Chapter 4

Disclaimer: still own nothing, I'm working on it though.

First up, shoutout, to my lovely, lovely reviewers!

smartiepantz: I know, Summer's rage blackouts on the show, the funniest one has to be at that diner in TJ, so funny!

KC-Chick: glad to hear I'm still keeping it believable, thanks!

I-Believe-In-The-Butterflies: that is a wonderful, wonderful, fabulous, amazingsuggestion, you will be definitely seeing that in the near future! thankyou so, so much!

xGoingUnderx: yay! glad you're liking it so far, thanks for your reviews, they were awesome! Loving your fic "You were my world" btw!

BrSoccerChic: glad you're still liking it! Thanks.

On with the drama!

XXXX

"So, where d'you wanna sit, Coop?" Summer asked as she and Marissa wandered round the tables at lunch on Thursday.

"Um, I dunno."

"Oh, hey, there's Cohen. But, wait...he's with Ryan, is that ok?" Summer asked.Marissa thought for a moment, she hadn't really spoken to Ryan since their truce a few days ago, apart from the odd "Hey, how are you?" conversation in the hallway.

"Yeah, ok." She said finally, she just hoped that this meal would go more smoothly than the last time they had all eaten together.

"You sure?"

"Yep."

"Hey Cohen," Summer said plonking herself next to Seth and kissing him on the cheek. "Ok if we sit here?"

"Well, actually, Ryan and I were waiting for two very V.I.P.s to join us." Seth smiled sweetly.

"Well, we're here now, so you can stop waiting, can't you?" Summer said smiling back at him, Marissa couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Seth trying, and failing to think of something witty to say to that.

Lunch passed pleasantly, and both Ryan and Marissa found themselves enjoying the other's company. Even thought they weren't exactly having a one on one conversation, progress was being made and Ryan actually managed to string together a sentence here and there. When they had finished, Ryan and Summer went to get dessert leaving Seth and Marissa alone at the table.

"Well, this isn't so bad is it?" Seth grinned.

"I know, it's ...nice." Marissa admitted.

"Ryan even joined in the conversation a few times didn't he?"

"I know."

"Marissa?" A tall blond boy, Marissa faintly recognised from somewhere approached them.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, I'm Jake," he introduced himself. "I used to be on the water polo team with Luke."

"Oh right, I thought I recognised you from somewhere."

"Yeah, so..." Jake sat down in Summer's empty seat with his back to Seth "I heard on the grapevine that you're available again - " Marissa groaned inwardly, she knew what was coming next. She knew his type. "- and there's this party on Saturday at my parent's beach house, I thought you'd like to come."

"Um,..." Marissa couldn't quite bring herself to say 'no' even thought this guy deserved it, he was so up himself!

"Well, think about it." He said stand offish-ly, handing her a piece of paper "Here's the address, see you then." He said winking at her before walking away, swaggering slightly. Seth and Marissa burst out laughing as soon as he was out of earshot.

"What an idiot." Marissa giggled.

"He plays water polo, what d'you expect?"

"True."

"So, you gonna go?"

"With him? no way."

"Yeah, well, not with him but, you never know, you might meet someone else."

"You sound like Summer." Marissa teased.

"Stop avoiding the question," Seth said ignoring her. "You know what beach house parties are like."

"Exactly. I just, I dunno..." She trailed off, sadly

"Look, it's like Summer always says; 'you gotta get back on that horse'. Go. Have fun. Get really drunk." Marissa pulled a face. "Well, at least think about it."

"Ok."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

XXXX

"So, what did Jake want?" Summer asked as soon as she was alone with Marissa.

"Oh, nothing really, he just invited me to a party on Saturday night." Marissa said unenthusiastically.

"Ooh, a party!" Summer said rubbing her hands together gleefully. "Where?"

"His beach house."

"You gonna go?"

"I dunno."

"You should. You haven't been to a party for ages."

"I know, but...Jake? He's so up himself."

"I know, but you can ditch him, find someone else."

"Summer! That's horrible."

"Yeah? So's he."

"True." Marissa giggled.

XXXX

"What did that guy want?" Ryan asked Seth as soon he could without sounding like a jealous ex-boyfriend, even though that's exactly what he was.

"Who? Jake?"

"I dunno. That blond guy who was hitting on Marissa while I was getting dessert."

"You saw?"

"Well, obviously." Ryan said impatiently.

"Jealous much?" Seth teased

"No." Ryan snapped.

"Right you are then." Seth smiled. "He just invited her to a party Saturday night." He added casually, studying Ryan's face for a reaction. None came.

"Oh, cool." Ryan said, equally as casually. To his surprise he found that he wasn't actually that jealous. Well, he was, but he wouldn't ever tell anyone that. After all, he was the one who ended it. Not her.