Chapter 3

Marissa was not the only one who Summer had left thinking today. Seth still couldn't concentrate on his work, and if he was honest, he didn't want to. Through his glass door, he saw Summer entering the office, obviously just coming back from her lunch break with Marissa.
That was it! After a short moment of being proud of himself, Seth dialed Marissa's number. She had to know what was bothering her best friend, right?
After three ringings, the receiver was picked up. "Welcome to 'The Coop', fashion for everyone, you're speaking to Madison Baker," Madison sung into the receiver, trying to sound extra-friendly.
Seth couldn't help but smile at how exaggerated Madison sounded on the phone every time.
"Yeah, Seth Cohen speaking here," he started, "I was wondering if you also had Spiderman costumes in your product line. There's a lot of rain predicted and I don't want to get wet." Seth grinned to himself, again proud of the fabulous joke he just had made.
"Well, I guess you'd have to come by and see if we have anything that suits you… usually we don't have clothes for bean-poles, you know?"
Seth laughed. "No matter how hard you try, my dear, you're never gonna be as funny as I am. Hey, why I'm calling… is Marissa there?"
Madison hesitated. "Yeah, but she's very busy… what do you want from her? I mean, can't I help you?", she asked.
"I guess not. I want to talk about Summer.", Seth explained.
"Summer." Madison sounded mad. "Why, do you have a flashback to Junior High, does she start to ignore you again?", she snapped.
Seth lost his patience. It was always the same with Madison, she was jealous like hell, and when it came to Summer, it would have been the best for Seth not to mention her name at all in his girlfriend's presence.
"Oh, don't start that again, Maddy. Summer's one of my best friends, and I got the impression that she needs me, that's all."
"Fine. Don't forget, dinner at seven today."
With a pang, the receiver landed on the counter. Seth shook his head. He couldn't understand Madison's behavior. But on the other hand, she was a woman, so maybe that was the explanation.

After a few moments Marissa picked up. "Seth?", she asked. "What's up?"
"I don't know, you tell me," Seth answered. "Did you have lunch with Summer today?"
"Yeah, I did, why?"
"Did you notice anything strange on her? Or did she tell you what was going on?"
Marissa left the store where she had picked up the phone and went into her office, so Madison couldn't hear what was about to follow. "You mean her lip? She told me it was an accident, but I don't really believe her."
"So she made up an excuse. She did the same to me, and I bet to all the others here in the office as well."
Marissa frowned. "Do you think Eric…. I mean, do you think he hurt her?", she asked carefully.
"Yeah, it's the only possibility. No one has such a stupid accident, falling over and bruising his lip like that."
"Exactly what I thought," Marissa answered, "Only… did she tell you she fell? Because she told me she had bit herself at breakfast… but before I could react, she just cut me off and practically drove me out to lunch."
Seth shifted in his seat. "I'm quite worried about her, if she even didn't tell you what was going on.", he said, his mind working.
"Oh yeah, well… she told me something." Marissa hesitated. "And maybe everything's better than it seems, and her situation's just a little too much for her." Marissa didn't know if she should tell Seth about Summer's pregnancy, since she made her swear she wouldn't tell anyone.
"And are you going to tell me or should I just sit here and guess until I find out?", Seth said.
Marissa hesitated. "Look, she told me not to tell anyone until she was ready. So just give her some time and you'll find out. But if that's any comfort for you, I'm going out with
her on Sunday night, so maybe she'll tell me a little more about what's bothering her, ok?"
Seth felt anger rising. "This is so not ok! Why can't you just tell me? I'm worried about her, she's my best friend, and I want her to be happy!" he shouted, making the people passing by in front of his office look at him. He waved at them and smiled. "I'm sorry, I'm totally obsessed by 'The Valley', and I just found out that Carol cheated on John, so that's kind of a letdown."
Marissa frowned. "Seth, what are you doing over there?" she asked, confused.
"Making those comic book geeks minding their own business." He answered. "So you are not gonna tell me?"
Marissa was uncomfortable. "I'm gonna call you on Sunday, when we are home, and I'll tell you if there's anything that should be bothering us, ok?"
Seth nodded. Realizing that Marissa couldn't see him, he gave his ok and hung up. If nobody wanted to tell him now, all he could do was wait.

Wouldn't he be leaving at all tonight? It was seven thirty, and usually Eric went out at seven, and returned shortly after midnight. Summer was nervous. Eric mustn't find out that Marissa was coming over, let alone that she was going to go out. She stood in the kitchen, washing the dishes, and glanced over to Eric, sitting on the couch in the living room, where he was watching some old cowboy movie, having his sixth or seventh beer tonight.

Seven thirty-two. She had to get him out of the house, and if that didn't work, she had to make up some silly excuse to Marissa why she couldn't be going tonight. She looked down on her belly, which slightly started to become rounder every day. And she had to tell Eric about this. How could she have allowed that her life had become such a mess?

Finally, Eric stood up from the couch and came into the kitchen. Summer stared at him, waiting for him to say something. He had the prettiest blue eyes she had ever seen. They were one of the reasons that made her do the terrible mistake of cheating on Seth years ago. Eric had been kind, sweet, and such a gentleman. Not even the strongest woman on the planet would have been able to resist him. He didn't hurt her all the time. It started when he lost his job as a journalist, something he had loved and been all passionate about. He had to get another job, and since he was working at the gas station, he seemed all changed and unhappy with his life. Worst of all, he let the frustration he had out on Summer. And now, if something didn't go the way he wanted, he became violent, because that gave him control about things.

"I'm off now," he said, putting his empty beer bottle beside her. "And I need more of these."
Summer nodded. What had happened to Eric? She had never seen a man more change in such a short time. He was threatening to kill her if she ever told somebody that he became violent sometimes. So she kept her mouth shut, partly because she hoped that some day, Eric might change and become his old self again.

When she heard the door closing, she quickly washed up the rest of the dishes and went into the bedroom to change. Her lip had lost its evidence, so just a little bit of powder might be able to hide it today.
She put on a nice blue dress, made her hair hang loose down her slim shoulders and put on a little touch of make-up. Just when she was finished, Marissa blowed her horn, to show her she was there. Summer smiled at herself in the mirror. "This is who I am", she said happily. Grabbing her purse, she left the house as fast as she could.

Just a few seconds later, Summer hopped into Marissa's car. "Hey, Coop! So where are we going?"
Marissa smiled. "I don't know, some place nice, where we can talk. Like, 'The Seven Eleven'?" she suggested.
"Sounds good to me", Summer agreed, and before she could put on her safety belt, the two girls were off in a night of girl fun and talk.

Chapter 4

Summer hadn't felt that good in a very long time. The two friends started their evening in their favorite bar for some coffee and non-alcoholic cocktails. After that, they went to the "Hot Tub", the club that was put into the old property of the "Bait Shop", which had to close down a few years ago. After a new owner had bought the property and had given it a new face, the club was the hippest scene in whole Newport Beach – without being too Newpsie-style.

Marissa and Summer talked about everything, and most of the time, they laughed even louder than the music was.
Suddenly, Summer saw Seth and Madison enter the club and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Marissa noticed that and grinned.
"Hey, you are nervous when you see Seth enter the room! Do you have, like, a crush on him?", she asked, sounding very teasing.
Summer rolled her eyes. "What, Coop? Oh my God, why are you saying a thing like that?", she said, blushing and punching her slightly in her arm. Marissa had no idea how much she still loved Seth. How much she had always loved him.
Marissa started to tease her friend even more, like she once had on the yacht party when they were sixteen. "You like him, you like him… you love him!" she sang, very content with herself at the moment.
Summer put a hand over Marissa's mouth. "Coop, would you please shut up? Everyone can hear you, and you know how much I hate public confessions!"
Marissa couldn't stop grinning. But at least she had stopped singing songs about puppy love. "Would you like me to climb on a coffee cart and shout it out loud that you love him? I mean, that's what he did twice, so I guess you don't mind if I try,", she giggled.
Summer looked quite embarrassed, and hoped Marissa wouldn't see what a deep red her face had become. She figured that it was better not to answer Marissa, because then she would eventually become quiet again. Well, at least Seth and Madison had gone to another corner of the club, where they couldn't see them.
Finally, Marissa became serious again. "Hey Sum, but honestly, are you in love with him?"
Summer looked on the floor, around her, and did everything to avoid to look at Marissa.
"Maybe," she answered, her gaze still searching for something she didn't quite know yet.

Marissa's eyes widened twice their normal size. "You aren't!", she shouted, realizing that she had been too loud again. "I mean, I was just kidding before!"
Summer shrugged. "I wasn't," she answered, finally meeting Marissa's gaze.
Marissa did her best to take in what her best friend just had confessed to her. "But what about Eric? I mean, you're having his baby!" Marissa was really confused at the moment.
Summer sighed. "Oh God, Coop, do you really think I would have been together with Eric if I didn't make that stupid mistake that made Seth break up with me?"
Marissa hesitated. "Well, I don't know. But… don't you think it's a little too late for such huge confessions?"
"Yeah, of course it is! Or why do you think I'm keeping my feelings for Seth a secret?", Summer replied.
"I'm sorry, Sum," Marissa apologized. "I can imagine that this might be pretty hard for you."
Summer nodded. "It is. I'd give anything to get out of my life and go back to who I was before college." She sighed and took a sip of her iced tea.
Marissa frowned. "So, Sum, is there anything else bothering you? You seem very confused and upset these days.", she asked, trying to find out what was really bothering her friend.
Summer shook her head. She till being in love with Seth had been enough confessing in one evening. "No, Coop, I'm fine."
Quickly, she changed the topic on Ryan, which meant she'd have a little time in which she didn't have to speak at all, because once Marissa started to talk about Ryan, nothing could shut her up so soon.

Even though Marissa had been shushed by Summer, their conversation before didn't remain unheard. Madison had been on her way to the toilet when she saw Marissa and Summer sitting in two lounge chairs, deeply in a conversation.
First, Madison had decided to go over and say hi but as she heard the name Seth, she stopped and overheard the conversation. And she didn't like what she had heard. She didn't like it at all. At least her fear had been confirmed. Summer was still in love with Seth. And she was having Eric's baby? If Seth knew that?
One thing Madison knew for sure: she'd never be friendly to Summer ever again. Summer had been stupid enough to let Seth go, now she wouldn't get him back.

A few hours later, when Marissa talked about her store and how things in the fashion industry were going, Summer glanced at her watch every ten seconds. If they didn't leave now, she would be home too late. And that meant that Eric was gonna become very angry at her. She couldn't wait until Marissa was finished, so she just grabbed her at the arm and pulled her out of the chair. "Okay, Coop, let's go, I'm tired. Let's go home!"
And without Marissa being able to resist, they made their way out of the "Hot Tub", Summer pulling Marissa after her. At the exit, Marissa's gaze met Seth's, who was still sitting at a table with Madison and some of their friends.
Seth gave Marissa a look that asked if she found out anything.
Marissa slightly shook her head, and made him understand she'd call him.
Seth nodded and payed back his attention to the conversation that was going on around him.
Madison noticed that Seth and Marissa had been exchanging looks and gave Summer the madest look she could manage. She would not give Seth away.

Summer did her best to rush Marissa to bring her home without her best friend noticing. But sometimes Marissa could be really complicated to handle. So she had to stop at the gas station first, and then she had to go to a supermarket and buy some cheese sticks. Summer freaked out more and more as the minutes passed by.
When the two girls finally arrived at Summer's, it was already half past twelve. Summer didn't see any lights on in the house, so maybe Eric wouldn't be home yet, if she was lucky.
She quickly said goodbye to Marissa and sneaked into the house. She went to the living room on tiptoes and was glad to see that everything looked like it did when she had left the house. That meant Eric wasn't home yet.
Unfortunately, Summer didn't check the back door and the kitchen, in which Eric was sitting, his dark gaze follwing Summer's moves. Just when Summer slumped down on the couch, and made herself comfortable, Eric's voice sent a shiver through her and made her jump up again. "So where have we been? Did you at least bring me my beer?", he asked, his voice sounding cold.
"I-I-I wanted… b-b-but the stores were already closed.", she stuttered.
Eric's eyes narrowed. "Why don't I believe you? What reasons do you have to sneak in like this? You are always home when I'm out! So where have you been?" He came closer to her, making her shiver.
Eric stood directly in front of her, a fact that made Summer seem even smaller than she already was. It also made her feel totally helpless, like a little kid standing in front of his father, praying not to be grounded this time.
Summer couldn't answer. She felt a knot tying in her stomach, which denied her any freedom of speech. She just stared onto the ground, hoping he would calm down.
"What's that silence? What do you have to hide, huh?" Suddenly, Eric grabbed Summer's wrists and squeezed them tightly. "Do you have a boyfriend? Huh? Do you have a lover?" Impatience sounded through his voice.
Summer winced. "Eric, please, you're hurting me… don't…"
"Don't tell me what to do or not! Why should I believe you? You've always been a cheater! You even cheated on that geeky dork Cohen with me!" His hands squeezed even tighter around Summer's wrists.
She could feel how her hands became cold, and the pain in her wrists increasing any second now. Summer started to cry. "Eric, I didn't…"
"Shut up, you…" Eric didn't say it, but she knew what word was on his mind. He gave her wrists a final squeeze of incredible strenght and eventually let them go.
Summer ducked down, falling on the couch, hiding her face in her hands. Eric made his way out again, slamming the front door shut behind him.
When Summer was sure that Eric was really gone, she started to weep into the pillows, feeling like the lonliest person in the world.