Reality Strikes
By: Nakeru of Neo Earth
It was a miserable night at the Cohen's house. Ryan was gone on a walk, Seth gone for a few weeks on a school trip. Sandy and Kirsten were playing cards in the kitchen, watching the storm pick up. It had been raining for the last few hours. Ryan had left just before to go walk aimlessly.
Kirsten and Sandy had been watching the Pool House since he had left to watch for his return. They wanted to talk to him about all that had happened the last few weeks. Summer had been left behind by Seth for the trip, so she had been spending time with Ryan of all people. She spent her days with Marissa to, so she told the Cohens.
They worried for Ryan, they worried that he might run away. They feared that with all the misery that he had gone through that he would just give up, like he expected everyone else to do. Only no one had… he just hadn't realized that.
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Summer's POV:
I was walking in the rain with Chino, normally I would be saying "Eww." I wasn't though. I actually enjoyed walking with Chino. I felt so bad for him, the way everything ended up with Oliver and Marissa. I just felt like I had to be there for him, he had no one else… like me.
"Ryan,"
He didn't look up at me, he just held his jacket over his shoulder and kept looking ahead. He wasn't in a talking mood, just like all the other times I had spent with him. I had to get him to open up somehow, I just had to work at it.
"Ryan, you need to talk to me sometime."
"I don't want to talk," is all he said, never even moving his head.
"Ryan, I know it's hard for you to believe Marissa with all that she said and did. I know, and understand why you're doing all of this, but she does love you."
Ryan just looked at me for a moment. His ocean blue eyes staring at me, I could feel his pain. It was weird, I had never been able to look someone in the eyes before and feel their feelings. What was even weirder, Ryan was almost crying. It was a sight that few had seen, Ryan Atwood, Mr. Chino himself, on the verge of crying.
"Do you want to go to the Pool House?"
He looked at me again, "If you stay for a little while."
I nodded quietly, putting on a comforting smile. He just started to walk toward the Cohen's and I walked beside him. I felt so bad, I could feel his pain now, it was so sad. He was hurt to the core by the one person that he did truly love. I couldn't imagine ever feeling that hurt, and hoped I never had to.
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Marissa's POV:
I watched as Summer and Ryan walked up the Cohen's driveway. I was so surprised to see Summer in the rain… let alone walking with Ryan! It bothered me a little bit… I felt that it should be me out there, not her.
Summer had told me of all those days she had spent with Ryan since Seth had gone on his trip. She had barely spent time with me, and when she did, she was always talking about Ryan… as if trying to convey his feelings to me. I just couldn't understand… I guess I never would.
After I watched them walk into the Pool House, I decided I had to fix all of this, prove to Ryan that I still cared. I just couldn't let him slip away from me. I knew that Theresa had chosen her boyfriend, so I no longer had to compete with her… but I wasn't going to either. I had to talk to him… get him to listen… make him see I still care.
I walked out into the rain, as I made my way to the Pool House, I saw Summer exit with an umbrella and she was wearing one of his wife beaters. He must of let her dry off and given it to her. I felt even more stupid as she approached me.
"Coop?"
I just looked at her, I couldn't say anything. She must have thought I was suspicious of them.
"Nothing is going on between me and Chino."
I looked at her and tried to smile, "I know, I trust you Summer."
She just tried to smile, and walked to her car. I began walking toward the Pool House again. I didn't know what I was going to say, I didn't know what I as going to do… I just got to the door and stopped.
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Ryan's POV:
I was drying my hair with a towel when I saw her. She was standing at my door looking inside. She looked so afraid… so alone. I threw the towel into the bathroom and took off my drenched wife beater. I went over to my bed and laid down. I never asked her to come in, both hoping she would and wouldn't come in.
She slowly pushed the door open. She closed it and just stared at me, her eyes watering. I didn't know if she thought that Summer and I were doing something or what. I didn't ask. I just couldn't talk. I felt so alone, so hopeless. I thought she had been so different than any other girl in my life. She was beautiful and passionate. She ended up like my mother instead… a drunk, pill popping loser.
"I…" is all she could said.
Even though I felt the way I did about her… about her being a pill popper and a drunk… something pulled me to her… I couldn't tell what nor did I try to figure it out. She had kept her distance as I had asked… but something tells me she hadn't given up on me.
I got up and walked to my closet, and grabbed her a towel. I walked over and wrapped it around her and walked her over to my bed. I set her down, sat behind her, and began drying her off. I don't know what made me do it… I just did.
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Marissa's POV:
I was in shock that he had began to dry me off. I just sat there a moment and once he stopped I turned around. I looked him in the eyes, his big ocean-blue eyes. He was going cry, I could tell. I just looked at him for a moment and then the words finally came.
"I'm sorry… it's taking me a long time to finally get everything straight. I love you, Ryan. I know you probably don't want me anymore…"
He put his finger to my mouth, to shut me up. He just looked at me for a moment. He grabbed me and gave me a hug, he began to cry. I was surprised… he had actually broken down from all the torture he had gone through. I felt so guilty I began to cry.
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Ryan's POV:
I pulled myself together. I held her close as she cried, trying to comfort her. I knew I should give this another chance… I wanted to show her that. There was no way to show her that I wanted to try again… I had to tell her.
"I forgive you."
She just looked up at me for a moment.
"I've had lots of time to think. I can remember the first day I met you. The Ferris wheel. Everything that we have been through. I was blinded by one mistake that was made and it hurt us both. It's time that I… we move on and start over."
She grabbed me in the biggest hug ever. I finally felt complete. I smiled. I saw Summer in the window, smiling as well. She turned and left a few seconds later. I got Marissa some clothes to change into and we just spent the night in each other's arms. We didn't speak… we didn't need to, all we needed was each other.
I slept the best than I had in a long time that night. I know she did too. I was so glad to have her back, and I know she was glad she had me. I never felt so alive in my life. I had gained so much. I gained a friend, a closer understanding of life and relationships… and of course, my dream girl. I had to hold on… I just couldn't lose it all again… never…