:Hey, sorry it took so long to update…I've been quite busy. This is the final chapter, since the actual mall episode is coming up very soon. I just can't compete with that haha. I think I might have eluded a little Marissa/Ryan (what, what) so watch out for that. Hope you enjoy it. And I hope I got the right name of that game, Mystery Date. If not, oops:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Ow!"
"Wha?" Seth responds, gently rubbing his eyes.
"Stop kicking me, Cohen!" Summer cries, reaching into her sleeping bag and rubbing her left calf.
"I'm not kicking you!"
"What is that, then? Something is biting me!" she shrieks, grabbing Seth's thin arm.
"Ahh, an unidentifiable rodent!" Seth stands up and pulls Summer to her feet. She huddles close to his worn t-shirt.
"Kill it, Cohen! Now!"
"I'm not a licensed rodent killer! You kill it!" Seth points to the messy sleeping bags and backs out of the tent.
"Neither am I, you idiot!"
"Don't call me an idiot!"
"What is going on!" Marissa calls from across the room, shivering in her sheer tank top. Ryan appears, raking a hand through his disheveled hair.
"There is a disgusting rat-like animal crawling through our tent! And Cohen won't kill it!" Summer replies, folding her arms across her stomach.
"Summer won't kill it, either!" Seth says. Marissa and Ryan simultaneously roll their eyes.
"Well, it looks like we won't be getting any sleep tonight…" Ryan observes, snatching a blanket from the tent floor and handing it to Marissa. She smiles graciously.
"I'm going to find something for us to do. You guys wait here," Summer decides, pulling a sweatshirt over her head.
"As long as it's not Mystery Date," Seth hollers after her.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"You brought Mystery Date. I specifically told you not to bring Mystery Date," Seth pouts, sitting cross-legged on the floor. Summer removes the lid from the game and grins giddily.
"I loooove this game, you guys. Marissa and I use to play it all the time," Summer nods.
"That was in middle school, Sum," Marissa says wistfully, taking the game pieces out of the box.
"Uh, I've never played this game…" Ryan admits, shuffling his feet towards the three sitting in a circle.
"Well, neither have I, Ryan, because we are both big, strong men," Seth states, rubbing his hands together uncomfortably. Summer scoffs. "Once, okay! I played it once!"
"Sure, Cohen."
"I didn't like it, anyway. The guys were all so perfect and sporty and made me feel inadequate, like I was an emo, comic book reading, video game playing…" Seth trails off.
"Seth." Ryan motions for him to stop babbling.
"Okay, Ryan, this is how you play. You use the phone to call the guys, and they reveal clues about themselves. You use the clues to figure out your mystery date," Marissa explains, holding the phone in her hand.
"I hope I get Chad," Ryan says sarcastically, pointing to a tall, muscular guy pictured on the box.
"Nah, dude, I think Antonio is more your type. Tall, dark, Latin? Latin lover is where it's at, Ryan," Seth contributes.
"Cohen! You know, I don't even want to play anymore," Summer mopes, letting her raven hair fall across her face. He kisses her cheek and smiles playfully. "Any better ideas on what we should do?"
"Name that Death Cab song."
"No."
"Sleep."
"What are you, Chino, 75?"
"Spin the bottle?"
"Now, we're talking, Coop," Summer agrees, as Ryan and Seth look mockingly rejected.
"There's only four of us. And two of us are dating. Who am I going to kiss, Marissa?" Seth objects.
"Or Ryan," Summer leers, as the boys look horrified.
"I've already kissed two of you," Marissa confesses, shrugging apathetically.
"Wait, you kissed me?" Seth questions, looking rather puzzled. "I think I would have remembered that."
"I didn't say you, Seth," Marissa eludes.
"Summer!" Seth panics, his mouth slipping open. Summer grins sheepishly.
"We were drunk!" she protests, as Marissa nods. Ryan's eyes widen.
"That's kind of hot," Ryan admits, while Seth regains composure and agrees.
"Shut up," Marissa laughs, hitting them each on the arm.
"I'm actually kind of tired," Summer yawns, reaching for Seth's hand. "To the tent, Cohen?" Seth concurs and follows her, waving the Ryan and Marissa. " 'Night, you guys."
Ryan shifts uncomfortably, as Marissa ambles toward their tent.
"You coming?" she asks, turning around to wait for him. She catches his eye.
"Yeah," he answers, brushing his hands on his jeans and lightly touching her bare shoulder.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Young lady? Miss? Young man?"
"Oh my Seth!" Summer jerks his shoulder as the policeman shines a bright flashlight on his face. Seth awakens and quickly wipes the drool from his chin.
"What are you two doing here?" The officer asks, eyeing Summer and Seth covered by the sleeping bag.
"Nothing, officer, we're fully clothed, I swear!" Seth exclaims, throwing off the blanket to reveal black pants and a white undershirt.
"Okay, okay, thanks. But you two need to leave, pronto."
"Yes sir, we're going, right this second. Come on, Cohen!" Summer hisses, grabbing her velour jacket. Seth frantically crawls around the tent, gathering his things. The officer turns around to find Marissa and Ryan sneaking around the room.
"There's more of you? Is this a rave?" the policeman asks, squinting at the four. Seth swallows a chuckle.
"No, sir," Ryan assures him.
"You hoodlums better get home," he says, his gray hair reflecting under the fluorescent lights. He slowly walks towards the door.
"We are so doing this next weekend…" Summer giggles, as Ryan, Marissa and Seth explode with laughter.
