Thanks to everyone who let me know my last chapter was messed up. I fixed it.
A phone call woke them all the next morning. Everyone sleepily check their phones, but Summer was the only one who had to answer. "Hello?…yeah I just fell asleep at a friend's. Sorry…okay…bye." She laid her head back down where it was, which was on Marissa's leg.
"What time is it?" Seth asked, not opening his eyes.
Summer looked at her phone, "We missed first period."
Alex put a pillow over her head and mumbled, "I'm hungry."
"Your stomach has been growling since seven," Marissa murmured with her head on Alex's stomach.
Alex raised the pillow up to see Marissa laying with her eyes closed and head resting on Alex' stomach. Her abs tightened and goose bumps appeared on her skin at the sight of Marissa laying on her. She looked further down and noticed Seth still sleeping on her leg.
"Let's go get breakfast," Alex said, now fully awake. Alex moved the leg Seth was on and he got up.
Everyone got up and stretched before straightening out their clothes and gathering their things.
"I had a dream about Atomic County last night," Seth said as they walked to the driveway.
"Me too," Alex yawned.
"Did you beat the crap out of a demon water polo player too?" Seth asked.
Alex shrugged, "Something like that."
"I'll be right back," Seth stated and took off into the house.
He returned with a clean shirt and a video camera while the others were getting to Ryan's car.
"What's with the camera?" Alex asked.
"I'm making a video essay for my Sociology class about the human behavior," Seth stated and got in the back seat, "And I figured since you guys are almost human it would get me an almost A."
"Ha ha," Summer quipped, "Very funny Cohen. Just no video before breakfast."
"I want pancakes," Seth said from the backseat while they were trying to decide where to go.
Ryan looked over at Alex who was in the front passenger's seat, "Any requests?"
"The closest place you can find before my stomach eats itself?" Alex asked.
Ryan stopped at the closest diner and they all crowded into a booth.
"Since we don't seem to be going anywhere important today," Seth said, "Maybe we should go see a movie or go to the beach or something."
"I have until two thirty," Summer added, "Then I have to be at Marissa's house."
"You're an intern?" Marissa looked at the girl next to her.
Summer nodded, "You too?"
Marissa smiled, "Yeah." Marissa turned to Alex, "Who's the other intern?"
"Um," Alex looked at her phone and pressed a few buttons, "Veronica Evans."
"Captain of the cheerleaders?" Summer's mouth dropped open.
Alex looked at her, "What's wrong with her?"
"She's the captain of the cheerleaders," Summer replied, "She's dumb, bitchy, and mean."
Alex smiled, "Well we know who will be making copies all day huh?"
A smiled graced Summer's face, "I always knew I liked you."
"Are you two going to the party tonight?" Marissa asked the boys.
Seth shrugged, "I guess."
"Yeah," Ryan added, "There's not really much to do without you guys."
Marissa looked over at Alex who was typing on her phone and chewing on a straw.
"Who are you texting?" Marissa asked.
Alex kept looking at the screen, "Your mom. She's having a cow."
Marissa took the phone out of Alex's hand and put it on the far end of the table where Alex couldn't reach.
"Hey," Alex looked at Marissa in disbelief.
"My mom has a cow everyday," Marissa smiled, "You can wait until after breakfast to calm her down."
Alex opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. She held the green eyes of the girl next to her as was finally able to articulate a response. "Okay."
The waitress walked over and Alex ripped her eyes away from Marissa's to order.
Alex's phone vibrated in front of Marissa and Alex peered over to see what it was.
"It's a text message," Marissa told her and moved the phone farther away, "Eat first. Work later."
"Since when did you become my mom?" Alex asked.
Before Marissa could answer the food arrived. They ate in relative silence and when they finished Ryan got out his wallet.
"I got it," Alex picked up the check, "Two of my interns were here. We'll call it a business breakfast and charge it to the company card."
"Good idea," Seth smiled and got up.
Alex grabbed her phone and checked the messages. "Oh good."
"What?" Summer asked, as they walked out to Ryan's car.
"The four piece orchestra canceled," Alex smiled. She dialed and number on her phone and put it to her ear.
"Let's go to the beach," Summer suggested and pointed to the beach across the street.
"I'm gonna grab my camera," Seth stopped by the car on the way to the beach.
They all nodded and Alex lingered behind a little to talk on the phone.
"Hey Coop," Summer said, "What are you wearing tonight?"
"Probably that green dress in the back of my closet," Marissa shrugged, "What about you?"
Summer shrugged, "I'll just throw something on."
"So Ryan," Seth smiled turning the video camera on Ryan, "What are you wearing?"
Ryan shrugged, "Pants and a shirt."
"Really? Me too," Seth turned the camera on himself.
Summer rolled her eyes, "If you keep making fun of me you'll be eating sand."
"Can you say that again?" Seth asked and pointed the camera at Summer, "I didn't get it."
Summer slugged him in the arm.
"Ow," he turned off the camera and rubbed his arm.
Marissa glanced behind them to see Alex stopped and looking out over the ocean. She laughed at something the person on the phone said and looked down at the sand. She nodded then hung up. Marissa quickly turned back around hoping Alex hadn't caught her watching.
Summer bit her lip and spotted an ice cream vender close to the road. She grabbed Marissa's arm, "C'mon Coop let's go get some ice cream."
"Get me one!" Seth called.
Summer ignored him and dragged Marissa away.
Alex trotted up to the guys. "I got a great band to play tonight so it might not totally suck." She looked up the beach to see Marissa and Summer walking away, "Where are they going?"
"To get ice cream," Seth added.
"Which is code for?" Alex asked.
"Talk in private," Ryan answered.
"I see," Alex nodded, "What did you two do to scare them away?"
"We didn't do anything," Ryan stated.
"Sure…" Alex added and stopped walking.
Marissa stood facing the water while Summer faced her as they waited for the ice cream, "So, what's up with you?"
Marissa raised an eyebrow, "Nothing."
"There is something up…." Summer started, but Marissa didn't hear the rest. She saw Alex smiled and say something to Ryan before he threw her over his shoulder and ran into the ocean with her. After throwing her into waist deep water, Alex emerged soaking wet and tackled Ryan, while Seth caught the whole thing on video.
Summer followed Marissa's eyes, "Who are you jealous of?"
"What?" Marissa asked, not taking her eyes off of the two wrestling in the water.
"Are you jealous that Alex is wrestling with Ryan or that Ryan is wrestling with Alex?" Summer asked taking her ice cream from the vendor and paying for it.
Marissa took her ice cream, "Does it matter?"
"Apparently," Summer added. She knew that was all she was going to get from her best friend right then.
As they started to walk over, Ryan and Alex walked calmly out of the water to Seth before grabbing him, ripping the camera out of his hands and throwing it into the sand before carrying him into the water.
"Alex! Ryan! Can't we talk about this?" he asked before they heaved him into the deeper water.
When he got up he was smiling, "Both of you should expect to wake up in the middle of the ocean tomorrow."
Alex just rolled her eyes and caught sight of Marissa. She smiled slyly. Alex held out her arms, "Hug?"
Marissa smiled and took a step back, "No way."
Alex took a step forward, "C'mon."
Marissa took off running down the beach and Alex took off after her. "Aaaallleeexx!" she squealed.
The blonde caught up with Marissa and tackled her to the sand. A wave crashed onto the beach and ran into Marissa whose back was in the sand.
Alex had her arms wrapped around Marissa, "I got you."
Marissa just smiled.
When Alex got up, Marissa was disappointed at the loss of contact even though it was cold and wet. Alex held her hand out and helped Marissa up.
Alex grabbed her phone which was next to Ryan's in the sand where he'd stashed them before dragging Alex into the blue water.
After a few more minutes of walking, they could see the Bait Shop on the boardwalk.
"Hey," Alex told them, "Do you guys mind if I stop here to pick up the keys?"
"No," Seth shook his head.
They were all pretty dry from the sunlight beating down on them as they trudged up the stairs.
"Hey," Ryan told them, "Why don't I run back and get the car? I can pick you guys up here."
They all agreed and Ryan took off in the opposite direction.
Alex led the way into the Bait Shop were a guy was carrying a box up the stairs. He smiled at her, "Can I help you?"
"I'm Alex Kelly. I'm supposed to pick up the keys," Alex told him.
He set the box down on a nearby chair and took a set of keys out of his pocket, "It's all yours."
She took the keys and smiled, "Thanks."
He picked up a piece of paper off the top of the box, "Here's the list of bands that are coming through. If you want to change anything or cancel, their managers' numbers are on there." He handed her the paper then went on, "The list of suppliers is in the desk in the manager's office."
"Great," Alex looked around, "Thanks."
"Good luck," he nodded and walked out.
"So you get to run this place now?" Summer asked.
Alex nodded and descended the stairs, "I get to run it my way now."
The other three followed her and Seth kept the camera rolling. "Who's the next band coming?"
Alex looked at the paper, "The Daylights."
"Cool," Marissa nodded, "I love them." She walked over to the bar and stepped behind it.
Seth swung the camera around, "This is the Bait Shop. It is now run by," he stopped the camera on Alex, "Alex who is the new…"
"Manager," Alex told him.
Seth put the camera down, "So guess you have your old office back."
Alex nodded and walked over to her old office. She looked in and took a deep breath, "Wow. I've really missed this place."
Alex's phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket. "Hello?…of course…I'll be right there." She hung up and looked at Seth, "The cops just called your mom. Someone tried to break in."
They all took off up the stairs and ran into the parking lot just as Ryan pulled in. Everyone hopped in and Alex told Ryan what was going on.
When they pulled to a stop, they saw Sandy and Kirsten just getting out of his car. There was a police car in the driveway and a cop standing in the open doorway of their house. They could hear a dog barking in the background.
"What's going on?" Sandy asked as he, Kirsten, and all the kids walked up to him.
The cop smiled at him, "Two guys picked the lock on your front door and got inside. Your dog must have heard it because they're locked in the bathroom, trying to stay away from it."
Everyone walked into the house, to the front bathroom to see Lexi barking at the bathroom door, while another cop stood a few yards behind her. He looked at Sandy and Kirsten, "We can't get her to let us past."
"Lexi!" Alex called. Her dog immediately stopped barking and walked over to her.
The cop opened the door to the bathroom and he and his partner handcuffed the two men cowering in the bathroom.
Alex bent down and stroked her dog, "Good girl."
Sandy went outside to talk to the police and Kirsten looked around, "Looks like Lexi got to them before they could get anything." Kirsten patted Lexi on the head, "I'm glad she was here." Kirsten looked at the other four, "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at school."
"Me and Coop actually have like a work release thing," Summer explained, "We're interning at High Tide."
Kirsten nodded and crossed her arms at the boys, "What about you two?"
"It's my fault," Alex stood up.
"How?" Kirsten asked.
Alex thought quickly, "I asked them to come with me to move some things around for the party and we were running a little late. And I'm sure you know how a little late turning into a lot late really fast. I'm sorry."
Kirsten nodded and looked at Seth and Ryan, "Next time call me and tell me where you are."
They both nodded.
Sandy walked in and closed the door behind him, "We have got to get ourselves a dog like that."
"No need," Seth smiled, "We talked Alex into stay for at least another month."
Sandy smiled at Alex, "I'm glad to hear it." He pulled Alex into a fatherly hug.
"Thanks," Alex beamed.
Kirsten rubbed Alex's back, "You're welcome to stay for as long as you like. Seth always wanted a sister."
"Ew," Seth stated, "I used to date her so can we not refer to her as my sister."
"Hey," Ryan smiled, "Luke kissed Leia before he knew she was his sister."
Alex laughed, "C'mon. Let's go finish decorating for the party." She turned back to Sandy and Kirsten, "Thank you."
The both nodded and the group walked back out to the car on their way to the Cooper mansion to help get the party set up.