Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I do not own the O.C., nor will I ever.

Life, Love, and Coming Home

Chapter One

She stood outside the house with a cigarette in hand. She lifts the cigarette and inhaled the sweet nicotine. "You should stop," he said. "It a bad habit," he continued softly. With one last puff, she drops the cigarette and distinguishes it with her foot. "Nervous habit," she spoke with a breath of cold air. "Come on, let's get inside," he puts his arms on her shoulder leading her into the house.

With one push through the doors, her past came sweeping back at her. It was as though she had never left.

"Wow...nice house," he said taking in the sight of the beautiful house decorated with flowers, ribbons, and balloons following a pale yellow and green theme. 

"Yeah," Summer replied silently.

She swore that she would never come back. She promised herself that she would never return back to Newport. But now here she is....standing in the doorway of the Cohen's house. She only came back because of Marissa. Tonight was Ryan's and Marissa's engagement party. It came to no big surprise when she found out they were getting engaged. It was expected since like...forever.  

"Summer...is that you."

"Hey Marissa," she greeted with a sincere smile.

"Oh my God, I'm so glad you could make it! I was worry that you were going to be held back at work again. You look great!" Marissa beams as she engulfs Summer in a hug.

Work was among one of her many reasons she used to avoid Newport. Marissa had arranged many occasions for them together, but Summer always somehow found a way to back out. In truth, she wasn't ready to return. And she couldn't return home alone either. She had dragged her roommate, Matt along with her, on account that she couldn't find anyone to go with her on such short notice. And also because she couldn't find any guy who was willing to miss work to travel six hours across the country for only 2 days. With some persistent begging and nagging, Matt had agreed to go with her, but only for moral support.

"Thanks, you don't look so bad yourself either. I wouldn't miss it for anything," Summer said as she admired Marissa red cocktail dress, which was no doubt a designer piece.

"Oh God, you must be Summer's fiancé. It's so great to finally meet you," Marissa extending her hand enthusiastically.

"Ummm...," Matt responded, unsure at what to say as he shakes Marissa's hand. "I...."

"Matt this is Marissa, you remember me talking about her," Summer said quickly, trying to cut him off.

"Uh...sure," Matt still confused and unaware of what the hell is happening.

"So when's the big date," asked Marissa excitedly, who was obviously happy for Summer.

"I'm not sure, we haven't talked about it yet," Matt turned to Summer with his eyebrows raised.

"We haven't officially set a date yet. We'll probably be one of those couples who stay engaged for years before actually tying the knot," Summer said with a laugh as she loops her arm through Matt's.

"We have to go find Ryan, he'll be so happy to see you," Marissa said with a wide smile as she looked around the room for Ryan.

"Ryan....happy to see me, I never thought I would ever hear that."

"Ryan! Ryan!" Marissa shouted as she finally spotted him talking to Jimmy.

"What just happened here?!" Matt whispered heatedly when Marissa had turned her back on them.  

"Just keep along, for me, please, think of it as a favor for me," Summer looked at him pleadingly with her big brown eyes.

"Fine. You own me big time." 

Matt was obviously upset. She didn't mean to pull Julia Roberts: My Best Friend's Wedding on him. She hadn't planned this at all. The whole thing just....pop up. Besides she couldn't show up dateless, and Matt was her absolute last choice. Besides he was the only guy who actually knew her. After rooming together for almost 3 ½ years, they got pretty good reads on each other. They knew each others pet peeves, their likes and dislikes, and most importantly they knew how to piss the other person off.

"Hey, what's up," Ryan had made his way over to them and lean in to give Marissa a kiss.

"Look who came!" Marissa exclaimed, turning around to face Summer and Matt again.

"Summer...glad you could make it," Ryan said as he leaned in to hug Summer.

"Me too," replied Summer, a little surprise by the hug.

"Ryan, this is Summer's fiancé, Matt."

"Nice to meet you man," Ryan said as he shake Matt's hands.

"Yeah, you too."

"Will you guys excuse me, I'm going to go get a drink at the bar. I'm a little thirsty," Summer interrupted.

"Uh...yeah sure. I guess I'll see you guys later then," Marissa said, a little surprise at Summer's sudden impulse for a drink.

"Come on honey," Summer said nudging Matt along with her.

Summer led the way to the bar, and once out of Marissa's and Ryan's sight, "Since when did we become engaged!" Matt exclaimed quietly, so it wouldn't attract any attention around them. "Since February," she replied nonchalantly as she ordered a rum and coke from the bartender. "Look, I RSVP months ago and told Marissa that I would be bringing by fiancé, Bryan, if you remembered," Matt nodded irritably at her to continue. "And then we broke up unexpectedly a few weeks ago, which I know you remember because you called him a "jerk" to his face. And I couldn't show up to this thing fiancé-less, when I said I would be bringing a fiancé, are you keeping up with me" she asked as she sipped her rum and coke. "And, well, I just don't want Marissa's pity or sympathy or anyone else's for that matter if they found out the truth."

"Well....," Matt trying to get his words in. "So, if you really love me, as a friend, you would do this for me, right," she asked cutting Matt off at what he was about to say. "How would this even work, we stink as a couple, even you know this," he exasperated.

They had dated a few years back before rooming together, all three dates ended with them yelling at each other. He thought she was a shallow and self-centered drama queen. She thought he was a bland and boring nick-pick. However, they made very good roommates though. "We just have to pretend that we're madly in love with each other. That's shouldn't be so hard, right," Summer said with a knowing smile. "Yeah, wouldn't be hard at all," he said through pure annoyance at the girl standing in front of him.

Hmmm.... good? bad? tell me what you think.