It was almost time to go back to school, the short New Years break that Habour had been so kind to give the students had almost ended. There was just friday (Today), then Saturday (New Years Eve) then Sunday (New Years Day) and then everyone was back at school on Monday. Marissa was making sure she got to spend the rest of her break doing what she wanted to do, sleeping. It was almost 2pm and Marissa still hadn't managed to drag herself out of bed, she figured that she could leave the partying till tomorrow night and have today to just enjoy being lazy. As she begun to think about how good it felt to simply lie in bed, doona wrapped around herself the phone began to ring, reluctantly moving herself Marissa reached over and scopped up her phone. There was no call id on the phone.

Marissa: Hello ?

Female Voice: Hey Marissa, it's Alex.

Marissa: Oh, hi Alex. I didn't expect you to call me.

Alex: You didn't want me to call you ?

Marissa: No, I just never gave you my number.

Alex: Oh yeah, I got it off a guy called Luke. He came into the Bait Shop today looking for you and Ryan.

Marissa: Luke's back in Newport ?

Alex: Well, I never knew he left. But his name was Luke, he had short wavy blonde hair and was pretty buff. He said that you and him used to go out.

Marissa: I can't believe Luke's back in Newport. I wonder what happened with the whole Portland thing.

Alex: Well, I don't know. We only spoke for like 5 minutes or so, he seemed pretty keen to find you guys.

Marissa: Wait a minute, why didn't Luke just call me or Ryan.

Alex: Oh, he wanted to suprise you. Guess I kind of stuffed up that idea.

Marissa began to laugh softly at Alex's embarrassment, "Hey, it's alright. I'm still suprised and I won't tell him you told me he's here.".

Alex: Thanks.

Marissa: So why'd you call ?

Alex: I wanted to see what you wanted to do today.

Marissa: Well, I was planning on spending the day in bed. Unless of course you've got a better idea.

Alex: Well there's a band playing at the Bait Shop tonight.

Marissa: I don't know, I'm not really in mood for going out tonight, we can do all that tomorrow.

Alex: Well we could go surfing ?

Marissa: You never told me you surf.

Alex: Well it never came up before. So you wanna go ? I can teach you the basics and all that and I've got a spare board you can use.

Marissa: Well, I guess. It's a nice day... but I'm not really an aquatic person...

Alex: Let me guess, your trips to the beach usually involved lying on your beachtowel in a bikini trying to catch the eye's of any hot guys in the vicinity.

Marissa: Well sometimes Luke used to take me out on his boat waterskiing.

Alex: Yeah, Luke and Ryan, and DJ and Oliver... Look just don't worry about it, we'll do something tomorrow. I've gotta go now anyway..

Marissa: Alex, what's wrong? I'm sorry but I just don't feel like doing anything today.

Alex: No, It's okay. I'll talk to you later.

Marissa rolled off the side of her bed and began shuffling through her drawers. She knew she liked Alex, she even felt (at times) that she wanted to start a relationship with Alex, but there was a big difference between kissing Alex when no one was watching, and kissing her infront of everyone at the Bait Shop. It was okay to tell Sum, she was her best friend and if anyone would understand, well it was her. And anyway, Luke was back in town and Marissa wanted to see him, and she knew if she gave up Alex for Luke, well Alex might get scared and back off a little. At the moment Marissa just wanted to limit the relationship to Alex and herself, she couldn't deal with what everyone else would think just yet.

Ever since Ryan had come to Newport, everything in Luke's life had changed. First there was the incident's with Marissa, Ryan, Holly, all those girls beforehand... Well it had all blown up in his face, and then his Dad coming out to his Mother, the family's divorce and then everything with Julie Cooper. He didn't blame Ryan, he knew that everything was his fault (except for his Dad of course) Ryan had just been a catalyst that had lead to all those events taking place. What Luke needed was a break from Newport, and so he had gone to Portland with his Dad and eventually Seth had stayed with them for a while, taking time out from the drama, the pain, the violence of Newport had changed Luke. It was safe to say that he was a different man, and the first person he wanted to show this to was the person he looked up to most, Ryan.

Knocking on the Cohen's door Luke waited for approaching footstep's.

Sandy: Luke! What are you doing here? You're the last person I expected to see on my doorstep. Not that that's a bad thing though of course I just thought you were staying in Portland.

Luke: Hey Mr Cohen, no I was just taking time away from Newport. My Mom wanted me to come spend some time with her and I've enrolled in Habour for the rest of this semester. My two schools worked something out for me so that I could spend time with both my Mom and Dad.

Sandy: Oh well that's great. I guess you're looking for Ryan?

Luke: Is he in ?

Sandy: Him and Summer have just popped out to see Ryan's brother Trey. He got released from Jail today.

Luke: Ryan and Summer ?

Sandy: I guess you two haven't really spoke lately, Ryan and Summer are together now.

Luke: And Seth ?

Sandy: Well at the moment he's out with Anna, I think they're going to a concert tonight.

Luke: Anna's back in Newport.

Sandy: Yeah, she came back about a week ago.

Luke: Alot's really change hasn't it.

Sandy: Yeah.

Luke: Alright Mr Cohen, I'll catch up with Ryan and Seth later.

Sandy: Cya Luke.

Ryan: So you're sure about this ?

Summer: Well it's abit late to turn around isn't it, we've been driving for nearly an hour.

Ryan: I know, it's just. I haven't seen that apartment yet, and I bet it's nothing flashy.

Summer: It's okay, I brought some essetials with me.

Ryan: Don't tell me that's why we stopped by your house.

Summer: Well I couldn't have Trey moving into his new house without anything.

Ryan: We're buying some stuff today.

Summer: OMG! We're going shopping for furniture! Why didn't you tell me!

Ryan: Because I knew you'd come if I told you.

Ryan threw Summer a teasing smile to make sure she didn't get upset.

Summer: Well I bet you Trey will be happy I came.

Ryan: The way you're dressed no doubt.

Looking down at her faded Jeans and light blue halter top with matching cardigan Summer had no idea what Ryan was talking about.

Summer: What the hell Chino, I feel like a Grandma in these clothes.

Ryan: No matter what you wear you look beautiful.

Summer's heart melted at the comment, not the words, but the sincerity.

Summer: You're not looking too bad yourself Sweetie, I'm sure Trey will be impressed.

Ryan: Impressed that i've turned my back on everything I used to be, my neighbourhood, my friends. Turned into some Newport pussy that wears designed outfits and goes to the poshest school in the state, who attends Social Gala's with all the people we were told to hate the day we were born.

Summer: I...

Ryan: Look, it's okay. It's just with Trey back, I've got alot of stuff to think about.

Summer: You were okay a second ago.

Ryan: You know me, suppress my emotions, all that shit.

Summer: You know you don't have to do that with me. I want to be with you Ryan, angry and swearing or polite as hell.

Ryan: Well in that case, FUCK FUCK FUCK!

Summer: You're worried that he wont see the same Ryan again. That's why you got the wristcuff and choker...

Ryan: So he recognises me... Have I changed that much ?

Summer: I didn't really know you before...

Ryan: I feel as though I threw away 16 years of my life, that I came here and turned my back not only on my home. But on myself... And now that Trey's back...

Ryan slowed the car pulling over to the side of the road. Once they had stopped her turned so that his eye's were concentrated on Summer. Blue piercing brown...

Ryan: I want to go back to being me.