Title: The Consequences
Author: In Fair Verona
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Seth and Summer engender a 'rumor' which travels around Newport and learn the consequences of their actions when the unexpected happens.
Shipper: Seth x Summer
Disclaimer: It is all property of FOX, every last bit of it. I don't own anything in this story or related to it.
A/N: Okay, well, um, the R/M chapter sucked. But hey, we can't win them all. No, I don't ship R/M. But I guess eventually I was fed up with them just being there. I don't like background characters. Holly and Anna, at least they have some role in the plot. Ryan and Marissa are just THERE. It's annoying. Ryan's allright, but dang Marissa is a snore. Whine whine whine, my life sucks. Summer's parents are divorced but you don't see her as a wreck. Oh well, I guess that's me being biast. Back to the S/S. I whooped this chapter up in 2 days, baby! Go me!
-
Summer twirled a strand of dark hair around her slender pinky, a inward groan rising up in her throat as she rolled her eyes for possibly the millionth time in that class period. Maybe Marissa and Ryan had yet to realize they were learning about the French Revolution, not French kissing. The two were sitting right beside her in the back of class, macking on each other as if they were Rose and Jack and the Titanic was about to sink. It was sweet at first, Summer liked seeing her best friend happy, and she also liked the fact that Marissa had found other things to do than shove baby apparel catalogues at her. But you gotta pause for air eventually, right? Right?
The door popped open, and the walking bad hair day pranced into the room, an apprehensive expression plastered across her face. Anna Stern plopped into a desk infront of Summer, turning around a flashing the other girl a cursory smirk before turning around again. Summer blinked. That was an awful long bathroom break Anna just took. Summer wrinkled her nose in disgust. She didn't want to know what happened in there, but what worried her was how unusually perky Anna seemed. Just then, the morning announcements, which always came on at the end of first period, began.
"Hello Harbor hotties and... the rest of you!" The sugary and familiar voice boomed through the speakers. Summer furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Marissa.
"Since when did Holly join the A.V. club?" Summer mouthed. Marissa shrugged her shoulders, her only real response was tightening her grip on Ryan's hand.
"Now, here's your helpful advice of the day from yours truly! Ackhmm. Secrets, secrets are no fun! They should be shared with everyone! That means you, Summer Roberts!" This message was followed by a giggle, the clicking of a button, and a staticy perception as an obviously recorded message began to play...
"Seth... Oh God... Seth, Seth, Seth!"
"Oh my-" Summer's jaw dropped as many of the students in her class turned to look at her with scrutiny. Summer stood up in her desk, knocking over ruled paper and her text book, but she didn't care. She didn't care about her whiny teacher's yelling either as she stormed out of the class, hearing her peers' haunting snickers following in her wake. Summer felt her eyes growing wet. She'd never been humiliated like that before. What type of sick person would do something like that? Obviously Holly. Summer wiped her eyes quickly as she turned in the hallway, picking up her pace, and thundering down the halls in her heels. She just needed to get away. She couldn't take any of the crap that Holly was going to pull. She had a baby now, the last thing she needed now was to be laughed at by her entire class. Her popularity was the only thing she had. She didn't have a real family, she only had one real friend, and she didn't even want to get started on love. Summer rushed down the corridors like a wild-fire, ready to impale Holly once she found her.
-
Holly pushed the "stop" button on the recorder, turning around and winking at the little AV geek who was busy zipping up his pants. Nerds. Men. They're all so easy. If only Luke were that easy. Well he was, but not anymore. Holly rolled her eyes. She'd make Luke come around. Right now, she had business to take care of. Operation Summer was not over with yet.
-
Seth Cohen had run out of his classroom as soon as the soccer team began to leer at him, muttering inquiries about why Summer wouldn't put out for them and yet gave Seth the time of day. His teacher seemed too miffed and disturbed to stop him. Taking a deep breath, Seth turned the hallway, only to come smack dab into... Summer. Well, what did he expect? For her to just sit and take humiliation? No way. But oh... she had been crying.
"Summer?" Seth questioned, putting a hand on her shoulder. Summer shrugged him off, turning away. Just the person she wanted to run into. Not.
"Yeah, it's me, Seth." She muttered, wiping her red and puffy eyes. Why did Seth always see her when she looked her worst? Not that she gave a damn what he thought about her appearance. Not that he really gave a damn about that either.
"I take it you heard the um..."
"Yeah." Summer nodded, slipping her hand into the back pocket of her jeans. "And you can be sure that when I find Holly, I am going to rip out all of that fake bleached hair and I am going to squish her like a-"
"Summer! Summer!" Seth interrupted her. Right. That last bit... eh, a bit disturbing. Another rage blackout on the rise.
"Oh god. Now they all know that I..." Summer walked over to a wall, facing it so she didn't have to look at Seth. "That I slept with you. I'll never hear the end of it."
"Is that really a bad thing?" Seth questioned, twiddling his thumbs together. Summer turned around, shooting him a death glare. "Right, I guess it's not exactly promoting you on the popularity chart."
"Popularity chart?" Summer questioned, arching an eyebrow.
"Yeah, you know... you and Marissa are at the top, followed by the people who follow you, and the people who follow them, until we get to the very bottom, which is just... me." Summer stiffled a chuckle.
"There isn't a popularity chart." Summer muttered.
"No? Wow. So how is it possible to keep up with all that 'who's hot, who's not' jazz?"
"I don't know. I guess by whether or not you're wearing Hollister merchandise or... vintage novelty t-shirts." She told him. Seth glanced down at his top, advertising an Italian pizza place.
"I think it'd be easier to just accept everyone." Seth told her. Summer simply shrugged.
"But it's a lot harder than it sounds." She added softly. "When you don't have anyone, or anything to hold onto... the thought that many people you don't even know worship you, that's enough. Popularity's just fine with me."
"But it'll never be as good as the real thing."
"The real thing?" Summer scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the wall she had previously been facing.
"Someone you do know. Someone who knows you a lot better than anyone in the 'A-Crowd'. Someone who worships you, likes you for who you are, and appreciates you, and understands you. Someone like... gee, I don't know... someone like me." Seth shrugged.
"Stop flattering yourself." Summer muttered. But the soft grin that inkled its way onto her face was undeniable. It made Seth smile as well.
"Summer, you said you didn't have a family. But you will." Seth told her as he approached her. Summer looked up at him, shaking her head.
"You're so cheesy, Cohen."
"I know. I know." Seth nodded, reaching out and pulling her into a hug. Summer didn't object. What she needed in times like these was to be held in somebody's arms. Somebody to make her forget the pain. Somebody like, well, somebody just like Seth Cohen.
-
"Seth, you really don't have to do this." Summer told him as they approached his front door. "I mean, I'm fine with going into hiding for 9 months on my own. It's not like I'll be able to go back to school."
"Stop saying that." Seth admonished, ringing his own doorbell. "Look, you said you dad was gone and your step-mother's drugged up. I'm not letting you stay in that big house all alone, pregnant with my child. I wouldn't let you stay in that house alone if you were pregnant with anybody else's child either. We're talking to my parents, we're going to tell them, and you're going to stay here." Seth told her in a quick breath.
"Do you actually think they'd let me stay? I deflowered their only son!"
"Deflowered... I think I'd prefer 'robbed me of my innocence'."
"Shut up!" Summer whined. Seth chuckled, putting his hand on her shoulder which instantly calmed her down.
"Don't worry. They adopted Ryan. Of course they'll let you stay. It'll be one big pajama party."
"Joy." Summer muttered. Just as she did so, the door opened, revealing Sandy Cohen with a mop of wet black hair and dripping wet surfing shorts.
"Hey, Seth. Hey... Summer?" Summer nodded in response. "Where's Ryan?"
"Like, still macking on Marissa back at school." Summer commented. Sandy blinked.
"I'm sorry, macking?" He questioned.
"What you and mom do after you get into a fight." Seth explained. Sandy's mouthed formed a little 'o'. Seth turned to Summer. "It's frightening."
"So are Ryan and Marissa." She added.
"Well, you kiddos get inside." Sandy told them, holding open the door. "So Seth, what happened to your house key?"
"I have it."
"Why'd you ring the doorbell?"
"To be formal."
"Uh-huh." Sandy nodded, making his way towards the kitchen.
"Um, dad, before you go looking for your kosher meal, just halt for a minute." Seth asked nervously. "Um, I'm going to borrow your authority for a minute to call a family meeting."
"A family meeting?" Sandy questioned, furrowing his brows and looking at Summer with perplexity. Seth followed his gaze to Summer and nodded.
"A family meeting." He repeated.
-
Kirsten and Sandy Cohen stared at the two teenagers infront of them in disbelief. Seth had just finished telling them the 'big news' and he was eagerly awaiting for them to hurry up and inflict pain upon him and get it over with already.
"I um... but you two aren't even going out..." Kirsten trailed off.
"We know." Seth and Summer replied in unision.
"This is all my fault. I encouraged you way too much." Sandy muttered, putting his head in your hands.
"It isn't your fault, Dad." Seth told him.
"He encouraged you?" Summer whispered to Seth, with a frightened expression on her face.
"We were drunk." Seth told his parents, "Neither of us really knew what was going on until it was too late." That was a lie. Seth knew exactly what was going on. It was kind of hard not to, him being Seth and her being Summer.
"You've expressed the fact that you were drunk several times already." Kirsten told her son with a dark glare. "And I'm extremely disappointed at that reckless behavior."
"Ms. Cohen, it's Newport, we're teenagers, it's hard to find a party without a keg in it."
"But Seth didn't have to participate in that derrogative behavior. Look where it's gotten you, Seth!"
"I know, mom. I know." Seth nodded.
"Who's party were you at?" Kirsten inquired.
"Holly's." Summer shrugged.
"Neither of you go back there ever again."
"That won't be a problem." Summer mumbled.
"I just... Seth, how can you be so calm?" Kirsten asked him. But they all knew the answer to that. He was Seth. She was Summer. Inside, he was giddy and dancing, tap dancing, in fact. The sad fact was that the pregnancy didn't hold as many regrets as any other teen pregnancy would. Seth and Summer were priviledged to live in an expensive wealthy neighborhood. Money wasn't a problem, and with money, schooling wasn't a problem. Housing definetly wasn't a problem.
"Summer, you know that we will do everything in our power to help you and make this easier on you." Sandy said gently.
"T-thanks, Mr. Cohen." Summer nodded. Sandy turned to Seth, narrowing his gaze.
"Summer, there's some food in the fridge, why don't you go help yourself? Kirsten and I need to talk to our son and discuss his punishment."
"Uh. Allright." Summer stood up, and as she left her hand brushed against Seth's shoulder. Seth looked up at Summer, who gave him a short smile before leaving. Seth turned back to his parents. They could inflict any punishment upon him, and he'd still be a happy man.
"Seth Cohen, do you reailze how serious this is?" Kirsten asked, staring gravely at her son.
"I do, mom. I really do." He nodded earnestly.
"Seth, we're happy that you're happy, but... " Kirsten dropped her head down, as if speaking to the carpet. "Most teenagers your age would not be happy."
"I'm not most teenagers." Seth pointed out.
"Honey, I just think you're taking this far too lightly."
"Lightly? Mom, if I took this lightly, I wouldn't be here, asking you to let Summer stay here so I can take care of her and the baby."
"I know, and we will definetly let her stay, it's just that..."
"What your mother is trying to say is that what you did, by the Torah, is wrong. Immoral." Sandy explained.
"Well, that... that's too bad for the Torah."
"Religion aside, as parents we never gave you permission to go around sleeping with people." Kirsten told him. "Either way, you've broken serious rules, and betrayed our trust."
"Sleeping with people? Mom, it was just Summer, only Summer!" Seth reasoned. "Look, you know what, I'm not going to fight it. I get that you're mad. Punish me. Go ahead." Seth shrugged, giving up.
"Apparently even if we do punish you, you won't have learned anything from it. That's the point of a punishment, Seth. It wouldn't matter to you if we grounded you." Kirsten pointed out.
"But in any case, until we find a real punishment that's worthy of you, Seth, you're grounded until further notice. No going out. No phone. No video games."
"I guess that's allright. Aside from the video game part." Seth shrugged.
"You're dismissed, Seth." Sandy told him. Seth nodded, standing up and leaving the room. Sandy turned to Kirsten, who immediately fell into his arms. Sandy smoothed his wife's hair, kissing her forehead in reassurance. "Everything will be allright, Kirsten."
"I know." Kirsten sighed. "I'm just so shocked. I knew kids did this, but I just didn't think that Seth would."
"It's too late for regrets, Kirsten. We just have a lot of thinking to do to find a punishment." Sandy sighed.
-
"Pickles and Ben and Jerry's?" Seth arched an eyebrow at the dish infront of Summer as she spooned herself another mouthful of the odd mixture. Summer looked up at him, shaking her head.
"Pregnant. Craving." She murmured, spooning more of it and holding up the spoon to Seth. "Try it." She suggested.
"That's allright, I think I'll pass..."
"Try it." More of a demand, than a suggestion. Seth nodded and leaned forward, eating the ice-cream off the spoon. He quickly swallowed it, offering her a weak grin.
"Interesting."
"Cohen, don't lie." Summer rolled her deep brown eyes. "You think it's despicable."
"Yeah, yeah I do." Seth nodded, walking over to the sink and spitting into it.
"Ew, spit." Summer scoffed, putting her hand on her hip.
"Ew, ice-cream with pickles." Seth retorted playfully. Summer tried not to grin at how funny she found him mocking her.
"So... what'd the jury decide to sentence you to?" Summer asked curiously, leaning over the little island in the middle of the kitchen.
"Grounded from everything until they think up a worse punishment. No more Tomb Raider for me." Seth shrugged.
"Well, that's not too bad." Summer pointed out, taking another mouthful of ice-cream.
"What do you mean? The absence of Lara Croft in my daily routine just isn't right!" Seth exclaimed. Summer tilted her head to the side, giving Seth the once-over.
"Let's see. Lara Croft. Pixelated DDD-cup trapped in your TV, or, a real woman. Somebody like, hmm, I don't know. Somebody like me." Summer told him, winking playfully. Seth nodded. He'd take Summer over Lara any day. "Don't ask how I know about her. I guess that would be the result of too many perverted boyfriends who'd rather make out with the PS2." Summer added dismissively.
"I, um, I wouldn't." Seth pointed out. Summer flashed him a quick genuine smile and a tranquil silence befell upon the two for a moment as they stood in the kitchen, Summer eating her ice-cream quietly and Seth watching her in contemplation. Finally, he broke the silence, glancing down at her food.
"I have a nasty taste in my mouth from that." He murmured randomnly, drumming his fingers against the table-top. Summer looked up at him, dropping her spoon into her empty dish with a chiming clatter and striding over towards Seth. In one swift movement, elevating herself on her toes, she had slid her hand around Seth's neck and pulled him down to her level, capturing his lips with hers for a brief moment, barely past two seconds, just long enough for Seth to savour it before pulling away.
"Better?" Summer asked. Seth found himself seeing stars, the sweet and spicy taste of Summer still lingering in him and making him dizzy.
"M-much." He managed to choke out. Summer nodded, obviously she had suceeded in 'ridding Seth of that bad taste' and giving him a more pleasant thought of her.
"I think I'm going to go to sleep early tonight." Summer told him, putting her dish away and walking out of the kitchen. Before she left, hesitating, Summer stopped and turned around to face him. "Hey, Seth?" He looked at her attentively, "Thank you. For, um, being so nice to me and asking me to stay here. I feel a lot better... about the uh, pregnancy." There was an uncomfortable pause before Summer flashed him a quick and rather nervous grin. "Um, good night." She added quickly before leaving briskly. Seth gave her a wave, plopping down into the kitchen chair in contentment.
"I knew it," He muttered, letting out a soft yawn. "I told Ryan so myself, 'Slowly I thaw her icy heart'." With that thought voiced, Seth laid his head onto the kitchen table, falling into a serene rest. He had never been happier before, and he knew neither had Summer. She didn't want to admit it, but he knew that even though it would be hard on her, the precious moments would far out-weight the bad.
Author: In Fair Verona
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Seth and Summer engender a 'rumor' which travels around Newport and learn the consequences of their actions when the unexpected happens.
Shipper: Seth x Summer
Disclaimer: It is all property of FOX, every last bit of it. I don't own anything in this story or related to it.
A/N: Okay, well, um, the R/M chapter sucked. But hey, we can't win them all. No, I don't ship R/M. But I guess eventually I was fed up with them just being there. I don't like background characters. Holly and Anna, at least they have some role in the plot. Ryan and Marissa are just THERE. It's annoying. Ryan's allright, but dang Marissa is a snore. Whine whine whine, my life sucks. Summer's parents are divorced but you don't see her as a wreck. Oh well, I guess that's me being biast. Back to the S/S. I whooped this chapter up in 2 days, baby! Go me!
-
Summer twirled a strand of dark hair around her slender pinky, a inward groan rising up in her throat as she rolled her eyes for possibly the millionth time in that class period. Maybe Marissa and Ryan had yet to realize they were learning about the French Revolution, not French kissing. The two were sitting right beside her in the back of class, macking on each other as if they were Rose and Jack and the Titanic was about to sink. It was sweet at first, Summer liked seeing her best friend happy, and she also liked the fact that Marissa had found other things to do than shove baby apparel catalogues at her. But you gotta pause for air eventually, right? Right?
The door popped open, and the walking bad hair day pranced into the room, an apprehensive expression plastered across her face. Anna Stern plopped into a desk infront of Summer, turning around a flashing the other girl a cursory smirk before turning around again. Summer blinked. That was an awful long bathroom break Anna just took. Summer wrinkled her nose in disgust. She didn't want to know what happened in there, but what worried her was how unusually perky Anna seemed. Just then, the morning announcements, which always came on at the end of first period, began.
"Hello Harbor hotties and... the rest of you!" The sugary and familiar voice boomed through the speakers. Summer furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Marissa.
"Since when did Holly join the A.V. club?" Summer mouthed. Marissa shrugged her shoulders, her only real response was tightening her grip on Ryan's hand.
"Now, here's your helpful advice of the day from yours truly! Ackhmm. Secrets, secrets are no fun! They should be shared with everyone! That means you, Summer Roberts!" This message was followed by a giggle, the clicking of a button, and a staticy perception as an obviously recorded message began to play...
"Seth... Oh God... Seth, Seth, Seth!"
"Oh my-" Summer's jaw dropped as many of the students in her class turned to look at her with scrutiny. Summer stood up in her desk, knocking over ruled paper and her text book, but she didn't care. She didn't care about her whiny teacher's yelling either as she stormed out of the class, hearing her peers' haunting snickers following in her wake. Summer felt her eyes growing wet. She'd never been humiliated like that before. What type of sick person would do something like that? Obviously Holly. Summer wiped her eyes quickly as she turned in the hallway, picking up her pace, and thundering down the halls in her heels. She just needed to get away. She couldn't take any of the crap that Holly was going to pull. She had a baby now, the last thing she needed now was to be laughed at by her entire class. Her popularity was the only thing she had. She didn't have a real family, she only had one real friend, and she didn't even want to get started on love. Summer rushed down the corridors like a wild-fire, ready to impale Holly once she found her.
-
Holly pushed the "stop" button on the recorder, turning around and winking at the little AV geek who was busy zipping up his pants. Nerds. Men. They're all so easy. If only Luke were that easy. Well he was, but not anymore. Holly rolled her eyes. She'd make Luke come around. Right now, she had business to take care of. Operation Summer was not over with yet.
-
Seth Cohen had run out of his classroom as soon as the soccer team began to leer at him, muttering inquiries about why Summer wouldn't put out for them and yet gave Seth the time of day. His teacher seemed too miffed and disturbed to stop him. Taking a deep breath, Seth turned the hallway, only to come smack dab into... Summer. Well, what did he expect? For her to just sit and take humiliation? No way. But oh... she had been crying.
"Summer?" Seth questioned, putting a hand on her shoulder. Summer shrugged him off, turning away. Just the person she wanted to run into. Not.
"Yeah, it's me, Seth." She muttered, wiping her red and puffy eyes. Why did Seth always see her when she looked her worst? Not that she gave a damn what he thought about her appearance. Not that he really gave a damn about that either.
"I take it you heard the um..."
"Yeah." Summer nodded, slipping her hand into the back pocket of her jeans. "And you can be sure that when I find Holly, I am going to rip out all of that fake bleached hair and I am going to squish her like a-"
"Summer! Summer!" Seth interrupted her. Right. That last bit... eh, a bit disturbing. Another rage blackout on the rise.
"Oh god. Now they all know that I..." Summer walked over to a wall, facing it so she didn't have to look at Seth. "That I slept with you. I'll never hear the end of it."
"Is that really a bad thing?" Seth questioned, twiddling his thumbs together. Summer turned around, shooting him a death glare. "Right, I guess it's not exactly promoting you on the popularity chart."
"Popularity chart?" Summer questioned, arching an eyebrow.
"Yeah, you know... you and Marissa are at the top, followed by the people who follow you, and the people who follow them, until we get to the very bottom, which is just... me." Summer stiffled a chuckle.
"There isn't a popularity chart." Summer muttered.
"No? Wow. So how is it possible to keep up with all that 'who's hot, who's not' jazz?"
"I don't know. I guess by whether or not you're wearing Hollister merchandise or... vintage novelty t-shirts." She told him. Seth glanced down at his top, advertising an Italian pizza place.
"I think it'd be easier to just accept everyone." Seth told her. Summer simply shrugged.
"But it's a lot harder than it sounds." She added softly. "When you don't have anyone, or anything to hold onto... the thought that many people you don't even know worship you, that's enough. Popularity's just fine with me."
"But it'll never be as good as the real thing."
"The real thing?" Summer scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the wall she had previously been facing.
"Someone you do know. Someone who knows you a lot better than anyone in the 'A-Crowd'. Someone who worships you, likes you for who you are, and appreciates you, and understands you. Someone like... gee, I don't know... someone like me." Seth shrugged.
"Stop flattering yourself." Summer muttered. But the soft grin that inkled its way onto her face was undeniable. It made Seth smile as well.
"Summer, you said you didn't have a family. But you will." Seth told her as he approached her. Summer looked up at him, shaking her head.
"You're so cheesy, Cohen."
"I know. I know." Seth nodded, reaching out and pulling her into a hug. Summer didn't object. What she needed in times like these was to be held in somebody's arms. Somebody to make her forget the pain. Somebody like, well, somebody just like Seth Cohen.
-
"Seth, you really don't have to do this." Summer told him as they approached his front door. "I mean, I'm fine with going into hiding for 9 months on my own. It's not like I'll be able to go back to school."
"Stop saying that." Seth admonished, ringing his own doorbell. "Look, you said you dad was gone and your step-mother's drugged up. I'm not letting you stay in that big house all alone, pregnant with my child. I wouldn't let you stay in that house alone if you were pregnant with anybody else's child either. We're talking to my parents, we're going to tell them, and you're going to stay here." Seth told her in a quick breath.
"Do you actually think they'd let me stay? I deflowered their only son!"
"Deflowered... I think I'd prefer 'robbed me of my innocence'."
"Shut up!" Summer whined. Seth chuckled, putting his hand on her shoulder which instantly calmed her down.
"Don't worry. They adopted Ryan. Of course they'll let you stay. It'll be one big pajama party."
"Joy." Summer muttered. Just as she did so, the door opened, revealing Sandy Cohen with a mop of wet black hair and dripping wet surfing shorts.
"Hey, Seth. Hey... Summer?" Summer nodded in response. "Where's Ryan?"
"Like, still macking on Marissa back at school." Summer commented. Sandy blinked.
"I'm sorry, macking?" He questioned.
"What you and mom do after you get into a fight." Seth explained. Sandy's mouthed formed a little 'o'. Seth turned to Summer. "It's frightening."
"So are Ryan and Marissa." She added.
"Well, you kiddos get inside." Sandy told them, holding open the door. "So Seth, what happened to your house key?"
"I have it."
"Why'd you ring the doorbell?"
"To be formal."
"Uh-huh." Sandy nodded, making his way towards the kitchen.
"Um, dad, before you go looking for your kosher meal, just halt for a minute." Seth asked nervously. "Um, I'm going to borrow your authority for a minute to call a family meeting."
"A family meeting?" Sandy questioned, furrowing his brows and looking at Summer with perplexity. Seth followed his gaze to Summer and nodded.
"A family meeting." He repeated.
-
Kirsten and Sandy Cohen stared at the two teenagers infront of them in disbelief. Seth had just finished telling them the 'big news' and he was eagerly awaiting for them to hurry up and inflict pain upon him and get it over with already.
"I um... but you two aren't even going out..." Kirsten trailed off.
"We know." Seth and Summer replied in unision.
"This is all my fault. I encouraged you way too much." Sandy muttered, putting his head in your hands.
"It isn't your fault, Dad." Seth told him.
"He encouraged you?" Summer whispered to Seth, with a frightened expression on her face.
"We were drunk." Seth told his parents, "Neither of us really knew what was going on until it was too late." That was a lie. Seth knew exactly what was going on. It was kind of hard not to, him being Seth and her being Summer.
"You've expressed the fact that you were drunk several times already." Kirsten told her son with a dark glare. "And I'm extremely disappointed at that reckless behavior."
"Ms. Cohen, it's Newport, we're teenagers, it's hard to find a party without a keg in it."
"But Seth didn't have to participate in that derrogative behavior. Look where it's gotten you, Seth!"
"I know, mom. I know." Seth nodded.
"Who's party were you at?" Kirsten inquired.
"Holly's." Summer shrugged.
"Neither of you go back there ever again."
"That won't be a problem." Summer mumbled.
"I just... Seth, how can you be so calm?" Kirsten asked him. But they all knew the answer to that. He was Seth. She was Summer. Inside, he was giddy and dancing, tap dancing, in fact. The sad fact was that the pregnancy didn't hold as many regrets as any other teen pregnancy would. Seth and Summer were priviledged to live in an expensive wealthy neighborhood. Money wasn't a problem, and with money, schooling wasn't a problem. Housing definetly wasn't a problem.
"Summer, you know that we will do everything in our power to help you and make this easier on you." Sandy said gently.
"T-thanks, Mr. Cohen." Summer nodded. Sandy turned to Seth, narrowing his gaze.
"Summer, there's some food in the fridge, why don't you go help yourself? Kirsten and I need to talk to our son and discuss his punishment."
"Uh. Allright." Summer stood up, and as she left her hand brushed against Seth's shoulder. Seth looked up at Summer, who gave him a short smile before leaving. Seth turned back to his parents. They could inflict any punishment upon him, and he'd still be a happy man.
"Seth Cohen, do you reailze how serious this is?" Kirsten asked, staring gravely at her son.
"I do, mom. I really do." He nodded earnestly.
"Seth, we're happy that you're happy, but... " Kirsten dropped her head down, as if speaking to the carpet. "Most teenagers your age would not be happy."
"I'm not most teenagers." Seth pointed out.
"Honey, I just think you're taking this far too lightly."
"Lightly? Mom, if I took this lightly, I wouldn't be here, asking you to let Summer stay here so I can take care of her and the baby."
"I know, and we will definetly let her stay, it's just that..."
"What your mother is trying to say is that what you did, by the Torah, is wrong. Immoral." Sandy explained.
"Well, that... that's too bad for the Torah."
"Religion aside, as parents we never gave you permission to go around sleeping with people." Kirsten told him. "Either way, you've broken serious rules, and betrayed our trust."
"Sleeping with people? Mom, it was just Summer, only Summer!" Seth reasoned. "Look, you know what, I'm not going to fight it. I get that you're mad. Punish me. Go ahead." Seth shrugged, giving up.
"Apparently even if we do punish you, you won't have learned anything from it. That's the point of a punishment, Seth. It wouldn't matter to you if we grounded you." Kirsten pointed out.
"But in any case, until we find a real punishment that's worthy of you, Seth, you're grounded until further notice. No going out. No phone. No video games."
"I guess that's allright. Aside from the video game part." Seth shrugged.
"You're dismissed, Seth." Sandy told him. Seth nodded, standing up and leaving the room. Sandy turned to Kirsten, who immediately fell into his arms. Sandy smoothed his wife's hair, kissing her forehead in reassurance. "Everything will be allright, Kirsten."
"I know." Kirsten sighed. "I'm just so shocked. I knew kids did this, but I just didn't think that Seth would."
"It's too late for regrets, Kirsten. We just have a lot of thinking to do to find a punishment." Sandy sighed.
-
"Pickles and Ben and Jerry's?" Seth arched an eyebrow at the dish infront of Summer as she spooned herself another mouthful of the odd mixture. Summer looked up at him, shaking her head.
"Pregnant. Craving." She murmured, spooning more of it and holding up the spoon to Seth. "Try it." She suggested.
"That's allright, I think I'll pass..."
"Try it." More of a demand, than a suggestion. Seth nodded and leaned forward, eating the ice-cream off the spoon. He quickly swallowed it, offering her a weak grin.
"Interesting."
"Cohen, don't lie." Summer rolled her deep brown eyes. "You think it's despicable."
"Yeah, yeah I do." Seth nodded, walking over to the sink and spitting into it.
"Ew, spit." Summer scoffed, putting her hand on her hip.
"Ew, ice-cream with pickles." Seth retorted playfully. Summer tried not to grin at how funny she found him mocking her.
"So... what'd the jury decide to sentence you to?" Summer asked curiously, leaning over the little island in the middle of the kitchen.
"Grounded from everything until they think up a worse punishment. No more Tomb Raider for me." Seth shrugged.
"Well, that's not too bad." Summer pointed out, taking another mouthful of ice-cream.
"What do you mean? The absence of Lara Croft in my daily routine just isn't right!" Seth exclaimed. Summer tilted her head to the side, giving Seth the once-over.
"Let's see. Lara Croft. Pixelated DDD-cup trapped in your TV, or, a real woman. Somebody like, hmm, I don't know. Somebody like me." Summer told him, winking playfully. Seth nodded. He'd take Summer over Lara any day. "Don't ask how I know about her. I guess that would be the result of too many perverted boyfriends who'd rather make out with the PS2." Summer added dismissively.
"I, um, I wouldn't." Seth pointed out. Summer flashed him a quick genuine smile and a tranquil silence befell upon the two for a moment as they stood in the kitchen, Summer eating her ice-cream quietly and Seth watching her in contemplation. Finally, he broke the silence, glancing down at her food.
"I have a nasty taste in my mouth from that." He murmured randomnly, drumming his fingers against the table-top. Summer looked up at him, dropping her spoon into her empty dish with a chiming clatter and striding over towards Seth. In one swift movement, elevating herself on her toes, she had slid her hand around Seth's neck and pulled him down to her level, capturing his lips with hers for a brief moment, barely past two seconds, just long enough for Seth to savour it before pulling away.
"Better?" Summer asked. Seth found himself seeing stars, the sweet and spicy taste of Summer still lingering in him and making him dizzy.
"M-much." He managed to choke out. Summer nodded, obviously she had suceeded in 'ridding Seth of that bad taste' and giving him a more pleasant thought of her.
"I think I'm going to go to sleep early tonight." Summer told him, putting her dish away and walking out of the kitchen. Before she left, hesitating, Summer stopped and turned around to face him. "Hey, Seth?" He looked at her attentively, "Thank you. For, um, being so nice to me and asking me to stay here. I feel a lot better... about the uh, pregnancy." There was an uncomfortable pause before Summer flashed him a quick and rather nervous grin. "Um, good night." She added quickly before leaving briskly. Seth gave her a wave, plopping down into the kitchen chair in contentment.
"I knew it," He muttered, letting out a soft yawn. "I told Ryan so myself, 'Slowly I thaw her icy heart'." With that thought voiced, Seth laid his head onto the kitchen table, falling into a serene rest. He had never been happier before, and he knew neither had Summer. She didn't want to admit it, but he knew that even though it would be hard on her, the precious moments would far out-weight the bad.