Chapter 13

I do not own any of the original characters from the OC.

Ryan sat in the Rover too stunned to do anything else. What the hell had all of that been? Roses and poetry, that was way out in left field. What kind of drugs were they giving her? Someone had to know something and he would question them one at a time till he found some answers, beginning with Summer.

Ryan stood awkwardly waiting for Summer to answer the door. He had never been to her house before.

Summer: Chino, what a surprise. What are you doing here?

Ryan: Got a few questions I need to ask you.

Summer: Questions? About what?

Ryan: roses and poetry...Marissa seems to think I have been giving roses and love poems to Emily. Any idea where she would get a notion like that?

Summer: ummm what a crazy idea...I didn't know you were into poetry... I know that someone has left a rose and a poem on Emily's locker a couple of days.

Ryan: you mean there really has been flowers and poems? Who left them?

Summer: Yes.. unknown no signature.. You have no idea who it is?

Something in the way Summer looked at him told Ryan everything he needed to know.

Ryan: You told her, didn't you? Why?

Summer glared at Ryan.

Summer: I did it because you are making a fool out of her. She's locked up in the loony bin and you're out here chasing tail! As her best friend I felt she needed to know.

Ryan had never wanted to slap a girl so badly in his life. Summer stood there, with her face just inches from his, daring him. His hands were curled into fists and he spoke to her through clenched teeth.

Ryan: You have no idea what you have done... if someone is sending flowers and poems, it isn't me and the only thing you have done is cause your best friend pain for no reason at all.

Summer: Not just flowers, roses.. huge romantic difference, Chino. So you want me to believe you aren't the goody man? Not a chance.. you're nailed and now Marissa knows the truth about you!

Ryan knew he had to get out of there before he lost it. Giving Summer one last murderous glare he turned and went out the door.

He needed to talk to Emily about this. Maybe she had some idea where her "gifts" were coming from. It wasn't too late maybe she would still be up. He'd just drive by on the way home.

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Her feet were asleep again... how long she had sat there she didn't know but she was numb from the knees down. Slowly she slid up the wall and stood up. As she wiggled her toes and worked her feet millions of pins and needles danced up and down her legs. From somewhere down the hall she heard a door open and footsteps coming her way. She knew there were security cameras but it was far too dark for anyone to be seen. Suddenly what little light coming from the exit light was completely blocked as a large object stood in front of her hiding place. This guy was huge! Emily instinctively took a step back. A loud crack came from under her shoe and the man whirled around. He was wearing a mask so she couldn't see his face.

Oh Emily, what in the hell have you gotten yourself into now? There was that nagging little voice that could always be counted on to point out when she had royally screwed up.

He turned to run and dropped the rose.

Emily: Wait! Who are you?

Before she realized what she was doing Emily was bounding after him. She paused only a second to flip the light switches on. At the stairs he unexpectedly stopped and she almost collided with him. She felt hands lift her up and then she was flying until she hit a row of lockers. He wheeled around, opened the stairwell door and was gone. Emily was too dazed to move.

Someone should slap her for being such an idiot. What had she hoped to prove anyway? She felt blood running down her face and there was a terrible pain in her side. Slowly she got to her feet and held onto the lockers till she could stand. As she looked at the door where he disappeared she saw something on the floor. An envelope.. probably her poem. She shuffled over and bent to pick up the envelope. Everything went black.

She opened her eyes as she was being lifted into the back of an ambulance.

Emily: What happened?

Attendant: Lay still... you have a head injury and maybe some broken ribs. We're taking you to the hospital.

The next time she opened her eyes she was in ER and two policemen were standing over her. They wanted to ask her some questions and she was more than willing to answer them. Dr. Kim was there. She spoke in hushed tones to the police then came over to Emily.

Dr. Kim: We will not be filing criminal charges in your case. It will be handled within the school. The doctors tell me you should rest a few days. Therefore I'll expect you in my office at 8:00 Monday morning to discuss this.

Emily: Yes, Dr. Kim

Dr. Kim smiled and patted her on the arm and was gone.

Emily knew nothing more until her eyes opened that evening.

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"I need the rest of my money. That bi tch was waiting in the school tonight and she saw me. I don't think she can id me but I'm not taking any chances. I dropped the pictures too so someone is gonna make a connection. I gotta get outa town for a while."

The man the intruder was talking to eyed him angrily.

From his desk Caleb produced a stack of bills and handed them to the man.

Caleb: I expect you gone as of 2 hours ago and let me remind you, "we have never met".

Nodding his head the man fled through the door.

Caleb stared into the dark for a long time. What was it going to take to get Ryan out of Marissa's life and ergo Julie off his back? Shaking his head he poured another drink. Oh well, back to the drawing board.