Chapter 4: "Don't try to understand"

Hey! Long chapter! Warning: Weird decisions are made… no further comments…

Marissa sat in the bed next to Ryan as he slept. She was reading the letter. The last words to her best friend Summer Roberts. It had been nearly 10 months since she left, and Marissa had not heard a word from her. Where was she? What had she done with the baby?

Marissa had not said anything to Seth or to Ryan. She had sworn to Summer that she wouldn't. After Summer had left Marissa at the train station she took the train back to Newport. She was able to lie about her whereabouts to her father, Ryan and Seth.

Ryan began to stir and Marissa shoved the note into her pajama pocket. She didn't know why she kept it. She read it everyday and now has memorized every word.

"Hey Coop,

Look, I'm really sorry about all of this, but I couldn't take it anymore

You need to be back in Newport with Ryan and your dad. Watch out for Seth for me. Coop, you have been the best friend I could have asked for. I love you and don't want to hold you back. Don't' take your relationship with Ryan for granted. He loves you. And PLEASE do not tell ANYONE about this. But most importantly, remember the good times, because those memories are… well priceless. I love you Coop.

Xoxox Summer"

Ryan's eyes fluttered open.

"Hey." He said leaning up and kissing her.

"Hey." Marissa said in a distant tone.

Marissa had been different lately, but Ryan figured it was because her best friend disappeared.

"You alright?" He asked sitting up and pulling her into his lap.

Marissa nodded unconvincingly. Ryan had learned though, in the months after Summers departure not to push. But he just could not shake the feeling that there was something that she was not telling him. Specifically something involving Summer.

"Lets go get something to eat." Marissa said.

They enter the main house to see Seth hurrying down the stairs.

"Whats the rush?" Marissa asked, looking Seth up and down, who was nude besides his boxers.

"Well if you must know, I heard the door bell, I am waiting for this new game that I ordered online so it was probably the UPS man." Seth said.

He glanced at the clock and noticed that it was almost eight o' clock am.

"Did you sleep here?" He asked Marissa.

Ryan and Marissa looked away from one another.

"Don't you have a package to get?" Ryan asked Seth.

"You bet."

Marissa and Ryan headed for the kitchen.

"I CALL THE LAST OF THE CAPTAIN CRUNCH!" He yelled to Ryan as a warning before he opened the door… nobody was there.

Seth leaned out of the door and looked around. He was almost sure that he heard the doorbell ring. He shrugged and went out to get the paper. As he stepped onto the porch his foot made contact with something hard. He looked down to see a … a baby carrier?

"RYAN!" He yelled causing Ryan and Marissa to come out of the kitchen to where Seth now was standing blankly with the carrier in his hand.

Ryan looks at Seth and raised his eyebrows. While Marissa stood back, jaw ajar. The baby began to cry.

Seth and Ryan stared at it as if it had grown horns, so Marissa took that as a sign to take charge.

She pushed through the boys and picked up the screaming infant. As she did a note fell out of the carrier, addressed to her, unnoticed by the boys Marissa slipped it under the coffee table with her foot.

Marissa held the baby close, knowing exactly who it was.

"Ryan, see if there is a bottle in it's bag."

Surely enough there was and Ryan gingerly handed it to Marissa. Marissa held the nipple of the bottle to the baby's mouth. And kissed it's forehead. Ryan and Seth watched in awe.

"You cheated on Marissa?" Seth said accusingly looking at Ryan.

"Hey, I didn't do anything! Its' not mine!!"

"Well it's not mine either!" Seth said holding his hands up.

"Did it ever occur to you that Summer may have left because she was pregnant?!" Ryan said

"I slept with Summer ONCE, four months before she left. We knew it was a mistake and decided to slow things down. The dates don't match up, the kid can't be mine!" Seth said in one breath.

"Well then who's is it?" Ryan said.

Marissa missed out on all of the boys banter, as she stared down at the small child in her arms. Summers baby. She had to protect it.

"Should we call the police?" Seth asked

"NO!" Marissa said suddenly.

"What why?" Ryan said

"Because… because I know who this baby is!" Marissa said

"Who?" Ryan asked stepping closer to his girlfriend.

"Um, I had this friend, her name was Noelle, she lives in San Diego, she got pregnant awhile back. She made me promise not to tell. I told her that I would help her in anyway that I could, and gave her my address and phone number and stuff." Marissa lied

"So why is the baby here?" Seth asked

"A couple of nights ago Noelle called me, … and… she said… her parents were throwing she and the baby out, and she had nowhere to go, I told her to come here… here to Newport. I guess that she got the wrong address, and came here instead of next door to my place." Marissa was happily surprised at her beautifully fabricated lie.

She kept an eye on the letter under the table.

"So where is Noelle?" Ryan asked

"I don't know." Marissa said

"Well her kid is here! We have to do something."

"I will just take it home with me."

"WHAT!" Seth said

"Yeah, to my dads apartment. I mean, our parents being away and all promoting the restaurant, he won't be home until Sunday. And hopefully, Noelle, will be back by then."

"And what if she isn't?" Ryan asked

"We will worry about that then."

Was Marissa doing the right thing? She knew that Summer did not want Seth to know. She was doing the right thing, at least for now, Seth could not know until Marissa had gotten in touch with Summer.