A/N.: Thanks a lot for all the nice reviews!!! I needed them ;) And sorry for this chapter being soooo long.

Whisky, Homework & and Girls

He never had thought nights in California were cold like this. But they were. Maybe the fact it was a starry night and there was a strong breeze coming from the sea made it such cold. But what did he knew? What did he knew anyway? Was there at least something he did know? No. His life had turned upside down in one fucking single second and he had been powerless. There had been nothing he could have done, to prevent this. And now there was nothing to stop the role of changes coming up to him. It was as it always had been: he was a pawn in some cruel game of destiny. He always was the pawn: his Mum's pawn, her boyfriend's pawn, the system's pawn. He was no living creature but a thing they jerked around as if he didn't bother. But he did bother. He bothered his Mum's alcoholism, he bothered his brother fucked off, he bothered his father being in jail and he bothered his Mum's boyfriends. And he damn fucking bothered his Mum being dead now. Without warning. She left him, just like that, without a word. She had left him, like his father had left him. She left him alone. And worst of all: thus she was determining his whole life – at least how it was going to be the next two years. Hell, two years can be long – very long. How could she do this to him? Had he been such a bad son? Okay, he has had some trouble, but nothing serious. A few brawls at school and some suspensions. Sure, he had stolen. Fuck, he couldn't have starved for a whole week.

Shit, why was he always the one having to manage all on his own? He didn't want that. At least the sand had some comforting warmth left. Well and the whisky made for the rest. Yes, he shouldn't drink. No, he had no idea what to do else. It…just helped. It helped to pull himself together and not to burst into tears like a baby. It helped to replace the warmth he was missing – for far too long. It helped to forget – just for a moment, but this was worth it. It helped just with everything.

After he had sat a little longer thinking and trying not to get drowned in self-pity the world around him started to blur. His eyelids became heavier with every blink and then he just lay down, curled together and vanished into the depth of darkness.

He awoke when someone was shaking him violently. He groaned. He was tiered. He didn't want to get up yet.

"Hey Ryan…are you okay?" He heard a voice. A male one. Known? Not good, but yes. Man, I just wanna sleep.

"C'mon, give me a sign, you're okay." He slowly opened his eyes and sat up. The sun shone bright. He was shocked to realize, the days of suffering from a bad hangover were gone. Shit. He never had wanted to get that far. But hell, he was his Mum's son, what else was she able to…had she been able to teach him. The whole last day got recapitulated in his mind and he closed his eyes again and let himself drop back into the sand.

"Hey, everything's okay?" The annoying voice still was there.

"How does it look?" He answered, without knowing who was talking to him…SHIT! He immediately opened his eyes and sat up again. No, this wasn't quite the polite behaviour one would expect.

"Sorry." He added, when he saw who the owner of the voice was.

"At least I know you're okay. What are you doing here? I worried when I found you here. Have you been here through whole night?" Stop. So many questions at once. His Mum never asked him…had asked him - right. Mr. Cohen kneeled down to him. He had messed it up – as usual. He never was able to do something right.

"Hey, I asked you something." Was he getting angry? Of course he was. But this man could hide his anger pretty well.

"Yeah…uhm…sorry…just…I dunno…actually…"

"Had been a bad day yesterday." Mr. Cohen glanced at the bottle next to him. From worse to worst. He was a lord in those things.

"Must have a pretty bad hangover." No, he hadn't. But he wasn't sure whether it was good to tell him or not. Better not. He just …say nothing if you want to stay out of trouble. And this was his plan A right now and he had to stick to it.

"C'mon kid, let's go. It's a little cold outside." Mr. Cohen said and got up. He did too. Mr. Cohen wanted to put a hand onto his shoulders. He flinched. He didn't want to be smug or stuff. He just couldn't change it. It was a reflex. While they went down the beach, he recoiled what had happened the day before. Then it went over to some other memories and at the end he came to the conclusion: he should stop whining. He should have known it would come like this. He should have been prepared. He had let his guard down, although his life had taught him how things went for him: from bad to worse and a little later to worst. He knew it and he hadn't paid attention.

They arrived at the Cohen's house.

"You'd better go get a shower and brush your teeth. My wife doesn't need to know about your little beach trip. And then you come and have some breakfast." Uh? What was that? He had done a little…a huge mistake and he still? What was that? This wasn't supposed to happen. Or no, wait. He just makes you feel safe and then in one second he snaps at you, right? He was one of those people catching you, when you let your guard down.

"Don't look at me like that. Did you thought I'll kick you out for this? In fact I don't tolerate what you've done and if you would be Seth you wouldn't leave this house for a month. But you're not Seth and yesterday had been pretty rough, so I just take this as a little gaffe." He only nodded. Just a little gaffe? Hey, he could kick his as for it, with reason. Why didn't he do so? What did he plan? He hated it uncertainty. It was driving him insane, because he never knew when the time had come. But one thing was for sure. He didn't buy his understanding-show.

When he was finished showering and dressed Seth already was waiting for him.

"Do the cloths fit?" He asked him. Seth and borrowed him some of his, due to the fact that he had nothing.

"Yeah…yeah, thanks." He said. He felt uncomfortable. Not only because he was wearing a foreigner's cloths, sleeping at a place he didn't belong to and have behaved like a monkey.

"Hey man, I heard my Dad picked you up from juvies." Well, this was direct and it seemed as if secrets needed to be hid pretty well in this household.

"But don't worry I have no problem that you're a kind of semi-criminal. I mean, we still can be friends, right? Or is this now some kind of gang-thing. You know only hang out with who had been in lock up for longer than four weeks." Clichés, how he hated them.

"I haven't been in for a week." He only said, thinking it would make Seth shut up. But it didn't and he should know that by now.

"Yeah, I know, but you've been in before, right? And now again. I mean now you're a really tough one, drinking, tattoos girls all this, aren't you?"

"Seth I'm not tattooed." And he didn't plan to change this in near time.

"Not yet, right. But I bet you soon will be and then? What then? Will you still greet me? Or will I only be some kind of nerd for you?" He only saw one method to stop him. He threw a pillow at Seth.

"Okay I see this as sign. So, do you wanna have some breakfast?" Seth asked him. He only shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't sure if he wanted. He definitely wasn't hungry. But trying everything to avoid Mr. and Mrs. Cohen only would proof his lack of behaviour.

"C'mon." Seth dragged him with into the huge kitchen. Mrs. Cohen stood in a corner, drinking her coffee. When she looked up at him, he immediately started to focus the floor. She didn't like him and she had enough reasons to do so. He didn't dare to look at her.

"Hey Ryan, good to see you. We were worried when we found the pool house empty." No she wasn't. He could see it on her face and hear it in her voice. For her he only was an intruder, disturbing her household and her family. And he was nothing more. He only wished to vanish into thin air.

"Hey boys!" Mr. Cohen came in. Okay, now it was going to be funny. It won't take long until the whole kitchen new about his little trip to the beach.

"What are your plans for today?" He asked into their direction. Huh? No tell off? No slap into his face? Dude, this man knew what torture meant. This was going to be the hardest weekend in his life.

"I don't know. What would you like to do, Ryan?" He? He had no idea. How could Seth think he knew what to do on weekends? He never did something then, besides some household and then just, doing nothing…like Chino-nothing: meeting some friends and then doing nothing.

"Seth, what about your project in physics?" Mrs. Cohen asked serious. Well, he never had done homework and especially not on the weekend. He asked himself why he never had done so. Could have kept him out of some trouble.

"Yeah." Seth groaned.

"Well then I suggest you do this first."

"But Mum…"

"Seth! You became a little lazy and I don't like your new attitudes towards school." Wow, she really meant it. His Mum never cared if he even went to school … had cared. Right. Now she would never care anymore. Well, no change there. But…can't he just forget what had happened the last – approximately – forty-eight hours?

"Seth, your Mum's right. First your school work." His father as well? Both? Wow. He couldn't even imagine how it was like his Mum asking him how school was. She had done it once in a while and it always had felt awkward.

"Okay, can Ryan help me?" Seth asked defeated.

"I don't know if it's such a good idea. I mean – no offence Ryan – but I don't think he can help you in this." Okay the conversation took a direction he didn't like.

"But Mum…" Seth seemed to be back in his five-years-state.

"Seth, it's okay. I can survive a few hours on my own. I just leave you and you can meet me later." He tried to prevent any worse.

"Ryan, you don't have to leave the house. You also can stay here and wait for Seth." Mr. Cohen intervened now.

"No…it's okay." He said and was already on his way out.

"But Mum, if he helps me, I'll be finished with it faster."

"Or never." Mrs. Cohen answered.

"But he also helped me with my math homework. He can do this." Seth protested. It felt strange. Never anyone had tried to convince someone else from him.

"Why not? A little teamwork." Mr. Cohen answered.

"But Sandy, Seth is in an advanced course in every subject. I can't imagine Ryan only understands half of it."

"No, he understands everything. He's the reason why I caught up in math that fast."

"Why not, Kirsten? Let them just spend some time together." Mr. Cohen said.

"Okay, but you'll do your homework in the dinning room thus I can watch you, doing them." Mrs. Cohen answered.

"Hey Ryan, you can come back!" Seth called after him. He slowly made his way back. He felt the angry glance from Mrs. Cohen and it made him feel guilty. He just left his head where it was – down.

"Okay, I'm surfing now." Mr. Cohen said and thus they were left alone. Seth, Mrs. Cohen and he. He felt miserably uncomfortable. Why wasn't there any emergency exit? He really could need one right now.

"C'mon Ryan, sit down. I bet this is not as bad as math." Seth said and went to get his stuff. He was alone - alone with Mrs. Cohen, who would kill him if she could. Or? Last night had been awkward. She had cared, although she hated him. He still felt her angry glances in his neck. It wasn't his fault – this time, or? Was it his? Was he the reason for this dispute? Probably, because if he hadn't been there, this hadn't happen. He wished he never had come here with Mr. Cohen. He only wanted to run, but this only would get him into more trouble and he didn't need any more.

Now it was time to go. He was glad to leave the house. He wasn't able to get rid of this curious feeling he carried around since he had arrived here. When they went out the driveway he saw her again. The most beautiful girl in the world.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" She asked him.

"Meeting Seth."

"Uh…and what are you two going to do?"

"Hang out. No idea. And what are you doing?"

"Waiting." Something was curious about her. She was different – in somehow. In front of him didn't stand the warm-hearted girl with the huge smile and bright eyes. Something was bothering her.

"And whom are you waiting for?" She looked at him and then onto the floor.

"If you promise me, not to be angry at me." She whispered. Okay, there was something utterly wring here.

"Why would I?"

"It…It's Luke. Listen, I don't want to be with him anymore…but…my Mum thinks he's such a nice guy, well behaviour and stuff. She already had planed my future for him and it's hard to tell her…that…he's not the one…that I don't want to spend my future with him." Bang! This felt like a slap into his face. Sure, he should have seen this coming. The poor boy from Chino was nothing more than a nice little adventure. Of course he was nothing more. How had he been able to think, a girl like this could like him? He couldn't offer her anything, despite himself.

"Well, then have fun." He said. It was hard not to let bitterness overwhelm him. He still liked her too much, as if he could hurt her.

"Ryan, don't get this wrong. If I could…"

"What was there to get wrong?" He bites back and when Seth appears just went off. He didn't want to see her, because it broke his heart. He considered himself as smart? Failed. He was a dumb ass.

It was getting late, but spending time with Seth never got boring and he was able to distract him. He asked himself how such a creative boy like Seth had no friends. Okay, he was talking a little too much, but hey, everybody has some kind of tic or? They were on their way back. The sun was hidden behind a huge black cloud and it seemed as if rain was coming up. The air smelled like rain and the wind had gotten stronger. Seth didn't recognize any of it. Probably because he never was forced to stay outside of his home longer than he wanted to. He probably never had spent some days on the streets.

"Stop! Leave me alone!" They heard a hysteric voice screaming. This sounded like trouble. Seth looked at him and it was as if they both had the same thought at the same time. Both headed into the direction the voice came from.

"Don't. You can…you can have my…my… purse, my mon…money and I won't …won't inform the police." The loud hysteric voice had turned into a whimper, interrupted by heavy sobs. He knew these sounds quite too well, but he never had thought hearing them in this area.

"What if I don't want only your purse?" There was this deep and silent male voice. Seth looked at him as they reached the scene. He only could imagine how the girl must feel…wait…what? It was Marissa? What was she doing here? It was already late and a girl like she wasn't supposed to be out alone at this time. Where the fuck was her super-boyfriend?

"Please…don't." She was crying.

"Don't worry, I'm smooth as I can." Seth still was looking at him. Of course he had no clue what to do. For him this was as new as it was for Marissa – as it should be new for him.

"You won't." He said. The man looked at him.

"Who are you?" The man got off of Marissa and went towards him, but stopped after a few steps.

"Someone who'll kick your ass, if you won't leave her alone." He only answered.

"Nice." The man said and then he only felt how his cheekbone connected with a fist. A burning sensation went over his cheek, but he was still on his feet.

"Okay, you were the first, what means this…" He hauled off and then with his whole force beat the man back. He collapsed onto his knees. Now he was the one of was whimpering.

"is self-defence." He turned to Seth who was holding crying Marissa in his arm. Damn, now he was jealous, but he didn't show it.

"Hey, this looks as if it hurts." Seth commented about his cheek.

"Is okay." He only said. If he considered this as hurtful, what was meant real pain for him? For him this was nothing he couldn't take care of himself, thus it couldn't be that bad.

"Oh God!" Marissa called out and ran into his arms. Hu? Okay, just take the chance. He put his arms around her.

"Is okay, everything's fine." He said in low voice, soothing her.

"Let get you back home." And they went off. She didn't leave his side.

"I'm…so sorry, for…what I said earlier. I didn't mean to hurt you…"

"'s okay. But where's your boyfriend now?" He wasn't able to hold back this question. What kind of boyfriend was this Luke? Leaving his girl alone in such a night? Hell, it should have been his cheek throbbing with pain, not his.

"With his friends. He's not my boyfriend…it's …Damn, I was angry when you said you left. I was hurt. I felt as if I only was some kind of game for you. Could I have known that you come back one day?" Shit. Right, he had messed it up.

"Sorry, I…"

"You fucking left me, without explanation. And I though it was serious between us!" She screamed. He felt bad. Really bad.

"Sorry, I…I had no choice." He owed her an explanation. That was true.

"You had no choice? What the fuck could have been that important that you left me? What the fuck would have happened to you, if you had stayed?"

"They send me into a foster home, that's what I wanted to avoid." He had trouble to stay calm.

"So what? Better than having no place to stay. At least you would have stayed here."

"No, that's the problem. They…send me to wherever they want me to. And if I had been able to run, I could have come back. But now, I have to stay at some fucked up place for the next two years." He looked into her eyes. She didn't say anything. Of course she had no idea. She felt betrayed and she had all right to.

"Marissa, what he wanted to tell you, was that he ran so he could be able to see you again." Seth disturbed the silence.

"I know Cohen…and…is it true that it got you in trouble, like juvies?" She asked shyly.

"Yes, but how do you know?"

"Newport gossip is faster than a forest fire." Seth answers.

"Ryan, you can't leave. I need you. They can't send you away."

"This isn't in my hand."