A/N: Thanks to hersheysforever for reviewing I'm glad you liked it. And there will definitely be more of the Ryan/Summer friendship as the story goes along :) To those of you who have just started or like my story please comment and review so that I know I'm not just wasting my time on this story. Thanks... Now onto the story...
Time to be an adult
Ryan was finishing unpacking in the pool house when he was interrupted. "So I got here early for some very much needed Ryan/Seth time" Seth appeared before him. Ryan smiled and walked up to him.
Seth smiled and hugged him in a brotherly way. "How ya doing man?" He said. "Oh you know traffic was a bitch but I got here" Seth said. "So did you see your parent's?" Ryan said.
"Well I ran into mom but apparently dad ran out on an errand" He said. "So what the hell have you been doing since you been back? Waiting for me?" Seth said collapsing into a chair. Ryan thought about telling him about Summer but opted not to. "Nothing gets by you. Play station?" He said. "Bring it on buddy" He said. Ryan grabbed the remotes and they began to play for awhile.
A while later Sandy entered. "So nice to see you Son" Sandy said noticing Seth made it home. "Hey dad" He said getting up to hug him. Ryan paused the game. "So your mom told me to come in here and make sure you guys were getting ready because she knows sometimes you can get carried away with the play station" Sandy said.
Ryan and Seth laughed. "She's right we should get ready" Ryan said. "Okay well I'm going to go upstairs and I guess we'll take the rover" Seth said.
Ryan nodded. Seth walked out. Ryan stared at Sandy. "So how come Kirsten didn't tell you to get ready?" Ryan asked. "Oh she did actually I just wanted to come see you" He said.
"I thought this was about getting ready for the party?" Ryan said confused. "That was for Seth actually. Kirsten knows you're always on time, where Seth can be a bit of a lay about when it comes to these things" He said.
"Yeah well I don't blame him" Ryan said laying out his suit that he grabbed from the back of the door.
"Yeah newpsies who can take them and then of course there's Marissa who will be attending this event?" Sandy said. Ryan glared at him. "So I see Seth's been whispering in your ear lately?" Ryan said sighing.
"No I just know what's it's like to face being a grown up and deal with things that we don't necessarily want to" He said. "Look Sandy I appreciate the concern but like I told Seth Marissa and I are over. We have been for many years now" He said wanting it to be the end of the conversation but knowing better.
"So does that mean it has to be over for having each other in your lives?" He said. "It's complicated Sandy it's just we ended things and we went off to school and it's just different" Ryan said. "Maybe it could be everything you've been waiting for if you'd just give it a chance?" Sandy said.
Ryan looked up at him defeated knowing he wasn't going to get the last say in typical Sandy Cohen Style. "Just think about it?" He said leaving. Ryan nodded at him. He released a breath he didn't know he was holding but ran his hands through his hair and decided to get ready.
A little while after that Seth and Ryan pulled up to the party and the yacht club and Ryan handed the keys to the valet. They walked in the party was already in full swing. Seth looked around spotting Caleb and excusing himself to go say "Hi".
Ryan was left alone and he decided to take a breather out back. He went out towards the gardens and stood over the balcony and there she was very much like she was at the debutant ball.
He thought about that moment and of course Sandy's conversation with him played in his head. He watched her for a little while and went to talk to her but stopped when he saw Seth go over to Marissa. She smiled obviously happy to see him and she hugged him.
It looked odd but Ryan brushed it off as just being formal. I mean after all they did hang out in high school and he walked off not watching were he was going and bumped right into Summer. "Sorry" Ryan said. "Watch it Chino you can do some serious damage when you're not looking" She said teasing him.
He laughed. "You see him yet?" Ryan said. "It's more like did we talk yet?" She said kidding. They still stood on the balcony not realizing that while they were talking, Marissa was watching from afar being that Seth had gone to find Ryan a few minutes ago.
She thought it was odd to see them conversing. She watched as Summer laughed at something he said and Marissa watched Ryan smile at her. She just shrugged it off I mean after all they did know each other maybe they were just being polite. She walked away. Mean while Ryan and Summer went back into the party.
Ryan walked off Kirsten wanted him to meet someone. Summer was left and after awhile she became bored with sitting by herself. Her thoughts were interrupted. "Hey Sum" Marissa said sitting next to her. "Coop you made it great. Now I don't have to feel so awkward sitting here" She said.
"You know you could just talk to him" Marissa said. She glared at her. "Okay or you can both continue to play your baby games" Marissa said. "Sort of like you and Ryan?" She said teasing.
"We don't play games" She said. "So why didn't you say hello to him yet?" She said. Marissa looked across the room to see Ryan talking with some people and Kirsten.
"He's busy but I'll see him later besides it's not like he was fast to say hi to me either. I saw you guys outside" She said. Summer panicked she didn't think Marissa had seen them.
"Well you know Chino has little direction and basically bumped right into me which gave us time to say hello formally of course" Summer said hiding the truth which was something she hated to do but now was not the time to come clean.
"Hey man" Seth said. "Excuse me" Ryan said excusing himself from talking to one of the many suits for the company. "So man how's the party for you so far?" Seth said.
"You know it's actually pretty" with that Seth interrupted "Boring. So you see Marissa?" Seth said. "Yeah" Ryan said. "So when are you going to talk?" Seth said. "When are you going to talk to Summer? Besides I saw her outside I was going to say hello but I didn't want to interrupt you guys" Ryan said. Seth panicked.
"Oh so you probably where wondering why we were talking? You see Julie asked if I could go find her for something and I just thought it would be nice to say hello you know formally of course" Seth said. "Actually I wasn't wondering but are you okay?" Ryan said confused.
"Yeah never better Ryan. Never better." Seth said hating to keep this from him but knowing now wasn't the time to come clean. "Okay well I'm going to get a drink and you know maybe you should work on saying hello to Summer" Ryan said walking away from him.
"Right" Seth said to himself he noticed Summer by herself at a table across the way he gripped his hands and headed in the opposite direction never noticing that Summer had looked up watching him go. "Can I get a soda?" Ryan said. "Sure" the bartender said. He handed Ryan his drink.
"Thanks" He said. Ryan turned so quickly that he didn't see the person standing behind him who happened to get a shower with his drink due to the forceful knock into the person. All the while not looking up to see who he bumped into he started stating his apologies
"I'm so sorry I didn't see you there" He said grabbing napkins and offering them. "That's okay Ryan" He heard a familiar voice say he tensed and looked at her. "Marissa" He said looking at her.
She smiled upon hearing him say her name. "Hi" She said not really quite sure what to say. "Hey" He said not really knowing what to say until she interrupted. "So how are you?" She said. He nodded. "Great. You?" He said.
"Good" She nodded uncomfortable. This was not what he wanted but it was so awkward he didn't know what to say. "So I'm going to go to the ladies room to clean up but it was nice seeing you" Marissa said.
"Yeah you too and I'm sorry again. I'll pay for your dress to dry cleaned just send the bill to the Cohen's" He said. She laughed at his nervousness. "It's really okay" She said walking away leaving him standing there. He looked down and could not believe he couldn't come up with something better.
The party was full of less and less people basically many had gone home signaling the end of the party. Ryan searched for Seth but couldn't find him. He did notice Summer by herself looking a little out of place. He smiled and went over to her.
"Hey so you look like you're excited to still be here as I am" Ryan said sitting next to her. "Yeah well at least you could hold a conversation with these people being you are an architect where as I can't really hold one" She said. "I thought you were with Marissa" He said confused. "She left already" Summer said.
"Yeah it looks like Seth bailed on me too" Ryan said. "Well I'm gonna go" She said. "Yeah alright so I'll call you so we could hang maybe this time you and Seth will hold a conversation by that time" He said. She laughed.
"Yeah that's not likely with all his dodging" She said sadly. He could tell she was upset. "It'll get better Sum" Ryan said. She was sort of surprised to hear him call her Sum. Ryan caught on. "What?" He said. She laughed.
"Nothing it's just you called me Sum" She said. "Right it's probably force of habit being as that's what" he stopped before saying her name. "What Marissa calls me" Summer said. He nodded. "Right" he said. "Well I'm gonna go and things will get better for you all that you have to do is talk to her" She said.
"It's easier to say it and so much harder to actually follow through on" Ryan explained to her. "I know but unfortunately we do have to be grown ups whether we want to or not" She said. He smiled nodding in understanding. "Night Ryan" She said kissing his check. "Night Summer" He said watching her leave.
He decided he was bailing too so he told Kirsten and Sandy he was heading home when he realized that Seth had actually taken the car so he decided to talk a walk on the beach instead of first going home.
Ryan needed to clear his head. He noticed the life guard stand and remembered the many times him and Marissa would just sit there silently he could recall every moment. What am I doing?
He thought to himself there's nothing between us. Or was there? And he was just too afraid to find out?
He wasn't honestly sure. He walked up to it and it wasn't until he reached the steps that he noticed the lone figure sitting there changed out of out of her dress and into a sweater and pair of jeans. He looked a little surprised to find her there just as surprised as she was when she saw him approaching. They stayed silent.
Ryan broke it "You mind if I?" he said wondering if she would mind him there. "Sit" she said. He did just that another few seconds of silence past. "I'm sorry about before" He said.
"Ryan it's just a dress it's not important" she said. "No not about the bumping into you about how I acted" Ryan said. She looked at him and shrugged. "Well it's not all your fault it wasn't only awkward for you" Marissa said.
"It's been like this for a few years now and yet we never thought to fix it" He said. "I guess it got to complicated to fix" She said trying to find a reason for it. "Do you really believe that?" He wondered.
"I don't know maybe it was just us not wanting to have to deal with it" She said. "Well it definitely sounds like something we'd do" Ryan told her. She laughed. "Yeah it actually does" She said.
"I often wonder how I let it go for this long. I mean you were apart of my life for three years and I just he said trying to find the words she interrupted "Didn't know how to change it" She said looking at him getting what he was trying to say.
"You know the feeling?" He said. "Yeah a little bit" She said with a slight smile. He smiled at her reaction. "So you think after all this time we could change it?" She replied. "Well we could at least try and be something right?" Ryan wondered what she would think.
She nodded. "Right well I wasn't really a big fan of the formal talk when it came to you so that should be a nice change" she said joking. He laughed. "I know how many "how are you's?" are you supposed to say to a person" Ryan said. She smiled looking at him. "So Chrismukkah starts tomorrow" He said.
"Seth's favorite holiday" Marissa said. "You should come. Seth will be there and hopefully Summer if he gets the nerve to actually invite her this year" Ryan said. "You so sure I should come?" She said with a smile. "Of course Chrismukkah is a holiday for the family" He said realizing what he said.
"I didn't mean that we're family or that you know she interrupted "You know technically I am Kirsten's step sister which would make me Seth's aunt so really I am family just not to you" Marissa explained. "Because I've never legally been a Cohen" He said understanding.
"But then the Newspie's would have a field day with that I mean people love incest gossip" Marissa said joking. "Yeah I guess your right" He said. They sat there for awhile until Marissa excused herself and went home but not before watching him still sit there she turned and walked away with a smile.
Seth walked along the pier and noticed the boutique. Ryan had told him this was the place but of course it wasn't business hours so it wasn't open. He noticed a light on.
Was she there? Couldn't be Summer was just at the party or did she go home he didn't know? He got his answer when a petite brunette stepped into his line of view looking over some papers not noticing the person outside looking in.
It was Summer he couldn't believe that she came here after the party which only reassured him how dedicated she was to her work. He smiled at the thought. She looked up noticing the shadow standing outside. She tried to make out who it was and then it was as clear to her it was him.
He noticed her staring so he waved. She put the papers down and walked towards the door to open it. She stood there silently. "Hi" Summer said. "So I just wanted to check out the place I heard about it through Ryan and of course my mom" He said not knowing what to say.
"Yeah well Kirsten is a frequent shopper" She said walking back in he followed closing the door. "I saw you at the party" Seth said. "Yeah I know I saw you talking to Marissa" She said. "Right" He said. Summer nodded.
"Cohen was there a point to this little visit?" She said looking at him. He sighed. "This sucks Summer" He said not knowing how else to say it. She looked at him wanting him to say more.
"I don't want it to be weird like this you know me dodging you. Your supposed to dodge me I mean remember grade school don't you?" he said joking. "It isn't exactly grade school Seth. I moved past dodging you and ignoring you" She said reminding him staring at him hoping he would understand. "Yeah which is still a surprise to me everyday" Seth said. "Yeah well I changed I guess" She said. He nodded.
"You know Ryan seems to keep telling me that I should just get over myself and change it if I don't like it. And although I get annoyed by his advice he's right" Seth explained. She looked at him. "So what are you saying?" Summer said.
"I'm saying I don't want to hide and I don't want do this every time I see you. Once upon a time it used to be easier to stand here and just talk to you" He said. "Yeah well things are different now" Summer said.
"Does that mean it has to stay this way between us? Because I for one hate this thing we got going here" He said. "I hate it too" She agreed. He nodded. "So look the first day of Chrismukkah is tomorrow and I know it's been awhile since we spent time together but would you maybe want to come? You know Ryan will be there and hopefully Marissa too" He said trying to sound convincing.
"Chrismukkah huh?" She said thinking about it. He nodded. "Yeah well it's just lucky for you that I don't happen to know anyone else who celebrates the holiday so I'm available. I mean I'll come tomorrow" Summer said. "Great" Seth said. "Okay" She said.
"So I'll just be going now. Ryan's probably pissed at me for stranding him at the yacht club" he said walking away. "Seth it was nice to see you not hiding for a change" Summer told him. He looked at her with a smile.
"Well I figured it was about time so I'll see you tomorrow" He said. "Bye" She said. He left and she watched him go with a smile.
Mean while back at the Cohen manor Ryan was just settling into the pool house after a long walk home when Seth graced him with an appearance. "Sorry about before I just couldn't handle seeing Summer and I totally spaced out" Seth said.
Ryan understood. "It's okay but man you know eventually you are going to have to have a conversation with her?" He said. "I did I went by her shop and she's coming for Chrismukkah tomorrow" He said.
"She is?" Ryan said surprised. "Yeah I figured it was time to listen to you. So I guess you and Marissa weren't so lucky?" Seth said. "Ironically we weren't at first but we ran into each other at the life guard stand and we talked and she's also coming tomorrow" Ryan said.
"So Ryan Atwood finally listened to me" Seth said sounding surprised. "Don't get a big head or anything" He said knowing that it actually had a large part to do with his conversation with Sandy earlier.
Ryan thought now was a better time then ever to finally let the cat out of the bag. Mean while Seth thought that now was the perfect time to get this off his chest.
"So I have to talk to you about something" They both said. They laughed. "I've been in touch with Marissa" And at the same time Ryan was saying "I've been in touch with Summer" They both didn't understand each other because they were speaking at the same time.
"What?" They said. I've been talking to "Summer" "Marissa" They each said. "Okay look you go first" Ryan said fed up with it. "I was trying to tell you that I've been in touch with Marissa all this time" Seth said afraid of his reaction.
Ryan laughed at how ironic it was and it made sense witnessing their interaction from before. "So that's funny that I've been talking to Marissa and that I kept it from you?" Seth said not expecting this reaction and not knowing what to do with it.
"No of course not it's just the thought of you and Marissa actually being friends is just a little hard to process. I mean after all the only thing you've shared until I got here was a drive way" Ryan added. "Okay so we didn't have a lot in common but as I got to know her you know I figured out that were not all that different. We listen to some of the same music, read some of the same books and he paused.
"You know we both built relationships with you, although granted mine is totally different from hers" Seth threw in. Ryan nodded. "So why didn't you tell me?" Ryan asked him. "Well I just thought that it would he interrupted him. "Hurt me if I knew you were talking to her?" Ryan said.
"How'd you know?" Seth said. "Because that's why I never told you that I've been keeping in touch with Summer. Which is what I was trying to tell you" He said. "You and summer?" Seth said surprised. "Yeah" Ryan said. Now it was Seth's turn to laugh.
"You think the pairing of me and Marissa was ridiculous? What do you guys share rage stories? Or do you secretly like to shop?" Seth joked. Ryan glared at him. "Well you know we found common ground. I could talk to her about Marissa and she could talk to me about you and not feel like" he interrupted "somebody was going to make a big deal about it" Seth said.
"Exactly" Ryan said. "Yeah I mean this whole thing with Marissa originally started just to keep tabs on her because I thought" he interrupted "That's what I'd want you to do. I know I figured the same but it eventually became something more it became" Ryan was interrupted. "An actual friend ship" Seth said.
Ryan smiled. "Right and now it seems like a stupid Idea that I kept this from you for so long" Ryan said. "I know you did it for the right reasons believe me I didn't really like hiding it from you either" He said.
"Yeah me either" Ryan said. "Well I know a way to for us both to be forgiven" Seth said. Ryan curiously smiled. "Which is?" He said. "Play station of course come on man get with it. It hasn't been that long" Seth said grabbing the controllers.
Ryan laughed. "Of course" He said. Seth handed him a controller and for the rest of the night they had some Seth/Ryan time just like they used too.