Sandy and I were in the kitchen when Seth walked in wearing his pajamas. I was wearing a black tank top with some jean shorts.
"Do I have a fever? I think I might have a fever and or the chills?" He responded. Yeah, girl fever. I'm pretty sure you can't get chills without a fever though. "Since recently I've been feeling sick."
"So you're not feeling well?" Sandy asked before Seth gave one of the most fake coughs I've ever heard.
"My head's a bit achy and my stomach kind of hurts." He replied. Seth really needs to take acting lessons.
"Maybe it's the Summer flu?" I suggested with a grin.
"Yeah, it's December but it's possible." He stated, obviously not getting the joke.
"You should Anna-biotics for it." I added.
"Do you not wanna go to school?" Sandy questioned.
"No, dad I wanna go to school." Seth responded. "I'm just worried about infecting others."
"Your right, let's take you to the emergency room." Sandy quipped. "Just to be sure."
"Or I could stay home and try to sleep it off." Seth replied.
"You know what else is a good idea? Going to school, facing Summer and Anna, and apologizing for two-timing them." I told him bluntly, not in the mood for games anymore.
"No, and no why would I?" Seth stated. Because it proves you're not an asshole, that's why.
"Oh, the Summer flu. I just got it." Sandy commented. He gave me a pat on the back. "That was good."
"It's not my fault that they both tried to kiss me on Thanksgiving. What was I supposed to do? Not kiss back, say no, risk hurting their feelings?" Seth replied.
"It seems to me like you already did." Sandy told him.
"Perhaps, but what about my feelings? They assaulted me with their lips. I am the victim here." Seth countered. He was making me want to hit him.
"Hey, how come you're not dressed? You're gonna be late." Kirsten stated as she walked into the kitchen in her robe.
"And so are you." Sandy told her. "Or is that what ladies are wearing to yoga-lates these days? Taren called saying that today is the first day of your yoga-lates workshop."
"I don't know if I'm gonna go. I'm not feeling well." She responded. Well now I know where Seth gets it from.
"See, it's contagious." Seth reasoned.
"You know, Honey, you might still be a little hungover." Sandy pointed out as she got some coffee.
"From what?" Kirsten asked innocently.
"Probably from getting drunk and passing out on Thanksgiving." Seth told her.
"Hey, I had two glasses of wine." She argued. I'm pretty sure that's not true. "Okay, maybe 3 and I'm sure that Julie Cooper has spread word around town that Kirsten Cohen has a drinking problem."
"That's why you have to go to yoga-lates." Sandy told her. "Otherwise, they'll assume you're sleeping off a hangover."
"And Summer and Anna will assume you're too afraid to face them." I told Seth. We were definitely on the winning side.
"Hey, I'm not afraid of Summer and Anna, alright. Okay, I'm not afraid of Anna." Seth stated before he remembered Summer's rage blackouts.
"So you're going to school." I responded.
"And you're going to yoga-lates." Sandy added.
"You just like saying that." Kirsten told him.
"Yoga-lates? I do." He confirmed before looking at me. "Yoga-lates."
"Yoga-lates." I repeated.
"I wanna why these two are so smug." Kirsten said to Seth.
"Because for once they didn't do anything wrong." He answered.
"That's true." Sandy agreed before he clinked his mug against mine. "Here's to you."
"Back at you." I replied before taking a sip.
"Enjoy it, because knowing the two of you, it won't last." Kirsten warned us.
"Yoga-lates." Sandy repeated.
When I got to school, I needed to get my new ID, so I didn't have time to see Kaitlin before I had to go to class. In History, the teacher was rambling about some presentations. I got a note from Marissa, wanting to do the Crusades, just as the doc was explaining that he would be choosing the teams.
"Samantha and Holly, the Spanish Inquisition." He said. Well that was not going to be good. It kinda sucked.
Marissa and I met with Seth and Kaitlin at lunch.
"I can't believe you're with Holly." Seth replied.
"Well at least you know where she lives." Kaitlin told me.
"This is why I asked Mr. Bendis a week ago if we could be partners." Marissa stated as we took a seat.
"At least you're not with Holly." Kaitlin responded. "Who are you with?"
"Marcy Ross. We're doing Cortez and the Aztecs." Marissa answered.
"I like Marcy." Seth replied.
"You need to avoid talking about women, especially ones other than Summer and Anna." I told him. "Make up your mind before you lose both of them."
"Hey I'm the victim here." Seth responded.
"Don't tell us, tell Summer…and Anna." Marissa replied.
"So what are you and Holly doing?" Seth asked me.
"Spanish Inquisition." I answered.
"No one expects them." Seth replied. We all look at him. "It's from Monty Python."
"Is Holly an idiot?" I asked Marissa. She looked at me. "I mean I know she's an idiot for cheating on you, but does she get good grades?"
"Yes, and who knows maybe you two could be friends." Marissa responded.
"Seriously?" Kaitlin asked.
"No, it's too weird." Marissa replied. "I mean she is my ex-girlfriend and you're my sister's girlfriend. What are you too gonna talk about?"
"Well there's soccer." I responded.
Later, Kaitlin and I were in the bathroom when Anna walked in.
"Were you talking to Seth?" She asked us.
"He's kind of my brother." I pointed out. "I can't avoid him."
"What did he say?" Anna questioned.
"He didn't say anything about you." I told her. "Look Kaitlin and I are not getting in the middle of this. Though I can tell you wear he parks the car."
At that point, Summer walked in.
"I'm done." I stated, not finishing my makeup and pulling Kaitlin out.
"It doesn't sound there's a catfight." Kaitlin noted as we went outside.
"I still think there is a possibility that the two of them could get together." I remarked. "If that happens, we'll split dinner."
"So I'm pretty sure my mom is telling everyone yours is a drunk." Kaitlin stated.
After school, I headed over to Holly's house, but not without Seth telling me that Summer and Anna are friends now. I rang the doorbell and it was answered by her mom. She looked like an older version of Holly.
"Hi, you must be Samantha." She greeted me. "Holly just got here. She'll be right down."
At that point, Greg Fischer, also known as the guy from cotillion walked in. I hoped that didn't remember me. I had no idea how it was going with his assault charges.
"This is Holly's friend, Samantha." Her mom introduced. "They're doing a project together."
"What about?" He asked. He seemed not to remember me.
"Spanish Inquisition." I answered nervously.
"That was not one of finest moments." He explained before I noticed Holly coming down the stairs.
"Hi, Daddy." She said as she greeted him with a hug and kiss on the cheek. She then looked at me. "We should go upstairs."
We passed a room on the way to her room. It was open slightly.
"So how do you wanna do this?" She asked me. She seemed to have a lot of ideas.
"I have to say that I'm impressed for how much thought you put into this." I told her.
"Most people think that I'm nothing but a dumb blonde, but I'm not." She told me. "So what do you know about the Inquisition?"
"I know that it was one of the darkest moments for Christianity." I answered. "Hey, do you know what's in that room that we passed. The one that was barely open."
"That's my dad's office." She told me. "He might even have something that we can use in there. I haven't ever actually been in there."
"So do you wanna talk about what happened?" I questioned.
"I know what I did was wrong." Holly stated. "I also know what happened to Marissa was bad, but no one will really talk to me anymore except for the people who want to hook up."
We decided to go through the office and began to look through the drawers. I opened one and there was a look of shock on my face.
"Holly, you need to see this." I told her seriously.
"What is it?" She asked as she walked over. "Oh my God, is that what I think it is?"
"It looks like it." I remarked as we looked over the white powder. "We need to tell someone, probably the police."
"But he's my dad." Holly stated with a hurt expression on her face. She looked like someone stole her puppy.
"I understand that but, if people find out that we knew about this and didn't say anything, we could get sent to Juvie and your mom could go to jail with him." I explained. "My dad is in for drugs right now."
"Let me talk to my mom first." She requested. "You should probably go home. I promise I'll deal with it."
The next morning, I met up with Kaitlin. I didn't want to tell her the secret because I didn't want her involved.
"So how did it go with Holly? You don't appear to be injured in any way." She noted.
"It went okay." I stammered.
"What happened?" She asked me in concern.
"I can't tell you." I remarked. "All I can say is we found something really bad. She did say that she knew what she did was wrong."
"Sammie, you gotta tell me this." She retorted.
"I told Holly I wouldn't tell anyone until she had a chance to talk to her mom." I remarked. "I know that you probably won't tell anyone, but I can't tell you."
"Fine." She agreed. "I just hope that you don't get in trouble for whatever this is. I don't wanna see you hurt."
We then went to Seth in the kitchen.
"So did anyone get shot?" He asked us.
"That is not funny." I warned him with a stern glare. "How about we talk about Summer and Anna? You love talking about them."
"They came out of the bathroom together and then went to the library." He replied. It seemed like I had successfully distracted him from it. He continued as we went to school.
"Stranger things have happened." Kaitlin commented.
"These are two people who hate each brought together by their even greater hatred of me." Seth explained. Or maybe they want to get together. I couldn't tell him though. "It's like Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader teaming up to destroy the emperor."
"Vader was also Luke's father." I pointed out before I noticed Holly on the steps.
"Hey, did you talk to your mom?" I asked her.
"I've got this under control. I'll finish the presentation myself." She shouted at me. I definitely recognized that. I don't think she was just stressed after she ran off.
"Seriously, Sammie what happened?" Kaitlin asked
"I made a promise." I reminded her. "When it gets out, you'll understand why I'm not telling you."
Later at school, Seth found me in the hallway.
"I have crazy news about Holly's dad." He told me. "He's a total cokehead. They found it stashed all over his house."
I saw her in the hallway as more people were talking about it. There were already theories that he was jacked up at cotillion.
"Are you okay?" I asked her.
"My mom's dumping him." She told me. "I guess the rumor mill spreads quickly."
"Was this what it was?" Kaitlin asked me angrily as she came over to me. "You didn't want to tell me that you found drugs in his house?"
"It wasn't my place to tell." I stated.
"I asked her not to." Holly interrupted. "She's good. The fact that she didn't makes her a good person. I mean she could have told everyone before it hit the news, but she didn't. Hold onto her Kaity, she's a good one."
She then walked away. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Things were only going to get worse.
"Kaity?" I asked in amusement.
"It was my nickname when I was younger." She explained to me. "I have to say I like it better than Mini Coop."
That night, dinner was quiet. Something was obviously up between Sandy and Kirsten.
"You know after all of the years of Holly being a bitch to me, I can't believe this." Seth stated. "This is crazy."
"It's not funny." Sandy told him. "It's the end of their marriage. Her life is never going to be the same."
"Mary-Ann is already filing for divorce." Kirsten added. "Greg is going to rehab."
"You know none of this would be happening if I hadn't gone over there." I replied.
"Don't blame yourself." Sandy instructed. "This would have gotten out sooner or later."
"I don't understand how you could keep a secret from someone that long, especially someone that you're married to." I continued.
"You'd be surprised." Sandy remarked with an added spice. Something was up there. "But the secrets eventually come out."
"And some marriages can handle the truth and some can't." Kirsten added.
"Well since we're an accepting liberal place, I'm sure he'll be fine." Seth quipped. "I'm referring to the county."
I couldn't help but notice that Holly wasn't at school the next day. I hope that she wasn't transferring, not only because I need her to do the project. I hope that her mom doesn't decide to run from this. Sometimes you just have to weather the storm and when it's over, there's a rainbow.
Seth meanwhile told me that he planned to apologize to Summer and Anna today. I was pretty sure that it would help.
"I want to see Holly after school today." I said to Kaitlin. "You can come with me if you want."
"You really are a good one." Kaitlin told me. "Yes I will go with you. I think I can even forgive her for what she did to my sister. I know what she's going through. It's kind of ironic because her dad was the one who started this."
"So do you think that he wanted the money for drugs?" I questioned.
"He probably did." Kaitlin explained as I got a text from Seth saying that he had dates with both Seth and Anna this weekend, but not on the same day.
We rang the doorbell and Holly answered it.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, probably surprised to see us.
"We came to check and see if you're okay." I told her. "Do you think that we could come in and talk?"
"I really want to thank you for keeping your word." She declared as I noticed a suitcase was packed. "I just don't know what I'm going to do now. No one cared this much when I started dating Marissa."
I decided to give her something that she really needed, a hug. We then saw Greg and Mary-Ann. She was crying.
As soon as she saw him, Holly ran out the door and we followed behind her. We ended up going to this older baseball field where she had some beers. She looked like she needed to vent or something.
"My entire life has been a lie." She declared. "The business trips, he was meeting with dealers and one time he missed one of my games because he was 'working late' and that your dad took, he was gonna use that for drugs too."
"Well if you need someone to talk to, I'll be here for you." I told her. "You may not think it, but I've been through this. My dad is still in jail. I don't know what I'd do if I saw him again, but I will say that you dad did care about you. He made it to some of your games. My dad never did that. I know I have this better life now, but my childhood sucked."
"Do you want to go get some ice cream with us?" I asked us. "I mean this beer is good, but it doesn't make things better the way that chocolate would."
"I would like that." Holly admitted.
We went to the ice cream parlor and she got a nice sundae.
"So do you think that there's any possible chance to that Marissa might want to take me back?" She asked before having a bite of it.
"I really don't think that there's a chance in hell." I admitted. "That doesn't mean that you won't find someone."
Kaitlin's phone then rang.
"Hello." She answered. "Hey Dad. Really, that's great. Okay, I love you and I'll see you soon."
The two of us looked her over to see what she was talking about.
"My dad just told me that he's not going to jail. Not only has some of the money he owes been rescinded, but Caleb bought the house." She explained.
"So Holly, if you don't want to go home, you can go to my place." I offered.
"Thanks." She told me. "You know I probably wouldn't have been upset if you had told her. I know that Kaity wouldn't have told anyone either."
I took her to the house and Sandy and Kirsten said that she could stay in the guest room.
The next day, she went to school with us.
"This is going to be weird." She commented. "Everybody is staring at me."
"Well, you are a very hot girl." I told her with a smile. "Look it's better to be an outcast and have friends that care about you than to be someone whose friends will turn on them so quickly."
"Are you sure I can't just hit the beach and let people forget?" Holly questioned.
"It doesn't work. I'm still the girl from Chino who stole a car." I told her.
"And I'm still the girl whose dad stole everyone's money." Kaitlin added.
"Same with trying to kill myself." Marissa stated.
"I'm still…I'm still Seth Cohen." Seth replied.
"This is gonna suck." Holly remarked.
"Maybe it won't." I declared. "I just hope you're ready for the presentation."
Well Holly is now an official member of the gang. She's not going to get back with Marissa though. She'll get with someone eventually. I decided not to just give her Luke's storyline and make it more interesting. Please don't forget to review.