"Hey Seth." Kirsten greeted her son as she opened her huge front door. "Did you guys have a good day?" Seth nodded his head.
"Yeah, we went to the beach, it was…it was good." Seth replied, remembering his near kiss with Summer. "Hey mum, I have a huge craving for pudding, do we have any?"
"Yeah, there's some in the fridge." Kirsten said. "Where's Ryan?" Seth pointed out of the door.
"You don't really want to look." Seth said. "Trust me; I've just spent a whole day with them all over each other." Kirsten looked out at Ryan and Marissa 'saying goodbye', smiled and closed the door too. She followed Seth into the kitchen, where he was raiding the fridge. Sandy was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the newspaper.
"So, what's for dinner, mum?" Seth asked as he sat down next to his dad.
"Oh, you know the usual." Kirsten replied. "Takeout. How does Thai sound?"
"Sounds good." Sandy said, looking up from his newspaper. "So, Seth, how's Marissa taking the news about Julie's baby?"
"I don't know. Why don't you ask her herself?" Seth replied, looking through the doorway as Ryan and Marissa came bounding through into the kitchen, hand-in-hand.
"Hi guys." Ryan greeted his family, sitting down at the table. "Um, Kirsten is it okay if Riss stays for dinner?" Marissa smiled shyly, sitting down next to Ryan.
"Of course it is." Kirsten replied, smiling. "In fact, we were just talking about you."
"You were?" Marissa said. "All good things I hope."
"Actually we were talking about your mother's baby." Sandy replied, watching as Marissa's face fell at the mention of her mother.
"Oh, her." Marissa answered. "Well, I don't really have anything to say about that subject." Kirsten looked at the girl sadly, and put an arm on her shoulder.
"Sweetie, you know we'll always be here if you need to talk." Kirsten said, looking at Sandy, Ryan and Seth. "About anything." Marissa gave her a thankful smile.
"Thanks, you guys." Marissa responded. "Oh, by the way, before I forget, you're all invited to my dad's birthday party on Friday."
"Oh, well that should be good." Kirsten replied, smiling. "Is it on his boat?"
"Yeah. I mean he's really fallen in love with that thing." Marissa said, shaking her head, smiling. "You can hardly get him off it." Sandy got up and grabbed the phone.
"Is everyone okay with Thai?" He asked, and was answered back by the resounding sound of 'yes'. "Okay, I'll take that as a yes then." And walked through into their lounge to order. Seth slid into his seat next to Ryan.
"So, guys, who's up for a game of Ninja's while we wait?" He asked, looking around at the now silent table. "Oh, come on! I'll let you win." He got up as the table remained silent, shaking his head. "You boring people."
"Seth, just because your life revolves around your Playstation and your comic books, doesn't mean ours has to as well." Kirsten replied, smiling.
"Yeah, we actually have a life outside of the lounge." Ryan cut in jokily.
"I have a life." Seth defended himself. "I get out, go to the comic book store, go to the games shop."
"Which proves my point exactly." Kirsten said, laughing. Seth sat back down at the table, and Kirsten ruffled his hair.
"Hey, hey, hey, watch the Jew-fro, I actually got it working for me for once." Seth said, ducking out of the way. At the other end of the table, Ryan leaned over to whisper something to Marissa.
"Hey, can I talk to you outside for a minute?" Ryan murmured into Marissa's ear. She looked at him curiously.
"Um, sure." She got up and followed him through the patio doors. "Are you O.K?" She asked, wondering why he asked her to talk in private. Ryan led her to the pool chair, pushing her gently down into the sitting position.
"Wait here, okay?" He said, softly. "I've got something I want to give to you." Ryan jogged silently into his pool house and started searching underneath his bed for the box he was looking for. He finally found it, and opened it just to check it was still in there. He smiled as he looked at it, before snapping the box shut again. He looked out of the pool house door and saw Marissa sitting patiently, and he smiled. He walked back onto the patio, and sat down beside her, wrapping his arms around her so she leaned back onto his chest.
"So, what's up?" Marissa said, tilting her head back so she could look at Ryan a little closer. He smiled.
"Nothings up, exactly." Ryan replied. "I just, well, it was your birthday when I was in Chino, and I never got to give you your present."
"You don't have to get me a present, just you coming back is good enough." Marissa answered smiling.
"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to." Ryan said, smiling back at her. "Besides you're worth it right?"
"Hmm, I guess I am." Marissa laughed, and turned completely round. "So, what is it?" She asked, looking curiously at the little blue box.
"Well, why don't you open it and find out?" Ryan replied, smiling, handing the box out to her. Marissa took it and opened it.
"Oh my God, Ryan! It's beautiful." Inside the blue box was a gold necklace with a heart-shaped locket on the end. Engraved on the back of the locket was: R & M forever. Marissa opened up the locket and inside was the picture of them at the beach, only reduced in size so it would fit into the tiny locket. "Thank you so much! I love it!"
"I thought you would." Ryan said, taking it out of the box, and lifting up her hair so he could fix it around her neck. "It looks great." Marissa smiled and leaned in to kiss Ryan, a thank you for the gift. Ryan held her in a warm embrace on the lounger by the pool, and smiled as he remembered the look on her face when she had opened the box. He sighed contently, and kissed the top of Marissa's head.
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"Oh my God, Coop!" Summer said, looking at her necklace. "That must have cost like, a fortune! I mean, it's at least 16-carat gold!" Marissa laughed.
"Yeah, well I prefer the thought behind the gift." Marissa replied, looking at the engraving on the back of the locket. "Even though the necklace is beautiful." She leaned back on her bed, clutching onto the necklace, while Summer went out onto her massive balcony.
"Hey, what happened to that guy?" Summer asked, turning to go back in. "You know, the hot one."
"Sum, you think a lot of guys are hot. So really, you need to tell me his name." Marissa replied.
"D.J? Yeah that's what I think it was." Summer said. "Though I can't think in a million years why any mother would name her child that. I mean, what's it short for? Disc Jockey?!"
"D.J? Well, he still works here. I think." Marissa answered, following Summer out onto the balcony. "I guess things would be a little awkward."
"Did you actually dump him?" Summer asked. "I know you guys weren't that serious, but you know how much of a heart-breaker you can be." Marissa shrugged.
"It's his own fault." Marissa said, a matter-of-factly. "He shouldn't have gotten involved with his employees daughter." Summer raised a neatly arched eyebrow, looking out towards the ocean. "Besides, I'm with Ryan, you know that. And I happen to be in love with him." Summer sighed, looking over at her happy friend, and wished she could be in her position. With the exception of her crazy mom and weird step dad. She was still going out with Zach, and she was O.K. with that. But she didn't know if she could put up with him for much longer. She had to face Cohen everyday at school, and God knows that was torture after their near-kiss on Saturday. They merely acknowledged each other, just a slight nod of the head or a brush of the arm in the hallways. Somehow this showed Summer how much she wanted Seth, but how she couldn't have him. I'm a total bitch, she finally admitted to herself. All she had to do was forgive him, and things would go back to normal. Apart from Zach, who's heart she did not want to break. And whose heart she would break if she got back with Seth. She thought about this for a little while. She could get over Seth, right? Be happy with another guy? Yeah she could, she reassured herself. Just think positively. Summer sighed yet again.
"Since when did life get so complicated, Coop?" Summer asked. "I don't remember life being like this in, like, the fifth grade."
"You still remember fifth grade?" Marissa replied. "That was ages ago."
"I guess." Summer said. "Do you remember that time where we both bought the same Beach-Time Barbie, and I called mine Tracey, and you called yours Stacey?"
"Yeah, and you were really mad at me 'cos I cut all of Tracey's hair off when you wouldn't let me borrow your dress-up fairy shoes?" Marissa laughed. "That really was ages ago. I mean, we must have been, what, six? "
"Something like that. Hey do you still have yours?" Summer asked, uncertain of why exactly she was going to ask it. "Because if you do, maybe we could . . ."
"Play with them?" Marissa replied, smiling. "Sure. Come on. I think I put them in my closet." Summer laughed and went after Marissa as she walked back into her bedroom.
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Marissa pulled her car into her driveway after dropping Summer over at Zach's, parked it and got out. As she neared the front door, sounds of shouting could be heard. She frowned as she put the key in the lock. Mum and Caleb? Arguing? But they never argued. They had been living in lovey-dovey world for the past two months. She walked in and closed the door behind her. She crept silently down the hallway and pressed her ear to Caleb's study's door.
"You can't blame me for everything that goes wrong in this household!" Caleb's roaring voice could easily be heard as his shouts echoed throughout the huge mansion.
"What so you pin the blame on me? Cal, you can't just expect me to paste a happy smile on my face and pretend nothings up." Marissa cringed slightly as she heard her mothers grating voice. "How do you expect me to raise a child in a family like this?"
"Oh, and that's another thing. This baby is mine, isn't it? Because gossip in a town like this spreads very fast, Julie."
"How dare you accuse me of cheating on you! I can't believe a thought like that would actually cross your mind!" Marissa snorted as she heard her mothers last remark. "All I have to say, Cal, is solve this little problem of yours, or lose me, got that?" Marissa quickly opened the front door as she heard Julie's footsteps approach the door. She opened it again to look as she had only just came in. Marissa closed the front door just as Julie walked out into the hallway.
"Oh, hi, Marissa." Julie said, smoothing her skirt out, and tidying her hair. "How are you?"
"I'm good. What about you?" Marissa replied, still curious as to what she had been shouting about just a short time ago. "I could've sworn I heard some shouting going on…"
"That? Oh, Cal's just been on the phone to a buyer. You know what he gets like." Julie laughed falsely through her teeth, leaving Marissa wondering why Julie had to lie., why couldn't she just tell her she'd had an argument? "Oh my gosh, honey! Where did you get that necklace, its beautiful!" Julie managed to change the subject, gazing at Marissa's necklace.
"Oh, um…" Marissa covered it up with her hand, looking down at the floor. Would her mum mind if she told her she was seeing Ryan again? Last time she hadn't taken the news too well.
"Did Ryan get it for you?" Julie asked, as she opened up the locket, looking at the picture inside. "Sweetie, that picture is so cute!" Julie smiled happily at her daughter.
"You're not mad?" Marissa asked, confused.
"Why would I be mad?" Julie asked innocently, turning to look in her diary which was on the small table. "Now if you would excuse me, I just have to go book another spa day with Mrs. Fischer." Marissa looked at her mothers retreating back, puzzled, but shrugged it off and ran upstairs as she remembered that Ryan was going to call her soon.
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"News Alert! News A-Lert!" Seth barged into the pool house, calling out to Ryan, who was sitting on his bed, doing homework.
"Oh, you've finally worked out what 'peace and quiet' means?" Ryan asked, sitting up and sighing.
"Unfortunately, no." Seth replied, shaking his head. "Something much better than that. Guess. On second thoughts, don't guess, you take too long."
"Seth, whatever it is you came in here to say, just say it." Ryan said, getting up and placing his books in his bag.
"Well, you like Journey, right?" Seth said, sitting down in the chair. Ryan turned around.
"No, I hate them." He said, sarcastically.
"Well, then I guess you wouldn't be interested in any tickets to see them at The Bait Shop on Saturday night then, sorry." Seth got up and turned to walk out.
"Hey, hang on. Journey are playing at The Bait Shop?" Ryan said. "Since when?"
"I don't know, since Alex booked them." Seth turned back, and sat back down in the chair.
"Wait, who's Alex?" A confused Ryan asked.
"She works at The Bait Shop." Seth replied. "Surely I've told you that a thousand times."
"Not that I can recall actually." Ryan said. "So, how many tickets did you get?"
"Well, I got four." Seth answered. "You, me, Alex, and I'm assuming you want to bring Marissa as your smooching buddy." Ryan shook his head, laughing.
"What, so Alex is your date?" Ryan enquired. "What about Summer?"
"Yes, Alex is my date." Seth replied. "She just, well, she just doesn't know it yet."
"Seth, just to clarify this, you actually have to physically ask a girl for them to be your date."
"I know. I know. All in good time, my dear friend." Seth said, nodding his head. "And as for Summer, this is all part of my plan for getting over her, remember?"
"Yep. I remember." Ryan replied, smiling. "Kissing at the beach doesn't count as 'getting over' does it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Seth said, acting surprised, folding his arms across his chest. "
"Mhm, sure." Ryan replied. "Don't deny it, I saw you."
"But, I thought you and Marissa went for a 'walk'." Seth said, head in his hands now.
"Yeah, well a guys gotta pee sometime, you should know that." Ryan's smile was getting wider as he caught his best friend out.
"Oh, well if you were watching as closely as I think you were, you would know we didn't actually kiss."
"Yeah, sorry about that." Ryan replied. "Me and Marissa didn't know Zach was gonna be at the beach."
"What?!" Seth raised his head, and looked at Ryan. "Dude, did you two set me and Summer up, or what?"
"Well, it was more Marissa, but yeah I guess we kinda did." Ryan said. "You're not mad, are you?"
"Course not. I mean, your so called plan nearly worked." Seth said, laughing. "Just next time, you might want to tell at least one of us what's going on, without leaving me in the lurch." Ryan laughed, and gestured to the main house.
"Playstation?"
"You got it."
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A/N Hi! Thanks for reading this chapter. Sorry it took so long to post, I've been so busy with Christmas and all that. OMG did anyone else watch The Talented Mr Ripley the other day? I was so freaked out! Tom Ripley reminded me of Oliver in a psycho kinda way. Sorry that was really random! Anyways….oh yeah, I don't live in Australia, I live in England, and we only just finished watching the first season and couple of weeks ago, but I kinda know what happens in Season 2, by reading all the spoilers. But I don't think my story's going to like follow it, and Marissa and Lindsay aren't gonna be sisters or whatever they are lol. By the way, thank you so much for all you reviews! You guys are great!