Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing.

A/N: I know this is a short chapter…But I couldn't wait to post 'cause I love reviews. I'll write up another chapter ASAP. All errors are mine, for I've become lazy. Also, I'm labeling my chapter's as 'episodes', but it's kind of funny when you think about because some chapters are going to be very short, so technically it's not as long as an 'episode'. Get my drift? If you don't, that's okay because there are many people who don't. Well, Enjoy!

SEASON TWO: Episode Two

Seth was lying down on his bed with Captain Oats when Sandy walked into his bedroom. "Ready?" Sandy asked, clapping his hands together in anticipation for some enthusiasm.

"I can go by myself, Dad." Seth replied. "I'm a senior now, so I think I can pick my courses alone, wouldn't you say so?"

"Well, I just thought maybe you'd want me to be there with you but that's fine. I've got…I've got work to do anyway." Sandy swallowed hard. "I'll see you later then." Sandy said and then left.

Seth put Captain Oats down on his bed and left his bedroom. The whole house was quiet and awkward without Ryan around. Seth was glad now that he was gone the whole summer. He would have killed himself. Speaking of summer, Seth thought to himself, maybe he should call her. Or he could surprise her. Yes, that's what he'll do. Surprise her. Right after he picked his senior courses at Harbor.

Seth got onto his skateboard and rolled down the streets, making his way to Harbor. Once he got there he picked up his skateboard and walked into the main building. He realized how alone he was when he saw that everyone kept on staring at him and whispering. Having a feeling that something was wrong with his attire; Seth slid into the boy's bathroom.

"Nope, Jew-Fro is in tact." Seth said to himself, looking into the mirror. He looked down at his shirt. "No spills or stains." He confirmed.

"Oh, would you look at who we have here." A boy said to his friend, walking into the bathroom. "If it isn't the queer himself." The boy mocked. "Where's your boyfriend?"

Seth ignored the remark. "Hey, is that new shirt? It looks nice." Seth said, walking pass them and leaving the bathroom. He looked behind him to make sure they weren't following him. Seth let out a sigh, as he saw no one trailing behind him. God, he wished Ryan was with him right now – not in a boyfriend way or anything, just as a friend who would have his back.

Seth turned a corner and bumped into a girl, sending the paper's she was holding, into the air.

"Crap." Seth mumbled and began picking them up. He stood up and handed them to the girl. "Anna! What the hell are you doing here?" Seth exclaimed.

"Nice to see you too, Seth." Anna smirked at him. "I was just picking up my schedule."

"Oh, right." Seth scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, so, you're back in Newport?"

"Looks like it. Pittsburgh was fun and all but, well you know, it got boring. All of my friends at school were seniors last year, so this year they all moved away for college. That's when I decided to come back here to finish school with the gang." Anna explained and then laughed. "You seem surprised."

"I am." Seth replied. "I just wasn't planning on bumping into you, but…uh, I'm glad I did because I was dreading of walking the hallways alone today."

"Where's Ryan?" Anna asked, as they started making their way to registration.

"He's in Chino." Anna waved for him to continue on. "With Theresa…Who's pregnant."

Anna gasped. "Wow, things have really changed. What about Marissa?"

"I have no clue what's up between those two. I've been gone all summer."

"Oh, really? Where did you go?" Anna asked.

"Tahiti."

"With Summer?"

"Nope, uh… Just me, myself and I." Seth replied. "It's kind of a long story…When Ryan left I sort of ran away from everything, including Summer, who I haven't talked to all summer long. I plan on going over to her house after registration to beg for her forgiveness."

"Ah, I see." Anna nodded. "Things haven't changed."

Seth nodded his head and stared at Anna. "Crap, I'm so glad you're back in Newport."

Anna smiled at him. "Yeah. I came back just in time for all the drama."

Seth laughed. "Yup, it's going to be a ride this year."

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Ryan finished up his last task of the day on the construction site and caught a ride with one of the guys who lived near him. His shoulder blades screamed in pain as he walked into Theresa's mom's house. The smells of barbecued chicken filled his nostrils.

"Supper's ready." Theresa's mom informed him.

Ryan mumbled a thank you to her and sat down at the table. It was just Ryan eating tonight. Theresa was working an evening shift at the drugstore and her mom was going out with an old friend.

"Theresa should be home by nine-thirty." She told him, as she headed out of the door.

Ryan sat alone in an awkward silence, as he ate his dinner. He still wasn't used to living with Theresa. He always felt like he didn't belong, especially since her mother now hated him. Ryan quickly finished up his dinner and walked outside to have a cigarette. He had promised Kirsten and himself that he would quit smoking, but it was so hard to do at the construction site. Everyone he knew smoked, so he picked up his bad habit and joined them during his breaks.

Ryan was walking around the backyard patio when he heard the doorbell ring. He ran through the kitchen and into the living room to answer the door.

"Dude, Chino's a very confusing place to be in when you're lost. I asked some guy if he had the time and he like flipped out on me. But that wasn't the worst –"

"Seth." Ryan stopped him. "What are you doing here?" He questioned.

Seth walked past Ryan and into the house. "This place is, uh…Interesting. Where's Theresa?"

"Working." Ryan replied, inhaling his cigarette. He closed the door and turned to Seth. "So, again, what are you doing here?"

Seth sat down on the couch. "Comfy." He bounced up and down. Ryan glared at him and sat down in a chair. "Funny thing." Seth laughed. "Anna's back, you're gone…And most of all, Summer's pulling an all out rage blackout as we speak."

Ryan pressed his lips up against his cigarette and frowned. "So, I take it you talked to Summer this afternoon. Why is Anna back in Newport?"

"Pittsburgh sucks now, I guess. So, she wanted to come back to Newport to be with her friends. But, she can't really do that now because you're not there, Marissa's drinking her life away and Summer's on a rampage." Seth sighed. "Dude, I seriously don't know what to do…That's why I'm here."

"Do your parents know? It's getting late." Ryan observed.

"No, they think I'm at Summer's making peace, which I didn't succeed at."

"I suggest you call them. Your mom might kill you…Same with your dad." Ryan said, handing him the cordless phone.

Seth dialed home and spoke to his dad. He wasn't that mad that he had gone to Chino, but was slightly upset that he didn't have a car to make it back home before it got dark.

"So, what'd he have to say?" Ryan asked Seth.

"If it's okay, can I stay the night? He said he would come and pick me up in the morning." Seth replied, standing up and looking around the place.

"Yeah, sure. Now you're the one sleeping on the floor, not me." Ryan said, walking into the kitchen. "Juice?" He opened the fridge and handed him a juice box.

"Dude." Seth laughed, pointing to the picture on the fridge. "Love the outfit."

Ryan tore the picture off of the fridge. "That was a long time ago."

"Whatever you say, Snoopy."

Ryan and Seth went outside on the patio and caught up with each other's life.

"What happened with you and Summer?" Ryan asked.

"She's still not over me leaving her without an explanation, which I clearly did. I wrote her a letter. What else could I have done?" Seth questioned.

"You could have talked to her." Ryan suggested.

"Well, if I did talk to her…I'm positive she would have kicked my ass. Maybe she just needs some time. Once we see each other at school I bet she'll miss me. I'm irresistible like peanut butter."

"Unless you're like me, someone who hates peanut butter." Ryan threw him a smile.

"Whatever floats your boat, man. So, what happens next, Ryan?" Seth asked, sipping his juice box.

"What do you mean?"

"After the baby is born. What happens next?" Seth questioned.

Ryan shrugged. "If it's mine then I have to take the responsibility and care for Theresa and the baby. I'm not going to abandon my family. Not like what Dawn did to me." Ryan replied.

"And if it's not?"

"If the baby's not mine then…" Ryan trailed off, looking up at the sky. He pulled out his pack of cigarettes and lit up one up. "I really don't know. To tell you the truth, I really want the baby to mine." Ryan admitted.

Seth was shocked. "But, uh, I thought you didn't want the baby. I mean, before when Theresa said she was going to have the abortion you were all up for it. Or at least you didn't care."

"I did care. It's a life, Seth." Ryan inhaled his cigarette. "I just think that everything would be better off if the baby's mine."

"Why's that?" Seth asked.

"'Cause if it's not mine, then what, Seth?" Ryan whispered. "What's going to happen when I find out that it's not mine, but Eddie's. So, great, Eddie takes responsibly, sure…But what's left for me?"

"Newport? Wouldn't you move back?" Seth asked, chewing at his juice box straw.

Ryan shrugged. "Chino's my home now, Seth. I have a steady job…I make a lot of money. I wouldn't want to impose on your family again."

"Dude, you are family." Seth said in all seriousness.

Ryan stood up from the lawn chair he was sitting on. "It's getting late, I'm going to bed."

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