"The Reunion"
Note: I do not own The O.C. or it's characters...SPECIAL NOTE: This chapter has kind of a "dark" twist, so beware.
Seth and Anna walked along the pier.
"Look," Anna said, "I'm really sorry if I caused any problems between you and Summer. I'll admit that I thought you were single. I came over to see if there would be any chemistry between us. I didn't realize-"
"It's okay," Seth cut her off. "Summer hasn't returned my phone calls since then, but maybe it's for the better." He stopped and looked at Anna. She had such great style, he thought, and she was so cool. He wondered if they would have any chemistry this time around. They leaned up against the railing on the pier, and Anna put her hand against Seth's chest.
"I missed you, Seth," Anna spoke quietly as her hand moved up to his neck and she pulled him toward her. He leaned in and placed his hand gently on her back, and they kissed.
Lauren asked Ryan about his girlfriend, and he started to explain what was going on with her. But he couldn't, he didn't know what was going on. She was so unpredictable lately, and always upset about something. They hadn't had sex in such a long time, Ryan could barely remember what she looked like naked.
"Let's talk about something else," he suggested.
"Okay," Lauren said staring into his eyes. She was in such awe of Ryan she couldn't help but stare. She was so intrigued by his background, just like Marissa had been when he first came to Newport Beach. She thought he was gorgeous, and interesting, and funny at just the right moments. She had a crush on Ryan, and thoughts of the boyfriend she had left in Seattle so recently were on the back burner.
Jimmy started the car while Marissa stuffed the last of her things in the back. Her mother was standing on the porch, a sad look in her eyes, but defiance in her body language. She stood with her arms crossed and her nose up in the air.
"You're making a mistake, Marissa," she said to her daughter as she opened the car door to get in.
"No, Mom, you made the mistake. When you chose money over your family." She got in the car and they drove away.
Seth and Anna pulled away from each other and Anna was smiling. There had definitely been more chemistry between them than the last time they kissed. But Seth just shook his head.
"No, no, no, this is wrong. I'm sorry, I can't. Anna, you are an amazing girl, but I'm in love with Summer. I have to talk to her," he finished as he took Anna's hand in both of his hands, then let go.
He walked up to Ryan and Lauren and told Ryan he had to go, he needed to find Summer and talk to her, tell her he loved her and didn't want to be without her.
After he jumped on his skateboard and took off, Ryan thought about Marissa.
"I should go, too, he told Lauren.
She simply nodded in understanding as he hopped on his bike and rode away.
"Those boys are devoted," Anna said disappointedly as she sat down with Lauren.
"Tell me about it," she smiled, still thinking about Ryan.
Julie went back into her house, feeling guilty. She had given up her family for money. She divorced Jimmy because he lost all his money, then she married Caleb, thinking he could give her a better life because of his money. It was poetic justice, she thought, that now Caleb was close to being broke and Jimmy had all the money he would ever need.
Caleb was waiting for her in the living room. "What's all this about?" he asked her.
"I think you know what this is about," she said coldly. "You bribed and blackmailed my family, and now my own daughter hates me."
"I did no such thing-"
"I know, Cal! I know what you did to get Marissa here. How could you possibly think that wouldn't come out?"
"Julie, I did what was best for OUR family. One day you will realize why I did what I did." He walked off, not seeming to care what had just happened.
Seth called Summer's house 12 times in a row. When he got the answering machine, he hung up and called again. Finally, Summer's drugged up stepmother answered the phone. She still sounded half-asleep.
"Hello?"
"Hello!" Seth said, happy that he finally got someone on the line. "I need to talk to Summer! Please! This is Seth, tell her I need to talk to her."
"Hold on," the woman replied.
Seth held on for 5 minutes, then 10. He was about to hang up when Summer's dad came on the line.
"Seth," he said sternly, "Summer isn't here."
"Well, where is she? I've been calling for three days now. I need to talk to her. Is her cell phone on yet?"
"Yes, but it's right here beside me. She doesn't have it with her." He was being very vague, not giving Seth any real answers.
"But I need to talk to her. Please, Mr. Roberts. I know you don't care much for me, but I love Summer, and she loves me. At least she did…" he trailed off.
Her father sighed deeply on the phone. "Summer ran away, Seth. Three days ago, with no note or phone call. She's missing, and the authorities believe she probably didn't make it wherever she was going," he started to sob, and Seth's heart fell. "It was so late at night, and she had nothing with her," he continued to cry in Seth's ear.
Seth got off the phone and couldn't focus on anything. He stumbled around his house and finally made it to the front door, then fell backward inside the house. He crawled back into the living room. "Authorities believe she didn't make it…" He remembered what her father had said, and curled up into a ball and let it all out. All his worrying and frustration from the last few days came rushing out of his body in long sobs as he cried and cried until he couldn't cry anymore.