Title: Thanks to You
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Fox does.
Summary: Takes place after the "The Secret" episode that aired Nov.26, 2003
Rating: PG-13
Classification: S/S, S/A, R/M
Genre: romance; angst
Author's Note: I want to take this space to say that you guys have been really amazing at feedback; thus the continuation of this Fanfic goes on.
I really REALLY appreciate all the reviews you guys have left!
Thanks to: Brody, lola, TinySweetHeart, Vero, PiPaS, Calliope-Soars, sillmeblonde@yahoo.com, EricandDonna4Ever, CrAzYgUrL73089, XsesenX, TheUsed, balooie, Jess, Lora, x Something Blue x, kaka and N.A. Berry
Chapter 4: Hands Off
Summer sat on Seth's lap, waiting for his response; when she eventually realized that she wasn't going to get one she stood up, turned to face Seth and kissed his cheek.
She looked at herself in the mirror and fixed her hair. Seth enthusiastically picked up her bra and handed it over to her. She smiled at him, "Thanks, Cohen. Click me?" He stood up and willingly clasped her bra together.
Summer opened the door and found her way back to the kitchen, but not before taking one look back at the bathroom. What just happened in there only confused her even more.
--
Seth went back to the living room where Anna was looking through poetry submissions. When Seth entered the room, Anna looked up and beamed. "Hey Seth. Where's our water?"
"You're thirsty for water? Why didn't you say so?" Seth hurriedly ran out of the living room and into the kitchen before Anna could show her confusion.
Seth rushed into the kitchen and hastily got two glasses of water. Summer looked up from her chemistry homework and said, "Cohen, you already got two glasses of water. They're by the sink."
Seth looked at the direction of the sink. What had just happened in the bathroom caused him to forget about everything except Summer. "Right. Yeah. I totally knew that. Okay then." Seth grabbed the two glasses of water, only to drop it onto the tiled kitchen floor when Anna walked into the kitchen.
Summer screamed, "Cohen!"
Anna yelled, "Seth!"
Seth smiled at the two girls, "Bad reflexes. It must be the eighty year old man in me." Summer smiled, but Anna was not amused.
"Seth, what is going on? You were gone for ten minutes to get water and didn't even come back with it." Anna glared at Summer just in case she was the reason for Seth's prolonged absence.
Seth put his finger to his mouth and attempted to weave an excuse, "You know, I couldn't quite decide between getting us bottled water or filtered water. It was quite an emotional crisis. When I settled for bottled, I thought 'Anna lives in Pittsburgh, do they do bottled water over there?' so I got filtered water which you know … I just dropped."
Anna pursed her lips together, not believing Seth's story. "…Right."
Summer began cleaning up Seth's mess before Seth stopped her, "Hey Cinderella, I can clean this up. Don't worry about it."
"No, it's fine. I can do it. Don't you guys have like, Lit Mag to get back to?"
Seth looked at Anna who was nodding a great deal. He turned back to Summer who was on the floor picking up the broken pieces of glass. "You know what? Lit Mag can wait. We'll clean this up together. I always thought I would make a pretty good-looking Man-Cinderella."
Anna groaned loudly enough for Summer and Seth to hear then proceeded to exit the kitchen.
Summer asked, "What is her problem?"
Seth remained uncharacteristically quiet. The two of them cleaned up the broken glasses without saying a word to each other. There was the occasional glance in each other's eyes but that only lead to the two of them turning away very quickly. A different kind of mood had now settled upon them than the one in the bathroom just minutes earlier.
"So I should go get back to Lit Mag before Anna starts hanging up 'Missing Person' posters all over the house."
Summer nodded, "Yeah. And I should get back to my homework and stuff." She walked back to the table where all her papers were laid out. Before Seth exited the kitchen, he took one last look at Summer. When would be the right time to tell her? During times like these, Seth wished he could just float around the pool with Ryan and talk about everything and nothing. The pool was relaxing and stress-free. In the pool Seth had no worries.
--
Marissa entered the kitchen with her hair in tangles. Then again, her hair was never really combed to begin with.
"Hey Sum, ready to go?"
Summer closed her books and put them inside her bag. "Yeah, totally ready."
As Summer and Marissa were ready to exit the Cohen's house through the back door, Anna walked into the kitchen with a rather disgusted look on her face. "So Summer, I thought you were above all this."
Marissa looked at Summer, obviously confused.
Summer was never interested in anything that Anna had to say. And this time was no different. "What is it, Anna? You know you should really consider making a list of things that you accuse me of, it would save you and me a whole lot of time."
"Very funny Summer." Anna walked closer to the two girls. "But you're not going to get away with it this time. I'm not going to let you ruin things."
"That's a bit harsh, Anna," Marissa butted in, "Can you just get to the point? We need to go."
Anna glowered at Marissa before turning her attention back to Summer. "I smelled your perfume on Seth's shirt."
Marissa laughed. "I don't know which one to find more disturbing – the fact that you know how Summer's perfume smells or the fact that you smell Seth."
Anna turned her attention back to Marissa, "I'm sorry, who are you again?" Before Marissa could answer back, Anna turned her gaze back at Summer. "Listen, Summer. I don't want to have a problem with you so could you please just stay away from my boyfriend?"
Marissa turned to Summer, who returned the look. The two girls were ready to attack Anna with a barrage of questions but Seth had entered the kitchen. Summer took one look at Seth and couldn't bear the sight of him any longer. She exited the Cohen's kitchen and ran to Marissa's Jeep.
Marissa looked at Seth, who was oblivious to the events that had just unfolded. "Seth? What is this all about?" Before waiting for Seth's reply, Marissa ran to her car to comfort her best friend.
Seth, puzzled, said, "I feel like something bigger than the Treaty of Versailles just happened and I missed it. That's my luck; I always miss the good stuff. It's the hair isn't it? Yeah, it's not working for me today."