Thanks everyone for the reviews. Just another point to add, I do not have a beta reader so all the mistakes are mine!

Seth sat staring across the courtyard of the school. It had been two days since the 'attack' as he was calling it and his family life was falling apart.

Kirsten and Sandy both separately told him to go to school. Their excuse was someone in the family had to resume their normal life and also Ryan couldn't get behind in schoolwork once he was released from the hospital. If he ever woke up, Seth added to his thoughts.

Kirsten had not left Ryan's side since he was taken to HOAG. Seth could tell she was exhausted but she wouldn't leave and there wasn't much he could do because visiting hours for minors was a strict ten minutes on the hour every hour. Sandy hadn't left the house since coming home from the police station after giving his official statement. As far as Seth knew Sandy hadn't left his office, he was there when Seth went to bed at night and there when he woke in the morning. Seth had taken to delivering a sandwich up to the office every four hours or so.

Seth knew his dad had some serious guilt issues to get over. Seth didn't even want to think that his dad might have killed Dawn. Even though she was an evil woman, no one deserved to die. Seth believed that and he definitely knew his dad did. All of them were still waiting on the autopsy report to come through and tell how Dawn died, maybe a heart attach, brain aneurysm, or maybe being hit by a blunt object. If the autopsy showed the latter, Seth didn't know what his family would do.

So he continued to stare out at the courtyard in deep thought. It was pretty quiet at the moment since it was still third period. He had gone to his first two classes but after that he had just left and went to sit outside. Everyone had been staring at him for the first two hours waiting for him to crack or something. Everyone knew something had happened but not exactly what. It was obvious that two ambulances had been in the Cohen drive late at night and many cop cars throughout the same night and day. A few knew from their parents that Kirsten and Sandy had not shown up at work the past two days and now everyone saw that Ryan wasn't there, but Seth was.

At home the phone had rang a few times but Sandy always answered it before Seth could and he was never on the phone long enough to tell the story of that night. From the caller ID Seth knew Caleb had called four times and Sandy's office twice that amount. So as far as Seth knew no one except the four of them knew what transpired that night, two days ago.

The bell rang and students started filling up the courtyard for lunch and Seth knew sooner or later he would be asked or told to move from the table. The table he had chosen was considered one of the 'popular' tables usually occupied by the jocks and cheerleaders. So he was surprised when fifteen minutes passed without interruption.

Another five passed and Seth felt someone sit across from him, glancing up he was surprised to see Jessica Turtle, the head cheerleader across from him.

"Hey Sam, you doing okay?" She asked sweetly.

"UH, its Seth and no I'm not, so could you just leave." He hissed coldly.

Jessica leaned back in surprise but straightened herself.

"I was just making sure you were okay, sitting here all by yourself. If you need to talk, I'm here." She added just as sweetly as before.

"Thanks but no thanks. You're not getting the story of the month from me. Just go ignore me like usual, I like you better that way. Go tell your friends that I am not telling any of you anything." Seth bit back.

"Fine Cohen, be that way. I offer you popularity by sitting here but you say no. You are a nerd." She lashed back.

"Oh yeah, what I can be popular for a day if I tell you what happened at my house? Then after I tell you and you tell everyone else and are even more popular for having the Newport News of the month I get dumped back to where I started? Uh, no thanks I think I will stay where I am now. Go get your gossip somewhere else!"" Seth practically yelled back.

Jessica jumped to her feet and rushed away back to her crowd. She started talking to them almost immediately and it wasn't long before a rush of laughter could be heard.

Seth knew this would happen. Everyone was dying to know what had happened to the richest family in the county. This story would run the gossip mill for two or three months, maybe more. If people were going to hear the story it wouldn't be from him.

So Seth sat alone again until Marissa and Summer joined him. His heart did not jump as usual at the thought of Summer sitting at the same table as him, if anything it made his blood boil more.

"Hey Seth, what's happening?" Marissa asked casually as she picked at her lunch on a tray. She was curious at what happened along with everyone else but she liked Seth and Ryan and just wanted to see if they were both okay.

Seth mumbled something that both the girls couldn't pick up.

"So where's Ryan? He didn't say anything about missing school today." Marissa brought up after Seth mumbled.

"Uh, he couldn't make it today." Seth said not volunteering anything more.

"Is he sick?" Marissa asked now worried.

If she only knew, Seth thought.

Marissa and Ryan were close friends, but Seth still did not trust her and same with Summer, if he told either one the story would be around in 2 minutes.

So he just shook his head no and looked back down.

"Look, Cohen. What's going on?" Summer asked heatedly.

That was it for Seth, this day was already bad enough without Summer deciding to butt into it. Seth jumped up.

"Drop it! Everything's fine nothing to worry about. I am going now. I can't take it here any more." Seth added the last part to himself, but the girls heard anyway.

"Whoa, Seth are you okay? I don't care what happened I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You looked lonely over here." Marissa jumped up also.

Seth glared at them both.

"Oh, sure every other day you ignore me but the one time something happens you come over and act all chummy. If this were any other day, all I would see of you two would be your backsides. You didn't come over here to check on me, you're just like the others you just wanted the story of the month. Too bad. Go somewhere else for your gossip, I'm sure Jessica has some!" At this point Seth was yelling and almost all the courtyard was staring at the threesome.

"Seth, it's not like that. I just wanted to see if you were okay." Marissa tried again.

"I can't do this." Seth started. "I-I can't do this. I need to go." He ended quietly and rushed out of the courtyard and down the steps.

Summer was shocked at Seth's behavior, he had always been so meek and now he was screaming at them in front of the entire school.

Marissa was always shocked, now she was really worried about Seth and Ryan. So she rushed after him down the stairs.

In one corner, Anna stood with two trays, one for her and one for Seth, her mouth hanging open at the yelling Seth had just done.

In the other corner, Luke watched as Marissa tore after Seth. First Chino, now Cohen, he thought bitterly as he joined Holly at her table.

As Seth made his way down the stairs he glanced and saw most of the school looking his way, even some teachers were staring after him. Not only was his family falling apart, he was losing it and in front of everyone.

Well they got something to talk about; Seth mused as he made his way to his car.

More soon, I definitely want to finish this before finals week!