A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone! Sorry it took a bit longer to update. I'll hopefully have another chapter up before I go on holidays, but it all depends on reviews! They mean so much to me which sounds incredibly cheesy but its true.
Thanks again and I hope you enjoy!
CHAPTER 3: DOMESTIC BLISS
"Cohen, we need to change the channel."
"Why?" Seth was lounging back in his lounge watching, not any sporting match or anything related to sport in fact, but reruns of Grey's Anatomy.
"ANTM's on, and I can't miss it."
"ANT what now?"
"Next top model. It's a really important episode. I don't know what's going to happen to McKee – she's my favourite."
"Really? Mine's Marjorie." Shit. Seth had just given his biggest secret away. He was a closet next top model fan.
"Hang on, do you actually watch ANTM?"
"No... I was just guessing names. Do you mean there's actually a Marjorie on the show. Lucky guess I guess."
"Cohen..."
"Busted. When I was up late one night it was on and I got addicted. That Tyra knows what she's talking about."
"I can't believe you. So turn it over."
"Now I don't have to wait until you're asleep to watch it. Good."
Seth scooted over and let Summer in,
When the show was finished – it was Clark's turn to go – there was the nightly debate over what to have for dinner.
"Thai."
"Italian. What's your obsession with Thai anyway?"
"It was pretty much the only thing I had growing up seeing as my mum couldn't cook."
"Fine then. Thai it is. But only this once."
"Thanks Summ. Oh, and by the way, Levi wants to know what time we're getting there tomorrow night."
"About 8 I guess. I think I'm working until then anyway."
Going to the bar every Friday night had become somewhat of a tradition, and now that Summer and Seth had gotten over hating each other, they had sort of become a package deal. Every time either of them did anything, the other was invited too. And since the bar was a regular thing, it was now the place to be for all Seth and Summer's friends.
The food came and the argument arose over who to pay, but the arguments weren't serious anymore, they were more a friendly bickering. Just as Lena had predicted, Summer and Seth were becoming fast friends.
Seth could now see that Summer wasn't neurotic but just clean, like most girls were, and cared about her appearance. She wasn't crazy at all, but actually really funny in her own weird way if you got to know her well enough.
And Summer could see that Seth was hilarious with his sarcasm and references to books and movies no one has ever heard of. And of course, since they could both take a joke, they never stopped mocking each other and that was fun too.
Ever since that night that Summer had attacked Seth with her lips, they had been pretty close. When Summer couldn't sleep that night, she had gone back to Seth's room and they had a pretty deep and meaningful talk. Not just superficial stuff like ANTM, but really close things. Summer had told Seth about the time she was mugged in an alleyway and Seth told her about when he was picked on in high school, until one time when he ended up in hospital with broken ribs and a broken arm. They shared stuff that hadn't been shared before – not with anyone, even their closest friends – and it signalled a turning point in their relationship, to the stage where they weren't just civil towards each other, but actually friends.
BBBBBBBBBBB
Summer was working intensely at her desk when she looked up at the clock and saw that it was time to leave. Her work would always be there on Monday morning and she wasn't going to let it get in the way of her fun. She had decided to wear her cute new dress to work today, but being New York, she couldn't just wear it by itself, so she was wearing tights as well. She wore heals – as she did everyday because she was so tiny without them – and had a black overcoat to shield herself from the wind.
When she had gone to the mirror and checked she was still looking good and her hair was still in place, she zipped up her coat and braved the icy streets. Since Roger and Christian and all of her work friends had left at 6, Summer was left to walk by herself, which was always a danger, but Summer was surprisingly tough and any person who tried to attack her was in for a nasty surprise – six years of martial arts for her rage blackouts meant that she was the more dangerous one.
She reached Duncan's and saw that the party was already in full swing. Trust a group of testosterone filled males to not waste any time at the end of the week to get stuck into the drinking. She went over and joined Chris, Josh and Zack and downed a few martinis.
At about ten, things were getting interesting and Seth was over talking to a few of his friends from work.
"Seth, you should come back to our apartment after here – we've got a case of beer in the fridge and there's a replay of the football." Levi and Mitch were two guys at his work who still acted like they were in a frat house. They were both 30 but shared an apartment so they could have ragers and get drunk every night, and if there was ever a sports thing on, they were the first to let everyone know.
"I would guys, but me and Summ are going shopping early tomorrow. Apparently the apartment doesn't have enough paintings or decorations, but I won't let her pick them by herself because she has atrocious taste in almost everything."
"Blow her off. She's just your roomie, and only cos she wouldn't fucking leave." Mitch had by this stage had quite a few pints and was getting more aggressive than he normally was.
"I would but she'd make my life hell. Maybe next time."
"Whatever. You're so a couple."
"What?" Seth was in the middle of a mouthful and he spat it out all over the counter.
"It's obvious. You blow off beer and sports to have an early night to go shopping with her. You do everything together – every time I see you you're with her. You watch TV shows together, you eat together all the time..."
"That's because we live together."
"So? Me and Levi live together – doesn't mean we spend every moment looking into each other's eyes and saying how great we are."
"And you think me and Summer do?"
"Well if you're not a couple, you're the most non-couple couple I've ever seen."
""Whatever man. I just don't want to get on her bad side – she's had a rage blackout problem since forever and we still have ten more months of living together before I can finally kick her out." Seth didn't mention that he was beginning to dread this – now he was used to sharing with someone and having someone to spend time with, he wasn't sure he wanted to go back to living and eating alone. And now Summer waited until 6:30 to do her morning bathroom stuff, things were much better.
"Sure. If you say so."
Seth was starting to get pissed off at Mitch and Levi – all they talked about was beer, sports and women, and especially now Seth didn't want to hear their alcohol fuelled rants. Actually, after a long week, he felt like going home. And now he and Summer had their little trick for making the other leave when they wanted to, he knew he could leave right now.
But first, he had to say a quick hello to Lena, who he hadn't talked to all night.
"Hey Lena, how's it going?"
Lena was sitting on the edge of her stool, obviously very happy and cheerful; "I'm great sweetie. How are things?"
"Good. I'm just about to leave. Thought I'd come say hi."
"No Sethy, stay with me." She tried to pull him down but he wasn't having any of it.
"No Lena, I'm going now."
"But I never get to spend time with you anymore, and I miss you."
"I miss you too. But I'm tired, and I'm leaving."
He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before walking over to Summer's cubicle, where he saw her talking to two guys he had never seen before. Perfect.
"Hey sweetie, I think it's time to leave."
Summer looked up confused for a second, but caught on, and said, "Alright babe, sorry guys, I have to go now. Nice talking to you."
"Wait, you have a boyfriend?"
"Yeah, didn't I mention that? Sorry." She handed Seth her coat and got up from her seat. As they were walking out the door, Seth squeezed Summer's ass for added effect, before turning around to see what the guys she left behind were doing.
He caught a glance at Mitch who was mouthing something Seth couldn't quite understand but could definitely hazard a guess as to what he was saying. Seth made a gesture with a certain finger and kept walking, wrapping his arm around Summer's shoulder to finish the charade.
Once they got outside Summer said,
"Did you really have to add the ass grab? I was coming you know."
"I had to pay you back for that kiss you gave me a few weeks ago. You can't have me that easily without getting something in return."
"Whatever."
Seth went to remove his arm from around Summer's body but she stopped him.
"It's cold. You don't want me to freeze to death do you?"
"You just want to steal my warmth."
"You know what Cohen? Living with you turned out to be not such a bad thing after all."
Seth squeezed her shoulder a little tighter. "Was that a compliment in there somewhere?"
"No way. You're still a pig."
They walked back to the apartment in silence, and when they got back, Seth crashed. After working hard on a project all week, he just needed to sleep. But Summer came in and crashed on his bed next to him.
"Why are you going to bed so early?"
"Just tired from work."
"You know what? I had fun tonight."
"Me too. Except for Mitch and Levi."
"Well they're jerks. Everyone knows that."
They turned Seth's TV on and found a rerun of Veronica Mars playing. Neither of them could bother changing the channel, so they left it and before long, both were starting to fall asleep.
A couple of hours later Seth's phone rang, waking them both. Seth groggily checked the number, and when he couldn't recognise it, was really confused as to who would be calling him so late at night.
He answered, and although Summer couldn't tell what was being said, she saw a lot of nodding, and eventually a look of confusedness and worry. He hung up the phone and turned away from Summer, hanging over the side of the bed with his head in his hands.
Summer, immediately concerned, moved across the bed and put her hand on his back. "Cohen, is everything OK?"
He turned around and she could see a sadness in his face she had never seen before.
"It's the nana, she's been In an accident."
