The disclaimer still stands
A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews. I'll try to make this chapter lengthy as well. Enjoy!
All of Newport was in buzz about the Gala Fashion Show. Word had gotten around that Marissa Cooper and Summer Roberts were planning it this year. Everyone was excited and secretly relieved that they didn't have to put up with Julie Cooper all that much.
"So Sum, how are all the plans coming?" Marissa asked Summer at school.
"They're great Coop. Cohen is not so sure about it though."
"Have you even asked him?"
"Well uh...not exactly."
"Summer! You have to ask him. There's nothing stopping you now, I already asked Ryan."
"I know, I know. I'm just worried he won't do it."
"Well you never know until you ask. Trust me; some good might come out of it." Marissa thought of the brief kiss her and Ryan had shared the week before.
"Ok, fine. I'll ask Cohen after school today."
"'Kay good."
Summer couldn't put it off any longer. She went to the Cohen's house after school. She knocked on the door and Kirsten opened the door. "Uh hey Mrs. Cohen, is Seth home?" It felt weird to call Cohen by his name.
"Oh hey Summer, yea he's in his room if ya wanna go up."
"Thanks Mrs. Cohen." Summer went to Seth's room and found him listening to his MP3 player and talking to Captain Oats. She quietly admired him for a moment before finally walking in. "Cohen what are you doing?" Seth jumped from is bed.
"Uh Summer, what are you doing here?" Seth asked startled and slightly embarrassed that he was talking to Captain Oats.
"Listen Cohen, I'll keep this short. I need you to be a male model for the Gala Fashion Show." She couldn't keep at staring at his cute curly hair while she waited for his answer.
"You need me to be a male model?" Seth was shocked that she would even ask, let alone as him. By her behavior these past few weeks he would've expected that she wouldn't want him to have any part in her Gala Fashion Show.
"Yea isn't that what I just asked?"
"Yea but are you sure? I've never modeled before."
"Of course I'm sure Cohen, that's what I just asked. And I'm sure you'll be fine with the modeling. Besides, I'll teach you if you need them. Chino needs some of his own anyway and so I—"
"Wait Ryan is being a male model too? How did you get him to do that, bribe him with a Journey CD?"
"Of course not, Coop asked."
"Marissa and Ryan actually spoke?"
"Yea. She said that they had a nice talk."
"And so now you're talking to me? Wow, this is a change."
"Yea well I didn't really think— just then Seth's cell phone rang. He didn't recognize the number but saw that it was long distance.
"Hello?" Seth was surprised by the voice on the other end. "Hey Alex. How are you? I'm doing great. Well I'm kind of in the middle of something right now, can I call you back? Yea thanks for calling. It was nice to hear from you too. Yea I miss you too, I promise I won't forget" Summer looked angry and confused at the same time.
"Cohen, who the hell is Alex?"
"Umm she was my boss up at Portland.."
"And you replaced me with some knockoff Portland wannabe? Cohen! How could you do that?"
"She was just my boss, nothing happened between us. And you know why? Because I couldn't let you go. Calm down. You're the only girl I've ever loved."
"Well what about the 'I miss you too' part?"
"Uh, I do miss her. She was my friend."
"Just your friend? Promise nothing more?" Summer hated the thought of being replaced.
"Well what about you?"
"What about me?"
"You and Zack"
"Oh him."
"What do you mean 'oh him'? You've been making out with him at school and holding hands. And now all you say is 'oh him'"
"Well, that doesn't mean anything is going on."
"Yes it does. I got in front of his car and almost got killed. And now you say is oh him? Summer, come on! Is he important to you or isn't he?"
"I don't know yet."
"Well make up your mind."
"Cohen, don't pressure me." She didn't want to admit to him right there and then that she wanted him back.
"Ok, well when you decide that, I'll decide whether I'll be in your show or not."
Summer rolled her eyes. "Fine Cohen, be complicated." She stormed off. She hated him playing around like that but she was doing the same thing. Even so, she didn't want to admit to being a hypocrite. She went to her car and called Marissa.
"Coop?"
"Hey Sum. Did you ask him?"
"Uh, yea... I did, but... we have some complications..."
"Sum, did you ask him or not?"
"Yea.. but.."
"But what?"
"Ok, so he said that he wouldn't tell me his answer until I told him whether I was serious about Zack or not."
"Sum! You know your not! Why didn't you just tell him?"
"Because, there's this new girl from Portland. Well more like old boss. She was Cohen's boss up in Portland and he called Cohen while we were talking. She said that she missed him and for him to call her back. He said that they were just friends but I'm not so sure. And I don't want the benefit the doubt, whatever that is."
"Sum, don't worry. I'm sure that they were just friends."
"Yea well I don't know so I'll just wait and scope this out a bit more and see, and if no old boss, then no Zack."
"Summer! You're so playing with his feelings. But I applaud you for your sneakiness."
"Thanks Coop. So I'll meet you at lunch tomorrow and we can work on more plans for the show k?"
"K Sum, see ya then."
Over the next few weeks Summer and Marissa spent time getting everything ready. Ryan didn't exactly have time to hang with Seth and his Comic book club. This left time for Zack and Seth to spend time together and for Ryan and Marissa to spend time together. This left DJ and Summer alone. Well Summer wasn't technically alone, she was surrounded by people, just not the one person she actually wanted to be with. He was too busy talking about Superman and The Hulk.
Ryan wasn't sure about this whole thing. He knew that he was doing this for Marissa but he wasn't exactly the most outgoing person when it came to showing off clothes. He came to Marissa with his concerns.
"Marissa, am I doing ok?"
"Yea Ryan, you're doing great." He wasn't doing all that great but she was happy just to talk to him.
"Well I'm still way conscious. And I'm still not sure how to walk down this thing."
"Don't worry, I can teach you. How about after school?"
"Sure, at the Cohens?
"Well my house has a bigger front room and we have plenty of space there so how about it?" Ryan wasn't sure. He didn't really want to run into DJ, or whatever that guy's name was. Marissa saw that he was pondering over it. "Well if you don't want to that's ok..." she said awkwardly.
"No, you're house is great. I might be a little late. But I will be there."
"Ok great. See ya then."
After school Ryan headed home. He needed to talk to Seth first about the whole show.
"Seth, are you planning to be in this thing?"
"I'm not sure. It all depends on Summer."
"Summer? What does she have to do with this?"
"She still hasn't told me if she's serious about Zack. I know he's serious about her, but I can tell she's not sure."
"Seth, face reality. You know she is. She's been with him for a couple weeks now. And if she wasn't she would've broken it off. I'm sorry to be so blunt but it's true. Move on Seth."
"Wow, this non edgy Ryan sure is harsh."
"Sorry, but you have to realize sooner or later."
"Thanks man. Well I'm still not sure if I'm not going to do this."
"Yes you are. Because if I'm going to be displayed like some pretty boy in front of Newport, so are you. Call Summer and tell her."
"Wow, just getting harsher and harsher. Fine, I'll call." Seth dialed her number and waited for the answer.
"Hello?"
"Summer?"
"Oh, it's you Cohen, What do you want?
"Nothing, I just wanted to tell you that I'll be one of the male models for your fashion show."
"You will? Cohen, that's so great. I'll meet you tomorrow at lunch to give you the details ok." She hung up.
"Well dude, she's thrilled. And we're meeting each other at lunch tomorrow. Well things are looking up for me." He smiled. Ryan did too.
"Well great. Have fun at your meeting. Sorry I can't be there but I have to go meet Marissa. See ya later."
Ryan drove to Marissa's big mansion. He was worried of who he might see. Last time he drove to Marissa's he was dosed with the reality that she had moved on. He hoped this wouldn't be the case. He parked in her driveway, no sign of DJ yet. He walked up to the door and rang the bell. DJ answered the door. "Hey, uh is Marissa here?"
"Yea she is. Do you guys have a date?"
"I didn't know yard guys were so nosey. But if you have to know, no we don't. And I don't think anything else is really your business." Marissa walked down her staircase.
"Marissa, hey. Me and DJ were just having a little chat."
"Hey Ryan. Come in." She sensed the tension in the room and gave DJ a look of sorry. Not that he looked at her. These days the two of them didn't really talk. She basically just went to him when she needed comfort. But now that maybe Ryan and she were getting back together, she wouldn't need him. Again, he was just her boy toy.
"Uh, thanks. So where to?" Ryan looked around the big room."
"Here basically. So what do you need help with?"
"Just walking. I don't know how you supposed to."
"Well just walk down, stop, let them admire the clothing and then turn and walk back. But always turn to your right." She demonstrated and he admired. "Now you try." He tried walking but it didn't work. "No, no, not like that. Stop a bit more. And relax; you're not in the military." She put her hands on his shoulders and tried to make him relax. That made him tense up a bit but then he relaxed. Just then DJ came into the room and glared at Ryan. He was supposed to be the one she had her hands on. He quickly left before Marissa noticed.
"Thanks. I'll try again." He tried walking again and this time he was more relaxed.
"That's better."
"Can we take a break?"
"Yea sure, I'll get some iced tea."
"Thanks." As she left DJ came into the room.
"Stay away form her."
"I knew her before you did. You're the one who needs to stay away."
"That's her choice to make."
"Well then I guess we'll see."
"I guess we will." Marissa came back in with the drinks and DJ disappeared.
"Here you go."
"Thanks." He took a drink. "So is this all I need?"
"Yea, unless you need help with something else."
"No, that's about it." Marissa had a disappointed look on her face.
"But we can hang sometime, ya know, try to be friends."
"Yea sure."
"Ok, well how about tomorrow?"
"Sure see ya then."
Ryan left and DJ came into the room. "So you want him back."
"I always wanted him back."
"And me?"
"I told you, it's over."
"No, you can't just dump me because pretty boy came back. What about my feelings? You think I didn't love you?" Marissa was surprised by what he said.
"No... but I love Ryan. I'm sorry, but I don't love you."
"So this is how it is huh?"
"Yea, I'm sorry."
"Know that this isn't over. I'm not giving up." He left.
Marissa was confused. She knew that she was meant to be with Ryan. Not DJ. So why did she keep coming back? Why did she keep stringing both of them along? Maybe she did need him. Or maybe she didn't. But right now she didn't know."
She decided to call Summer instead. "Sum? How are the plans coming?"
"Coop, they are so great. Cohen finally decided to come. So we'll see."
"Yea me too, I just hope Ryan doesn't bring that wannabe I saw with him at school to the show. That would ruin everything."
"Yea and I hope Cohen won't have anymore calls with that Alex girl."
"I guess we're both fighting for our men."
"Yea I guess so."
"K, see ya tomorrow Coop."
"Bye Sum."
OOO Chapter 2!! That one ended up being slightly longer than chapter 1. wow, am I on a roll or what? Jk. Well I hope everyone enjoyed Chapter 2. Please review and be kind.