*Chapter 6: The Fallout*
The air between Ryan and Seth remained thick with tension. Two weeks of silence and avoidance from his brother was starting to wear on Ryan. Summer had been supportive, but he could see the strain it put on her too. Ryan knew he had to find a way to break through to Seth, but every attempt had been met with cold glares or awkward avoidance.
Summer had her own struggles. She was fiercely protective of Ryan, but she couldn't shake the guilt that Seth's anger was partially her fault. Despite this, her resolve was stronger than ever—Seth wasn't about to ruin the best thing she'd ever had.
One afternoon, as Ryan sat alone on the beach, his thoughts drifting, his phone buzzed. Summer's name flashed across the screen.
"Hey," he answered, his voice soft.
"Ryan, we need to talk," Summer said, urgency in her voice.
Ryan's stomach tightened. "About what?"
"It's Seth. I think he's planning something."
Ryan frowned. "Like what?"
"I don't know, but I just overheard him on the phone with someone. He's being cryptic, but it doesn't sound good."
Ryan sighed. "I'll handle it."
"Ryan, don't let him get to you. You know how he is when he's cornered. Just…be careful."
Ryan could hear the worry in her voice. "I will. I'll talk to him."
Later that evening, Ryan returned to the Cohen house, determined to confront Seth once and for all. He wasn't going to let this fester any longer. As he pushed open the door to the pool house, he found Seth sitting on the couch, flipping through a comic book like nothing was wrong.
"Seth," Ryan said, his voice firm but calm.
Seth glanced up, his expression instantly souring. "Oh great, here we go."
"We need to talk," Ryan said, stepping inside.
"Talk? Or are you just here to rub it in that you stole my girlfriend?"
Ryan clenched his fists, fighting the urge to snap back. "This isn't about that, and you know it. We were friends before anything happened. I didn't plan this."
"Yeah, well, it happened," Seth muttered, setting his comic down. "And now what? You want me to just be okay with it? Pretend like it doesn't bother me that my brother is dating the girl I loved?"
Ryan sighed. "I get that it hurts, Seth. But you left. You didn't just leave her—you left everyone."
Seth shot up from the couch, his face red. "I had my reasons!"
"And so did I! I didn't plan on falling for her, but I did. And she fell for me. That doesn't make me the bad guy."
For a moment, the room was silent, the tension palpable. Ryan could see the hurt in Seth's eyes, the betrayal he felt. But underneath it all, Ryan knew that Seth was still his brother, still the same kid who had welcomed him into the Cohen family with open arms.
Seth finally broke the silence, his voice quieter, more vulnerable. "I don't know how to deal with this, Ryan. You were supposed to have my back."
"I always had your back," Ryan said, stepping closer. "And I still do. But I'm not going to apologize for something that just…happened. You're my brother, Seth. I don't want to lose that."
Seth looked down at the floor, his arms crossed. "I don't know if I can get past this."
Ryan nodded slowly, feeling the weight of the situation. "You don't have to right now. But don't push me away."
Without another word, Ryan turned and walked out of the pool house, leaving Seth alone with his thoughts.
Outside, Ryan found Summer waiting by her car, arms crossed as she leaned against the hood. She looked up as he approached, her expression a mixture of hope and anxiety.
"How'd it go?" she asked softly.
Ryan shrugged. "Better than expected, but not great."
Summer frowned. "He's being stubborn, isn't he?"
Ryan smiled slightly. "Yeah, but he's Seth. That's what he does."
Summer stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Ryan's waist. "He'll come around. He's just mad at the world right now."
Ryan held her close, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I hope you're right."
Summer pulled back slightly, looking up at him. "Hey, no matter what happens with Seth, you've got me, okay?"
Ryan smiled, leaning down to kiss her gently. "Yeah. I know."
As the sun began to set behind them, casting a golden glow over the beach, Ryan felt a sense of peace, even with the tension still lingering. He knew the road ahead with Seth would be difficult, but as long as he had Summer by his side, he knew they could get through it.
The horizon stretched out before them, full of unknowns, but for the first time in a long time, Ryan felt like things might just work out.