Summer had made her way up the stairs and stood outside Seth's bedroom. His door was slightly ajar. She could hear both Seth and Zach's voices coming from inside. She pushed the door open slightly and took a few quiet steps into the room.
Seth: Dude, you're not Superman.
Summer crept farther into the room and found Seth sitting on his bed with an open notebook and pencil in his hand. Zach, on the other hand, stood in front of Seth, his hands on his hips, his chest held high and out, in some comic book Superman like, fashion. Neither of the boys had noticed her entrance into the room.
Zach: What's wrong with this?
Seth: Just stand normally.
Zach: But superheroes never just stand. They always have a pose.
Seth: Yes, but not that one.
Summer: What the hell have you done to my boyfriend?
Zach turned quickly, looking at Summer, while Seth jumped up from his seat on the bed. Summer walked the rest of the way into the room, looking both Seth and Zach up and down.
Zach: We're putting this comic book together.
Summer: Is that supposed to make this whole scene any less disturbing?
Seth: Summer, Zach and I have this idea for a comic book based on life in Newport Beach.
Zach: Yeah, and we're going to use all our friends to make the characters in it.
Summer: Oh…so, I'm going to be in it?
Zach: Yeah, actually Cohen…
Seth: (Interrupting) I don't have anything finished yet. Just some rough ideas. But um…I'm going to need to draw everybody.
Summer looked down at the notebook that remained in Seth's hand.
Summer: Is this what you have so far?
Summer looked down at a vague sketch of Zach on the paper. His face was complete and an outline of his body extended down. Zach looked on as well, and then looked over at Seth.
Zach: You did that already? This is going to be good.
Summer: Yeah, it's really good.
Zach: So then you'll help us?
Seth and Summer spoke in unison.
Summer: What?
Seth: What?
Zach looked between the both of them.
Zach: Well, I think we're going to need a woman's point of view on some of this stuff.
Seth looked at Zach, still trying to find his motivation.
Summer: Okay, I'll do it.
Seth stood back slightly stunned. He looked at Zach, then over at Summer.
Zach: This is going to be great.
Seth: Uh…yeah.
Out in the pool house, Marissa walked through the doors to find Ryan propped up on his bed, sketching in his blue notebook.
Marissa: Hey.
Ryan looked up and smiled at her as she walked towards the bed.
Marissa: What's up?
Ryan cringed slightly and looked over at the crib. Marissa watched him, and suddenly realized.
Marissa: (Whispering) Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize she was asleep.
Ryan: It's okay. And you don't have to whisper, just try not to be too loud.
Marissa smiled and gave him a mock, "who me?" look as she sat down next to Ryan on the bed.
Marissa: Is that the Cohen's house?
Ryan: Yeah…well, not anymore. I've made a few changes.
Marissa scooted closer to Ryan on the bed, and lay her head on his shoulder.
Marissa: Like what?
Ryan: Um…well, I extended the whole front of the house slightly, moved the master bedroom upstairs, and added a balcony to it. I made the bedroom downstairs smaller, thus allowing the living room to be bigger…
Ryan's pencil hovered over the paper as he spoke, pointing to each place he was talking about. He flipped the pencil in his hand and tapped the paper with the eraser.
Ryan: …a pool table would fit perfectly there.
Marissa laughed and raised her head looking at Ryan.
Marissa: Was that the inspiration for all this?
Ryan: Not completely. I don't know, I guess I just started tweaking it and never stopped. It's completely different now.
Marissa: Where's the pool house?
Ryan: I haven't drawn it.
Marissa: Why not?
Ryan: There's not much about the pool house I'd like to change.
Marissa smiled and turned her attention back to the page.
Marissa: Is that supposed to be Seth's room?
Ryan: Yeah…it's a little cramped right now. I took some space out for the master bedroom, so now I don't really know what to do with it.
Marissa: Well, it looks good. Or at least, I think it looks good.
Ryan brought his pencil to the page drawing a straight line down.
Marissa: So this is what you want to do?
Ryan stopped, and lifted the pencil, allowing it to hover just slightly over the page for a second. Ryan looked down at Marissa and closed the notebook with one hand placing the pencil on top.
Ryan: It's just…a hobby of mine.
Ryan motioned to the blue notebook.
Ryan: It doesn't matter, really.
Ryan tossed the notebook onto the floor, and turned back to Marissa.
Marissa: It matters if it means something to you.
Ryan portrayed one of his classic looks and started moving off the bed.
Ryan: Just drop it, okay?
Ryan walked the few feet over to Samantha's crib and peeked inside on the sleeping baby, while continuing to walk through the pool house. Marissa remained on the bed, watching him for only a few seconds before getting up and moving towards Ryan. She approached him and slipped her hand into his, pulling him towards her slightly.
Marissa: Ryan, you don't have to do this alone.
Ryan: Look, Marissa, I'm sorry…but, at the moment the whole idea of college isn't really something I want to think about it.
Marissa: Well I think you should think about it.
Ryan's hand slipped out of Marissa's as he took a few steps back.
Ryan: Think about what? How I'm supposed to juggle going to classes, and raising Samantha at the same time? Or about how, the last I heard you wanted to go NYU. And while, a month ago, going to school on the East Coast seemed somewhat feasible, it really doesn't now.
Marissa: Is that what this is all about? Why didn't you just talk to me?
Ryan: No…well, part of it… and, I don't know.
Marissa: Ryan, when I was applying to college, I was lonely and miserable. Not to mention drunk most of the time. At the time, the idea of moving three thousand miles away from Newport Beach was appealing, but now…
Ryan: (Interrupting) See I can't let you do that, though. If you want to go there, you should go. I shouldn't be a reason to stop you.
Marissa: Well, by that logic, Samantha shouldn't be a reason to stop you from going to college either.
Ryan: Don't turn this around, Marissa.
Marissa: We were talking about you in the first place.
Ryan turned away from Marissa and walked through the pool house back towards the bed.
Marissa: Ryan, I applied to about a dozen schools all over the country. I'm assuming Seth told you I wanted to go to NYU, but the truth is I don't know where I want to go.
Ryan looked up at Marissa but didn't say anything. He moved across the room and sat at the foot of the bed. Marissa stared at his back for a few seconds before moving through the pool house and crawling onto the bed. Marissa moved behind him, she wrapped her arms around his waist, and let her chin sit on his shoulder.
Marissa: Are we really going to fight about this?
Ryan leaned back into Marissa slightly and moved his hand over to hers, holding onto it.
Marissa: I have no idea what I want to do. And currently, with the state of havoc my life has been in, maybe I shouldn't be making any long-term life changing decisions.
Ryan smiled slightly and turned his head towards Marissa.
Marissa: Ryan, when I think about the future, the only thing I know for sure that I want, is you. You're the only thing in my life that actually makes sense to me. I'm not giving anything up to be with you, Ryan. It's not like that, it never has been. I need you in my life, and everything else…we just have to work around.
Ryan turned towards Marissa and looked in her eyes. It was obvious that he didn't know what to say. After a few seconds Ryan leaned in and kissed Marissa. The kiss was soft and lasted only a few seconds. When it finished, Ryan let his lips linger next to Marissa's.
Ryan: (Whisper) I love you too.
Marissa smiled and leaned forward, her forehead resting on Ryan's.
Marissa: So that means you'll think about it?
Ryan: I'm already thinking about it.