It's Coop.

It doesn't matter what you throw at her or what anyone says about her, because it's just...Coop.

Ever since Summer had been in second grade, she could depend on her, because Coop always had a reply to everything, and a smile for every occasion.

Even now, Summer supposed she saw Marissa as some sort of Lara Croft.

Damn Cohen, Summer didn't mean to compare the best, most perfect girl in the world to a video game character. Granted, Angelina Jolie played her in the movie, so maybe that made it okay.

Marissa had always had to handle everything, and she did it with a supermodel's grace and a fight in her eyes. When Summer was twelve, she had nothing that even came close to that. Marissa would protect her from everything; Marissa who loved her father. Marissa who was on student council and the swim team. Marissa who never thought designer clothes made the woman, but still wore them when she could, because, as she said, "You get a lemon, you may as well juice it."

Summer had never got that, but she laughed when Coop said it, because she'd start laughing or nodding solemnly. Coop had an answer for everything.

Until Mexico. More like...until Chino.

And that was mean, because Ryan had nothing to do with it. And he was a great guy, so Summer shouldn't be blaming anything on him.

But this rugged boy from Chino comes tearing in, Marissa gets interested, and suddenly she doesn't want to share secrets with Summer so much.

Maybe Ryan would've been better off with Summer in the long run.

But that was a lie, because she was with Cohen. And Cohen made a lot of it better too. Except for Coop. Coop didn't like Cohen. Summer knew that. Cohen didn't like Coop. Summer yelled at him for that. He never actually said it, but he still didn't want Marissa to hang out with them so much, because "she brings the party down."

And obviously there had to be some sort of tension, considering they lived next door to each other for, like, ever, and they denied it, but there must've been some sort of contact, no matter how brief. Maybe Coop and Cohen were in love. Ha. Yeah, of course, Romeo and friggin Juliet. The Valley was getting way too soap opera-y, and it was affecting her common sense.

Recently, though, it had gotten worse. It wasn't just Ryan, it wasn't Cohen. Coop just...wasn't interested in the things she used to be. She worried too much about what people thought of her. She was the queen of Newport Beach; she didn't have to worry. But suddenly she tried on twelve outfits, each only slightly different, and asking Summer what she thought. Summer got into it sometimes, but often, Marissa just looked...weird. Not even good weird. Like...no one Summer had ever seen before.

But whatever, Summer wasn't really that shallow. It wasn't just her clothes. Coop wanted to get away from everyone, her mom, her dad, her sister, Summer. She focused on one thing, and that was starting to become a pattern. First Ryan, then Oliver, then Ryan again, and then...well, she focused on hating everyone, then Alex, now...it was all up in the air again. Marissa needs...like, a hobby or something, and maybe Summer would finally get to see her at least, like, once a day.

At least now Summer had Cohen. He filled up a lot of the rest of the day she used to have to think. When Zach was at practice, or dinner, or all of the rest of it, Summer would just think. And she would worry. About Coop, about Cohen, about Ryan, anything she could think of. Cohen talked, so she didn't have to worry about crying alone with her thoughts anymore. Marissa was still seemingly avoiding her, though.

Maybe it was because of Alex. Cause...Summer was a girl. And all of a sudden Coop's into girls. Maybe she felt awkward or something around Summer no matter how not big a deal Summer said it was. Maybe that was it.

Or maybe it was Ms. Cooper. Cooper-Nichol. Like, Ms. Cooper might be stopping Marissa from seeing Summer! Maybe it was all a plot. A plot by Ms. Cohen who didn't really ever like her, Mr. Cohen who was looking out for his son, Mr. Nichol who just looked at Summer as some ass his grandson was getting, and the obvious Ms. Cooper. Cooper-Nichol.

Although, there was also the chance that Marissa was just, like, depressed. And she didn't want to be around Summer because she thought Cohen was right and she really did "bring the party down." Maybe Coop thought she wasn't good enough because of all the hell she thought she put everyone through.

Which is ridiculous, because it wasn't her fault, it was that Chino chick's fault.

Theresa.

She really was a bit of a pain in the ass.

She took away Ryan which totally screwed up Marissa and Cohen, and suddenly, Summer was second. She wasn't nearly as important as Ryan, and she obviously couldn't make anyone feel better. Marissa was all self destructive and Cohen was all...well, he wasn't really anything, because he wasn't really there at all. Summer had felt so powerless as she watched all the people she cared about fall apart.

Summer knew Ms. Cohen really didn't hate her. She could tell from the few times she had seen her in those three months. The first time, Ms. Cohen had even given her a hug. It had been at the Cooper-Nichols' and it had just been in passing, Marissa humming some song over Summer's shoulder, and Ms. Cohen just walking in. She had had these deep sad eyes, the kind of eyes Summer had only ever seen on Coop, and she had just hugged her. Marissa had asked her what that was all about, which was pretty miraculous, because Marissa wasn't noticing many things lately.

But now, Cohen said he had this master plan. He was going to get them all back together, and it actually had a chance because Marissa was smiling again. Whenever Ryan would look at her, her eyes would light up and she would do basically whatever he wanted. Maybe Cohen was onto something.

Sometimes, Summer thought it might not be fair for Ryan though.

Which is such a horrible thing to think, but Summer still thought it. Sure, Ryan was all happy when he was with Coop, which is why Cohen wanted them back together, but he also seemed always on an edge. Always worried. Always scared. Always watching Marissa. And when he had been with Lindsay, he had had all these problems, but he still didn't look scared. He was sad, sometimes, but not scared. She made him feel safe. Coop just made him nervous.

But Summer wasn't like Cohen, and she didn't even want to get into other people's business. She had her own things to worry about. And she had this annoying way of believing in fate. So...if Coop and Ryan got back together, well, good for them. If not, then...Cohen would have to deal with it. Coop would have to deal with it. Maybe Ryan would deal with it, maybe he wouldn't care. Summer thought Marissa was terrified that it would be the second option.

Because love's opposite isn't hate. It's indifference.

So there's my darling Summer. I love how she thinks. Although, I think this fic's going to bring out the dark, hard to deal with traits of everyone. And speaking of dark and hard to deal with, y'all really should go rent American Beauty. Great acting (Peter Gallagher gives a great performance) and an amazing director. Whatever, random thought, but true. Do it. Ryan's chapter is coming soon I hope.