The New Beginning
Chapter Nine: The Hidden Agenda
"Do we have to go back to Newport?" Marissa asked, slipping closer to Ryan. "We could just skip school for a couple of days."
After the movie was over, they decided as one that they weren't quite ready for the drive back to Newport. Their things had already been packed away into the Range Rover, but nobody felt up to begin the return trip home. It was quickly decided that one more trip to the beach couldn't hurt. So now the four of them sat together next to a fire pit in Ocean Beach.
"I don't want to go back either, but we gotta." Ryan said with a sigh. "I'm not afraid of your mother, but I'd rather not get her riled up."
"The Julie Cooper is my whole reason for this trip." Seth said, tossing another piece of a broken pallet into the fire.
Seth had kept himself busy between stoking the fire he was thoroughly enjoying, and fighting for tongue dominance with Summer. They had made up well, though nobody really doubted that. It seemed that after every argument the two of them couldn't get enough of each other.
"Cohen, I'm gonna laugh when you fall in that pit."
"I have far too many ninja-like acrobatics at my disposal. I could backflip over this pathetic fire."
Seth flopped down in the sand, as Summer scooted between his legs. The sound of hand drums drifted over to them from a nearby fire, as the two couples fell into a comfortable silence. They had found a fire pit that was unoccupied, and claimed it as their own. The warm fire and cool night breeze made for a near perfect end to a near perfect little vacation. Nobody was looking forward to going back to the Newport Drama Bubble.
"We have to do something like this again. Sometime this summer." Marissa said, her head resting on Ryan's shoulder.
"That's not a bad idea Coop. Next time let's go to Vegas!"
"Summer, I didn't know you liked The Vegas." Seth stated, leaning forward to look at his girlfriend.
"I love The Vegas." Summer said with enthusiasm. "We'll have to keep Chino away from the strippers though."
"I've never been to The Vegas." Ryan said, shrugging.
"Whoa, Ryan." Seth said, dumbstruck. "Never been in the ocean. Never been to The Vegas. I need to check you for a pulse, because I don't think you've ever lived."
"We could always go to Mexico." Marissa suggested lightly.
All eyes shifted to her, shocked into silence. For a moment nobody spoke, until Marissa finally lifted her head from Ryan's shoulder.
"I was joking."
"Oh, okay." Seth said uncomfortably. "The Vegas is nicer anyway."
"I dunno." Ryan cut in. "Cancun is pretty cool."
"Wait, you've been to Cancun, but never Vegas?" Seth inquired, shaking his head.
"My dad took me when I was a kid. Of course, he left me at the hotel to go out after some of those stippers that Summer has on her mind. So I went exploring."
"Right, anyway." Summer went on, rolling her eyes. "We can get a couple rooms in Vegas, and hit the strip. We might be able to get into Coyote Ugly this time Coop!"
"Last time they caught us with Fake IDs. Almost called the cops." Marissa explained to Ryan.
"The last time you went to Vegas was, what, last June?" Seth asked, resting his head on Summer's shoulder from behind.
"Cohen, were you stalking me your entire life?"
"No." Seth said quickly. "I just remember when you showed up at Marissa's, and began spouting off about how much fun it was going to be. Not my fault you've got a big mouth. Though it does come in handy."
"See if you ever find out again."
"Okay, guys, way too much information." Marissa said, holding up both hands for them to stop.
They already had, however. Summer and Seth sat kissing, their mini argument already forgotten. Ryan wondered briefly how they could do that. How their relationship could be a fight one minute, and a sappy love story the next. The entire concept gave him a headache.
"We should get back." Marissa commented, standing.
"Yeah. School tomorrow." Ryan stood as well, giving Seth and Summer no options but to pull apart and drag themselves away from the fire.
From his position in the shadows of the lifeguard tower, Oliver had a clear view of the firelit foursome. He bit down on his cheek every time Ryan and Marissa had any sort of contact, even when it was as innocent as a playful shove. After all his work, after all that he had offered to Marissa, she had turned back to the delinquent. He was better than Ryan, he knew it. He would prove it.
His cell phone vibrated as the four of them got up to leave, and Oliver slipped it from his pocket and answered immediately.
"Yes, I'm ready." He said, watching as the Newport Kids made their way back to the Range Rover.
"No kidding?" He asked into the phone, not taking his eyes off of Ryan and Marissa.
He began to jot down the information provided to him on a small pad of paper, nodding as he listened to his contact.
"So the Man of the Year just bought a new house, for his bride to be and future daughter in law?" Oliver inquired, a smile slipping up his face. "Excellent. Thank you."
He terminated the call, writing down the address of the new home. He stared at the pad for a long moment, only looking up to watch as Marissa climbed into the backseat with her 'boyfriend'. Oliver had changed, for the better. And it was time that he showed Marissa just how much.
It was almost two in the morning before Seth pulled the black SUV into his driveway. Despite the late hour, all four of them had remained awake the entire ride back, holding up steady conversation over the background music provided by the stereo.
"Home, bitter home." Seth said, opening the driver's side door and slipping out.
He and Ryan unloaded the luggage, though this time the girls were forced to carry some of their own bags. They crept into the large home as quietly as possible, their destination the pool house. He hoped he hadn't woken his parents, though it was quite likely they were already awake, sitting and waiting in their room for him to come home. He didn't much care. He would deal with their lecture in the morning. Well, later in the morning, at least.
They tossed the bags next to the door of the pool house, and immediately Ryan and Marissa collapsed onto the bed in the center of the room. Seth turned on a lamp next to the door before he and Summer flopped down near them, forcing Marissa to scoot to the edge of the bed to accommodate them. Seth and Ryan were side-by-side in the center, with their girlfriends drawn close to them on the outside.
"Do you want me to take you home?" Seth asked Summer in the mostly dark room.
"It doesn't matter. My dad's at a plastic surgeon convention until tomorrow night, and as long as I make it to school the Stepmonster won't even notice I'm gone. It's a miracle if she's awake by ten in the morning."
"Plastic surgeons have conventions? What do they talk about, the quality of new silicone?" Seth conceded.
"What about you?" Ryan asked Marissa. "You just wanna walk over to your mom's?"
"Why don't we just crash here? I'd rather avoid home for another night."
"I don't know how the parents would take that. House rules and all." Seth frowned, but didn't push the issue of either girl leaving.
"Don't be such a wuss, Cohen. Your perfect parents aren't opposed to a sleepover, are they?"
"I wouldn't know. I've never had a sleepover Summer."
"You've had a strange blonde guy living in your pool house for almost a year. I think that counts."
"Seth, move so I can shove your girlfriend off of my bed."
"Don't get your tanktop in a bunch, Chino. You know I like you. Or I wouldn't let you date my best friend." Summer said with a dazzling smile.
"I don't recall asking your permission Summ." Marissa asked, leaning up to look over at her friend.
"You didn't. But if you remember that bet from second grade, I own you."
"Shit." Marissa said, laughing. "I forgot about that."
"Do I want to know?" Ryan raised an eyebrow, obviously curious.
"I bet Summer that I could get Jake Ackles to ask me to be his Valentine first. I only lost because Summer assaulted him on the playground."
"I didn't assault him! He made a move on me."
"Summer, you backed him against a tree and told him there would be "unending torment" if he didn't ask you."
"Wait, wait." Seth cut in. "Didn't Jake Ackles end up with a boyfriend in seventh grade? Right before he moved to Sacramento, right?"
"He sure did." Marissa stated proudly, savoring the glare she got from Summer. "In fact, he didn't date another girl after that Valentines Day."
"You turned someone gay?" Ryan asked, laughing. "That's perfect."
"Can it Chino." Summer said scathingly, swinging a pillow his way, unable to keep a smile from forming.
The four of them lay there, talking and laughing, until they couldn't keep their eyes open anymore, and drifted off to sleep on Ryan's bed.
Author's Note: It seems Oliver hasn't become the saint that he appeared to be, doesn't it? What does he have in store for Marissa? One more chapter to this story, how sad. However, a sequel is already in the works. I'm holding off until I see at least the beginning of Season Two, to find out when I'm going to base it. Review!