Love In Dispute Part 4
"What do you mean you're taking her to the movies tonight?"
"I thought that statement was pretty self explanatory."
"Oh! Don't you get fucking smart with me now! We had plans! You can't just blow them off like that!"
"Plans? What plans do we have?"
"Don't even try that cute confused look on me. It's not working this time."
"I'm not using a look on you! Shit! I hate when you accuse me of that! Listen, I honestly didn't know we had plans. I must have forgotten that we planned something. What were they? I mean if it's really something that's important to you, I can tell her we need to reschedule for another night."
"Whether it's important to me or not? That's going to be your deciding factor? News flash, all of our time together is important to me. I used to think it was important to you too."
"Don't pull that shit. You know it's important to me."
"Could've fooled me. It's been weeks since we've spent anytime together. You spend every waking moment that isn't at school or work with her."
"She needs me right now. Why has that been so hard for you to understand?"
"I do understand it. Really, I do. But I think you're going above and beyond the call of duty here. You haven't spent time on anything else."
"Hey, I'm sorry if you're jealous. But it can't be helped. When she's feeling better, I'll be able to spend more time with you again."
"Dammit! This isn't just about me and you! How about the stack of homework you have sitting over there that you haven't even glanced at yet? Does spending time taking care of your distraught little girl also include fucking up in school? We have a test Monday; I've been studying for a week. How many hours have you put in?"
"A few. Don't roll your fucking eyes at me! I have studied! What, do you want to fucking test me and see?!? I study on my breaks at work! I study when I get home at night!"
"You expect me to believe that after you sneak home from being out at all hours every night, you don't go right to bed, you actually study?"
"Yes, I do expect you to believe me, because I've never freakin' lied to you before, why the hell would I start now? And you know I don't want to mess this up. You know I want to do well at school. I study all the fucking time and half of that homework is done. Think about it, have I ever not had it to hand in when it was collected in class? Have I failed anything since school started?"
"I don't know; we don't have every class together."
"The fucking holier than thou tone you are taking with me is really starting to grate on my nerves! I get the fact that you aren't happy that I haven't had much time for you lately, but I don't know how you convinced yourself you had the right to pry into my life like this, lecturing me about school? It's none of your business."
"None of my business? None of my business? I'm prying into your life? Well excuse me! And I was standing here under the assumption that I was your boyfriend. I guess I was wrong. Because if I'm not even allowed to be concerned about you and your life, than we can't possibly be all that involved!"
"Fuck you, that was low! Why don't you tell me what these plans were, so at least I can know what it is I'm blowing off, that started this whole big fight!"
"That's not the important part! I asked you this morning if you wanted to go to the mall to pick up the new Baldar's Gate game. That was it. No anniversary dinner or anything. The thing is, you once again forgot me and made plans with her. I don't even know why I'm upset. I should be all too used to it by now. oh don't look all hurt. It's true! You know what I bet. I bet you haven't even told her the truth yet, have you. I bet she has no idea about the two of us. Well? Have you told her yet?"
"No, I haven't, not yet. and fuck off, don't you dare look so outraged at me! She just got out of the fucking hospital!"
"That was 2 weeks ago!"
"And she's no better now than she was then!"
"Yeah, and I'm sure leading her on like this is really going to help! Especially in the long run!"
"I'm not leading her on! I'm just being her friend!"
"Yeah. a really close friend. Yeah, go ahead; look nervous, I'll let you justify that reaction! Because I've seen the two of you, the hugs, the little kisses on the cheek, the snuggles! I've seen what a close friend you're being to her! I'm glad you're trying to make her all better! And you may have not noticed, because you're fucking never here, but we just keep getting worse and worse!"
And on that note Seth slammed the door to the pool house, leaving a shocked and irate Ryan standing near the bed. That had been their first fight as a couple. Though there probably would have been one sooner if, as Seth had mentioned, Ryan was around more. But Ryan couldn't help it. From the minute Mr. And Mrs. Cohen had told them about Marissa, Ryan had been by her side, helping her through everything; her parents divorce, Luke and Holly's betrayal, and the back lash and gossip from all the kids at school when they found out what she had done. She needed someone who understood, someone who wouldn't judge, and Ryan was the best one for her at the moment. So he did everything he could for her. Even if that meant blowing off some homework, or studying into the wee hours of the morning so that he could stay with Marissa until her curfew. And the last thing she needed was another shock in her life after all she had been through.
So he hadn't told her about his relationship with Seth.
He couldn't.
Not now.
Ryan fell back onto his bed and fought the slightly nauseous feeling he had. He knew he was treating Seth like shit at the moment. He spent all his time with Marissa because she needed him, he almost ignored Seth at school because he was afraid some of his feelings would show through and then not only would Marissa know the truth, but everyone else as well. But he was relying on the fact that Seth loved him and would keep loving him through anything. Once Marissa was feeling a little better, once her out look on life was a little brighter, than he would tell her the truth. Then Ryan would tell her that she didn't have a chance with him. Than he would tell her his heart belonged to Seth. Hopefully it wouldn't all blow up in his face.
Ryan rolled off the bed and headed towards his bathroom. He needed to shower and change before he picked up Marissa for the movie.
***
Seth had run back into the house and up into his room, slamming the door. He couldn't take this anymore. He could barely fathom what Ryan was doing to him. After their big discussion in Tijuana about giving up the girls and being true to each other. After the moments they had shared together. He couldn't believe Ryan was now completely avoiding him and bestowing all of his attention on Marissa. Marissa! Seth knew he should have never believed all of that bull shit Ryan had said about not pursuing her further, that he was finished with her, and that he was in love with him. It was obvious now that all of that romantic bullshit Ryan had spewed in Mexico was just to get him in bed. Seth had been played and he knew it.
Seth felt extremely stupid. He had fallen hook, line, and sinker for Ryan's charms. Hell he had fallen in love. And it had all just been a game. He tried to convince himself it didn't matter. He tried to tell himself that now he had more time to pursue Summer. But he couldn't. Nothing he said to himself mattered. He was in love with Ryan. And Ryan had just broken his heart.
Seth was just about to turn on his stereo and climb into bed to mourn with a dozen or so comic books when there was a knock on his door. He paused, could it be Ryan? Was he coming to apologize?
"Come in." Seth called out coolly.
The door swung open slowly and his mother peered her head in hesitantly. "Hi Seth."
"Hey mom." He responded, his hopes having fallen farther down than before. "What's up?
Kirsten walked further in and took a seat on Seth's computer chair. "I just heard you come in and then when you slammed the door I. well. I guess your plans for the mall fall through?"
Seth fell back on his bed, moaning once before pulling himself back up into a sitting position. "Ryan's to busy to go to the mall. He's got a date with Marissa. He's taking her to the movies."
Kirsten held back a sigh. This had been exactly what she was afraid of when Seth and Ryan got together. As soon as school started, Ryan would see what he was missing with the other kids and he'd leave Seth behind. But a little nagging voice in the back of her head (she liked to call it Sandy2) told her that wasn't the truth. Ryan was helping Marissa. That's all it was. "Well honey. He's been trying to help her get through this hard time. I bet it isn't a date. He's just spending time with her to help her feel better."
Seth turned a mildly outraged face towards his mother. "Why are you defending him?" He pouted. "You're my mom, be on my side!"
Kirsten smiled softly. "What do you want me to say? He's a slime ball for leaving you home alone again and that you should dump his lousy butt?"
Seth broke into a huge grin at his mother's slightly outdated choice of words. He knew she was just trying to cheer him up. "Yes! Exactly!"
Kirsten moved from the chair to the bed so that she was sitting next to her son. "You're just like me, you know that?" She put an arm around him. "We both jump to the worst conclusions first, before considering anything else."
Seth leaned against his mother and pouted again. "Do not."
She smiled and kissed the top of his head. "We both have to stop for a moment and think. Would Ryan really cheat on you? If he was cheating, would he really let you know about everything he was doing with Marissa? Wouldn't he be trying to hide it from you? And also, what if the situation was reversed and Ryan was dating Marissa, and you were the one who needed him? What do you think he'd do then?"
"Ryan would be with me 24/7 instead of her." Seth admitted, begrudgingly. "That doesn't prove anything."
"True, except that he's a very loyal friend." Kirsten nodded, pulling him closer to her. "But has Ryan ever given us a reason not to trust him?"
"He stole a car, burned down your house, took me to my first party where I got drunk underage, fought with Luke numerous times, kissed your son with out your permission." Seth looked up at his mother. "Tell me when you want me to stop."
Kirsten sighed out loud this time. "All unrelated incidents Seth." She kissed him on top of the head again. "Listen sweetie. I want to be mad at him as much as you do. But we know the truth. He may get into scrapes more often than your average person, but when it comes to something like this; it's just not in Ryan's nature to cheat on you. He's just being a friend to Marissa. And maybe he's going a little too far, being a little too protective, and leaving you alone a little too much, but his heart really is in the right place. And I think we need to give him a little leeway."
Seth sighed in irritation as a response.
"Am I right in guessing you two just had a fight and that's why you stormed up here?"
Seth nodded.
"And am I also correct in guessing you feel a little bad now because you might have said a few things to Ryan that maybe you shouldn't have?"
What Seth was beginning to regret right now was being so close to his mother, because she knew him to well. He gave her a scowl to which she responded to with a soft smile. No, forget that, he didn't mean it, it could be annoying, but it also could be a pretty useful thing sometimes. He nodded again.
Kirsten gave him one last squeeze and stood up. "Ryan promised dad he'd be home right after the movie tonight."
Seth gave his mother a confused look.
Kirsten looked a little guilty. "He asked your father permission to go, like he does every time he goes out. Unfortunately, you had asked me about the mall this morning and I hadn't mentioned it to Sandy yet. Otherwise he would have reminded Ryan about the mall. But when Ryan asked, your father made him promise promised to be in early tonight and from now on, as we had noticed he has been out increasingly late as of recent."
"You and Dad knew how late he had been staying out?"
Kirsten nodded.
"And he's not grounded or anything?"
Kirsten sighed again. "He should be, but as we never set a curfew, he technically wasn't breaking it so. There's one set now, same as yours. So if it happens again, he'll be grounded then. We talked to him about it tonight after dinner while you were doing the dishes."
Seth nodded again, wondering how he had missed all of this, how his parents had known how late Ryan was coming in every night, and why his mother had half pretended to just find out about the ruined plans for the mall when she had come first into his room. She had probably wanted the two of them to work it out of their own. And when she learned that Ryan had made other plans after having made plans with Seth, she had probably wanted to step in and reprimand or maybe just remind Ryan like a mother would do. But there was a small quandary there. She wasn't just Ryan's adopted mother; she was also the mother of Ryan's boyfriend. For the latter, she probably felt she shouldn't interfere. Stepping in between her birth son and her adopted son was one thing. Stepping in between her birth son and her birth son's boyfriend was a whole different tale.
"Well, what I was getting to, is that Ryan will be home early tonight, so why don't you think over what the two of you may have said to each other and maybe what should have been said in it's place. So, you can wait for him to get home and then the two of you can have a nice little talk. I'll even let you stay out there a little later tonight. How does 1 o'clock sound?" Kirsten smiled generously at her son.
"For real?" Seth eyes brightened.
"For real." Kirsten answered, not at all sure of what she had just said.
Seth gave her a big hug and she left him to his thinking.
Seth lay back down on the bed and started to think over his conversation with Ryan. What had he said? And how should he have said it?
***
Seth waited until 10 o'clock, when he knew that Ryan would be home from the movie any minute as it had gotten out at quarter to ten, and made his way down to the pool house. He seated himself on the bed and waited for his boyfriend to get home. He ended up waiting longer than he had expected for someone who had promised to be home right after the movie.
At 10:25 he finally heard some movement right outside and perked up. At least until he heard the voices.
"Why do we have to come back here? Can't we go to the pier? Or my dad's apartment? He's not home tonight." Seth heard Marissa's voice faintly through the thin doors.
"I promised the Cohen's I'd be home right after the movie tonight. They noticed how late I've been staying out and finally enforced a curfew. "Ryan's voice could be heard softly as well.
"And the curfew is ten o'clock on a Friday night?" Even from a distance Marissa sounded amazed. "I thought my mom was bad. That's just cruel."
"No. They just asked that I be home early tonight. I guess it is kinda a punishment. Not that the Cohen's could never be described as cruel though. They're actually pretty fucking awesome to me. They took me in and all. Gave me a place to live. Speaking of which, you shouldn't knock having to hang out in my pool house. It's not so bad. It's pretty comfortable... private." And there was something in the way Ryan said private that Seth didn't like. He said it like for some reason there was a need for privacy.
"Do you have a bed in there?" And to Seth's ears it just went from bad to worse.
"Of course. What did you think? I slept on a pool float?" The voices were getting closer.
Seth's skin crawled when he heard Marissa's innocuous giggle. Even the girl's laugh was bland.
"Of course I didn't. well I guess I didn't really think about it. Are you gonna show me around? You've seen my room enough times, I've never seen yours. I bet my bed is more comfortable." Seth really wished they'd stop talking about beds.
"I don't know. Wait until you try mine, the thing's pretty sweet."
Seth was starting to feel nauseous from the tone of their voices; Marissa with her insipid little girl voice and Ryan. Ryan who was speaking with this voice so unlike his normal one. It sounded so cheery and fake. It was indeed making Seth sick. Why had Ryan been on her bed? Why was Marissa going to try out Ryan's? Seth had the sudden feeling he should get out of there and get out of there quick. But he needed to see what was going on. He knew any second Marissa and Ryan would come in and be surprised to see him there. And Seth didn't want that, but there was just something about the way they were talking to each other that seemed to be confirming Seth's worst fears about Ryan cheating on him with Marissa. So he stayed and hid behind the counter top, hoping to God he was wrong.
The door finally swung open and the two walked in. Seth could see everything from where he was crouched, but knew they couldn't see him. Marissa was clinging to Ryan who had his arm wrapped securely around her. They walked over to the bed and Seth's heart sank as he watched Ryan lower her gently to it. The minute she was on her back, she reached her arms up and wrapped them around Ryan's neck, pulling him dangerously close. As soon as they were face to face, she kissed him deep and hard, forcing her tongue into his mouth.
And that was more than enough for Seth. He sprang from his hiding space and pointed an accusatory finger at Ryan. "I KNEW IT!!! I KNEW IT!!! And mom said I should trust you, said I should come down here and wait for you, because you were such a good boy and you would never be cheating on me!!! WELL FUCK THAT!!!"
Seth bounded towards the door, ignoring the shocked faces, ignoring how Ryan bounded up off the bed, pushing Marissa away. "It's over Ryan! You aren't fooling me any more! If you just wanted someone to fool around with, something like you had with your Brian in Chino, you should have looked elsewhere! Because I'm not going to be your little fuck toy anymore! I hope you're happy with Marissa, I hope she can be everything to you that I was, because I'm never fucking talking to you EVER AGAIN!!!"
"Seth." Ryan finally spoke, panic flooding his whole face. His voice choked and strained.
"DON'T BOTHER!!! It's over!!! We're breaking up!!! NOT THAT THIS WAS EVER A REAL RELATIONSHIP TO END!!!"
"Seth." Ryan tried again, sounding even worse than before.
"FUCK YOU! I'm dumping you! Not that you'll actually fucking care now that you finally have Marissa!!! I was obviously just a big joke to you! A GAME! I HATE YOU RYAN ATWOOD!!!" Seth gave the two one last disdainful look. "I hate you."
And he stormed from the pool house, leaving the other two in stunned shock as he ran for the main house.
"What do you mean you're taking her to the movies tonight?"
"I thought that statement was pretty self explanatory."
"Oh! Don't you get fucking smart with me now! We had plans! You can't just blow them off like that!"
"Plans? What plans do we have?"
"Don't even try that cute confused look on me. It's not working this time."
"I'm not using a look on you! Shit! I hate when you accuse me of that! Listen, I honestly didn't know we had plans. I must have forgotten that we planned something. What were they? I mean if it's really something that's important to you, I can tell her we need to reschedule for another night."
"Whether it's important to me or not? That's going to be your deciding factor? News flash, all of our time together is important to me. I used to think it was important to you too."
"Don't pull that shit. You know it's important to me."
"Could've fooled me. It's been weeks since we've spent anytime together. You spend every waking moment that isn't at school or work with her."
"She needs me right now. Why has that been so hard for you to understand?"
"I do understand it. Really, I do. But I think you're going above and beyond the call of duty here. You haven't spent time on anything else."
"Hey, I'm sorry if you're jealous. But it can't be helped. When she's feeling better, I'll be able to spend more time with you again."
"Dammit! This isn't just about me and you! How about the stack of homework you have sitting over there that you haven't even glanced at yet? Does spending time taking care of your distraught little girl also include fucking up in school? We have a test Monday; I've been studying for a week. How many hours have you put in?"
"A few. Don't roll your fucking eyes at me! I have studied! What, do you want to fucking test me and see?!? I study on my breaks at work! I study when I get home at night!"
"You expect me to believe that after you sneak home from being out at all hours every night, you don't go right to bed, you actually study?"
"Yes, I do expect you to believe me, because I've never freakin' lied to you before, why the hell would I start now? And you know I don't want to mess this up. You know I want to do well at school. I study all the fucking time and half of that homework is done. Think about it, have I ever not had it to hand in when it was collected in class? Have I failed anything since school started?"
"I don't know; we don't have every class together."
"The fucking holier than thou tone you are taking with me is really starting to grate on my nerves! I get the fact that you aren't happy that I haven't had much time for you lately, but I don't know how you convinced yourself you had the right to pry into my life like this, lecturing me about school? It's none of your business."
"None of my business? None of my business? I'm prying into your life? Well excuse me! And I was standing here under the assumption that I was your boyfriend. I guess I was wrong. Because if I'm not even allowed to be concerned about you and your life, than we can't possibly be all that involved!"
"Fuck you, that was low! Why don't you tell me what these plans were, so at least I can know what it is I'm blowing off, that started this whole big fight!"
"That's not the important part! I asked you this morning if you wanted to go to the mall to pick up the new Baldar's Gate game. That was it. No anniversary dinner or anything. The thing is, you once again forgot me and made plans with her. I don't even know why I'm upset. I should be all too used to it by now. oh don't look all hurt. It's true! You know what I bet. I bet you haven't even told her the truth yet, have you. I bet she has no idea about the two of us. Well? Have you told her yet?"
"No, I haven't, not yet. and fuck off, don't you dare look so outraged at me! She just got out of the fucking hospital!"
"That was 2 weeks ago!"
"And she's no better now than she was then!"
"Yeah, and I'm sure leading her on like this is really going to help! Especially in the long run!"
"I'm not leading her on! I'm just being her friend!"
"Yeah. a really close friend. Yeah, go ahead; look nervous, I'll let you justify that reaction! Because I've seen the two of you, the hugs, the little kisses on the cheek, the snuggles! I've seen what a close friend you're being to her! I'm glad you're trying to make her all better! And you may have not noticed, because you're fucking never here, but we just keep getting worse and worse!"
And on that note Seth slammed the door to the pool house, leaving a shocked and irate Ryan standing near the bed. That had been their first fight as a couple. Though there probably would have been one sooner if, as Seth had mentioned, Ryan was around more. But Ryan couldn't help it. From the minute Mr. And Mrs. Cohen had told them about Marissa, Ryan had been by her side, helping her through everything; her parents divorce, Luke and Holly's betrayal, and the back lash and gossip from all the kids at school when they found out what she had done. She needed someone who understood, someone who wouldn't judge, and Ryan was the best one for her at the moment. So he did everything he could for her. Even if that meant blowing off some homework, or studying into the wee hours of the morning so that he could stay with Marissa until her curfew. And the last thing she needed was another shock in her life after all she had been through.
So he hadn't told her about his relationship with Seth.
He couldn't.
Not now.
Ryan fell back onto his bed and fought the slightly nauseous feeling he had. He knew he was treating Seth like shit at the moment. He spent all his time with Marissa because she needed him, he almost ignored Seth at school because he was afraid some of his feelings would show through and then not only would Marissa know the truth, but everyone else as well. But he was relying on the fact that Seth loved him and would keep loving him through anything. Once Marissa was feeling a little better, once her out look on life was a little brighter, than he would tell her the truth. Then Ryan would tell her that she didn't have a chance with him. Than he would tell her his heart belonged to Seth. Hopefully it wouldn't all blow up in his face.
Ryan rolled off the bed and headed towards his bathroom. He needed to shower and change before he picked up Marissa for the movie.
***
Seth had run back into the house and up into his room, slamming the door. He couldn't take this anymore. He could barely fathom what Ryan was doing to him. After their big discussion in Tijuana about giving up the girls and being true to each other. After the moments they had shared together. He couldn't believe Ryan was now completely avoiding him and bestowing all of his attention on Marissa. Marissa! Seth knew he should have never believed all of that bull shit Ryan had said about not pursuing her further, that he was finished with her, and that he was in love with him. It was obvious now that all of that romantic bullshit Ryan had spewed in Mexico was just to get him in bed. Seth had been played and he knew it.
Seth felt extremely stupid. He had fallen hook, line, and sinker for Ryan's charms. Hell he had fallen in love. And it had all just been a game. He tried to convince himself it didn't matter. He tried to tell himself that now he had more time to pursue Summer. But he couldn't. Nothing he said to himself mattered. He was in love with Ryan. And Ryan had just broken his heart.
Seth was just about to turn on his stereo and climb into bed to mourn with a dozen or so comic books when there was a knock on his door. He paused, could it be Ryan? Was he coming to apologize?
"Come in." Seth called out coolly.
The door swung open slowly and his mother peered her head in hesitantly. "Hi Seth."
"Hey mom." He responded, his hopes having fallen farther down than before. "What's up?
Kirsten walked further in and took a seat on Seth's computer chair. "I just heard you come in and then when you slammed the door I. well. I guess your plans for the mall fall through?"
Seth fell back on his bed, moaning once before pulling himself back up into a sitting position. "Ryan's to busy to go to the mall. He's got a date with Marissa. He's taking her to the movies."
Kirsten held back a sigh. This had been exactly what she was afraid of when Seth and Ryan got together. As soon as school started, Ryan would see what he was missing with the other kids and he'd leave Seth behind. But a little nagging voice in the back of her head (she liked to call it Sandy2) told her that wasn't the truth. Ryan was helping Marissa. That's all it was. "Well honey. He's been trying to help her get through this hard time. I bet it isn't a date. He's just spending time with her to help her feel better."
Seth turned a mildly outraged face towards his mother. "Why are you defending him?" He pouted. "You're my mom, be on my side!"
Kirsten smiled softly. "What do you want me to say? He's a slime ball for leaving you home alone again and that you should dump his lousy butt?"
Seth broke into a huge grin at his mother's slightly outdated choice of words. He knew she was just trying to cheer him up. "Yes! Exactly!"
Kirsten moved from the chair to the bed so that she was sitting next to her son. "You're just like me, you know that?" She put an arm around him. "We both jump to the worst conclusions first, before considering anything else."
Seth leaned against his mother and pouted again. "Do not."
She smiled and kissed the top of his head. "We both have to stop for a moment and think. Would Ryan really cheat on you? If he was cheating, would he really let you know about everything he was doing with Marissa? Wouldn't he be trying to hide it from you? And also, what if the situation was reversed and Ryan was dating Marissa, and you were the one who needed him? What do you think he'd do then?"
"Ryan would be with me 24/7 instead of her." Seth admitted, begrudgingly. "That doesn't prove anything."
"True, except that he's a very loyal friend." Kirsten nodded, pulling him closer to her. "But has Ryan ever given us a reason not to trust him?"
"He stole a car, burned down your house, took me to my first party where I got drunk underage, fought with Luke numerous times, kissed your son with out your permission." Seth looked up at his mother. "Tell me when you want me to stop."
Kirsten sighed out loud this time. "All unrelated incidents Seth." She kissed him on top of the head again. "Listen sweetie. I want to be mad at him as much as you do. But we know the truth. He may get into scrapes more often than your average person, but when it comes to something like this; it's just not in Ryan's nature to cheat on you. He's just being a friend to Marissa. And maybe he's going a little too far, being a little too protective, and leaving you alone a little too much, but his heart really is in the right place. And I think we need to give him a little leeway."
Seth sighed in irritation as a response.
"Am I right in guessing you two just had a fight and that's why you stormed up here?"
Seth nodded.
"And am I also correct in guessing you feel a little bad now because you might have said a few things to Ryan that maybe you shouldn't have?"
What Seth was beginning to regret right now was being so close to his mother, because she knew him to well. He gave her a scowl to which she responded to with a soft smile. No, forget that, he didn't mean it, it could be annoying, but it also could be a pretty useful thing sometimes. He nodded again.
Kirsten gave him one last squeeze and stood up. "Ryan promised dad he'd be home right after the movie tonight."
Seth gave his mother a confused look.
Kirsten looked a little guilty. "He asked your father permission to go, like he does every time he goes out. Unfortunately, you had asked me about the mall this morning and I hadn't mentioned it to Sandy yet. Otherwise he would have reminded Ryan about the mall. But when Ryan asked, your father made him promise promised to be in early tonight and from now on, as we had noticed he has been out increasingly late as of recent."
"You and Dad knew how late he had been staying out?"
Kirsten nodded.
"And he's not grounded or anything?"
Kirsten sighed again. "He should be, but as we never set a curfew, he technically wasn't breaking it so. There's one set now, same as yours. So if it happens again, he'll be grounded then. We talked to him about it tonight after dinner while you were doing the dishes."
Seth nodded again, wondering how he had missed all of this, how his parents had known how late Ryan was coming in every night, and why his mother had half pretended to just find out about the ruined plans for the mall when she had come first into his room. She had probably wanted the two of them to work it out of their own. And when she learned that Ryan had made other plans after having made plans with Seth, she had probably wanted to step in and reprimand or maybe just remind Ryan like a mother would do. But there was a small quandary there. She wasn't just Ryan's adopted mother; she was also the mother of Ryan's boyfriend. For the latter, she probably felt she shouldn't interfere. Stepping in between her birth son and her adopted son was one thing. Stepping in between her birth son and her birth son's boyfriend was a whole different tale.
"Well, what I was getting to, is that Ryan will be home early tonight, so why don't you think over what the two of you may have said to each other and maybe what should have been said in it's place. So, you can wait for him to get home and then the two of you can have a nice little talk. I'll even let you stay out there a little later tonight. How does 1 o'clock sound?" Kirsten smiled generously at her son.
"For real?" Seth eyes brightened.
"For real." Kirsten answered, not at all sure of what she had just said.
Seth gave her a big hug and she left him to his thinking.
Seth lay back down on the bed and started to think over his conversation with Ryan. What had he said? And how should he have said it?
***
Seth waited until 10 o'clock, when he knew that Ryan would be home from the movie any minute as it had gotten out at quarter to ten, and made his way down to the pool house. He seated himself on the bed and waited for his boyfriend to get home. He ended up waiting longer than he had expected for someone who had promised to be home right after the movie.
At 10:25 he finally heard some movement right outside and perked up. At least until he heard the voices.
"Why do we have to come back here? Can't we go to the pier? Or my dad's apartment? He's not home tonight." Seth heard Marissa's voice faintly through the thin doors.
"I promised the Cohen's I'd be home right after the movie tonight. They noticed how late I've been staying out and finally enforced a curfew. "Ryan's voice could be heard softly as well.
"And the curfew is ten o'clock on a Friday night?" Even from a distance Marissa sounded amazed. "I thought my mom was bad. That's just cruel."
"No. They just asked that I be home early tonight. I guess it is kinda a punishment. Not that the Cohen's could never be described as cruel though. They're actually pretty fucking awesome to me. They took me in and all. Gave me a place to live. Speaking of which, you shouldn't knock having to hang out in my pool house. It's not so bad. It's pretty comfortable... private." And there was something in the way Ryan said private that Seth didn't like. He said it like for some reason there was a need for privacy.
"Do you have a bed in there?" And to Seth's ears it just went from bad to worse.
"Of course. What did you think? I slept on a pool float?" The voices were getting closer.
Seth's skin crawled when he heard Marissa's innocuous giggle. Even the girl's laugh was bland.
"Of course I didn't. well I guess I didn't really think about it. Are you gonna show me around? You've seen my room enough times, I've never seen yours. I bet my bed is more comfortable." Seth really wished they'd stop talking about beds.
"I don't know. Wait until you try mine, the thing's pretty sweet."
Seth was starting to feel nauseous from the tone of their voices; Marissa with her insipid little girl voice and Ryan. Ryan who was speaking with this voice so unlike his normal one. It sounded so cheery and fake. It was indeed making Seth sick. Why had Ryan been on her bed? Why was Marissa going to try out Ryan's? Seth had the sudden feeling he should get out of there and get out of there quick. But he needed to see what was going on. He knew any second Marissa and Ryan would come in and be surprised to see him there. And Seth didn't want that, but there was just something about the way they were talking to each other that seemed to be confirming Seth's worst fears about Ryan cheating on him with Marissa. So he stayed and hid behind the counter top, hoping to God he was wrong.
The door finally swung open and the two walked in. Seth could see everything from where he was crouched, but knew they couldn't see him. Marissa was clinging to Ryan who had his arm wrapped securely around her. They walked over to the bed and Seth's heart sank as he watched Ryan lower her gently to it. The minute she was on her back, she reached her arms up and wrapped them around Ryan's neck, pulling him dangerously close. As soon as they were face to face, she kissed him deep and hard, forcing her tongue into his mouth.
And that was more than enough for Seth. He sprang from his hiding space and pointed an accusatory finger at Ryan. "I KNEW IT!!! I KNEW IT!!! And mom said I should trust you, said I should come down here and wait for you, because you were such a good boy and you would never be cheating on me!!! WELL FUCK THAT!!!"
Seth bounded towards the door, ignoring the shocked faces, ignoring how Ryan bounded up off the bed, pushing Marissa away. "It's over Ryan! You aren't fooling me any more! If you just wanted someone to fool around with, something like you had with your Brian in Chino, you should have looked elsewhere! Because I'm not going to be your little fuck toy anymore! I hope you're happy with Marissa, I hope she can be everything to you that I was, because I'm never fucking talking to you EVER AGAIN!!!"
"Seth." Ryan finally spoke, panic flooding his whole face. His voice choked and strained.
"DON'T BOTHER!!! It's over!!! We're breaking up!!! NOT THAT THIS WAS EVER A REAL RELATIONSHIP TO END!!!"
"Seth." Ryan tried again, sounding even worse than before.
"FUCK YOU! I'm dumping you! Not that you'll actually fucking care now that you finally have Marissa!!! I was obviously just a big joke to you! A GAME! I HATE YOU RYAN ATWOOD!!!" Seth gave the two one last disdainful look. "I hate you."
And he stormed from the pool house, leaving the other two in stunned shock as he ran for the main house.