"Oh, you have no idea good it feels to be home!" Summer gushed enthusiastically as she stood wide-eyed and stuck in front of the picture-window in Julie's dining room, watching the sunset over the Pacific.
Marissa scrunched her face up at her best friend as she followed Aiden around the table, straightening the utensils he was haphazardly throwing onto the table as they set up for dinner that evening. Marissa had invited Ryan to join herself, Summer, and Aiden for dinner, and then Seth had invited over himself to join in too.
Catching her look as she turned around, Summer let out a small laugh, rolling her eyes at herself. "Well I guess you would know actually, having recently came home yourself. But I mean, I never thought it would be this good. Did you?"
"Honestly? No," Marissa responded as she pulled the fancy napkins out of the china cabinet and handed them to her son to lay out. "I thought it was going to be terrible.. but I think I'm as happy as I've been in forever," she confessed as a small smile curled across her lips. Coming up behind the little blonde boy, she ruffled his hair affectionately before starting to help him fold the fabric napkins. "And Aiden loves it here, don't you baby?"
"Yeah," he immediately responded enthusiastically, his fingers putting no effort into the task of folding in front of him, "I getta go swimming and play in the sand and throw catch and it dont rain or snow or nothing!"
"Well that is the life, isn't it?" Summer concurred sarcastically, laughing to herself at the little boy who she'd missed more than she thought possible. Turning away from the window, she casually made her way over to the nearest chair at the table and took a seat, letting the Cooper's finish setting the table themselves. Letting out a heavy breath as she leaned back into the chair, her smile seemed to fade off her lips. "I wish this wasn't so short of a visit. I mean, Jake said he'd think about moving out here but.."
"You're thinking about moving back?" Marissa asked suddenly, surprised, as she abruptly stopped what she was doing and turned to face her friend. "Sum, that would be amazing if you did."
"I know, it'd be great..." Summer agreed, a smile gracing her lips. "Jake said that maybe after the wedding we'd look at places out here. He's always out of the country on business trips and all his other work he does from his computer anyways so it wouldn't matter where we lived.."
"Wait," Marissa interrupted suddenly, "but the wedding isn't until November. That's like six months away."
"Yeah, but Jake wants to make sure this is what I really want, so he wants to wait awhile since he thinks I only want to move here because you did," Summer conceded, letting a small smile grace her lips at how well her fiancé knew her. But who could blame a girl for wanting her best friends around? "I guess its good we take our time thinking anyways. Its our whole future.. plus, depending on how this dinner from hell-"
Aiden suddenly took in a sharp breath, his brows furrowing at the curse. "Aunt Summer!" he scolded quickly, his shocked eyes turning to stare her down.
"Sorry, Aiden. Sorry, sorry, sorry.." She apologized profusely, as she tried to bite her laugh back as he emulated a perfect version of his scolding mother. She couldn't help it though and let a giggle escape, making Aiden glare at her even harder and making her bust out in even louder laughs. He pouted at Summer, getting frustrated to the point where he started to storm out, when she suddenly sprung to life, crossing the room in a second and grabbing his sides and tickling him. Immediately his anger faded as he burst into giggles himself.
"A-Aunt S-S-Summer! S-Stop!" he belted out between laughs as he quickly crumbled to the ground, completely at her mercy.
"Are you gonna be mad anymore at me if I let you go?" Summer asked as he fingers continued to wreck havoc on his tiny sides, to which she immediately got an enthusiastic, screamed, no. She let out a hearty laugh, taunting him, "Whose your favorite aunt?"
"You are!" he screamed adamantly and was quickly released from her clutches. Clambering back onto his feet, he quickly rushed away from his aunt and into the kitchen, almost knocking his mom over as she walked back in with a pitcher of iced tea.
"What was that all about?"
"Oh, nothing," Summer answered casually as she got up from kneeling on the ground and quickly fell back into her chair. "Anyways. As I was saying.. Depending on how this dinner from "heck" goes, I might have to go back into hiding from here for another 5 years. I mean, seeing Cohen? Me and Cohen hanging out? I can not think of a worse way to spend an evening.."
Marissa immediately rolled her eyes at her brunette beset friend. "Summer, its not gonna be that bad."
Summer immediately raised her eyes in speculation at her friend.
"Its not," Marissa reassured her again. "No matter how bad you think it will be, it'll never be THAT bad," she explained as she took a seat next to Summer. "I mean, I thought seeing Ryan would be the most awkward moment ever when I moved back, and look how that turned out."
"Yeah. Now you two are dating.."
"Sum!" Marissa immediately hissed at her, her brows furrowing in surprise and frustration, but a helpless smile curling her lips none-the-less. Quickly, she scanned her eyes across the room, checking any signs of her son as Summer silently giggled at her. Taking in a deep breath, she leaned in towards her best friend and softly started to scold her. "Okay, first of all, we aren't dating," Summer opened her mouth to interrupt, but Marissa continued on before she could, "and second of all, I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about that in front of Aiden. I don't want him to get the wrong idea."
"Okay well, to your first of all- I think you guys are totally dating, but by some chance if you're not now, you will be soon," Summer retorted back immediately. Marissa's mouth helplessly fell open in protest, but she didn't get the opportunity to speak before Summer continued on. "You guys see each other almost everyday and hangout on most nights. He got you a job. He's called you twice since you picked me up at the airport last night, and another time just to talk to Aiden. Plus you said you guys kissed, right?"
"Once!" Marissa replied a little too quickly and a little too defensively.
"Yeah, and we both know there are going to be plenty more where that came from."
Marissa's brow furrowed as she leaned back in her chair, her arms automatically crossing over her chest as she started to pout.
Summer rolled her eyes. "Don't look so upset, I think it'd be great if you guys tried again. Its totally fate. You come back after all these years a grown up and mature women, who's a total MILF. And Ryan's this sexy, successful business man, who just happens to be single and waiting when his highschool sweetheart comes back to town with her little boy... Come on, that has to be fate."
Marissa smiled softly, for a second allowing herself to get lost in Summer's words. Maybe it was fate. She had to admit, Ryan being back in her life was responsible for a lot of her happiness lately, and probably Aiden's too. But that's the only thing that worried her. It scared her how attached to Ryan her son had already become in such a short time. He'd never had a predominant male-figure in his life until now, and Aiden was quickly falling for the shaggy blonde that Marissa found herself falling in love with all over again. She just didn't want Aiden to have to live through the kind of ups and downs her's and Ryan's relationship had gone through in highschool. But maybe Summer was right. They were different people now, and maybe all this time apart was what they needed to grow up; be ready for each other finally.
"Plus, in response to your second point," Summer continued, breaking Marissa out of her thoughts, "I don't think you have to worry about what Aiden would think. He is so excited that Ryan is coming over tonight. The kid was seriously talking my ear off about him all morning," she explained honestly.
Marissa let her smile grow, deciding in that moment, unless Ryan gave her a reason, she wasn't going to worry about what could go wrong anymore. "He told me he wants to be an 'architective' like Ryan," Marissa admitted, laughing to herself as Summer's whole face contorted.
"Aww, that's so cute!" she immediately cooed, her bottom lip pouting out. She opened her mouth to say more, only to be cut off by the door bell.
"I'll get it!" both girls heard Aiden call out from somewhere else in the house followed by the pounding of his little feet as he ran to get the door.
"Oh god," Summer hissed under her breath, her nerves on high alert as both girls stood up and headed to greet whoever was at the door. They entered the hallway to the foyer just in time to see Aiden whip open the door in excitement.
"Aw, its just Seth!" he immediately cried out in disappointment, his shoulders slumping.
"Aiden Lee Cooper!" Marissa's hardened voice immediately screamed as she scolded her son for his rudeness.
"Sorry.." Aiden immediately apologized, sinking back from the door.
"Marissa, really its okay. Surprisingly, that's a greeting I'm definitely used to by now," Seth said coyly as he stepped inside and ruffled Aiden's hair, his voice a mixture of sarcasm and seriousness, making it impossible to tell if he was serious or not.
Summer laughed, suddenly not feeling so nervous as she took in the sight of the exact same curly headed boy, well, man now, that she spent most of her teenage years with.
Seth's eyes immediately peeled away from Marissa and landed on the fiery little brunette he had missed so much. He took in a sharp breath as he dug his hands further into his pockets. "H-hey Summer.."
"Hey Seth," Summer greeted him, quickly taking the few steps between them and pulling him into a friendly hug. They pulled apart, and Seth stared, transfixed on Summer, until he heard Marissa click the door shut behind him, snapping him out of his trance.
"Oh, Marissa, this is for you," he said as he held out a bottle to her. Marissa's brow furrowed in confusion as she took it. "I know its customary to bring wine or whatever, but since there was a four year old involved I figured this would be more appropriate."
"Mountain Dew?"
"Yes!" Aiden screeched out as he stared at the bright green bottle, suddenly happy that Seth showed up. His mom rarely let him have soda. "Could I have some Mommy?" he asked, sweetly pouting his lip as he reached for it. Reluctantly, his mom handed it over, and he immediately took it and headed off to the kitchen.
"Great, he's gonna be up all night now," Marissa grumbled, her face contorting as she heard her son crashing around in the kitchen as he tried to get into the high cabinets to get a cup. "I better go help him," she quickly muttered before heading off to follow her little boy.
Seth and Summer laughed, watching Marissa disappear into the kitchen before turning back to each other.
"So, how have you been?" Summer asked, genuinely interested, "I heard you and Zach are back to making comics."
"Yeah, I've been helping him with Atomic County," he explained, fidgeting with his fingers, "its been going really well, too. But what about you, what have you been up to?"
"Well I.." she trailed off, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, not really sure what to say, but Seth put the pieces together himself as her eight carrot ring caught the light.
"..got married?" Seth asked his stomach dropping.
"No, no. Um, just engaged," she quickly corrected. "See," she said holding up her left hand, "no wedding band."
Seth nodded dumbly, not sure at all what to do. This was not what he expected when he invited himself over tonight. He took a deep breath as an awkwardness fell between them. Digging his hands into his pockets, he decided to shrug off his feelings. Sucking it up, he smiled softly. "So you finally found a guy that could put up with you, huh?"
Rolling her eyes, Summer let out a small laugh as she playfully hit him. "Shut up, Cohen."
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"You're breaking up with me?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry it had to be like this but.." Ryan tried to politely let down the dumbfound blond sitting at the island counter in the kitchen of his apartment.
"You're breaking up with me?" she repeated again, not believing the situation that was presenting itself. She thought Ryan had been inviting her over for a make up dinner of some sort, not to do this.
"Katie, look, I know you don't want to hear this, but you cant honestly be that shocked. I mean, come on.."
"You're breaking up with me?" Katie said again, her voice raising in volume and bitterness. "I spend the past month getting blown off by you, being treated like shit by you, while I gave you everything, and you break up with me? No! You don't get to do that! I'm breaking up with you!"
Ryan rolled his eyes. "Fine, however you want to think about it. You broke up with me, okay? I don't care as long as it means we're over," he explained plainly, moving from where he was standing next to her to his living area not even ten feet away. Katie's eyes followed him as he picked up a plain white box off his coffee table and carried it back to her. "Here's all your stuff that was here, if I missed anything, just let me know."
Katie's mouth fell open, her eyes welling slightly as she lifted the top of the box a little and started to look over her things.
"Could you look at it later, and call me if you find something? You showed up three hours late and now I'm late.." he explained, annoyed, as he looked at the digital clock on his stove and realized he was already exactly twenty-six minutes late to Marissa's dinner, something he had been looking forward to all week.
"Late for what?" Katie asked, her brow furrowing as she closed the box up.
"I don't think that's any of you're business.."
"No, tell me. Late for what?" she demanded, practically throwing her box on the counter. Off Ryan's silence, her frustration rose even more. "Are you meeting a girl? Ryan what are you late for?! A date?!"
Ryan sighed in frustration, gritting his teeth together hard. "This is over Katie, and I am very late so I'm leaving, and so are you," he said with an edge, ready to escort them both out. He reached over to grab his keys off the end of the counter, but Katie was faster.
Grabbing up the keys tight in her hand, she backed away from Ryan and glared at him, tears of desperation brimming in her eyes. "Were you cheating on me?" she crazily demanded.
He huffed in anger, giving her a death glare. "There was no way I was cheating on you because this wasnt a real relationship, now give me the keys!" he demanded at the top of his lungs as he moved forward to grab her hand but she just back away further.
"Not a real relationship?! Ryan, I love you!"
Ryan's eyes almost popped out of his head as he looked at the blond bimbo in front of him like she had just escaped from the looney bin. "In love with me?! Katie the only thing you ever loved about me was the money!"
"Yeah, well, you only loved the sex!" she shot back defensively, putting her hands on her hips.
Immediately Ryan threw his hands up in frustration. "There, you just proved my point. This was in no way a relationship. Now just give me the damn keys and we're leaving.."
"No!" she screamed as he lunged for her hand again, she pulled back again, this time running to the side of the room with Ryan hot on her heals. Smiling as she reached wall, she headed to the open window, chucking the keys out onto the lawn. "Ha!" she screamed out in satisfaction and smiled as she heard the metal hit the ground. Turning around to see Ryan's reaction, her face fell as she saw him heading towards his apartment door, completely ignoring her. "Where are you going?" she called after him.
"I am going to go get my keys," he explained through gritted teeth as turned around to face her. "Then, I'm going to come back up here, and when I do that, if you're not gone, I'm calling the cops."
"Ryan.." she pleaded as she crossed the room to him, but he wasn't having it.
"No. You leave, or the cops will help you leave," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument, as he turned and walked out of his apartment. He was no further than halfway through the hallway when he heard his door slam shut behind him, followed by his lock clicking and the chain being pulled across, something having his keys would not help him get passed. Running back to the door, he started to pound on it with all his might. "Katie, open the door! Katie!" he screamed out, but got no answer in return, reaching into his pockets, he found that he had stupidly left his cell phone in his apartment as well, so there was no calling the cops. All he could do was pound on the door harder and hope she'd let him back in.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
"Dang it," Seth muttered as the spoon he had expertly placed on his nose fell off the second he let go of it.
"No, its like this," Aiden explained seriously as he picked up his own spoon. Without any precision whatsoever, he slapped the spoon on his nose and let it go, smiling proudly at Seth as it held on and floated in the middle of his face.
"You didn't even put it on there right," Seth muttered in frustration as he leaned over and looked at Aiden's nose from the side.
"I know," Aiden said as he got up and started to dance around a little bit, the spoon still sticking to his nose, "that's why it stuck. You're just trying to hard."
"I really don't think that's it kid," Seth said as he picked up his spoon again and just slapped it on, only to have it fall right off again.
The little boy immediately burst into giggles, to which Seth reached out and knocked the spoon of Aiden's nose. "Hey! That was mean!"
"Oh I'm so sorry.." Seth mockingly apologized.
"Wow, Cohen, way to pick on a little kid," Summer laughed out from the other side of the dining room table.
"Aunt Summer, don't call me a little kid. I'm four!" Aiden screeched out, offended, as he crawled back into his chair at the head of the table. "I'm a big four!"
"Woah," Summer breathed out as she held her hands up in defense, "Sorry Aid, I will never call you a little kid again. Promise."
"Good," he told her with a nod as he leaned far across the table, past his mom, to where his aunt was sitting. "You wanna play rock, pape, sciz?" he asked with a smile as he held his hand up in a fist, all ready to start as he practically lay on top of the table. Everyone started to laugh softly at his cuteness as he started to move his hand up and down and play with his aunt.
"Sorry, he gets kind of moody when he's hungry," Marissa offered with a quick smile, before looking at the wall hanging clock in worry. Ryan was forty-five minutes late.
"Speaking of hungry, what are we having anyways?" Seth spoke up as he leaned back in his chair, his hands resting on his empty stomach.
"Lasagna," Marissa answered, to which Seth made yummy noises.
"And mashed potatoes!" Aiden added, never taking his eyes off his and Summer's hands.
"And mashed potatoes," Marissa confirmed to Seth, to which he scrunched up his face in disgust. "It was Aiden's choice, so.."
"Oh, well you have one interesting kid there then," Seth commented as he took a sip of mountain dew from his wine glass, making Marissa laugh and softly shake her head.
"Yes!" Aiden called out after one round of Rock, Paper, Scissors.
"Wait, why are you excited?" Summer asked, confused. "I won."
"No, I won. Rock goes through pape."
"But you won last time when I had rock and you had paper."
"Well, that's because I win."
"Why?"
"Because I just do," Aiden reasoned earnestly.
"Well okay then," Summer reasoned as her rock was somehow beaten by scissors.
Marissa laughed to herself, as she reached out and gently rubbed her sons back as he lay across the table in front of her. Letting out a sigh and feeling her own hunger coming on, she looked at the clock again. Ryan was now forty-eight minutes late and he hadn't even called. She bit her lip anxiously before standing up. "I'm just gonna call Ryan quick. See where he is.."
"Tell him he should bring me dessert ice cream cuz he made me wait to eat," Aiden called out to his mother without looking up from his game.
"Sweetie, you were the one who made us wait for him," Marissa pointed out as she stopped in the archway to the kitchen.
"But he don't know that," the little blond said mischievously, "plus I want ice cream."
"Maybe I'll ask him," Marissa conceded with a smile as she turned into the kitchen to get the phone, only to burst into giggles when she heard her little boy yell that he wanted chocolate.
Shaking her head absently, she quickly picked up the phone off the hook and dialed his cell phone number by memory. It only rang twice before it was quickly picked up, making Marissa smile in anticipation of his sweet voice.
"Hello?" a high, feminine voice screeched out over the line, shocking the smile right off her face.
"Oh, I must've dialed the wrong number. Sorry," she quickly muttered, ready to hang up and redial.
"Wait! Are you looking for Ryan?"
"Um," Marissa muttered as she leaned back against the tiled kitchen wall, unsure of what was going on, but she hung on the line. "Uh, yeah. I'm- I'm looking for Ryan, is he there?"
"Oh, you must be the girl he's been seeing behind my back! Listen, I don't know who you are, but you need to back off. We've been together five months and I'm not about to lose him to some sleazy whore.."
"Excuse me?" Marissa blurted defensively, suddenly standing up straighter. "I think I have the wrong number, the Ryan I know is single."
"Ryan James Atwood? Blond? Buff? Architect? Because if that's him, that's my Ryan!"
Marissa's mouth fell open in shock as she suddenly heard loud banging in the background.
"Katie, open this fucking door up right now!"
Marissa gulped as she recognized the voice screaming in the background. It was Ryan. Had he been lying to her this entire time? She bit the inside of her mouth as she felt tears well up in her eyes. Immediately she hung up the phone, slamming it back on it hook with all her might before leaning back against the wall. She didn't know what to think or what to do.. She was so confused. What the hell was that? Suddenly Aiden screeched out in laughter in the dining room and she suddenly knew what she had to do, at least at that moment: pretend like nothing was wrong.
Blinking back her tears, she subconsciously ran her fingers through her light brown long hair and took a few deep breath. Walking calmly over to the archway, she stepped in and forced a smile.
"Summer and Seth, could you come help me serve dinner?"
"We get to eat?" Seth asked astonished and overly joyed at the prospect of food.
Marissa simply nodded as he and Summer got up and moved past her into the kitchen.
"Wait," Aiden blurted, falling back into his seat as he looked up at his mom with excited eyes, "Ryan's here?"
"No, baby, he's not going to make it," Marissa explained softly, her heart breaking as his face visibly fell. He looked completely crushed, his smile melted into a frown and his eyes grew wider. "He said that he- he lost track of time at work," Marissa made up off the top of her head, trying to come up with a reasonable excuse for her son, "and he just has too much to do tonight, so he cant come."
Aiden simply nodded, sadly, faking that he understood, before looking down at his hands in his lap.
Moving across the room, Marissa kneeled by her son, her hand resting reassuringly on his back. "Its okay sweetie..." she cooed.
"I know, Mommy," he muttered looking up at her and quickly wrapping his little arms around her neck wanting nothing more in that moment than a hug from his Mommy.
Running her hand up and down his back, she pulled back a little so she could look in his eyes. "Maybe after we eat, we could go down to the pier and get you an ice cream cone?"
"Yeah," Aiden agreed quietly, nodding his head a little. "Can I have chocolate?"
"Of course sweetie," she agreed, feeling better when she saw a hint of a smile creep onto his lips again, even though she knew she was basically bribing him. "But you have to eat all you're dinner first, okay?" he nodded vigorously, smiling a little wider.
Marissa leaned in and brushed a kiss against Aiden's forehead, before trying the smooth out his shaggy blond locks with her nimble fingers. Leaning up, Aiden placed a quick sweet kiss on his mother's cheek, just as Seth and Summer walked back in holding hot plates filled with way more food than necissary for four. Standing up, Marissa held onto the back of Aiden's chair, making a silent promise to herelf that she would never put Aiden in a position that would make him look that disapointed again.