"Marissa sweetheart? Are you in there? I'm home"

"Come in mum"

Marissa groaned. Her mother wasn't supposed to be home for another 3 weeks. Pulling the bed covers up under her chin, Marissa closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable arrival of her mother.

"I was worried about you. The cook said you hadn't been eating much and your ballet teacher called and said you hadn't been to a lesson in over a month"

Her mother sat down on the edge of the bed, picking up a stuffed toy and brushing its fur lightly with her hands.

"I've just been really busy with school work. And that's what I want to focus on right now"

"That's the other thing. After your ballet teacher called, I rang the school to ask them if anything had happened and they said you hadn't shown up at school for 3 weeks. Marissa, hun, what's going on?"

"Nothing mum, I just don't feel like going to school right now"

"Marissa, you're a Cooper, any chance we get to show off our new clothes, we take it. There's something more to this"

"You wanna know why I've been skipping school and ballet classes? I'm the freak from Orange County who shot someone. It's not exactly the easiest thing to have pinned to your forehead when you're trying to make friends"

"Marissa, you would've had the same problem in Newport. People judging you, sniggering behind your back"

"Yeah, but at least back home, I had my friends. And Ryan"

"So this is what this whole things about, you're still mad at me for making you move away from that good for nothing-"

"Don't your dare talk about Ryan like that!!!!"

Marissa was yelling now. She'd pulled herself from her bed and was standing as far away from her mother she could get without actually leaving the room.

"He's what got you into this mess Marissa!"

"No mum, I'm what got me into this mess! "

"Marissa…"

"No, I'm sick of you accusing Ryan of ruining my life. He saved my life. Remember Oliver Mum. Oh, and have you forgotten about the little overdose incident in TJ"

By now Marissa was screaming. She was on emotion overload, fighting to hold back the tears.

"Marissa, hun, settle down"

"NO!! And just to remind you what caused the TJ incident. You and Luke. You leaving dad because he lost all your precious money. And Luke, remember him. My ex-boyfriend that you SLEPT with!!!!"

After screaming the finals words of her last sentence, Marissa couldn't hold back any longer. Tears ran freely from her eyes, smudging her already tear-ruined eyeliner. Taking several deep breaths, Marissa gained enough control to be able speak soft, but intensely again.

"I wish I'd shot you instead of Trey"

Pushing past her mother, Marissa ran out of her room, down the staircase and out the front door, leaving her mother standing in her bedroom, utterly gob smacked at the scene that'd just unfolded.

--

Pulling his phone from his back pocket, Ryan glanced at the name that appeared on the screen. Summer. Pressing talk, Ryan lifted the phone to his ear.

"Summer?"

"Ryan, thank god you picked up. Marissa's on her way"

"On her way where?"

"Here!!! Newport!! She got in a massive fight with her mum and she has no where else to go. She on the plane right now!"

"Is she alright? What was the fight about?"

"Well, err…you."

"Oh…is she staying with you?"

"Yeah. She sounded really upset. And I mean, her and her mum have had some pretty big arguments, but never this big. She said they stared arguing in her room after her mum asked her why she hadn't gone to school whilst she'd been away, then she walked out of the house to cool off and her mum came running after her and screamed at her in the street"

"When does she get here?"

"Her plane lands at 5"

"Ok, I'll meet you at the airport then"

"Ryan, you can't. What if someone sees. Everyone around here knows what happened"

"Ok, well, I'll come over later tonight. Just call me when you get home"

"I'll try"

Running into the house, Ryan headed for Sandy's study.

"Ryan, whoa, what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I need to ask some advice"

"Sure, have a seat"

Ryan took a seat in front of Sandy's desk and prepared in his mind what he was going to say.

"I need some legal advice"

"What about?"

"Marissa. She's on a plane to Newport as we speak. Her mum and her got into a big fight and she doesn't know anyone in New York, so she got on a plane and she's headed here"

"I see, and you want to see her"

"Not in public, I know that'd be too risky, but I can't know that she's here and not go see her"

"Ryan, as your attorney, I suggest you just stay away. If you get caught, it could put you in danger of going to jail for disobeying the courts orders"

"So you're saying I should just pretend she's not here?"

"As your attorney, yes. As a member of your family, I say go see her, but be very careful about it. You know what this place is like. People talk. And as I'm guessing she's staying at Summer's house, you'll have to be extra careful, because Dr. Roberts is more than likely going to have clients there, and you know what kind of people go see plastic surgeons. Noopsies"

"Ok, thank you Sandy"