A/N: Less hooking up in this chapter, if that's alright with my lovely reviewers! I love you all dearly. And I will answer your requests if you request them. Malex last chapter, Ryssia this chapter… Pretty short, I'm sorry. Please forgive me, I just wrote a really long chapter for my other story, Try Not to Fall in Love… I promise I will get you guys a long chapter as soon as I have another Strawberry and Crème from Starbucks- those things burst my imagination. 

Also: This is either the last chapter or the second-to-last chapter. If it's the last, I'll post an epilogue-type.

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Ryan woke up eventually by the pale golden sunlight filtering in through the half-closed blinds. He kept his eyes closed, not wanting to wake up and have the night with Summer be over.

With one gentle arm, Ryan reached out for her- or at least where she had been before. Confused, he opened one eye, squinting against the bright light, looking around for the girl he had spent the night with. But she wasn't there.

Ryan leapt up, running around the pool house like a chicken with its head cut off. Eventually he spied the white piece of paper with black markings, sitting forlornly on the marble counter. He reached for it fearfully, not wanting to read it, but he had to, of course.

He read the note quickly three times, and then let it drop from his hand like an abandoned feather, wafting to the ground. He now knew three more things about his relationship with Summer. Firstly, last night was just a one night stand. Secondly, she was obviously more into Seth, and thirdly, she had his sweatshirt. Idly he wondered which one. He hoped it wasn't the Berkley one that he had stolen from Sandy, he loved that sweatshirt…

And then suddenly his brain processed what the note really meant. No more Ryan and Summer. It was over with a note, a few innocent words. Ryan buried his face in his hands, pushing the heel of his palms into his closed eyes. He stood there resolutely, and then he got dressed, slowly, carefully, avoiding looking at anything that he didn't have to.

Heading for the kitchen, Ryan realized that it was the Berkley sweatshirt. He knew, because there was Summer, wearing it shamelessly, watching as Seth showed her how to cream cheese a bagel properly. They looked so happy and innocent, her eyes bright, watching his, which would flicker up and look at her with a crooked smile in between schmears.

Ryan found himself walking. He didn't know where. His feet knew. His feet knew that he wanted to go to the beach, let the afternoon sun prey down on him. That's where he went.

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At the beach, Ryan pulled off his shoes, burying his toes into the soft, squishy sand as he made his way to his favorite spot. He saw someone else sitting there, but didn't pay attention to them until he realized who it was.

"Marissa?" He asked tentatively. She looked up, wiping tears from her face, and attempted to smile. He sat down next to her, listening to her sob until he couldn't help but try and comfort her, putting one careful arm around her shoulders, absently rubbing the skin on her upper arm.

Finally he spoke. "So, did you get dumped too?" Ryan asked softly, the corners of his mouth twitching up hopefully. She looked at him, straight in the eye, but she was seeing past him, through him, remembering.

It must have been before six. Alex was already awake. Marissa woke up cold, desperately cold without her girlfriend's body near. She sat up, rubbing her eyes, to see that her bags were packed and stacked neatly against the wall. Alex was sitting in a chair across from her, watching.

"Marissa."

"Are you kicking me out?" Marissa asked shrilly, rising to her feet, eyes wide, mouth agape. Alex wouldn't look her in the eye. "Wait, are you breaking up with me?"

"Marissa, we both know this isn't right for you. Not the apartment and not us. I think you should move back to your mom's house and forget about me. This is so wrong for you." Alex said quietly, finally looking Marissa in the eyes, eyes filled with tears.

Marissa sniffled, but didn't say a word as she grabbed a pair of flip flops lying on the ground as she walked off, still in her sleeping attire of a baby blue tank top and short shorts. Marissa, like Ryan didn't know where she was going. She did know, however, that the beach was the only place where there were only happy memories, memories of curling up next to Ryan in the hot sun, of tanning with Summer, of watching Seth surf.

Their eyes met, and they said everything silently. Ryan smiled bitterly, and Marissa returned it exactly, burying her face into Ryan's chest, her salty tears running down his shoulder.

It was a long time before Ryan felt her tears stop. The sun was nearly touching the horizon beyond the sea when one of them spoke.

"We should go… home. We can go to my place, if you don't want to be alone." Ryan whispered softly, beginning to rise, dragging a limp Marissa with him. She smiled, this time without any bitterness, and grazed her lips against his. Neither felt any urge to do anything else, and as they walked back to the house, Ryan realized why. It was because, unlike his relationship with Summer or Seth or that whore at the party, he knew that he had time. Because this thing with Marissa, whatever it was, it was too strong to be broken, and it would always be there. There was time for other things later.

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