Marissa brought her tray to her usual table. Summer was already
there, eating slowly. Marissa laid her tray on the table and sat on
Summer's left.
"What's up?" Marissa asked, taking a bite of her food.
"Nothing." Summer answered. She looked tired. She glanced over and Marissa could see that Summer's cheek was black and blue, even with coverup on.
"What happened?" Marissa asked, pointing to her own cheek.
"Fell down the stairs." Summer lied monotonously.
"Ouch. That had to have hurt."
"Yeah."
"So, is Seth here?"
"No."
"Summer, what's wrong?" Marissa was worried.
"Nothing."
"Are you worried about Seth?"
"Kinda." Marissa remembered the first time Summer had ever really met Seth. Marissa also bet any money that Summer didn't remember it...
Marissa and Summer finally got home at eleven. Marissa's parents were still out, and they had thought Marissa and Summer were at the local diner. In reality, they had snuck off to some party the water polo team was having. And there had been beer. It was the first time Marissa had drunken beer. She had only drunken one, but she was still a little tipsy. They got into Marissa's empty house.
"So, where is the little Coopette?" Summer asked.
"Crap. She's next door, being babysat."
"Fun."
"Come with me to get her?" Marissa begged Summer.
"Fine." They tripped out of the house and went next door. It was a huge house. They rang the doorbell. The door opened, and there stood Seth Cohen.
"I'm here to pick up Kaitlin." Marissa said to Seth.
"Oh okay. She fell asleep. We were watching a movie." He still stood there.
"Aren't you gonna like get her?" Summer asked.
"Oh, right." He smiled and his braces glinted in the light. He rushed into the living room and get Kaitlin. Summer sighed heavily, meaning she was bored. Seth came back, carrying a sleeping Kaitlin. Marissa looked over to Summer with puppy dog eyes.
"Oh no. I am no carrying her. I just got my nails done!" She showed Marissa her perfectly manicured nails. Marissa rolled her eyes and looked back at Seth.
"Could you like maybe carry her to my house? I don't think I can carry her by myself and Summer obviously won't." Marissa stated.
"Oh sure." Seth agreed.
"Thank you." Summer sped off ahead of the two. Marissa was in between Seth and Summer, Seth was lagging behind. They got to Marissa's house.
"It's the second door on the right." Marissa instructed Seth. He went upstairs, and about three minutes later, came back down, Kaitlinless.
"Nice house." He commented.
"Thanks."
"Okay, we'll see you in some class on Monday. So, bye." Summer said. Seth began to walk away and as soon as he stepped out of the house, Summer slammed the door. "God, he was such a nerd! I mean, who would babysit on a Friday night?" Summer laughed.
"Summer, the window is open."
"So?"
"He can hear you."
"Yeah, and your point?"
You're probably hurting his feelings."
"Oh well."
"Shit. I forgot to pay him." Marissa began to open the door.
"Coop, I think he has enough money."
"But still..."
"Coop."
"I guess you're right." Soon, they saw headlights in the driveway. "Shit! Quick, upstairs!" Marissa screamed. They ran upstairs, got in Marissa's room and locked the door....
Maybe that wasn't the greatest memory. They had just started high school, and Summer's parents had been fighting, and later divorced. She was jealous of Marissa, who had seen Luke that night for the first time. They kissed, but it was a small one. Still, Summer had been jealous. She had been in uber-bitch extreme mode and did lighten up, once she had been known in the school.
That night might may have been one of the only times Summer talked to Seth in a total of two years. Marissa felt bad for Seth. He wasn't here and Summer didn't even care. So Marissa decided she would pay him a visit. She knew she had said some mean things, and so did he, but now with Ryan actually gone, the words were meaningless.
"I'm gonna go, Sum. Okay?" Summer didn't look up. Marissa picked up her tray and left Summer.
By the time Marissa got to her last class, English, she had already worked out her apology. She was exhausted. Summer was right. Seth wasn't here. What was wrong with Seth that kept him out of the school for three days? She sat in her usual seat, and looked around. Not many people were her friends. There was Holly, but Marissa hated her. And she knew the people, but that didn't mean she knew them. Seth usually sat by her. They had been in the same English class for all of high school, and Marissa hadn't even known it. Seth used to always sat in the very back, trying to be invisible. But this year, he knew someone, Marissa, so he actually had someone to sit by.
It was strange to think about all that had changed over the last year. Her dad lost all his money, her mother kicked him to the curb, she almost died, she broke up with Luke, who then slept with Marissa's mom, her mom married Caleb Nichol, and in the mist of all that, there was Ryan. He changed every single one of their lives, even if he said he didn't. Life was different before Ryan came. Everything was hidden, and now, it wasn't.
"Miss Cooper?" Marissa shot her head from the window back to her teacher when she heard her name.
"Yes?"
"Just wanted to make sure you were in this world." A couple of students snickered and Marissa sank in her seat. She stared at the clock, waiting for the bell to ring.
Summer tiptoed into her house and up the stairs to her room. She prayed her father wasn't home. She wondered what snapped inside her father to make him act like he did.
She fell on her floor and began to cry. It took all her might not to tell Marissa. But if she had, she knew her family would be more destroyed than it already was. She didn't feel safe. Her father could come bursting in at any moment, and that scared her.
Summer heard someone come in and she scrambled to lock the door. She could hear the person come up the stairs, closer, closer, closer yet. She knew her father had the keys to open any room. Her heart pounded in her ears as she backed away to the far corner. She couldn't hear footsteps anymore.
But then she heard a knock at the door.
"Summer?" Her father's voice. Her fear elevated.
"Yes?" She tried her hardest not to sound frightened.
"Can I come in?"
"What do you need?"
"I wanna talk to you. Please let me in." Her father's voice wasn't threatening. She got up and unlocked the door. Her father stood there, with a sincere look on his face. They then sat on the bed.
"What do you wanna talk about?" She asked, ready to get the conversation over with.
"Last night." The memories flooded back.
"What about it?" Her voice quivered.
"I never should have hit you or your step-mother. It was wrong. I am so sorry. I just want to forget it ever happened." Summer thought. She wanted to forget it ever happened too. But she knew she would never be able to.
"I can't."
"What?"
"I can't forget last night. I just can't."
"Of course you can."
"No, I can't. I can't forget you hit me."
"Please?" Her father seemed like he was begging.
"I'm sorry."
"You have to."
"I can't. I'm sorry."
"Damn it Summer!" He slapped her face and she fell off the bed. "Why the fuck can't you?"
"I don't know!" She yelled through tears.
"You can not tell anyone! If you do, I swear to God..." He waved his finger at her. Usually Summer would have thought it was just a stupid threat, but she knew it was a threat, but it wasn't stupid.
"Daddy, please." She sobbed as she got up. "Stop." Her tears came crashing down, and now that she was so close to him, she could smell alcohol on his breath. Her tears came down faster as she acknowledged this.
"Shut up!" he seized her and threw her at the wall with all his might. The blow knocked her out. She fell to the floor, eyes closed, unconscious. Her father panicked. "Oh God. Summer. Summer, please get up. Now. Please. Summer. Get up. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I overreacted. Don't tell anyone. Please." He knelt down to see if she was breathing. "Thank God. You're still breathing. I'm, I'm just gonna let you be. Wake up when you need to. Just please, don't tell anyone." With that, he got up and glided out of the room, leaving Summer lie there, blood on the floor.
Marissa pulled into the Cohens' driveway. She noticed that only Kirsten was home. She got out of her car and went to the front door. Marissa rang the doorbell and waited for the door to open. That didn't take long, since when Kirsten opened the door, she looked winded. She looked slightly disappointed also, when she saw Marissa at the door.
"Hi Marissa. Sorry, I was...." Kirsten seemed like she didn't know where she came from. "In the.....upstairs." She settled on. "Would you like to come in?"
"It's okay. I just wanted to know what was wrong with Seth. He's been absent for three days."
"Maybe you should come in." Kirsten looked serious and Marissa was confused. But she still joined Kirsten in the living room. "I really don't know how to put this or anything, but...." Kirsten paused to regain composure. "Seth .....ran away." A million questions sprung into Marissa's head.
"When?"
"Saturday night. Between six and seven."
"Because of Ryan?"
"We think so."
"Have you heard anything from him?"
"No. But do you remember any place he may have mentioned going to?"
"Sorry. No."
"I've been out of my mind for the last five days. I wanna call Ryan, but I can't seem to get myself to do it."
"He may know something. You have to at least try."
"I know. But I don't want to worry him."
"Maybe Summer knows something. She was dating him, you know."
"That is a good idea. But I don't want to tell her over the phone. I should be telling her in person."
"Call her and invite her over."
"Should I call her now?"
"Worth a shot." Kirsten went into the kitchen. Marissa sat alone I the giant house. It seemed very empty. She could kind of imagine Seth here when he was little, running around carelessly, not knowing his future.
Then she remembered he didn't live here all his life.
Kirsten came back.
"I only got to talk to her father. Said she was asleep." Kirsten said.
"Oh." Marissa replied. It was so unlike Summer to fall asleep after school. She was always bouncing with energy. This was the times she would shop.
"Maybe you should go home. I don't want to worry you too much."
"Yeah."
"Are you staying with your dad right now?"
"Yeah, until my mom and your dad get back from their honeymoon."
"Pretty strange, huh? We're stepsisters."
"It's extremely strange. Especially now with one of my new stepsisters is dating my dad."
"Oh God. I totally forgot about that."
"Yeah. If they get married, my stepsister will be my step-mom."
"Two in one there."
"Yep, and my step-dad would be my step-grandfather."
"The Cooper-Nichol weaving is getting worse.
"Yeah. Well, I better get going."
"Okay. If you perhaps see Summer tonight, tell her to call me."
"I will." Kirsten walked Marissa to the door. Marissa left the house and got into her car. She pulled out more frightened than she pulled in.
"What's up?" Marissa asked, taking a bite of her food.
"Nothing." Summer answered. She looked tired. She glanced over and Marissa could see that Summer's cheek was black and blue, even with coverup on.
"What happened?" Marissa asked, pointing to her own cheek.
"Fell down the stairs." Summer lied monotonously.
"Ouch. That had to have hurt."
"Yeah."
"So, is Seth here?"
"No."
"Summer, what's wrong?" Marissa was worried.
"Nothing."
"Are you worried about Seth?"
"Kinda." Marissa remembered the first time Summer had ever really met Seth. Marissa also bet any money that Summer didn't remember it...
Marissa and Summer finally got home at eleven. Marissa's parents were still out, and they had thought Marissa and Summer were at the local diner. In reality, they had snuck off to some party the water polo team was having. And there had been beer. It was the first time Marissa had drunken beer. She had only drunken one, but she was still a little tipsy. They got into Marissa's empty house.
"So, where is the little Coopette?" Summer asked.
"Crap. She's next door, being babysat."
"Fun."
"Come with me to get her?" Marissa begged Summer.
"Fine." They tripped out of the house and went next door. It was a huge house. They rang the doorbell. The door opened, and there stood Seth Cohen.
"I'm here to pick up Kaitlin." Marissa said to Seth.
"Oh okay. She fell asleep. We were watching a movie." He still stood there.
"Aren't you gonna like get her?" Summer asked.
"Oh, right." He smiled and his braces glinted in the light. He rushed into the living room and get Kaitlin. Summer sighed heavily, meaning she was bored. Seth came back, carrying a sleeping Kaitlin. Marissa looked over to Summer with puppy dog eyes.
"Oh no. I am no carrying her. I just got my nails done!" She showed Marissa her perfectly manicured nails. Marissa rolled her eyes and looked back at Seth.
"Could you like maybe carry her to my house? I don't think I can carry her by myself and Summer obviously won't." Marissa stated.
"Oh sure." Seth agreed.
"Thank you." Summer sped off ahead of the two. Marissa was in between Seth and Summer, Seth was lagging behind. They got to Marissa's house.
"It's the second door on the right." Marissa instructed Seth. He went upstairs, and about three minutes later, came back down, Kaitlinless.
"Nice house." He commented.
"Thanks."
"Okay, we'll see you in some class on Monday. So, bye." Summer said. Seth began to walk away and as soon as he stepped out of the house, Summer slammed the door. "God, he was such a nerd! I mean, who would babysit on a Friday night?" Summer laughed.
"Summer, the window is open."
"So?"
"He can hear you."
"Yeah, and your point?"
You're probably hurting his feelings."
"Oh well."
"Shit. I forgot to pay him." Marissa began to open the door.
"Coop, I think he has enough money."
"But still..."
"Coop."
"I guess you're right." Soon, they saw headlights in the driveway. "Shit! Quick, upstairs!" Marissa screamed. They ran upstairs, got in Marissa's room and locked the door....
Maybe that wasn't the greatest memory. They had just started high school, and Summer's parents had been fighting, and later divorced. She was jealous of Marissa, who had seen Luke that night for the first time. They kissed, but it was a small one. Still, Summer had been jealous. She had been in uber-bitch extreme mode and did lighten up, once she had been known in the school.
That night might may have been one of the only times Summer talked to Seth in a total of two years. Marissa felt bad for Seth. He wasn't here and Summer didn't even care. So Marissa decided she would pay him a visit. She knew she had said some mean things, and so did he, but now with Ryan actually gone, the words were meaningless.
"I'm gonna go, Sum. Okay?" Summer didn't look up. Marissa picked up her tray and left Summer.
By the time Marissa got to her last class, English, she had already worked out her apology. She was exhausted. Summer was right. Seth wasn't here. What was wrong with Seth that kept him out of the school for three days? She sat in her usual seat, and looked around. Not many people were her friends. There was Holly, but Marissa hated her. And she knew the people, but that didn't mean she knew them. Seth usually sat by her. They had been in the same English class for all of high school, and Marissa hadn't even known it. Seth used to always sat in the very back, trying to be invisible. But this year, he knew someone, Marissa, so he actually had someone to sit by.
It was strange to think about all that had changed over the last year. Her dad lost all his money, her mother kicked him to the curb, she almost died, she broke up with Luke, who then slept with Marissa's mom, her mom married Caleb Nichol, and in the mist of all that, there was Ryan. He changed every single one of their lives, even if he said he didn't. Life was different before Ryan came. Everything was hidden, and now, it wasn't.
"Miss Cooper?" Marissa shot her head from the window back to her teacher when she heard her name.
"Yes?"
"Just wanted to make sure you were in this world." A couple of students snickered and Marissa sank in her seat. She stared at the clock, waiting for the bell to ring.
Summer tiptoed into her house and up the stairs to her room. She prayed her father wasn't home. She wondered what snapped inside her father to make him act like he did.
She fell on her floor and began to cry. It took all her might not to tell Marissa. But if she had, she knew her family would be more destroyed than it already was. She didn't feel safe. Her father could come bursting in at any moment, and that scared her.
Summer heard someone come in and she scrambled to lock the door. She could hear the person come up the stairs, closer, closer, closer yet. She knew her father had the keys to open any room. Her heart pounded in her ears as she backed away to the far corner. She couldn't hear footsteps anymore.
But then she heard a knock at the door.
"Summer?" Her father's voice. Her fear elevated.
"Yes?" She tried her hardest not to sound frightened.
"Can I come in?"
"What do you need?"
"I wanna talk to you. Please let me in." Her father's voice wasn't threatening. She got up and unlocked the door. Her father stood there, with a sincere look on his face. They then sat on the bed.
"What do you wanna talk about?" She asked, ready to get the conversation over with.
"Last night." The memories flooded back.
"What about it?" Her voice quivered.
"I never should have hit you or your step-mother. It was wrong. I am so sorry. I just want to forget it ever happened." Summer thought. She wanted to forget it ever happened too. But she knew she would never be able to.
"I can't."
"What?"
"I can't forget last night. I just can't."
"Of course you can."
"No, I can't. I can't forget you hit me."
"Please?" Her father seemed like he was begging.
"I'm sorry."
"You have to."
"I can't. I'm sorry."
"Damn it Summer!" He slapped her face and she fell off the bed. "Why the fuck can't you?"
"I don't know!" She yelled through tears.
"You can not tell anyone! If you do, I swear to God..." He waved his finger at her. Usually Summer would have thought it was just a stupid threat, but she knew it was a threat, but it wasn't stupid.
"Daddy, please." She sobbed as she got up. "Stop." Her tears came crashing down, and now that she was so close to him, she could smell alcohol on his breath. Her tears came down faster as she acknowledged this.
"Shut up!" he seized her and threw her at the wall with all his might. The blow knocked her out. She fell to the floor, eyes closed, unconscious. Her father panicked. "Oh God. Summer. Summer, please get up. Now. Please. Summer. Get up. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I overreacted. Don't tell anyone. Please." He knelt down to see if she was breathing. "Thank God. You're still breathing. I'm, I'm just gonna let you be. Wake up when you need to. Just please, don't tell anyone." With that, he got up and glided out of the room, leaving Summer lie there, blood on the floor.
Marissa pulled into the Cohens' driveway. She noticed that only Kirsten was home. She got out of her car and went to the front door. Marissa rang the doorbell and waited for the door to open. That didn't take long, since when Kirsten opened the door, she looked winded. She looked slightly disappointed also, when she saw Marissa at the door.
"Hi Marissa. Sorry, I was...." Kirsten seemed like she didn't know where she came from. "In the.....upstairs." She settled on. "Would you like to come in?"
"It's okay. I just wanted to know what was wrong with Seth. He's been absent for three days."
"Maybe you should come in." Kirsten looked serious and Marissa was confused. But she still joined Kirsten in the living room. "I really don't know how to put this or anything, but...." Kirsten paused to regain composure. "Seth .....ran away." A million questions sprung into Marissa's head.
"When?"
"Saturday night. Between six and seven."
"Because of Ryan?"
"We think so."
"Have you heard anything from him?"
"No. But do you remember any place he may have mentioned going to?"
"Sorry. No."
"I've been out of my mind for the last five days. I wanna call Ryan, but I can't seem to get myself to do it."
"He may know something. You have to at least try."
"I know. But I don't want to worry him."
"Maybe Summer knows something. She was dating him, you know."
"That is a good idea. But I don't want to tell her over the phone. I should be telling her in person."
"Call her and invite her over."
"Should I call her now?"
"Worth a shot." Kirsten went into the kitchen. Marissa sat alone I the giant house. It seemed very empty. She could kind of imagine Seth here when he was little, running around carelessly, not knowing his future.
Then she remembered he didn't live here all his life.
Kirsten came back.
"I only got to talk to her father. Said she was asleep." Kirsten said.
"Oh." Marissa replied. It was so unlike Summer to fall asleep after school. She was always bouncing with energy. This was the times she would shop.
"Maybe you should go home. I don't want to worry you too much."
"Yeah."
"Are you staying with your dad right now?"
"Yeah, until my mom and your dad get back from their honeymoon."
"Pretty strange, huh? We're stepsisters."
"It's extremely strange. Especially now with one of my new stepsisters is dating my dad."
"Oh God. I totally forgot about that."
"Yeah. If they get married, my stepsister will be my step-mom."
"Two in one there."
"Yep, and my step-dad would be my step-grandfather."
"The Cooper-Nichol weaving is getting worse.
"Yeah. Well, I better get going."
"Okay. If you perhaps see Summer tonight, tell her to call me."
"I will." Kirsten walked Marissa to the door. Marissa left the house and got into her car. She pulled out more frightened than she pulled in.