"The First Hit" – By Coolcolin5
"Seth you got to get up," Ryan said, as he entered Seth's room, knowing he had pressed the snooze button half a dozen times.
When the sleeping Seth awoke to the sound of his clock alarm, he reluctantly opened his eyes.
"Snooze button," Seth mumbled. Ignoring Ryan's presents.
"No," Ryan said, batting Seth's hand away from the clock.
"You got to get up dude."
"But I don't want to," Seth replied.
"Your parents left early this morning and asked me if I would get you up"
"Where'd they go?" Seth asked.
"Something about signing over the New Port group to a new company, although I don't know who would buy it with the financial situation it's in."
"Fine I'll get up," Seth surrendered. "But if you're going to bore me to death with financial details I'm going to go back to sleep."
"Alright, but I must say I thought you would fight a little harder to push that snooze button," Ryan said.
"Normally I would, but you know Summer and I have a meeting with Dean Hess this morning. "
"Sounds like fun. You get dressed and I'll wait downstairs," Ryan said as he left Seth's room, closing the door.
Moments later Seth came running down the stairs.
"That was quick," Ryan remarked.
"Well I was already wearing boxers," Seth said, "It saves a little time."
Seth passed by Ryan and headed out the front door.
"That's really gross," Ryan stated.
"Seth, why are you late" the Dean asked.
"Would it make you happy if I told you it was Summer's fault, then you could give us both another month of detention," Seth said bitterly.
"Don't get smart with me Seth or I might just take your advice."
"Shut up Cohen," Summer said sweetly, slapping Seth on the back. She knew what the dean had been doing with that little slut and it took all her strength to take this bullshit from him. But, she had no proof of what they were doing and knew she needed that before telling anyone, including Seth.
"Now I'm going to a conference today and I'll be unable to make our detention for tonight."
"Score," Seth mumbled to Summer.
"Which means that we will need to make today's time up tomorrow."
"Tomorrows Saturday," Seth and Summer interrupted.
"And because of your tardiness today Seth," the dean continued, "You can add an extra hour to our already lengthy time for Saturday morning."
"But I sleep on Saturday mornings," Summer winced.
"I don't care," the dean said with a smile, "See you both tomorrow at 8:00am."
"Have fun at your conference," Seth said coldly.
"I'll save that for Saturday morning," the dean replied as he left his office.
"Creepy,' Summer mumbled.
"That's what I said," Seth groaned.
"Hello," Marissa said as she picked up her phone.
"Hey," Ryan responded, "Do you need a ride to the beach tonight."
"The beach right…," Marissa said scrambling to remember the plans she had made with Ryan. "No, I don't need a ride. But what time do you want to meet?"
"I think we said five didn't we."
"Oh right," Marissa responded in a cheerful voice. "See you there."
"Bye," Ryan said, hanging up the phone, knowing that Marissa had forgotten.
"That the boyfriend," Chili asked, as they walked down the hallway.
"Yep," Marissa answered.
"He seams too needy, you should probably dump him and go out with me. I'm just looking out for your best interests."
"Thanks," Marissa said awkwardly, "Didn't we just walk by your next class."
"Why yes we did," Chili replied, spinning around and running smack into Johnny. "Sorry."
"I wouldn't expect any less," Johnny laughed, then stepped aside and let Chili dart into the classroom and almost knock another kid over.
"I do not know how he skateboards," Johnny said, walking beside Marissa.
"Probably for the comedy," Marissa smiled, "He is kind of cute though."
"Don't tell him that," Johnny said, "It will go right to his head, just like it would go right to your head if someone told you how beautiful you were."
"Thanks, I think," Marissa said awkwardly again.
"We still on for after school, you're going to love surfing. I can't believe you dated a surfer for like five years and he didn't offer to teach you."
"He was sort of a jerk for a while," Marissa explained. "And I have bad news."
"You're ditching me," Johnny guessed.
"Forgot I already had plans with the boyfriend," Marissa said apologetically.
"He seems kind of needy."
"So I heard," Marissa smiled.
"Well some other time then."
"Sounds good," Marissa said as the two split into opposite directions.
Seth and Summer walked out of the deans office and walked slowly back to class, but just as Seth was about to open the classroom door, Summer's cell phone rang.
"Hello…. she's where… not again… why do I always half to come when this happens… it's not like she's my mother…. Alright, I'm sorry… I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Who was that," Seth asked.
"My dad, the step monster mixed her new meds the wrong way again. She's in the hospital."
"I'm sorry," Seth instinctively replied.
"Don't be," Summer laughed, "It happens at least once every few months. I need a ride to the hospital though."
The classroom door opened and a very angry looking teacher stood just inside.
"Seth and Summer, take a seat now."
"I can't," Summer explained, "I just got a call from my dad, my step moms in the hospital."
"Alright," the teacher replied, "Seth have a seat."
"But," Seth said.
"Just give me your keys," Summer asked, "We don't need to get in more trouble."
"But how am I going to get home?"
"Call Ryan for a ride, he's home all day anyways."
Seth gave one last sympathetic look at the teacher, who showed no response. He then reached into his pocket and handed Summer his keys and watched her run down the hallway before finally giving up and sitting down.
After class Johnny and Marissa met at where they had separated before and headed to their last class of the day.
"How was Math" Marissa asked.
"Fun," Johnny replied sarcastically, "How was your class."
"Boring actually, the teachers voice tends to force my eyes closed."
"You know what will fix that… surfing."
"I'm sorry," Marissa apologized again. "If I had time I would."
"Looks like we do have time," Johnny said, pointing at a sign on the classroom door.
On the door was instruction to go right to the gym for an assembly and since Mr. Gregory didn't do attendance during school events like this one, attendance seemed to be optional.
"Let's get out of here before the teachers start stopping students from escaping."
"I guess," Marissa signed, "I do sort of feel bad not going, I mean I've already skipped one."
Johnny and Marissa slipped out a side door and quickly crossed the parking lot to Johnny's beat-up car.
"You got to skip the last one, count you're self lucky. They had the cheerleaders perform."
"And that's bad," Marissa asked.
"Have you seen our cheerleaders," Johnny answered, as they jumped in the car and drove out of the parking lot. "They are way ugly."
"Seth I'm in the middle of a teaching session."
"I know Ryan, I just really don't want to go to my last class. Please buddy, I'll owe you one."
"Fine," Ryan agreed, "But If your parents find out you skipped, you better not tell them it was me who picked you up."
"Who did pick me up," Seth joked.
"Clever," Ryan answered back, "I'll ditch the teacher and get there as soon as I can."
"Thank you so much," Seth said before hanging up.
Seth walked out of the hallways and outside to a bench beside the parking lot. Then slapped his ipod headphones in his ears and turned on the MP3 player.
A few moments later Seth watched as a car full of jocks parked right in front of the bench in which Seth sat. Five guys got out of the sporty black car and laughed as they saw Seth sitting alone.
"I didn't know losers skipped classes," One of the boys laughed.
"Well," Seth smiled, pulling out his headphones, "Some people are smart enough that if they miss one day of class, they don't fail."
The boy narrowed his eyes and looked at his buddies. "Are you making fun of me you little shit?"
Seth looked at the jerk in front of him and smiled, "Did I say that a little to fast for you. If you want I can repeat it slower. Give me some time I could make flash cards to help you understand."
The boy and his buddies stared directly at Seth.
"Cohen, I don't see Ryan Atwood anywhere. You sure you want to talk to me like that."
The boy moved closer and pulled Seth off the bench, his ipod hitting the pavement hard.
"Look what I broke," the jock said as he through Seth to the ground and walked over to the ipod. "Look guys, it's still playing music."
The boy lifted his foot and smashed it down into the pavement, peaces flying off from the sides.
"Oh wait its not playing anymore."
"Brandon you jerk," Seth said as he stood up from the ground and walked over to the boy.
"Do you have you're bathing suit?" Johnny asked.
"It's in my bag, but where am I going to change."
Johnny pulled into a parking spot along the beach. Well you could always change in the middle of the warm sand.
"I don't think so," Marissa said, narrowing her eyes.
"Well you could always use the car, I'll leave of course."
"I guess so."
After Marissa had changed, she met Johnny down by the water and smiled as she stared out over the ocean. Reminded of all the time she had spent watching Luke surf, while she bathed in the sun.
"What time are you meeting Ryan here?"
"Five or six," Marissa answered, forgetting again.
'Well that leaves us lots of time to surf."
Johnny, surfboard in hand, ran into the water and then invited Marissa to follow.
"Back off Cohen," Brandon said, shoving the quickly approaching Seth backwards.
Seth looked around to see know help in site and after regaining his balance he stood his ground.
"You know Seth, with no Atwood around; you're just a little bitch aren't you. And someone told me that the dean of discipline is away today. In fact, I think Summer mentioned that this morning as she passed me on her way out of the school. You know Seth, Summer is a cool girl and then you come along and make her just as much a loser as you are."
"Shut the hell up," Seth demanded.
"Or what Cohen…"
After doing one last check for authority figures Seth lunged towards Brandon, punching him hard in the face. Brandon dropped down to the ground and his friends watched in shock.
"You little bitch," the boy yelled as he quickly stood from the cement and clubbed Seth right back in the face. Seth fell to the ground, but Brandon pulled him back up to his feet and hit him again and then again. Finally he let Seth drop to the ground and gave him a few hard kicks to the ribs before walking away; leaving Seth sprawled across the pavement.
"I'm going to have a black eye because of that little shit," Brandon commented to his buddies, as they entered the school.
Marissa and Johnny walked slowly up the beach, both drained of energy from the unusually large waves.
"Just because you didn't catch a wave this time, doesn't make you a bad surfer," Johnny said.
"I know," Marissa laughed, "It makes you a bad teacher."
"I guess so," Johnny agreed.
"I'm joking," Marissa said with a smile, giving Johnny a half hug. "I'll get it next time."
"I'm sure you will."
Marissa laid her towel on the hot sand of the deserted beach and closed her eyes, ready to fall asleep with the warm blanket of sunlight over her.
For a few minutes, Seth just lay on the pavement, giving his body time to catch up to his mind. Finally, he forced himself up and sat back on the nearby bench. He pulled out a few Kleenexes and tried wiping some of the blood off his face. Eventually, he just gave up and sat still, waiting for Ryan to pick him up.
About ten minutes later Ryan pulled up and at the sight of seeing Seth's condition, immediately jumped out of the vehicle.
"What happened," Ryan asked, extremely concerned.
"Got in a bit of a fight, you should see the other guy."
"You hit him back," Ryan asked.
"No, I hit him first. I think I gave him a black eye."
"Where is he," Ryan asked, suddenly enraged.
"Ryan, you know that if someone sees you in the school you could be charged. Don't worry about it, I'll be fine."
Ryan sat beside Seth and surveyed his injuries.
"These don't look to bad. You may have a burse or two on your face and it looks like the blood is coming from a scrape on your arm. We better get you home."
Ryan helped Seth stand, then into the car.
"Is that your ipod?" Ryan asked, seeing the remains on the pavement.
"No," Seth lied, "Mines in my backpack."
"Ok," Ryan said, driving out of the parking lot and towards home.
"You can do some more surfing if you want," Marissa suggested, seeing Johnny just standing there."
"I don't want to; I'd rather sit on the beach here with you."
Ryan helped Seth through the door and he quickly found a chair to sit in.
"Don't you have a date with Marissa or something?"
"Right," Ryan said, looking at his watch, "I'm already late. I'll just give her a call and tell her I can't come."
"Don't do that," Seth replied, "It's the first time you've seen her in like a week. Besides she's been hanging around with that other kid a lot."
"I know," Ryan agreed.
"I'm just going to have a shower and clean up. Try to hide some of these bruises from mom and dad. You go, I'll be fine."
"I can't leave you here after that Seth."
"Yes you can, get out of here"
"Are you absolutely sure," Ryan confirmed.
"Yes."
Ryan gave a thankful smile at Seth, and then ran out to the car, keys in hand.
Johnny sat down beside Marissa and stared into her eyes.
"You know you really are brave, coming to a new school after all that's happened."
"I guess so," Marissa said, sitting up on her towel.
Johnny looked deep into Marissa's eyes and moved in close for a kiss.
Ryan parked beside a beat-up old car, pulled the keys out of the ignition and headed towards the beach, which lay just around a patch of thick trees. He walked with a smile on his face. He thought that Marissa was drifting away from him, but knew now that it was all in his head. It had been less then a week without seeing her and he couldn't believe how much he missed her already. He loved her, more then anyone else in the world. When he was with her, he felt whole and he knew nothing could ever wreck that, they belonged together and he would never let anything rip them apart again.
Johnny's face moved closer and closer and at the last second, Marissa's hand slid in between their faces, blocking the kiss.
"Johnny I'm so sorry if I led you on in anyway," Marissa franticly explained, "I have a boyfriend, who I love so much and you have a girlfriend who loves you"
Marissa stood and grabbed her towel, just to see Ryan round the bend. She gave a wave and turned to Johnny.
"Goodbye."
"Bye," Johnny said, seeing Marissa run down the beach and greeted Ryan with a kiss.
"What were you two doing?" Ryan asked.
"He was giving me surfing lesions," Marissa replied.
"Now that you're an expert you can teach me. Take the burden off Sandy." Ryan said, stealing another kiss from Marissa, then wrapping his arm around her and heading back towards the car.
"Do you mind if we skip the beach?" Ryan asked.
"I don't mind at all," Marissa said, "Is everything alright?"
"Seth had a bit of a run in with some guys at school," Ryan stated as he and Marissa got in the car.
"How is he?"
"He seems fine."
"Did he at least hit him back?" Marissa asked.
"I guess Seth hit him first."
The End
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