Never Too Far Away Chapter 2
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On the top deck Marissa walked, searching for her Dad, they had docked on an island near Greece and most passengers were off. Marissa wasn’t needed for work and was told she could look around the island until the next day. But she wanted to find her Dad, and she spotted him talking to another member of the crew.
“Dad” Marissa said coming up behind him.
“Oh hey Marissa,” Jimmy said turning round, “I catch you later” he told the other crew member who walked off, “hey honey everything ok?” he asked stroking her arm, “you were up late last night”
“Yeah im fine, thanks Dad” she said sweetly, “I just..” she started and looked at him, “I don’t think this is right for me” she whispered silently.
Jimmy looked at her disappointedly, “I thought this is what you wanted kiddo”
“It was!” Marissa protested, “to be with you and have a great time, but we,” she said and looked at him properly, “we haven’t been doing that at all, I hardly see you, I just thought it would be different you know?”
Jimmy looked down, “What are you saying sweetie?” he asked looking back up, asking a question he already knew the answer to.
Marissa pressed her lips together, and took a breath in, “I wanna go home” she whispered, “ I wanna be home for Christmas”
Jimmy sighed, he already in his mind knew this was going to happen, he nodded and kiss her forehead, “If you go out to the desk you’ll find someone who can help you get a flight back home from Greece”
“Is that a yes?” she asked him.
Jimmy nodded his head, “Even though you’re my little girl and I don’t want to let you go, if this is what you want, I cant stop you” he said with a smile.
Marissa smiled and jumped to hug him, “Ahh thank you Daddy” she breathed, then pulled away, “you’ll come home soon too, I know you will” she said and gently smiled and made her way back inside.
********
For once Ryan had no classes, and he decided to take it just relaxing in the apartment. He got up later than usual after another night of talking to Marissa, and he made his way groggily into the living room/kitchen area.
“Hey Man, good afternoon!” Aaron smiled from the kitchen while digging in the refrigerator.
“Aaron its 11 am” Ryan said walking further towards him.
Aaron laughed, “Whatever, talked too much to Marissa last night then?” he asked pouring some milk into a mug.
Ryan nodded, “Yeah, I lost track of time, so I ended up going to bed at like 3, she had a day off today, that’s why she was talking to me for so long” he explained.
“That’s so cute!” Aaron said in a girly voice with a huge smile, “seriously man, fess up” he said then the phone started ringing and he moved towards it.
Ryan quizzed, “Fess what up?” looking like he had no idea what he was talking about.
“Oh my God you bug me!” Aaron cried picking up the phone.
“Likewise” Ryan said back taking a bite of an apple from the bowl.
“Hello?” Aaron answered, then a smile slowly crept across his face, “Yeah hi, well its great to finally talk to you Marissa”
Ryan’s eyes shot up and he moved swiftly over to Aaron.
“Give me the phone” Ryan told him trying to take it.
“Yah he’s here alright,” Aaron laughed, “are you sure you wanna talk to him though? I mean he’s kinda beating me right now to get the phone off me”
“Aaron!” Ryan cried and finally grabbed the phone., “Marissa, hi” he said out of breath, he turned round and gave Aaron a glare, who just shrugged his shoulders with a bemused smile upon his face.
“Hey Ryan,” Marissa said, by the sound of her voice Ryan knew she was smiling. He smiled too, the sound of her voice always made him smile, “so even after all night of talking online, I totally forgot to ask you what you are doing for Christmas”
Ryan thought for a second and then remembered, “Oh yeah im in Berkeley, I have classes right on the new year and the flights are all funny, so I didn’t see any point”
Not that he could see it, but Marissa’s face fell from the bright gleaming one, to the sad and upset one.
“Why?” Ryan asked over the phone, after hearing just silence, he was slightly confused.
“Oh no reason, just wanted to know where to send your Christmas card this year, that’s all” she breathed, trying not to let the hurt sound over the phone, “ok well I better go, we’ll speak later bye” and she cut off.
“Oh, bye” Ryan said, with an utterly confused look upon his face.
“What was that about?” Aaron asked him from the sofa.
Ryan put down the phone and shook his head, “I have no idea” he whispered, knowing that it couldn’t of been just about a Christmas card.
********
“Hey Coop!” Summer cried over the phone, “seriously how long has it been since we talked on the phone?”
“It was two days ago Sum” Marissa said, with a little smirk on her face.
“Oh yeah,” Summer laughed, “well it feels like forever, how goes it? Enjoying the hot sun and hot guys?” she asked.
“Actually I wanted you to be the first to know,” she paused as Summer didn’t say anything, “im coming home, to Newport”
“You better not be kidding with me Coop” Summer said seriously, “I mean, do you mean that?” she asked hopefully.
“Yeah Im coming home, it wasn’t what I thought it would be, cant believe it took me this long to realise it” Marissa sighed.
“Well Coop this is great! I will get to see you at Christmas right?” she asked excitedly.
“Yeah you will” Marissa said with a smile, “I hope to get the next flight after tomorrow” she sounded quite down and Summer picked up on this.
It hit Summer why Marissa was sound upset, “Ryan’s not coming home for Christmas is he?” she asked.
“No” Marissa said sadly, “but hey its up to him right? I mean he is living his own life out in Berkeley, independently..”
“Coop you don’t need to hide from me, im your best friend, I know you want him home, you want to be with him this Christmas” Summer said sweetly.
“Yeah of course” Marissa said, “like I wanna be with you, Seth, Kaitlyn, my Mom and the Cohen’s”
Summer giggled, “Gezz would you stop? I mean you want to BE with him” she pressed, “Coop I have always known how you feel about Ryan, don’t run from it now”
Marissa sighed quietly, “What if he doesn’t feel the same way?” she asked.
“Are you kidding me?” Summer laughed, “Ryan not feel the same way about you? Girl that boy has been in love with you ever since the cheesy driveway meeting”
Marissa laughed, smiling fondly over the memory of their first meeting. Then her face fell, “Sum, he’s not coming home for Christmas, its not going to work”
Summer sighed, then smiled, “Leave it with me, I have a great idea” she said triumphantly, “ok Coop, just get a plane home, and I will call you with the rest, you have nothing to worry about, speak to you later sweetie, love you!” and the phone went, Marissa laughed, confused at what Summer was doing, but she was going home, after a time of thinking that she didn’t belong there, she realised she did.
*******
A day had passed and Ryan couldn’t get hold of Marissa and he was getting worried, he walked up the stairs of the apartment to see Seth sitting against his door with a bag with him and looking really tired.
“Seth?” Ryan said walking over to him, “what are you doing here?” he asked him as Seth’s eyes opened and he jumped up.
“Hey man!” he cried and hugged him, “oh just passing by”
Ryan laughed, “Seriously?” he said and opened the door and they both walked through.
“Seriously?” he asked, “Im here to bring you home for Chrismukkah” he said placing his bag down on the floor.
Ryan sighed, “Seth I have already decided, and I cant go home now, its too late”
“No its not actually, my Mum and Dad have already booked a seat on the flight tomorrow, they had it booked since November, we want you home for Chrismukkah, were all gonna be there, Summer’s coming home! And even Dad let the wicked witch of Newport come for Christmas dinner” he said referring to Julie.
Ryan smiled, then walked round to sit down on the sofa, “But were not all gonna be there are we?” he asked sadly.
Seth looked at him and sighed, “Look man you cant keep doing this to yourself, you gotta do stuff without her”
Ryan shot his eyes up, “I am doing stuff without her, Im at college aren’t I? I have my own place”
Seth nodded, “Then do this dude, I mean it, it will be great, and hey, you’ll get to speak to her over the phone right?”
“You know that’s not the same, you of all people should know” Ryan said back.
Seth looked down and nodded, “Look please come home, if not for yourself do it for Mum and Dad” he said pressing again.
Ryan sat and sighed, then looked up, “I really cant say no can I?” he asked.
“Hell no” Seth shook his head with his signature smile.
Ryan laughed, “Ok fine,” he said giving in, “but your not flying back with him are you?” he asked.
“That’s a hell yes,” Seth said smiling again, “you cant get away from me buddy”
“Oh I know” Ryan laughed and handed him the controls for the video game.
Aaron came through the door and saw Ryan with a guy he didn’t know, and playing his video games, “Ok who the hell are you and why are you playing my babies?” he asked coming in front of the TV.
“Hey Aaron this is Seth, my best friend from Newport, the one I told you about” he said.
Seth waved and smiled.
Aaron waved back and smiled too.
Seth walked over and looked through the video games, “Holy crap you have this one!” he cried.
Aaron bent down, “Yeah my Uncle works over there, he could get them shipped off early for me”
“Dude that is so cool” Seth said gazing at it, “but the first one is better”
“Now way, the second one is” Aaron disagreed.
“I know everything about this,” Seth told him, “the first one is always better”
“Ok guys its just a video game” Ryan laughed.
Both and Aaron and Seth turned round and glared at him, and closed his mouth and sat further back, as the other two kept on bickering.
*********
“Ok where are you now?” Summer asked over the phone.
“He’s in the bathroom, we just landed, we have our bags and we will be there in about 15 minutes” Seth said, “are you sure this is going to work?” he asked unsure.
“Cohen, don’t you trust me?” she asked, with a smile on her face.
“Of course I do, but I really want this to work” Seth said quietly.
“I do too, we both do” Summer agreed, “ok see you soon, love you”
“Love you” Seth said and shut off his phone just as Ryan approached him.
“Hey man ready for Chrismukkah?” he smiled broadly.
Ryan nodded, “Might as well”
*******
“Ryan!” Kirsten said jumping up out of her seat and running to him as they entered the kitchen. She gave him a bug huge hug and kissed his cheek. “Aww its so great that your home for Christmas”
“Its great to see you Kirsten” he said back, truly happy to see her.
Sandy came up behind her with a big smile across him face too, “Welcome back kid” and he shook his hand.
“Hey Sandy” Ryan smiled. He looked around and took him the Cohen’s kitchen, “Its so weird being here again, but its nice to be home” he nodded.
“HeyAtwood!” Summer said cheerily coming from the patio area, “dude give me a hug!” she cried and he moved forward with a smile and hugged her.
“How’s Brown?” Ryan asked pulling away.
“Yeah its good actually,” Summer nodded, moving up and down on her feet, as Seth came over and put his arm round her and gave her a kiss.
They all stood there smiling at him, and he felt uneasy about it, “What’s going on?” he asked.
“Oh nothing sweetie, we are just so glad you’re here for Christmas” Kirsten piped up, her smile still spread across her face, “Well why don’t you go put your stuff in the pool house,” Kirsten suggested, “its just how you left it” she smiled sweetly.
“Yeah sure” Ryan nodded, “I wont be long” and he walked passed them and out into the patio, up the stairs towards the pool house, he placed his hand on the door and slowly opened it, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him, and he switched on the light and faced back round, “Oh My God”
“Merry Christmas Ryan” she smiled lifting herself off the bed, with a sweet knowing smile.
“Marissa” he breathed out quietly, still in shock.
On the top deck Marissa walked, searching for her Dad, they had docked on an island near Greece and most passengers were off. Marissa wasn’t needed for work and was told she could look around the island until the next day. But she wanted to find her Dad, and she spotted him talking to another member of the crew.
“Dad” Marissa said coming up behind him.
“Oh hey Marissa,” Jimmy said turning round, “I catch you later” he told the other crew member who walked off, “hey honey everything ok?” he asked stroking her arm, “you were up late last night”
“Yeah im fine, thanks Dad” she said sweetly, “I just..” she started and looked at him, “I don’t think this is right for me” she whispered silently.
Jimmy looked at her disappointedly, “I thought this is what you wanted kiddo”
“It was!” Marissa protested, “to be with you and have a great time, but we,” she said and looked at him properly, “we haven’t been doing that at all, I hardly see you, I just thought it would be different you know?”
Jimmy looked down, “What are you saying sweetie?” he asked looking back up, asking a question he already knew the answer to.
Marissa pressed her lips together, and took a breath in, “I wanna go home” she whispered, “ I wanna be home for Christmas”
Jimmy sighed, he already in his mind knew this was going to happen, he nodded and kiss her forehead, “If you go out to the desk you’ll find someone who can help you get a flight back home from Greece”
“Is that a yes?” she asked him.
Jimmy nodded his head, “Even though you’re my little girl and I don’t want to let you go, if this is what you want, I cant stop you” he said with a smile.
Marissa smiled and jumped to hug him, “Ahh thank you Daddy” she breathed, then pulled away, “you’ll come home soon too, I know you will” she said and gently smiled and made her way back inside.
********
For once Ryan had no classes, and he decided to take it just relaxing in the apartment. He got up later than usual after another night of talking to Marissa, and he made his way groggily into the living room/kitchen area.
“Hey Man, good afternoon!” Aaron smiled from the kitchen while digging in the refrigerator.
“Aaron its 11 am” Ryan said walking further towards him.
Aaron laughed, “Whatever, talked too much to Marissa last night then?” he asked pouring some milk into a mug.
Ryan nodded, “Yeah, I lost track of time, so I ended up going to bed at like 3, she had a day off today, that’s why she was talking to me for so long” he explained.
“That’s so cute!” Aaron said in a girly voice with a huge smile, “seriously man, fess up” he said then the phone started ringing and he moved towards it.
Ryan quizzed, “Fess what up?” looking like he had no idea what he was talking about.
“Oh my God you bug me!” Aaron cried picking up the phone.
“Likewise” Ryan said back taking a bite of an apple from the bowl.
“Hello?” Aaron answered, then a smile slowly crept across his face, “Yeah hi, well its great to finally talk to you Marissa”
Ryan’s eyes shot up and he moved swiftly over to Aaron.
“Give me the phone” Ryan told him trying to take it.
“Yah he’s here alright,” Aaron laughed, “are you sure you wanna talk to him though? I mean he’s kinda beating me right now to get the phone off me”
“Aaron!” Ryan cried and finally grabbed the phone., “Marissa, hi” he said out of breath, he turned round and gave Aaron a glare, who just shrugged his shoulders with a bemused smile upon his face.
“Hey Ryan,” Marissa said, by the sound of her voice Ryan knew she was smiling. He smiled too, the sound of her voice always made him smile, “so even after all night of talking online, I totally forgot to ask you what you are doing for Christmas”
Ryan thought for a second and then remembered, “Oh yeah im in Berkeley, I have classes right on the new year and the flights are all funny, so I didn’t see any point”
Not that he could see it, but Marissa’s face fell from the bright gleaming one, to the sad and upset one.
“Why?” Ryan asked over the phone, after hearing just silence, he was slightly confused.
“Oh no reason, just wanted to know where to send your Christmas card this year, that’s all” she breathed, trying not to let the hurt sound over the phone, “ok well I better go, we’ll speak later bye” and she cut off.
“Oh, bye” Ryan said, with an utterly confused look upon his face.
“What was that about?” Aaron asked him from the sofa.
Ryan put down the phone and shook his head, “I have no idea” he whispered, knowing that it couldn’t of been just about a Christmas card.
********
“Hey Coop!” Summer cried over the phone, “seriously how long has it been since we talked on the phone?”
“It was two days ago Sum” Marissa said, with a little smirk on her face.
“Oh yeah,” Summer laughed, “well it feels like forever, how goes it? Enjoying the hot sun and hot guys?” she asked.
“Actually I wanted you to be the first to know,” she paused as Summer didn’t say anything, “im coming home, to Newport”
“You better not be kidding with me Coop” Summer said seriously, “I mean, do you mean that?” she asked hopefully.
“Yeah Im coming home, it wasn’t what I thought it would be, cant believe it took me this long to realise it” Marissa sighed.
“Well Coop this is great! I will get to see you at Christmas right?” she asked excitedly.
“Yeah you will” Marissa said with a smile, “I hope to get the next flight after tomorrow” she sounded quite down and Summer picked up on this.
It hit Summer why Marissa was sound upset, “Ryan’s not coming home for Christmas is he?” she asked.
“No” Marissa said sadly, “but hey its up to him right? I mean he is living his own life out in Berkeley, independently..”
“Coop you don’t need to hide from me, im your best friend, I know you want him home, you want to be with him this Christmas” Summer said sweetly.
“Yeah of course” Marissa said, “like I wanna be with you, Seth, Kaitlyn, my Mom and the Cohen’s”
Summer giggled, “Gezz would you stop? I mean you want to BE with him” she pressed, “Coop I have always known how you feel about Ryan, don’t run from it now”
Marissa sighed quietly, “What if he doesn’t feel the same way?” she asked.
“Are you kidding me?” Summer laughed, “Ryan not feel the same way about you? Girl that boy has been in love with you ever since the cheesy driveway meeting”
Marissa laughed, smiling fondly over the memory of their first meeting. Then her face fell, “Sum, he’s not coming home for Christmas, its not going to work”
Summer sighed, then smiled, “Leave it with me, I have a great idea” she said triumphantly, “ok Coop, just get a plane home, and I will call you with the rest, you have nothing to worry about, speak to you later sweetie, love you!” and the phone went, Marissa laughed, confused at what Summer was doing, but she was going home, after a time of thinking that she didn’t belong there, she realised she did.
*******
A day had passed and Ryan couldn’t get hold of Marissa and he was getting worried, he walked up the stairs of the apartment to see Seth sitting against his door with a bag with him and looking really tired.
“Seth?” Ryan said walking over to him, “what are you doing here?” he asked him as Seth’s eyes opened and he jumped up.
“Hey man!” he cried and hugged him, “oh just passing by”
Ryan laughed, “Seriously?” he said and opened the door and they both walked through.
“Seriously?” he asked, “Im here to bring you home for Chrismukkah” he said placing his bag down on the floor.
Ryan sighed, “Seth I have already decided, and I cant go home now, its too late”
“No its not actually, my Mum and Dad have already booked a seat on the flight tomorrow, they had it booked since November, we want you home for Chrismukkah, were all gonna be there, Summer’s coming home! And even Dad let the wicked witch of Newport come for Christmas dinner” he said referring to Julie.
Ryan smiled, then walked round to sit down on the sofa, “But were not all gonna be there are we?” he asked sadly.
Seth looked at him and sighed, “Look man you cant keep doing this to yourself, you gotta do stuff without her”
Ryan shot his eyes up, “I am doing stuff without her, Im at college aren’t I? I have my own place”
Seth nodded, “Then do this dude, I mean it, it will be great, and hey, you’ll get to speak to her over the phone right?”
“You know that’s not the same, you of all people should know” Ryan said back.
Seth looked down and nodded, “Look please come home, if not for yourself do it for Mum and Dad” he said pressing again.
Ryan sat and sighed, then looked up, “I really cant say no can I?” he asked.
“Hell no” Seth shook his head with his signature smile.
Ryan laughed, “Ok fine,” he said giving in, “but your not flying back with him are you?” he asked.
“That’s a hell yes,” Seth said smiling again, “you cant get away from me buddy”
“Oh I know” Ryan laughed and handed him the controls for the video game.
Aaron came through the door and saw Ryan with a guy he didn’t know, and playing his video games, “Ok who the hell are you and why are you playing my babies?” he asked coming in front of the TV.
“Hey Aaron this is Seth, my best friend from Newport, the one I told you about” he said.
Seth waved and smiled.
Aaron waved back and smiled too.
Seth walked over and looked through the video games, “Holy crap you have this one!” he cried.
Aaron bent down, “Yeah my Uncle works over there, he could get them shipped off early for me”
“Dude that is so cool” Seth said gazing at it, “but the first one is better”
“Now way, the second one is” Aaron disagreed.
“I know everything about this,” Seth told him, “the first one is always better”
“Ok guys its just a video game” Ryan laughed.
Both and Aaron and Seth turned round and glared at him, and closed his mouth and sat further back, as the other two kept on bickering.
*********
“Ok where are you now?” Summer asked over the phone.
“He’s in the bathroom, we just landed, we have our bags and we will be there in about 15 minutes” Seth said, “are you sure this is going to work?” he asked unsure.
“Cohen, don’t you trust me?” she asked, with a smile on her face.
“Of course I do, but I really want this to work” Seth said quietly.
“I do too, we both do” Summer agreed, “ok see you soon, love you”
“Love you” Seth said and shut off his phone just as Ryan approached him.
“Hey man ready for Chrismukkah?” he smiled broadly.
Ryan nodded, “Might as well”
*******
“Ryan!” Kirsten said jumping up out of her seat and running to him as they entered the kitchen. She gave him a bug huge hug and kissed his cheek. “Aww its so great that your home for Christmas”
“Its great to see you Kirsten” he said back, truly happy to see her.
Sandy came up behind her with a big smile across him face too, “Welcome back kid” and he shook his hand.
“Hey Sandy” Ryan smiled. He looked around and took him the Cohen’s kitchen, “Its so weird being here again, but its nice to be home” he nodded.
“HeyAtwood!” Summer said cheerily coming from the patio area, “dude give me a hug!” she cried and he moved forward with a smile and hugged her.
“How’s Brown?” Ryan asked pulling away.
“Yeah its good actually,” Summer nodded, moving up and down on her feet, as Seth came over and put his arm round her and gave her a kiss.
They all stood there smiling at him, and he felt uneasy about it, “What’s going on?” he asked.
“Oh nothing sweetie, we are just so glad you’re here for Christmas” Kirsten piped up, her smile still spread across her face, “Well why don’t you go put your stuff in the pool house,” Kirsten suggested, “its just how you left it” she smiled sweetly.
“Yeah sure” Ryan nodded, “I wont be long” and he walked passed them and out into the patio, up the stairs towards the pool house, he placed his hand on the door and slowly opened it, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him, and he switched on the light and faced back round, “Oh My God”
“Merry Christmas Ryan” she smiled lifting herself off the bed, with a sweet knowing smile.
“Marissa” he breathed out quietly, still in shock.