Blown Off
Okay, I'm a total media whore. So each an every review makes me happy. It says I'm on the favorite's list of members. A little bit of pressure. Just afraid I'll mess this up. Also, if someone would be interested in beta reading for me I'd love that. So much. And I could do the same for you.
Also, Seth and Marissa? No way.
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Marissa stumbled into the Lighthouse out of breath and a complete mess, appearance wise.
"Coop!" She heard a sharp voice from across the restaurant.
She'd made plans to meet Summer for lunch, but her and Ryan... got carried away. Marissa made her way over to the table cautiously, not wanting to piss Summer off even more."I have been waiting. For 15 minutes." Summer informed her, evidently annoyed. "Where the fuck were you?"
"With Ryan," she told her apologetically. "Lost track of time?" It was an age old excuse, but it was true. She had set her cell's alarm to go off when she had to leave. But then she left the cell in the car. Oops.
"Spare me the details. I don't really care about your little sexcapades," she dismissed it, rolling her eyes. Possibly because she was jealous. But also because it's all Marissa talked about. It got old, she didn't like picturing Chino in the sack. Ew.
"I'm sorry, Sum," she replied sympathetically. She was her best friend after all. Or had been. Lately the 'best' part was seeming to dissolve.
Summer shook her head. "No, you know what? I think I'm going to leave. Cramps," she said with a shrug. With that she took off, walking to her car. Marissa didn't even try to get her to stay. She hated that.
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Seth made his way into the living room, only half-awake. It was his own fault, though, staying up with Ryan until 2 in the morning playing Grand Theft Auto. Atleast they had fun. And beat their record.
"Aw!" he heard a familiar voice squeal.
Summer. What was Summer doing in his kitchen with his mom? No objections to her being there. But with his mom? Never good. She'd start telling embarrassing stories. Ones that Seth was fairly certain she was making up. There was no way that he had attended tea parties when he was two, even letting Hailey dress him up like a girl. No way. That was some other kid in those pictures. He cringed at this beloved story of his mother and aunt. Even his dad found it amusing.
"He looks just like when he was a little boy, waking up in the middle of the night from a bad dream," Kirsten pointed out fondly.
"Mom," he whined.
"What?" she asked innocently. "Summer and I were just chatting."
He hated them 'chatting.' Never a good thing. Lots of info shared.
"You like her
better than me."
Summer handed him her cup of coffee,
letting him take a sip. "Mmhmm. Naturally."
"It's nice having a girl around the house," Kirsten said, taking a bite out of her muffin. "You'll have to come over more often, hon. We've missed you."
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"Rub!"
"No way, Summer. This stuff is disgusting," Seth commented, making a face. In his hands was Summer's newest sunscreen, a puddle of disgusting goop. Gross.
"It was $30, of course it'll work," Summer had explained to him. Lotion for $30? And it smelled. Ew. No way. He just thought 'ew.'"Cohen!" she snapped, looking back to him.
He hated that. She had way too much control over him. As his hands met her warm back, he started not to care so much though.
"Much better. See, isn't it so much easier when you just listen to me?"
Right. Why did he even do this for her? Maybe because you're still basically totally in love with her. But he was moving on. Absolutely. That's why he stayed at home every day, waiting for her to call and want to do something. But she did call. Most days. So he had reasons. They were friends now. Friends hang out.
That and the fact that his supposed best friend, Ryan, was too preoccupied with his girlfriend. Who finally, after what seemed like a lifetime of stringing him along, had decided they were "ready to take things to the next level." How very Marissa.
"Yes, Summer," he agreed, snapping out of his train of thought. "How did it go? 'When Summer's happy, everyone's happy?" he joked, referring to a similar phrase she had once used. Trying to convince them all that it'd be an "awesome" idea for them all to go to college together. Thankfully, she was over that dream. "Rooming with Coop for four years? I don't know if I could take it," she'd explained to Seth.
So instead The Happy Couple was going to UCLA, and Seth and Summer were going to share an apartment, in the strictly platonic sense, while going to Berkeley. Which, as Sandy had pointed out, they were following in the footsteps of him and Kirsten. Way to ruin Seth's ideas of him and Summer off at school together with images of his parents doing the very same things. Seriously, ew.
She nodded, surprised he remembered. The kid was like an elephant, he never forgot anything. A mixed blessing. Like when she accidentally forgot their one year, six month anniversary. She didn't even know he wanted to celebrate it! But he did, making a huge deal out of things. She felt like shit for telling him she had know clue what it was all for. But later on she made up to him for it. A small smile crept upon her face at the thought of it.
"Summer," Seth whined, getting tired of rubbing her back with lotion. "Can we just go swimming? Please? It's, like, 200 degrees out here." Okay, so maybe it was only 100. But still. He felt like he was slowing cooking. Like a bird or something. And they could have him for dinner. Gross.
"Alright," she agreed, just a bit too easily. Summer never gave in quite that simply. Something was up. But he wasn't questioning it. She stood up, pulling him up beside her. "So, swimming, huh?"
He nodded, that's what he'd just suggested... Whatever, he was getting his way. It worked.
Summer leaned over to him, putting her hands on his chest, and, in what seemed to be slow motion to Seth, pushed him into the pool.
"You... bitch!" He sputtered, coming above water. The site of which enough to make her laugh, it was cute.
"I couldn't help it! Come on, Cohen, it was too easy," she told him, sticking her tongue out. She sat down on the ledge, kicking her feet to splash water in his face.
"Don't you ever go home?" He complained, not really serious. But she had been around a lot lately. Not that it was a bad thing. Well, except for when the inner bitch shone through. Like right now for instance. But it was a good, loveable bitch. Which made no sense at all. And proved even more that he really did love her. For everything she was. Which had to count for something.
"Nope," she replied, slipping off the ledge and into the water. "Maybe your parents could just, like, adopt me. And I'd take your room. And you could 'bunk up' with Ryan in the pool house. That'd be hot."
"Summer, if you were my sister I'd probably kill myself. But, you know, if you feel the urge to sleep in my bedroom, I've got plenty of room."
"Perv!"
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Author's note: I don't totally like this ending. The rest is so-so, but I'm extremely critical of myself. Hope you guys liked it. And review. Please. It does wonders for the ego ;). Also, suggestions are always welcome. Always.
