Under An Orange Sky
Sorry for not updating, been stumped but hopefully that'll change. Kind of based around the Links episode from season one.
Chapter Seven: Don't Let It Go To Waste
"Hey man Oliver wants to know if you want to go to Palm Springs, his parents have a house there that we can stay at." Seth said over their breakfast ritual of bagels and coffee. Ryan took a sip of coffee and gave Seth one of his looks.
"So is that a yes or a no?" Seth questioned raising his own mug to his lips.
"I guess so, who else is going?"
"Pretty sure he invited Marissa, which means Summer will be there, Alex, Danny, Luke."
"Three girls, five guys?" Ryan said skeptical.
Seth shrugged before pulling his phone out and calling Oliver, "Hey man we're in. See you in an hour."
"An hour?" Ryan questioned, his voice rising just a tad.
"I forgot to tell you that, go get packed!"
An hour later Seth and Ryan stood idly in the driveway listening to Luke ramble on about alcohol, they noted that it looked as if he had robbed a liquor store. Marissa and Summer pulled up and hoped out of the car, giving the boys smiles. Soon after Oliver pulled in behind them with Alex and Danny in tow.
"So how are we gonna do this? Two cars?" Oliver asked hands in pockets as he made his way to the group.
"Yeah let's do two cars," Seth responded, "I guess I can go with Luke. Ryan you coming with us?"
"Sure." He said giving Marissa a look.
"Marissa what about you and Summer with me?" Oliver questioned with a smile.
"I guess that works."
"We can take Alex too." Seth offered, not wanting to sit for an hour with Danny.
"And we can fit Danny in our car." Oliver replied much to Seth's dismay at having Danny sit with Summer.
After what seemed like the longest car ride in history, Luke's truck finally pulled up to the house. Oliver's car was already in the driveway. The four of them hoped out of the truck, and grabbed their bags along with the beer and made their way inside. Upon entering Seth was greeted to Danny sitting on the couch next to Summer, with his arm around her. Seth felt his blood begin to boil, he turned around abruptly and faced Alex.
"Let's go to the pool yeah?" Seth questioned, giving Alex a look that meant just go. Alex without missing a beat, pulled her shirt over her heard, and shimmied out of her jeans. While Seth followed her lead. They were both clad in their underwear and headed straight for the pool, not without first grabbing a few beers. The rest of the group watched the little show before them, Summer feeling jealousy rise in the pit of her stomach.
"Damn you fine girl." Luke said aloud to Alex's retreating figure.
"Yeah and I don't want none of what your offering." She shot back.
Seth and Alex splashed around in the pool for a few minutes, while the rest of the group remained inside. Leaning against the side of the pool, Alex made her way towards Seth.
"You wanna tell me what this is really about?" Alex questioned.
"Nothing."
"It's Summer isn't it?" Seth remained silent.
"You're a good guy Seth, but you put other people ahead of yourself. Who cares about Danny?"
"We're his friends."
"So? He's with the girl you want."
"So your saying if there was someone you wanted, regardless of if they were with someone you'd go for it?"
"Well in a nut shell yeah."
"So what're you waiting for? I know there's been someone on your mind."
"It's complicated."
Before either one of them could say anymore, the entire group came outside, everyone except Oliver. Summer stood with her arms crossed, a look of annoyance in her stance. Marissa stripped her clothes off and jumped into the pool, while Ryan stood stark still. Clearly bothered by her little show. Luke watched the entire thing with a goofy smile, clearly drunk off his ass.
"Guys I've got some bad news." Oliver said coming out of the house.
"What happened?" Marissa shouted from the pool.
"It's Natalie. My girlfriend."
"You have a girlfriend?" Seth questioned surprised.
"Yeah, she's in the hospital….She needs to me to head back to Newport right away."
"I'm so sorry to hear that," Summer said, "Do you need anyone to go with you?"
"Actually I was hoping that Mar-"
"I'll go with you." Ryan cut in, knowing he was going to say Marissa.
"Yeah me too." Danny spoke up, relinquishing his arm from around Summer.
"Guys it's….okay" Oliver responded looking dejected.
"No it's fine Oliver, we'll come with you." Ryan said steering Oliver back into the house.
"I guess we'll see you guys in Newport." Danny shouted, "Have fun!"
"So we've got this whole place to ourselves." Alex mumbled a look of mischief over her face.
"Let's play chicken," Marissa shouted, "I'm on Alex's team!"
"Hey that's not fair, I'm on my own here."
"Not true man, you've got me!" Luke hollered from his position at the side of the pool.
"I don't want you sitting on my shoulders, or me sitting on you. That's just too weird for me."
"You get Summer then." Marissa said, hoisting herself up onto Alex's shoulders. Alex steadied herself, and held onto Marissa tightly, clearly enjoying it.
"Summer will you be on my team?" Seth asked, holding out a hand to her.
"I need to change first."
"Oh don't bother!" Marissa yelled.
"I promise I won't look." Seth said turning around. A few seconds later, he heard a splash and felt hands on his back. Then a body on his shoulders.
The four played chicken for half an hour before Luke complained of being hungry. After getting changed, the five of them piled into Luke's truck and headed for the nearest restaurant they could find. Once they were done eating, they headed for a grocery store to pick up things for dinner. Seth picked a few items he could grill, while the girls stocked up on ice cream and dessert items. When they were finally back at the house, Luke continued drinking. Marissa and Summer went to go work on their tans, while Alex and Seth hit the golf course.
"It's weird that we're here with just Seth, Luke, and Alex huh?" Marissa said from her towel.
"Yeah" Summer stated, unable to process what exactly she felt.
"It was so weird when Ryan was here."
"You two still aren't okay yet?"
"Not really, I mean the whole break thing is weird. I don't really know what the rules are."
"I would think that your on a break, but still together so you can't see anyone else."
"Yeah maybe, but I just don't know."
Seth and Alex came back finding Luke passed out on the couch. They merely laughed at him, and tried to drag him to a room, however Luke being bigger than both of them made that an impossible feat. So they left him on the couch and headed for the kitchen. Seth started pulling steaks out of the fridge and getting the grill ready, while Alex made a salad to go with dinner. Summer and Marissa got changed, and then set the table together.
The four of them sat down together outside near the pool enjoying the food Seth and Alex had prepared. They made small talk throughout the meal, finding it easy to become comfortable with each other. When they were finally finished, Marissa grabbed a pint of ice cream and announced she was going to her room to watch a movie. Alex deciding to give Seth and Summer alone time, offered to watch the movie with Marissa.
The two sat on Marissa's bed, handing the ice cream back and forth between each other. The Notebook playing on the screen in front of them.
"I know you kissed me." Marissa said, licking her spoon.
"When did I kiss you?" Alex questioned playing dumb.
"At the New Years party."
"So what if I did?"
"When are you going to do it again?" Marissa asked, putting her spoon down and kissing Alex.
Meanwhile after Seth and Summer had cleaned up, they sat on the hammock together. They lay looking up at the stars that seemed to be shining for just them. Summer hadn't felt that comfortable with anyone in a long time, and when she felt him put an arm around her she leaned into his hold. They talked about their childhoods, and what it was like to grow up in Newport. It was a startling conversation because each had such a different upbringing. Soon however they both fell asleep in each other's embrace.
Luke awoke the next morning his head pounding. He stumbled to find a restroom, and opened the first door he saw. However what he saw was not a toilet, the site in front of him woke him up completely. "Shit." He said, eyeing the lone white sheet that was wrapped around Marissa and Alex.
What a predictable ending to this chapter! Anyways this was longer than my other chapters. I'll try to update sooner.
