Title: Apples and Trees

Description: Ryan is in danger of following in his brother's footsteps.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to The O.C.. Not for profit.

Chapter 5

Sandy and Kirsten and Ryan settled down in the family room after dinner the next day. Seth had been sent up to his room to do his homework. Although Ryan figured that he was probably listening from the top of the stairs, which he had no problem with.

Ryan brought with him his notebook with the all the stuff he had written down last night and today about what he wanted to say. As they were sitting down, Kirsten smiled at him.

"You have notes, Ryan?"

Ryan gave her a little embarrassed smile. "I just wanted to be prepared."

Kirsten laughed a little. "Very good."

She looked between Sandy and Ryan. "I feel like I'm at work. I feel like I should say 'I hereby call this meeting to order'. We all know why we're here, gentlemen. First on the agenda is –"

Ryan raised his hand. "Madam Chairwoman?"

"The chair recognizes Ryan Atwood."

"Do you mind if I go first?" He indicated his notes.

Kirsten raised her eyebrows and exchanged a look with Sandy and when he didn't object, she nodded. "Sure, Ryan. You have the floor."

Ryan locked gazes with Sandy. "First off, I wanted to say that I'm not dropping out of school."

Sandy gave Ryan a big grin and a sigh of relief. "That's great, Ryan. We –"

Ryan put his hand up and interrupted Sandy before he could get too far. "Wait. Before you get too happy..."

Sandy looked at him, concerned.

"I'm not dropping out of school, but I'm not going to continue with the home schooling, either."

Sandy and Kirsten exchanged a confused look. Kirsten asked him, "What do you mean, Ryan?"

"I have a plan." Ryan indicated his notes again. "And I'd like you guys to hear me out."

Sandy hesitantly told him. "Okay, go ahead."

Ryan stared at his notes for a moment, gathering his thoughts, then he got up and started pacing.

"Ryan, when I said you had the floor, I didn't mean that literally."

Ryan looked at Kirsten and gave her a brief smile. He appreciated her trying to lighten the mood. He took a deep breath, and started talking.

"All right. Here it is. Home schooling isn't working for me, so I'm done with it. But it wouldn't make sense for me to enroll in regular school at this point. I've missed the first three months of the school year, which might be manageable if I wasn't a senior. I could make up the work in summer school or next year. But as a senior, I don't think I can make up the work in time to graduate this year."

Sandy was nodding. "Exactly. That's why you need to continue the home schooling. So you can graduate on time."

Ryan looked up and sighed. He just knew that Sandy wouldn't let go of the home schooling idea. Ryan sat down hard in his chair.

"Sandy, let's hear him out." Kirsten looked at Ryan. "Go on, Ryan."

After a moment, Ryan leaned forward and continued. "I intend to enroll in Newport Union next year, so I can go to school for a full year as a senior. I'll be over 18, but if you guys would let me live here –"

Kirsten interrupted. "Of course you can live here, Ryan. There isn't even a question."

Ryan smiled. "Great. So then I can finish school next year. I'll be able to graduate then. Class of 2007."

Sandy sat forward. He didn't look convinced. "Why go through all that? We can work on finding you a tutor that you like. You can even interview the candidates yourself. That way, you can finish your senior year this year and graduate with your friends, on time."

Ryan made an effort to stay calm and logical. "I told you, I don't want to do the home schooling. The problem isn't with the tutors, it's with me. The format just doesn't work for me. I don't understand what the big deal is about graduating on time, anyway. I'll get my diploma next year. I'm not dropping out of school. I will finish. I will graduate. Isn't that the important thing here?"

Sandy looked like he was also getting a little aggravated. "You'll lose a year. For no reason."

Ryan took another deep breath to try to calm himself down. "Look. You wanted me to think about my future. I did. You wanted me to come up with a plan. I did. This is it. Just because it doesn't match your idea of what I should do, doesn't mean it isn't a valid way to proceed. If you weren't going to listen to what I have to say, why even ask?"

Kirsten jumped in before Sandy had a chance. Sandy looked like he was about to start yelling. Kirsten was obviously trying to defuse the situation.

"Of course we want to hear what you have to say, Ryan. We'd just like you to listen to what we have to say as well. Let's just slow down and think this through, and not rush into anything."

"I have thought this through. This is what I want to do. You don't want me to drop out of school. I'm not. You want me to graduate. I will. I'll even go on to college after that probably. What more do you want?"

Sandy said, "Can't we even discuss this?"

"Sure. Let's discuss it. But you have to know up front that I'm not going to do home schooling. That part is non-negotiable. Given that, I think this plan is the best, most logical course of action. But if you have something better, I'd love to hear it."

Kirsten put her hand on Sandy's arm, to hold him back. "Ryan, why don't you give us some time to think about it?"

Ryan stood up. "Sure. Take all the time you need. I'll be upstairs with Seth."

Ryan left the family room and headed for the stairs. As he expected, Seth was sitting at the top and heard everything. Ryan sat down next to him.

Seth whispered, "Wow. I'm impressed. A man with a plan."

Ryan shrugged and whispered back, "Your folks didn't seem too impressed."

"I think they were –"

"Shhh. I want to listen."

Ryan strained to hear Kirsten and Sandy's voices. He and Seth both sat quietly for a minute, trying to hear. But it was useless. They were talking too quietly to overhear.

"I think they know we're up here, dude."

"Mmm."

Seth got up. "We'll never hear anything now. Come on. Let's go to my room."

Ryan got up and followed Seth to his room and waited.

A half hour or so later, Ryan heard Sandy's voice calling for him up the stairs. So he headed back down to the family room to see what the verdict was. Seth followed him as far as the top of the stairs and settled back down in his favorite eavesdropping position there.

Ryan sat down in the chair in the family room and looked at Kirsten and Sandy, waiting anxiously to hear what they'd say.

Kirsten started it off. "Ryan, we appreciate all the thought and hard work you put into your plan."

That didn't sound good. "But?"

"No 'but'. We're endorsing your plan."

Ryan was surprised. He looked at Sandy. He didn't look like he was happy with this decision. "You are?"

Sandy cleared his throat, and after a quick glance at Kirsten, reassured Ryan, "Yes, we are. We're willing to back off about school for this year as long as you make us a promise."

"Sure, anything."

"Promise us that you will enroll in school next year, that you will graduate."

"Yes, of course. I promise."

Kirsten and Sandy shared a look. "Great."

They looked like they were done, so Ryan stood up. "Great. And thanks, guys."

Kirsten gave Ryan a nod and a smile. Sandy still didn't look happy. Obviously Kirsten talked Sandy into going along with his plan, against his better judgment. But Ryan would take it since he wasn't fighting with Ryan about it any more. Ryan gave Kirsten a grateful smile, then headed out to the pool house.

To be continued.