Chapter 13

Marissa was sitting on her bed listening to her iPod when she saw Seth coming into her room. She started to smile as she got her to greet him. He looked so sad.
"What did Ryan say?" she asked.
"Not much." he told her. He paused for a few seconds. "I do know that he hates me right now."
Marissa hugged him tightly.
"He doesn't hate you." she reassured him. "It's just, what we did, it hurt him. So he's got every right to be pissed at us."
"It's ironic though, that if Ryan hadn't come, you would never had spoken to me and now this is happening."
Marissa's face looked puzzled. "So you regret doing this?"
He pulled her away and touch her face. "Of course I don't. I..."
He stopped midway through his sentance, making Marissa prompt him. "You what?"
Seth took in a few deep breathes and looked Marissa directly into her eyes. "I think I've fallen in love with you."
Marissa's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't believe it. At that moment her cell started ringing, which made the pair jump. She picked it up from her bedside table. It was Summer. "Should I pick it up?" she asked.
Seth shock his head. "She'll just want to know about what's gonna on."
Marissa's head was overwhelmed. Seth had just said he loved her. Of all the people she'd known in Newport, Seth was the last person she thought would ever fall in love with her. And he was the last person she ever expected to fall in love with.
"I'll explain to her then." Marissa told him and answered her phone.
"Hey Sum. What's going on?"
Seth slumped onto Marissa's bed.
"I can explain everything."
Seth wanted to hear what she was going to say.
"Summer, I love Seth. It's that simple."
Marissa turned her face to look at Seth. His face was covered from ear to ear in a smile. She hung up on Summer and walked over to him. "I love you, Seth."
"I love you too." he replied. They took each other in a long embrace that felt different to any kiss thaey had shared before. It was full of love.
Their embrace was broken by a knock at the door. It was Julie.
"Come in, mom." Marissa shouted. For the first time in a long while, Marissa felt no hate toward her mother.
"What's going on Marissa?"
Marissa started toward her mom. "I didn't come her for a fight I just wanna know." Julie defended, although her daughter hadn't said anything. To Julie's suprised Marissa hugged her mom. Shock was spread over Julie's face, as well as Seth's.
"I'm so happy, mom. I've fallen in love."
Julie looked at Seth, confused. Marissa broke the hug with her mother and walked over to Seth, taking his face in her hands and kissed him. Julie, still confused, was for once speechless. She was suprisingly over whelmed by this development between her daughter and the boy next door, but a sense of happiness filled her. She had never seen Marissa act this way, with anyone.
Seth look at Julie, expecting an arguement, but instead she hugged him. She whispered in his ear. "Well, I would never had guessed it." Julie was suprised that Marissa had been that friendly to her. What had suprised her even more, Marissa's happiness was because of a boy. And not just any boy. Seth Cohen. They had lived next to the Cohens for over 16 years and it was only this year that Marissa had even started speaking with Seth, and now, they were in love. It was unbelieveble. But for once Julie was happy at her daughter's choice. At that moment, Seth and Marissa walked hand in hand down the stairs, towards the couch were Julie was sat.
"So.." Julie started "How'd this happen?" she said with a smile.
Seth and Marissa looked at each other with Seth signaling Marissa to tell.
"Well, I dunno. It just did."
"What happened to Ryan?" Julie enquired.
An embarassed look passed over both Marissa and Seth's face.
"I don't think Ryan will be talking to either of us for a very long time." Seth took in a deep breath and dropped his head. Marissa rubbed a gentle comforting hand down his back, a subtle move that Julie had notice, which brought an unexpected smile to her face.
This was interrupted by Seth's cell.
"It's my mom"
"You should answer it." Marissa told him. "You've been away a while. She's probably worried."
"Or she wants to argue."
Julie added "Look. Once she sees how happy you are together, like I have, she'll understand."
Both Seth and Marissa were suprised by the empathy and genuine compassion from Julie Cooper, the dragon lady. Seth flash her one of his cute melting smiles.
"Hey mom. Yeah I'm ok. I'm at the Cooper's. No, I don't know where Ryan is. He's pretty angry at me right now. Look mom, I talk to you later, we shouldn't do this over the phone. I'll be home soon. Bye."
Seth started to rise to his feet. "I should go".
"Yeah O.K." Marissa said as she got her feet. She grabbed his hand as they head for the door.
"Goodbye, Mrs Cooper."
"Seth, call me Julie."
"O.K... Julie. Bye"
"Bye Seth."
At the door, Marissa wrapped her arms around Seth and whspered into his ear. "I love you."
"I love you too." he replied. They lovingly kissed other each and said goodbye. "I'll come round to yours later." Marissa asked.
"Yeah. I send you a text when it's ok."
As he walked down the driveway, he called back to her. "I love you. It's gonna be ok."
A huge smile spread across her face. "I know. Me too. Bye."