Chapter 7...The Heights "Yes mom, I packed everything. For the hundredth time."

Marissa was sitting with Ryan, Summer and Seth in the airport waiting to board. This was her mother's fifth call since they reached the terminal-eighth since they left her house. She kept coming up with excuses to talk to Marissa, and was acting more neurotic than the Cohens.

"Why do you keep calling? I've been on a plane before, and it's not like I'm going to visit a complete stranger. He's my dad. I'm going to be fine."

"Ok honey, but you could never be too sure. Tell your father I said hello. And I want you and Ryan sleeping in two separate rooms."

Marissa sighed. "Mom-"

"I still can't believe you took him back after he just left last summer. His departure turned you into an alcoholic whore Marissa, and things were finally starting to get

better-"

"I can't believe you."

She flipped her phone closed and tried to hold back the tears, but knew that they were visibly welling up in her eyes. Ryan rubbed her back gently and leaned into her.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Marissa had vowed to herself that she wouldn't bring Ryan down with her problems this time. She wanted their relationship to last, and she blamed herself for keeping them apart for so long. If she could at least keep her family issues to her self, then Ryan wouldn't have to deal with them, and they wouldn't become part of their life together.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied.

Ryan kissed her lips softly and she gladly returned the gesture.

"Now boarding first class," the attendants voice echoed throughout the gate. Marissa and Ryan separated and the four of them got on line with their passes ready.

"God, why do they make these things so hard to fit an average-sized suitcase in!" Summer said, her voice growing louder from the frustration of trying to push her heavy carry on into the cabin above.

Seth noticed Summer struggling, and the least he could do was offer her help. They weren't on the best of terms, and hadn't spoken more than five words to each other since the ride to the airport. He wanted to be there for her as much as possible on this trip, even if it meant shoving her oversized luggage into the cabin.

"Here, let me get that."

"Thanks Cohen." A slight but sincere smile formed on Summer's face.

"Okay," Marissa started. "We've got seats, A-D in row 2, right? So…"

"I'll sit alone," Seth offered. "Marissa and Ryan, you guys will want to be together, and Summer, I'm sure you want to sit with Marissa so…"

The three smiled as Marissa gestured for Ryan to sit. He turned around and looked back at her, his face fearful and trying to form words.

"Right," Marissa smiled. "Fear of heights. The window seat might not be such a good idea."

"Yeah…thanks."

The four of them took their seats and started to adjust their bags when two overweight men confronted Seth's row. The first man spoke:

"Excuse me. I think we're sitting next to you."

Not wanting to be rude or show his disappointment, Seth smiled politely.

"Okay, umm, hold on a sec."

He got up and stood in the aisle, letting the two men get into the row. Summer looked up at him with sad but appreciative eyes. She felt guilty that he was stuck alone, next to strangers who barely fit into their seats. Seth however, avoided eye contact. He didn't want to seem like he was doing this to get Summer back. In truth, he just wanted her to be happy.

Looking down at the plane's carpeting, she wondered why he had avoided looking at her. Had things become so awkward that he couldn't even stand to make eye contact? Marissa noticed Summer's sadness, but thought it was for a different reason.

"Sum, this trip is going to be awesome. You won't even think about Zach. Believe me, he wasn't worth it."

Summer's face began to redden. She didn't think that Seth knew what had happened with her and Zach yet, and she waited for him to start bombarding her with questions. To her surprise, he didn't seem to even move a beat. Instead, he kept on with his activities, filing an extensive range of comic books into the seat back pocket in front of him.

Although he kept his cool on the outside, his mind began racing a mile a minute. Summer and Zach broke up? Since when? Maybe that's why she's so quiet. Does that mean…maybe this trip…I mean Ryan and Marissa are back together and…oh Seth, don't be such an idiot…just because they broke up doesn't mean anything…did she dump him? What did he do to her?

"Sir," a flight attendant had been trying to get his attention for quite a few seconds.

"Do you need headphones sir?"

"What? Oh I'm fine, I mean I have, yeah, thank you anyways," a flustered Seth managed to get out.

The flight attendant continued to move down the plane's aisle and Seth leaned his head back in his chair.

This is going to be an excellent couple of hours, he sarcastically thought.

The plane began speeding down the runway and Ryan instinctively grabbed onto Marissa's hand. She laughed and placed her free hand on his shoulder.

"Ryan, you're going to be fine."

Ryan was breathing heavily, trying to look at Marissa and avoid the window at the same time.

"Right, as long as you don't try to tip the plane over this time."

"Hey! You got what you deserved. Besides, that was a ferris wheel. Now we're gonna be at least 11,000 feet in the air…" She smiled playfully at him.

"Marissa…"

"Yes, Ryan?"

"Could you- shut the window?"

Laughing, Marissa closed the window and squeezed his hand tightly.

"Ryan. We are going to Hawaii. We're gonna be away from Newport for a week, no school, no water polo players, no my mom…"

"Yeah, what did you mom say on the phone before? You seemed pretty upset…"

He leaned into her, sincerely interested in what she had to say. She opened her mouth to speak but cut herself off.

"Oh, nothing-she was just being Julie Cooper… Nichol."

Ryan laughed and felt the plane begin to take off into the air. He started to mumbled faint "oh my Gods" under his breath. Marissa smiled to herself, knowing exactly what to do.

"Look," she said turning to Ryan and placing her hand on his shoulder. "Maybe you just need something to take your mind off of it."

Ryan smiled deeply. "Well, I'm pretty sure we're more than fifty feet in the air now…"

Marissa finished his sentence. "…which is a little bit higher than a kick off carnival ferris wheel."

Ryan leaned into her more closely, pressing his forehead against hers.

"Got something in my mind?" He asked, smiling.

With that, he took her face in his hand and pulled her towards him, kissing her lips passionately.

Marissa withdrew for a moment. "My thoughts exactly."

They continued to kiss, and Ryan whispered into her ear.

"You know, I'm being to think that heights aren't so bad after all."

A/N- Hey everyone! Thanks so much for the reviews. Please keep giving me feedback, I hope you guys are enjoying this. Sorry if the chapters are too short, please tell me if you'd like them to be a little longer. I just like saving the longer ones for more dramatic scenes, and there will be some coming up soon. Anyway, I love you all so very much…Ryan and Marissa FOREVER!