Chapter 9 – The Grassy Knoll
Tomorrow is going to suck, thought Seth. He sat alone in a deserted corridor his back against a wall, his knees up to his shoulders and his head in his hands. He was going to have to spend an entire evening watching an exquisitely-dressed Summer flirting with some water polo moron at a party at his house. It was almost enough to make him regret inviting her, almost. He decided that there wasn't any point moping around. Anyway, the floor was hard, his ass was hurting, and he could mope much better in his room with some Deathcab in the background lying on his nice comfortable bed.
Seth emerged into the bright sunshine causing him to squint his eyes.
He saw Ryan slowly walking out of school and caught him up.
"Hey." He said causing Ryan to turn around.
"Hey." Ryan said after realizing who it was.
The two boys continued to walk through the school. Just then Seth stopped dead in his tracks and stared ahead of him. This, in turn, caused Ryan to stop and look in the direction Seth was looking. He saw Summer walking alongside a tall blonde teenage boy.
Ryan pointed in their direction and asked. "Isn't that…?"
Seth interrupted him before he could finish. "Yep."
"Who is she…?"
Again Seth interrupted him. "Nick Banford."
"Oh." Ryan said in a tone of realization.
Nick Banford appeared to have just told a rather funny joke or, more likely in Seth's mind, Nick Banford had told a rather bad joke and Summer acted like it was a rather good one. It was like watching a car crash. No matter how bad it made him to see them Seth couldn't look away. He was transfixed. Just then Summer and Nick Banford were joined by Luke and Marissa. Luke greeted Nick Banford with a firm high-five.
Now, it was Ryan's turn to be transfixed. Marissa stood slightly but noticeably aloof from Luke. Then suddenly Marissa looked up in Ryan and Seth's direction. They were standing about 500 yards away on the top of a slight hill with the sun on their backs but it appeared to Ryan as if she was looking right into his eyes. He turned his back on her and started to walk away. Seth stared for a few seconds more and then turned and joined him. Just as he did Summer followed Marissa's glaze and noticed two shadowed figures walking away. Marissa watched them disappear out of view before turning to her friend and sharing a look.
As they walked away Ryan looked at his feet and said in a low voice, "You know that drinks thing tomorrow? I'm not going."
Seth stopped in his tracks and turned to his friend. "You've got to go, man."
"But it's going to suck."
"I know. But you can't not go." Seth pleaded. "What are you going to do? Spend the entire time in the pool house? Come on Ryan, that's a little bit minty."
Ryan stared at Seth. "Don't insult the pool house."
"Look, here's what we'll do. We go to the party, drink a couple of Mountain Dew, and mingle with the rich and powerful of Newport Beach. You never know, maybe we'll meet a couple of hunnies and have ourselves a good time."
Ryan gave Seth a look.
"Yeah, you're right." Seth agreed. "You'll meet a couple of hunnies. I'll be stuck with geek kid talking about Teutonic Man."