A/N: Sorry for the long wait, I was real busy this week at school with choosing a play for my school…I am a Senior and my school is a small and Christian private school so Seniors in the Drama class get to choose the play, and I am one of three "divas" (meaning Senior, because no Senior guys are in Drama) so I have a lot of say. We picked The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. I am going to play "Lucy" the little girl who discovers Narnia. Anyway, I found a little extra time on my Labor Day break so here it is people….p.s. I need reviews. Thanks to those who did.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my converse all stars.

Shout Outs: TeacherTam: I was "made fun of" in middle school as well so I wrote 'Seth' based on what I reread in my diaries from 5th-7th grade. Anyway, I know what you mean no words really seem to describe what kids can do to other kids at that age, I am 18 now and some things still haunt me to this day. I am sorry you had to go through that too, I know how bad that can hurt I hope I wrote 'Seth' and his feelings accurately…I really tried to connect with those "ridiculed" feelings.

KC-Chick: Thank you for your wonderful reviews I really feel proud when I read them; the fact that you like my writing and the way you express your liking of it, makes my day…it really does.  Keep reviewing…every time I get an email of Review Alert: KC-Chick I get truly excited. Thank you.

Sis2ACesarSalad: Thanks for reviewing, yeah I will eventually make it RM but you're right it will be a while but you wouldn't want them pushed together too soon….right? Appreciate the awesome reviews.

I-Believe-In-The-Butterflies: A Tea Party sounds nice lol. You Rock too! And the part with 'Seth', I'm glad you found it in character means a lot I was worried about that.

And to all other reviews I really do appreciate each and every one…but I need time to write so I had to stop here. Thank you so much and enjoy!

Rough Edges

Ryan walked behind his mother into the house; never could it be called a home-a home entailed love, hope, joy, laughter, and none of that was produced here. Dawn threw her coat onto the sofa revealing that she hadn't even bothered to dress out of her night gown-why inconvenience yourself with clothes when you knew you'd be drunk all day. Ryan sighed when he saw AJ on the sofa with a glass of whiskey.

"Don't you have a family, or a trailer to go home to?" Ryan quipped.

"What did you say to me?" AJ stood, chest out, puffing hard against Ryan.

"You heard me you lazy ass, all you do is rob my mom and me of the cash we make for your beer belly."

AJ snorted with laughter, "you sure you want to start this boy?"

"I'm not a boy, I'm more of a man than you are, ever will be."

AJ punched stiffly into Ryan's soft boyish face, causing him to fall back over the arm of the sofa, "bitch."

Ryan grabbed at his face as he stood, "you're ganna let him do that to me ma'?"

"Why the hell not you deserved it," she yelled from the kitchen.

"Hit me boy, go on you know you want to, won't hurt me. Little pussy you couldn't hurt me if you tried," AJ threatened.

"Yeah," Ryan stood straight up looking him in the eye before crashing his fist into AJ's misplaced teeth.

Dawn ran over, barefoot, and pushed Ryan into the screen door, "you get out of here, you're not worth nothin'; you get out before I call the cops."

Ryan nodded and held the tears inside; he'd been holding tears in since he was a toddler. If he lost a toy-he held it in. If he broke a bone-he held it in. When he first got his heart broken-he held it in. When a girl left him-he held it in. When his dad died-he held it in. When found out his brother would be in jail for a long time-he held it in. When Sandy left-he held it in. His emotions never escaped him, not once, he'd been able to be wooden faced for so long that soon people thought he had no heart at all, at least not a warm one.

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Sandy sat his briefcase down on the granite countertop in his kitchen, still seeing Ryan's face as the car speed off into a certain hell. Soft arms spread across his back and finally resting on his waist, he turned and kissed Kirsten on the lips-yet he lacked the usual love in this one.

Kirsten noticed, "What's wrong Sandy?"

He sighed and moved away from her, "This kid I saw today. He broke my heart. When he was talking…I saw Seth, I saw Seth in real pain."

Seth stepped into the kitchen, his eyes slightly pink from the burning tears, "You saw me what?"

Sandy smiled widely and took his son into his arms, "Seth, you are worth something, you know that don't you?"

"Who are you and what have you done with my father?" Seth backed out of the hug and grabbed a pudding from the fridge.

Kirsten laughed, "Pudding it's almost dinner time?"

"Exactly," he stated as he walked back up to his room.

Sandy sat down on the stool closest to his wife, "I can't let this boy die away Kirsten."

"What boy?"

"Ryan, a new client, well no longer a client, he's out now."

"Don't worry Sandy, I'm sure he is just fine," she planted kisses on his lips then onto his neck, lovingly patting his back before standing and returning to her earlier, failed, task of making dinner.

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He slammed the phone down and rested his forehead on the receiver.

'Shit, who am I ganna call now? Jorge wasn't home, Arturo doesn't have room, Lakan was evicted, and Scott never has that guest room free.'

His hand fumbled inside his jacket pocket finally resting on cardboard, Ryan pulled it out reading the inscription carefully, "Sandy Cohen." The number crawled into his mind as he debated whether or not to call.

"Hello?"

"Hello?" Someone on the other end echoed.

"Yes, is Sandy Cohen there?"

"This is he."

"Sandy, this is Ryan Atwood; I was wondering if you had a place I could stay…I mean you said I could call…,"

"Of course, where are you?"

"Corner of Spade and Garden Avenue,"

"I'll be right there; you stay there and wait for me okay?"

"Thank you," Ryan delicately whispered.

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Her hands fell into the velvety pockets of her coat; maybe if she just acted sick she wouldn't have to explain the dark circles or the fixed tears that washed over her once beautiful face. She stopped short of the last stair and grabbed her stomach; jagged, and excruciating pain over came her, and she stumbled down to the floor crying out for anyone who could hear her feeble screams.

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Marissa walked her usual course over to Summer's house; it was Sunday and "The Valley" marathon was going to be on soon. Though the health was drained out of her, she knew seeing her best friend sing along to "The Valley" theme song would bring a smile to her face.

Summer's window was directly in her view; she saw that the drapes were pulled so tightly they looked transparent. The house looked abandoned from her distance. She walked faster and began to run when she heard terrible screams from the house.

Marissa pushed on the halfway opened door to see Summer on the ground clutching her stomach; surrounded in blood.

"Oh my God Sum!"

Summer tried but no words escaped her; she simply pulled Marissa closer and cried tenderly.

Soon all sound and sight left Summer, disappearing into the unknown, all she saw was utter darkness and all she heard were the ruffling of the sheets she was raped upon, and all her movements were shallow and unmotivated. No feeling of loneliness as there had been before, no rough hands crawled over hers, and no tears stained her cheeks; she was entirely numb to life…and she liked it that way.

Not my best work but you be the judge...and be honest, I like honesty especially when it comes to my writing. I promise I will tryto make the next updatelonger. Okay now click your little friend :-)