Kirsten sat in the kitchen sipping her coffee. Life was finally calming down, everything was okay. Sandy was somewhere in the house, typing something. Kirsten didn't mind being along, she kind of liked it. A time to reflect. Calmly, Kirsten got up to go to the other room. She felt she could reflect better while watching the drama that was soap operas. She wasn't a huge follower of them, so she'd have no clue what was happening, but that was fine. Sometimes in this case, not being clued in is funnier. She turned on the television, which was on Channel 3 so Seth could play his video games. There was a soap opera on, so Kirsten began to watch it. She was so engrossed by who was dating who, and who had an evil twin and who didn't that by the time it was over, she was left wanting more. And of course, some other show came on. So Kirsten started flipping through channels. She hadn't stared at the television for so long, it was relaxing. She found another soap quickly, and began to get engrossed in that. Right before you knew if Sarah Silverman would ever wake from her coma, the television screen changed to a breaking news image. Kirsten hadn't seen one of those in so long. Not since September 11th, and that had been big. The screen changed to a local newswoman.
"Sorry to interrupt the featured program, but there is some late breaking news. In the process now is school shooting." Wondering where it was, Kirsten listened intently on. "Word of this school shooting just came ten minutes ago and our chopper is already on the scene. A correspondent there says the school shooting at Harbor High has been in progress for at least a half an hour." Kirsten's heart stopped. Harbor High? That was where Ryan and Seth were. Were they in trouble? Were they hurt? Kirsten put her hand to her mouth as they cut to the chopper view. She could see kids running out desperately and she tried to see Seth and Ryan, but couldn't. She prayed they were already out safe. Before she knew what was doing, Kirsten was screaming out for Sandy. He ran in, clearly confused.
"What? What is it?" He looked to Kirsten for answers. But all she could do was point at the television, holding back tears. She hadn't cried in for long, and she could feel the first one hit her cheek and run down her face. Sandy immediately knew what was transpiring, and asked, "Is that their school?" Kirsten nodded sadly as she watched as finally the police rushed in along with paramedics. They watched on for a bit, as the paramedics pulled person by person out on stretchers. "Let's go." Sandy left first, and Kirsten began to follow. She luckily was wearing regular clothes. She hated running around in pajamas. She turned off the television just as Seth Cohen was being pulled out of the school on a stretcher.
They got into the car, and Sandy pulled out. Harbor High was not a long drive from their home, Seth and Ryan rode there, but it was a lot longer drive to get there with traffic. Kirsten always wondered why her sons would ride to school, Ryan on his bike, Seth on his skateboard, because they has another car for them. But they got exercise, so it didn't bother Kirsten that much. Especially not now.
She couldn't think of anything else except their safety. She would only be relieved when she saw both their faces outside the school. Sandy continued driving slowly on, and Kirsten was growing impatient. She couldn't take it. She was ready to jump out of the car and run the rest of the way. But she didn't, and her in-growing impatience made her upset that she hadn't jumped out.
Sandy and Kirsten had finally reached close enough to the school so that they could park and walk the rest of the way. Or in Kirsten's case, run. The school was in focus and she saw that strangely police were just letting people in. Everyone except people with microphones or cameras. There were two helicopters in the sky, barely able to hear anything except the roar of them.
Kirsten rushed to the front of the school, with Sandy trailing closely behind. She was so desperate to find her boys. She scanned the place until she saw a glimpse of hope. A flash of sandy blonde hair. She followed her lead, praying that it was Ryan. Finally, the view came into focus. She saw Ryan. With Marissa and Summer. But no Seth.
Momentarily, she forgot about Seth and ran to Ryan. She hugged him and didn't want to let go. She was so amazed by how much had changed in a year and a few months. She had a second son. And then she remembered the first one.
"Where's Seth?" She asked Ryan, now with Sandy by her side. He held her hand, just in case.
"We don't know." Marissa answered for Ryan, who seemed not all that keen on talking.
"What do you mean you don't know? Did he come out?"
"We didn't see him." Ryan answered, softer than usual.
"Did he get hurt? Is he in an ambulance?" Kirsten was frantic.
"We don't know that either." Summer tackled the question. "The paramedics are hiding the identities of everyone who got hurt. They don't want the news people finding out." All three of the kids seemed so calm. Kirsten didn't understand they had just been through such a traumatic experience, and yet, there were so cool about it.
"Well, how we do know who's been hurt?" Sandy finally spoke.
"I don't know. I guess talk to a paramedic." Summer offered.
"Sandy, go do it." Kirsten ordered.
"Why me?" Sandy objected.
"Because I don't want to."
"Okay then. I'll be right back." Kirsten watched as her husband went to an ambulance. She looked away, not wanting to see the verdict. Instead, she looked to Ryan, Summer, and Marissa. They seemed so lost, and Kirsten wanted to help them, but she didn't know how. She had never gone through what they went through. She never dealt with what they dealt with. Especially Ryan. He had had a troubled upbringing, and her high school years were full of parties and fun. She never had to worry. She was the most popular girl, and dated the most popular guy. A little like Marissa a while ago, but it had been simple. Not like now.
She couldn't take the waiting. What was taking Sandy so long? If he didn't come back soon, she would. . . . .continue waiting. He was stronger than her. She wouldn't have been able to walk over and ask about Seth without breaking down. It was her son. The person she had raised. Was he okay? Was he hurt? Was he dead? All these thoughts raced through Kirsten's mind. She prayed Seth was okay, to be alive. She didn't know what she would do without him. Kirsten had barely made it through the month he had decided to go sailing without telling anyone. What would it be like without him forever? Kirsten didn't want to think about it. She had to stay positive. Sandy finally returned with a grim expression. She feared the worst. That he was dead.
"Kirsten. Ryan. Come on." That was all he said. Kirsten looked to Ryan for comfort. But his face bore no expression, it was just blank. Kirsten did as she was told, and followed. Marissa and Summer stood behind them, perplexed. Marissa was about to pull out her cell phone, which was in her pocket, but decided not to. She had left everything else behind. Summer had nothing. Not even a dad to call home to. Her father was on vacation with the "stepmonster." She had been staying with Marissa. Sandy took Ryan and Kirsten to the car. They got in, still confused.
"Sandy, is he okay or what?" Kirsten was sick of waiting for an answer. And she wanted one right now.
"All I know is that he's alive." Sandy finally announced, not looking over to Kirsten as he drove. Kirsten breathed a sigh of relief, happy to know her son was okay. She could hear Ryan fall into the seat behind her, letting relief wash over him. "I don't know what condition he's in, just that he's alive." Sandy commented. This made Kirsten worry again. Was Seth near death? Was he dying as they drove? Or was he already okay, ready to go home and get on with life? Sandy also had no real expression on his face, just like Ryan. What was it with guys and not showing emotion?
As they got closer to the hospital, Kirsten got more and more scared. What would Seth look like? But she didn't have any more time to think about it. Newport General was staring her right in the face.
Marissa and Summer watched as Sandy, Kirsten, and Ryan drove off to somewhere. Most likely the hospital, Marissa guessed. Her and Summer stood there awkward. They didn't know what to do or where to go, or at least Marissa didn't.
"Should we, like, follow them?" Summer asked, desperate to know how Seth was.
"No. I don't think we should. We'll call later." Marissa suggested. She couldn't deny it, she was worried about Seth also. They were related. He was her step-nephew. But more so, they were friends. And she cared.
"Shouldn't, like, the step-aunt's best friend or ex-girlfriend be the first to see him? Or at least, visit him in the morgue?" Summer broke down. She couldn't take it. She wanted to know if Seth was okay.
"Sum, calm down. He'll be okay. Why don't we go to my dad's or even my mom's? I don't care." Marissa just wanted to leave.
"Either way, we won't be any closer to Cohen." Summer commented stubbornly.
"Yes, we will." Marissa answered matter-of-factly.
"How?"
"My dad is dating his aunt. And my mom is surprisingly still married to his granddad."
"Oh, right. Which one do you wanna go to?" Summer was too upset to decide. All her stuff was at Caleb and Julie Nichol's house, but Marissa's mom was just...weird.
"I don't really wanna deal with my mom right now." Marissa didn't want her mother obsessing over her at the moment. She was worried about Seth too much.
"Your dad's it is." Summer said.
"Sum, I don't have my keys. There in my purse, which is in there." Both Summer and Marissa looked to the front entrance of the school. Not long before students had been running out terrified. And then paramedics pulled out the bodies. So many bodies. Dead or alive, they didn't know. Just, they deducted, Seth had been on one of the stretchers.
"So call your dad. He won't mind. But, Coop, I really don't wanna stay here much longer." Summer blinked back tears. Everywhere around them was sadness. There were so many people crying. So many lives destroyed.
"Same here. Just hold on, let me call him." Marissa said. She took the phone out of her pocket. Her hands trembled as she began to dial her father's phone number. She didn't understand it, but she was afraid.
"Hello?" Jimmy answered. Marissa swallowed and took a deep breath. "Hello?" She was taking too long.
"Hey Dad." Marissa managed to choke out before her tears began falling again.
"Hey kiddo. Why aren't you in school?" Her father asked, wondering why his daughter was calling.
"I am. Well, I'm at. But Dad, can you pick me and Summer up?" Marissa could barely get through the conversation.
"Well, sure. But don't you have your car?" Jimmy wasn't understanding Marissa.
"I don't have my keys." Marissa took another deep breath.
"Why don't you have your keys, honey?" Jimmy seemed confused.
"You haven't been watching the news, Dad, have you?" Marissa asked. Her dad didn't know.
"No, I haven't. What's wrong, Marissa?"
"Can you just please pick us up?" Marissa didn't want to tell her dad what happened over the phone.
"Sure, I guess. I'll be over in a few minutes. I'll see you then. Bye." Her dad was still a little suspicious.
"I love you Dad." A new reality had settled in. Any moment could be their last. They weren't invincible. They were mortal. Marissa wanted her dad to know exactly how she felt about him. It could be the last time they would ever talk. Marissa didn't know. But she did know she didn't want to regret no saying it to him.
"I love you too, kiddo." Jimmy sounded touched. She wanted him to feel that way. She would love him no matter what. They could never go back to that innocent time when she was younger and they were closer. A lot had changed since then, but Marissa would love her dad all the same.
The two hung up and tears fell down both girls' eyes. Summer wanted her father so badly, but she couldn't. He was away, hanging with his wife on some far away beach. Marissa looked back over to the front doors. Police were blocking it off with yellow tape. Marissa shuddered. How could they go back in there? How could they learn while knowing people died in that building? What would it feel like sitting in a chair that a person died in? How could they walk down the halls without remembering all the terror that three people had caused? What would it feel like if someone had died at your locker? How could you go ten minutes in that place without thinking about it? About all the pain and sadness. About all the lives ruined.
Marissa watched her father's car pull in. She called for Summer, who immediately ran ro Marissa's side. Her father got out of his car and looked around. Confusion was written plainly on his face. Marissa wiped her tears and ran to him. She hugged him right away, half not wanting to let go. Marissa was so happy to see him. Summer stood awkward in the background, having no one to hug. No Dad, no Seth, no one. She was jealous of Marissa, but of course, she always had been. No matter how she acted. Marissa had a dad who loved her and was there, a guy who loved her no matter what. Summer's father cared more about his wife, and when Summer would whine about not being loved, he'd shove a new credit card under her nose. And that only temporarily pleased her. Marissa had everything. All the popularity, the most caring parents, and Ryan. Ryan cared for her so much. And Summer didn't even know if Seth cared about her. For a while, he had stopped bugging her. Secretly, Summer loved being bugged by Seth. He used to love her a lot. But then, he must have realized that she wouldn't stop ignoring him. He gave up on her. So Summer was left with no one. Not even a pet.
"What happened here?" Jimmy asked after he let go of Marissa.
"Dad, there's no real nice way to explain this, but there was a shooting." Marissa stared into her father's eyes as they filled with fear.
"Oh my God. Are you okay? Of course you are, because you're right here. Summer? Are you all right? Everything okay? Not injured or anything?" Jimmy looked over to Summer.
"I'm fine." Summer answered. For a second there, Summer had felt loved. Marissa's father had cared enough to ask if she was all right.
"What about everyone else? Where are they?" Jimmy was deeply concerned.
"Ryan is fine and he's with the Cohens..." Marissa didn't know if anyone else was okay. She hadn't seen anyone else she was super friends with. Because, well, she only had three best friends. And that was Summer, Ryan, and Seth.
"What about Seth?" Marissa didn't know how to answer. She didn't know how Seth was. "Marissa?"
"We don't know anything about Seth." Marissa finally answered. "We think he's at the hospital. At least, that's where the Cohens went, we think."
"Wow. Well, come on. I'm gonna take you guys home." Jimmy lead the way to his car. Mentioning Seth had been difficult. It just made it worse, being in the dark. Seth could be dead, and they wouldn't know. Summer and Marissa held hands, squeezing each other's according to all the pain they hurt. So their hands were in a lot of pain.
They reached the car and got in. Marissa in the passenger seat, Summer in the back seat. None of them said a word on the way to Jimmy's house. Summer stared out the window and looked at the perfect houses, with the perfect lawns, and the perfect people inside the perfect house. But nothing in Newport was perfect. Everything had flaws.
Jimmy pulled in. They were there. They got out and entered. The events that had happened no so long ago seemed so far away, distant, like it happened years ago. They got in the house. It looked the same exact way Marissa remembered it. Nothing had changed, yet she had changed so much. Hailey walked in, pulling her hair back. Her head was down so she didn't see all of them.
"So Jimmy, what was up with Marissa. . ." Hailey looked up. "Oh hey guys." She finished putting her hair back. She was surprised to see Marissa and Summer standing in front fo her along with Jimmy.
"Hailey, there was a shooting at the school." Jimmy went right to the point. No leading away, no softening it up, just straight forward.
"Holy crap. Are you guys okay?" Marissa and Summer nodded. "What about Ryan and Seth?" She looked to the girls for the answer.
"Ryan is fine. We don't know about Seth." Marissa was sick of explaining how they were. She wanted to know how Seth was. She wanted a drink to numb the pain she felt. Hailey stared blankly at Marissa and Summer, thinking about something.
"I'm gonna call Kirsten." Hailey finally announced and went to find the phone. Jimmy followed, but Marissa and Summer decided to sit on the couch, wanting to sink into it and sleep.
"Hailey, are you sure you wanna call her now?" Jimmy argued with Hailey in the kitchen.
"Yes, Jimmy, I am. I'm not gonna sit here worrying about Seth. He's my nephew. I wanna know." Hailey finished the argument and called Kirsten. "Hey, Kirsten. . . . . . . Listen, I know this might not be the best time, but I wanted to know how Seth was. . . . . . . Yeah, Marissa and Summer are here. At Jimmy's. So how is he?. . . . . . . Well, that's good. . . . . . . Oh no. He'll be okay, right?. . . . . . . Any way that we could see him ?. . . . . . . .Oh, he's still in. . . . . . . Tomorrow? Are you sure?. . . . . . . Okay, well, I'll go tell Marissa and Summer and Jimmy. If he wakes up, tell him to get better. And that I love him. We'll be by tomorrow. . . . . . .Okay. Love you. Bye, Kirsten." Hailey hung up.
"Well?" Jimmy asked in anticipation.
"I'll tell you in the living room. With Summer and Marissa." Hailey began to walk into the living room and Jimmy followed. Marissa and Summer hadn't heard the conversation and they desperately waited for word on Seth.
"Is he okay?" Marissa immediately asked when Hailey and Jimmy entered.
"Yes and no." Hailey started.
"What's wrong?" Summer questioned.
"Well, he got shot. But. . .he's alive. And he's in surgery now." Hailey continued.
"Why is he in surgery?"
"They're removing the bullet. But he should be okay, and we can see him tomorrow." Hailey tried to end on a good note.
"That long?" Obviously she hadn't, according to Marissa.
"It's only a day. Calm down."
"Calm down?" Marissa was sick of calming down, so she wasn't taking it so easy.. "Calm down? Our friend almost died. In something that more than one person died in. I watched someone die. In my arms. See this blood? It's not mine!" Marissa began to cry. "We saw stuff that we would've never thought we'd see first hand. We went through something you can't even imagine how horrible it was. And you're telling me to calm down? I can't calm down. Not after what I saw." Marissa was standing now, full of anger. All the pain she had tried to suppress had come back. Salty tears cascaded down her troubled face. She trembled with anger and had to get out. "Excuse me. "She barely muttered before running to her room. Marissa knew she had hidden some liquor in there somewhere.