How to get another Boy's Girlfriend

She lay on the bed in the pool house. They were supposed to do homework together. Well, since weeks this was their excuse to have sometime on their own.

"Do you have to go back tomorrow? Can't you stay over the weekend?"

"I have to. That's the deal." He dropped down on the bed. He still wasn't sure if there was more between them. On his side he likely would have this relationship leading to more than just friendship. But there was her boyfriend – considering her point of view he wasn't - and a huge water polo team.

"That sucks. I really liked to spend the weekend with you." She said, rolled towards him and looked into his eyes.

"Why? You have a boyfriend."

"No! He's not my boyfriend he's…just…he's…"

"He's Luke."

"Right."

"And you two still seem to be pretty much a couple." He said. He needed to know what was going on between them.

"From the outside. I…haven't told him…I want to break up. But I really don't like him. I…only hope he might forget about us…I mean that we have …had a relationship." She admits.

"So you're still together. Can't you break up with him, if you don't like him as boyfriend anymore?" And be my, if you want to?

"I would like to. But my Mum likes him and…our relationship already is strained." Mothers. Glad he had none to worry about. It felt strange, but this new life had come so suddenly, he never had really mourned about her death. What meant: either he was emotionally dead or she never had been a real mother for him. Second reason was more probable, considering her alcoholism, her unemployment and her boyfriends. But after what she had told him about her Mum, this monster wasn't any better.

"Tell me something."

"What?" He asked her. He loved her voice. He didn't want to waste their rare time together with his voice, when he had the chance to listen to her.

"About you. The only thing I know about you is that you're Ryan Atwood from Chino with some kind of bad past."

"Isn't that enough?"

"No. I told you so much about my Mum, my sister, my Dad." Her Dad. If there was a person she loved it was her Dad. The way she was talking about him…he sometimes wished he has had a Dad like that. But he didn't and what one never has had, could one never miss and thus nothing could hurt you.

"And I don't mind you talking to me about those things."

"I know. But your Mum, how is she?" Thud. Okay, she really didn't know much.

"Uh…well…she was a monster like your's only …different in somehow."

"And now she had changed?" She came closer to him.

"She died." Her face dropped. Shit, he should have found nicer words to tell a girl his mother was dead.

"Oh…sorry to hear. How…I mean you must be sad…and I was talking about my Mum as if I wished she was…you know…" She started to apologize. He started to feel bad. He didn't want her to blame herself for a mistake which wasn't existent.

"Don't worry. I'm okay with that…in somehow. I mean now she's gone what means less trouble." She sat up and looked at him. She was the first person who showed real interest in his life even emotions. It was a weird feeling. He had no idea how to handle this, despite escaping to a more innocent topic.

"What do you mean?"

"She was an alcoholic…do I have to get more detailed?" He didn't like talking about this. He wanted her to be there for him, not because his past didn't fit into this Newport ideology.

"No…not if you don't want to. What's about your Dad?"

"In jail for armed robbery. Has some years left. Impressive what?" He would understand if she now took her things and went off. But she didn't.

"That's why you live with your brother?"

"Right. Better than a group home or something."

"But you two have a good relationship to each other." He noticed how she tried to catch the last straw figuring his family was not all bad.

"Well…I haven't seen him for three years. But we're on good terms." She laid back and snuggled into his arm.

"You really don't like to talk about this. Can you promise me something?"

"What?"

"That you'll tell me one time. I want to know you. I want to know who you are." She whispered. When she did that, her voice even sounded sexier and he had trouble to stay cool in his pants. Okay, he was glad he managed to do so when she was around anyway. She came closer to him. Closer. Closer. Oh God. This wasn't good. This wasn't his home. He…Now she was laying on…on…on him. He felt his heart beating faster. He took a deep breath. This would be very impolite if he got hot now, or? Her face was over his now. He wanted to take her into his arms, never letting her go. He wanted to kiss her until he lost his breath. He wanted to be a part of her…he wanted her…now and the whole day - the rest of his life. The urge was so strong. He had to fight it. She had a boyfriend. He had to stay cool.

"I want you to be a part of me." She whispered. He wasn't able to hold back. He slung his arms around her and kissed her. She tasted like peaches…sweet peaches. She returned the kiss. It felt as if his body was filled with electricity. His body prickled everywhere. He never had felt like that before. Her skin soft. Her body thin, but smooth. Her hair long and lovely. He tightened his grip around her body. He felt her sinking onto his body. He felt the heat of her body. The heat made them melt into each other. Not only physically. He gave her everything. He let his guard down. He led her into the depth of his soul and she didn't hesitate to enter it. She started to undress him. This here…he and Marissa …they were meant for eternity. There was no way back…STOP! He immediately sat up. He couldn't do this. This…wasn't …meant to happen.

"What? What's wrong?" She asked him.

"I…I can't do this…I mean…not that I don't want to…but…I can't." He had to come down again.

"Why?" She already had seen his soul. There was no reason to lie any more.

"It's…in Chino I…used to…doing it and then sneak out through the window. But I want this to be serious and…this is not possible when we rush it…despite you're still having a boyfriend."

"Why do I have the feeling as if this is not all?" She had seen through him.

"I…if I do that…I would have want to stay with you for the rest of my life and…then I can't run away."

"Run away? You don't have to, or?"

"Not now…but fact is that my life always turns out to be shit at one point and then I need to be able to escape. I…need time until I know I won't have to run away." He said. She nodded and snuggled back into his arm.

"Thanks. For not making use of…you know and for being honest. But I promise I'll do everything to keep you from fleeing and when this means I have to make you stay."

"How do you wanna do that?" He asked laughingly.

"And if I have to rape you." She whispered into his ear. There was no person he would like to give allowance to that more than her.

"Why don't we go out today, if you can't stay over the weekend?" She asked after they lay there in silence for a while.

"Sure."

"With Seth and Summer?" She asked. Uhm…yes. Would be a little more innocent. If they met her boyfriend it wouldn't look like a real date, because all four were friends now. So, just a meeting with friends.

"Sure, why not?"

"Maybe we can push them to be honest to themselves and admit their love to each other. I mean, Summer always says she doesn't like Seth because he's a geek and looks like a beanpole. But seriously, have you seen how she's looking at him and how she's talking about him? I know Summer long enough to figure out whom she likes and whom not. And Seth definitely doesn't belong to her hating list." How was she doing this? From one second she switched to another topic when he started to feel uncomfortable. She always was clearing the situation without all these excusing sentences and gestures – just as if nothing had happened.

He was leaning against the balustrade of the pier, Seth next to him. The girls were …somewhere telling them being back in five minutes.

"Ryan, I have to thank you. Since you're here my life turned out to be the greatest fun on earth. Honestly, I start to like Newport." He looked at Seth. He knew he was a good soul and honest, but he liked to exaggerate.

"Stop this, okay?" He said and gently slapped Seth's back.

"No man! Seriously. Before you were here, not even Marissa – the girl next door – was talking to me. And look at me now? Marissa is taking us to school, I hang out at night with Summer Roberts and the water polo team stopped peeing into me sneakers. Wouldn't you call this a development?" The way, Seth always tried to sound serious, made him laugh. God, he never has had friends he was able to laugh with. In real, he never has had friends like Seth who really cared. It had been Seth's doing that Sandy found him the night he was really messed up. It was Seth initiative allowing him to attend Harbor and at least flee from Chino and his influence for five days a week. It was Seth, who had made it possible for him to regain a perspective.

"You know what Seth, before you start thanking me for something I have no hand in, let me thank you for …you know this here…giving me a chance."

"You know what? We're an unbeatable team." Seth said then they bounced fists. He was right. They were an unbeatable team. Seth kept him out of trouble he used to be in before they met. And he…just kept him out of his depression being forced to live in Newport.

"Hey Chino!" No. It was a dark angry voice and he knew to whom it belonged to. What had he been thinking about?

"Someone told me, you're messing around with my girl." No trouble. He had tried so hard to avoid him, swallowed every insult every fucking day he was in school. He fought the urge to punch - all this only to be allowed to stay here and use his chance.

"So, who do you think you are?" Luke came closer and started with some threatening gestures. They had no effect on him. When you got used to look straight into the muzzle of a gun - which was pointed at you – a guy like this couldn't be a threat for you.

"I didn't mess around with anyone." He only said. He wanted to leave. He had gotten this one chance. He didn't want to destroy it, because of this guy. He had promised his brother he would make it and he always kept his promises.

"I'm not finished with you." Luke grabbed his arm.

"Luke! Let him go!" He heard her screaming. Please let him listen to what his girlfriend says, he begged inwardly.

"Why would I?" He said and then pushed him hard. He struggled to keep balance. But man, this guy owned force. He lost the fight for balance and hit the floor. A stabbing pain ran through his knee. He got back onto his feet. He wanted to. He really wanted it that bad. But at the end it was going to be his ass.

"Little trash from Chino doesn't even know how to walk. Ooops." Black. Rage and black. He knew he was taller and stronger. He knew he was going to lose this. He knew he was screwing up, what others had fought for – for him.

"Ryan!!" He heard Seth scream. It already was too late. His fist connected with a cheekbone and he felt how it gave in – or was it just the flesh around it? He should hope so.

"You little shithead!" Luke screamed and tore him down. His back hit the floor heavy and he couldn't breathe for a second. He felt one punch, two, three…now it was his turn. With force her pushed Luke off of him.

"Stop it! Both!" He heard her scream. He wanted to. He had to. He tasted blood. His lip was split. He went away. He had to. He didn't want to produce more damage. He turned his back and went to Seth. He took some deep breaths. He felt how the anger eased off.

"Ryan!" He heard him scream. Before he knew what was causing this outburst he felt something heavy and strong in the hollow of his knee. He stumbled forward and again landed on his knee – the one Luke had kicked in. Shit. This was a fucking bad pain.

"Did you have to do this?" Marissa screamed. Shit. This hurt. He wanted to scream the pain away, but he knew too well this wouldn't lead to anything, thus he only gritted his teeth. He couldn't suppress a deep groan when he tried to sit up. The throbbing pain in his knee didn't make any attempt to decrease.

"Hey, are you okay?" Seth asked pointing at his knee.

"I guess it could use some ice." He said and tried to get up. No, his knee didn't like the weight of his body. Probably bruised. How he hated it.

"Ryan, do you think you can walk? Shell we get you to the ER?" Summer asked him. He heard sobs. She was crying. Why? He was the victim of Luke's outburst. Not her. He slowly went to her, trying to prevent limping.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked her, sitting next to her, rubbing her back.

"He's…he's such an idiot. He…might have hurt you. And…he's not a boyfriend. He's a…he's a guard, doing his job. Nothing else."

"And that's why you're wasting tears? You know what? At least now you have a reason why not keeping up your relationship. I mean what kind of mother likes to see her daughter dating a violent water polo guy?" His cheering up attempt succeeded, she started to smile. He looked at her and carefully whipped her tears away.

"Are you okay?"

"Sure. It takes a little more to knock me out."

"What do you think?" She asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think you can handle a girl like me?" He hoped so. But he was sure he would do everything to do that.

"Do you want me to?" She didn't say anything but leant over to kiss him. She still tasted so damn fucking good and he got reminded of a few hours earlier this evening.

"Is this enough for an answer?" She asked. He didn't say anything, but kissed her back. Now he sensed he had a reason to stay and one more to avoid Luke. Maybe not everything was bad. Maybe he really was able to escape from his former life.

Seth helped him to walk through the hallway of Casa de Cohen – how Seth used to call it. His knee still hurt like hell. He rather would have liked to sneak into the pool house, without anyone noticing it. In somehow he knew Seth's parents were going to recognize something had happened. And he was afraid of his Mum. Of course she would accuse him for what had happened and throw him out and what then? Shit. Why couldn't things work an easy way? Why did they always have to be so fucking complicated?

"Boys are you home?" Sandy called.

"Yeah!" Seth called back, still helping Ryan limping towards the kitchen…

"Oh my God, what had happened?" Sandy's first sentence when they reached him. Why couldn't those people have a bit more of the Chino-ignorance and just pretend as if nothing had happened?

"Well, that's a long story. But first of all, it wasn't Ryan's fault. At least he wasn't the one who turned violent."

"Seth, spit it out, what had happened?"

"Can I help Ryan to sit down first? And an ice pack…" Seth looked at his face, "better two could be very helpful." Seth said and led him into the living room, where he sat down onto the couch.

"Here." Sandy handed him two ice packs. He placed the one carefully on his knee and the other one, was for his face.

"So, what has happened?"

"As you know we were out with the girls. We had some dinner and then walked a long the pier. The girls went somewhere and Ryan and I had to wait for them. We're talking a bit about this and that and…then Luke appears. I swear we had no idea he was there too. I mean if we had known…"

"Seth, stick to my question."

"Luke was pissed about Ryan messing around with Marissa. Ryan told him he wasn't and then Luke pushed him violently and Ryan fell to the floor and got angry." And now the part where he proved once again, he wasn't better than the rest of his Chino-gang.

"What does angry mean?"

"I punched him."

"Once!" Seth added. "And then he wanted to leave but Luke caught him and…planted a few more punches in Ryan's face and when Ryan was able to free himself and went off, Luke kicked him into the back of his knee." Seth finished the story. Sandy looked at him, critical.

"One punch?"

"Yeah…a heavy one."

"Not more?" Sandy asked on. He only shook his head. He knew what this meant. He got up, the throbbing pain in his knee was still there, but the ice had brought some relieve.

"And you didn't start?"

"No…sorry for that. I know I screwed it. I…just go and pack my things so I can leave, okay? Nobody will have an argument and you don't have to tell your wife."

"Wait, wait, wait. Nobody was saying something about leaving. We all are making mistakes and if what you told me is the truth, there is no reason for you to leave." He gently put a hand onto his shoulder and guided him back onto the couch.

"Dad, it's the truth. Now it's only a question how to persuade Mum it wasn't his fault."

"To persuade me of what?" Okay, now he could pack his bag. He wanted to get up again, but Sandy pressed him back onto the couch.

"Oh my God. I didn't think it was that bad!" She called out, when she entered the living room.

"What?" Sandy asked.

"I was at Julie's and when Marissa came back, talking about some Luke being such an asshole and could have injured you severely I came back." Either luck was on his side – for a change – or she was playing a role to not to upset her husband or son.

"You know what has happened?" Sandy asked her back.

"That's why I'm here. Is it that bad? Shell we take you to the ER. You shouldn't take a knee injury lightly." Help! He rather had liked someone who yelled at him than this. And no, he didn't want to go to the ER. He had enough to them for the rest of his life. He didn't need more.

"No…thanks…it's only bruised. Nothing bad."

"Are you sure? You better let a doctor see it. It might be broken." She stated.

"I…I can …I know when something is broken and when it's only bruised. And this doesn't feel like broken." After this sentence he looked into three not really amused faces.