Chapter Eighteen

Kaitlyn made her way up the stairs slowly, not worrying about avoiding the Elise gang, because school had started nearly thirty minutes before. She walked up towards the large double doors, spying a tall, black haired man walking towards her. He was really cute, tall with blue eyes, and his hair was slightly spike near the front. Kaitlyn knew that she was in no mood (or dressed appropriately) to meet any cool guys, so she slipped inside the school before he could say hi or even see her. She hoped that he wouldn't see her looking like this, but she wasn't sure if he had spotted her down the walkway. Kaitlyn hurried down the hall, hoping he wouldn't enter the school behind her, but soon enough she heard the doors opening and there came the cute guy through the entrance, a few beams of light streaming through and lying on the floor, the dust clearly visible in its rays. Kaitlyn sighed, turning and seeing the guy walking towards her--well, almost running. He must have wanted to catch up with her, because he called Kaitlyn, trying to stop her.

"Hey," said the guy. "Can you tell me where the front office is?"

"New here?" asked Kaitlyn.

The guy grinned. "No, I have just never been down to the front office for anything."

Kaitlyn frowned, her eyes narrowing. "I don't believe you."

He grinned even broader. "Okay, you got me. I just wanted to talk to you."

Kaitlyn was shocked. Talk to her? "W-what?"

"I'm Reichen." He extended his hand, as if to shake, but Kaitlyn didn't move.

Tears began to fill up in her eyes. She tried to hide them, bringing her hands up to her eyes and wiping them away, but it was no use. Zach had just left her, and she couldn't very well just move on like this. Her heart swelled, then sank to the pit of her stomach. She felt as if she would vomit, and so she turned and swallowed whatever sickness she thought might come up from her stomach, trying to be calm.

"You okay?" asked Reichen.

Kaitlyn nodded, turning back around. "Yeah," she said softly. She extended her hand, forcing a smile. They shook hands, and then Kaitlyn said, "I'm Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn Cooper."

"Well, Kaitlyn," smiled Reichen, "would you mind escorting me to the front office?"

Would she mind? Would Kaitlyn mind? She swallowed hard, and then feigned laughter. "Uh, yeah."

They turned, Reichen's arm draped over her own, the two hurrying down the hall towards a sign that said FRONT OFFICE.

The Bait Shop

Marissa sat at the bar, drinking her beer, waiting for Ryan when she turned and saw him descending the spiral staircase. She couldn't smile; if she did that would mean that she was weak. Not weak physically, but rather emotionally. She had to hold in, had to be strong, even if Ryan told her that he didn't want to be with her any more. She watched as he sat down beside her on the tall bar stool and, before he even turned to say high to her, ordered at beer, flashing his I.D. to the bartender.

"Hey," she said when the bartender gave him the tall mug.

"What did you want?" Ryan's eyes glanced over in her direction, but immediately went back to watching the band playing.

"Ryan, I needed to talk to you about my choice--"

"I think there has been enough talking done."

"Don't be this way, Ryan."

"Don't be what way? Angry? Well guess what, Marissa. I am fucking pissed at what you did--"

"I know--"

"No! You don't know, Marissa! You don't know what you put me through! All the torment, the pain! I thought that we were working things out, that we would be together once and forever, but you went back to that stupid mother fucking Gary and threw everything that we had together away."

Marissa was crying now. "I am so sorry for doing that, Ryan, but please listen to me."

"I'm listening," he said angrily.

"Ryan, we all make mistakes. You can't say that you haven't too." Ryan's eyes narrowed in anger, but he said nothing. "The biggest mistake of my life was going back to Phoenix in the first place, and it took me a while to realize that. Ryan, I love you, and now I know that nothing can change that. Please, Ryan. Give me one more chance. Please. I am begging you. Ryan, I love you. I love you more than I have loved anyone in this world. Just…just….Please…" She wiped the tears from her eyes, waiting for a response.

There was a long pause between the two.

"I can't," said Ryan. "I just can't."

"Please!" begged Marissa. "Please, Ryan!"

He wouldn't even look at her. Marissa stood and ran off, stumbling up the spiral staircase towards the exit. Ryan watched her go, then knew that he had to run after her. When things like this happened, the first thing that she turned to was alcohol. Ryan stood and charged off after her, trying to fight his way past the crowd that was cheering on the band. He hurried up the stairs, watching her flee outside, the doors swinging open and shut.

She was gone, and Ryan sped up his pace. C'mon, he told himself. Don't let her get away. The next thing you know, she'll be dosed up on pain killers and alcohol, lying in an alleyway somewhere in Newport. Or worse yet…

That was when he sped up, feeling his stomach drop. No, this couldn't be happening. He couldn't let this happen. But yet he could tell what was occur from this event, he knew that it could be nothing but fatal. He shoved the door open, leaping out onto the sidewalk, searching left and right. That was when he saw Marissa running down the street, missing a shoe. Where the hell was her other shoe, and what had she done with it? He ran as fast as he could after her, heart pumping as fast as it possibly could. "Marissa!" he cried. "Marissa, stop!"

He couldn't let anything happen to her. He knew that now as he watched her slowing her pace, sobbing hard as she ran. He loved Marissa more than anything, but what she had done to him, how she had torn his heart from his chest and ripped it to shreds--it just couldn't be forgiven.

Marissa began to limp across the road, unable to walk normal, having lost one of her shoes. That was when, seemingly out of nowhere, a large red Mercedes came flying towards her. Ryan cried out, fearing that he would lose Marissa forever. He ran towards her as fast as he could, leaping in front of several cars, which in turn they slammed on breaks, screeching terribly loud.

And then everything in the world seemed to slow to nothing.

"No!" screamed Ryan. "Get out of the way!"

Marissa turned towards Ryan, and their eyes met. Her eyes, misty, tears streaming down her cheeks. Ryan ran towards her, tired yet speeding up the whole time as he gained distance, finally reaching Marissa and grabbing her around the waist. They dove to the side, rolling on the sidewalk and finally coming to a rest on a patch of dark green grass.

They lay there for a moment, Ryan hovering over Marissa, his arms wrapped around her. Their eyes met, and then Ryan leaned in, softly kissing her on the lips. "I am so sorry," he said, helping her to her feet.

They stared at each other for a while, the two leaning against the old pier railing. The floorboards beneath them creaked heavily as Ryan grabbed Marissa around the waist, pulling her up towards him as he forced a passionate kiss on her.

Later, they stood there for a while, staring at each other. Marissa leaned against the rail, in taking a large breath. That was when it CRAAACCCCCKKK! And suddenly the wood behind her split. It was old and rotten, and hadn't been repaired in years. She fell back through the cracked wood, screaming for Ryan as she descended downwards. He reached out his hand, trying to grab her own, but he couldn't reach. "Marissa!" he cried.

Marissa fell into the ocean then, splashing as she began to sink towards the ocean floor.

"Marissa!" called Ryan as he turned and ran from the pier, sliding down the sandy hill towards the beach. It had grown dark and he couldn't see in the blackness. "Marissa!" he screamed. "Marissa!"