I don't own them, I'm just borrowing them.
Manipulating Ryan
The first time she met him, Hailey was mildly amused. He was talking to himself, wondering aloud how difficult it was to say I love you. Obviously, his evening did not end well and it was about to get worse.
She saw it almost immediately, his willingness to please, to take care of others. At first, he was demanding, protective of the pool house, insisting it was his. But as soon as he realized she was Kirsten's sister, he deferred to her not saying another word. She got her way as always.
Hailey told him to go sleep on the couch and he did. Ryan didn't even stop to take a change of clothes. She was a little surprised that he didn't stay in one of the guest rooms but slept on the couch as she directed.
The next day, she learned his name was Ryan, the newest member of the Cohen family. Kirsten almost immediately went to have the guest room prepared for her, giving the pool house back to Ryan and unconsciously telling her sister where she ranked in relationship to this new kid. Later when taking with Sandy and Kirsten, she could tell, how much they loved Ryan and how proud they were of him. Seth looked to him as a brother. Yes, her nephew loved him, but she could sense an underlying jealous, even resentment there as well. Hailey wasn't even sure if he was aware of it.
Ryan, she could tell, didn't particularly like her. Maybe it was the way they first met or his trust issues, which Seth had mentioned in passing. But then again, it could be the fact that Kirsten, no matter how hard she tried to hide it, was wary about her sister and the reasons for her unannounced visit. Hailey saw how Ryan would look at Kirsten and Sandy, concern evident on his face. He then turned and looked at her - his eyes warned her not to hurt his guardians. Sandy and Kirsten, she realized, were the parents he never really had, his saviors and protectors. The people who would make things okay. The Cohen's were his Achilles heel.
Hailey used her new knowledge to her advantage. She used his insecurities about his girlfriend to get him out of the house. Too bad he and Seth hadn't left when the first of the partiers arrived. She almost laughed when Ryan told her the party had to be stopped. Seth put him up to it, of that she was certain. He manipulated Ryan into being the bad guy. Her little nephew was growing up. She wondered if Seth even realized how much power he could have over this kid, just by saying the right thing.
Maybe he did know. At lunch, Ryan was ready to just have a bowl of cereal. But then she and Seth walked in to the kitchen. The next thing you knew, Ryan was warming up some soup and cooking them grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches. All it took was a little whining from Seth about how hungry he was and how there was nothing to eat. Without even asking him to do it, Ryan began cooking lunch. Seth didn't even see the disappointment in Ryan's eyes when he realized Seth had taken the last sandwich while he had been cleaning up the counter. Ryan ended up having cereal anyway.
Well she'd use Ryan's willingness to please to her advantage. When Cameo arrived looking for her, Hailey knew it was time to end the party. She couldn't do it herself, after all it was her party and these were her friends, and anyway, she had to stay out of Cameo's way. So she turned to Seth and Ryan, well really to Ryan.
He wanted to leave, to kiss his girlfriend at the stroke of midnight. But, Hailey needed him now. So she pulled out the big guns, "Do it for Kirsten and Sandy." She knew she won. And she knew that she would use him again in the future, just like Seth would.
Ryan was a pleaser, a protector. He wanted everyone to be okay. This was good to know.
While Hailey and Seth started to pick up the discarded bottles and throw them away, Seth said, "I liked the way you got Ryan to do your bidding."
"Like you've never done that," She replied. Seth just looked at her and shrugged.