Fix You
Author's Note: I'm glad everyone seemed to enjoy the little interlude. It really allowed me to let you guys see how it began, sort of how it progressed into what they had become in the beginning before everything fell apart, where they're trying to work back to. I needed to establish a connection with the couple portrayed in my story and my readers. There might be one more of these, depending on how the next few chapters work out showing their actual romantic relationship leading up to the prologue, which we all know is the wedding. Anyway, I'm going to continue on with the story. I've got to clear out the scene we left off on and perhaps have Seth finally sit down with Marissa. Lyrics are from Coldplay's Talk. I'm mixing it up a little now as the next part of the story commences.
Chapter 11: SethOh brother I can't, I can't get through
I've been trying hard to reach you, cause I don't know what to do
The two girls awkwardly shared an embrace, remembering their quasi-friendship back when they had both lusted after the same boy, Seth Cohen, when they were teenagers. Young, naïve and full of drama, not that the drama thing had changed much in the past fourteen years that they hadn't seen each other. In fact, within the past week it had only heightened.
Anna stepped back, glancing over at Marissa who just gave her a small, fake smile of delight in seeing her former best friend. The pixie blonde quickly tried to smooth things over, make things less awkward while they were in the room together, "So, Summer I hear you've been doing well."
"I have!" Summer said cheerily, pausing a second to glance at Marissa.
"That's good for you Sum," the other blonde, who remained seated on the couch put in.
"Isn't it?" the brunette sounded slightly strained now, afraid of what to say, "Wait! Are you the Anna Stern? Like, famous fashion designer Anna Stern?"
"I am," Anna nodded, "Marissa and I run the company together. It's sort of a, group effort. Like Zach and Seth's comic books."
"Except less nostalgic and Cohen-y and way more cool," Summer put in, "I just so totally love your clothes. I wore one of your dresses to a movie premier not too long ago. It was all the rage on the red carpet, except you already knew that."
"Yeah, Anna works hard brining new ideas to life," Marissa stood up, not taking her eyes off Summer, "In the beginning, we didn't even know if we'd make it. Right Anna?"
"Right," she nodded, looking between the two; "Marissa and Seth helped a lot getting the company off its feet. Well, Marissa more than Seth because we were twenty-one and Seth was still embracing his inner-child."
Marissa hid a smile at the memories, as did Anna. Disneyland in their first year of college, constant animated films throughout their second year, he never ceased to remind them all that they were never too old to enjoy a good game of Ninja fighting action.
"Well, it's good that you got it going then," Summer offered.
"Thanks."
The three of them stood there, and Anna could feel Marissa's old, destructive nature wafting off of her. She'd heard stories, even witnessed first hand what Marissa Cooper was capable of when drinking. When faced with something or someone she didn't like, like her mother for instance. Like Summer right now.
"Holy awkward moment," Seth Cohen stepped into the room, Ryan in tow. Anna felt relieved to see her friend, Marissa's husband come into the room just then to save them all, "Anna and Summer, you guys are in the same room together? Yeah, that never works out well for me."
"Well, thank god we're not still teenagers then, right Cohen?" the petite brunette, who was also his ex-girlfriend-slash-obsession, shot at him.
"Gee, thanks for the reminder Sum," Seth shook his head, "Anyway, I just came up here looking for you because Ryan's ready to leave and you're his ride."
"Right, okay," Summer gave Anna a smile, "Let's get out of here Chino. Get onto phase two of operation Cassandra."
Anna watched them leave and furrowed her brows slightly. Summer and Ryan working together on something and being friends was all too weird for her to process. She remembered Summer when they were back in high school, and she never really had seen any connection that would hold Summer and Ryan's friendship together without the presence of either Marissa or Seth.
Thinks certainly had changed.
Glancing between Marissa and Seth, she should've had that figured out already. After all, she never would've seen Seth playing white knight to Marissa's distraught princess. She never had seen Seth Cohen thinking about someone other than himself or Summer long enough to take notice in someone else's problems like he had with Marissa.
She would've never pinned Seth and Marissa to be two people she found sitting alone together in a diner in Washington eating pancakes together on a road trip.
Thinks definitely had changed, and glancing in between her two best friends, she realized things were still changing. They were changing, and this time it wasn't for the better.
"I think I'm going to go see if Beanie and Kurt want to watch a movie," Anna moved towards the door, "I'm pretty sure Beanie mentioned something about a new Carebears movie, and I don't want to miss it."
Oh brother I can't believe it's true
I'm so scared about the future and I wanna talk to you
"So, been having a party without me, have you?" Seth wondered, walking over to the couch and picking up the abandoned bottle of vodka, "Or were you just having one of those top secret meetings all about Seth Cohen?"
"Seth…" Marissa's voice sounded worn, tired.
"What? Come on Marissa," Seth sighed, "I'm kind of bad with the whole apology thing. Always have been. Especially when I don't know what I did wrong."
Marissa frowned, "You didn't do anything Seth."
"Okay, well, that's a first," he sat down on the couch, holding the bottle in his hands and looking down at it as he spoke next, "Is it because you still love him?"
"What?" the words came out strangled and surprised, as if she hadn't expected them to come up in their conversation sooner or later. As if she was pretending that neither of them really knew the reason why she'd suddenly decided to pick up bad habits she'd broken years ago.
He still didn't look up at her as he shrugged his shoulders slightly, "Are you still in love with Ryan?"
"I love you Seth," Marissa offered, for some strange reason she felt tears well up in her eyes. Every conversation she'd ever had with someone about this had ended badly; every one of them had ended up with her heartbroken and alone. Moments like these always ended a relationship for her.
"I love you too Marissa," Seth finally did look up, he look wounded, "I love you so much you don't even know. I just want to know if you still love Ryan."
"I don't know," Marissa's breath hitched, she watched Seth carefully as he stood up and walked over to her.
"Um…okay," he paused a second, running a hand through is curls, "I guess that's a good, honest answer. Big with the honesty, maybe I would've felt better if you'd lied…"
"Do you love Summer?" Marissa raised a brow, crossing her arms over her chest, her voice tight.
"I…" he stopped a second, seemingly thinking it over second, "No. No I don't love Summer, Marissa. You know why? I don't love her because I love you; I love you more than anyone in this entire world. I used to love Summer, a long time ago, but there's only you now Marissa and I don't know how to make you believe that."
Marissa stared at him with watery eyes. She shifted slightly in place, hugging herself now as she stared at her husband, not knowing what to say to him, not knowing how to react to his words because every single syllable rang with sincerity.
Before she could say anything though, Seth walked over to her and leaned over to give her a light kiss on the forehead. He rubbed her shoulder gently, giving her a small smile before heaving a heavy sigh and walking out of the room, probably to check on Allie, Kurt and Anna.
Marissa stood, watching him go sadly, wondering what this meant for them, wondering what came next for them.
