Stars and Scars-
A/N: I got my inspiration for this chapter from the song Stars and Scars by Matt Pond PA. They're awesome. Anyway he's the long awaited chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for the review as always. You guys motivated me to get this part out so quickly. Please R/R. Maybe the next chapter will be upeven quicker if you do.
Summer's persistent knocking was finally stifled as Kirsten opened the door. "Hi Summer," she answered cheerfully. "How are you?"
"Ah I've been better. Is Seth home? It's really important."
"Believe it or not he's out. He said he was going down to the beach. You can wait inside if you'd like," Kirsten offered.
"Um I guess I'm going to the beach," she decided. "Thanks Kirsten... ah Mrs. Cohen," she called as she was already halfway down the driveway. She hopped into her car and sped out of sight towards the pier. When she reached her destination she hurriedly climbed out of the car running headlong into the ocean air. She looked down at her bare stomach and arms, having forgotten a shirt in her hurry to leave. Her long flowing skirt clung to her legs and her hair was whisked straight out behind her head. She folded her arms across her chest and made her way towards the beach. There were a few people lying out here and there but for the most part it was pretty deserted. Summer lifted her hand to her forehead scanning the length of the endless sand. In the distance she saw a skateboard clutched in a boy's hand. That's all the evidence she needed. She reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. After three rings the boy stopped and dug around in his pocket.
"Cohen!" Summer cried when he finally answered.
"Summer? Are you ok?" His voice was anxious and worrisome. Summer hadn't called him in... well... months. "Where are you?"
Summer began briskly walking down the beach along the waters edge towards his still form. "Turn around," she instructed.
"What?" he asked now with confusion evident.
"Just turn around," she replied forcefully.
He did as he was told and about 100 yards away was a small, lone figure making their way in his direction. "Summer?" She protruded her hand in the air to make her presence known. Seth clapped his phone shut in a state of shock and unconsciously moved his feet to meet her. "What are you doing here?" he asked as they were finally in reach of each other.
"We need to talk." Summer gestured towards the sand and they both took a seat. "You know how I told you that you have always made all the mistakes?" Seth nodded unsurely. "Well, I think I made the biggest mistake of my life when we broke up."
Seth's eyes bugged slightly. "Ummm what?"
"I'm an idiot Seth. We have spent so many months apart for... for nothing... and it's totally my fault this time... I just..." As much as she begged the tears not to form, they were already falling down her face. Seth brushed away the tears with his thumb. He put both his hands on the side of her face and brought her eyes to look into his.
"What are you talking about Summer?"
"When you came to my room af... after you kiss... kissed." Seth caressed his thumbs up and down her cheeks trying to calm her down. "Taylor I kicked you out without an explanation. And... and now I realize I was sooo stupid. What ah what was the last thing you said to me?" Summer reached up for his hands and held them in her grasp letting him know she was serious.
Seth's eyes scrunched up in thought. "I um think I was explaining how I was befriending Taylor to help you... to help you get back social chair." Summer's eyes welled up with more tears. "Hey hey, don't cry."
"No I'm sorry," she said sweeping them away. "Continue."
"After I was nice to her during the lock-in she promised she would get you and Ryan on the list since you didn't make..."
"But I did make it!" she cut him off.
Seth smiled sadly. "I know. She tried to come on to me but I refused her advances and instead told her that I could be her friend. We had talked a few times at school and she was talking about social chair stuff. I kept bragging about what you did for the kick off carnival and was wooing her with my charm." Summer whisked a small smile. "She got the wrong idea and kissed me. That's what you saw. I never ever would hurt you."
"I can't believe this..." She hung her head, pulling her hands away from his. She covered them with her face for a moment before a realization hit her. "Why didn't you come back... try to explain to me?"
"I didn't know if you would believe me. It sounds like a perfectly manicured cover. But honestly I was so hurt seeing you with Zach at the diner and then the next day and... then we just started fighting a lot and opening up even more wounds."
"I'm so sorry," she breathed. "I never meant to hurt you. I was just getting revenge... or what I thought was revenge."
"You know this is the first real conversation we've had... not holding anything back," he said changing the subject.
"It's really stupid when you think about it. We were apart for so long because of our stubbornness, because I was blinded by hatred. I would love to run into Taylor Townsend, give her a piece of my mind." Seth let loose a much needed laugh. Summer looked up into his eyes, finally smiling as well. That's when Seth touched his lips to hers and her world was swept away. Their tongues melted together as one. Seth cupped her face in his hands. Summer crept up on her knees staying attached at the lips and sat herself in his lap.
"I forgive you," Seth said finally breaking the kiss.
"Well, I don't forgive myself." Summer still looked sad and mournful. "I mean look how much time we lost? I wish we could go back."
"Well, I still haven't fully perfected my time machine," he joked. Summer slapped him across the arm. "But the past doesn't matter. The here and now is what's important." With that he put everything into his kiss. Summer sighed against his lips, wrapping her legs around his back. When they were both sufficiently out of breath Summer nestled her head into his chest, her arms securely wrapping around his chest. His immediately followed suit, caressing her bareback.
"I love you Cohen," she whispered.
"I knew it!" Seth cried out triumphantly.
Summer lifted her head from his chest. "What?"
"Nothing, nothing," he said shaking his head fervently. He silenced her with a kiss. "I love you more, especially just in a bikini." He slid his hands up her skirt along her thigh teasing her. Summer eagerly grabbed his face and violently pushed him into the sand. "Whoa, down girl," he smirked. She was on him in a second with little thought to what was around them.
Seth's cell phone started to ring, waking him of a blissful sleep. He opened his eyes and was met by a curly mass of brown hair. He breathed in deeply and smiled ever brighter. He was finally really happy again. Summer stirred in her sleep and turned around to a beaming Seth. "You gonna get that?" she asked.
"Mmm I don't really want to, but I suppose." He reached across her and lifted his cell phone from her bedside table. "Hello?"
"Hey man, where are you? It's almost dinner time. Your mom was gettin worried."
"Well dude I just had the best sex of my life."
"Cohen!" She punched him.
"Summer?" Ryan asked on the other end as if he was now suddenly talking to her.
"That's right. She finally caved," Seth said, his ego growing bigger until Summer shot it down.
"And I can just as easily take it back." She tried to stand up but Seth grabbed her arm and pulled her back down onto the bed. "Ahhh Cohen!" she giggled as he kissed her neck.
"Umm I'm still here," Ryan said rather annoyed.
"Oh right. Is Marissa staying for dinner?"
"Yeah she's here now."
"Oh great. You want to come to my house for dinner?" he asked Summer.
"Sure. I'd love to see the look on Coop's face when we come walkin in together."
"Great."
"Alright well be here in a little while," Ryan said. "See ya." And he hung up.
"What are you doing telling Ryan about our sex life?" she said cuddling up to him again.
He puffed air in disbelief. "Oh please! As if you don't tell Marissa."
"Mmm true, you have a point. But we gotta get dressed."
"Not without a quickie," Seth pleaded.
"Hey it's not my house, I don't have to go at all," she said getting up.
"Great!" he beamed. "Then we'll both stay here."
"Nah uh. Get up."
He pouted. "Ok we'll compromise. Just a kiss."
"I can do that," she said leaning into his lips but he pulled her on top of him trying to deepen it but she wouldn't stand for it. "That is not just a kiss Cohen. Liar."
"What are you talking about? That was just a kiss." He grinned.
"Ugh get up." She stood up and dragged him off her bed.
"So you and Seth are finally back together? It sure took long enough," Marissa said smiling. "I told you it was gonna happen Sum."
"Yeah, well," Summer said searching for a comeback, "whatever."
Kirsten entered the pool house. "Hey dinners on the table."
"Great what kind of wacky dish did you prepare this time?"
"Hey come on, Seth, give it a chance," she asked pleadingly. "I'm doing my best."
"I happened to love your... your umm... meal last night."
"Thank you Ryan," she said proudly before exiting into the kitchen.
"You're such a suck up," Seth whined.
Ryan shrugged. "Well one of us has to be the nice one, and it's obviously not you."
"Ya know it's funny," Marissa chimed in. "You were always the one to get into fist fights and you're calling yourself the nice one."
"The girls got a point," Seth said proudly.
"I never started any of those fights."
Summer added her two cents. "Hmm Luke, Oliver, Volcheck... sure Atwood whatever you say."
"This girl's got even more of a point," Seth said wrapping his arm around Summer's shoulder.
"Instigators are what they were."
Summer noticed Seth's grin. "What's with you?"
"I missed this," he said affectionately.
"Me too. Instead of you two picking on each other, we got Ryan to pick on," Marissa said before getting a look from Ryan.
"Yeah, I'm gonna get you for that one." He dove to tickle her but she got away and dashed out of the pool house. Ryan was quick on her heals.
"Well Summer, looks like the fantastic four is once again fantastic."
Seth and Summer had meandered their way to the beach for the second time that day. They felt they owed it a final thank you. The sun had set a while ago. The sky was dark and illuminated by the painted on stars and moon; at least that's how it looked. The moon reflected off the waters edge, making it appear magical and oh so beautiful. Seth's hand found Summer's, their fingers interlocking immediately, finally for good. The stars had finally aligned for them. Without having to speak they had both decided to sit in the sand. Summer lied back while Seth stared out into the infinite ocean waves.
"You know what I don't understand?" Summer asked softly.
"What's that?" Seth asked leaning back in the sand beside her.
"Constellations. It's like God personally arranged the stars to make the Big Dipper or... umm... whatever all the other ones are."
Seth smiled and turned his head towards hers, placing a kiss on her cheek. "It is quite the mystery. Ya know I was looking at classes for next semester..." He noticed her raised eyebrows and caught her drift. "I know it's early but I was bored... but anyway, I was thinking of taking astronomy. You get to lay out at night and examine the stars and stuff. It seems pretty cool. You should do it with me. Then you'd learn about more than just the Big Dipper."
"Hey I know more than the Big Dipper. I know the Little Dipper too. Look I can even point it out." She reached her hand into the sky in an attempt to point out a small cluster of stars in the vast, open atmosphere.
"Ahh yeah, I don't think that's it. I think that's the Big Dipper."
"Must you always correct me?" she whined.
"My lips are sealed." He pretended to zip them shut and tossed the fake key behind him.
"You can't keep your lips sealed for one minute."
"Mmm ehh nnn," he mumbled through persed lips.
"That was close enough to talking, but I don't think you can keep your lips shut. Especially if I do this." Summer sat up and rolled herself onto his body. He immediately clutched her sides. She bent down to his lips but true to his word he wouldn't budge his lips apart. Summer stuck her tongue out and tried jamming it into his mouth but he pressed down tighter on his lips. "Oh so now you opt to keep your word. We'll just see about that." And with that she started tickling him. His mouth opened the slightest and she attacked him, springing her tongue upon his. "I knew you'd cave."
"When you play dirty, yeah. I didn't have much of a choice. Not like I didn't enjoy you licking my lips though."
"You're such a goof Cohen."
He brushed her hair behind her ears. "I know. But that's why you love me."
Summer laid her head onto his chest, relishing in his beating heart. She sighed. "I know. It scares me." After a few minutes of lulling into dreamland Summer broke the silence. "I don't want to go back to school. I want to stay right here."
"Here in Newport?"
"No, here... right here." She lifted her head and placed her chin on his chest, searching his eyes as he tilted his head up to meet her gaze.
"Well you know I'm going back to school with you right?"
She grinned. "I know that. I just like it here. No interruptions, no worries, no getting caught up in the future, just being here, in the moment."
He reached out to stroke her cheek. "Don't worry about anything. I'll be here whenever you need me."
"Thanks," she replied meekly.
"Hey Coop," Summer said into her cell phone.
"Hey what time do you wanna go shopping?"
"In an hour?"
"Yeah sure that works."
"I got the boys to join us."
"How'd you manage that?" Marissa asked incredulously.
"Well, Cohen can't leave my side for a second and I guess he convinced Ryan too."
"Oh alright, works for me."
After an hour of trudging around South Coast, Seth was dragging. "Why did we decide to come again?" he asked Ryan.
"We? Hey you forced me into this."
"Please, like you had anything better to do." He shrugged. It was true.
"Summer... sweetheart... how much longer is this gonna be?"
"Hey, you're the one that wanted to come," she said browsing through a rack of clothes. Seth just sighed, defeated.
"I'm gonna go find Marissa," Ryan said patting Seth on the back, a little too forcefully.
"Hey hey watch it." Seth stared at Summer for a few minutes before he was completely and utterly bored out of his mind. "I'm going to go browse through the polos over here."
"Ok," she answered distractedly.
Seth walked across the store to the men's section. There wasn't a single man shopping, but on the other side, now that was a different story. He couldn't understand what was so fascinating about shopping. Maybe he would hire Summer as his personal shopper and make sure he never again agreed to make such a trip with the girls. His mind was wandering and before he knew it he walked head first into a women. A young lady actually. And on second thought the last person he hoped to ever see again. If it was Summer instead of himself standing before her, severe words, if not something else, would be flying through the air.
Good? Yes, no, maybe? Let me know...