Thanks Rainygal for beta-ing, you're a star! Thanks to Leentje, Kursk and Hanselel for the feedback!

Chapter 3

10 minutes later they were ready and headed downstairs. Outside already a few people were standing and chatting. As soon as they stepped out of the house Summer came running up to her, giving her a worried look.

"You alright?"

"I'm better, don't worry. Kirsten was a great help" Gillian answered smiling.

"Ok, so let me introduce you to everyone." Summer grinned excited, taking her hand and pulling her to a near group of people.

"Guys, that's Gillian. Gillian, my boyfriend Zach, Colleen and Mark."

Gillian shook hands with them before Summer pulled her over to a girl, sitting at the pool with a drink in her hand, blankly staring into it.

"Coop, that's Gillian. Gillian that's Marissa Cooper."

"Hi Marissa, nice to meet you. I already heard a lot about you" Gillian said smiling, holding out her hand.

"Hi, nice to meet you too." Marissa answered, smiling back at her.

"Ladies, drinks?" they heard Seth calling.

"Yes please" Gillian answered and was immediately served with a cold coke.

"So how is Switzerland?" Marissa asked Gillian curiously when Summer had left, loudly discussing something with Seth.

"It's... different. Colder than here, smaller but cosy."

They fell silent when they didn't have anything to talk about.

"It's a shame though that the drinking limit is not the same here" Gillian then muttered to herself, but obviously Marissa heard her.

"So true, you need a shot?"

"What do you have?"

"Tequila, give me your drink, I'm gonna mix it"

When Marissa handed Gillian the drink back she took a sip and started smiling.

"Much better, thanks"

"No problem" Marissa grinned.

"I saw that" suddenly a voice behind them said.

Both girls jumped and turned their head to see a dark blond, handsome guy standing at the pool house porch, smiling slightly at them.

"Ryan... you want some too?" Marissa grinned at the boy who was now walking up to them.

"No thanks. Stupid party, don't you think? That new girl didn't even turn up, guess she knew better!"

"Actually she didn't..." Gillian said sheepishly.

"Gillian?"

"Yep... Ryan?"

"Yeah... I'm sorry..."

"No problem... I'd rather not be here to be honest... But as long as Summer and Seth have unsolved issues I guess all others around will have to suffer"

"Probably" Ryan answered amused, rolling his eyes at the thought of the long hours he had spent listening to Seth talking about Summer over and over again.

"So how come you left Switzerland?"

"My mother made me to actually... She said she needed space... I'm living with my uncle now."

"And how do you like Newport? It's different to the rest of California, isn't it? A big bubble..."

"I actually don't know since I haven't been in America before. Which means I haven't seen anything else than Newport and Los Angeles Airport..." she confessed.

"Really? You're here for one week and you already started drinking? Not beating my record though" he smirked.

"Actually, I never stopped... In Switzerland it's easier to buy alcohol, the drinking limit for beer is 16, everything else is available when you turn 18, but it's not like you get arrested if they catch you with it... So I guess I had my first booze with 14..."

"Yeah, same here..." Ryan answered, not really feeling as proud about it as the strange girl.

An awkward silence followed, while Ryan tried to decide whether he should stay with the girls or find an excuse to hide in the pool house again. They were saved by Seth who came walking up to him, shooting him a desperate look and making funny moves with his head, indicating to follow him.

"I gotta…." He started, gesturing to Seth. An understanding smile crept across the girls' faces and he left towards the kitchen. Only Marissa noticed how Gillian exhaled once Ryan was gone.

"Ryan I need your help… I've got an idea on how to get Summer back" Seth explained excitingly, grabbing his friends arm and pulling him behind a wall.

"I thought you were trying to be friends" Ryan asked matter-of-factly, giving Seth a stare until he let go of his arm.

"I was, but it's not working, so listen, I wondered if the way I made her like me the last time would work again, you know, the making jealous thing and all… And now with the new girl in town, I figured she should be an easy target, don't you think?"

"Do you listen to yourself talking sometimes?" Ryan asked his foster brother exasperated, giving him an evil glance. "You're willing to hurt another girls feeling just to get what you want – again!"

"Right… Didn't think of that… But what if I don't tell her and just try to be friends, hang, play some games after school and stuff, would that be enough to make Summer jealous without pushing things too far with Gillian?"

"Honestly? It's a stupid plan… but as you usually do what you want anyway, I'm gonna stay out of this" Ryan exclaimed, heading out of the kitchen and leaving a startled Seth.

Walking back to the pool, Ryan found Marissa and Gillian in a deep conversation. Glad that he didn't have to talk anymore, he disappeared into the pool house, silently closing the door behind him. After placing himself on the bed, he sighed deeply, staring at the female figure he could spot through the blinds.

Why had she lied to him? All he had asked for was the truth, he hadn't expected her to be waiting for him. But she lied to him…. And still, he couldn't forget her, nor the fact that she had a boyfriend now. Despite all the bad things they have gone through together, he couldn't get her out of his mind. Seeing her spiking up her coke made it obvious that she was still drinking. Yes, Marissa Cooper was still full of problems, but he couldn't deny that his feelings for her were still the same. Even the summer in Chino had made him realise that he had never loved Theresa the same way as he loved this troubled girl from Newport.

Inhaling deeply, he let himself fall backwards onto the bed, covering his face with his hands. He hated acting around her, pretending he wasn't hurt or jealous when he saw her with D.J. At least the yard guy wasn't here today. Maybe they had been in a fight?

He was interrupted in his thoughts when the pool house door was opened in a rush, Seth's curly head appearing in the frame.

"Hey man, you in here?"

Ryan muttered something under his breath before he sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah"

Seth entered, closing the door behind him and placed himself on the chair in front of Ryan.

"I see, back to your brooding self, huh?" he smirked.

"What do you want? I told you I am not going to help you!" Ryan hissed, throwing all his frustration at Seth.

"I.. I'm sorry man, that was too harsh…" he immediately apologised, giving his foster brother an apologetically glance.

Seth raised his hands in a defending gesture, smiling slightly.

"Releasing anger, that's what brothers are here for right, no problem buddy"

Ryan sighed once again, giving the figure of Marissa one last glance before turning to look at Seth.

"What's up?"

"I thought about what you said and you were so right… as usual. I don't wanna hurt anyone just to get what I want."

Ryan raised his eyebrow in surprise, glancing a Seth.

"Don't give me that look, I really mean it. I'm gonna forget about girls for a while, concentrate on school and… don't really know what else I'm gonna do. Maybe it's time for some Seth – Ryan time, right? We're both single, we could… go partying or something, forget about girls, do guys stuff you know.. what do you think?"

Listening to his best friend babbling Ryan was thrown back in time, remembering the time when he met Seth, when they both liked spending time together without any girls in mind. Maybe that was exactly what they needed. Some time for themselves, figuring out what life had to offer except for heartbreaks.

Nodding slightly, Ryan looked up to Seth. "You know what, I think you're right. That's exactly what we must do."

Surprised about the non-existing rejection to his plan, Seth was speechless for a moment before a wide smile flashed across his face.

A/N: Feedback please...