Chapter Five

Seth began to button up the shirt. "So," he said. "What about you, Ryan? Found any new loves lately? Girlfriends? Wives?"

"No such luck," said Ryan, in the dressing room beside him. Seth stood on the stool looking down into the other dressing room.

"This is so nice, us having Seth-Ryan talk-time. We haven't had talk-time in a long while."

"Yeah," said Ryan. "But…uh, Seth…do you mind going back into your dressing room?"

"Oh, yeah." Seth chuckled and leapt to the floor.

"What's going on in there, Seth?" asked the Nana.

"Nothing, Nana," said Seth, sliding his hands into the coat sleeves.

"Ah, well hurry, Seth. We are wasting time here. We must also pick out flowers and thank you cards and many more things."

"Nana, it's a funeral, not a wedding. I'm sure the Funeral Home Owner will be okay if we are a little late in--"

"No, Seth! We cannot be late!" She jerked open the door to the dressing room, revealing Seth with no pants on, only his boxer-briefs. "Hurry, Seth. Get your pants on. We need to fit you for two outfits."

"Nana…"

"I said hurry!" She clapped her hands furiously and slammed the door shut.

The Cohen House

Sometime Later

Seth opened the door and saw Marissa and Summer sitting on the couch in the living room playing Ninjas vs. Zombies Volume VI. Seth clapped his hands happily. "I see you are in the lead, Summer."

"Yes," said Summer, staring intently at the television screen where she was currently beheading most of Marissa's Zombie warriors from Hell.

"Hey, look at that Marissa, it's your mom!" cried Seth, pointing at one of the mutilated Zombies.

"Shut-up, Seth," laughed Marissa.

"Yes, Seth, shut-up." Julie walked into the room behind them. "I see that we're all here."

"Except Anna," said Seth. "She's visiting her parents."

"And Luke," said Marissa. "He came earlier. You just missed him, Ryan and Seth. He's going to visit his brothers and mother, and then he coming back here for dinner."

"Oh good," said Seth. "I can finally exact my revenge."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" asked Ryan.

"Oh please. Don't act like you didn't know I've been planning my revenge against Luke for years now. The vengeful action will amount to all of the swirlies he had given me in high school."

Ryan laughed. "I'd love to see that happen."

"You say that now." Seth jumped to fighting stance.

"Hahah," came a voice from the hallway.

Seth turned to see Luke standing there. "Hey, buddy," he said. He shook hands with Luke, and so did Ryan. They hadn't seen each other in years. Ever since Seth had stayed with him that summer when he ran away from home.

That was when the door opened again. Zach hurried inside.

"Zach?" laughed Seth. "We didn't know if you were coming or not!"

"My plane got delayed," said Zach.

Zach and Seth embraced.

"Good to see you."

"Right back at ya'."

Anna snuck in from behind them. She made her way into the room from the pool area. "Hey, guys."

She hugged Luke.

"And who are you?" she asked.

"Zach," said Luke. "He was on the water polo team with me."

"Yeah," said Seth. "And he helped me get the comic book published. One day, whenever the movie comes out and we get successful, we're gonna' live side by side, in our gigantic mansions on the beach."

"Yup," said Zach.

They laughed together.

The seven sat on the couch together, laughing. Then they began to talk about the old days. Or that's what they called it, the days that they all lived in Newport, California.

"So, Anna," said Summer. "What's been up with you?"

"Nothing much," said Anna. "When I left I graduated from my old high school, with my old friends, and then I went to Princeton and got a degree in English. I met my new boyfriend about two months ago and we're pretty serious."

Marissa smiled. "That's nice. Seems like things turned out good for you, Anna. How about you, Summer?"

"I've been modeling and making made-for-TV.-movies. I met this guy named Yugi, who is also my photographer, and we've had a relationship for some time now. Also, I'm going to star in an upcoming Wonder Woman movie, and the movie version of Atomic County. My life has been pretty good to me." She smiled.

Seth was a little shocked when she said that she would be filming Wonder Woman the movie. That was when he was taken back to that Christmukkah, six years ago, when Summer had dressed up as Wonder Woman for his Christmukkah present.

"How about you, Seth?"

Seth was brought back to reality. "Oh, yeah, I am working for Starfire Publishing Co. for the past few years. I was married, but we just recently got divorced. And…yeah, well, that's basically it." He wrapped his arm around Summer. "I might move. South Carolina's nice and all, but I'm willing to return back to…to Newport…to where I belong…"

Summer smiled at him and placed her hand on his, squeezing it gently.

"Ryan?" asked Marissa. "What about you?"

"Nothin' much," said Ryan. "Just been goin' to USC and such…"

"I thought--" began Seth, but when he saw the look on Ryan's face, he knew that he better go along with Ryan's story. He knew that he was trying to impress Marissa, saying that he was going to college--that he had moved on.

"What about you Marissa?" Seth was trying to help his friend out and get off of the subject.

"I'm…I live in Phoenix, where I attend college and date a very nice, handsome man named Gary."

"Gary, hmm…." Seth smiled. "That's nice."

That was when Ryan stood. He couldn't take it anymore, knowing that Marissa had moved on, that she didn't have feelings for him. He hurried to the pool house and sat on his bed. And, Ryan Atwood, the toughest guy in Newport, in Chino, in everywhere, cried.

Back in the Living Room

Luke began to tell his story. The whole time, Seth was thinking: "Oh God, what have I done? I made Ryan leave? Oh no. I better go."

But Marissa was already gone. He knew where she had went. To help comfort Ryan.

The Pool House

Ryan looked up and saw Marissa standing there. "Hey," she said.

"Hey," said Ryan, wiping tears from his eyes. "My eyes…they're just, uh…watering…"

"Mm-hmm." She didn't break a smile, but sat beside him and put her arm around his back. "Ryan, are you okay?"

"Yes," he said.

"Ryan…I just wanted you to know--"

"Cookies!" came a call from the door of the pool house. "Cookies for everyone!" The Nana came bursting in, carrying a bowl of cookies and two glasses of milk on a tray. Seth had told her that now was the time, if any, to interrupt Ryan and Marissa. He had done wrong in…well, to tell the truth, making Ryan cry.

"Thanks," said Marissa, taking a cookie and a glass of milk.

Ryan did the same. "Thank you, Nana."

"So, what's been happening with you two? I know that two young beautiful people like yourselves must have people falling at your feet wanting to be your mates."

"Not really," said Ryan.

"Oh, well…that's okay, then. I didn't marry until I was in my late twenties. And let me tell you, he was the biggest mistake of my life. I swear, if it wasn't for Sandy and Leigh and Gerald, I don't know what I'd have done…"

Ryan and Marissa's eyes met.

"Come, Marissa," said the Nana. "Help me prepare dinner."

Marissa nodded and stood, following the Nana out of the pool house.

Ryan sighed. Thank you Nana.

The Kitchen

The Nana stuck the meatloaf in the oven and shut its door. Then she turned to Marissa. "Prepare the salad for me, dear."

Marissa nodded and began to unwrap the lettuce.

"So, are you and Ryan--"

"We aren't going out."

"I know that, dear. I was wondering if you were okay with him. Are you friends?"

"Yeah, I guess…" Marissa began to chop up the lettuce.

"You know what I think?" The Nana was wiping her hands with the towel.

"Yes?" Marissa turned to the tomatoes and began to slice them as thinly as possible.

"I believe that you should tell him your true feelings." The Nana took the onion and began to peel it.

"What?" gasped Marissa.

"Oh, don't act like you don't still have feelings for him. If you say you don't, then that's just a load of bull." She ripped the peeling off quickly, ferociously.

Marissa just stared at the tomato, continuing to slice it.

Later that night, Marissa was sitting out by the pool reading. That was when the door to the pool house opened and Ryan came walking out, iPod head phones in his ears, bobbing his head to the music. Marissa laughed, seeing him. "Hey," he said. Marissa stood and walked over to him, and then they sat down beside the pool, rolling up their jeans and dipping their legs into the cool water like they had done so many years before.

"So…the salad was nice. What type of dressing did you use?"

"Zesty Italian."

"It was yummy."

Marissa smiled.

That was when Ryan dipped his foot low into the pool and brought it up, splashing Marissa. Marissa squealed excitedly. Ryan grabbed Marissa around the waist and they fell into the pool together. Marissa screamed as the water swallowed them whole. When Marissa emerged, she saw Ryan before her, laughing heartily. She splashed him and said, "Why did you do that?"

There was a long silence between the two.

"Just like old times," said Ryan.

They waded in the water, facing the other, grinning. Then their grins disappeared. "So, about earlier," said Marissa. "I wanted to tell you something--"

"Shh," said Ryan, holding a finger up to her lip. "I don't need to know."

"Yes you do. Ryan--"

"Marissa," said Ryan, cutting her off.

"Ryan, I still love you."

Ryan just swam there, dumbfounded. Then he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her towards him. He jerked Marissa upwards and their lips met. And then they kissed.

That was when the door that led from the main house to the pool area opened and the Nana and a woman walked out to the patio. "Ryan, Marissa?" She was shocked that they were in the pool. "We have a visitor. She just arrived a few minutes ago. All the way from Chicago, Illinois. Kirstin's sister."

Marissa looked up. "Hey, Hailey. I thought you weren't going to be here 'till tomorrow."

But it wasn't.

"Hi," said Lindsay. "Nice to see you again."

"Uh, hey, Lindsay," said Ryan.

"Yeah," said Marissa. "Hey."

"Woah," said Seth, walking out onto the patio. "Hey, Lindsay! Long time, no see!" The two hugged.

Marissa began to climb out of the pool, and the Nana handed her a towel. She handed Ryan one too. Summer stared at them from the kitchen window. "Oh no," she said to herself. "Not her again. I know that she is going to get in the way of Ryan and Marissa."

"Who are you talking about?" asked Luke, walking towards her from behind.

"Satan Reincarnated. That bitch over there is a boyfriend thief."

"Oh, Lindsay. I've heard about her. Marissa was filling me in earlier on what happened in Newport after I left."

"Yeah," said Summer. "Lots of drama." Summer turned around and faced Luke. "Do you think we should do something?"

"Yeah," said Luke. "Something like this." And he leaned in and kissed Summer hard on the lips. He pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Luke, what are you doing?" asked Summer.

"Don't act like you haven't wanted to," said Luke. "I've waited too long to get back into your pants."

"Luke, last year was just a one time thing," she said.

"No," said Luke. "It wasn't." He lifted her into his arms, kissing her. "I think there's a spare bedroom in the back." And he carried her off into the hallway.