~Surrender Chapter 3~
"So. Another party; another fight. Newport's social gatherings are becoming a bit blasé, don't you think, Ryan?"
"I was glad to be watching the fight for once. And I've always thought they were 'blasé', Seth." Ryan gave Summer a little smile. "This one was pretty cool, though." His smile got a little bigger. "I just keep seeing that look on Luke's face."
"The idiot had sheer terror in his eyes. If you hadn't had him backed up against the wall, he would have run like a 6-year-old girl! Oh, and nice use of the new word, Ryan." Seth turned to Summer. "His last one was "ascot". They were sitting at the kitchen island, while Ryan made dinner. Summer rolled her eyes.
Ryan turned from the stove, shot Seth the Look, and moved on. "He was frightened of that fingernail she was pointing at him. It's scarier than any switchblade I've seen."
" Ha! Funny! Don't think I won't hit you, Ryan." Summer mock-glared at him.
He gave her a sideways glance. "Before tonight that would have been funny. Now, I'm a little scared."
"Fight? Switchblade! Why are you scared? What's going on, guys? You didn't get into another fight, did you?" Sandy and Kirsten had come home, entering the kitchen with tense expressions after hearing bits and pieces of the conversation.
Ryan and Seth looked at each other and smiled, while Summer turned red. "Ah - no fighting. Ryan and I simply refereed this time." Seth pointed to his eye area, then gestured toward Ryan. "See? We're non-bloody and black eye free." Ryan gave them a little salute. Seth turned back to Summer. "Guys, you both know Summer, right? Dad, you met her before, well, the trip, and Mom, I'm sure you've seen her at the last three zillion events."
"Yes, it's good to see you again." Kirsten smiled at her warmly.
" Thanks, you too, Mrs. Cohen."
"Hey Summer." Sandy looked at his watch. "Ok, guys, it's very early on a Friday night and you're at home. You mind telling us what's going on? And what do you mean, you refereed?"
Seth and Ryan both looked at Summer and smirked. Summer looked at the floor.
"Actually, we came home to call Don King. We're trying to set up a fight between Summer and Evander Holyfield, because quite frankly, we think she can take him." Seth gazed at her proudly.
"Seth! Don't!" Summer glared at him, not wanting his parents to know.
"Summer, you didn't do anything wrong. She took Luke down tonight," he explained to his parents, who were looking puzzled.
"Summer, did he hurt you? Are you ok?" Kirsten was instantly concerned. She didn't know Luke that well, but wouldn't put anything past him at this point.
"You should be asking how he is." Ryan commented dryly.
"You guys, quit it!" Summer looked to the Cohens, embarrassed. "I - he - " She glanced at Ryan. "Do they know?" He shook his head. In all the concern and worry and discussion about Marissa's overdose and her recovery, they hadn't really talked about that particular event leading up to it. Ryan figured they thought it was just the divorce and the money scandal that drove her to it.
"See, in Tijuana, right before Coop disappeared and - did that - we came across Luke gr- uh, cheating on her. With one of our so-called friends. So when I saw him tonight, and he had the nerve to - "She shook her head. "I kind of snapped."
"Oh man. So she caught Luke messing around right after finding out her parents were divorcing? Poor kid." Sandy shook his head sadly.
"How awful for Marissa! But what did you do? Luke could have hurt you, Summer!" Kirsten pulled up a stool next to her.
Summer was a little overwhelmed. The Cohens' concern for Marissa, and for herself, two kids that weren't theirs, was not something she was used to. She felt her face getting warm. She looked to Seth, who smiled encouragingly.
"I really tried to ignore him, but he grabbed my arm, and I - " She stopped, unsure how to explain. She didn't know how adults would react. They might not find it as hilarious as the boys did.
"She suffers from rage blackouts," Seth whispered loudly to his parents.
"Cohen! You are such a-!" She glared at him.
"'Notable Radiohead fan' is probably what you were looking for." Seth finished for her. "On with your story, Summer. The parents won't ground you, I promise."
Summer shot him a death glare that plainly said she would be telling him exactly what she'd meant to say later, in private. He just grinned at her.
Sandy and Kirsten shared a quick glance, amused at their son and Summer's interaction, and a little shocked at his newfound confidence around her.
"I just pushed him away and told him not to try to talk to Coop." Summer looked hard at Seth, daring him to say more. Seth looked up and away from her, acting innocent.
Kirsten and Sandy looked over to Ryan. He was still busy at the stove with his back to them, but his shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter.
"Well, there's obviously more, but maybe we don't need to know all the details." Kirsten put her hand on the girl's arm and smiled. "As long as you're all right. He could have really hurt you, Summer."
"Oh no, Mrs. Cohen. I'm fine." She looked at Seth, then Ryan. "These two made sure he didn't hurt me. "
"I'll bet they did," Kirsten shook her head. "But with no fighting, so I'm happy. Good job, guys. Sandy and I were going to watch a movie, so we'll be on our way to the den. It's really good to see you, Summer."
Sandy hung back as she left the room. "Hey Summer," he whispered. "I hope you hit him. Jerk deserves it, and he grabbed you first." Looking quickly to Ryan, he whispered, "It's different with girls. But you didn't hear me say that."
Ryan nodded, amused. "Got it."
Sandy looked to Seth as Summer was looking at Ryan. He gave Seth the thumbs up. Seth rolled his eyes and waved his dad out of the room.
"Dinner's ready." Ryan glanced at Seth. "Could you get some plates? I'll be right back."
"Sure thing, man."
"Seth!" Summer turned on him with murder in her eyes. "I can't believe you! They didn't need to know what happened tonight!"
Seth just shrugged, set the plates on the counter, and went to get silverware. "Why not? They're not your parents. They can't punish you, and again with the "you not doing anything wrong" factor. Speaking of the parental units, how did yours react to the Mexico nightmare? I totally thought Ryan and I would be grounded until college. Of course, yours KNEW you were going to Tijuana. But still. Marissa - " He paused, waiting. "Summer?"
She looked away from him.
"You're kidding me, right? You haven't talked to them? You didn't call them?"
Summer studied the tile flooring as if her life depended on it. "I called and told them, ok? I left a message." For the second time tonight, she felt hot tears threatening to fall. "They're just really busy, I guess."
Seth watched her struggle to retain her composure, feeling helpless and outraged. She'd been alone all week, reliving the night of Marissa's OD, blaming herself, and her freaking parents hadn't even called her back? He dropped the silverware and went to her, holding her as she sat on the stool, pulling her close to him. "They never called you back?" he asked her quietly. She shook her head and leaned in, holding onto him gratefully as her tears fell on his shirt. He held her head against his chest and stroked her hair, wanting to knock her father out as badly as he'd wanted to hit Luke earlier. "I wish you'd called me or Ryan, hell anybody, Summer. You shouldn't have been alone trying to deal with all this."
"I did. Well, I dialed your number a bunch of times. I just didn't let it ring, "she admitted, her voice muffled against his chest.
"Yeah. That pride thing." Any other time, hearing that she'd dialed his number would have made him giddy. Now it just made it sad.
Ryan appeared in the doorway, followed by Sandy and Kirsten. "Ah, sorry." Ryan cleared his throat, seeing the position they were in, and raised his eyebrows at Seth. Seth nodded and motioned them in.
Kirsten went to them. "Is it true that you've been alone all week? Where are your parents, Summer?"
Summer looked up and pulled away a little from Seth, wiping her eyes. She glanced at Ryan.
"Sorry, I - uh, thought they should know. Maybe they can help." Ryan was hoping she wouldn't be mad.
She shook her head. "It's ok. I guess we both have to learn how to do this." Ryan nodded at her, relieved.
"Oh. These two are kindred spirits of the stupid kind, too proud, and I repeat, stupid to ask for help," Seth quickly explained to his parents. "Kinda like a Jim Carey movie. That's the recap. We went over it earlier."
"Ok. I get it." Sandy nodded, looking at Ryan. He turned back to Summer. "But really, why have you been by yourself all week?"
"My father's always gone on business, and my step-mom usually goes with him."
"But why didn't they come home? Marissa's your best - " He stopped as Seth shook his head at him.
"She called them and left a message, but they've never called her back." Seth tightened his arm around her, barely controlling the anger in his voice. Summer looked around, uncomfortable. "They're busy," she added.
There was a silence, while everyone made it a point not to say what they thought of that, and then Kirsten took a deep breath. "Well, you'll stay here, then, until they get home." She shook her head as Summer protested. "The couch in the den folds out into a bed. We have plenty of room. Your best friend overdosed, Summer, and you were there. That's a very big deal and you shouldn't be alone in that big house."
"Thank you, but really, I'm used to it. My parents are hardly ever home. And I'm feeling better after talking to Seth and Ryan tonight. I'll be all right at home."
"You were crying not 5 minutes ago. You can't be feeling that much better. Stay tonight and we'll see how you're doing tomorrow." Sandy smiled at her.
"You might as well quit arguing, Summer. Mom never loses, " Seth advised her.
Ryan nodded. "Stay the night. It's better, trust me."
"Well, that makes it 4 to 1. It's settled then. I'll go make up the bed for you and find you some pajamas. We'll watch the movie in our bedroom tonight for a change." Kirsten looked to Sandy.
"And I'll help her." Sandy winked at Summer as they left the room. "You've just been defeated by the "Family Majority Vote."
"So. Another party; another fight. Newport's social gatherings are becoming a bit blasé, don't you think, Ryan?"
"I was glad to be watching the fight for once. And I've always thought they were 'blasé', Seth." Ryan gave Summer a little smile. "This one was pretty cool, though." His smile got a little bigger. "I just keep seeing that look on Luke's face."
"The idiot had sheer terror in his eyes. If you hadn't had him backed up against the wall, he would have run like a 6-year-old girl! Oh, and nice use of the new word, Ryan." Seth turned to Summer. "His last one was "ascot". They were sitting at the kitchen island, while Ryan made dinner. Summer rolled her eyes.
Ryan turned from the stove, shot Seth the Look, and moved on. "He was frightened of that fingernail she was pointing at him. It's scarier than any switchblade I've seen."
" Ha! Funny! Don't think I won't hit you, Ryan." Summer mock-glared at him.
He gave her a sideways glance. "Before tonight that would have been funny. Now, I'm a little scared."
"Fight? Switchblade! Why are you scared? What's going on, guys? You didn't get into another fight, did you?" Sandy and Kirsten had come home, entering the kitchen with tense expressions after hearing bits and pieces of the conversation.
Ryan and Seth looked at each other and smiled, while Summer turned red. "Ah - no fighting. Ryan and I simply refereed this time." Seth pointed to his eye area, then gestured toward Ryan. "See? We're non-bloody and black eye free." Ryan gave them a little salute. Seth turned back to Summer. "Guys, you both know Summer, right? Dad, you met her before, well, the trip, and Mom, I'm sure you've seen her at the last three zillion events."
"Yes, it's good to see you again." Kirsten smiled at her warmly.
" Thanks, you too, Mrs. Cohen."
"Hey Summer." Sandy looked at his watch. "Ok, guys, it's very early on a Friday night and you're at home. You mind telling us what's going on? And what do you mean, you refereed?"
Seth and Ryan both looked at Summer and smirked. Summer looked at the floor.
"Actually, we came home to call Don King. We're trying to set up a fight between Summer and Evander Holyfield, because quite frankly, we think she can take him." Seth gazed at her proudly.
"Seth! Don't!" Summer glared at him, not wanting his parents to know.
"Summer, you didn't do anything wrong. She took Luke down tonight," he explained to his parents, who were looking puzzled.
"Summer, did he hurt you? Are you ok?" Kirsten was instantly concerned. She didn't know Luke that well, but wouldn't put anything past him at this point.
"You should be asking how he is." Ryan commented dryly.
"You guys, quit it!" Summer looked to the Cohens, embarrassed. "I - he - " She glanced at Ryan. "Do they know?" He shook his head. In all the concern and worry and discussion about Marissa's overdose and her recovery, they hadn't really talked about that particular event leading up to it. Ryan figured they thought it was just the divorce and the money scandal that drove her to it.
"See, in Tijuana, right before Coop disappeared and - did that - we came across Luke gr- uh, cheating on her. With one of our so-called friends. So when I saw him tonight, and he had the nerve to - "She shook her head. "I kind of snapped."
"Oh man. So she caught Luke messing around right after finding out her parents were divorcing? Poor kid." Sandy shook his head sadly.
"How awful for Marissa! But what did you do? Luke could have hurt you, Summer!" Kirsten pulled up a stool next to her.
Summer was a little overwhelmed. The Cohens' concern for Marissa, and for herself, two kids that weren't theirs, was not something she was used to. She felt her face getting warm. She looked to Seth, who smiled encouragingly.
"I really tried to ignore him, but he grabbed my arm, and I - " She stopped, unsure how to explain. She didn't know how adults would react. They might not find it as hilarious as the boys did.
"She suffers from rage blackouts," Seth whispered loudly to his parents.
"Cohen! You are such a-!" She glared at him.
"'Notable Radiohead fan' is probably what you were looking for." Seth finished for her. "On with your story, Summer. The parents won't ground you, I promise."
Summer shot him a death glare that plainly said she would be telling him exactly what she'd meant to say later, in private. He just grinned at her.
Sandy and Kirsten shared a quick glance, amused at their son and Summer's interaction, and a little shocked at his newfound confidence around her.
"I just pushed him away and told him not to try to talk to Coop." Summer looked hard at Seth, daring him to say more. Seth looked up and away from her, acting innocent.
Kirsten and Sandy looked over to Ryan. He was still busy at the stove with his back to them, but his shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter.
"Well, there's obviously more, but maybe we don't need to know all the details." Kirsten put her hand on the girl's arm and smiled. "As long as you're all right. He could have really hurt you, Summer."
"Oh no, Mrs. Cohen. I'm fine." She looked at Seth, then Ryan. "These two made sure he didn't hurt me. "
"I'll bet they did," Kirsten shook her head. "But with no fighting, so I'm happy. Good job, guys. Sandy and I were going to watch a movie, so we'll be on our way to the den. It's really good to see you, Summer."
Sandy hung back as she left the room. "Hey Summer," he whispered. "I hope you hit him. Jerk deserves it, and he grabbed you first." Looking quickly to Ryan, he whispered, "It's different with girls. But you didn't hear me say that."
Ryan nodded, amused. "Got it."
Sandy looked to Seth as Summer was looking at Ryan. He gave Seth the thumbs up. Seth rolled his eyes and waved his dad out of the room.
"Dinner's ready." Ryan glanced at Seth. "Could you get some plates? I'll be right back."
"Sure thing, man."
"Seth!" Summer turned on him with murder in her eyes. "I can't believe you! They didn't need to know what happened tonight!"
Seth just shrugged, set the plates on the counter, and went to get silverware. "Why not? They're not your parents. They can't punish you, and again with the "you not doing anything wrong" factor. Speaking of the parental units, how did yours react to the Mexico nightmare? I totally thought Ryan and I would be grounded until college. Of course, yours KNEW you were going to Tijuana. But still. Marissa - " He paused, waiting. "Summer?"
She looked away from him.
"You're kidding me, right? You haven't talked to them? You didn't call them?"
Summer studied the tile flooring as if her life depended on it. "I called and told them, ok? I left a message." For the second time tonight, she felt hot tears threatening to fall. "They're just really busy, I guess."
Seth watched her struggle to retain her composure, feeling helpless and outraged. She'd been alone all week, reliving the night of Marissa's OD, blaming herself, and her freaking parents hadn't even called her back? He dropped the silverware and went to her, holding her as she sat on the stool, pulling her close to him. "They never called you back?" he asked her quietly. She shook her head and leaned in, holding onto him gratefully as her tears fell on his shirt. He held her head against his chest and stroked her hair, wanting to knock her father out as badly as he'd wanted to hit Luke earlier. "I wish you'd called me or Ryan, hell anybody, Summer. You shouldn't have been alone trying to deal with all this."
"I did. Well, I dialed your number a bunch of times. I just didn't let it ring, "she admitted, her voice muffled against his chest.
"Yeah. That pride thing." Any other time, hearing that she'd dialed his number would have made him giddy. Now it just made it sad.
Ryan appeared in the doorway, followed by Sandy and Kirsten. "Ah, sorry." Ryan cleared his throat, seeing the position they were in, and raised his eyebrows at Seth. Seth nodded and motioned them in.
Kirsten went to them. "Is it true that you've been alone all week? Where are your parents, Summer?"
Summer looked up and pulled away a little from Seth, wiping her eyes. She glanced at Ryan.
"Sorry, I - uh, thought they should know. Maybe they can help." Ryan was hoping she wouldn't be mad.
She shook her head. "It's ok. I guess we both have to learn how to do this." Ryan nodded at her, relieved.
"Oh. These two are kindred spirits of the stupid kind, too proud, and I repeat, stupid to ask for help," Seth quickly explained to his parents. "Kinda like a Jim Carey movie. That's the recap. We went over it earlier."
"Ok. I get it." Sandy nodded, looking at Ryan. He turned back to Summer. "But really, why have you been by yourself all week?"
"My father's always gone on business, and my step-mom usually goes with him."
"But why didn't they come home? Marissa's your best - " He stopped as Seth shook his head at him.
"She called them and left a message, but they've never called her back." Seth tightened his arm around her, barely controlling the anger in his voice. Summer looked around, uncomfortable. "They're busy," she added.
There was a silence, while everyone made it a point not to say what they thought of that, and then Kirsten took a deep breath. "Well, you'll stay here, then, until they get home." She shook her head as Summer protested. "The couch in the den folds out into a bed. We have plenty of room. Your best friend overdosed, Summer, and you were there. That's a very big deal and you shouldn't be alone in that big house."
"Thank you, but really, I'm used to it. My parents are hardly ever home. And I'm feeling better after talking to Seth and Ryan tonight. I'll be all right at home."
"You were crying not 5 minutes ago. You can't be feeling that much better. Stay tonight and we'll see how you're doing tomorrow." Sandy smiled at her.
"You might as well quit arguing, Summer. Mom never loses, " Seth advised her.
Ryan nodded. "Stay the night. It's better, trust me."
"Well, that makes it 4 to 1. It's settled then. I'll go make up the bed for you and find you some pajamas. We'll watch the movie in our bedroom tonight for a change." Kirsten looked to Sandy.
"And I'll help her." Sandy winked at Summer as they left the room. "You've just been defeated by the "Family Majority Vote."