Palm Trees and Power Lines

Chapter 16: The Quiet Things that No one Ever Knows

Summary: Sort-of future fic. Summer breaks Seth's heart and all he could think to do was leave… but will she find him again, and will he want her back if she does?

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Disclaimers are just so boring… there isn't a large variety of ways to say that I don't own this stuff…

A/N: I'm getting much better at updating… hehe… so… thanks again for the reviews… I love you all… hehe… umm… this is NOT a song-based chapter… surprisingly enough. There is a song in here, however… so I have named the chapter after that… it's The Quiet Things that No One Ever Knows by Brand New… sorry if I have failed you haha… oh well… it goes perfectly fine without a song! Hehe… reviews make me very happy… so if you would please leave some, that would be just great ;-)

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"Seth, we really need to talk," Ryan pleaded into the phone. Seth hadn't said anything for a good three minutes and Ryan was becoming very uncomfortable with the silence. "I'm sorry. You know I'm sorry."

"Why did you do it Ryan?" was the first thing Seth said. Not even a 'hello' or a 'how's it going'- nothing. Just…'why did you do it?'

"I don't know," he replied and despite the fact that Seth couldn't see, Ryan was hanging his head in shame. He knew it was wrong and everything had been haunting him for the past three months. "I'm sorry."

"You almost ruined my fucking life, how can you not know, Ryan? How the hell can you not know?" Seth spat into the phone. He had forgotten about everything when he was with Summer but now…now that he heard Ryan's voice- the voice of the boy who used to be his brother- his best friend- the voice of the boy who almost ruined his entire life- he couldn't take it. His head was spinning. He couldn't think, he could barely breathe, and he wasn't able to form words anymore. Finally, as they sat thousands of miles away on the phone with each other, Seth gave in. He finally gave in, letting tears of sadness, betrayal, and anger fall down his cheeks.

"I trusted you," he breathed through gritted teeth. "I trusted you more than I trusted anyone. And now when I ask you why, you don't even have the decency to give me an answer."

"I was stupid, okay? God, Seth I don't know what to tell you. I wasn't thinking… I just… I have no idea why I did it. It was the biggest mistake I have ever made in my entire life. I haven't stopped thinking about what it did to you for the last three months. It's haunted my dreams- which were more like nightmares- and my reality. I can barely look at your parents without feeling guilty," Ryan confessed. "Seth, you were the best friend I've ever had…and I screwed that up. I just… I hope you can forgive me sometime."

Seth closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall. He wanted his friend back… he wanted to have a brother again but… could he forgive him that easily? He forgave Summer but... he didn't know. His head was too clouded and he was too distraught to think straight.

"Ryan…" Seth sighed. He didn't know what to say to that. "Can I just have some time to think? You really hurt me when you…" He trailed off.

"I know," Ryan replied. "I'm sorry, Seth. I can't say it enough."

"I know you're sorry but… I still just… need some time," he explained.

"Okay," Ryan agreed. It was all he could do. "So I'll see you in November?"

"Yeah…bye Ry," he said and flipped his phone shut. He had a lot to think about tonight…

"How'd it go?" Joel asked him from across the room.

"Exactly how one would expect it to go. You heard me," Seth sighed and flopped back on his bed. "How about that beer?"

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"How did it go?" Summer asked, pulling a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. She sat down at the table next to Marissa. "I really hate that I'm the reason you two are fighting. Ryan, I'm so sorry about everything."

"Summer, it's over. Forget about it," he said, also sitting down. "And he said he needed some time to think about it all."

"At least he didn't totally freak out," Marissa chimed in. "You know and like, claim that he never wants anything to do with you."

"He almost did," Ryan answered, slouching back into the chair. After a few moments he spoke up again. "I'm just glad he forgave you, Summer. You two were hopeless without each other."

"Isn't that the truth," Marissa joked, but then quieted when Summer sent a death glare across the table. "Sorry."

Summer sighed and leaned back in her chair. She wished Seth was with her- she wished that she could just go back to graduation and tell him that she loved him. She wished that the summer wasn't over.

"This summer was supposed to be all-time," she broke the silence. "And now it's over. I ruined the summer before college because … I was stupid and didn't trust Seth."

"Sum-" Marissa started, but was cut off.

"No, Coop. Don't. Please. You know what? I'm gonna head back to my house to get some new things. I'll be back a bit later, kay?" she said, standing up and grabbing the keys to her silver BMW. Without another word she pushed through the front door and headed down the driveway.

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"I'm worried about her," Marissa said after Summer was gone. "Wow…that's a first. I'm worried about Summer. Not the other way around."

"I think we're all worried about her a little bit," he replied. "But she's strong. She'll make it through."

"Yeah," she agreed, but was interrupted by her cell phone…

We keep it safe and slow- the quiet things that no one ever knows…

Marissa's heart stopped as the old Brand New song echoed through the silent room. She clutched it in her hand, knowing who it was without even looking at the caller ID. Ryan looked at her questionably.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" he asked, gesturing to the phone. When Marissa didn't move, he spoke up. "Who is it?"

The phone just kept ringing…and ringing - playing The Quiet Things that No One Ever Knows over and over again. Both were wondering why her voicemail hadn't picked up yet.

Finally, after a moment, Marissa opened her mouth to answer Ryan's question, but her reply came out as more of a forced whisper.

"It's Alex," she told him and flipped the phone open. "H-hello?"

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Summer pushed through her front door, assuming that no one would be there when she got home. Of course they wouldn't- her father didn't even expect her home until tomorrow night. He never really knew much about her anymore. Not to her surprise, the huge house was dark and empty.

Quickly she hurried to her room and began searching through her closets. She had always hated being in the house alone at night. As soon as she was sure she had everything she needed for the next few days, she was ready to head out. In a hurry, though, she bumped a small table and sent papers flying everywhere.

"Shit," she cursed and bent down to pick them up. She would be back tomorrow to pack for college, and could just clean them up then rather than stay in the house long enough. She decided against this though, because her father would probably have a cow if he came home and saw the mess.

As she was pushing them together though, her hand grazed raised black and orange letters. Looking down at the paper, her heart stopped as she read the first line.

To Miss Summer Roberts;

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to the University of Pennsylvania…

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A/N: Ooooh controversy. Haha… no… well, let me fill you in on the whole Alex thing. I'll fill you in more in the next chapter, but nothing happened between her and Seth. However, they all did meet. Something could have possibly happened between Alex and Marissa… but no one knows… (hence the ring tone ;-) ) anyway… we'll see in the next chapter… oh and… I like reviews ;-)