Note: This one came out a little shaky, but this story's actually flowing pretty well. After a few rewrites of course. This chapter's dedicated to my Alexander, for being one of the best rich, white boys I know and letting me know how the stereotypical guys actually act. He's the epitome of pretty fly for a white guy. Really the best friend a girl could have. Please read and review and sorry about the randomness. Peace and love y'all...
"Look. It's a...shoe. Looks like an Olivia Morris."
"How do you know who designed it from a cloud? If it's a shoe, it's a shoe."
"But this particular shoe is not particularly high, but very skinny, with a bump on the back which is most definitely a flower attached to the heel which means it's Olivia Morris's signature shoe."
Luke pivoted his head to look at Summer. She stared back at him and widened her eyes.
"What?"
"It's a shoe."
"Fine. Don't listen to me. Coop, your boyfriend is mean."
"Be nice, Luke."
"I'm always nice."
Summer pushed up onto her elbows and smiled to herself as Luke kissed Marissa's cheek. Marissa laughed at him.
"Oh, always."
"That's right."
Summer was basically living at the Coopers' because moving Tracy's stuff out and Lara's stuff in wasn't what she considered a fun time. Mr. Cooper had somewhat adopted her into his family and made Kaitlyn be relatively nice to her. And Mrs. Cooper never didn't like her. And she liked hanging out with Luke, which was pretty good because when you spent time with Marissa, time with Luke was inevitable. And, surprisingly, she didn't run into Seth as much as she thought she would. Not that she cared. Or noticed.
"Hey, so, spring break's next week and so I was thinking this Friday I want to have a party. So, both of you ladies have to come."
"Friday? Um..."
Marissa looked at Summer and raised her eyebrows. They were supposed to go to the movies or the mall or something then. It was going to be just like it used to be. Summer shrugged and pretended not to care. Marissa nodded.
"Yeah, sure. We'll be there."
"Great. Well, I have to go, so Summer, have fun with the clouds, and Marissa."
He kissed her quickly on the lips and left. Marissa sighed loudly and fell next to Summer in the grass with a grin on her face. Summer laughed.
"You really like him."
"Yes I do."
"I'm happy for you guys."
Marissa's smile faded slightly off her face and she patted Summer's arm.
"You'll find someone. I promise."
"Yeah?"
Summer looked down at her feet and smiled softly. She saw Marissa nod out of the corner of her eye.
"You're such a good person, Sum, it has to happen."
She laughed again.
"You think it happens that way? What if there isn't a right person for me?"
"There is."
"How do you know? Or what if he finds someone else before he finds me?"
"Summer, just believe me, okay? It's going to happen for you."
"So you think you and Luke were meant to be? Like you guys could stay together for a long time?"
"Well, we've already been together for two years."
"Yeah."
Summer sat up and took yet another look at the Cohen house next door. No movement whatsoever. And it was a Thursday. Not that she cared.
"Coop? Do you ever...you know, get tired of this...place?"
"You mean Newport?"
"Yeah."
"I guess. Sometimes. But I mean, I think I belong here."
"Yeah." Summer turned onto her stomach so her back faced the sun. Marissa followed her.
"Why? Do you?"
"Sometimes. Pretty often recently."
"Listen, your dad is screwed up, but he'll figure it out. I know it."
"Yeah."
"So, do you..."
"Summer."
They both turned to the location of the voice. A shiny silver Porsche came rolling over. A very dramatically blonde woman rolled down the passenger window.
"There you are, sweetheart, your father wanted me to pick you up."
Summer put up one finger to Marissa and walked over to the perfect car. The woman inside pulled her sunglasses up and draped one end in between her lips.
"Lara, why does he need me home?"
"I don't know. He just told me to get you."
"I haven't been home in, like, three days. Why does he need me now?"
"I don't know. You can ask him."
"I don't want to ask him anything. And I'm not going."
"Summer, really. Just because you're not daddy's little girl anymore..."
"Don't ever say anything close to that ever again."
"Okay, okay. Relax. Just please get in."
"No. Tell him if he wants me to come, then he'll have to come here himself."
"Summer, god, why are you being so difficult?"
"I'm not being difficult."
"Fine. Whatev. Just get in the car."
"No. My mother always told me not to get in cars with strangers. And how much do I know about you? You've been sleeping with my father. I don't even know how long."
"Shut up. You don't even have a mother so I wouldn't be making smart comments."
Summer leaned through the window and slapped the gorgeous woman across the cheek.
"You shut up, bitch."
She spun around and walked back to Marissa. Marissa had a look of disbelief on her face.
"Let's go inside, Coop."
She pulled Marissa in behind her. Lara sighed exasperatedly but drove away. Summer sat down Indian style on the floor in the front hall. The porcelain tiles were cold against her thighs. Marissa mimicked her and directly across from her. Summer brought her knees in and wrapped her arm around them.
"Summer...isn't it possible that...that she's not so bad?"
"Coop! You heard her! I don't have a mother and she's in here to sweep me out. I don't have a mother."
"Summer..."
"No. She's right. I don't have a mother. That-that woman isn't my mother. But she's gone anyway. And luckily I have a lovely replacement with only one boob job on her. Lucky me."
"She's just trying to get to you. Because she knows your dad loves you more than he..."
"He doesn't love me."
"Summer..."
"No, uh, I think I want to, um, go for a swim, okay? I'll be back."
Summer walked out the back door and walked down the porch to the perfect, sparkling blue pool. She hiked her shorts up higher and undid her hair. The last time she had swum with her clothes on was...like when she was 9. But she dived in and swam the length of the pool. And then again. And again.
After another dozen laps, she finally made her way over to the edge. Pushing up on her knuckles, she got out and let her legs dangle in the water while she squeezed all the excess water out of her hair. She leaned on the palms of her hands and rocked back and forth, trying to decide whether or not to go back in when the house next door exploded.
"Whenever I come back, the air on railroad is making the same sounds.
And the shop fronts on holly are dirty words, asterisks in for the vowels. We peered through the windows new bottoms on barstools but the people remain the same, with prices inflating. As if saved from the gallows. There's a bellow of buzzers and the people stop working and they're all so excited. Passing through unconscious states. When I awoke I was on the highway. With your hands on my shoulders, a meaningless movement... a movie script ending. And the patrons are leaving, leaving."
She pulled her legs out and wrapped a towel around her still dripping hair and squeezed out her tank top. Served her right for wearing a black bra under a white shirt and not putting two and two together. But all the girls in her school thought they were Gwen Stefani, so she had to fit in. Not that it wasn't warm for March, but she started to shiver again. She walked into the house, where Marissa was walking out.
"What the hell is Cohen doing?"
Marissa ran over the lawn to their door and knocked as loud as she could. Doorbell, knock, doorbell...
"Marissa? Hey."
"What are you doing trying to make me go deaf? Where's your mother?"
"Not here. Sorry."
"Your dad?"
"Nope. Again, sorry."
"So you're having a party...alone."
"Well, you have caught me in the middle of my guitar solo..."
"That's not you. I'm not stupid; it's Death Cab For Cutie."
"Yes, that it is, but a good old fashioned air guitar never hurt anyone."
"Right, Cohen. Just a little more down, okay?"
"I'll try, but I don't know when the music is going to take me over."
"Right, Cohen."
"Hey, the rhythm is going to get you too, mademoiselle."
"And now you're French?"
"Sure."
"God, you're such a..."
"Delightful talking to you too."
"Smartass."
"Hey, I'd rather be any kind of smart instead of...say, a water polo player."
"Shut up. You're just upset because you have no athletic ability whatsoever."
"But at least I don't shave my chest."
"That's because there's nothing there to shave."
"Oh, ouch. That hurt, Marissa. You really hurt me. I'm going off to cry, okay? But don't watch me because I'm embarrassed of being such a wuss. So please, embarrass me no longer."
"Shut up, Cohen. You're such a jackass."
"So much for smart."
Marissa sighed exasperatedly and shook her head before just marching away. Seth shook his head but laughed a little bit too before turning his music down.
Marissa shook her head vigorously and fell down on her couch.
"Coop? What happened?"
"He thinks he's so much better than everyone else. And he likes making me mad. It's like a sport to him."
"Isn't it possible you...intimidate him or something?"
"No. I was nothing but nice to him since forever. And he just smirks and pretends he's king of the world."
"He might be nice sometimes, right?"
"He's even rude to his mother sometimes; I don't know what you're talking about."
"I don't know, okay? I mean, I don't know him. But isn't it possible that you scare him a little because I mean, he doesn't have it as easy as some people think."
"What are you, his psychiatrist?"
"No."
"Well, then, why are you defending him?"
"I'm just saying, Coop."
"Well, you don't know him, so just pretend to be on my side."
"I don't have to pretend, Coop. You know I'm going to be on your side. I'm just saying..."
"Just stop. We're not going to agree."
"Okay."
"Okay. I need something to drink. What do you want?"
"Diet coke?"
"You got it."
