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Chapter 17: Somewhere Out There

Ryan swung his bag over his shoulder as he and Seth walked out of class.

"You know, Ryan, I have found there to be one thing that can help in any difficult situation."

"Yeah? What's that?" Ryan said absently, walking a few steps in front of Seth.

"Just remembering that you're not a water polo player."

"And how would that help?"

"Those guys shave their chests!"

Ryan stopped and waited for Seth to catch up.

"Have you ever actually got to know one of them."

"Well you know I would have loved to have a chat but they were too busy peeing in my shoes," Seth said sarcastically.

"Cohen!"

They both turned as Summer ran over.

"Hey," she gave Seth a quick peck on the cheek

"You alright?" Seth immediately noticed Summer's worried expression.

"I just can't stop worrying about Marissa. I just want to know that she's alright."

"Hey, don….."

Seth was about to reassure Summer when a guy cut in.

"Hey, sorry, did I hear you talking about Marissa Cooper?"

"Oh, Jake, hey. Yeah why?" Summer asked.

"It's just, well, I saw her driving out of the car park in tears this morning. I don't want to get in the middle of whatever's going on but I thought you should know."

"And you're just telling us now?" Ryan felt the anger surging up inside him.

"Like I said, I don't want to be a part of this, I'm just telling you what I saw." He raised his hands up in defence. "I'm just the messenger."

Seth grabbed Ryan's shoulder as he lunged at Jake.

"I'm sorry man," Jake said walking away.

Ryan's brain suddenly went into overdrive. He had to go and find her. He turned around and started running.

"Hey Ryan!" Seth shouted when Ryan ran off. Ryan turned around to see a concerned looking Seth.

"I've got to find her Seth!"

"And you're going to do that on your feet? We don't have the car."

Ryan looked past Seth at Summer. Noticing this Seth turned around too. Summer still hadn't caught on to what they were both thinking.

"What?"

Seth looked at her as if to say 'what do you think'.

"Oh you want my car!" Summer started searching around her bag and found her keys. "Wait if my car's going then I'm going too."

"Well, if you're then I'm going." Seth said.

"Ok, can we just go!" Ryan said out of desperation.

Seth and Summer joined Ryan and they all rushed over to the car park.

"Oh, hey, it's fine, you don't have to thank me…." Jake shouted to the three figures running away.

"So where are we going?"

"We're going to find Marissa. I'm not going to let her escape. Not again."

"Yes." Seth paused for a few seconds. "But do you not think we should think about where she could be." Ryan shot a look at Seth. "You know what I'll just sit in the back and keep my eyes peeled. Obviously not literally cause that would just…."

"Cohen," Summer was really getting tired of his chatting. In normal circumstances it was a good distraction but these were definitely not normal circumstances.

"And keep my lips sealed. Which, by the way, I did not mean to rhyme."

They all reached Summer's car and Ryan went and stood at the drivers door. He turned to Summer and held out his hand.

"Uh uh. Wrong side of the car buddy. The only person taking control here is me."

"Clearly," Seth said under his breath, impressed by Summer's commands at Ryan. Summer glared at Seth.

"Back of the car. Got it." Seth clambered in the back as Ryan reluctantly got in the passenger seat.

"Forgetting about the lips sealed business for like two seconds, you do realise that we're going to have to be back in school by the end of lunch break – Ryan isn't exactly in Dr Kim's good books."

"Well then where could she be?" Summer asked as she pulled out of the school car park.

"She could be anywhere," Ryan replied. Seth had gotten to know Ryan well since he first arrived but this was a Ryan he had never seen before. This was a scared Ryan, with fear resounding in his voice. He was starting to realise just how much Marissa means to Ryan.

"Hey, dude, we're going to find her."

"How do you know?"

"I just do."

"Let's try the beach hut," Summer suggested trying to lighten the mood slightly. "She always goes there to think."

Summer moved the gear. "Please god, let her be there and safe," she prayed to herself for her best friend.

Ryan slammed the car door shut and ran down to life guard hut.

"Marissa! Marissa!" He shouted her name as he ran across the sand. When he reached the ramp he looked up into emptiness. "Damn it!" He turned around and started to call her name out over the beach and the ocean. "Marissa!"

Seth ran up to Ryan and put his hand on his arm.

"Hey, Ryan. I don't think she's here man. We should call her house again see if she's there." Ryan looked at Seth then past him to Summer. He swallowed and nodded his head.

Ryan dialled Marissa's home number. But he got no answer. Just as he ended the call Seth's phone started ringing. Seth coughed to try and cover up the stars wars theme tune that was growing louder.

"Mum."

"Hey. I thought I should let you know that Marissa isn't at Julie's and Jimmy was around here earlier…." Kirsten paused, trying to delay telling him. "Seth, she didn't stay at home, she went to school."

"Ye I know."

"What do you mean you know?"

"A guy at school saw her driving out of school in tears."

Kirsten heard the faint crashing of waves in the back ground.

"Seth where are you?"

He knew his mum would not be a fan of them searching Newport in their lunch break.

"At school," he replied very unconvincingly.

"Seth…" Kirsten said warningly.

"Ok we're at the life guard hut looking for Marissa."

"Look, I know you're all just worried about her, I am too, but right now I think you should just go back to school. Jimmy is already out looking for her. Come straight home after school and if she hasn't turned up then we can think about what to do. Ok?"

"Ye, I'll see you later."

Seth hung up.

"Mum says just to go back to school, and worry about it later."

Ryan didn't look convinced by this idea.

"Come one Chino. Let's go. Lunch break is almost over." Summer said. Seth patted Ryan's shoulder and guided him back to the car.

"Mum!"

Kirsten heard Seth's voice echo through the house.

"In here," she called to him sitting at the coffee table with a laptop. Seth walked in with Summer right behind.

"Oh, hey Summer."

"Hey Mrs Cohen."

"Where's Ryan?"

"He's still doing detention."

"Oh of course."

"You alright?" Seth asked his mum. She seemed almost distant.

"Oh I'm fine, just got a lot on my mind," Kirsten replied closing the laptop.

"Tell me about it," Summer said under her breath.

Kirsten looked over at her. In just a glance Kirsten could tell how worried about Marissa she was.

"We'll find her don't worry," she tried to reassure Summer who just smiled weakly in return. Kirsten stood up.

"You guys want anything to eat? Drink? Strawberry milk?" she said smirking at Seth.

"Could I try some of that?" Summer asked Kirsten.

"Ye sure. What about you Seth?"

"I've already told you – Whisky not strawberry milk!" Kirsten just looked at him.

"Fine," Seth gave in. "I suppose I could try some."

Kirsten smiled at him and went to the kitchen.

"Don't forget the straw," he shouted to his mum.

He turned back and saw Summer look at him weirdly.

"Sensitive teeth," he said with a grin.

Summer rolled her eyes and moved right beside him on the couch, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Penny for your thoughts."

Summer sighed.

"How much time do you have? I mean there's a voice in my head telling me that everything's going to be fine but then there's another one that's telling me that what if it's not fine. Anything could have happened to her. There are just so many voices in my head, I just don't know what to think."

"Ignore the voices in your head, and listen to my voice ok? She is going to be fine. Jimmy is going to find her and bring her home."

He kissed the top of her head.

"Two strawberry milks."

Summer sat up as Kirsten handed her a glass.

"Thanks."

"And what better than strawberry milk to make you feel better," Seth said sucking milk through his straw. When Seth stopped sucking Summer leant in and started drinking his.

"Hey!" Seth shouted. "You've got your own!"

"I thought you didn't like it."

"I do not believe that those words ever left my lips."

"Well I'll leave you two alone," Kirsten smiled at Seth and Summer.

Sandy closed the front door behind him.

"Hello?" The whole house was eerily quiet. He frowned and walked through to the kitchen. Kirsten was standing at the worktop with her back to him. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Hey," he kissed her cheek.

"Hey."

"Where are the boys?" He unwrapped his arms from around her and went to take a bagel out of the basket.

"Upstairs with Summer, I think," Kirsten replied still leaning on the worktop with her back to Sandy.

"What about Marissa? Where's she?" Sandy asked, taking a bite out of his bagel. He chewed waiting for Kirsten to reply but she said nothing.

"Kirsten?" he said to her swallowing and frowning.

"I don't know."

"I guess she's with Jimmy," Sandy replied cheerfully taking another bite out of his bagel. He walked over to the cupboard to take out a glass.

"No-one knows," Kirsten said bluntly.

Sandy closed the cupboard doors.

"No-one knows what?"

"Where Marissa is," Kirsten replied, still not looking at Sandy.

"What do you mean no-one knows where Marissa is?" Once again Kirsten remained silent. "Kirsten? Honey, what's going on?" He walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. She turned around and looked in to his deep, loving eyes.

""No-one has seen her since she left for school this morning."

Sandy leant against the worktop trying to take in what Kirsten was saying.

"So she's run away?"

"I don't know. Jimmy sent her off to school this morning but she didn't show up in school, and Seth said that some kid saw her leaving school in tears."

Sandy stopped for a second trying to process everything that Kirsten was telling him.

"How are the kids?"

"None of them have really said much. I think they all just want her home and safe."

"What about Jimmy?"

"He's been driving around looking for her all day. And before you ask Julie doesn't know. I don't want to tell her before it's completely necessary."

"Well so much for a quiet night in."

Kirsten poured some wine and handed him a glass.

"What are you thinking?" Kirsten asked him, seeing lines forming on Sandy's forehead.

"How serious do you think this is? I mean should we call the cops? It's bad enough that no-one knows where she is but it is only just over a week ago that she was attacked. I mean what if the men that attacked her…."

"Wait Sandy there's nothing to say that anything has happened to her."

"For all we know anything could have happened to her." Sandy put his glass down. "I'm going to talk to the kids."

"What are you going to say?"

"Honestly? I have no idea. Why don't you phone Jimmy, tell him to come over here."

She nodded as Sandy walked over to the stairs.

"Sandy," Kirsten called to him. He turned round to face her. "Do you think she's alright?"

Sandy just looked at her and carried on walking.

It wasn't the answer that Kirsten wanted. All she wanted was for Sandy to take her hand and tell her that everything was going to be alright. But her hand was empty. She clenched the air between her fingers and picked up her wine glass pouring the contents down the sink, watching as the deep red liquid swirled out of sight. She took a deep breath and walked over to the phone. She knew that Jimmy definitely wouldn't be there to tell her everything was alright. As far as he was concerned nothing was alright until he had Marissa safe in his arms.

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Next Chapter – will they find Marissa?