Episode #8: The Key to My Heart

In the beginning of the episode, Ryan, Marissa, Seth, and Summer have all just arrived at the Cohens' to spend Valentine's Day weekend there. It is early Friday night, and when they arrive, Kirsten has already left for her weekend in Atlanta, although none of them knew she was going, and Sandy and Zoe are sitting in the family room playing Playstation. Zoe is winning. When they walk in, Seth immediately begins talking, although he doesn't even know where the audience is.

Seth: Where are you Mother? I don't want you jumping out in front of me and shooting me with your bow and arrows. Cupid has already found me and delivered to me my beautiful little Summer, so no need for your pathetic attempts at matchmaking. Been there, done that, and boy do I never want to experience it again. Do you remember when I was fourteen and you tried to set me up with, what was her name….., oh, that's right, it wasn't a her, it was a boy, Stuart Allen, because you and Dad, my wonderfully confused and misguided parents thought I was gay! (Ryan, Marissa, and Summer who have been carrying in the bags while Seth rambled on all start to snicker quietly, but Seth pays them no attention and continues on his diatribe.) And then there was the next year. I have tried, oh I have tried, to forget that year, but I was scared and the memories will haunt me for the rest of my life. That was the year that Dad thought he should purchase me an escort for the evening so that I wouldn't be dateless and embarrassed that year. Yeah, having everyone in Newport find out that you're date is a call girl would definitely have been the way to make friends, but luckily Mom nixed that idea before Dad made any phone calls. (Summer and Marissa are now staring at Seth with their mouths agape, shocked at what he is admitting.)

Marissa: (She whispers this to Summer while Seth walks down the hall towards his parents' bedroom looking for them.) Is he drunk; did you slip him something, say truth serum before we got here? (Summer laughs but shakes her head no before walking away and taking her bags along with Seth's upstairs. Ryan approaches Marissa and kisses her cheek.)

Ryan: He gets like this sometimes, but, then once he realizes what he has revealed in his state of confession, he clams up and doesn't speak for a while, so not only do we get plenty of blackmail material to use against him, but we get some peace and quiet afterwards, too. I love when he gets in these moods. (Marissa laughs at him before talking herself.)

Marissa: How long does he ramble before he realizes what he has admitted?

Ryan: Depends. Sometimes it only takes a few minutes for him to realize his mistake, but once he talked for an hour straight before stopping. After everything he shared that night, I couldn't sleep without nightmares for a week, but I'll be back. I'm going to take our bags out to the poolhouse, but let me know if he says anything else interesting.

Marissa: Will do. (She kisses his cheek before he leaves. She then walks into the family room and finds Sandy and Zoe immersed in their game, not even aware that they had all arrived. Not wanting to startle them, she shuffles her feet and tries to make natural sounds, such as clearing her throat. When Sandy hears her, he turns around and smiles. He pauses the game, which Zoe un-pauses when he walks away and goes up to greet Marissa. He does so by giving her a hug.)

Sandy: I didn't hear you guys come in. Where is everyone else?

Marissa: Oh, Summer took her and Seth's bags upstairs and Ryan took ours to the poolhouse.

Sandy: And Seth? (Marissa smiles and starts to laugh quietly.) Do I even want to know?

Marissa: That depends on how you feel about Seth's confessional blackouts.

Sandy: He isn't?

Marissa: Oh, he definitely is!

Sandy: What is he disclosing this time?

Marissa: He's sharing details about past Valentine's Days.

Sandy: Let me guess, he told you guys about the one where his Mom tried to set him up with a guy because we thought he might be gay. (Marissa shakes her head yes.) What else?

Marissa: Well, he also mentioned that you thought you should set him up with an escort the next year, but Kirsten had stopped that idea. (Sandy laughs.)

Sandy: Where is he now?

Marissa: He left, went off looking for Kirsten and her bow and arrows…whatever that means, but he was rambling as he walked away, so who knows what he's talking about now.

Sandy: Come on, let's go find him. (They walk off together in the direction of Sandy's room while Zoe just sits and continues to play.)

Marissa: So, where is Kirsten?

Sandy: Working…in Atlanta.

Marissa: What?

Sandy: Trust me, she was just as surprised as you are, but she couldn't get out of it. Her father threatened her, either she went or she got fired.

Marissa: But Valentine's Day is her favorite holiday and what about the party?

Sandy: That torch has now been passed down to me. (Marissa laughs.) Unfortunately, I cannot say that this is the first Newport event that I've had to plan for her. She once left me in charge of a Charity yard sale that took place in a ballroom at the country club where the donors got to keep half the profits. (Marissa looks at him confused.) I know, don't ask, I thought the same thing.

Marissa: Why didn't you go with her?

Sandy: I was supposed to, but that was before I quit. Come on; let's go find my very entertaining and revealing son. (He walks ahead of her and Marissa stays back for a moment before catching up with him in deep thought.)

Marissa: I'll be right there, Sandy. (He disappears out of the room.) I wonder….oh definitely! (She hurries to catch up with him with a sly smile on her face. As she walks out of the room, Ryan catches up with her and puts his arm around her waist as they walk together to find Seth and Sandy. The camera fades to black and the scene ends.)

Credits and Commercial Break

As the next scene begins, the six of them have just finished dinner. Before everyone disperses, they announce what they are going to do. The kitchen is somewhat of a zoo as everyone moves to and fro as they take their plates to the dishwasher and put the takeout garbage in the trashcan.

Seth: Dad, I still don't know why you wouldn't let Marissa cook tonight?

Sandy: Because, she's not your private chef, Seth, and this is Valentine's Day weekend, and no matter what I may think of this holiday, your Mother would never let me hear the end of it if I let Marissa work to feed us. She is supposed to be pampered not forced to feed you.

Seth: First of all, pampering her is not mine nor your responsibility Father; it's Ryan's.

Summer: And I'm sure he'll do a great job.

Ryan: Thanks Summer.

Summer: No problem, Chino.

Seth: Whoa, whoa, whoa, what made you two so chummy? Are you sneaking around my back with my brother, Summer?

Summer: Please, you're crazy enough to keep me entertained, trust me, Cohen.

Seth: Okay, good. (Everyone laughs because they realize that what Summer said was not exactly a compliment but Seth didn't mind.) And, back to what I was saying before, secondly, Marissa likes cooking for me.

Marissa: I do?

Seth: You don't?

Sandy: Well, although this conversation is just thrilling, I have work to do. Ryan, can you do me a favor and put Zoe to bed?

Ryan: Sure. (He goes over and picks Zoe up out of her seat.) So, Zoe, what kind of story do you want to hear tonight?

Zoe: I don't care, but, Ryan, you won't read me comic book like Seth will you? (Everyone turns and glares at Seth who just snickers and shrugs his shoulders.)

Seth: What, she likes playing video games, so I thought she'd like comics, too. (Everyone keeps glaring.) Thanks a lot, Zoe! (She sticks her tongue out at him as Ryan carries her out of the kitchen and towards the stairs. No one sees her, but Summer sees Seth stick his tongue out at her and she slaps him.)

Summer: Cohen!

Seth: What, she did it to me, too!

Summer: I can't believe you, trying to get your little sister in trouble to ease the attention off yourself. God Cohen, how immature can you get?

Seth: Pretty immature, but you'd think you'd know that by now, but I'm not making it up this time; she really did stick her tongue out at me.

Summer: Yeah, whatever. If you don't start behaving, you're getting a timeout, do you understand me?

Seth: Yes, Summer. (Sandy and Marissa laugh at Seth's submission and Summer's form of punishment.)

Sandy: And that is my cue to leave. (He walks out of the room, leaving Summer, Seth, and Marissa to themselves.)

Summer: So, Coop, what are you and Chino doing tonight?

Marissa: I don't know, why?

Summer: Just curious.

Marissa: You're going to let us spend it alone?

Summer: Yeah. Cohen and I have things to do.

Seth: We do?

Summer: Yes!

Seth: What?

Summer: I'll tell you upstairs. (A massive grin spreads across Seth's face, but when Summer sees it, she flips her hand and walks off.) Oh, I don't think so Cohen. Have you forgotten that that still can't happen for weeks?

Seth: (He becomes sullen and depressed. Oh, yeah, I forgot. (Still pouting, he sits down at the island in a stool, but is there only a second, because Summer begins to yell him.)

Summer: Cohen, are you coming, or am I going to have to drag you up here!

Seth: (He dejectedly drags himself off of the stool and walks extremely slowly out of the kitchen and towards the stairs.) No need to resort to physical violence; I'm coming my love.

Summer: Well, can you put some oomph into it; I don't want to be up all night waiting for your scrawny ss to finally reach the bedroom! (Seth begins to walk faster, and by the time he reaches the stairs, he takes them two at a time trying to hurry up to please Summer. Marissa takes one more look around the kitchen making sure that it is clean enough to leave, which it is, so she goes towards Sandy's office. Before stepping in, she knocks on the wall to ask permission.)

Sandy: Marissa, come in. (She walks in and sits down.)

Marissa: Hey Sandy. I have a question for you.

Sandy: Shoot.

Marissa: Okay, so if you could be with Kirsten for Valentine's Day, would you?

Sandy: Of course, but with Zoe and the party and with Kirsten being in Atlanta, I guess it's just not our year.

Marissa: But what if it could be?

Sandy: (He's confused.) Are you purposely speaking in riddles, because I really don't understand what you're getting at?

Marissa: I'm just saying that if someone could arrange for all your worries to be taken care of, would you be with her this weekend?

Sandy: Sure. Is something wrong between you and Ryan?

Marissa: (She is shocked by his presumptions.) What? No, everything's fine; why would you ask?

Sandy: Well, I don't know where you're going with this line of questioning, so I had to jump to some conclusion.

Marissa: (She laughs.) No, it's nothing like that; I just wanted to make sure that what I did would be okay before I told you.

Sandy: Which would be what?

Marissa: No time to chat. Get up. (She stands up and goes around to his side of the desk and pulls him up so that he is standing.) You have to go and pack a bag, because you leave for Atlanta in a little over and hour. Your ticket is waiting for you at the airport; you just have to pick it up. We'll watch Zoe, and Summer, I know, will gladly handle the party. We'll act as hosts, so you can spend Valentine's Day with Kirsten. (He just stands and watches Marissa as she gives him instructions, amazed at what she did for him. Because he hasn't moved yet, she gently pushes him out of the door and to his room.) No time for you to stand their shocked, you need to get going! Now go! (Sandy laughs and starts towards his room, but stops and turns around and grabs Marissa in a bear hug.)

Sandy: Thank you. I don't know what we'd do without you, do you know that?

Marissa: (She laughs.) You guys seemed to do okay before I got here.

Sandy: Ugh, we're better with you, so you better stay, always. (Ryan has just entered the room and just smiles at what he sees and hears.)

Ryan: I couldn't have said it better myself! (Sandy looks up and smiles at Ryan and lets go of Marissa.)

Sandy: This wonderful girlfriend of yours will have to tell you what she did for me, but, for now, I really need to go and pack. (Sandy runs off as excited as a schoolboy. Once he's gone, Ryan goes up to Marissa and takes her in his arms.)

Ryan: So I take it you just told him that he's going to Atlanta?

Marissa: How'd you guess? (He leans in and kisses her softly.)

Ryan: Thank you.

Marissa: For what? I'm not sending you on vacation.

Ryan: Well, I wouldn't go unless you came with me, but I'm just thankful that you did that for him, that you care about my family, and that you're here, actually dating me.

Marissa: There's no place I'd rather be. (She leans back up and kisses him back.) Now come on, let's take this to the poolhouse.

Ryan: Race you? (He starts running, and she begins after him, but then she stops and pretends to be hurt, so she calls him over. They are now in the kitchen by the doors.)

Marissa: Ryan? (He turns around and sees her in what he thinks is pain so he runs over to her.) Can you get me an ice pack, please?

Ryan: Sure. (When he reaches the freezer and opens it, she stands up, laughs, and starts running towards the poolhouse.) Oh, you did not just fake an injury to win. Look who's playing dirty now! (He chases after her, catches up, and grabs her around the waist just as she reaches the poolhouse door. Before she can get away, he has lifted her off the ground and has thrown her over his shoulder to carry her to the pool.)

Marissa: Ryan, Ryan, what are you doing? (She notices where he is headed.) Oh no, I don't think so! You better not throw me in the pool! Ryan! If you do this, I swear, you'll be sleeping by yourself for a month! Do you understand me, because I'm serious! There is no way you'll be able to apologize for this and get yourself out of the dog house if you throw me in that pool! Come on, Ryan, it's February, and you know how cold I get! Ryan! Are you listening to me!

Ryan: I've heard every word you've said, but you still haven't said the right thing, but if that's the way you want to play this, I guess I'll just have to deal with sleeping on the couch for a month, because you're going to be punished for making me think you got hurt. I mean, if that's really what you want, if you want to sleep alone, if you don't want me to keep you warm at night, if you don't want to spend any alone time with me for a whole month, I guess I'll just have to deal with it, but are you ready? (He takes her down off his shoulder and cradles her in his arms, throwing her up in the air and counting to three before tossing her in.) One,….

Marissa: Wait, Ryan, wait, can't we just talk about this, negotiate?

Ryan: Two,…

Marissa: Okay, I don't want to sleep alone, so please, don't do this, Ryan!

Ryan: Three! (He throws her in, but before she lands, she realizes what she was supposed to say and yells it out.)

Marissa: I'm sorry. (She lands in the water with a large splash while Ryan laughs at her. He begins to walk to the poolhouse slowly, while shaking off his hands as if he has just performed a difficult task, and Marissa hurries out of the pool and runs over quietly to him. Just as he reaches the door, she launches herself on him, holding him tight. He doesn't make her let go, but instead turns around and looks at her smiling face.)

Ryan: What happened to shutting me out? You don't even look mad.

Marissa: It wasn't that bad, and you know I'd never be able to go a month without you in our bed, and I know I'd never be able to get you in the pool, so I figured the best thing I could do was get you as wet as possible.

Ryan: And you thought wrapping your wet body around mine would be punishment for me?

Marissa: (She thinks about what he said.) Oh, well, yeah, at first, but now, I guess not. What the hell, I don't care! (She throws her arms around his neck and pulls him closer to her and kisses him passionately.)

Ryan: (He pulls away.) Maybe I should throw you in the pool more often.

Marissa: Ryan, why are you talking? Won't you just shut up and kiss me? I'm freezing, and you in bed with me is the quickest and most fun way I know how to warm back up. So…. (She looks at him expectantly. He doesn't disappoint. He lifts her up in his arms like he was holding her before throwing her in the pool and begins to kiss her. She opens the poolhouse doors for them before throwing her hands around his neck and running them up through his hair. The door can be seen being kicked shut. The camera leaves the outside of the poolhouse and pans its way upstairs to Seth's window where he is seen peaking out of the blinds watching what just occurred between Ryan and Marissa. It then goes into the room where Summer has just emerged in her pajamas and spots Seth watching out of his window. He does not hear her come in so when she speaks, he is startled.)

Summer: Cohen! (He lets go of the blinds that he was holding apart to peek out of, but he does not turn around to look at her.) What the hell do you think you're doing!

Seth: Ugh…. Checking the weather?

Summer: Uh-huh, and I just got back from running the LA marathon! You were spying on Coop and Chino again, weren't you, and after I told you not to and after Chino threatened to skin your eye lids off!

Seth: Okay, okay, I admit it, I was spying on them, (He finally turns around to face her.) but I have a good reason.

Summer: I'm listening.

Seth: Okay, so I was sitting here, minding my own business playing a little Magic the Gathering when all of a sudden I heard a commotion outside. What could it be, I said to myself, could someone be robbing us, attacking Ryan and Marissa out in the poolhouse, spying on the house for top secret, Newport Group information? So I crept out of my bed and went over to the window to look out. I only opened the blind slightly so that they wouldn't see me; I didn't want to tip them off that they had witnesses, but when I looked out, I saw that it was just Ryan and Marissa fooling around and flirting.

Summer: Could you have made your explanation any longer or more pathetic?

Seth: (He thinks about this for a moment.) Yeah, probably, do you want me to try again?

Summer: Please, no, one was plenty, but I have another question for you.

Seth: I am an open book.

Summer: (She rolls her eyes at him.) After you found out that it was just Ryan and Marissa, which I'm guessing you knew all along, because voices do carry and you probably could hear every word they said, why were you still watching them when I came into the room?

Seth: Oh, there is a very simple and altruistic answer to your question, Summer my tiny tigress. (She rolls her eyes once again but does not interrupt him, hoping that by keeping silent he will finish his diatribe sooner.) You see, when I stumbled upon our roommates, Ryan was about to throw Marissa into the pool, for, from what I can gather from their conversation, pretending to be injured to beat him in a race to the poolhouse. (Summer laughs.) Well, she tried to deter him, but you know Ryan, nothing stops him when he gets an idea in his head, so he threw her in, and I wanted to make sure that she wasn't hurt, which, if you were wondering, she wasn't.

Summer: So the point where you saw that Marissa was safe was the exact moment that I walked in, right, because since your spying was for her best interests, you would have quit when your watching wasn't benefiting her anymore?

Seth: Well, not exactly, but by that point my curiosity had kicked in, and you know what I'm like when that happens.

Summer: Like me at the mall when there is a sale, relentless and unstoppable.

Seth: Exactly. (She sits down at his desk, crosses her legs and arms, and waits for him to continue. When he doesn't, she speaks.)

Summer: So, what happened next? (Seth smiles before continuing.)

Seth: So, Marissa had threatened Ryan that if he did throw her in she'd make him sleep alone on the couch for a month if you get my drift…

Summer: Cohen, I wasn't born yesterday, and besides, that is the classic girl threat, but we all know that Marissa wouldn't be able to do it, so it was a pointless threat. I'm sure Chino saw right through it.

Seth: Yeah, he did, but how do you know that Marissa wouldn't be able to do it? She kicked him out of their room after the whole Branning fiasco.

Summer: Yeah, and after not being with him for less than 24 hours, she was miserable and ready to crack. She told me that she can't sleep without his arms around her.

Seth: Really? (He smirks and laughs.)

Summer: What's so funny?

Seth: Well, Ryan didn't admit it, but I think he can't sleep without her in his arms, because that night that she made him sleep on the couch, he didn't actually sleep at all, couldn't.

Summer: Do you think they'll get married?

Seth: What?

Summer: I mean, Chino in love, who would have ever have thought it was possible, and look at him, he's so gone!

Seth: (He sits down on his bed and motions for her to join him like they are two little girls at a sleep over about to share their deepest and darkest secrets.) Come here, sit with me and I will let you in on a little bit of information. (She does so and they both sit crossed legged, Indian style. Summer is excited as to what Seth might tell her.) Now, you can't tell anyone this, especially not Marissa, because if Ryan found out I told you, I really do think he would murder me or at least put me in a vegetative state, but he admitted something to me.

Summer: What?

Seth: Well, do you remember how you kicked us out on New Year's Eve so that you and Marissa could get ready?

Summer: Yeah, what about it?

Seth: He kind of disclosed exactly how he feels about Marissa.

Summer: Cohen, we all know that he loves her, (She realizes that he said New Year's Eve) but wait, you said New Year' Eve, and that was before they even kissed for the first time. What did he say, and tell me it word for word?

Seth: How am I supposed to remember exactly what he said; it was over a month ago!

Summer: Try.

Seth: Okay, so anyway, he basically admitted that he was already in love with her then, and that he had imagined what his life would be like if they got married and had kids.

Summer: You've got to be kidding me! Chino admitted that to you?

Seth: Not in so many words, you know Ryan, the less said the better, but that's definitely the impression he gave me. (They both sit and think for a minute before Summer starts speaking again.)

Summer: So, I guess now we just have to wait and see when he pops the question.

Seth: You don't think he'd do it before we got married, do you?

Summer: Hm, I don't know, why?

Seth: Because that way we could have a double wedding!

Summer: Oh I don't think so! Our wedding is my day to shine, and although I love Coop, she is not getting married on my wedding day, too.

Seth: Oh, okay, bad idea.

Summer: Ah, yeah! So, anyway, what happened after Marissa got out of the pool? Did she try to push Chino in or did she get mad and stomp off leaving him alone?

Seth: Neither. (Summer looks at him puzzled.) She went over to him, wrapped her arms around him, and in between talking, they made out until he lifted her up and carried her into the poolhouse, shutting the door behind him with his foot. (Summer's mouth drops open.)

Summer: She didn't even pretend to be mad?

Seth: Nope.

Summer: Well, what did she say?

Seth: I'm not quite sure; I couldn't hear everything they said very well because by that time they weren't yelling anymore, but I think she said something along the lines that the best way for her to warm up, because she was cold,…

Summer: Really Cohen, thanks, I couldn't figure that one out for myself!

Seth: (He makes a face at her and then continues to speak.) Anyway, as I was saying, she said something along the lines that the best way for her to warm up was him. (Summer slaps him over the head.)

Summer: Why don't you ever throw me into the pool?

Seth: What?

Summer: You never do anything like that for me!

Seth: First of all, Summer, why would you want to be thrown in the pool on a February night? If I did that, you'd burn me at the stake! Secondly, you know I have a bad back, so if I attempted to pick you up, I wouldn't be able to walk for weeks!

Summer: Whatever Cohen, you could at least try to be spontaneous sometimes!

Seth: Are we really going to fight about this? (She glares at him.) You haven't even told me what you wanted to come up here for yet. (With this, Summer forgets that she is supposed to be mad at Seth and jumps off of the bed.)

Summer: That's right! I need you to help me pick out my dress for the party tomorrow.

Seth: Summer!

Summer: What?

Seth: You got to be kidding me?

Summer: No, why?

Seth: I don't want to do this.

Summer: To bad. (She walks off towards his closet, opens it, and starts to rummage through it. She pulls out about seven dressed, carries them to his bed, and dumps them down in a large bright pile.)

Seth: Are you at least going to try them on for me so that I can watch you change?

Summer: Nope.

Seth: So, what do I get out of this little exercise?

Summer: You get to help me out and keep yourself off my naughty list.

Seth: Well, what if I want to be on your naughty list, Summer, what if I want to be a bad boy so that you can punish me, spank me for my dirty deeds! (Summer stares at him for a moment, and then erupts in laughter.)

Summer: Ew, Cohen, never, ever try dirty talk again! It was just….Ew!

Seth: Way to kill the mood Summer.

Summer: The only mood you were setting was a creepy one that I might run away from. (He hangs his head.)

Seth: Fine, let's just get this dress thing over with so that we can do something else. (He starts to look through the dresses, but stops when he sees a red one. He pulls it out and holds it up.) I thought you said that you weren't going to buy a red dress because that's what I wanted.

Summer: Oh, that's for Coop.

Seth: Why do you have it? Why didn't she pack it with her own stuff?

Summer: She doesn't know about it yet.

Seth: What?

Summer: Okay, I'll keep the secret you told me earlier, so you have to promise to keep mine.

Seth: I promise.

Summer: Cohen?

Seth: (He sticks his pinky out, knowing that she would make him do it anyway.) Let's get this over with. (She rolls her eyes, but they pinky swear so she can tell him her secret.)

Summer: Well, you know that Coop isn't exactly flush with cash, so when we went shopping for New Year's she wouldn't buy a dress and was afraid that she wouldn't have something appropriate to wear. I told her she could borrow something of mine, but instead I bought her the dress she wore so it would be perfect but didn't tell her. It was so much fun, that I decided to do it this time as well.

Seth: How did she not notice you buying two dresses?

Summer: The first time, I was stealth, and this last time, I bought so much she stopped paying attention.

Seth: Stealth, eh, and who taught you how to be stealth?

Summer: Definitely not you, so I'd have to say Chino. (Seth pouts.) You were probably an example of what not to do. (This just makes him pout even more.) But, I like it that you're not stealth, because that way when we're married, you'll never be able to pull one over one me. I'll know what time you get home every night, what time you leave, and where exactly you are at every moment of the day.

Seth: Wow Summer, that didn't just sound just like a stalker at all!

Summer: Oh please, you'd be flattered if I ever stalked you and don't deny it!

Seth: (Seth thinks about it before replying.) Yeah, you're right, I would. Actually, I find it kind of hot. You should definitely pretend to when we have the all clear part…if you know what I mean. (She laughs.)

Summer: I think I can figure it out. So, do you think that Marissa will like the dress? (Seth picks it up and looks at it. It is a simplistic, red, strapless, satin, short, and form fitting dress.)

Seth: I don't know about Marissa, but I can definitely tell you that Ryan will like it!

Summer: Yeah, I thought so. (She takes the dress away from him and hangs it back up.) Okay, so enough about Coop, we need to figure out what I'm wearing tomorrow. (As she begins to sort through the dresses, Seth leans back against his head board and just watches her work her magic and the scene fades to black.)

Commercial Break