Notes from the author: Thank you for the reviews! I've added about six more paragraphs here, and changed some of the words around, so if you've read the old version of My Elusive Drug, you might notice some things that you haven't read before.
Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with The OC, or anything else for that matter. So please don't sue, I don't have much to give except for six tattered Harry Potter books and a fat rabbit.
Pairings: Ryan/Marissa, maybe some Seth/Summer and Kirsten/Sandy – no fluff.
Rating: T for language and violence
Summary: The death of Ryan's brother, Trey, sparks a domino effect that will alter the Cohen's lives forever.
"Oh please don't cryI beg you not to weep
You are your brother's keeper
But your brother now, your brother won't keep"
- Brother's Keeper, Ingram Hill
My Elusive Drug
Ryan grabbed the seatbelt dangling next to him, the metal hot from the sun beating in through the window, and slid it into the buckle. His eyes slid back outside, watching as the people go into their respective cars, starting to flow out of the parking lot.
It was a two-minute drive; the cemetery was only two blocks over. The car pulled to a stop once more, and as Seth, Kirsten and Sandy opened their doors and stepped out, Ryan wished he could just sit in the car, with the air conditioning running, the radio on. Let them go to his brother's grave without him.
But he opened his door, stepping out into the sun again, and followed the group of people through the maze of tombstones. They stopped as the priest came into view, Trey's slick black casket hovering over the giant hole in the ground.
Ryan assumed the whole funeral service would be held graveside, he didn't expect many people to show up. He watched as the last of the funeral procession pulled into the parking lot. Who knew Trey was so... popular?
The service went by in a blur, as did the one in the funeral home. He stood in the back of the crowd, between Seth and Kirsten, the latter of which kept rubbing her hand up and down his back every few minutes.
As if the weather was a reflection of the feeling of the gathered crowed, the temperature suddenly dropped, a cloud moved in front of the sun and a boom of thunder echoed in the distance. It would rain soon, Ryan mused, glancing up at the dark sky, the gathering clouds.
As the people made their way to Trey's coffin, to say goodbye one last time, Ryan stayed in the back of group, next to his mother, as the Cohens stood politely to the side. At last he approached the casket, standing there looking at it for a few moments, not knowing what to say.
It seemed like an eternity that Ryan stood there in silence. Lightning cackled in the sky, and rain started drizzling. He shivered involuntarily, but kept his feet planted on the ground, his eyes unwavering from the sleek black casket.
His hair was soaking wet now, and he knew his new suit that the Cohens bought was getting ruined. He knew Kirsten would offer to drop it off at the dry cleaners tomorrow.
Kirsten's soft touch suddenly appeared on his back, holding an umbrella over his head and whispering comforting words in his ear that he couldn't hear as she started to guide him away, towards the car. Ryan wanted to push her away, yell and scream, run back towards his brother's coffin and say something inspiring, something heartfelt like they did in the movies.
But he allowed her to walk him back to his family.
The small bell jingled overhead as Ryan entered the small diner; the aroma of hamburgers and chili fries was enough to make anyone drool.
"Ryan!"
He was in a booth next to the window, and he stood up as Ryan approached. Trey grabbed his hand, giving Ryan a clap on the back, which he returned.
"Hey man …here, here, sit down." He scuffled back into the booth, Ryan sliding in across from him.
Trey looked him up and down, an ecstatic grin planted in his face.
"You look good, bro, you look good."
"So do you, man," Ryan replied, already starting to feel comfortable, like it was old times, before AJ, before his mom kicked him out, before the Cohens.
Ten minutes later, Trey was still beaming as the two shoveled hamburgers and french fries into their mouths. The diner hadn't changed, and Ryan half expected Theresa to walk in, slide into the booth next to him and start innocently picking at his food.
"So the Cohens, they're treating you good?" Trey asked, already taking the role of the protective older brother.
"Oh, yeah, they're amazing," he replied.
"That's good … sounds like you have the life there …"
"Uh …yeah …" Ryan confirmed, taking a swig of coke.
"I wish my life was like that …you know? A mansion to live in, a real family, hot babes, all the money you want …" Trey took a bite of his hamburger. Ryan looked away awkwardly.
"I'm living in this hell-hole, one room apartment," Trey continued. "There's one fucking bathroom on the whole floor, we got bugs and mice everywhere, I barely got enough money to make it through the week."
"Well …it'll get better …" Ryan offered lamely.
"I doubt it," Trey said, shaking his head. "Who wants to give a job to a guy who just got outta jail?" He was rambling like Seth now. "I got a bunch of assholes who live in the apartment above me, I can never get a minute of sleep. I don't have any money, the only cash I have I gotta use for food and clothes! And I only got that 'cause Johnny's been willing to give me part of his stash to sell if I help set up his apartment for him, but who knows how long that's gonna last."
Ryan put back the french fry that was halfway to his mouth. "Stash?"
"Oh, uh … yeah …" Trey looked like he didn't want that little bit of information being slipped out. "He's just a guy I met, and he knows a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy, you know that kind of thing," Trey explained casually, trying to wipe it off as nothing. "He just moved into his apartment the floor below mine, and I've been giving him a hand setting it up, painting here and there, and he's been slippin' me an ounce or so. He says I can do what I want with it, I figure I can get some quick cash …you know? You just need to know where to go." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Uh … yeah …I guess."
"You won't tell anyone, will you Ry?" Trey asked, half pleading. "This is all I got. C'mon, what's it gonna hurt?" He gave Ryan a playful hit on the arm.
"Oh …no … I won't tell anyone. Uh, don't worry," Ryan blurted out, awkwardly shoving a fry into mouth.
"Heeeey, that's what brother's are for right?" Trey said, the grin coming back as he reached across the table to playfully ruffle Ryan's hair.
The ride back home was even more uncomfortable than the one to La Habra. As they neared Newport, Sandy spoke up, eyeing Ryan in the mirror. "So, do you boys want to stop anywhere to eat? It's a quarter to six, we could have an early dinner if you like."
Seth glanced at Ryan, giving a shrug, silent for once.
Ryan's gaze didn't waver from the window. "No thanks."
Ryan climbed out of the car before Sandy even took the key out of the ignition, slamming the door behind him and loosening his tie as he made his way past the main house. Pushing open one of the double doors to the pool house, he kept the lights off, closing the blinds and enveloping the room in darkness, the only light was the rays of setting sun making their way through the cracks in the shutters.
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millstone1005: Thanks for reviewing! Glad to know that I've kept some of my old readers.
Lara: I'm sorry you don't like the flashbacks, I try to insert them into the fic to help tell the story, and explain a bit more of what was happening between Ryan and Trey before he died. And, hmm, I'm not sure about if Ryan knows where his dad is, but I just felt I should've added that in there, but know that that's the only flashback about his dad that I plan on having in the story. Thanks for reviewing, and I hope you keep reading!
jenskyies: Oh, I'm glad you reviewed, lol. I love getting reviews, and just to know that I really did have readers makes me feel so much better, haha. Hope I see some more reviews of yours!
slimkay: Thanks so much for reviewing, and I'll try to get more chapters up as fast as I can!
As for the rest of you reading this and not reviewing, remember, a reviewed author is a happy author!