Author's Note: Sorry about not updating in more than a week. I've been a
little busy and I didn't really get inspired until I was in the library n
BAM! There it is. Thanks for the reviews and I hope you guys enjoy this
chap. Please R&R! [P.S.: Marissa has a "talk" with herself in the last
half. Just to make sure everything's clear.]
Chapter 9 "Home Sweet Home"
'Geez, bright lights.' Ryan thought. 'I can really get a tan from this.' He continued to squint at the overly intense lights. Riley noticed his discomfort and dragged through the rest of the hallway to the living room. "You get used to the light." She said.
"Really? You sure? It's like the sun exploded and the fact that the walls are white don't really help." Ryan said.
"Oh shut up you big baby. You're gonna be living here so suck it up. Buy sunglasses or something."
The house was very quiet, due to the fact that the Brooks family was sleeping with the exception one.
"Riley Brianna Brooks! Just WHERE have you been?!" Riley's mom demanded. Kate was fuming and breathing hard. "And you bring home a boy? This is NOT the Motel 6!"
"Mom! Relax! It's only Ryan." Riley said.
Kate looked at Ryan. "Please I'd know if it was Ryan the second he walked in and this man is certainly not Ryan Atwood." Kate said.
"Um, actually, I am Ryan Atwood." Ryan said a little bewildered. 'Did I change a lot? Puberty really hit me hard then.'
Kate looked at Ryan for a long time. She moved her lips but nothing came out. she put her hand on her hip but was still silent. It took a moment to process the thought in her mind, the image of 13-year-old Ryan really differs from the image of Ryan at 17.
"Wow, did I look like that at the market?" Riley mused.
"Pretty much." Ryan replied.
"Hmm."
"Um hello Ryan. I'm sorry about that. It's just that you've, uh, changed." Kate said. "Well, I'll get you guys some snacks and Riley can show you where you're going to stay, okay? Okay."
"Thanks Mrs. Brooks" Ryan said.
"Come on. Show you around." Riley said. They walked to the next room, which was apparently the kitchen. There were classic wood cabinets with antique handles with floral patterns of the softest hues of blue and yellow. Fridge was covered with photos of friends and family back home and the school calendar, already with the holidays highlighted. There were rags and towels on the white marble counter and hung near the dishwasher. Beautiful china plates and wine glasses were assembled in the glass cabinets for people to admire at. Ryan glided his fingers across the smooth and cold counter and gazed at the fine china, something he never thought he would see up close.
"So this is the kitchen n stuff. Yeah plates, fridge, microwave, sink. You've seen them before." Riley said a bit bored.
Ryan took a few more glances at the room and they moved on to the next room, the game room. Now this was something that held both of their interests deeply. There was a pinball machine, pool table, and a foosball table. The room was plain besides the games. The walls were a beige with various posters of sports teams.
"You guys moved in quickly." Ryan said. He turned around and saw two leather chairs with a small table. "Very quickly."
"Yeah. We did nothing but eat, sleep, and move stuff around for two days. It's not a lot of time but when the parentals have an idea, the just go off with it until it's done." Riley said.
"Oi. It's getting late. I'll show you your room. It's our guest room but now it's your room." Riley explained. They walked through the living room to Ryan's room. The room was also very plain, except for a few paintings on the white walls. There was a spacious bed with white and blue covers, bed sheet, and pillows. There were a few seashells to go with the sea theme and a view of the dazzling beach.
"Yeah. Pretty snazzy huh?" Riley joked.
"Snazzy indeed." Ryan said.
"Well, welcome to our home Ry Ry." Riley said. "Night." And with that, she left the room.
Ryan looked around the room once more and walked into the bathroom. Nothing special there. He really liked his room. It was "homey" and incredibly cozy, nothing like anything he's seen before. The room gave Ryan a feeling that the room was made for him. He jumped on the bed and laid down and shut his eyes. 'Yeah Ry, welcome home.'
[x]
"Ouch! Damnit." Marissa yelped. She was standing in front of her mirror and was straightening her hair. She got too close to the roots and nearly burned her scalp. Marissa looked at her reflection and thought about the two boys that stole her heart. Luke Ward and Ryan Atwood. With Luke, it seemed like it was the perfect combination. During junior high, they were the "it" couple and still are. They've been with each other so long that every thing was starting to become routine. Every kiss, every hug, every act of affection. But Luke always charmed her when she wanted out. But Ryan, he was different. He had that something that pulled her in whenever she saw him. His eyes, his lips, his voice. Everything about him intrigued her. She was determined to talk to Ryan first, only because she knew Luke goes out with his family Sunday mornings. She wanted answers about the night. Marissa wanted to fix all of her problems before they got worse.
"I'll just go up to the door, ring the doorbell, and ask for him." Marissa said out loud to no one in particular. 'So what are you going to do next?' An inner voice asked.
"Um, I'm gonna talk to him."
'Talk about what?'
She put down her straightener and thought about it. "Everything."
'Elaborate.'
"About the night."
'So you're gonna wing it then?'
"Basically."
'You're gonna crash and burn you know that.'
"Okay, I'm talking to myself and what's even worse, I'm insulting myself. Good Ris. Good."
Marissa picked up her straightener and continued to do her hair. Once the last wave became straight, she looked at her reflection. She fixed the collar of her shirt and flipped her hair. She smiled her best smile but her smile faltered. She couldn't help but picture a plane crashing.
[x]
"Yeah, no need to get up. I'll just go get it." Seth said when his parents didn't budge. "Okay this person really needs to calm down on the doorbell."
"You know, that doorbe-"
"Hey Seth." Marissa said cheerfully.
Seth rubbed his eyes. "Ma-Marissa? Marissa Cooper?"
"Yeah." Marissa said slowly.
"Uh, how can I, help you?" Seth asked awkwardly.
"I'm looking for Ryan. Is he here?" Marissa said and peeked inside.
"Hah. I knew it. You wouldn't be here for me, I mean after 16 years living next to each other, why start now?" Seth said a little coldly.
"We've talked." Marissa started.
"Yeah, talking to each other's parents, don't count." Seth said. "And Ryan's not here anymore."
"What? What do you mean, 'not here anymore'?" Marissa asked.
"As in, he's in another place." Seth said.
"Oh. Well, I, I gotta go. I'll see you?" Marissa said uncertainly.
"Yeah, sure." Seth said and closed the door.
Marissa quickly walked out of the driveway and to the curb. She thought about what she would do. She missed her chance again and life doesn't usually give a third chance. Marissa needed to go somewhere she could think and reevaluate everything. She got quickly into her car and drove down to the pier. She passed by a boy on a bike and a girl on a skateboard.
"Ryan!" Marissa shouted. She looked over her shoulder in incredulity. Seth just told her that he's not here anymore. 'That liar. Maybe the third time's a charm.'
Chapter 9 "Home Sweet Home"
'Geez, bright lights.' Ryan thought. 'I can really get a tan from this.' He continued to squint at the overly intense lights. Riley noticed his discomfort and dragged through the rest of the hallway to the living room. "You get used to the light." She said.
"Really? You sure? It's like the sun exploded and the fact that the walls are white don't really help." Ryan said.
"Oh shut up you big baby. You're gonna be living here so suck it up. Buy sunglasses or something."
The house was very quiet, due to the fact that the Brooks family was sleeping with the exception one.
"Riley Brianna Brooks! Just WHERE have you been?!" Riley's mom demanded. Kate was fuming and breathing hard. "And you bring home a boy? This is NOT the Motel 6!"
"Mom! Relax! It's only Ryan." Riley said.
Kate looked at Ryan. "Please I'd know if it was Ryan the second he walked in and this man is certainly not Ryan Atwood." Kate said.
"Um, actually, I am Ryan Atwood." Ryan said a little bewildered. 'Did I change a lot? Puberty really hit me hard then.'
Kate looked at Ryan for a long time. She moved her lips but nothing came out. she put her hand on her hip but was still silent. It took a moment to process the thought in her mind, the image of 13-year-old Ryan really differs from the image of Ryan at 17.
"Wow, did I look like that at the market?" Riley mused.
"Pretty much." Ryan replied.
"Hmm."
"Um hello Ryan. I'm sorry about that. It's just that you've, uh, changed." Kate said. "Well, I'll get you guys some snacks and Riley can show you where you're going to stay, okay? Okay."
"Thanks Mrs. Brooks" Ryan said.
"Come on. Show you around." Riley said. They walked to the next room, which was apparently the kitchen. There were classic wood cabinets with antique handles with floral patterns of the softest hues of blue and yellow. Fridge was covered with photos of friends and family back home and the school calendar, already with the holidays highlighted. There were rags and towels on the white marble counter and hung near the dishwasher. Beautiful china plates and wine glasses were assembled in the glass cabinets for people to admire at. Ryan glided his fingers across the smooth and cold counter and gazed at the fine china, something he never thought he would see up close.
"So this is the kitchen n stuff. Yeah plates, fridge, microwave, sink. You've seen them before." Riley said a bit bored.
Ryan took a few more glances at the room and they moved on to the next room, the game room. Now this was something that held both of their interests deeply. There was a pinball machine, pool table, and a foosball table. The room was plain besides the games. The walls were a beige with various posters of sports teams.
"You guys moved in quickly." Ryan said. He turned around and saw two leather chairs with a small table. "Very quickly."
"Yeah. We did nothing but eat, sleep, and move stuff around for two days. It's not a lot of time but when the parentals have an idea, the just go off with it until it's done." Riley said.
"Oi. It's getting late. I'll show you your room. It's our guest room but now it's your room." Riley explained. They walked through the living room to Ryan's room. The room was also very plain, except for a few paintings on the white walls. There was a spacious bed with white and blue covers, bed sheet, and pillows. There were a few seashells to go with the sea theme and a view of the dazzling beach.
"Yeah. Pretty snazzy huh?" Riley joked.
"Snazzy indeed." Ryan said.
"Well, welcome to our home Ry Ry." Riley said. "Night." And with that, she left the room.
Ryan looked around the room once more and walked into the bathroom. Nothing special there. He really liked his room. It was "homey" and incredibly cozy, nothing like anything he's seen before. The room gave Ryan a feeling that the room was made for him. He jumped on the bed and laid down and shut his eyes. 'Yeah Ry, welcome home.'
[x]
"Ouch! Damnit." Marissa yelped. She was standing in front of her mirror and was straightening her hair. She got too close to the roots and nearly burned her scalp. Marissa looked at her reflection and thought about the two boys that stole her heart. Luke Ward and Ryan Atwood. With Luke, it seemed like it was the perfect combination. During junior high, they were the "it" couple and still are. They've been with each other so long that every thing was starting to become routine. Every kiss, every hug, every act of affection. But Luke always charmed her when she wanted out. But Ryan, he was different. He had that something that pulled her in whenever she saw him. His eyes, his lips, his voice. Everything about him intrigued her. She was determined to talk to Ryan first, only because she knew Luke goes out with his family Sunday mornings. She wanted answers about the night. Marissa wanted to fix all of her problems before they got worse.
"I'll just go up to the door, ring the doorbell, and ask for him." Marissa said out loud to no one in particular. 'So what are you going to do next?' An inner voice asked.
"Um, I'm gonna talk to him."
'Talk about what?'
She put down her straightener and thought about it. "Everything."
'Elaborate.'
"About the night."
'So you're gonna wing it then?'
"Basically."
'You're gonna crash and burn you know that.'
"Okay, I'm talking to myself and what's even worse, I'm insulting myself. Good Ris. Good."
Marissa picked up her straightener and continued to do her hair. Once the last wave became straight, she looked at her reflection. She fixed the collar of her shirt and flipped her hair. She smiled her best smile but her smile faltered. She couldn't help but picture a plane crashing.
[x]
"Yeah, no need to get up. I'll just go get it." Seth said when his parents didn't budge. "Okay this person really needs to calm down on the doorbell."
"You know, that doorbe-"
"Hey Seth." Marissa said cheerfully.
Seth rubbed his eyes. "Ma-Marissa? Marissa Cooper?"
"Yeah." Marissa said slowly.
"Uh, how can I, help you?" Seth asked awkwardly.
"I'm looking for Ryan. Is he here?" Marissa said and peeked inside.
"Hah. I knew it. You wouldn't be here for me, I mean after 16 years living next to each other, why start now?" Seth said a little coldly.
"We've talked." Marissa started.
"Yeah, talking to each other's parents, don't count." Seth said. "And Ryan's not here anymore."
"What? What do you mean, 'not here anymore'?" Marissa asked.
"As in, he's in another place." Seth said.
"Oh. Well, I, I gotta go. I'll see you?" Marissa said uncertainly.
"Yeah, sure." Seth said and closed the door.
Marissa quickly walked out of the driveway and to the curb. She thought about what she would do. She missed her chance again and life doesn't usually give a third chance. Marissa needed to go somewhere she could think and reevaluate everything. She got quickly into her car and drove down to the pier. She passed by a boy on a bike and a girl on a skateboard.
"Ryan!" Marissa shouted. She looked over her shoulder in incredulity. Seth just told her that he's not here anymore. 'That liar. Maybe the third time's a charm.'