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Seth wasn't sure what was going on. His parents had told him that something had happened between Hailey and Ryan but they were so vague about it and so upset that he didn't understand what they were talking about. He just knew that Ryan was gone again. And his parents were upset.
Hailey opened the door on the third knock. "Seth."
"Hey, Hailey. Can I talk to you?"
"Sure."
He stepped in. His aunt was drinking at eleven am. But Hailey was always a partier. He sat down on her couch.
"So what happened?"
"What?" Hailey asked.
"What happened? Why is Ryan gone and why are my parents so upset?"
Hailey hesitated. "What did they tell you?"
"That something happened between you guys and Ryan…he left. There was a standard disclaimer attached, that it was their fault for pushing him away and how he always runs when he gets freaked out…but I don't get it and they're in no shape to explain it to me."
"Seth…"
"Obviously, you're not in much shape either," Seth realized. Hailey looked awful now that he was closer to her.
"We had an affair. That's such a shitty way to put it," Hailey slurred. "But it sounds better than saying we were fucking…"
"You and Ryan. Wow…that's not what I was thinking at all…" Seth replied. "Wow…"
"I'm sorry…"
"Why are you sorry? It was bound to happen eventually…"
"What?"
"Ryan, the bad boy from Chino, Hailey, the bad girl from Newport, of course…" Seth smiled. He squeezed his aunt's shoulder. "Why are you so sad?"
"Kirsten…I never wanted to upset her…you're really not mad?"
"No, Hailey. I'm not. I mean, I'm surprised, because he was in Chino…"
"Yeah. You weren't really talking to him and he was really…he was lonely. And so was I…it just happened…"
"Okay, Hailey. So where's Ryan? Why aren't you guys…"
"We can't be together…"
"Why?"
"Because, Seth…"
"He's not related to you, Hailey, not by blood. If you care about him, if he cares about you…"
"It's just not…"
"Okay, Hailey, I'm not going to lecture you. You look like you've had enough of that lately…but where is Ryan?"
"I don't know. Your parents won't tell me," Hailey confessed.
"Do they know where he is?"
"Yes. They do."
"Okay." Seth embraced his aunt impulsively.
"What's that for?"
"You're sad. I've had enough of this family being sad. I wasn't there for Ryan this summer and you were. Thank you. Now I have to go find my brother," Seth said, standing up.
"Seth…"
"Why don't you come over to the house for dinner tonight? Summer's coming and Dad's cooking swordfish again. You shouldn't be sitting around here drinking. Come on, Hailey. We need to get you out of this funk…"
"Seth…"
"Summer and I will pick you up around six. Try and be sober, okay?" Seth said.
"Seth…"
"No argument," Seth said, standing up. "I'll see you at six." This stupidity had gone on long enough. Seth had spent the whole summer being angry at Ryan and his mother, he'd wasted all that time being upset when the root of everything was his fault. He'd left because he wasn't strong enough to handle what he'd interpreted as the loss of his brother. He'd almost lost his mother and brother because of it. He would show his family that he'd learned from his mistake. He would be the bigger man and he would get his family back together...
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