Author's Note: Thanks you to those of you who reviewed the first chapter. The reviews were great and much appreciated. I am slightly unsure about whether to continue due to a lack of response, we'll see how the next few chapters go down.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 2
The Range Rover crawled along Pacific Coast Highway at an average speed of ten miles an hour. The early morning rush hour had not yet subsided, and everyone in the vehicle was getting irritable.
"Chino, can't you just use that lane there?" Summer sighed, pointing to the free lane to their right.
"No Summer", Ryan deadpanned, "that's the hard shoulder."
Seth looked over at Summer in disbelief. "Summer, do you actually drive? I mean, are you some kind of illegal driver who never took the test?"
Summer gave Seth a pointed look before leaning over and punching him on the upper arm. "Jerk." She concluded.
Marissa turned around from the passenger seat, laughing. "You two haven't changed one bit since last year."
Summer scowled at her best friend. "Shut up Coop. This time last year would I have done this?"
She grabbed Seth's face, placing a hand on either cheek, and pulled his face towards her own, taking his bottom lip between hers in a slow kiss.
Seth was stunned, but it didn't take him long before his hands moved to Summer's waist, and he began to kiss her back. His enjoyment was soon cut short however, as she pulled away as soon as he started to get into the kiss. Seth looked at Summer with surprise and annoyance, his eyes widening in a question of why the hell had she stopped?
"Just making a point Cohen. Don't get all excitable now."
Seth sighed angrily, distancing himself from Summer as he moved to the far left of the back seat.
Marissa turned around to face Summer again, eyebrows raising as she smugly stated, "Point made."
A deadly silence then fell throughout the vehicle. Ryan drummed his fingers to a silent beat on the steering wheel.
Marissa pulled down the sun visor to access the mirror, admiring her reflection and reapplying her Channel lip-gloss.
Seth and Summer had pushed their bodies into opposite corners of the back seat, their bodies turned away from one another, scowls evident on both of their faces.
"Ryan, dude, just put one some music will ya?" Seth demanded, frostily.
Ryan glanced at his brother through the rear view mirror. "What do you want on?"
"Outkast." Summer stated simply.
Seth snorted, still not facing her. "Are you kidding me? Besides, I don't even own an Outkast CD."
Summer laughed smugly, reaching into her purse. "Well I do." She pulled out a CD case, shoving it in Ryan's face. "Ryan, put this on. Now."
"No Ryan! Do not succumb to the evils of Summer and Hip-Hop. 'The Photo Album' is already in the stereo. Hit play, my good man."
Summer finally turned away from the window to face Seth. "Look Cohen. Every time we're in this friggin' car all I have to listen to is your depressing 'emo' crap. It depresses me! Get over your whole 'I hate the world' attitude and put on something happy! Now!"
Seth's eyes bulged at the signs of a rage blackout. He was close to giving in to her before his head was ripped off and used as a bouncy ball, but Marissa was there to save the day.
"Look, we can't agree so let's just not put anything on."
Ryan turned to smile at her briefly. "I can live with that."
Marissa reached over and took his hand, entwining her fingers through Ryan's.
"Okay, eww. Get a room!" Summer stated in disgust.
Seth smiled in amusement. He hoped Summer wouldn't notice because, well, he was still supposedly pissed at her. Why? He could not actually remember.
Summer spotted Seth's smile out of the corner of her eye. She met his eyes and smiled back. She couldn't stay mad at him for long, especially when those dimples made a guest appearance.
She moved a little closer to him, neither of them believing in safety belts seeing as they were hardly even moving. She placed her right hand on the base of Seth's neck, caressing the skin. She was surprised at how much he was sweating, as his neck was soaking wet. This would normally have grossed Summer out but she was quite willing to overlook the minor details right now.
"Are you proving a point again?" Seth asked quietly. The corner of his lips lifting as Summer drew closer.
"Shut up Cohen." Summer laughed, before leaning into Seth and kissing him slowly. One hand remained on the base of his neck as the other went into his hair, fingers twirling around his curls as her body tingled.
Seth's lips softly covered Summer's, returning the kiss as his hands traveled to her hips, pulling her body against his.
Summer pushed the weight of her upper body against Seth's chest, maneuvering them so that they were both lying flat on the back seat.
Marissa heard the quiet moans and shuffling of bodies from behind her and whipped her head around.
"Oh my God! That's just gross." She scoffed, turning back around immediately. When she heard the sounds continue, she turned to Ryan. "Ryan, music, now."
Ryan was not about to disagree, as he hastily pushed the play button and Death Cab blasted through the speakers.
There was no sound of complaint coming from Summer, who blatantly had other things on her mind.
A few hours had passed and Ryan was finally able to drive at a speed above twenty. The rush period had passed and they were now passing through the outskirts of San Diego. The heat was tiring everyone out, including Ryan.
Marissa was sleeping beside him, with her head resting against the window.
Seth and Summer had obviously been worn out by their heavy make out session. Ryan glanced in the rear view mirror to see an extremely funny picture. Seth was lying flat on the back seat with his head resting in Summer's lap. Summer, who was also asleep, had her hands tangled in Seth's hair as if it was some kind of security blanket. Ryan wished he had a camera.
There no one awake to talk to, to keep Ryan alert and no music on, as Summer had threatened to throw her shoe at him if he even touched the play button while she was sleeping. Ryan therefore thought the best plan of action would be to find the nearest Motel and take a nap. He would rather delay their journey for a few hours rather than fall asleep at the wheel.
The next Motel was five minutes down the road, a road sign had pointed out, and as it came into view Ryan laughed at the irony. As the car stopped, the other three passengers stirred and awoke.
"Are we here?" Summer slurred sleepily, her hands stroking Seth's hair soothingly as he slowly woke.
"Nope. I needed a rest, I was getting tired, so we've stopped at a Motel." Ryan replied.
"Hang on." Marissa observed. "Isn't this the same Motel we checked into last year?" She turned to Ryan smiling.
"Sure is." He laughed, getting out of the car and being shocked by the heat and humidity.
"Oh my God, Chino! I am not sleeping in that skanky place again, ever!" Summer shouted, as she gently shook Seth, signaling for him to wake up.
"Well you don't have to, I will be sleeping. You can sit on the step if you like." Ryan shot back.
"Geez Ryan, I like you so much better when you're all silent and brooding." Summer sulked, as she held onto Seth's hand, walking with him towards the reception.
Once the room had been booked, and words had been exchanged with the creepy looking reception clerk, who seemed to have quite a fascination with Summer who intending on clinging to Seth for dear life, they all entered one of the family rooms. It had exactly the same set up as the room they had used last year, one twin bed and one sofa bed.
Summer immediately ran to the twin bed, putting her purse onto it and claiming it as hers and Seth's.
"Okay, well I'll just take the sofa bed, even though I'm the driver and I needed the sleep." Ryan stated, agitated.
"Hey dude, I'll take over the driving when we hit the road again, no worries." Seth spoke up in a scratchy voice for the first time since waking up in the car.
Ryan nodded his appreciation as him and Marissa pulled out the sofa bed.
Summer walked over to Seth, who stood on the opposite side of the bed to her. She held both of his hands, looking up into his eyes.
"You feeling okay?" She practically whispered.
Seth smiled, leaning down to place a kiss on the top of Summer's head. "Yeah fine, why?"
She shrugged, placing her head onto his shoulder. "I don't know, you just sound a little funny."
"I'm just a little dizzy is all, probably the heat." Seth whispered, one hand stroking Summer's hair.
"Okay, well go lie down." Summer looked up at him, as Seth leaned down to kiss her softly.
"I'm gonna go get some drinks, I'm dying here." Summer stated as she grabbed her purse, keeping one eye on Seth as he climbed into bed.
"Coop? Chino? Drink orders?"
"Just a water for me Sum, please." Marissa replied as she lay down next to Ryan.
"Coke, please." Ryan replied.
Summer walked over to the bed, perching on the edge next to where Seth lay. She put a hand on his forehead to feel it soaking wet. "What drink sweetie?"
Seth simply shook his head.
"Seth, you have to drink something." Summer pleaded.
"No, my throat is still sore."
"Which means you should drink something, moisten in." Summer pursued.
"Seriously, I'm okay. I just wanna sleep. Go play waitress." Seth joked before rolling over, signaling the end of the conversation.
When Summer returned to the room with four ice cold drinks, she had bought Seth one despite his pleas for her not to, she found Ryan and Marissa cuddled up to one another on the sofa bed, which she still observed as being eww to the nth degree!
Seth had kicked off the sheets and was curled up and sleeping soundly in the bed. Summer smiled as her heart leapt slightly at how adorable and vulnerable Seth looked curled up.
She tiptoed across the room, putting the drinks down on the end table, and shed her jeans so that she was more comfortable. She climbed into the bed next to Seth, rolling him over slightly so he lay on his back. She placed her head on top of his chest and wrapped both of her arms around his chest and her legs around his. She closed her eyes and smiled contentedly as Seth instinctively wrapped his arms around her small body.
Sleep came almost immediately, even though not one of them was aware of what disasters the next day would bring.
Please review. Chapter 3 will be posted Tuesday.
