The Catch-22

The summer's all in bloom
The summer is ending soon

It's alright and it's nice not to be so alone
But I hold on to your secrets in white houses

Maybe I'm a little bit over my head
I come undone at the things he said
And he's so funny in his bright red shirt
We were all in love and we all got hurt

Chapter 6 Doors Should Remain Unopened

Summer loved her new life. In New York, she was just a regular high school girl. In Newport, she was a queen. She went to the hottest parties and was revered by Harbor population. What was better than that?

Summer parked her BMW in the driveway of her house. She opened one of the double doors and dropped her backpack in the empty kitchen.

"Summer Roberts!" A voice boomed throughout the house.

Summer inwardly winced at the sound. She knew there was going to be trouble. Her step-mother was probably muttering strange phrases at the moment from the painkillers.

Neil Roberts appeared in the kitchen, his face red with anger, a vein popping out. He held a piece of white paper in his hand. "Summer! What the hell is this?"

Summer cringed at her father's harsh words. She instantly recognized the paper by the Harbor High School crest. "It's an interim. . . It shows my grade in a class-."

Her father crossed the tile floor to stand right before Summer. "I'm not an idiot. I know what it is. Why are you failing math?"

Because Mr. Lowell is a pedophile. "Um. . . I don't know. I guess I'm just not good at math," Summer said shakily.

Her father exploded. "Not good at math? Summer, you better fix this. You better fix this." He swiped a blue glass vase onto the floor. It shattered on the marble floor. He stormed away.

It had been Summer's mother's favorite vase.

Summer groaned in frustration. "I hate hate hate Geometry!"

Ryan looked at her in confusion. "This is Trig."

Summer rolled her eyes. "Whatever, same difference."

Ryan chuckled to himself. He had to tutor so he could earn community service hours. It was his punishment for punching one too many jerks. They were cocky and thought that threatening and taunting Ryan would get them girls and respect. Ryan couldn't resist punching their lights out. It was inevitable. Although at this rate of painful tutoring of Summer, he regretted punching whatever-his-face.

"Let's just concentrate please," Ryan said.

Summer sighed and turned attention back onto the very thick textbook.

The pool house door creaked open and Seth walked in. "Hey bro. You've been in here forever."

Seth noticed Summer. "Oh hey Summer."

"Hi." She gave him a small wave. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as Seth gave her a wide dimpled grin. Stop it Summer! Get a hold of yourself.

"Well, Ryan…since you're busy, I'm going to sadly leave you without my presence." He exited and closed the door softly.

Ryan rolled his eyes at his brother's antics. "Seth…"

Summer stared blankly at the figures. She tapped her nails against the page.

Ryan was utterly exasperated. "Let's get something to eat."

Thank god. Summer smoothed her skirt and followed Ryan out onto to the patio and into the brightly colored kitchen.

Ryan grabbed some stuff from the gigantic fridge. He laid them out on the kitchen island.

Peanut butter, bread, juice boxes, Ramen noodles, bagels, and cream cheese.

"Sorry we don't have much," Ryan said apologetically.

Summer eyed the food warily. The bread looked suspiciously gray in some spots.

Ryan followed her line of vision. "Um..yeah…we're more of a bagel-family."

"Oh."

A few moments of silence followed as the two looked at the food.

"Can we just go to some place to eat? Or get takeout?" Summer asked, trying not to sound as desperate as she was.

Ryan nodded. "Chinese?" He grabbed the phone and dialed the number, ordering the Cohen-family typical meal.

Summer needed to go to the bathroom, but Ryan was talking busily with the man on the other line. She decided not to bother Ryan and look for the bathroom herself.

Summer went upstairs looking. She opened one of the doors. Er. Bedroom. Another. Closet.

She was opening random doors like these at random houses. This was definitely some message from God.

One more. Then, Summer guessed, she would just pee in her skirt. Summer prayed it was a bathroom and opened the door.

"Oh my god."

Seth stood there naked, his boxers pooling at his ankles.

"What are you doing?"

"Um…changing…," Seth replied meekly.

Seth was most certainly not doing that.

Summer stared at Seth.

"Could you … close…the door…please…I mean this is embarrassing enough…I don't think we need to prolong it," Seth rambled.

"Right." Summer slowly backed out the room and closed the door. Oh my god.

The sound of paper plates and wooden chopsticks being pushed around resounded through the dining room.

Ryan held up one of the white folded boxes. "Lo mein?" He offered to Summer.

She waved it away.

"Seth?"

Seth shook his head.

Every once in awhile Seth and Summer would look into each other's eyes and then blush and look away, bashful.

The silence settled heavily.

"Okay, I give up," Ryan stared intensely at the pair of them.

"Nothing," Seth and Summer said in unison.

They buried their faces back in their plate of rice, noodles, and chicken.

Ryan couldn't take this. Seth usually needed to take up the silence with his endless chatter. This wasn't right. Something was wrong. What had happened in that short span that made everything so awkward?

"Okay. Someone better tell me what's going on?" Ryan slammed down his chopsticks, leaned back and crossed his arms for dramatic effect.

Seth and Summer stared at him blankly.

"Fine, whatever. I have to meet Marissa." Ryan got up and cleared away his trash.

"Hey!" Summer exclaimed. "What about our study session?"

Ryan merely cast a glance. "Um…you were barely attention in the first place."

Summer defended herself, "I was not--"

"He's politely saying that you're too stuck up in the world of shoes and dresses," Seth stuck in. He made a pose.

"That's not true. I'm not superficial at all--"

"Understatement of the year," Seth muttered.

Summer ignored his quip. "Ryan! I have to study math! I have a test in two days!"

Ryan locked the latch of the dishwasher. "Seth can tutor you if you really need help."

Summer looked aghast at the suggestion.

"Besides," Ryan continued. "He has a 4.0, no sweat. He doesn't even study."

Summer looked disbelievingly. This guy was the school's most sought-after guy. He only seemed to skateboard and play some stupid video games where people got blown up. Not to mention that he was extremely cocky.

Ryan exited the main house.

Seth stretched leisurely out. "What can I say? I'm just talented in so many different ways."

"Oh, shut up."

Ryan and Marissa sat in a booth at the crab shack.

Marissa stirred the chocolate milkshake she had. "Mr. G gave a huge essay for the weekend. I can't believe he would give us that big of a paper."

Ryan stayed silent.

Marissa continued talking. "Anyways, so I had to spend like three hours on it. It was ridiculous. And my mom is seriously driving me nuts…"

A heavy perfume scent floated over to the pair.

Ryan looked up to see everyone's favorite blonde in a pink tube top dress with a large pair of sunglasses on her head.

"Hey guys!"

Ryan gave her a nod.

"Hey Hol!" Marissa exclaimed. She scooted over to make room for her best friend.

Holly pushed her blonde hair back. "Hey Maris, have you thought of what you're going to do for the fashion show? It has to be kick-ass."

"Of course. The committee has been planning for ages."

"It's going to be so much fun!" Holly squealed. She bounced up and down on the seat. She noticed Ryan's silence. "Isn't it going to be bravura, Ryan?"

A flat cheer was emitted.

Why did he have to be so damn broody? Oh, but he was so hot. Look at his blue eyes! If he wasn't Marissa's I would so go for him. "Oh come on!" she prodded. "What's so bad about seeing a bunch of girls flipping down the runway with hot clothes on?"

Holly really needed to take the blonde hair dye down a notch. It was starting to blind him. "It's so superficial."

Marissa looked at her boyfriend weirdly. He never said anything about these events. Something was so obviously wrong. "Ryan! It's for charity."

Ryan rolled his eyes. "It's just a way to show you're better than all the other girls at Harbor."

"Ryan! What's going on?" Marissa asked worriedly. Something was really bothering him.

"Ry. You heard Marissa. It's for charity. I mean the people in Africa are like starving. They are so skinny. Do you see where they live? It's so gross." Holly made a disgusted face. "But at least they aren't really eating carbs."

"Shut up Holly." Could Holly Fischer get any more annoying?

Holly threw the tube of lip gloss she was using at him. "You're such an asshole."

Marissa glanced at Ryan. Ryan wouldn't look her in the eyes.

Holly watched them. "Well, whatev. Marissa, want to go shopping?"

Marissa shifted uneasily. "I'm with Ryan."

"You can go Marissa," Ryan said.

"Really?" Marissa exclaimed.

Ryan nodded at his girlfriend. She and Holly got out of the booth and straighten themselves out. "I'll see you later, okay." She gave Ryan a quick kiss. "Call me."

They skipped out.

Ryan buried his head in his hands.

author's note: What's bothering Ryan? Why is he PMS-ing? Will he kill Holly in an anger-induced rage? And what's up with Summer and Seth? I don't actually know, but I have some clue.