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River stared at Summer and she hopped from one foot to the other, which was some feat considering the heel size of the velvet Mary Jane pumps she was wearing.

"You're serious aren't you?" he said slowly, his eyes were narrowed in a state of confusion

"Of course I'm serious" she said firmly, she was going to come clean with Seth and tell him about her and River, then she could be with him, guilt free. Well, not completely guilt free but at least she wouldn't be lying to anyone and Seth would stop hating her sooner or later.
She figured it would be later rather than sooner, however.

They stood underneath some round, neat trees near the lunch time seating area, Summer had pulled River into a corner, desperate to tell him what she planned to do before the day was out.

"You really want this?" asked River, wondering how he was going to get out of this situation, because if he became 'exclusive' with Summer, that would blow the lid on his whole relationship with Marissa, which would lead to repercussions for Phoenix.In other words, toqoute his chain smoking, Botox loving grandmother; 'the shit will hit the fan like a bug on a windshield'

Summer looked into his eyes and smiled assuredly "Hell yeah! It's going to be hard…I mean I love Seth…but not in the way that I need to. I want to be with you, don't you want us to be together…without sneaking around like some weird Sunset Beach storyline?"

River swallowed and then flashed his patented charming smile at the petite brunette. "Of course I do. I'm just thinking…that maybe your rushing into this a little, why don't you wait till after the drama with Ryan blows over, Seth's stressed about that…we don't want to add to that"

Summer's mouth went into a put out O and she nodded "Yeah, yeah your right"

River nearly let out a 'phew' but smiled wisely instead "I'm always right"

Summer grinned "Yeah, whatever. Okay, I'm going to get a coffee, you better go back to lunch before people get suspicious"

River nodded and returned to where Seth and Marissa, sans Phoenix were sitting and eating their lunch. His excuse had brought him some time, for now. He just prayed that by the time Summer and Marissa found out what he was up to, he was back in New York with his sister and brother, where he belonged, and done dealing with the insipid Newport girls and their irritating boyfriends.

"Seth, you all right man?"

Seth looked up at River from his soda, as the taller boy sat down opposite Marissa, who had suddenly taken a bigger interest in examining her chunky cheese burger. At that moment, River appeared to be Seth's only friend. He had to tell someone what he'd seen but how in the world was he going to explain to River that he'd been secretly dating Phoenix who appeared to be cheating on him with Ryan?

"I'm cool. I'm better than cool, I'm ice cold. In fact, I am the very model of a mordern Major General" smiled Seth a little too widely, spokea little too quickly and laughed a little too much

Marissa gave him a look and then busied herself with hertallcold milkshaketo avoid looking at River. She sighed to herself, wishing to be back in a time when lunch was just lunch and not the awkward spectacle it was now.

"I think the bubbles have all gone to your brain…or you know, what's left of it" smiled River

Seth laughed sarcastically "I….you…damn. Don't worry my friend, I will have a retaliatory zinger prepared to hit you with soon. After all, I am the very model of a modern Major General, I've information vegetable, animal and mineral" he shot back nonsensically

"What Seth not being funny? That's like Santa not coming down the chimney every Christmas with a bag of gifts" said Summer sitting down beside him and also not looking at River.

Seth laughed along with the rest of the table and wondered if they'd laugh if they knew the real reason for him being so quiet and 'off'.

"So, where's your sis?" he asked as casually as possible, even though River saw completely through that he went along with Seth's act.

"Wow, didn't even realise she wasn't here. She better not be skipping double biology. She's my lab partner" smiled River, he was charming as always, never once giving up how pissed off he was that his sister had skipped out on him without any explanation or a phone call.

Phoenix sat beside Ryan on the beach, both staring at the waves lap onto the shore, their silence was a comfortable one. Both of their heads were buzzing with too many thoughts, neither felt really like talking but were enjoying the peace all the same. After some time had passed, Ryan spoke first. Clearing his throat.

"I think I should break up with Marissa. It isn't really fair to her, she doesn't deserve to be lied to"

Phoenix cocked her head to the side and looked at Ryan, her hair moving gently with the breeze which was warm enough for her not to require any coat or sweater but Ryan still made sure she was wearing his grey hooded jacket just in case she got cold.

"Why? I mean, why do you want to break up with her?" asked Phoenix

Ryan looked at her as if it was obvious, he said as much too. "Because…of you…and me"

"Uh huh. Right" managed Phoenix uncomfortably, try as she might to ignore him and keep her feelings in check, there was something so endearing, honest and refreshing about Ryan Atwood that drew her back to him again and again.

"Y'okay?" he asked and put an arm around her, pulling her towards his chest. Phoenix rested her head in the crook of Ryan's shoulder and hated how comfortable and perfectly naturalshe felt there.

"Yeah. You're so cute when your not all aggressive and macho" she teased after some more time had passed

Ryan chuckled "You've never seen me aggressive and 'macho', I'm not like that anymore"

"I guess that's why I kicked your ass in that arm wrestle earlier" she grinned

Ryan smiled, he loved how down to earth Phoenix was, she was wealthy, beautiful and yet she refused to conform to Newport standards and was just as comfortable being a girl as she was messing around and not afraid to be stupid as she'd shown him earlier that day when she'd been in hysterics over a kids movie they'd watched when they left school.

"You didn't kick anything, I let you win" he shot back

"Oh yeah, whatever. Prove it!"

She pushed him into the sand and managed to hold Ryan down, but only momentarily because seconds later, just by flipping her over, Ryan had Phoenix pinned down, he held her down by her wrists, with his knees planted in the sand either side of her.
He lowered his head down to kiss her and they stayed locked in that position for quite some time before with a laugh, Phoenix pushed Ryan away till he was lying in the sand next to her.
They stared up at the afternoon's orange sky, breathless from their kiss.

"Thanks for staying here all day with me" said Ryan

"It was my pleasure" she said with a voice that reminded Ryan of how alluring he'd found her when they'd first met.

"I don't know what's going to happen to me when I get back…this whole fire thing. I think I'm going straight to juvie" he muttered, dampening the mood

Phoenix turned on her side and propped her head up on her hand, she examined him carefully "No you're not. You're going to beat this, you couldn't have done it…anyone who knows you knows that. Like you said…all that kind of shit, is in your past"

Ryan scoffed, but was touched by her words. "Who else are they going to blame, I'm the kid that burnt down a house, I'm an ex-con here, that's how everyone sees me"

"That's not how everyone sees you. I don't"

"I know. That's what I love about you"

Ryan shut his mouth suddenly and groaned, shocked that he'd just admitted what he hadn't even been sure of a few hours ago.He predicted, rather accurately that this would freak the girl out.

Phoenix was very still for a moment and then she suddenly jumped into action, she stood up and began to walk back up to the pier.

"Hey! Where are you going…I'm sorry I said…" he called after her

Phoenix turned and smiled vaguely "That's…it's late now, no one knows where I am. I should get home. See you at school" Then she ran off before he could stop her Ryan crashed back down into the sand and groaned to himself.

Perfect. Just perfect.

Phoenix walked at a furious pace back to her house she snuck into her room unnoticed and cried silently. She was pissed off.
First she was inexplicably pissed off with Ryan, for causing her fall in love with him when she was just supposed to be using him to prove how bad kids in Newport were.
Then she was pissed off rather a lot with herself for getting into the situation she was in, using Ryan as a scapegoat and ruining his life and then having the nerve to fool him into falling in love with her. She needed to get out of Newport before she ruined everyone's lives.

Joaquin frowned down at the beach, he had been out running an errand on the pier (that was code for dealing drugs to some minors near a secluded area under the pier) and was more than a little surprised to see his sister not in school, and hanging out, strike that; kissing the very guy he was setting up. She had grown too attached. He knew this would happen. Phoenix wasn't like him or River, in some ways that was a good thing but right now, he needed her to be tough and focused.
He scowled to himself, he'd just have to speed things up now.
A/N: Try as I might, I still post later than is normal and I apologise by that, but you must understand I'm very busy sulking about how I wasn't able to go to Reading and Leeds festival with my friend. Read it and review me my dears, I don't live for reviews because I'd write even if no one read what I wrote, but it really is nice to see some support. Title is from The Ramones, Josh Schwartz ripped me off!

Anyway, I was away so...I couldn't post. There's more to come but let me tell you my friends, the end of 'The Two' is near. Oh and valkries, I'm sorry for continuously getting your name wrong without fail. (DAMN spellcheck)