OMG! I'm soo sorry guys for taking SOO long to update! I've been SO busy with schoolwork that I just didn't have the time… which KILLED me coz I was DYING to write this chapter! I hope this updates makes up for my slackness, coz I can assure, the instant I got a moment away from my exams I was on my computer typing this up! I'm so hyped!

This chapter establishes the growing and intensifying friction between many relationships. It's ultimately the set up for the coming chapters, which I can assure you I am REALLY excited about! I really hope you enjoy it. So sorry once again for my lack of update! Hopefully won't happen again! Love Hannah

CHAPTER 7 – MISCOMMUNICATION

…"Trey…no…okay…n-never…"

…"What? What I'm not good enough for you?" ...

…"No, no I don't mean it like that okay, I" …

…"Here I am and Ryan gets all the fucking good life!" …

…"Please… get off! … get…"

Trey awoke from the nightmare with a start. Sweat drenched his entire face and his eyes were already wild with fear and aggression. It took him a moment to gather himself together. It seemed with every silent day that crept passed the stray pieces of his mind came together more tightly and the memory of that night became stronger and all the more relentless.

Rubbing his temples, he tried to shake away the stabbing pain of his hangover, but the attention only brought more discomfort and he soon stopped. He rolled over on his back and drew in the foul stench of tobacco that stifled the apartment. He couldn't even remember what he'd done the night before, but was certain it involved a mixture of cocaine, sex and alcohol. It had been so every other night anyway.

"Come on, Sugar, up you get," came that high pitched crone that Trey was truly beginning to detest more with every passing second. He raised his sore head from his hands and glared at Jess, who was dressed in her usual mini skirt and tank top attire. She stood typically, leaning her weight on one side of her body with her manicured hand on her hip. She held her Prada shoulder bag with the other and gave Trey the look of expectancy. "Well?" she said sultrily, "Hurry up and drop me off at school."

Trey knew what she was doing; pushing his buttons, trying to unnerve him at the thought of potentially running into a certain brother or a certain brother's girlfriend. He knew Jess found simple satisfaction out of the thought of Little Miss Cooper being swiped off her high horse by someone so close to home. She was relishing in it.

"Why do you even go to school anyway?" Trey said in monotone, "You moved out of home for Christ's sake. Why would you even bother?"

"Family compromise, Crack-Ass," Jess rolled her eyes impatiently, "I move out, the 'rentals get the report cards."

Trey scoffed, "They have grades that low on the radar for your reports these days?"

Jess raised her eyebrows but didn't say anything on it, "Fine, I'll take myself to school. I'm late enough as it is." Before leaving she ambled over to Trey and dropped her bag. She grabbed his neck, sat down on his lap and grinded herself hard into his torso. Trey groaned in satisfaction, despite his efforts to resist. Jess licked his lips and fluttered her heavily shadowed eyes towards his, "But just remember who took you in," she continued lick his face, and swivelled her tongue along his as she spoke, "If you're not at school to pick me up in six hours, I might accidentally blow your and Little Miss Riss's secret to… nobody in particular," she moved her body harder into his, and caused his whole frame to quake. "Got it?"

And at that Jess leapt off him, leaving him breathless on the bed and disappeared out the door. Trey remained there in the now silent room, his painful head caning. He had the distinct feeling that today was not going to be a very good day at all.

X

Marissa sat alone at one of the round tables during lunch on just the second day back after Spring Break. She felt beyond any sadness she'd ever possessed before. She could hardly see straight as she struggled to carry the full burden of everything that had been piled on top of her this passed week. The weight was relentless given the continued barrier that had been built between her and Ryan. She was plagued with deep sorrow and guilt at all times of the day and night.

She stared listlessly at her tray of untouched food before her. She'd only made herself up a lunch tray to try and show people any sign of normality. But even now, with her stomach almost screaming for an ounce of food, she couldn't bring herself to take a single bite. She looked around her at her fellow students. Almost all of them were smiling and laughing, without a care in the world. It was another thing that drove her wild day in and day out. Nothing except herself had stopped. Everything was running away from her, and she was still trapped and unable to run with them.

Maybe that was why she couldn't stop hurting herself. She sighed as she thought this and pulled up her sleeve just a little to reveal one of the sores. Maybe she cut herself because it was something she could use to control her sadness for just a fleeting moment at least. Still, it didn't take away from her constant and growing anguish. She was now addicted to that small sensation of the weightlessness. So much so, she was no longer worried about the wounds she was inflicting on herself, but petrified at the realisation that she couldn't stop even if she tried. It was a lose-lose situation that strangled her tightly.

Deciding it was hopeless, and that she was doing more harm than good staring at this uneatable food, she went to stand up and head off early to English. But as she stood, the bruises that still lingered on her stomach and chest gave a stab and she flinched. She raised a hand and rubbed over the spot that pained.

At that very moment, Seth was returning from his Comic Book Club meeting when he spotted Marissa's sickly form across the way. He stopped and watched her as she stood up. He was confused when Marissa suddenly seemed to wince and clutch her chest, as if she was in pain. He continued to eye her as she travelled towards the bin with a fully uneaten tray of food and dump all. Seth looked at Marissa's deathly-pale face. What was wrong? He just couldn't understand it. He decided he'd try and talk some of it out of her and began walking towards her.

Marissa saw Seth coming towards her and she swore silently. She didn't want to speak to him, let alone anyone else. She was just so through with lying to people. All she wanted was to be back at home so she could hide away from everyone's prying gazes. She really didn't know how much longer she could take all these questions from people. And I swear, she thought to herself, if ONE MORE person asks me about my sweater…

"Hey Marissa," Seth said softly and he gave her a genuine smile.

"Hey Cohen," she returned, attempting to sound grateful for his friendship. The truth was she was wholly grateful, but the effort in showing that on the exterior was another story. "How are you?"

Seth gave her a side nod, "Was gonna ask you the same thing."

Marissa hesitated. She knew it was going to come, but she could never prepare herself for it. "Oh, well, I don't really know to be honest," she was being honest, which surprised even herself. She smiled at him.

There was a delayed silence that lingered between them, and Marissa knew that Seth wanted to ask her something to do with her behaviour.

Seth was searching for the right words. He was all too aware of Marissa's tendency to snap people's head off if they said the wrong things around her. But he so badly needed to know something… anything… for Ryan's sake.

"You know…" he began cautiously, "I noticed you threw your lunch out just then."

"Oh?" Marissa breathed, "I'm not really hungry today," she said it with more force than she meant. She warned herself to stay calm.

Seth couldn't help himself. He was so desperate for more of an explanation from her, "Yeah? Well you look as if you haven't been hungry for month." The words spilled out before he could think what he was saying, and immediately he saw Marissa's pupils shrink in size. But the expression she now bore, to his surprise, wasn't one of anger, but one of utter terror and sadness.

Marissa didn't know what to say, as the immense sorrow consumed her for the moment. She turned her eyes to the pavement in a way to hide her face. She had to stay calm. Just don't ask me about the sweater, she warned him silently.

"Aren't you hot in that?" Seth continued.

At that, Marissa snapped her head up. Seth saw. Her sadness was almost bursting, but the frustration was also evident through her extreme expression.

"Oh, just shut up Seth!" Marissa yelled. She'd had it.

The force in her voice stung at him, "Sorry, I just-"

"You're just wondering. Yah, I know! Everyone in this friggin town's just wondering," she found herself unable to contain herself, "How many times do I have to tell you? I'm fine! There's nothing wrong! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to class." And before she let Seth see the blinding flow of tears explode from her eyes she ran off towards the building.

Seth stood there stunned and frozen. "Woah." He had never seen Marissa go off like that before. It had been such a powerful mixture of anger and terror and it had completely overwhelmed him. One way or another, they needed to get what ever it was out of her before things got any worse. Seth thought to himself; and who do you turn to when Miss Cooper is on the path towards an emotional breakdown?

Ryan.

X

Ryan looked at his watch as he exited the library after doing his chemistry homework that he hadn't done the night before. He hadn't really achieved much in that half an hour as it was. He had had way too much on his mind to think about sulphuric acid and basics.

Despite his previous failed attempts, Ryan wanted to see Marissa before the next class. He planned on cornering her at her locker and trying one more time to get something out of her. No matter what, he wasn't going to give up on her. He'd made a promise to himself never to abandon her again. And this was no exception. One way or another, whether it would be today, tomorrow or a year from now, he was going to get the whatever she was hiding out of her.

But as Ryan marched briskly through the halls, he was unaware that someone else was following him, and waiting for the perfect opportunity to have a little chat with him…

Marissa had her entire face hidden in her locker as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue. Her body was still hot after her outburst. Everything shook; her breathing was heavy and laboured; bruises stung; wrists flared. She closed her eyes at an attempt to calm herself. When she felt composed enough she pulled her face out and closed her locker. But when she returned the door to the latch she was met with Ryan's determined and unnerving stare. She jumped out of her skin and bashed into the wall of lockers behind her. Her heavy breathing returned in full force. She stared back at him but did not say anything.

The first thing Ryan noticed was Marissa's reddened eyes, "Have you been crying?" he asked worriedly. This motivated her to hastily rub her eyes again and shield her face as best she could from him.

"Ryan not now okay?" she said exhaustedly. She couldn't handle this.

"Just tell me please what's going on!" Ryan said desperately.

Marissa struggled against the suffocating knot in her throat, "It's not as simple as that Ryan. Please try and understand."

"Understand Marissa? God! Isn't it obvious that's what I've been trying to do the moment I came home from Miami?" Ryan took a step closer towards her. He looked at her and studied her eyes that were filling rapidly with tears. She looked as if she was dying to tell him something. Maybe he was finally getting somewhere with her this time.

She couldn't! She knew what he'd do. She couldn't tell him!

"Come on," Ryan tried again in a soft, coaxing tone that made her heart literally die.

A single tear slid from her eye, and right before she thought she was surely going to collapse, she was saved by the ringing of the bell to go back into class. She quickly whipped away the falling tear. "I have to go Ryan," she said in a broken voice. She bolted from him and ran off.

"No… wait," Ryan tried, defeated, but she was already out of earshot. Shit! He kicked one of the bottom lockers in frustration.

"Poor wittle Atwood," came a voice that made Ryan utterly shudder. He turned around and was met with Jess's hideous smirk in his face.

"What do you want?" Ryan said in an unforgiving way.

Jess shrugged, still with that fake grin pasted on her face, "Oh, nothing really. I was just observing that little incident just then."

Ryan began walking passed her, fed up, "It's none of your business Jess, so just keep your ass out of it."

But Jess stood back in front of him and stopped him, "Oh, but it is actually," she said innocently.

Ryan looked at her venomously, "How so?"

Jess stood towards him and drew an invisible line down his chest with her index finger, "Oh, well let's just say that Marissa Cooper and I have one more thing in common than getting wasted at parties." With a final smile, she turned, flicking her loose blonde hair in his face and walked off.

Ryan glared after her with indescribable hatred, before turning himself away from Marissa's locker and towards the chemistry lab.

X

Summer ran hurriedly towards Marissa when she saw her after the final bell. For the first time in her life, she was actually angry at her friend. Marissa had avoided her all day (with a few brief exceptions) and Seth had filled her in on his fight with Marissa at lunch. Summer was worried about her, of course, but at that moment, all she wanted to know why Marissa had done this to her and Seth.

"Oh, hey Sum," Marissa smiled thinly as she raced to pack her things away and hurry home at last.

"What's going on Coop?" Summer snapped, taking Marissa off guard. "Where have you been today? I've seen you like twice all day and you've barely spoken to me."

The words hit at Marissa hard, "Sorry, Summer," she attempted, "I've just been really busy."

"Oh! Right! But no so busy that you didn't have time to yell at Seth," Summer stared at her confused.

Marissa blushed, "I'm, I'm sorry about that today, Summer, I was a bit stressed."

Summer shrugged and looked at her helplessly, "Marissa why are you still lying to me?"

"I'm not! I'm just-"

"Come on! You went off at Seth because he asked you why you threw your lunch out." Marissa looked away from her, feeling physically ill. Summer continued quietly, "I've seen you do it too Coop." she gulped before continuing bluntly, "You don't really have the flu do you?" Marissa's erupt silence confirmed it, and Summer struggled to hold back her tears. There was an eerie pause between them. "Come on Coop. I'm your best friend! What's going on with you these days?"

Marissa shook her head sadly, "I can't tell you Summer, I'm sorry. I just… can't" she fought to say the final words. "I have to go."

Before Summer could stop her she made her way towards the entrance. She should have been relieved to finally be heading home to her room and away from this place, but that anticipation turned on its head when she saw the figure of Trey standing beside the fountain. Immediately, her heart nose-dived to her liver and began thumping vigorously. Why the hell was he here! Quickly and silently she found a hiding spot behind a large oak tree. She watched him, petrified, but at the same time, deeply curious.

Ryan walked dejectedly out of the compound, feeling rotten. He'd wanted to see Marissa before leaving, but couldn't find her anywhere. But as he was met with the fresh spring air, he did see someone. When he saw Trey standing there on the level below him, he was suddenly filled with a new sense of anger. He wasted no time heading down to meet him.

As Ryan got closer, he noticed Trey shuffle his weight nervously. The two locked gazes and Ryan noticed his brother's eyes wander furiously. He continued his beeline.

"Hey Ry," Trey said pathetically.

"Cut the crap Trey," Ryan said heatedly. After the last couple of days he'd had, and particularly this one, he was absolutely in no mood for Trey's excuses, "Where the hell have you been?"

Trey shook his head and scoffed, "You know what man? Screw you! It's like as soon as I do something different with my life you immediately think the worst of me."

"And how else am I s'posed to react when you rock up here after a week smelling like an ashtray?" Ryan returned equally as angrily, "Come on man! Cut this bullshit!" Trey turned his head in disgust, and Ryan suddenly caught sight of the deep gash on the right side of his forehead, "Where the hell did that come from?" he pointed.

At that Trey seemed to lose his demeanour and stumbled over his next sentence nervously, "I – uh – hit it on the side of a table when I was cleaning the other day."

"Right, okay," Ryan said impatiently without believing a word, "well while you're having fun making up lame-ass excuses, I'm trying to contact you everyday and you don't even answer your phone! What's going on?"

Their feud was interrupted by the arrival of Jess. "Oh, I see you two found each other," Jess said smoothly. She made distinct movements with her hand, attracting Ryan's eyes and slipped it into Trey's. Ryan was instantly revolted; exactly what Jess was hoping for. She continued her antics and kissed Trey on the cheek, "Thanks so much Trey for picking me up," she said sweetly, "Ready to go home?"

Trey's eyes dashed between Jess's satisfied and Ryan's infuriated expressions nervously. Ryan was seething, "Trey, please don't tell me this is what I think it is?"

Trey was about to respond when Jess chimed in, "Oh, sorry Ryan! I thought Trey would have told you!" she stroked Trey's cheek, "We live together now."

Ryan's fiery eyes darted towards his brother's, "You've got to be kidding me man! What about the apartment? You spent a week moving into that place!" he reminded him lividly, "Marissa bought it for you," Trey seemed to flinch, "and this is how you repay her?"

Trey went ghostly white, giving Jess the queue to come in. Ryan saw her eyes flash with utter contentment, "Oh, I shouldn't worry about that, Ryan. Trey's already repaid his debt to Marissa." She smirked.

Ryan looked at Trey, then at Jess, and then back at Trey. "What's she talking about Trey?" he pierced his brother with a deathly stare.

Before Trey had a chance to reply, Jess pulled him away, "Come on Trey, we have to head off. It was nice chatting with you Ryan, but Trey has a shift at four and you wouldn't want him to be late would you?"

And they were gone, leaving Ryan standing alone in the courtyard, thoughts spinning through his mind at an unbelievable speed.

Unsure of what to do with himself, he simply looked around him at his environment. The school was nearly empty now, save one particular figure of Marissa, running off in the other direction with tears falling hotly from her eyes.

That chapter was SOO much fun to write! Once again, SOO sorry for the delay in chapters! I promise you the next update won't take so long! We are coming to the critical stages, and I really can't wait to write more! I hope you enjoyed! R+R as always! Love Hannah