CHAPTER 3
DISCLAIMER: The usual; I don't own anything connected with The O.C. 'cause if I did, I'd be inviting BMcK over for a session on the casting couch.
A/N: To elzed, many thanks for the pimp at TWOP. I'm honored. Now on with our story.
"No, Summer," Anna said for the third time, "You have to call Ryan and cancel. I've been planning this for a while now and I don't want you screwing it up."
"Okay, I'm so not getting this. Ryan Atwood at a Lit Mag party? You and Seth, yeah, I can totally see that but Chino? Not so much."
"Well, get it because he's going. Seth's talking him into it right now. So you might as well just cancel your whole "Pride and Prejudice" viewing marathon because I've got something much better planned for him tomorrow night."
Summer eyed her friend suspiciously. "What's going on? You're up to something, I can tell. You've got that self-satisfied look again. Now tell, Rose, before I hurt you."
"Well, I don't know"….Anna hesitated just long enough to make Summer squirm a bit with impatience. "Okay, but you have to promise not to say anything to Ryan because it's a secret."
Summer's eyes widened with eager curiosity. "Oohh, a secret involving Chino? Come on, come on, give me the dirt."
"Well, there's this girl in our club who has a huge crush on him. The party's at her house and I thought this would be a great opportunity to try to hook them up," Anna said with deceptive innocence.
"What?! What girl? Who is this skank that's after Chino?" Summer's face clouded up and she started feeling the beginnings of an unexplained rage blackout coming on.
Anna fought to suppress a grin. Oh, yeah, this plan was definitely going to work. "Oh, you know her. It's Tiffany Maxwell. She's the student leader of the Lit Mag and a really nice girl. I just thought she and Ryan would hit it off." Casting a sideways glance at Summer, she added, You know, Ryan hasn't seen anybody since he and Marissa broke up and that's been a really long time. I just hate to see such a nice guy all alone."
"He's not alone, he's got m….Well, he's got Seth, and you, and Luke, and even Marissa is friends with him now. And besides, I need him right now. He's really helping me with Algebra. I actually got a C on my last quiz. Chino said he was really proud of me." A blazing smile briefly replaced her frown of annoyance. Hardly anyone had ever said they were proud of her. Ryan's words of praise had actually made her blush, especially since they were so unexpected coming from him.
"Well, Summer, a Study-Buddy is not exactly what I had in mind for Ryan. I was thinking more along the lines of a romantic relationship or at least a sexual one." Anna threw that last bit in just for fun. It wasn't often that she got the opportunity to watch Summer squirm.
"Eww, Anna! That's, like, totally disgusting. Chino's enough of a slut, he doesn't need you encouraging him. Sheesh, what's wrong with you people?"
In the pool house, Ryan continued to argue his point. "Sorry, Seth, but I can't. Summer already made plans to come over here and watch some miniseries thing tomorrow night."
"Okay…… Ryan Atwood watching regency romances with Summer Roberts? Yeah, it's the apocalypse. No, come on, man, you have to go. Trust me, you'll thank me for it."
"Why?" Ryan asked suspiciously.
"Oh, nothing." Ryan counted backwards from five and made it to two before Seth could contain himself no longer. "Okay, here's the deal. Anna is planning on hooking you up with Tiffany Maxwell, you lucky boy."
"Who?"
"Tiffany Maxwell, man. She is really hot, and I mean, smokin hot. And smart, too. And I think she may even be a little free and easy, if you get my drift. Plus, she's a senior and you know all about those experienced older women. Need I remind you of Grandma Gabby?"
"No. No. No hook-ups, Seth. That's it. I'm definitely not going now." Ryan briefly forgot about his concern for Summer and began to feel some concern for himself. Blind dates and hook-ups were never good, especially not if Seth was involved in the plan.
"Come on, Ryan. You've got a clean slate now that all of the Marissa drama is over. You need to get back out there, man. Put yourself back on the market. Get back in the saddle. No offense, Captain Oats."
"Seth, I can find my own women; I don't need you guys fixing me up."
"Yeah, but you haven't yet, have you? I rest my case. Besides if you don't agree to come with us, Anna will kill me."
"But I can't. Summer's already planned to come over tomorrow night. What am I supposed to tell her?"
"Not to worry, Ryan. Anna's taking care of it even as we speak."
"So I'll come, too," Summer concluded with a finality that brooked no opposition.
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea, Summer," Anna said doubtfully, while inwardly congratulating herself on her manipulative abilities. Well, it's for their own good, she rationalized.
"Of course it's a good idea. In fact, it's a great idea. Besides, what else am I supposed to do? And I want to check this girl out before you get her all hooked up with Chino. I mean, he's such a guy. If she's got nice boobs, he'll be all over her." Summer paused for a moment and thought to herself, Hey, I've got great boobs, so why isn't he all over me? Huh, yeah, what's up with that? Does Chino think he's too good for me or something? That ass!
"Well, okay, Summer but you have to promise to behave. And don't salt Ryan's game."
"What the hell does that mean? I'll just be there to look out for him. You know, Ryan's smart and all, but I really think he's kinda clueless when it comes to women."
"Ohh, I don't think so, Summer. Not from what Seth's told me."
"Huh, what has he told you? Tell me!" Once again, curiosity about Ryan's past won out over pretended nonchalance.
"Well," Anna said conspiratorially, "do you remember that gorgeous blonde that Seth's grandfather was dating last summer?"
"Gabby the Gold-digger? Yeah, I saw her at that party, so what?"
"Seth told me that Ryan hooked up with her in the pool house."
"What? No way, she was, gah, like at least 25. That's…. well, that's just disgusting."
And curiously kind of exciting, Summer thought shamefully to herself. I always knew that damn Chino was a playa. 'Course you could tell that just by looking at him and watching the way he moved his body. Not that she had been looking or watching, mind you. Well, okay, maybe just a little.
"Don't be an ageist, Summer. Besides, you know that they say women reach their sexual peak at a much later age than guys do. Ryan's probably peaking right now." Okay, now just step back and wait for it, Anna thought. One, two, three…..and here it comes.
"Oh, he better not even think about peaking with some dopey lit mag floozy," Summer muttered while feeling her fists start to clench. " Uh, no offense, Anna."
"Why, Summer? I mean, what do you care? It's not like you like him or anything, right?"
"Well, duh, of course not. It's just that…well, you know….Never mind. Just don't forget to pick me up at 7:00," Summer said while beating a hasty retreat out the door.
Anna called Seth later that night. "Well?" She asked.
"It's done. He was putty in my hands," Seth responded gleefully. "How about Summer?"
"Oh, she's definitely coming to the party. I knew she wouldn't be able to resist."
"So, did you get any vibes from her, you know, about being interested in Ryan?"
"Oh, she's definitely interested. She's just not willing to admit it yet. How about Ryan? Did you get any vibe from him?" Anna asked although she felt sure she already knew the answer.
"Hell, no. But you know Ryan; he never lets you know anything unless he wants you to know it. But he did really seem worried about canceling out on Summer. 'Course that could just be fear of the rage black-outs and all."
"No, I don't think so, Seth." Anna felt confident that Ryan could definitely handle Summer's wrath. "Okay, so I'll see you at 7:00 tomorrow night. And don't tell Ryan that Summer's going with us. I want it to be a surprise."
"You are definitely the master, Anna. By the way, wear something short and sexy tomorrow."
"I will if you will."
"On that note, I will say goodnight. Tomorrow should be very interesting."
Ryan lay in the darkened pool house trying to get to sleep. He was starting to worry about this whole Lit Mag party hook-up thing. Seth had shown him Tiffany's yearbook picture and yes, she was definitely hot. Somehow, though, it just didn't seem right. He felt bad about canceling out on Summer and had actually, if truth be told, been looking forward to spending some time with her, without having to do homework. Not that he was interested in her or anything. Well, okay, maybe just a little What guy wouldn't want to spend time around her, Ryan thought to himself. I mean, she is a beautiful girl. Beautiful and sexy and feisty. Yeah, but she was still Summer, which meant that she was also infuriating, aggravating, annoying, and irritating. But also very, very hot. He had a sudden mental picture of her glaring up at him, hands on her curvaceous hips, and impatiently tapping her tiny foot in those ridiculous high-heeled shoes she always wore. He was amazed that someone so petite could also be so, well, so voluptuous. That girl was brick house, no doubt about it.
With a groan, he flopped back over again and punched at his pillow. Okay, this is definitely just the hormones talking. When he was in Chino, regular, casual sex had never been hard to come by. Here in Newport, it seemed to be almost non-existent. Maybe he was just losing his touch. And he was definitely losing his mind if he was thinking about Summer Roberts. Who, he thought with amusement, gave off a really sexual vibe for someone who was still a virgin. Oh, yeah, there was no doubt about it. He had learned a long time ago how to pick them out, thanks to Trey and Arturo. Virgins were definite trouble, Trey had told him. In fact, Ryan had only slept with one inexperienced girl and that had been Theresa. And look how well that turned out, he thought wryly. Yeah, nothing screws up a good friendship like hot sweaty sex in the back seat of a car. He closed his eyes and was assailed by a memory. He remembered soft full breasts pressed against him, smooth olive skin, dark eyes and a mass of soft black hair falling around a beautiful face. His eyes flew open as he realized the face he had been picturing had not been Theresa's. No, not Summer Roberts. Oh, shit. Please, just….. no.
Okay, yeah, it was definitely time to get back out there before he found himself falling for that little mean-ass pixie in the designer clothes. Thank God she wasn't coming with them to the party tomorrow night. With that, Ryan pulled the pillow over his head and began running through prime numbers in his mind, hoping in vain that it would prevent any more of those scarily exciting and disturbing visuals from creeping into his head.