Everything had worked out almost too well for Seth and Summer since the earthquake. Their relationship had survived her time campaigning around the country on the G.E.O.R.G.E battle bus in style. Seth had moved back to Rhode Island, working freelance to support himself, keen not to rely on his parents.
Seth had gradually prepared the apartment for Summer's return for the new academic year, visiting a circuit of thrift shops every few weeks. He had seen Anna occasionally but she had a partner who appeared to occupy an alarming amount of her time and they had drifted out of contact. Seth considered going over to where he believed they were living when she didn't respond to his fourth text, but he had gotten into the rhythm of a long distance relationship and it eventually slipped his mind. Magic the Gathering, Dungeons and Dragons, texting and calling Summer, e-mailing Ryan, being called by Luke of all people, and finally phoning his parents.
He had kept in close contact with Ryan, himself preparing to start his first year at Berkeley on the opposite side of the country. He was glad Ryan was living in the same area as his parents. While he had little desire to return to California, he missed them all, and was glad that they had at least one son to keep them company while they looked after their new daughter.
Summer had been living at the apartment for two weeks when she vowed to stop being a coward. That she needed to let Seth in on her plan, no matter how he might react. She had let them have a prolonged honeymoon period after over half a year apart, but the academic year was now less than a month away.
Summer had been on the phone with Ryan when she realised time was running out. He told her he was in the process of moving into the student apartment in Berkeley that Sandy had found over two months ago. If this plan was going to work, it had to be soon.
Operation Best Life, as she had dubbed it, had been hatched in the final month of the G.E.O.R.G.E battle bus, born of frantic texts back and forth with Anna and a weekly call with Ryan.
Summer was nervous, their relationship had been in such a good place. Going their separate ways had really strengthened them, and distance had made her heart grow fonder. But it was now or never, she couldn't take the next step without telling him, without his acceptance.
"Seth…" she said, walking from where their shared computer was set up in the bedroom of the small apartment. She saw to her surprise that he was not playing the PS3, but instead hunched over hundreds of Magic the Gathering cards.
"Wait, why aren't you playing your newest version of the Ninja game?"
"For good reason, and remember dear. Anna, embarrassingly, had to tell us that it is set in China, not Japan, so they aren't ninjas. Clearly I wasn't the urbane and liberal East Coast Jew I considered myself to be, at the tender age of 17, living on the West Coast, in a mansion". Seth said without taking his eyes off the cards, sorting them into 8 different piles.
"Right, the point still stands. Why aren't you playing with the high-tech monolith in the corner that you run to every time I let you out of the bedroom for five minutes".
"Well, you see Summer, Magic the Gathering Tenth edition came out and this old man can't keep up with all these new-fangled keywords. Keeps getting his ass kicked by 13 year olds", Seth paused, looking up. "Which, incidentally, I think is when I was best at Magic, maybe it is linked to being a virgin".
"I mean, while I can't give you back your Virginity, I can certainly replicate the conditions, just say the word".
Seth threw down the cards and held up his hands.
"You know what, on reflection...I don't really play to win anyway. I play for the art and the story. How can I help you, my dear?" he said, looking up at her and then gesturing to the space on the second-hand couch next to him.
"Okay", Summer said, sitting down beside him, her confidence gone now that she wasn't teasing him over nerdy hobbies. Time to get down to Brass Tacks, Roberts.
"Cohen. I have something to tell you…"
Seth's face dropped instantly.
"Oh god, you didn't call me Cohen and then say that". he said, a wry smile forming after the initial reaction. "You are breaking up with me, you are pregnant. You are breaking up with me and you are pregnant".
"No and no, you idiot", she said laughing. "This is serious. I have something I want to run by you. That I've been meaning to tell you".
Summer let the dust settle after she had told him the main thrust of the plan without the detail.
"Wow, okay. So Anna and Ryan stayed in contact that much?" he said, playing with his hands.
"They emailed like, forever after she left. All through Harbour. I think it stopped, with...Well, after Coop... But it started back up again once I straightened Atwood out" Summer said proudly.
"Once we had straightened him out", Seth corrected.
"I stand by my statement Cohen. I didn't fly a collective 6000 miles for a royal we".
Seth smiled slightly, but she could tell he was still processing the information.
"Okay, so sure. They messaged a lot, but neither of them mentioned it to me? That's weird".
"Pretty sure that's because they knew you'd be weird about it dear".
"Weird ab-. I wouldn't be weird about it. I'm very fine with it, in fact", Seth said, nonchalantly waving his hands.
"You are being weird about it now, and you dated for like 3 months, a million years ago. Think about how weird you would've gotten back then. You might've run off to Tahiti...Twice".
"Please, I've done a not insignificant amount of personal growth since then, despite the great strain and emotional toll that you know doing so inflicts upon me".
Seth paused, gathering his thoughts and still smiling at his own joke.
"So what were they even talking about? And for years? I mean, Ryan was busy, I didn't even know he had an email address".
"I think he made one to talk to her, which is totally adorable if you ask me". Summer took a deep breath. "And I did ask him once actually, about why he kept messaging her…He said it just sort of started and didn't stop, that they filled a hole in each others life. Not romantic, but detached, far away. Anna had her own fair share of dramas when she returned. They both needed someone who wasn't involved in their day to day". Summer reflexively let out a sigh, thinking back to their time in Newport with more than a small pang of pain.
"I guess Anna is sensible, logical, and she had distance from everything once she was back in Pittsburgh. Ryan is, as you know, a good listener, and only talks when it matters. I can see why he'd make a good confessional. Me, you, were all too involved in...well, everything. Anna wasn't a Newport brat and she wasn't there. She was a friend he could turn to. Just think about how crazy he might've gone without her".
"The dude became a cage fighter Summer, how much crazier can you get".
"Yeah, that was when he stopped responding. She nearly flew out here when...all that happened".
Summer regained her composure after a moment, Seth putting his arm around her, pulling her closer as they both sunk into the sofa.
"Anyway, happy thoughts. Now Taylor is now firmly in Paris with some guy named Nate. Ryan isn't exactly drowning in meaningful female friendship. The last thing we want is for him to go to Berkeley, alone or unattached. He is in a bad way. He will just drift from damsel to damsel like he always does and it'll all go horribly wrong and he might start cage fighting again, or worse, drop out". Summer looked to Seth, raising her eyebrows "Do you want that on your conscience?"
"Why can't he live with Luke, Luke is, as a testament to the power and influence of American Sports Scholarships system, inexplicably, going to Berkeley right?" Seth paused, Summer enjoyed the face he always made while he was thinking about the next lines of his daily comedy routine. "It'll be like old times, they can punch each other, punch other people. Lust over the same women...Bed people who liked to sleep with my Grandfather, God rest his soul".
"Ew", Summer said, shaking her head. "It wouldn't work, I played this scenario out in my head already. Luke is in a house with 5 other 'men', two are called Logan and Chad. Even if there was a space, all we'd be doing is switching up Broody Saviour Ryan into Broody Manwhore Ryan. Besides, Ryan is already like the most attractive guy in the world, give him the Portland Surfer Society as wingmen, they'll need to spray down the walls of that house with bleach". Summer said, sinking deeper into Seth's arms.
"I didn't need that image in my head. Also, I'm sorry, did you just call my blood brother the most attractive guy in the world?" He said, looking down at her.
"Other than you dear", Summer replied, sitting up to kiss him on the forehead.
"Right".
"And besides, just because Anna and Ryan will be living together doesn't mean they'll fall madly in love"
"Right, because as you said, he is only the most attractive, broodiest guy in the world. What isn't to love. He is like Gregor Samsa crossed with Freddy Krueger".
"Yeah, well you'll be going the way of Joseph K if you don't listen to reason and hear me out", Summer said, rolling her eyes.
"As ever, a complete dark horse on the literature front, first Madame Bovary, now this...Please continue, you've shocked me to compliance".
"Listen up Cohen. Welcome to why Anna won't fall in love with Ryan Atwood instantly 101. A) She is already his friend. B) She was infuriatingly mature even at 16, let alone now. And C) she isn't exactly the type of girl who swoons over big muscles and a strong jawline. I mean she dated you after all". Summer said, counting the reasons on her fingers as she went for dramatic effect
"Wow, compliments coming thick and fast today Sum", Seth said, bemused. "But, I mean you dated me and you like muscle guys right?"
"Yes, but much like Princess Sparkle, I'm a wonderful unicorn", Summer said, turning to flutter her eyelashes at him with an over-exaggerated, sickly sweet and entirely ironic voice.
"That you are my love, that you are" Seth said, rising to meet her absurdism.
There was a lull as Seth considered everything.
"And you won't tell me precisely what happened to Anna's boyfriend? Nor why she has decided to leave Brown, and go, essentially as far as possible, to Berkeley of all places?"
"No, not yet. Not until you agree, or disagree." Summer said, wincing slightly in discomfort. "It is deeply personal, Seth. You know I wouldn't hold it from you if she hadn't asked".
"Okay, okay. So we are on the same page, a chronic issue during the last few years. I am currently signing off the 'I, Seth Cohen, am fine with Anna Stern moving in with Ryan Atwood' bill, yes?"
"Not that this bill should need your sign-off Cohen, but yes. Anna needs accommodation in Berkeley. Ryan needs a room-mate in that apartment Sandy found for him".
"Ahh yes, his dedication to making sure Ryan has the exact same experience he had is truly weird, touching and maybe slightly creepy". Seth mused.
"Cohen! He is excited that his son is going to the same university he did. I think it is really sweet".
"I mean, it is a little minty. To pull that one back from the past. But, I mean I'm glad Ryan is taking the focus on this one. Who knew a surprise brother at sixteen would allow me to go to the east coast with only a significant amount of guilt inflicted upon my psyche". Seth held his hands up in mock realisation. "See, he should focus on that, I'm like a reverse Sandy Cohen. Fleeing the luxurious West to go to the cold East, like a Soviet defector".
"Cohen, you are deflecting not defecting.. Are you okay with this?" Summer asked.
"If I say I'm okay with it. Will you please, please tell me why Anna is going to Berkeley? What happened to Brown?"
"She is transferring...She doesn't feel comfortable here. Anymore". Summer said, looking away from him but staying nestled in his arms. She felt Seth tense up.
"Summer, what happened?" he asked, slowly.
"A break-up, a bad, toxic break-up. She wants a fresh start, and they've let her transfer with most of her credits".
"Right. And she just so happens to be transferring to the same institution that our plucky young hero, Ryan Atwood, happens to be attending?"
"Crazy how sometimes it just works out…" Summer replied, with an exaggerated shrug.
"And you didn't happen to suggest this to her? Some sort of subtle, mind-heist. Like that film Christoper Nolan has been trying to make for years"..
"Christopher Nolan?"
"That Batman movie I showed you last year".
"With the nipples and lady trying to save the planet with sexy eco-terrorism?"
"No, we don't talk about that one...Unless we are talking about sexy eco-terrorism".
"No, for your reference Cohen, I didn't suggest this, but I encouraged it. And I have no idea if her decision is influenced by Ryan. I don't even know if she knows".
"I mean if they e-mail…"
"Yes, okay she definitely knows. Maybe she wanted to be somewhere familiar. It was a grim break-up, maybe she needs a friend. They always had a certain...spark".
"A spark?" Seth said, now looking even more concerned.
"Yes Cohen, god. You were probably too busy being neurotic and self-absorbed. But those two had a spark. Only a small one I guess. And obviously they never acted on it, largely because of you, I'd guess".
"This is all news to me"
"There was that period, after Oliver showed his true colours and Anna broke up with you and Ryan and Coop weren't together. I really had my money on those two getting together, even just the once. They were giving each other these looks. Sparks had been flying at the carnival, at the parties, sparks everywhere. But I guess she made her choice, and Ryan was...well, busy. I guess Anna didn't need as much saving as the other girls", Summer sighed longingly.
"I'm sorry, how could I have had no idea this was going on?" Seth asked, disbelief in his voice.
"You were busy being in love with me".
"And you weren't busy being in love with me?" Seth shot back.
"No, I was, and am, very in love", Summer said, kissing him on the shoulder. "But unlike you dear, I can focus on more than one thing at the same time".
"Anna and Ryan…"
"Don't feel bad you missed it, I only pieced some of it together over the last eight months, from what they both told me".
"What did they tell you?" Seth asked too quickly.
"That is a secret, Cohen", she teased.
"I thought we didn't have secrets?"
"We don't, but they do. And you've still not given your sign-off on Operation: Best Life".
"Will you tell me if I give sign-off to your evil plan, Lex Luthor?" Seth sighed, ready to concede.
"You are lucky I'm not the suspicious kind Cohen, or I'd be concerned you have an issue with a girlfriend you had four years ago being with another person. Which might infer a certain amount of attachment…"
"Hey hey, no...no. You are right, I'm being weird. I'm sorry. I guess I'm just…"
"Neurotic?" Summer chimed in, helpfully.
"Concerned", Seth said seriously. "I care about them both, a lot. And I've had my moments of not being a particularly great friend to either of them. I don't want to see them get hurt".
"Then trust me Seth." Summer said, Now in her serious voice. "They are both very close friends to me. I kept in contact with Anna, Ryan is one of my best friends. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't really believe it could help them. This idea isn't matchmaking. This is trying to help two people who have had a really bad time, who are hurting, who need someone, some stability." As Summer finished, she looked up at him, her eyes ever so slightly pleading.
"Okay, okay. But we should go and check on them pretty soon after, if they agree".
"Thank you, thank you, thank you. It'll mean a lot to them that you are cool with it".
"If they agree".
"I think they will". She said, beaming.
"Okay, then tell me these secrets, I think I've earned them".