"Seth Gets Lucky"
This is a one shot (all right, it turned into two due to excessive length) set in my Ryan/Summer AU, which splits off in the middle of the Oliver debacle (see the prequels, "Summer Time" and "Summer in Chino").
Ryan, Seth and Summer go to Theresa 'n' Eddie's wedding in Chino. You will recall that in this AU there was no further introduction of Theresa into Newport – the only contact we've seen is at the Thanksgiving episode and the phone call Ryan receives from Theresa in "Summer in Chino."
Seth was getting used to being a third wheel. And did being a third wheel mean that he had turned Ryan and Summer's bicycle built for two into a big, ugly tricycle - maybe one of those oversized ones you occasionally see old people riding? Sure they were stable but did you really want to be seen on one? Or in his case, be a part of one.
He sighed and slumped further down in his seat, staring out the window at the passing cars. He twisted and wiggled as his suit jacket bound his arms. If he'd listened to Ryan, it would've been hanging in the garment bag in the back of the Range Rover instead of getting more wrinkled with each mile they drove. Seth frowned in annoyance at his friend's common sense; practical Ryan, always doing things the methodical, correct way ... except when he was impulsively beating someone up.
"What?" Seth snapped, when he realized that Ryan was looking at him from the corner of his eyes.
"Do you want me to pull over so you can take that off?" he asked blandly.
"No. I'm quite comfortable thank you," Seth retorted.
Ryan shrugged and turned his eyes back to the highway.
Seth unbuckled his seatbelt, rearranged the jacket and re-buckled the belt.
"Cause I could...." Ryan started, gesturing toward a road sign indicating that a rest stop was coming up.
"No. Thank you."
"Christ's sake, Cohen." Summer's shrill voice grated on his nerves now that he wasn't head over heels in love with her. "Just take the thing off and give it to me. You'll be a lot more comfortable." She leaned forward between the pair of boys. "We still have at least forty-five minutes, and I can't stand listening to you wiggle around and sigh anymore."
"Put on your headphones then." Seth shot her a glare over his left shoulder and she retreated into the backseat with a muttered, "Asshole!"
Seth, vowing he wouldn't move again even if fire ants suddenly invaded the Explorer, settled back into the seat and stared out the window once more. It occurred to him that last summer he would have been peeing from excitement if Ryan took him to visit Chino. Back then he had been full of curiosity about every aspect of his new friend's former life. Today? Well, today he was starting to wonder why he had even agreed to come to this wedding with Ryan and Summer.
Of course, he actually knew why. He was still curious. Curious to see if Theresa was as beautiful as Marissa had described her; curious to see if Chino was really the ghetto he had envisioned; curious to see if Ryan adopted a different persona when he was around 'his people'. Besides, what else would Seth do on a hot August afternoon except go sailing ... by himself ... again.
That was the problem with being a third wheel, the bike could go on just fine with or without you, but on your own you became ... a unicycle. Something only clowns rode, and there had to be something to that symbolism. Seth just wasn't quite sure what it was.
Ryan braked suddenly as the line of cars in front of them did the same. Seth jerked against his seatbelt and Summer cried out from behind them, "Hey! Crap! You made me spill nail polish!"
"Sorry," Ryan said mildly. "Next time I'll rear-end the guy ahead of us."
Seth twisted around to look at the damage. "Hurry and wipe it up before it dries on the seat!"
"No, duh," Summer replied, wiping furiously.
"Why are you doing that in the car anyway?" he complained.
"It's over an hour drive. What else am I going to do? Besides, my toenails were chipped."
Seth's eyes lingered for a moment on Summer's perfect little feet with their perfect little polished pink toes. His mouth went dry and he swallowed hard as he turned around face forward again.
The Explorer was inching along now. An accident must have occurred, because the traffic had slowed to bumper to bumper.
"Damn," Ryan muttered. "We're gonna be late."
The nasty, poisonous, little imp who lived in a dark cupboard in Seth's head, capered up and down with glee as it always did when things didn't go Ryan's way. He smacked it sharply and sent it back to its cubby. Seth was amazed how even now, months after Ryan and Summer had hooked up and long after he had forgiven them for it, he was still prone to sporadic, severe attacks of jealousy. Today he felt exceptionally spiteful and didn't even know why.
Contritely, Seth tried to counteract his negative thoughts with a peace offering. He opened his CD pouch and flipped through it. "Is there anything you'd like to listen to?" he asked Ryan. "I got your Journey/Styx mix here," he said, waving it enticingly.
"Oh god, not again," Summer moaned.
"Whatever. I don't care," Ryan said. "Let Summer pick."
Seth's hand was dying to make a cracking the whip gesture, but he forced it to stay down.
"Summer?" he asked, as politely as he could through gritted teeth.
"Hello. Kidding. I live for Steve Perry and ... that guy from Styx. Pop it in."
Seth obeyed and soon Perry's annoying tenor filled the vehicle.
Traffic began to move again.
"So, what's a Catholic wedding like?" Seth asked.
"Don't know. Haven't really been to one," Ryan said. "They do the whole Mass thing so even if we're late I guess we won't miss the actual ceremony."
"It's gotta be kind of weird, huh? Somebody you've known most of your life, somebody our age, getting married," Seth remarked.
Ryan nodded. "It is."
"You think she's making a mistake?" Summer half asked, half stated. She handed water bottles from the cooler up to each of the boys.
"Eddie's a nice guy. He's got his head on straight, has a good job, doesn't drink too much. She could do worse."
"But...." Seth prompted.
Ryan looked at him and smiled ruefully. "But she's our age and she's getting married."
After a thoughtful silence, he continued, "Theresa was always really smart. She did good in school. I wish...."
Both Summer and Seth waited patiently. When Ryan infrequently expressed himself, people listened. Seth wondered if there was a lesson there. Maybe if he babbled less, people would hear him more.
"I wish she could see a bigger future for herself. With her grades she could get scholarships and go to college. Find out what she really wants to do with her life. She says Eddie won't hold her back from that, but...." he trailed off and turned his attention back to driving.
There didn't seem to be anything to say, so Seth and Summer fell silent while Steve Perry sang on about his city by the bay.
Ryan was right. They arrived late but were still able to see the "Do you take this..." part of the ceremony. The three friends crowded into a pew at the very back of the church on the bride's side. In Newport Seth had always felt very ethnic compared to the other kids at school. Here in Chino he felt like a loaf of Wonder Bread accidentally tossed among the whole grain loaves. Almost everyone in the church was latino.
Being fairly tall, Seth got a pretty good view of the wedding couple at the altar. Theresa illustrated the term 'radiant' with her striking, dark looks glowing against the white veil and gown. Eddie looked like ... the devil on the side of the Devilwood Ham can, if the devil were wearing a tux and sans pitchfork. But he seemed a very happy Satan with a broad, satisfied grin that he could barely suppress long enough to deliver his vows.
After the wedding, there was the interminable wait to go through the greeting line. By this time Summer was practically dancing from foot to foot she had to pee so badly. When they arrived late, she had rushed straight into the church without making that necessary stop, and the way the crowd was ranged at the door, there was no way to make a break for the restroom.
As they joined the slow moving line, several people greeted Ryan with a "How've you been?" or "Where've you been?" or "I thought you were in jail!" Ryan kept the explanation short each time, vaguely introducing Summer and Seth as friends from his new home and not mentioning that he lived in Newport. Instead he would quickly turn the conversation back to the person greeting him: "How's your dad doing now?" "Did you ever sell the Mustang?" "Is your sister graduating this year?" "When does Enrique get out?"
Summer tugged on Seth's arm and he leaned down so she could hiss in his ear. "Tell Ryan I couldn't wait anymore. I'll meet Theresa later. I've got to pee right now!" She darted off in search of a ladies' room.
Feeling bored and foolish as he smiled and nodded at people he didn't know and would never meet again, Seth shuffled through the receiving line.
"Ryan Atwood?" One of the bridesmaids shrieked as she grabbed Ryan and hugged him. "Oh my god, I can't believe it!" She held him away from her. "You don't remember me, do you? I'm Theresa's cousin, Aurelia. God, don't tell me you don't remember the time you guys stole my Barbies and tatooed them all or the time Aunt Sophy made you and Theresa take me with you to the mall and you guys ditched me there. Remember? You told me to wait by the Mr. Pretzel while you ran an errand then you took off. You two were so mean!"
"Aurelia." Ryan confirmed with a smile. "Of course I remember. You ... grew up."
"Yes I did," she said, a flirtatious lilt to her voice. "And so did you." She looked him up and down then turned her deep brown eyes on Seth. "Who's your cute friend?" she asked. Her full, red lips curved in a smile that dimpled her round cheeks, and her thick lashes lowered coyly over those amazing eyes.
Seth felt his heart rate bump up a notch.
"This is Seth Cohen. I, uh, live with his family now."
"In Newport Beach. Yeah. Theresa mentioned it." She held out her hand to Seth. "Pleased to meet you."
Seth felt himself reduced to instant tongue-tied geekhood. "Uh. Yeah. I...." he stammered, as he took her soft hand in his. She had a firm grip and her rings pressed hard into his palm. "Same here. I mean, pleased to meet you, too."
"You'll dance with me at the reception," she didn't so much request as command.
"Oh. Okay," Seth managed to say around his dorky grin.
Aurelia laughed then turned her attention to the next wedding guest.
As he and Ryan continued to move forward, Seth kept stealing glances back at Theresa's flamboyant cousin. All of the bridesmaids were dressed in deep, wine red satin or some polyester version of same. The gown was off the shoulder and fell in smooth, draping curves that would flatter anyone's figure, and Aurelia had quite a figure to flatter. Seth could barely drag his gaze away from the décolletage that peeked enticingly from the gown's bodice.
He felt Ryan nudge him in the ribs with an elbow. "When I knew her, she was about ten years old and thin as a stick," he whispered.
"Thank God for puberty," Seth whispered back. They exchanged a grin, and Seth was suddenly struck by how much he had missed this, the male bonding thing, which had never quite been the same since the advent of Summer.
When it was finally their turn to congratulate the bride and groom, Ryan stepped forward and Theresa's eyes widened with delight. "You came! I didn't think you'd make it!" She hugged Ryan and they held each other for a fraction of a second too long. Seth darted a glance at Eddie and could've sworn he saw a flicker of ... something move across his saturnine face before that happy, wedding-day smile reappeared. Theresa relinquished Ryan and Eddie greeted him with a "Hey, man!" and a one-armed hug and back slap.
"How've you been?" Eddie asked, jovially. "I hear you landed up in Newport after you and Trey got busted. How the hell did that happen?"
"Long story, man," Ryan answered. He turned to present Seth. "This is Seth. I, uh, live with his family now."
Theresa took Seth's hand and shook it, looking into his eyes with a curious tilt to her head. "Nice meeting you." She smiled and he thought Marissa was right; she was extremely beautiful. And those eyes. Well, Seth always had a thing for dark brown eyes.
"A pleasure meeting you," Seth replied formally, "and congratulations on your wedding." He nodded at Eddie, as well.
Theresa turned back to Ryan, "But I thought you were bringing your new girlfriend," she said in a teasing tone. "Don't tell me you lost another one already."
Ryan smiled. "No. She's...." he gestured vaguely toward the restrooms.
"It was a long drive," Seth explained.
"Well, I look forward to meeting her at the reception then," Theresa said with a smile. She took Ryan's hand one last time. "Really. It means so much to me that you came today."
He nodded briefly, shook hands with Eddie again, and then Ryan and Seth were out of the receiving line. Before they exited the church, Seth took one last look back at Cousin Aurelia. She was laughing and greeting an elderly woman, but as if psychically connected, she turned toward him when Seth looked at her and gave him a slow wink.
Seth blinked. Despite his brief dalliance with Anna and Summer last winter, he was still amazed that anyone would flirt with him, especially a female as hot as this buxom beauty. He collected his wits enough to give her a little finger-waggling wave before following Ryan from the church.
The reception hall was part of the Saint Sebastian Church complex of buildings, which also included an elementary school and the priest's residence. Summer caught up with Seth and Ryan in time for the rice throwing as the bridal couple emerged from the church. The wedding guests then moved over to the reception while the bridal party went back into the church to pose for photographs.
The awkwardness really set in for Seth and Summer at the reception. They sat in metal folding chairs at a paper covered and flower bedecked folding table and stared around at a roomful of laughing, talking people who had connections with one another. Ryan went to get drinks for them and got sidetracked on the way by a group of young men who greeted him as an old friend.
"This bites," Summer said, tossing a little of the heart-shaped confetti from the table at Seth.
"Yup," he agreed, slipping out of his jacket and draping it over the chair then loosening his tie.
Summer shifted position and jiggled her leg impatiently. "I'm going to get my own drink," she announced after a moment. "Want to come with?"
"Okay."
They got up and threaded their way through the throng, which was especially thick around the bar. Soft drinks, beer and wine were available; anything stronger was cash only. Summer ordered three beers and passed one to Seth. They circulated toward the hors d'ouvre table and piled up cheese, crackers and fruit on little plastic plates.
The deejay cranked up the music, which turned out to be an eclectic mix of several decades of rock and plenty of Spanish language classics as well.
Ryan visually located Summer and Seth and signaled them from across the room. He made his way over.
"Sorry. Those were some of Trey's old friends. I couldn't get away."
"'S okay. We found sustenance," Summer said through a mouthful of cheese. She handed Ryan a beer.
"Thanks."
"It must be kind of weird to be back here," Seth chimed in. "Is it?"
Ryan looked around. "Yeah. Pretty weird."
They returned to their table and sat nibbling food, drinking beer and staring around at the other wedding guests for the next twenty minutes. The little kids running races and playing tag on the dance floor were good for a few laughs anyway.
At one point, Seth looked up and caught Ryan and Summer exchanging one of those smoldering gazes that made you feel you'd be electrocuted if you got between them. God, he hated when that happened. It made him feel like a kindergarten cousin they were forced to babysit when they'd much rather be off playing adult games.
Seth wasn't a fool. He was aware that Ryan rarely touched Summer or even held her hand when Seth was around. And he knew that this 'hands off' policy was for Seth's benefit. Part of him appreciated the couple's tact in not prodding an open wound, but part of him hated that they thought he was so fragile they couldn't display affection in front of him. Which way Seth teetered depended on the day and his mood.
Seth considered, not for the first time, that maybe part of the scorching attraction between Ryan and Summer was because they were continuing to play the 'illicit romance' game. As long as they hid their attraction from Seth, they still got the seductive thrill of sneaking around.
Or maybe he was just being an ass and should quit thinking so much about their motivation, Seth decided. God, he really needed more friends than two. He wished Anna hadn't moved back to Pittsburgh. Hell, he'd even be willing to hang out with Luke at this point. Maybe he should give the guy a call and go visit him in Palm Springs.
"Hey!" A hand dropped on Seth's shoulder and he twisted around to look straight into some hefty cleavage. He raised his eyes higher. Aurelia smiled down at him. "The photos are finally over! Theresa and Eddie should be along soon. Are you guys bored to death yet?"
"Getting there," Ryan said. "Summer, this is one of Theresa's cousins, Aurelia."
The girls nodded and smiled politely at one another. With a swish of red faux satin, Aurelia plopped down on the chair next to Seth.
"I'm starving! Do you mind?" she asked, reaching for some nibble food from Seth's plate.
"Please. Help yourself."
"Can you believe Theresa's getting married?" Aurelia asked Ryan. She shook her head. "I told her, if he's worth it he'll wait a few years, but you know how stubborn she can be."
"She's not...?" Ryan trailed off.
Aurelia caught his drift. "Pregnant? No. Just incredibly stupid. She's my cousin so I can say that." Seeing Seth and Summer's discomfort with the topic, she changed the subject. "So, you guys are from Newport Beach? What's that like?"
"Pretty boring," Seth replied.
"Fine," Summer answered simultaneously.
The conversation lagged.
"You know what we need to liven this party up? Tequila shooters," Aurelia announced.
"Definitely!" Summer agreed, perking up.
Ryan looked a trifle worried. "I don't know."
Summer slapped his arm. "Come on. It'll be fun."
As always, Ryan caved to her demands. He nodded. "Okay."
"Can we get served?" Seth asked curiously.
"The bartender's one of my cousins. He's cool." Aurelia stood up and beckoned Summer. "You want to help carry?"
Summer was already rising to her feet. The two girls took off.
"So tell me more about Aurelia," Seth begged.
Ryan sipped at the last of his beer. "Not much to tell. She was a year younger than us and kind of a whiner so Theresa and I always tried to ditch her when her family came to visit. She's right. We were mean." He smiled at the childhood remembrance. Then he registered Seth's interest and looked at him with a grin. "You think she's hot!"
"She IS hot. Are you blind?"
Ryan watched the two girls as they waited in line for their drinks. "Yeah. I guess she is. You should go for it, man. She seems interested in you."
"'Go for it?' As in 'go for it'?" Seth asked. "How much 'going for it' are we talking about here? 'Cause I'm not sure I'm equipped to handle anything beyond a certain level, especially with someone who looks like that. I mean, what if she actually wants to go for IT and I choke. I don't know if I'm really ready to...."
"Relax," Ryan urged. "It's a wedding. You're supposed to have fun. Stop hyperventilating."
"Right." Seth drew a deep breath. "Except now, Ryan, you've gone and planted ... thoughts in my head and I can't stop thinking of certain ... images and it's making me extremely nervous. And I feel like she's going to come back here and like see what's going on in my head and know that I'm having certain feelings and then...."
"You're doing it again," Ryan remarked blandly. "Just breathe."
"Okay. Breathing now."
In a few minutes the girls returned and plunked four shots of tequila on the table along with a small plate of lime wedges.
Seth eyed the proceedings with trepidation. He didn't want to be the one to cough and sputter and spew his drink all over the table, but he had never done shots in his life and it was likely he'd carry it off like the pansy schoolgirl he was.
"All right. Count of three," Summer directed with a glint in her eye.
Seth had at least seen enough movies to know the drill; lick the salt, toss back the shot, and follow it with a bite of lime. As he went through the motions, he finally understood the cliche that drinking straight alcohol was like swallowing fire. To change it up, he would compare it to downing a swig of Draino.
His eyes watered and he gave a little snort but stopped short of choking and spitting.
The two girls grinned widely at each other as they slammed their glasses down, as if they had personally invented a new game. Ryan looked nonchalant as always, drinking the shot with the practiced ease with which he accomplished everything. It kind of made Seth want to smack him.
"Whew!" Aurelia said. She nudged Seth's arm. "Another couple of those and this party will be way more interesting." Her eyes slid to the door. "Oh. 'Here comes the bride.' I have to go sit at the main table, but I'll catch up with you later, okay? You promised me a dance, remember?" She smiled flirtatiously at Seth then she stood to go. Seth watched her cardinal red plumage weave through the crowded room.
The reception ground on in the usual way; dinner, toasts, bridal dance, cake cutting, bouquet tossing, garter grabbing. Aurelia was kept busy with her bridesmaid duties and didn't look like she'd be coming to claim her dance any time soon. Summer dragged Ryan out to the dance floor to sway in place to "Three Times a Lady" while Seth had the joy of watching them look supremely content and in love, wrapped in each other's arms. He went up to the bar for another drink. God bless Aurelia's cousin who let him buy a Tequila Sunrise without batting an eye.
Seth was steadily sipping his way through his second Sunrise when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to look and his eyes seemed to take a few extra seconds to catch up with the rest of his head. He frowned and focused. Aurelia was beaming down at him again.
"It's time," she announced, extending her hand.
To be continued....