Chapter Six

Portland, Oregon

May 11, 2009

The film had just begun shooting. It was called Mind Over Matter, a drama/comedy about a female scientist who falls in love with a hitman, leading to a possible catastrophe involving the destruction of one of America's leading politicians. Summer was set to play the lead, Tessa Young. Her co-star, Gerald Ferginstein, had been working with her on various movies for the past few years. She loved to star in motion pictures with him. He was nice and funny, and not to mention handsome. That was when Summer was told where they were shooting the movie: Portland, Oregon. And then she remembered who had moved there five years before, in the beginning of the summer of 2004.

Luke was there, in Oregon, someone from her past, someone who had caused a lot of damage to her best friend, Marissa, not to mention that in the summer of 2003 he had beaten up her former boyfriend, Seth Cohen. Where was Seth now? She had heard that he was working for some publishing company in the south but she couldn't be sure. She hadn't stayed in touch with any of her old friends from Newport. But now she had her chance. Summer had always wanted to find out what was going on with Luke now. How was his dad doing? Was he still gay? Hmm, maybe that would be a little too awkward to ask when seeing him for the first time again. But she had so much to ask him. What she didn't know was how her feelings for him would change, and how she would be sent tumbling into a constant twisting and turning relationship, leaving to a non-break-up goodbye. This was before she even saw him again, before their eyes met, before they connected. She had no idea what was in store for her, how she would fall for the man who she had no interest in prior to the date. Summer was clueless when it came to her feelings. She wasn't very open about her emotions, and she refused to try and apologize to Seth, no matter how badly she wanted to call him and find out what he was doing and if there was any possibility that he might still have feelings for her. No. She would never do that, she told herself. No matter how badly it hurt her on the inside to remember the kind of love that they had. She could stand the pain, she just couldn't stand the weakness of giving in.

Three Months Later

Their relationship had been going on for a while now. Summer was so in love with this man, but the movie shoot was almost over. What would she do when it was time to leave? Could she continue to have a relationship with him? Could their love survive the months apart they would spend while she was shooting different movies and he was working at his law firm? That seemed impossible, but she knew that if she tried, and if he tried, they could work it out together. But then she would remember her relationship with Seth, and how, in the end, their love had been torn apart by her stardom, his fame for the comic books. What would happen? She would wonder many sleepless nights how she could survive without this man, who on many occasions she had loathed and hated. But then she would remember her career, and how she had worked so hard to get this far.

What was more important to Summer? Her career or her love life? It seemed like a movie she would star in, where a woman would have a serious choice to make, and the dramatic climax would depend on who or what she chose. But this was different. This was real life. This was reality.

Two Weeks Later

The shoot was over. Summer had packed her bags. Luke had tried to stop her, but she had to leave. She had several shoots for magazines, an interview on Good Morning America, and another movie to begin shooting in October. She promised that she would come back, that their love would survive anything. But then she moved back to New York City, and show business took back over her life. She forgot about Luke for the longest time. Her relationship with Yugi was going pretty well, and her star status was rising.

And then she got the call that Sandy had died.

Newport, California

Year: 2010

Summer lay in the arms of the man she had left so many months before. She had forgotten about him, moved on, and now she was here again. She was in a different situation, though. She had two men to choose from, something that had never happened before in her life. Luke or Seth? Who would she choose? In her heart she loved them both, they were both wonderful and loving and handsome and great in bed. But she couldn't have them both. She remembered Christmas six years ago and how Seth had to choose between Anna and herself. Of course, having two women had caused such chaos for him, and she took from that experience what would happen to her if she didn't hurry up and choose.

Summer lay there, her mind stressed, her heart weak. She couldn't choose. She loved them both. And they both loved her. She knew that what she was doing wasn't right. She should have stopped Luke last night. But she couldn't. She still had feelings for him, she still loved him. She couldn't resist the temptation. And that was what had brought her back to the situation she was in now. The love for two men, but the will to only be with one.

Seth's Bedroom

Earlier That Night

Seth woke to the sound of his door creaking open and light shining down in a sliver-like form on his face. He squinted his eyes closed and then stared at the door through narrow slits. "Who's there?" he asked, ready to fight in case it be a robber or murderer of some type.

"It's me," whispered Anna, creeping in and silently shutting the door behind her. "Were you awake?"

"Yeah," groaned Seth, half asleep, a clear lie.

"Sorry," she said, sitting on the bed at his feet. "I just couldn't sleep."

Seth sat up. "So, what's been on your mind?"

Anna was blunt and to the point. "Seth, I just…I have to just come out and tell you. Seth, I still have feelings for you. They have been bottled up inside for the past six years and I don't know what to do."

"What?" said Seth, a bit shocked.

"I'm still in love with you, Seth," she said, running a hand through her now shoulder length blonde hair. "I don't know how else to put it."

Seth groaned. Not again, he thought. Not a love triangle like this. Two women again, like Christmas so many years ago. "I don't know what to say, Anna."

"Just tell me, Seth. Do you still have feelings for me?" asked Anna. She wringed her hands together in her lap anxiously.

Seth didn't know what to say, so he just stated, "Even if I did, Anna, I couldn't be with you--I'm with Summer now."

"Oh," said Anna. She wiped a tear from her cheek. Seth, of course, couldn't see that she was crying in the darkness. "Well, then…" She stood and hurried out the room.

"Anna, wait," he said. But by the time he uttered the words, she was out of the room and running down the hall. Great, just great.

The Pool house

7:00 A.M.

Ryan awoke to see Anna sitting outside the pool house, her knees drawn up to her bosom, crying softly in the morning light. He climbed to his feet, careful to avoid Marissa and Lindsay's sleeping bags, and made his way to the door. He slipped outside silently and sat down beside Anna. "So," he said. "What's up?"

"Just like six years ago," she said silently. "I want Seth but he is madly in love with Summer."

"Oh," Ryan mouthed. "That whole ordeal again?"

"Yes," she replied. "I just told him how I felt, and he said that he was with Summer." Anna burst into tears again. "I don't know what to do, Ryan. I'm in love with my boyfriend back in Pittsburgh, but yet I still have feelings for Seth."

"What's his name?"

"Isaac."

"Oh. Well, listen Anna." Ryan looked around to make sure that no one was watching. "This is your decision and no one else's to make. You've got to decide who you want more. Who could you picture yourself with in ten, twenty, thirty years? Seth or this Isaac fellow?"

"But how do I decide?" asked Anna, wiping away a tear that had dripped down to her neck.

Ryan took her hand and pointed to her heart. "It's in here," he said.

Meanwhile

Seth yawned and climbed out of bed. He walked down the hall after pulling on a shirt and began to descend down the stairs. That was when he heard something ringing. A phone? He hurried down the stairs and found a cellular phone ringing on the kitchen table. When he answered it, he found that there was someone on the other end of the line. "Hello?" he said.

"Hi," came a woman's voice. "May I speak to Luke?"

"Yeah, hold on a sec." Seth turned and began to walk towards the only other spare bedroom in the house which wasn't being used. Hurrying down the hall, he pushed open the door, releasing a narrow stream of light into the dark room. There was one bed, and he tip toed over to it, careful not to wake Zach in the room next door. When he reached the bed he saw that Luke wasn't the only occupant there. Beside him, naked beneath the silk sheets of the bed, lay Summer, sound asleep.

"Oh my God…" He ran from the room quickly, dropping the phone to the floor and waking Summer and Luke.

"Oh no," said Summer, quickly getting to her feet and running towards the pile of clothes that lay on the floor. She managed to grab her pants and a shirt of Luke's, which were the closest clothing items in eyesight, and darted out of the room after Seth. Seth had already made his way down the hall and was darting outdoors to the patio.

On the Patio

Anna was sitting now by the pool, her pajama pants rolled up to her shins, feet dipped into the warm water. That was when she saw Seth running from the house towards her. She began to stand, wondering what was wrong. That was when he grabbed her, falling to his knees, and wrapped his arms around her back, kissing her passionately. "What?" she said, her voice muffled.

Summer stood at the patio door, watching them, her eyes wide in shock. "No…" she said, her voice hushed. Seth was kissing Anna.

Summer knew that sleeping with Luke had been a big mistake. She just didn't realize how much it would cost her. She ran back into the house, sobbing, and stumbled up the stairs towards the bathroom. She locked herself in the bathroom and sobbed for several minutes. Then she sat there, staring at the window at Seth and Anna. They were conversing happily, and the whole time she was wondering what they could be saying.

Two Hours Later

The Pool House

Marissa was dressing in the bathroom. Ryan and Lindsay were sitting on the bed, talking. They had just finished dressing a few minutes before, and Ryan was now slipping on his socks and shoes.

"So," he said. "How is Chicago?"

"Actually," she said. "I'm not living there anymore. I was there visiting mom when she got the news that Sandy had died and I decided to fly down here for the funeral."

"Oh," said Ryan.

"Yeah," she smiled. "I'm actually living in Florida. I'm attending Florida State. I want to get my degree in Musical Education. I want to teach band at a school here in Newport, hopefully."

"That's nice," said Ryan. "Met anyone new?"

"You mean since our last encounter?"

Ryan was taken back to five years ago.

Mid Summer of 2005

Lindsay had just learned of Caleb's death and had flown down to visit the family. Kirstin was just released from rehab, and she stayed with Sandy and Kirstin a while. Then she asked where Ryan was. And they told her.

"He left for Chino about three weeks ago. Things weren't working out for him here. I think that it was because of his brother's death. Did you ever meet Trey?" asked Kirstin.

"No," said Lindsay. "I never got the chance."

"Well, the two got into a fight over Marissa, and Trey was killed," said Sandy, midway through the local paper. He had a cup of coffee in his hand and a bagel in the other. He was chewing it silently.

"By Ryan?"

"No," said Kirstin. "By Marissa."

After their conversation, Lindsay was prompted to go and visit Ryan in Chino. She had wanted to see him for so long, and she would not leave Newport without at least dropping by Chino and saying hey to her former boyfriend. He was working as a car repairman when she found him. He was so handsome in the white tee-shirt and jeans, covered in sweat and oil. He was so surprised to see her there.

That night, he took her out for dinner, and they talked about the last few months. What had she done in Chicago? What had he done in Chino?

That was when they got to the part about love.

"I still have feelings for you, Ryan," said Lindsay, after putting it off the whole conversation.

Ryan was a little shocked, although he could basically tell that this was coming the whole way through dinner. The truth was, he still had feelings for Lindsay too. He didn't know what to say. He just sat there, staring at her blankly.

They finally got the conversation back up, and Ryan paid the bill, and they left. Lindsay wanted to see his new house, which was near where he had lived with his mother. She loved it (or at least faked it) and they ended up eating ice cream in his living room, watching reruns of America's Funniest Home Videos. That was when she kissed him.

They were driven into a heat of passion. Ryan was undressing her in an instant. She began to unbutton his shirt, pulling off his wife beater. She kissed his chest, leading down to his jeans. She unbuckled his belt, unzipped his pants. He slid his hands up and down her legs, then pulled off her skirt. They were on the floor, moving as one. And she decided to stay the night.

Lindsay stayed for a few days until she knew that she would have to leave. Her mother would be worrying about her, she said. She had to go home. She would call him. But, after returning home, she never did. Her fling with Ryan was just a one time thing. Never to happen again, or so she thought. Then Sandy died and she came back to Newport, and her feelings for Ryan were rekindled.

Year 2010

The Glass Cathedral

After much argument with Kirstin, the Nana had finally given in. They would have a traditional Christian funeral. She didn't want to argue anymore. She was too old, too tired. She had survived the cancer, survived the death of two of her children, two marriages and another engagement, and now she just couldn't stand to put up with one more thing. Plus, she didn't want to add any more stress to Kirstin in her time of mourning. True, the Nana was also upset at her son's passing, but not as teary eyed as Kirstin. Kirstin was filled with emotions, she had noticed this when Sandy and the girl had been married. She didn't handle tragedy very well, she was driven to drink in time of sadness, just as she was doing now. The poor woman was drunken, staggering down the isle to the front pew. The Nana felt so sorry for her as the tears streamed down her cheeks. How would she survive without her husband? She had very few friends left, all of her children were grown and at marrying age, and her whole life was revolving around Sandy at the time of his death.

The Nana felt overcome with grief and worry. She didn't know what to do. All she could manage was to sit by her daughter and law and, with great love, place her hand on Kirstin's and offered her comfort the best that she could.

Seth was crying too.

Ryan stood strong.

Marissa was looking a little misty-eyed.

Summer was sitting beside Luke, she crying herself. The Nana didn't know why she wasn't sitting beside Seth, comforting her grandson. Anna was doing her job for her.

All in all it was the saddest funeral that the Nana had ever seen. She wiped the tears from her eyes at the priest preached his sermon on the life of Sandy Cohen. How good he was. How he loved his wife and son, Seth. How he had taken in the boy from the wrong side of the tracks, Ryan. How everyone in Newport would miss him. And how his legacy would live on in the hearts of all those he loved.

Then they began to wheel the casket down the isle towards the hearse. Kirstin screamed in anguish and pain. "No!" she cried. "Not Sandy! Don't take him away! Don't take him away!"

The Nana wrapped her arms around the woman. She had never shown the girl love before, but she knew that she had to be strong and show all the love that she could muster now. Sandy would want her to. Sandy always wanted Kirstin and the Nana to get along. The Nana had always been bitter towards her daughter in law for marrying her son. But now she forgot all of her bitterness, trying to succeed in fulfilling one of Sandy's wishes that could not be fulfilled while he was alive on Earth.

Death brought all kinds of people together.

And it tore the most loving apart.

The woman stared at the casket from the back of the cathedral, tears streaming down her cheeks. She wished that she could thank Sandy for everything that he had done for her while he was still on Earth. But it had seemed impossible at the time. She loved the dead man so much, even now as they were preparing to set him in the ground.

She pushed a lock of the dark hair behind her ear and backed away into the shadows of the cathedral. The woman's name was Rebecca.