Chapter Three
"Ji dian zhong?"
"How's Chinese practice going?" Sandy asks coming into the kitchen 2 weeks later.
"Good except for the fact that I have no idea if Ryan is talking about the time, a stewardess or Central America." Summer sighs.
"Summer," Ryan sets down his Chinese-English and stares across the kitchen table at the frustrated brunette. "We are currently studying time, do you think I'd be talking about a stewardess or Central America?"
"Well maybe you were asking a stewardess what time we'd be arriving in Central America."
"There's only three words in the sentence."
Summer glares at Ryan and throws a pretzel rod in his general direction, "who's stupid idea was it to learn the hardest damn language on the face of the planet?"
Ryan smirks at Summer, "yours."
"I can't believe I let you talk me into taking classes four days a week."
"Again, that was you."
"Why aren't you guys working in Ryan's newly furnished room?" Sandy inquires.
"Summer is to easily distracted." Ryan responds.
"Just because your mister "I can concentrate on the language I am picking up as easily as Pig-Latin" doesn't mean everyone can."
Sandy laughs, "well, I think I'll let you two get back to work."
Once Sandy has left the room Summer asks, "can we be done with the school thing yet? Or at least take a break? We have all of tomorrow and the weekend to do it."
"We have three questions left, if we finish them then we don't have to think about Chinese for three days."
"Fine," Summer sighs.
Just as they are finishing up their work Kirsten walks into the kitchen, "you guys almost done? When they nod Kirsten offers, "how about dinner on me? I was supposed to have dinner with Sandy but something came up at the office."
Ryan glances at Summer who responds, "tha'd be great Mrs. Cohen, thanks."
"Guys," Kirsten's face is apologetic as she flips her cell shut. "I've got to go back to work, my father's called an emergency meeting. But stay and eat, Ryan has his new Amex card he can use. Order desert, I hear their Tiramisu is great here. I really am sorry guys."
"It's fine Kirsten," Ryan assures. "Summer drove so we have a car, so everything is fine."
"Okay," Kirsten nods, "thanks. Ryan I'll see you at home."
"Yeah, bye Kirsten." Ryan responds as Kirsten walks away.
"Here is your bread," the Italian-accented waiter sets down the bread basket on the table. "Your mother left?"
Ryan nods, "something came up. But we are still going to order."
"Wonderful, and you get some alone time with your beautiful girlfriend." The waiter grins at Ryan.
"She's not my girlfriend."
"We are so not dating." Summer responds simultaneously with Ryan.
The waiter immediately looks flustered, "I am so sorry. What can I get you to drink?"
"Iced tea."
"Coke."
"I can't believe he thought we were dating."
"Summer, two weeks ago you told someone we were married," Ryan points out.
"Good point." Summer's laugh is cut off by her cell phone ringing. "Sorry, hang on a sec." Flipping open her phone she says, "hi Daddy. Are you home now? What? But you said no later than...How much longer? What? But you said that you'd...I know, I understand. Yeah, I understand. No, I do. Yeah, it's okay I'm fine." Summer's voice is getting fainter as she talks to her father, "sure, shopping. Yeah of course Marissa'd like to go with me. Okay Daddy, love you too." Summer quickly closes her phone and turns away from Ryan, "I have to use the restroom, I'll be back."
"Now where'd your friend go?" The waiter is back with their drinks.
"She..." Ryan thinks for a minute and then states, "something came up for us as well. We have to go. But I'll pay for the bread and the drinks, it's not a problem."
The waiter gives Ryan a suspicious look and then shrugs, "I'll be right out with the bill."
Once Ryan has paid for their untouched bread and drinks he waits outside the restroom for Summer to emerge, but when five minutes comes and does Ryan glances around and then pushes open the woman's restroom door to reveal the sound of stifled crying.
"Summer?" Ryan calls softly and there's a quick gasp followed by several shallow breaths. Ryan calls again gently, "Summer?"
"Ryan?" Summer asks sounding surprised.
"You wanna let me in?" Ryan taps gently on the stall he figures Summer is in.
"No rea..." Summer stops "yeah, just a second." Withing a minute Summer has pulled open the stall door and Ryan is shocked by how casual Summer's expression is. If it weren't for the fact that Ryan had just heard her crying Ryan wouldn't have been able to tell that Summer was even slightly upset. And Ryan couldn't help but wonder how many times Summer must have hidden her true feelings behind a bright smile and a ditzy comment.
"Are you okay?" Ryan asks tentatively.
"Of course," Summer flashes a bright smile. "Why wouldn't I be? Are we going to eat? And you do realize that you are in the woman's restroom in one of the nicest restaurants in Newport, right?"
"Actually, I thought we could eat somewhere else." Ryan responds, not wanting to confess in the middle of woman's restroom in one of the fanciest restaurants in town that he was worried about her.
Summer shrugs, "okay sure. Have anything in mind?"
"I thought maybe Mickey's?" Ryan suggests the small diner they'd found just outside of Newport only the week before.
Summer crinkles her nose, "that place again? It's so cheesy."
Ryan shrugs, "we don't have to, where do you want to go?"
Summer shrugs, "Mickey's is fine."
"Okay, you're the boss."
Summer nods, "and don't forget it."
"Never." Ryan responds simply as he carefully sneaks out of the woman's bathroom, to his relief, without being spotted by anyone.
The twenty minutes drive to Mickey's is only interrupted by the music on the radio, they both sit in a semi-uncomfortable state as they drive. Summer is aware that Ryan wants to ask her what's wrong and Ryan is trying to figure out how exactly to ask Summer, who masked her feelings well, what her Dad had said to get her so upset. When they reach Mickey's Summer has to park in the parking space farthest away from the door of the small diner they'd discovered because it was near the school where they were taking Chinese and some of the kids from their classes went there.
"Ryan! Summer!" A petite Chinese girl calls to Ryan and Summer as they get out of Summer's jeep, she, along with a her brother meet them halfway to the entrance of Mickey's.
"Hi Lei Mei," Summer greets cheerfully, "hey Fai."
"Hey guys," Ryan greets as well.
"You guys should have gotten here earlier," Fai states to both of them and then to Ryan he adds, "It would have been nice to have another guy at dinner, all I heard about was how cute the new guy in our neighborhood is."
"We're home to work on our Chinese homework for the weekend," Lei Mei rolls her eyes at her brother before stating, "you guys could get your food to go and work on it with us if you want."
"Can't," Summer responds, "Ryan, the slave driver, made us finish it before we left the house today."
"Lucky you," Lei Mei responds, "but we're thinking of going to the movies later if you guys wanna come with us, tha'd be cool."
Summer and Ryan exchange glances and Ryan responds, "yeah maybe. We'll give you a call."
"Cool," Lei Mei responds and the siblings wave and walk away.
As soon as they walk into the crowded 50's style diner both Ryan and Summer head in different directions for tables, Summer for one sitting around a lot of people and Ryan for a more secluded booth in the back. "Come on," Ryan states, "let's sit back here."
"I want to sit up close."
Ryan shakes his head, "come on."
Summer pouts, "you said I was boss."
"Summer..."
Summer rolls her eyes, "fine, whatever."
They settle into the booth in the back corner and neither says anything to the other, Summer searches for a song she likes on the music selector at their table and Ryan pours over the simple menu as if there is a lot to choose from. But once the waitress has come and taken their order Ryan finally asks, "so what did your dad have to say?"
"What?" Summer looks up sharply from the song menu.
"Your dad called earlier, right?"
"Oh," Summer swirls the straw in her iced tea. "Yeah."
"So what'd he have to say?" Ryan asks again.
"Oh, he can't come home today like he was supposed to."
"That sucks."
Summer shrugs, "it's not big deal. Besides I get the house to myself for another month."
"He's going to be gone for an entire month?" Ryan asks, trying hard not to sound surprised but he'd always thought of Neil Roberts as totally involved in his daughter's life.
Summer shrugs again, "sure. He's got work to take care of and the step-monster wants to stay in France longer so..."
"I'm sorry Summer," Ryan responds empathetically.
Summer's dark eyes lock in on Ryan's and he can see all the pain there, "yeah I guess you would. But...you know a person..." Summer's voice cracks, "has to make a living...and..." Summer's eyes refocus on the napkin in her hand and Ryan but see the tears that drop onto her cheeks.
For an uncomfortable minute Ryan isn't sure what to do or how to respond but finally he slides around the booth and slips an arm around Summer's shoulder. She immediately freezes at the touch but slowly she moves so that her face is buried in Ryan's shirt, she doesn't cry for more than a few minutes and then she quickly pulls away.
"This is stupid." Summer furiously brushes at her wet cheeks. "This is dumb, it's not like this is the first time he's gone for over a month."
"That doesn't change the fact that it sucks," Ryan points out.
"It happens all the time," Summer brushes Ryan off. "People have to go away, that's life. Sometimes they come back and sometimes they..." Summer's statement trails.
"They don't," Ryan finishes for her.
"Yeah," Summer seems to have regained her composure, "but that's life. It sucks. But so does life so..." Summer glances around the crowded dine, "I have a confession to make."
"Oh yeah?"
"I like this place." Summer offers Ryan a small smile that tells him she doesn't want to talk about it anymore.
"I thought it was cheesy?" Ryan asks.
Summer shrugs, "I lied. Besides if I had hugged you in any restaurant in Newport someone would find a way to get the rumors to Cohen and Coop that we were sleeping together. Plus hoppin' 50's music."
Ryan can't help but smile at Summer's cheesy grin and Vanna White like gesture to the mini jukebox they have at the table. "You know, Ryan, if you just lighten up a little bit you're a lot more fun than I thought you were."
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Ryan questions.
Summer glares at him, "yes, it was. Last year you were all about the drama, and take the drama out of Ryan Atwood's life and he's a pretty cool guy to hang out with."
"Thanks...I think..." Ryan responds. Before either of them can say anything else Ryan's cell phone rings, "it's Fai. Movies?"
Summer nods, "sure."
"Hello." Ryan greets. "Okay. Sure. That should be fine. Summer help out? Doubtful...but sure that should be fine. Give us like half an hour? We haven't even gotten out food yet, alright, see you."
"What's going on? And what can't I help with?" Summer's eyes are narrow.
"Fai says they are leaving early tomorrow morning for some trip and the idea of the movies didn't fly with their mom but he said that we could watch a movie at their house instead if we wanted."
"Sounds cool," Summer responds taking a sip of her iced tea.