Chapter 3: Secrets
"Seth!" Kirsten cried, wrapping her arms around her son.
"Mom. . ." Seth groanded, under his mother's weight, which wasn't much, but still enough to make his lanky bones stumble. Kirsten paid no attention to his complaining groans and started to tear.
"Ryan!" She immediately let go of Seth, who was partially relieved. She ran to Ryan, who had a completely different reaction to this welcoming.
Seth swore he saw Ryan shed a tear as Kirsten ransacked him. Seth laughed as Ryan dropped his bag and hugged Kirsten back. Sandy walked in, nonchalantly, giving Ryan a head up and petting Seth's head.
"Dad." Seth acknowledged him, smiling.
"Seth." Sandy smiled, turning to Kirsten. "You're needed in the kitchen."
Kirsten kissed Sandy's cheek, taking her paws off Ryan, who now just look plain dumbfounded, and ran off to the kitchen.
"How was the ride?" Sandy asked, running his fingers through his dark, tousled hair.
"Nauseating." Ryan panted, placing their bags by the staircase. "I'm going to say goodbye to Marissa."
"Dude, you are going to see her in like two hours." Seth rolled his eyes.
Ryan shrugged, smiling from ear to ear. "That's a long time for us." He headed out the front door.
"Man, they," Seth said, placing himself on one of the white couches of the Cohen's living room. "Are what made that car ride nauseating."
"No luck with the ladies, Seth?" Sandy laughed, sitting alongside him.
Seth glared at Sandy who got the picture and patted Seth's head again and went about his business. Seth sat up, slowly, inhaling the familiar smells of the Cohen house. He sighed and set up the PS2. Might as well fall back into old habits. This is going to be a long holiday, he thought, as he kicked off his shoes.
"I don't really want to go home, just yet." Marissa smiled at Ryan, kissing him.
"What do you suggest?" Ryan playfully nibbled on her lip.
"I want to see Summer." Marissa said cautiously, as if Seth could hear her from all the way inside the house.
"You know where she lives?" Ryan asked, half surprised.
"She gave me her address. It's by my dad's apartment." Marissa smiled, nodding, and went to let herself in the Rover.
Ryan looked back at the house, then to the Rover, where Marissa sat patiently and he crawled into the car, starting it up.
"So, you and Summer, you've kept in touch?" Ryan had never really brought up Summer with Marissa before. He never felt the need to, but her random suggestion to see her, irritated him a little. Why did she keep it secret from him?
"She made me promise not to say anything, but yes." Marissa nodded, looping her hand in his free one as they drove in the direction to her father's place.
"How is she?" Ryan asked nonchalantly, as if Summer hadn't just disappeared from their lives.
"She's managing." Marissa's eyes looked faint and distant and he took this as a sign not to pry. Whatever was going on with Summer must have been pretty bad, if Marissa got so upset over it.
"Coop!" Summer shrieked as she opened her apartment door, throwing her arms around her best friend.
"Sum!" Marissa squealed just as loudly and they practically engulfed each other with hugs and kisses. Ryan stood there, timidly, waiting to be acknowledged. Summer and Marissa separated and Ryan noticed Summer looked different, more mature.
"Hey Ryan." Summer smiled. "Oh my god, guys, come in!" She squealed, grabbing Marissa's arm and pushing them inside. Her apartment was slightly messy, slightly small, but Ryan had seen worse. But this wasn't exactly what he expected Summer to be living in. He looked at her again, sadly, as she and Marissa squealed over each other. Summer was wearing her hair back, which was rare, and her skin was make up free. She still looked gorgous and manicured, as usual, but with a certain roughness to her. She had a loose tee shirt on and a pair of jeans, and some flip flops. She looked so down to earth and casual. And she referred to him as Ryan, not Chino. This wasn't the Summer he had once known.
"Ryan," Summer called. "Do you want something to drink?" She asked, opening her fridge.
"Water?" Ryan asked, and she nodded, pouring three cups of water. Ryan and Marissa sat down at the island in the kitchen and Ryan just watched, entranced, as Marissa talked about college and Summer went on about how she bumped into Julie Cooper at the pharmacy. Ryan had this craving to mention Seth, but he stayed silent. He desperately wanted to know why Summer had left all of them, and so suddenly, but he didn't want to disturb Marissa and Summer, they looked like they were having the time of their life.
"Where is she?" Marissa half whispered, which caused Ryan to look up. He took a gulp of his water and stared back down at the glass, when Summer gave him a concerned look.
"She's with . . ." Ryan tuned out, figuring they were gossiping on the Newport socialites, which he really couldn't care much about. Finally, after ten minutes of girl talk, Marissa tapped Ryan's shoulder and said she should really be getting home or her mom would freak out. Summer nodded at this, giving Marissa a big hug, and led them out the door.
"It was nice seeing you Ryan." Summer smiled, wholeheartedly. She paused for a second, as if she wanted to ask him something, but then kept smiling, pushing her thoughts to the back of her head.
"Same here, Summer." He smiled, giving her a hug. That was a first, thought Marissa. But she had noticed the same changes Ryan had in Summer. And it made her worry for her friend immensely.
"Yes!" Seth screamed as he clobbered his victim in the video game. All of a sudden, he noticed a pair of small, tiny fingers on the other end of the couch. He looked at them, from the corner of his eye, suspiciously. The hands started to move, and then dropped, hidden from his view behind the couch. He heard a giggle that burst into a chuckle and then a hush. He slowly paused the game, dropping the controller and went to look behind the couch.
"Seth!" Kirsten shouted all of a sudden, running to the couch and wrapping her arms around him, forcing him to look straight instead of see who was hiding behind the couch.
"Mom." Seth said, eyeing her suspiciously. "Who else is home?"
"Your father." Kirsten said, laughing nervously.
"My father doesn't laugh like a little girl, or have tiny hands." Seth replied, still suspicious, and ducked in front of a ranting Kirsten and went behind the couch.
A tiny toddler girl, as cute as a button, was curled up behind the couch, her legs sticking up straight in the air, along with her arms. She was making little patterns with her fingers, tracing Seth's face. She had soft, black curls that made her eyes stand out incredibly.
"And who are you?" Seth asked, incredulously as a guilt stridden Kristen came over to Seth's side, picking up the tiny girl.
"This," Kirsten said. "Is Charlotte. I'm babysitting for a friend."
"So, why were you hiding her from me?" Seth asked, smiling at Charlotte, who had stuck her thumb in her mouth, squinting up at Seth.
"Because," Kirsten said obnoxiously in the way parents do, "You scare children."
"What?" Seth blinked at her widely as she made her way back to the kitchen. "I'm great with children. I am practically a child myself!" He screamed, defensively.
"Don't remind me of how childish you can be Seth." Kirsten replied blandly and Seth laughed at this.
He heard the door open and shut, followed by a distraught Ryan huffing into the living room and planting a spot on the couch.
"Morning Sunshine." Seth said annoyingly, sitting next to him.
Ryan looked at him, questionably, "Hi."
"Dude, what's wrong?"
"I saw," Ryan paused, remembering the promise he made Marissa in the car, "Julie."
"Cooper? Oh, excuse me, Nichol?" Seth playfully corrected himself.
"Yeah. Her." Ryan nodded.
"Huh." Seth groaned, in awe. He knew Julie Cooper, er. . . Nichol, had some wondrous ways of making Ryan feel like crap, but it still shook him up to see the effects on him.
"That was close." Kirsten sighed, placing Charlotte on the tabletop.
"Close!" Charlotte screeched and then turned around to face the window. "Mommy!" She screamed, pointing. Kirsten's gaze wondered to the young girl who was approaching the Cohen's front door and she turned painfully white, grabbed the young girl, who squealed out of delight, and ran to catch Summer before Seth did.
"Seth!" Kirsten cried, wrapping her arms around her son.
"Mom. . ." Seth groanded, under his mother's weight, which wasn't much, but still enough to make his lanky bones stumble. Kirsten paid no attention to his complaining groans and started to tear.
"Ryan!" She immediately let go of Seth, who was partially relieved. She ran to Ryan, who had a completely different reaction to this welcoming.
Seth swore he saw Ryan shed a tear as Kirsten ransacked him. Seth laughed as Ryan dropped his bag and hugged Kirsten back. Sandy walked in, nonchalantly, giving Ryan a head up and petting Seth's head.
"Dad." Seth acknowledged him, smiling.
"Seth." Sandy smiled, turning to Kirsten. "You're needed in the kitchen."
Kirsten kissed Sandy's cheek, taking her paws off Ryan, who now just look plain dumbfounded, and ran off to the kitchen.
"How was the ride?" Sandy asked, running his fingers through his dark, tousled hair.
"Nauseating." Ryan panted, placing their bags by the staircase. "I'm going to say goodbye to Marissa."
"Dude, you are going to see her in like two hours." Seth rolled his eyes.
Ryan shrugged, smiling from ear to ear. "That's a long time for us." He headed out the front door.
"Man, they," Seth said, placing himself on one of the white couches of the Cohen's living room. "Are what made that car ride nauseating."
"No luck with the ladies, Seth?" Sandy laughed, sitting alongside him.
Seth glared at Sandy who got the picture and patted Seth's head again and went about his business. Seth sat up, slowly, inhaling the familiar smells of the Cohen house. He sighed and set up the PS2. Might as well fall back into old habits. This is going to be a long holiday, he thought, as he kicked off his shoes.
"I don't really want to go home, just yet." Marissa smiled at Ryan, kissing him.
"What do you suggest?" Ryan playfully nibbled on her lip.
"I want to see Summer." Marissa said cautiously, as if Seth could hear her from all the way inside the house.
"You know where she lives?" Ryan asked, half surprised.
"She gave me her address. It's by my dad's apartment." Marissa smiled, nodding, and went to let herself in the Rover.
Ryan looked back at the house, then to the Rover, where Marissa sat patiently and he crawled into the car, starting it up.
"So, you and Summer, you've kept in touch?" Ryan had never really brought up Summer with Marissa before. He never felt the need to, but her random suggestion to see her, irritated him a little. Why did she keep it secret from him?
"She made me promise not to say anything, but yes." Marissa nodded, looping her hand in his free one as they drove in the direction to her father's place.
"How is she?" Ryan asked nonchalantly, as if Summer hadn't just disappeared from their lives.
"She's managing." Marissa's eyes looked faint and distant and he took this as a sign not to pry. Whatever was going on with Summer must have been pretty bad, if Marissa got so upset over it.
"Coop!" Summer shrieked as she opened her apartment door, throwing her arms around her best friend.
"Sum!" Marissa squealed just as loudly and they practically engulfed each other with hugs and kisses. Ryan stood there, timidly, waiting to be acknowledged. Summer and Marissa separated and Ryan noticed Summer looked different, more mature.
"Hey Ryan." Summer smiled. "Oh my god, guys, come in!" She squealed, grabbing Marissa's arm and pushing them inside. Her apartment was slightly messy, slightly small, but Ryan had seen worse. But this wasn't exactly what he expected Summer to be living in. He looked at her again, sadly, as she and Marissa squealed over each other. Summer was wearing her hair back, which was rare, and her skin was make up free. She still looked gorgous and manicured, as usual, but with a certain roughness to her. She had a loose tee shirt on and a pair of jeans, and some flip flops. She looked so down to earth and casual. And she referred to him as Ryan, not Chino. This wasn't the Summer he had once known.
"Ryan," Summer called. "Do you want something to drink?" She asked, opening her fridge.
"Water?" Ryan asked, and she nodded, pouring three cups of water. Ryan and Marissa sat down at the island in the kitchen and Ryan just watched, entranced, as Marissa talked about college and Summer went on about how she bumped into Julie Cooper at the pharmacy. Ryan had this craving to mention Seth, but he stayed silent. He desperately wanted to know why Summer had left all of them, and so suddenly, but he didn't want to disturb Marissa and Summer, they looked like they were having the time of their life.
"Where is she?" Marissa half whispered, which caused Ryan to look up. He took a gulp of his water and stared back down at the glass, when Summer gave him a concerned look.
"She's with . . ." Ryan tuned out, figuring they were gossiping on the Newport socialites, which he really couldn't care much about. Finally, after ten minutes of girl talk, Marissa tapped Ryan's shoulder and said she should really be getting home or her mom would freak out. Summer nodded at this, giving Marissa a big hug, and led them out the door.
"It was nice seeing you Ryan." Summer smiled, wholeheartedly. She paused for a second, as if she wanted to ask him something, but then kept smiling, pushing her thoughts to the back of her head.
"Same here, Summer." He smiled, giving her a hug. That was a first, thought Marissa. But she had noticed the same changes Ryan had in Summer. And it made her worry for her friend immensely.
"Yes!" Seth screamed as he clobbered his victim in the video game. All of a sudden, he noticed a pair of small, tiny fingers on the other end of the couch. He looked at them, from the corner of his eye, suspiciously. The hands started to move, and then dropped, hidden from his view behind the couch. He heard a giggle that burst into a chuckle and then a hush. He slowly paused the game, dropping the controller and went to look behind the couch.
"Seth!" Kirsten shouted all of a sudden, running to the couch and wrapping her arms around him, forcing him to look straight instead of see who was hiding behind the couch.
"Mom." Seth said, eyeing her suspiciously. "Who else is home?"
"Your father." Kirsten said, laughing nervously.
"My father doesn't laugh like a little girl, or have tiny hands." Seth replied, still suspicious, and ducked in front of a ranting Kirsten and went behind the couch.
A tiny toddler girl, as cute as a button, was curled up behind the couch, her legs sticking up straight in the air, along with her arms. She was making little patterns with her fingers, tracing Seth's face. She had soft, black curls that made her eyes stand out incredibly.
"And who are you?" Seth asked, incredulously as a guilt stridden Kristen came over to Seth's side, picking up the tiny girl.
"This," Kirsten said. "Is Charlotte. I'm babysitting for a friend."
"So, why were you hiding her from me?" Seth asked, smiling at Charlotte, who had stuck her thumb in her mouth, squinting up at Seth.
"Because," Kirsten said obnoxiously in the way parents do, "You scare children."
"What?" Seth blinked at her widely as she made her way back to the kitchen. "I'm great with children. I am practically a child myself!" He screamed, defensively.
"Don't remind me of how childish you can be Seth." Kirsten replied blandly and Seth laughed at this.
He heard the door open and shut, followed by a distraught Ryan huffing into the living room and planting a spot on the couch.
"Morning Sunshine." Seth said annoyingly, sitting next to him.
Ryan looked at him, questionably, "Hi."
"Dude, what's wrong?"
"I saw," Ryan paused, remembering the promise he made Marissa in the car, "Julie."
"Cooper? Oh, excuse me, Nichol?" Seth playfully corrected himself.
"Yeah. Her." Ryan nodded.
"Huh." Seth groaned, in awe. He knew Julie Cooper, er. . . Nichol, had some wondrous ways of making Ryan feel like crap, but it still shook him up to see the effects on him.
"That was close." Kirsten sighed, placing Charlotte on the tabletop.
"Close!" Charlotte screeched and then turned around to face the window. "Mommy!" She screamed, pointing. Kirsten's gaze wondered to the young girl who was approaching the Cohen's front door and she turned painfully white, grabbed the young girl, who squealed out of delight, and ran to catch Summer before Seth did.