Disclaimers in Chapter 1. I think.
A/N: I have officially decided something. I'm not going to tell you how
Seth died. For awhile I didn't say 'cause I honestly didn't know what had
happened. Now I know what I think happened, and I really don't think it
matters. This story isn't about how Seth died. It's about how people live
without him. So, figure out how you think Seth died if you want to, or not.
Just keep reading and reviewing!
Ch. 7
Ryan actually had a good time with Summer walking down the beach. They had talked some, a lot about Seth and a little about Marissa, but mostly been quiet and Ryan wished he'd gotten to know Summer sooner. It was with reluctance that Ryan pulled into the Cohen driveway. The house was dark and Ryan wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. Ryan unlocked the door and walked into the kitchen. In the dark kitchen Sandy sat with a glass and a bottle of Scotch.
"Sandy?" Ryan whispered. Somehow whispering seemed appropriate.
"Ryan," the man's voice was hollow and desolate.
"Can I sit with you?" Ryan asked. When Sandy did not respond Ryan sat. Sandy ignored him and poured another glass of Scotch. The bottle was nearly empty and Ryan had a funny feeling it had been a fresh bottle. He pulled it away from Sandy. "You've had enough."
"My kid's dead. I'm allowed," Sandy sounded like a petulant child.
"My best friend is dead," Ryan countered and took a swig himself. It burned and the burning made Ryan realize how stupid the scene was. He stood up abruptly and turned on the kitchen lights. Sandy looked haggard and worn as he blinked at the bright lights. Ryan doubted he had shaved or showered since Seth's funeral.
"Mmmph," Sandy muttered. Still carrying the whiskey bottle, Ryan walked over to the sink and poured it out. He couldn't stop Sandy from drinking, but he could make it just a little less easy.
"What are you doing to yourself?" Kirsten stormed into the kitchen angrily. "What do you think Seth would think?"
Ryan looked pityingly at Sandy as he left the kitchen.
"Where do you think you're going?" Kirsten demanded of him.
"I have school tomorrow," Ryan explained, "and I haven't finished my homework."
"It's too soon," Kirsten argued.
"I need to go to school," Ryan said firmly before walking out of the main house.
In the sanctuary of the pool house Ryan sighed with relief. He saw the answering machine had messages on it and hit the play button.
"Hey. I haven't heard from you in two days. I thought you were going to come by yesterday. Call me baby, I'm worried." Theresa, Ryan didn't want to deal with her yet. She hadn't known Seth well and Ryan wasn't ready to tell her about him.
"Ryan it's Marissa, just wanted to check on you. Are you coming to school tomorrow? I'm still at my mom's if you need a ride, or anything else. Well, okay, bye." Ryan sighed, maybe someone should tell Marissa she was trying just a little too hard.
"Um, hey Ryan it's Anna. Haven't heard from you all day, which is fine. I just, after last night I wanted to talk to you. Give me a call," Anna left her number. Ryan smiled. He would call Anna back, he owed her an apology if nothing else. She answered on the first ring.
"Hello?"
"Anna? It's Ryan."
"Hey. H-hey," Anna forced herself not to ask how he was. His best friend had just died, he was obviously not okay. "How was your day?"
"Oh you know, screamed at Marissa, argued and made up with Kirsten, apologized to Marissa, ran into Summer at the beach and had a nice afternoon with her, came home to a drunk Sandy and poured his whiskey down the sink, fought with Kirsten again and this time didn't make up, and called you. How was your day?" Ryan asked.
"It was alright. Not nearly as eventful as yours," Anna laughed. "So what's up with you and Kirsten?"
"I don't know really. She just keeps picking fights, mostly with Sandy," Ryan explained.
"I'm sorry. I know it sucks," Anna said sincerely, "but God, she must be hurting so much!"
"She is, so is Sandy. I can't see things getting better anytime soon, I don't know how they can get better."
"Me either. Try to be patient, I guess," Anna advised. After a pause she asked, "Are you going to school tomorrow?"
"Yeah. I don't want to stick around here if I can help it and it's not like I'll miss Seth any less here than I will at school," Ryan pointed out.
"True. Find me tomorrow?" Anna requested.
"Sure. Oh, and Anna?"
"Yes Ryan?"
"Thanks for not asking how I am," Anna laughed.
"No problem."
Ch. 7
Ryan actually had a good time with Summer walking down the beach. They had talked some, a lot about Seth and a little about Marissa, but mostly been quiet and Ryan wished he'd gotten to know Summer sooner. It was with reluctance that Ryan pulled into the Cohen driveway. The house was dark and Ryan wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. Ryan unlocked the door and walked into the kitchen. In the dark kitchen Sandy sat with a glass and a bottle of Scotch.
"Sandy?" Ryan whispered. Somehow whispering seemed appropriate.
"Ryan," the man's voice was hollow and desolate.
"Can I sit with you?" Ryan asked. When Sandy did not respond Ryan sat. Sandy ignored him and poured another glass of Scotch. The bottle was nearly empty and Ryan had a funny feeling it had been a fresh bottle. He pulled it away from Sandy. "You've had enough."
"My kid's dead. I'm allowed," Sandy sounded like a petulant child.
"My best friend is dead," Ryan countered and took a swig himself. It burned and the burning made Ryan realize how stupid the scene was. He stood up abruptly and turned on the kitchen lights. Sandy looked haggard and worn as he blinked at the bright lights. Ryan doubted he had shaved or showered since Seth's funeral.
"Mmmph," Sandy muttered. Still carrying the whiskey bottle, Ryan walked over to the sink and poured it out. He couldn't stop Sandy from drinking, but he could make it just a little less easy.
"What are you doing to yourself?" Kirsten stormed into the kitchen angrily. "What do you think Seth would think?"
Ryan looked pityingly at Sandy as he left the kitchen.
"Where do you think you're going?" Kirsten demanded of him.
"I have school tomorrow," Ryan explained, "and I haven't finished my homework."
"It's too soon," Kirsten argued.
"I need to go to school," Ryan said firmly before walking out of the main house.
In the sanctuary of the pool house Ryan sighed with relief. He saw the answering machine had messages on it and hit the play button.
"Hey. I haven't heard from you in two days. I thought you were going to come by yesterday. Call me baby, I'm worried." Theresa, Ryan didn't want to deal with her yet. She hadn't known Seth well and Ryan wasn't ready to tell her about him.
"Ryan it's Marissa, just wanted to check on you. Are you coming to school tomorrow? I'm still at my mom's if you need a ride, or anything else. Well, okay, bye." Ryan sighed, maybe someone should tell Marissa she was trying just a little too hard.
"Um, hey Ryan it's Anna. Haven't heard from you all day, which is fine. I just, after last night I wanted to talk to you. Give me a call," Anna left her number. Ryan smiled. He would call Anna back, he owed her an apology if nothing else. She answered on the first ring.
"Hello?"
"Anna? It's Ryan."
"Hey. H-hey," Anna forced herself not to ask how he was. His best friend had just died, he was obviously not okay. "How was your day?"
"Oh you know, screamed at Marissa, argued and made up with Kirsten, apologized to Marissa, ran into Summer at the beach and had a nice afternoon with her, came home to a drunk Sandy and poured his whiskey down the sink, fought with Kirsten again and this time didn't make up, and called you. How was your day?" Ryan asked.
"It was alright. Not nearly as eventful as yours," Anna laughed. "So what's up with you and Kirsten?"
"I don't know really. She just keeps picking fights, mostly with Sandy," Ryan explained.
"I'm sorry. I know it sucks," Anna said sincerely, "but God, she must be hurting so much!"
"She is, so is Sandy. I can't see things getting better anytime soon, I don't know how they can get better."
"Me either. Try to be patient, I guess," Anna advised. After a pause she asked, "Are you going to school tomorrow?"
"Yeah. I don't want to stick around here if I can help it and it's not like I'll miss Seth any less here than I will at school," Ryan pointed out.
"True. Find me tomorrow?" Anna requested.
"Sure. Oh, and Anna?"
"Yes Ryan?"
"Thanks for not asking how I am," Anna laughed.
"No problem."