Taylor trekked back to her room, to find Seth waiting in front of her door. He had his hands in his pockets, and a sad grimace on his face. He wasn't facing Taylor, so she snuck up behind him. She slipped her hands over his eyes, covering them from behind.
"Guess who?" Taylor asked, kissing him on the cheek. "Oh. I don't know. That's a hard one…." Seth joked. He spun around and his sad face brightened, seeing Taylor.
"How'd it go with Sum?" Taylor asked, handing Seth his Latte minus the artificial sweetener. Seth frowned. "Well. Lets just put it this way. It's been better." Seth took a large sip of his Latte.
"That bad, huh?" Taylor said, knowingly. Things must have gone horrifically with Summer. Seth just looked defeated. To cause this, Summer must have flipped. Seth only nodded.
"Do you want to talk about it or anything?" Taylor asked.
As much as Seth wanted to talk to Taylor, he would rather talk to Ryan about it. But he couldn't. Ryan would kill him. Seth had no idea whether Ryan knew about him and Taylor.
"No. I think, its fine." Seth said. "So, Taylor, when are we going to the beach?" Seth said, trying to change the subject. He didn't want to think of Summer, or how sad she had looked just moments ago.
"Oh. Well. About that." Taylor chewed on her bottom lip. She had invited Ryan and Marissa, as a nice gesture, but she wasn't so sure that Seth would appreciate this.
"Well. I invited Ryan, and Marissa," She confessed. Crap. That was sure to be an awkward trip to the beach, Seth thought. Well, Ryan, obviously, knew about Taylor and Seth's new relationship. It was gonna happen sometime.
"Oh. That's okay. I guess. Yeah. It will be fine. Why don't we go get dressed for the beach and get our beach stuff. I'll meet you in the hall in ten minutes." Seth babbled.
Taylor nodded, her auburn hair, shaking around her. "Yeah. I'll be right out." Seth kissed Taylor on the forehead. "Okay, my little anti-sweetner sweetie." Seth tried to laugh, but he still felt bad, about Summer.
"Don't ever call me that. Ever again," Taylor quipped happily. She kissed him on the lips, softly, before waving and going in to her room.
Taylor grabbed her black bikini out of her suitcase, that had been delivered by the airport, earlier. As a cover up, she threw on a long, striped sweater, that buttoned down the front. She left it unbuttoned and the flimsy material draped around her.
Taylor had no idea what to anticipate for the afternoon. Since her and Seth had been together, even though it had only been an hour, they had managed to create a splash of drama. Ryan, when she saw him in Starbucks, he had seemed sad, and brooding.
She knew he was like that because of her. Her and Seth so to speak. But it was his fault. He hadn't shown even the slightest bit of interest in her at the dinner, plus he had that skanky girlfriend hanging all over him.
Seth had been there. Seth had cared about her. Seth showed up, the night they shared their first kiss, when she was crying. Seth truly cared. Ryan just ignored her at dinner. But then again, Ryan never was good with words.
Seth changed into a pair of swim trunks, and flopped down on his bed. That was all he had wanted to do for the last ten minutes. Why was he feeling this way? He was dating a gorgeous girl, and even though she was slightly eccentric , was perfect.
Marissa and Ryan sat on the edge of the bed in Marissa's hotel room. Marissa was pacing back and forth, trying to brain storm a plan of attack for the day at the beach. Suddenly, an idea popped in her head.
The idea was slightly crazy, but could work in her favor. Ryan probably wouldn't be up for it, but maybe if she could convince him…..
"Do. About that plan…" Ryan prompted. Marissa smiled. "I think I have an idea. But you have to be willing to help me." Ryan got up off the bed. "That depends. What is this "master plan" of yours?" he asked.
Marissa's skin flushed. God, he was hott. Ryan looked so gorgeous, she almost stopped and stared. It had been a long time since she had kissed him, and that's all she could think of.
Marissa had missed him after she had left. In fact, several times, she had contemplated going home
But, the thought of the endless Newport drama stopped her. Marissa needed to keep away from Newport, and she knew it. After the Volchuck incident, she just needed to get away.
"Okay. We are going to give Seth and Taylor a little taste of their own medicine." Marissa smiled. Ryan shook is head, slightly, not at all catching on.
"By….." Ryan prompted. Marissa smiled again. "Well. Seth and Taylor, are probably going to be….. well… annoying, and be sickeningly cute. I'm mean this is Seth and Taylor we're talking about."
Marissa paused for effect. "So if we both…act like we're, you know, together. We can be every bit as annoying as them." She looked at Ryan, who had an expression on his face similar to that of a deer in the headlights 'Ris. I don't think that's a good idea," he said, approaching the subject, with tact. "You know I'm not usually the one for manipulation, that's more my mom's style. Buttttt…" Marissa trailed off. "I think, that it might just bug Taylor enough to get her and Seth over with. Which would make everything better for Summer."
Truth be told, she wasn't hoping for a Seth/Taylor break up, just yet. Really, she hoped Ryan would forget about the acting part. Because she missed him. She missed him a lot. Ryan was the best thing that ever happened to her.
Ryan smiled. Maybe it would make Taylor….jealous. He liked that thought. Wait, he shouldn't even be thinking that. He had Tiffany. But for once, Ryan was ready to try something he didn't normally do.
"Yeah. I'll do it," Ryan abruptly said, shocking Marissa. "Why the sudden change of heart?" Marissa said laughing. Ryan shook his head. "I dunno. But can I ask you? Where did you get this "plan"?"
"In all truth, I got it from an episode of The Vallley, that Sum was watching," Marissa admitted, smiling, as she twisted a sandy blonde lock of hair. Ryan was now laughing. "Doesn't surprise me. It sounded like a bad soap opera story line."
After several moments, Marissa, put on her bikini in the bathroom, and stepped out, wearing a sundress over it. She grabbed Ryan by the arm, jokingly. "Come on, darling!" she jokingly purred, already getting started on her acting for Taylor and Seth.
"Atwood. You better get into this. I know the Atwood DNA, pretty much, guarantese you to be free of all emotion 80 of the time. But at least act" She said. Ryan put his hand on her shoulder. "I'll try if you try. I'm sure you'll be great at it. After all, you are related to Julie Cooper." Marissa gave him a glare, but her lips were still smiling. "Lets not go there," She said, in-between giggles.
This was the most she had laughed in a long time. With Ryan, they had never been a particularly jovial couple, but they both had changed. Ryan actually cracked a few jokes, and Marissa had yet to have an emotional break down. Things were going good.
Summer got ready wearing a yellow bikini, and carried a towel, tanning lotion, and People magazine down to the beach. The beach was only a short walk from the hotel; because it was right on the beach. Summer made sure to look extra cute. Their might be some cute guys she could talk to. Ha! Take that, Cohen.
She found her spot on the beach, right in front of the lifeguard stand. The famous life guard stand, where Ryan and Marissa, when they weren't having problems, used to meet up. She plopped her self down, and shut her eyes. Complete relaxation. Or so she thought.
Seth walked out of his room, to meet Taylor. He was her standing there, playing with her hair. She was so beautiful, it suddenly reminded him why he was dating her.
Taylor looked at him, and smiled. "Why are you staring at me?" Seth turned red, flustered. She was his girlfriend, but they had only been going out for a little while, so he still felt nervous.
"Oh. I was just, you know……." Seth trailed off. Taylor giggled. "Seth Cohen! Were you just checking me out?" she said, winking. Seth put his hands up in the air, like someone who had just been caught by the police. "Yeah. Gulity as charged."
Taylor walked toward him. "Well, then. Guilty as charged," she repeated. She cupped his face in her hands, and gave him a long kiss. Perfectly blissfull. But part of her brain wandered; to what it would be like sharing this kiss, with Ryan.
"Seth. Come on. We can do this later. We need to go to the beach," Taylor playfully reminded, breaking away from the kiss. Seth smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. "Okay. Is that a promise?" Taylor blushed. "SETH!" she yelled, in between giggles. "Yes. Of course its a promise." They walked off, holding hands, toward the beach.
Ryan and Marissa had settled them selves, on towels, at the beach. The warm Newport sun beat down on them, and they watched, as an utterly smitten, Seth and Taylor, walk toward them.
"Ryan. I know this is hard, but act……cute." Marissa whispered. Marissa grabbed Ryan's hand, and scooted closer to him, breathing in the mixed smell of sunblock, and cologne. Ryan shot her a knowing glance and returned the favor, by wrapping his arm around her tan shoulders.
As Taylor got closer, she noticed something. Was that Ryan's arm around… MARISSA? What was going on? Well one thing was for sure. Taylor was going to find out. She walked up to Ryan and Marissa, and laid her toel out next to theirs.
"Hey, guys!" Taylor chirped, trying to look happy. Inside, she was burning with questions. "Taylor. Hi." Ryan said, playing with a piece of Marissa's hair. Hey, if he was gonna have to do this, he was gonna do it right. But why did Taylor look so hott?
Seth, stood over to the side, trying to avoid the look of death, that Ryan was aiming at him. Ryan was pissed off, that was for sure. Kid Chino might just have to break out his fists of furry.
Marissa felt Ryan playing with her hair. Heck! He was better than she thought he would be, and it felt really good. Really good.
Taylor piped up breaking the silence. "Hey. How about we play a game of volleyball?" she asked, pointing to the balls, and nets that were available, for use. Everyone agreed, and they decided to play girls versus guys.
Taylor stood on the same side as Marissa, setting the ball back and forth. She glared at her. There was only one way to find out, if Ryan and Marissa were rally together.
"Hey? Marissa?" she started, between passes. "Yeah?" Marissa said back, spiking the ball over the net, scoring a point.
"Are you and Ryan? You know. Together?" She said, bluntly. Marissa tried to look as convincing as possible. She smiled, and blushed, trying to imitate the look of a girl in love.
Getting that look really wasn't that hard. All she had to do is think of Ryan. "Yeah." Marissa chirped. Marissa never chirped.
Taylor gasped out loud, feeling her face turn pale. "oh." She spiked the ball over the net, in the direction of Ryan, fiercely. The ball bounced out of bounds, and rolled down the beach.
"I got that!" Seth called running after the ball. Ryan, Marissa and Taylor followed him. The ball rolled, straight into a girl feet. The girl was laying out, with sunglasses, a yellow bikini, and People magazine.
The closer Seth got, and when he walked up to the girl's towel, he recognized her. Things were about to get interesting.