Disclaimer: I do not own these people, unless their names are Shayla or Clayton. Then back off!!!!
"So, why didn't you ever tell you had a sister?" Seth said as they walked toward their school for the first time in three months.
Ryan slung his bag across his shoulder and looked across the school campus. He wasn't trying to ignore Seth, just trying not to hear him. "I don't know. You never asked whether or not I had a sister. You just assumed I didn't because she didn't live with me. She was emancipated, and that's why she wasn't there."
"How much younger is she than you?" Seth asked as he pulled a comic out of his bag.
"A few minutes. We're twins."
"What? You look nothing alike. Except for your vertical challengedness." Seth looked up from the book startled.
"Yeah, it's called fraternal." Ryan said laughing.
"So, how come she's in college and you're not?"
"In kindergarten I got help back because of low people skills." Ryan said laughing. "I liked to hurt the teacher, and often."
"Wow, I can actually imagine that." Seth said laughing. Ryan laughed as well and nudged Seth in the ribs.
"You know I spent most of my childhood protecting her from bullies. I remember when she had to wear this God-awful sundress to school, and a boy made fun of her about it. So I broke his arm."
"Guess it's a good thing I didn't point out that she was as short as you are." Seth said remembering how she hardly came up to his shoulder, just as her brother.
Ryan cut his eyes at him jokingly, and then he scanned the crowed. He knew Marissa would probably never take him back, but he needed to give it a shot. Then there she was, sitting with Summer on the front wall. She looked up and saw him, and he knew there was surprise in her eyes. She slipped off the wall and walked over to Ryan and Summer followed, with a little less affection in her eyes.
"Can I talk to you in private?" Marissa and Summer both said at the same time.
Ryan walked away with Marissa, and looked over his shoulder towards his friend. He felt bad when Summer started to just beat him with her fists. He winced to himself when she kicked him in the…well, you know. He quickly turned back to Marissa and faked a calm, casual smile. "So, how was your summer?"
"Pretty good, just a little crazy. You know, being with my mom and Caleb. Nothing out of the usual though." Marissa lied as she thought about her many late night visits with DJ, the yard guy. "What happened to Theresa and the baby?"
Ryan got quiet. He looked past Marissa and to the ocean. "The baby died. Since Theresa didn't think I wanted to be there, she told me to come back here."
"I'm so sorry." She said placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I think everything's going to be alright now. To tell you the truth I wasn't exactly thrilled about the thought of being a father. I am a little disappointed though. I think I was just getting used the idea. Would you do me a favor?" Ryan said, finally looking back at Marissa.
"As long as it has nothing to do with giving birth to a baby, what do you need?" Marissa said lightly. She smiled widely, feeling the weight from her shoulders lifted. She didn't have to worry about Ryan being a dad; she could have him to herself now. Then DJ came back to her thoughts, and the weight suddenly piled back on.
"No, I want you to meet someone. She's very important to me. I've never told you about her, but she's probably the best thing that ever happened to me." He said with a big smile.
Marissa's eyes grew wide, how could he ask her to meet his new girlfriend? She then put on a quick fake smile. He never mentioned them getting back together, she just kind of figured. "Of course. How about after school?"
"That would be great. She's staying at our house, so I'm really excited." Ryan said, his smile getting wider with every word. The bell rang loudly and Marissa went over to pull Summer off of Seth, who was now curled up cursing loudly. Ryan walked over to help Seth up and they walked to first period.
"How could you let her beat me like that for so long? You know as of right now I can't feal my nuts?" Seth said, walking gingerly.
"Well, you did deserve it." Ryan said walking to the front office to get his schedule. He quickly took off to his first class, microbiology. When he stepped into the room, he didn't recognize many faces. Some of them had been in his classes before, but he had never spoken to the before. He found a table that was occupied by a boy with red hair and glasses, the only table left available in the class.
"Hi, I'm Clayton. You're that guy from Chino, right?" He said holding out his hand.
"Yeah, the name's Ryan. Do I know you from somewhere?" Ryan said shaking his hand.
"I was in your science class last year. You never really noticed though." Clayton said adjusting his glasses slightly.
"Sorry, I think I was more concerned with passing and keeping things as normal as possible last year, and a little less concerned with noticing things." Ryan said casually running his hand through his hair.
Clayton nodded and then opened his book to the page that their teacher, Mr. Mallard, had instructed them to. "So, how are you with science?"
"Pretty good. I need to work on remembering things like Phylum names and stuff, but other than that."
"Then I might be begging you for help. I so suck at science." Clayton said looking blankly at the page about bacteria and viruses.
"You look a little lost." Ryan said laughing.
"You have no idea." Clayton shook his head and then just started to randomly write things down.