I own nothing except a couple dozen Adam Brody posters. Peace and love...
Between Chris and Luke and Ryan breathing down their necks, Seth and Summer decided the whole declaration of love thing should be only for them to know. However, Kirsten found out. Kirsten swore not to tell. By the end of the day, everyone on the street knew. Kirsten blamed Jenn.
Surprisingly, it wasn't as big a deal as it could've been. It got awkward when Chris asked Seth if he was going to also be his daddy, but Chris liked whispering, so luckily Seth was the only one that knew about it. Ryan was happy, but Ryan had been really happy for a few days. He actually said congratulations and wished them luck. Kirsten was basically giddy, and apparently she rubbed off on a lot of people. Except Luke.
He had been sulking around for days, and finally found a way to talk to Seth four days later.
"So, uh, congratulations, man." Luke clapped Seth on the shoulder and nodded the other way.
"Uh, yeah."
"I just can't win anymore though, huh? First I lose Marissa to a guy from another city, and then I lose Summer to an emo geek?"
"Emo geeks are coming in style. Have you watched MTV recently?"
"Right. So, uh, I'm probably going to have to stay here for another week, so I would appreciate if you waited for me to leave to do the whole 'can't get enough of each other' part. You know?"
"Yeah, man. I'll do my best. But the emo geek sexiness is hard to ignore. And if she says please, what happens is beyond my control."
"Yeah, I get it. She's...Summer."
"Yeah, dude."
"So, uh, even after I go, I can get word of anything just like that, you know? So if you talk to her the wrong way, or if you look at her the wrong way, I'll have to punch your face in."
"I don't think you'd have to worry about that, man. I'd already have jumped off some bridge somewhere, and no one likes punching in a dead guy's face. But you might actually have a smidgen of a chance of winning then, so, you know. Whatever makes you happy."
"Oh, please, Cohen. I could totally take you."
"Mmm, see, the differences between you and me are great, grasshopper. You have not had to fight a drunk guy, wearing a dress, yelling at you in Spanish."
"Uh, yeah, you're, um, right. But I could still take you."
"Whatever, man. Not that I'm giving in or anything, but let's call it a truce? Because there is someone that could take both of us at the same time and she cries at Jim Carrey movies. So who are either of us to brag?"
"She cried at a Jim Carey?"
Seth nodded and grinned. "Bruce Almighty, man. Sees Jen Aniston bawling in bed, praying to Carey and the tears cannot stop."
"Wow."
"Yes, sir."
"You love her?"
Seth shrugged, but Luke laughed. "Come on, dude, you totally do. Be a man. Admit it." He clapped him on the shoulder again and walked away.
Luke had stayed for another week, and besides some glances that lasted longer than a music video, Seth kept his promise too.
Luke sat on the porch, watching the cars rush by and the pools be splashed in. He felt Summer's leg brushed against his, but he didn't move his head.
"Hey."
"Hey."
She steadied herself with her hands and sat next to him, the sun finally deciding to go down all the way.
"Where are you going?" She looked over at him but he kept looking ahead.
"I don't know. I have to make some calls first."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"So, how's your mom?"
"She's good. Dating some guy my age."
"Hmm. Is he cute?"
Luke finally looked at her and rolled his eyes. She grinned.
"What?"
"Do I have to answer that?"
"No. I'll ask her."
"Okay."
"Your dad?"
"I don't know. He hasn't called in over three months."
"Oh."
"How's your dad?"
"He sent me money last week. Without even a card. Just a check."
"When did you hear from him?"
"Like a month of two ago. Just to let me know he's still alive. So's Lara."
"I thought you guys were close."
"Yeah. I don't know. Things change, I guess."
"Tell me about it."
"So, I should go. Where's Chris?" Luke stood up and shoved his hands in his back pockets.
"Living room. Ryan, Seth, video games."
"All right. So I'll see you?"
"Yeah."
Summer stood up too and hugged him quickly. She smiled. "I'll see you."
"Okay. Bye."
"Bye, Luke."
He jogged into the house and into the living room. Seth, Ryan, and Chris all had their legs crossed underneath them and were staring at the t.v. with their eyes thoroughly blinking.
"Hey, little man, I'm out."
"Dad? Okay, hold on."
Chris paused the game and walked over to hug his dad.
"Bye, kid."
"Bye, Dad. Call me, okay?"
"You bet."
"Okay."
He grinned up at him and Luke mussed his hair. Ryan and Seth walked up behind Chris and nodded to Luke. Luke nodded back.
"Bye Ryan, Seth."
"Bye Luke."
"Bye Luke."
Luke bent down and kissed Chris's cheek and left one last smile before heading back out the door. Chris hopped back onto the couch and Ryan and Seth followed him.
Summer leaned back on her chair's legs, twirling her finger along her mug's rim. She could only really enjoy coffee at night. Sandy's car pulled up, the lights bright. He spun his keys around his fingers and smiled at Summer.
"Is Chris in bed?"
She shrugged. "He was playing video games. It's Saturday."
Sandy nodded. "They really are dedicated to that thing."
"Yup."
"You okay?"
"Yeah. I'm just tired."
"So why don't you go to bed?"
"Not tired enough."
"Oh, I know the feeling. Did Luke leave yet?"
"Yeah. Like, half an hour ago."
"Okay. Good night, Summer."
"Good night."
He walked into the house, and Summer looked back at his car. Black and shiny with the sun roof half open. Such a lawyer car.
"Hey." Seth walked out of the house and hopped up onto the porch rail.
"Hey. Is Chris asleep?"
"Almost. Says he isn't tired."
"He'll be out soon."
"Yeah."
"Is he still with Ryan?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Okay."
"So what are you doing out here? Alone. In the dark."
"I don't know."
"So you'd be up for a walk?"
"I should get Chris to bed first."
"Yeah, sure."
"Okay."
Summer got up and walked into the living room. Ryan and Chris were asleep on opposite ends of the couch. She bit her lip to keep in her sigh of awe and risk waking them up. Carefully, she curled Chris's arm around her neck and her arm under his knees. Ryan stirred and blinked his eyes several times.
"Is he asleep?" Ryan murmured with his hands above his eyes.
"Yeah."
"Good. You want help carrying him?"
"It's okay. Go to bed."
"Okay. Good night, Summer."
"Good night."
Summer carried Chris out of the house and shut the door with her foot. Seth came over.
"You got him?"
"Yeah."
The three of them got to the pool house without Chris waking up and Seth opened the door to the pool house for Summer to walk in. She lay Chris down on his bed and his lips twitched.
"Mommy?"
"Yeah, honey."
"What time is it?"
"It's late, honey."
"Oh. Are you going to bed?"
"Soon."
"Where are you going?"
"Just a walk."
"With your boyfriend?" Even half asleep, his lips curled at the word. Summer nodded but realized he couldn't see her.
"Yes, honey. Go back to sleep."
"Okay, Mom. Good night."
"Good night, honey."
Chris rolled over onto his side and fell immediately back to sleep. Summer kissed his neck and lightly stepped back over to Seth. He closed the door as silently as possible, placed his hands on her waist, and kissed her as gently as he closed the door.
"Hi." He licked his lips.
"Hi."
Seth took her hand and led her to the end of the driveway. Summer tucked her hair behind her ear and threaded her thumb through her back belt loop.
"So, how's high school?"
"Not all that bad. I'm in a class with thirty and forty year olds, but the stuff isn't as hard as I remember."
"It's more independent. And there aren't so many forty year old water polo players."
"This is true. But I have seen stock brokers and parents and nurses. They actually grace me with conversation sometimes."
"Yeah? About what?"
"Why I look like I could be in high school, but I'm in classes with them."
"Oh. What do you say?"
Seth shrugged. "That I was a runaway. Then they get all 'aw' and start thinking about their kids home alone with the babysitter. I can tell."
"Runaway."
"Yeah."
"So what do you want to do? Like, after you get out? College?"
"Yeah, I guess. If I can."
"Of course you can. You can do it like you're supposed to. Finish high school, get your diploma, go to college, meet some coed in a wet tee shirt contest, get married, have a kid, and see your high school sweetheart at the reunion."
"I don't think I can really do it like that."
"Why not?"
"Because I missed those years. How many college coeds want to marry a thirty year old?"
"You'd be surprised."
"Really? Now I'm interested."
She used her hand that wasn't intertwined with his to whack his arm.
"What?"
"You were supposed to say 'it won't happen like that because my high school sweetheart is the best person and I couldn't bear leaving her forever.'"
"That too."
"You're such a dick."
"I'm sorry."
"I'll forgive you. So, really. College? You have one in mind?"
"Where did Marissa go?"
"Um, something in Boston. Don't remember. Nothing famous."
"Fashion design major?"
"Yeah, I think."
"So, she did it like you're supposed to."
"I guess. Yeah, she did. Who would've thought, right? She's the only normal one. And Brendan's a total sweetie."
"Where'd she meet him?"
"New Year's party. She went with one of his co workers and he was in his office doing work. That's Brendan. Dedicated, efficient, not one to waste a night of work because the ball was dropping."
"Is he really that boring?"
"I don't know. He's nice and he seems to really like Riss, so I don't really care."
Seth grinned and ducked his head.
"What?"
"Nothing. It's cute."
"What?"
"Riss?"
"Well she's not a Cooper anymore. Wow. Coop. That was in high school."
"What's Brendan's last name?"
"Harren. Riss is better than Hair."
"That's true."
"Mm-hmm."
They walked another few minutes, feeling familiarly comfortable in silence.
"Hey, um, I might not be really good at this, but...do you want to go out tomorrow?" Seth turned his head to look at her.
"What, like a date?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah, okay."
"Okay." Seth said, remarking on how easier that was than he thought it was going to be. He had thought he should take her out since he saw her kiss Chris; it had taken half an hour to actually come out.
Summer walked closer to him, her side against his, and leaned her head down on his shoulder. She let out her breath and he could tell she was exhausted.
"Hi." He wrapped his arm tighter around her waist and she smiled.
"Hi."
"We should probably go back."
"Uh, yeah, if you want to."
That was Summer. She wasn't going to change. One of the only people Seth knew that actually didn't want to ruin the moment.
"Yeah, I'm supposed to get up early tomorrow."
"Okay."
By the time they got back to the house, Summer was basically asleep. Her eyes fluttered a dozen times and her head was even heavier on his shoulder. Seth got her to the pool house without collapsing, but as soon as she hit her mattress, her eyes fluttered shut. Seth bent down on his knees and brushed the hair out of her face.
This had to be weird. It had all the factors. All the people he was living with had their inside jokes and experiences that he hadn't been around for; new relationships had formed; personalities had changed. But Seth didn't notice it as long as he didn't think about it. When he did think about it, he got that pain in his chest because he realized all the things he had missed. Pregnant Summer, babies crying and saying their first words, Ryan abandoned by another potential love of his life. But what was even sadder was the little things. The mornings when everyone slept in, the dinner conversations, the Chrismukkah shopping. And no matter how long he stayed or how close he got with all of them, he would miss them. Seeing the transitions to who they were now. And the stories he had to tell probably were nothing compared to theirs.
"Good night, Seth." Summer rolled over, still asleep. Seth smiled and kissed her shoulder.
"Good night, Summer."
Okay, so this rambled on a little bit but I hope to get the next chapter up much faster than this one. Less filler, I promise. Thanks for listening and please leave a review. Peace and love...