This chapter is a necessary filler basically setting the stage for to possible emergence of two couples. Which two? Keep on reading.
xoxo Jules
Chapter 20: "But now I've gone …"
Seths POV: "Maybe this kid was reaching out for love"
Devotion.
The morning after the incident with Ryan and Marissa in the pool house everybody seemed to be on edge. I glanced over at the clock realizing that it was nearly noon and Ryan and Marissa were still in bed. She clung to him like a small child to their father. With complete boyish confidence and unfaltering care he protectively wrapped his arms around her.
Ryan was not the smartest guy, or even the strongest but he held himself in such a manner that it didn't even matter. A broken, tormented boy turned out to be the savior of a young girl on the verge of self destruction. I get jealous when I think about the way that Ryan can settle Marissa down. No matter how hard it gets he has never given up on her, not yet anyways. I want to be that to someone, but I don't know if I have what it takes. But then I see her, Summer, crouched by the pool in a ball staring at her own reflection…
"Hey." I said as I approached Summer, taking a seat next to her.
"Hey Cohen."
It seemed that awhile ago she had given up on avoiding contact with me and the feeling that it was completely necessary to curse my existence at every opportunity.
"How are you feeling?" I asked her despite the fact that her eyes were rimmed in black and her hair hung un-brushed around her face. Her fingernails were stubs from nervously gnawing on them throughout the night.
"Alright." She shrugged. "Are Marissa and Ryan up yet?" She asked me.
I shook my head no. Summers face then broke into a weak smile much to my surprise.
"How are you?" I never expected her to ask me that. Nobody ever asked how I was. There was never really a need. I was either so open that my feeling regardless how ridiculous just poured out, or I was around people who never cared to ask.
"Alright I guess." I sighed subconsciously "I think she's going to be okay."
"Who?" Summer asked quickly
"Marissa."
"Oh Marissa, yeah." She glanced towards the pool house doors. "I hope so."
"Ryan's taking care of her." I assured her.
Right then Alex bounded out of the house with Luke following close behind.
"Ey cuz." She said as she saw me stilling at the pool alongside Summer.
"Hey, how goes?" I asked wondering what made her so cheery on the uber depressio morning.
"It goes awesome because we are going sailing!" Alex was now bouncing up and down on her tip toes
"We are?" I asked trying not to sound overly excited. Alex knew that one thing that I could never turn down was sailing. I remember the first time that our parents let us go out alone we were thirteen. That may seem young but we had been sailing since the womb.
Alex packed me a lunch, a peanut butter and apple sandwich. We laid on the boat all day and just let it carry us out. It was one of the only good days that I can remember now.
"Yup!" She looked around. "Where are Ryan and Marissa?"
"Sleeping." Summer quickly responded.
"Would they want to co-" Luke began before I cut him off.
"I think that we should let them sleep."
Summer nodded in agreement.
"Is everything okay?" Alex questioned.
"Yeah, great!" Summer and I responded in unison.
She blushed and looked away from me which made my heart flutter a bit.
"Come on Summer, I've got some clothes for you." Alex said extending her hand to Summer.
Summer allowed Alex to help her up then followed the blonde girl inside, but not before turning to me.
"I'll be right back." She smiled and the headed for the main house leaving just Luke and I behind.
Luke sat beside me tossing the football that he was holding hand to hand.
"So you and Summer eh?" Luke asked me winking
"What do you mean Summer and I?" I was never the best at acting dumb
"I don't blame you man, she's hot." Luke grinned, I, like a pansy, blushed. "It's alright man. I think that you should just go for it."
"I donno man." I said as my ice broke a little bit.
"Why?" Luke question further
"She has some man issues if you know what I'm saying."
"Doesn't every girl?" Luke smiled again. "Besides you're a good guy. Alex says nothing but good stuff about you. She loves you."
"You love her." I said boldly turning to face Luke now.
"Yeah man, I do."
I leaned back and rested my body weight on my elbows.
"So how about this, I'll tell Summer how I feel about her if you tell Alex how you feel about her."
Luke thought about it for a minute.
"Deal."
Then he extended his hand to me and we shook.
There is already a major story line in the works steming from this. Please keep reading and review.
xoxo Jules