room empty. She had already been upset about Ryan leaving, and then finding Seth had also left, well, that was the icing on the cake of misery. Kirsten had memorized the letter.
Mom and Dad,
Since Ryan has left, there really is no reason to stay in Newport. At least for the summer. I have decided to take a trip. Don't worry, I will be back. I just want some time for myself. I know I still have school, but you'll just have to take me out for a bit. So I'll see you when I see you, and I love you guys.
Seth Kirsten was pissed at Seth. How could he just up and leave? Sandy had called the police the minute they found out. But they couldn't file a missing persons report for a full twenty-four hours. She knew Seth wouldn't come back in the next twenty-four hours.
They hadn't known how he left. They had thought it was by foot, but when they realized he had a boat, Sandy ran to the dock, only to find Seth's boat gone. He had to be miles away. What a wonderful way to end the day. Her step-mom was Julie Cooper, or rather now Julie Nichol. And now both her sons had left her.
Kirsten sipped her coffee. It was about her third cup, and she was feeling jumpy. She wished Seth had taken his cell phone, so at least they could have called him to see if he was okay, but no. He, of course, didn't take it.
It had only been four hours, and Kirsten was already ready to pull her hair out in worry. She didn't know if she would last the next twenty hours. She yearned to call Ryan. Just to see if he was okay. And also to beg him to come back because she desperately needed him. Sandy was helping her through this, hut she needed one of her sons, at least. Maybe Seth had told Ryan where he was headed. And what about their education? Both boys left, with two more weeks of school. Seth had said to take him out for the rest of the year. Kirsten hoped he would be back before then. And she would have to also take out Ryan.
Sandy walked into the kitchen, clearly still mad.
"Ya know, this is all your dad's new wife's fault." Sandy snapped as he grabbed the coffee pot.
"How so?" asked Kirsten.
"Well, she sent Marissa to that shrink and she met Oliver. Oliver then went psycho and over the edge and obsessive, which caused Ryan to hang out with Theresa. Then they had sex, unprotected, and she got pregnant and he left. So then Seth left."
"It wasn't anyone's fault. It just happened."
"I don't believe that. There is always someone at fault."
"I need a husband, not a lawyer."
"Sorry."
"He'll come back, Sandy."
"God I hope so."
It was Tuesday night, and Summer was upstairs in her room, dutifully working on her homework. School had been normal, except for Seth. He hadn't been in school Monday or Tuesday. Summer just guessed he did something stupid Saturday night or Sunday. But he hadn't been online. And he was always online. It didn't actually mean he was at the computer, and if he wasn't, he at least had one of his stupid away messages on. But his account hadn't been touched for four days.
She heard the front door slam and knew it was her father. He was going through a rough spot. She didn't know how it happened, but he changed. Really, really fast. He drank a lot more than usual and she often found him sleeping in the guest bedroom. This deeply disturbed Summer, but she didn't let anyone know that.
Soon, she could hear her father and the step-monster fighting. She heard screaming, and soon found it difficult to work on her homework. She poked her head out the door, but couldn't see anything. Summer left her room and peered down the stairs. He brother was right behind her.
"Go back to your room." She commanded him.
"No."
"Please go."
"No!"
"Want me to tell Dad about that missing money and the Playboy magazine?" Summer smiled devilishly.
"You wouldn't."
"Wanna try me?"
"See-ya."
"Thought so." Summer's brother sped off and Summer continued peering down the stairs. She tiptoed down them, hoping not to be heard. Then she saw it.
Her father struck her step mother. Summer gasped a little too loud and her father looked back.
"Summer?" He said innocently.
"Daddy?" She said as she made her way down the rest of the stairs. "You hit her."
"I, I had to." Summer's father said as her step-mom backed away from sight.
"I don't believe you." Summer had never said those words to her father. She had always believed him. No matter what.
"Why? Summer, you know me." Summer began to back away to the wall as he advanced.
"No, I don't. Not anymore. The father I knew never hit anyone." Her words were ice. He continued coming towards her, looking angrier with every step. Finally, he was a foot away, with Summer a few inches away from him and the wall.
"I've always been right. Like with that Seth kid. He's trash."
"You're wrong about him."
"I don't think you'll be singing that same tune in two weeks."
"What do you mean?"
"He'll be after the next girl in the lineup."
"No, he won't. He loves me." Summer's father was near the cracking point.
"You don't know anything about love!"
"Neither do you! You just hit your wife!" That was the last straw. Neil Roberts backslapped Summer so hard her head crashed into the wall and took her by such a surprise that she fell from the blow. Her head hit the stairs with a slight thud.
Tears came falling down form either the pain or from the fear, Summer didn't know.
"Neil!" Summer's stepmother screamed and she ran towards Summer. Her husband pushed her away. She fell to the floor and backed away to a wall. Neil then grabbed Summer.
"Get up." He ordered and helped her up. "Don't ever say I don't know anything about love." Yet agin, Summer's father backslapped her with such a force, she came crashing down to the floor. This time she fell harder into the stairs.
Neil stormed out of the house. It took a few minutes for Summer to get back up. She lifted her head and used her arms to keep her upper body up. Her tears fell harder and she looked over to her stepmother, who was sitting by the wall crying. Summer looked up the stairs to see her brother, with absolute fear in his eyes. Summer and his eyes met for a moment, then her brother ran back to his room. She wanted to run after him, but she didn't have the strength.
Summer used her one elbow and her other hand to keep herself up. She felt her lip, which was bleeding. The cheek her father had slapped her had a scratch on it from her father's wedding ring. She felt the spot where her head had collided with the wall and the floor and found that, that too, was bleeding. She squeezed her eyes hut and breathed in deeply.
Summer had never imagined her father would hit her. And she knew if she told anyone, he would do it again.
"So, how does it feel being related to Cohen?" Summer asked, flipping through Vogue.
"Am I supposed to feel different?" Marissa answered, her mind still on Ryan.
"Well, I don't know. Are you still like, mad at Cohen?"
"He blamed me for Ryan leaving."
"So that's a ?" Summer was still confused.
"Yes. I'm still a little peeved at him."
"Oh. Okay." Summer went back to her magazine, leaving Marissa alone with her thoughts. She really hated Theresa. Why the hell did she have to get pregnant? Why the hell did Ryan have sex with her? In the back of her mind, she knew she was partially to blame. She had spent a lot of time with Oliver. But that wasn't the whole reason. Theresa and Ryan had a history. It was their own damn fault, and Seth Cohen just felt like blaming Marissa. Sometimes Seth was okay, but other times he was just annoying. How Summer managed to stay with him, Marissa didn't know. "What's wrong?" Marissa fell out of her trance and looked over. Summer was staring at her, Vogue put down, with worry in her eyes. Marissa didn't know how long Summer had been staring at her, but she hoped it wasn't long.
"Huh?"
"You have like, total sadness in your eyes."
"Oh."
"What's a matter?"
"Well, my gold-digging bitch of a mom just married the richest person in Newport, and my boyfriend just left to help his pregnant friend, who, might I add, might have been impregnated by him."
"Sorry. Stupid question."
"Yeah, maybe." Marissa remarked sarcastically.
"You're gonna visit him, right?"
"Duh."
"Do you think he'll come back?"
"I have no clue. It's Theresa. He's known her all his life."
"He said he didn't want to go."
"That might have already changed."
"Coop, it's only been like five hours!"
"Well, he only saw her for a tiny bit and he had sex with her!"
"Good point. Well, I have an idea. How about tomorrow we go to the mall, buy some awesome outfits, and go to a party."
"He's probably falling in love with her again."
"Coop!"
"What?"
"If you're so worried about him, why don't you just call him?"
"Maybe I should. No, I would sound way too..."
"Clingy? Obsessive? Overreacted?"
"I actually was gonna say worried."
"Oh."
"I mean, why couldn't he at least have left in two more weeks? We still have two more weeks of school."
"It'll be so strange without him."
"The summer is gonna go so slow."
"We'll still have fun. He could still hang out with us."
"He'll probably get a job."
"Well, then it'll be me, you.....and Cohen."
"That is if I talk to him again."
"Give him some slack. Ryan was his best friend. He's just in a weird place now."
"I guess."
"So, do you wanna hang out tomorrow? Like, go to the mall?" Summer asked excitedly.
"Do I have a choice?"
"No. But this summer...."
"...Was gonna be the best one of our lives."
"It still could be. We could like, fly down to Cancun, spend like two months there, get to know the locals..."
"What about Seth?"
"Oh. Right, him. He could like, um..." Summer thought. "I don't know. Great. He just totally screwed up our plans." Marissa smiled. Summer could always lift her spirits.
At that moment, they heard a loud bang and Marissa shot her head to the door.
"What was that?" She asked, slightly afraid.
"My dad. Lately, he's been hanging out at bars. I don't know why though. I guess him and the step-monster have been fighting."
"Aren't you worried?"
"Me? No. My dad is fine." Summer reassured Marissa. Though inside, Summer wasn't feeling so sure.
Marissa dismissed any thoughts of doubt or fear. Summer's dad was cool. Maybe he didn't see what Summer saw in Seth, but Summer's dad was still cool.
"We should get some sleep if we wanna wake up early to go shopping." Marissa teased Summer. Any time shopping was involved, Summer would turn into a dog. She would beg to go shopping. Marissa knew in Summer's head, Summer was already planning the MSP, or Main Shopping Plan.
Marissa got in her sleeping bag and Summer turned off the lights. Marissa stayed up for another half an hour, staring at the ceiling, until she fell into an uneasy slumber.
Kirsten Cohen couldn't sleep. Four hours ago, she found Seth's room empty. She had already been upset about Ryan leaving, and then finding Seth had also left, well, that was the icing on the cake of misery. Kirsten had memorized the letter.
Mom and Dad,
Since Ryan has left, there really is no reason to stay in Newport. At least for the summer. I have decided to take a trip. Don't worry, I will be back. I just want some time for myself. I know I still have school, but you'll just have to take me out for a bit. So I'll see you when I see you, and I love you guys.
Seth Kirsten was pissed at Seth. How could he just up and leave? Sandy had called the police the minute they found out. But they couldn't file a missing persons report for a full twenty-four hours. She knew Seth wouldn't come back in the next twenty-four hours.
They hadn't known how he left. They had thought it was by foot, but when they realized he had a boat, Sandy ran to the dock, only to find Seth's boat gone. He had to be miles away. What a wonderful way to end the day. Her step-mom was Julie Cooper, or rather now Julie Nichol. And now both her sons had left her.
Kirsten sipped her coffee. It was about her third cup, and she was feeling jumpy. She wished Seth had taken his cell phone, so at least they could have called him to see if he was okay, but no. He, of course, didn't take it.
It had only been four hours, and Kirsten was already ready to pull her hair out in worry. She didn't know if she would last the next twenty hours. She yearned to call Ryan. Just to see if he was okay. And also to beg him to come back because she desperately needed him. Sandy was helping her through this, hut she needed one of her sons, at least. Maybe Seth had told Ryan where he was headed. And what about their education? Both boys left, with two more weeks of school. Seth had said to take him out for the rest of the year. Kirsten hoped he would be back before then. And she would have to also take out Ryan.
Sandy walked into the kitchen, clearly still mad.
"Ya know, this is all your dad's new wife's fault." Sandy snapped as he grabbed the coffee pot.
"How so?" asked Kirsten.
"Well, she sent Marissa to that shrink and she met Oliver. Oliver then went psycho and over the edge and obsessive, which caused Ryan to hang out with Theresa. Then they had sex, unprotected, and she got pregnant and he left. So then Seth left."
"It wasn't anyone's fault. It just happened."
"I don't believe that. There is always someone at fault."
"I need a husband, not a lawyer."
"Sorry."
"He'll come back, Sandy."
"God I hope so."
It was Tuesday night, and Summer was upstairs in her room, dutifully working on her homework. School had been normal, except for Seth. He hadn't been in school Monday or Tuesday. Summer just guessed he did something stupid Saturday night or Sunday. But he hadn't been online. And he was always online. It didn't actually mean he was at the computer, and if he wasn't, he at least had one of his stupid away messages on. But his account hadn't been touched for four days.
She heard the front door slam and knew it was her father. He was going through a rough spot. She didn't know how it happened, but he changed. Really, really fast. He drank a lot more than usual and she often found him sleeping in the guest bedroom. This deeply disturbed Summer, but she didn't let anyone know that.
Soon, she could hear her father and the step-monster fighting. She heard screaming, and soon found it difficult to work on her homework. She poked her head out the door, but couldn't see anything. Summer left her room and peered down the stairs. He brother was right behind her.
"Go back to your room." She commanded him.
"No."
"Please go."
"No!"
"Want me to tell Dad about that missing money and the Playboy magazine?" Summer smiled devilishly.
"You wouldn't."
"Wanna try me?"
"See-ya."
"Thought so." Summer's brother sped off and Summer continued peering down the stairs. She tiptoed down them, hoping not to be heard. Then she saw it.
Her father struck her step mother. Summer gasped a little too loud and her father looked back.
"Summer?" He said innocently.
"Daddy?" She said as she made her way down the rest of the stairs. "You hit her."
"I, I had to." Summer's father said as her step-mom backed away from sight.
"I don't believe you." Summer had never said those words to her father. She had always believed him. No matter what.
"Why? Summer, you know me." Summer began to back away to the wall as he advanced.
"No, I don't. Not anymore. The father I knew never hit anyone." Her words were ice. He continued coming towards her, looking angrier with every step. Finally, he was a foot away, with Summer a few inches away from him and the wall.
"I've always been right. Like with that Seth kid. He's trash."
"You're wrong about him."
"I don't think you'll be singing that same tune in two weeks."
"What do you mean?"
"He'll be after the next girl in the lineup."
"No, he won't. He loves me." Summer's father was near the cracking point.
"You don't know anything about love!"
"Neither do you! You just hit your wife!" That was the last straw. Neil Roberts backslapped Summer so hard her head crashed into the wall and took her by such a surprise that she fell from the blow. Her head hit the stairs with a slight thud.
Tears came falling down form either the pain or from the fear, Summer didn't know.
"Neil!" Summer's stepmother screamed and she ran towards Summer. Her husband pushed her away. She fell to the floor and backed away to a wall. Neil then grabbed Summer.
"Get up." He ordered and helped her up. "Don't ever say I don't know anything about love." Yet agin, Summer's father backslapped her with such a force, she came crashing down to the floor. This time she fell harder into the stairs.
Neil stormed out of the house. It took a few minutes for Summer to get back up. She lifted her head and used her arms to keep her upper body up. Her tears fell harder and she looked over to her stepmother, who was sitting by the wall crying. Summer looked up the stairs to see her brother, with absolute fear in his eyes. Summer and his eyes met for a moment, then her brother ran back to his room. She wanted to run after him, but she didn't have the strength.
Summer used her one elbow and her other hand to keep herself up. She felt her lip, which was bleeding. The cheek her father had slapped her had a scratch on it from her father's wedding ring. She felt the spot where her head had collided with the wall and the floor and found that, that too, was bleeding. She squeezed her eyes hut and breathed in deeply.
Summer had never imagined her father would hit her. And she knew if she told anyone, he would do it again.