Chapter Eighteen

"He's not anywhere, Seth. What if we're looking in the wrong place?" Marissa begged heartlessly, tired from all the excruciating, hopeless searching for Ryan.

"You know what?" Seth paused, knowing in his heart that Ryan was with Teresa, "You go, take the car. I'll go search by foot. We'll cover more territory that way. I'll give you a call if I find and or see anything, that goes the same for you two." Seth wanted to deprive Marissa of any potential pain, as she had heard enough that day.

"Okay, Seth. I'm guessing you know something." Summer pointed out, confused, but at the same time understanding that she couldn't give out his plan.

"He knows as much as we do, Sum." Marissa then said, unknowingly.

"Yeah, Summer. What am I, psychic, or something?" Seth stuttered carefully.

"No, but you definitely are up to something. I'm not going to even ask what." Summer replied curiously, waiting for Marissa to turn her head. Seth mouthed, 'I'll tell you later!' in his lips, as he pronounced the letters of the words as precisely as possible, until Summer nodded at the end of the message.

"Alright, see you later, Seth." Summer said, before switching seats with Seth so Summer could drive. Before Summer was tucked inside, Seth pulled to give her a small peck on the cheek, which sent a small shiver down Summer's back. Nevertheless, she grinned a radiant grin and waved, ignoring Marissa's bewildered expression. Once Seth had walked toward the sidewalk, Summer asked, "So… where ya wanna go, babe?" Summer said jokingly to Marissa, who was positively unsure.

"I want to check at Teresa's place, Summer." Marissa ordered.

"Oh, no no no. I'm not taking you there. Ryan wouldn't be there! You know that!" Summer insisted. Suddenly, a violent ring of Marissa's cell phone pounded in her ears. She quickly went to answer it.

"Hello?" She said brusquely.

"It's Ryan," Ryan paused, "We can't be together anymore. I'm sorry. Bye." With that, Ryan hung up, not even leaving a call-back number, as the only thing that started fading on the phone's screen, was 'PRIVATE #'.

"Who was it, Coop?" Summer asked, concentrating on the road.

"Ryan." Marissa looked straight out ahead of her, looking at the road blankly. Her emotionless face, was churning in pain as the words she had heard seconds before violently attacked her skull- eating away at it mercilessly.

Summer noticed Marissa twitching in pain, "And…" She wanted Marissa to talk, and fast.

"He says he's sorry, but we can't be together anymore." Marissa repeated Ryan's words.

Summer sighed, rolling her eyes, "He's a guy. Too cowardly to tell you in person, so he had to call you and break it off over the phone. You deserve better, Marissa. You deserve a guy that will love you, forever, and more. Ryan is just an excuse for what serious relationships you could be in right now. So just let it go, Marissa. He's not worth it. He's not worth the tears, the pain- he doesn't deserve you."

"Yeah, right…" Marissa said sarcastically, and sent out a silent plea for silence. Summer telepathically received this message, and shut up. She decided to call Seth.

"Cohen! Where are you? We're going home." Summer said into the phone.

"Sorry, Summer. I'm finally near," Seth paused and said in a whisper, "Teresa's."

"Oh God. So… umm… we'll stall?" Summer whispered even quieter. "Hurry up, though." Summer clicked off the phone, looking at the worried Marissa.

"Why will we stall? I want to go home." Marissa asked at Summer curiously.

"CRAP! Did I say we'll stall? I meant we're going to go to the bathroom stall… dammit. I speak faster then I think… Sorry, I have to go to the bathroom. The last one was, umm, just down the road!" Summer stuttered uneasily, not remembering where the bathroom really was.

"Whatever Summer. You can't lie to me, so you'll just have to tell me later."

Ryan stood outside the door, and decided to knock once more. Teresa opened the door awkwardly, but smiled inviting him in.

"We need to talk, don't we?" Teresa asked Ryan in a monotone voice.

"I guess so." Ryan replied stepping inside the house. "You aren't going to raid me or anything, are you? Where's everyone… your mom? Family?"

"No, I'm not going to raid you, or hurt you for that matter. My mom's umm," Teresa stopped, tears blooming in her eyes. "My mom died last month. Unexpected heart attack." Teresa turned her head, as she allowed tears to freely flow down her cheek. Ryan looked at her, sympathetically and decided to step forward and give her a hug. Teresa looked at Ryan, misinterpreting his friendly gesture. When he went to give her a hug, and a shoulder to cry on, she tackled his lips, with hers, intertwining her tongue in the mouth she hadn't felt in so long. She closed her eyes, grasping Ryan's face tightly, sliding one hand down his thigh.

Ryan pulled away, "What are you doing, Teresa?"

"You want this. Did you not? You returned here, because you loved me. You returned here, because it's over with Marissa. I know it is," Teresa started to inch towards Ryan, then she gently grabbed his hand, gazing into his nervous face.

"It's not like I'll rape you, baby." Teresa said seductively, fidgeting with her button down shirt. "Pregnant woman can have sex too, right?" Teresa said almost begging, removing her blouse revealing her white, silk bra. She continued to move closer, pressing her chest against his. She touched her finger against his chest, slowly descending, still looking into his eyes carefully.

"Teresa, put your shirt on." Ryan said annoyed with severity lining his friendly eyes. Teresa looked into his eyes, hurt, but followed his instructions. After she put her shirt back on, she moved in to kiss Ryan once more. Ryan relentlessly went forward with her kiss, as he was reminded of Marissa.

He imagined his arms, touching Marissa's perfect waist- admiring her perfect tongue strides over his. He touched her neck, feeling Marissa-like hair, shoulder length and soft. His hands started to move down her back carefully, until he came back to the girl's stomach. He immediately opened his eyes, and Teresa stood in front of him- satisfied yet appalled.

"Why did you stop, baby?" Teresa wrapped her hands around Ryan's back, gently massaging it, not tearing her gaze off his. She started to push her hands underneath Ryan's shirt, but still this did not please the girl. She blinked slowly, and smiled at Ryan who was too confused to move. Teresa slid her hands down Ryan's carefully belted pants, as she caressed the flesh with her fingertips. After several minutes of a tingling sensation pounding into Ryan's mind, he tore away, grabbing Teresa's hands, and taking them out violently from his pants.

"You stopped again, Ryan. Do you enjoy my touching you? Kissing you? And then seconds later when you realise I'm Teresa, you stop? Ryan, you can't do this to me. My mother is dead, and I'm alone, in this house. I need you, sugar. Every night I cry myself to sleep because I wish you were beside me. Every day I pray you'll be by my side. Ryan, I love you. You can learn to love me too." Teresa said, although she was interrupted by a doorbell. "You wait in the living room, I'll get it." Teresa offered.

Ryan followed the orders, while Teresa went to open the door.

"Hey Teresa!" Seth said, trying not to sound utterly random.

"Seth? What a nice surprise!" Teresa said excitedly, but then her voice went dull and confused, "So what are you doing here again?"

"Umm, stupid question. Me and Ryan were playing hide n' seek in Chino. Is he here, 'cause I've been searching for hours." Seth mumbled.

"Sorry, Seth. He's not here. If I see him, I'll cheat and let you know. Talk to you later, bye." Teresa said while slamming the door. "Ryan, I'm coming…" Teresa hollered. She entered the living room, and sat down beside Ryan, laying down on the pillow behind her. "Do you mind, if I put my feet on your legs? I'm so tired…" Ryan nodded unsurely, and Teresa gently placed her legs on Ryan's. She lay stretched out on the sofa, looking at Ryan's timid face. "What are you afraid of?"

"Oh nothing," Ryan said, "You." Ryan then coughed out.

"Me? Is it because you haven't seen me so long? Am I that big? Or is it because you're with someone, and you're not supposed to be kissing me?" Teresa asked grinning, proud that she had frightened the legendary Ryan.

"Both." Ryan said uncertainly.

"Put your hand on my stomach, Ryan." Ryan shot her a stare, questioning her, but he did it anyways. He placed his hands gently on Teresa's stomach, careful not to harm to baby. He felt gentle kicking up from inside. Frightened by the sudden, unexpected movement, Ryan tore his hand away.

"So, you really do have a baby inside you." Ryan said disbelievingly.

"Yes, Ryan. Speaking of which, I'd like you to name it." Teresa smiled, and quirked an eyebrow. She hadn't though this was a big deal for Ryan, who was sitting on the sofa, underneath Teresa's legs, his mouth almost completely dropped.