Newport Beach, CA; Thursday Early Morning
Summer's Fourth of July was spent with her Newport friends on the beach watching fireworks and hanging out. A year ago, she wouldn't have even noticed Seth Cohen. This year, she was hanging out with him and Ryan and Marissa. And she actually had a good time. She was also glad to see Marissa and Ryan over the whole on again off again thing as that was really annoying. Last night, they seemed to be happy.
It was now morning and she was still half asleep. She'd stayed up late the night before and had plans to sleep in today. Those plans were interrupted by gentle knocking on her bedroom door. Maybe she was dreaming?
"Summer?" called a voice she recognized. Okay, so maybe she wasn't dreaming. She quickly climbed out of her bed, still in her PJs. She was decent enough, though, so she opened the door. "Cohen? You're at my house. At ungodly o'clock in the morning."
She was expecting some sort of sarcastic comment in response. Instead, Seth stood there looking solemn.
"What's up, Cohen? Did someone kick a puppy or something?"
When he didn't answer right away, Summer assumed the worst. "Oh my god, if someone did kick a puppy I will kick their..."
"It's Marissa," Seth interrupted.
Summer's concern was immediate. "What about her? Don't tell me she and Atwood are off again."
Seth's expression was grave. "There was an accident..."
Summer sunk down slowly onto her bed. No, it couldn't be. Not now. "Oh no." It was just as her daughter from an alternate world had predicted. "She's gone, isn't she?"
Seth sat beside her, taking her hand. "I'm sorry."
"Was she drinking?" Summer knew her best friend had issues with alcohol. It was one of the reasons she was sent to Fandom.
Seth shook his head. "No...Ryan was driving. This guy, Volchok, he ran them off the road last night."
Summer's eyes filled with tears. "Why?"
Seth shrugged. "I don't know. He was obsessed with her or something. It doesn't make any sense."
A few tears slipped down her cheeks. "Is Ryan...? Is he okay?"
"Yeah," Seth replied. "He walked away unharmed. But he's kind of messed up and blaming himself."
Summer sighed, wiping the tears away. If it was anyone's fault, it was hers. She could have warned her best friend. Maybe if she had told her what she knew, told her to be more aware. Anything. Maybe this wouldn't have happened. Not now.
"You need to go so I can get ready," Summer said. "I need to check on her mom and Kaitlin and..."
She buried her face in her hands, sobbing. Seth pulled her into a hug and just let her cry. It lasted a few moments before Summer pulled herself together. "I'll stop by later, okay?"
Seth nodded, standing up to leave. "Yeah. You'll be okay?"
She nodded. "As well as can be."
Before long, she was showered and dressed and ready to go. Only she didn't move for awhile. She wasn't sure what to say to Marissa's family. Or Ryan. She wasn't even sure she could keep herself together enough to be there for them.
How could this have happened? Last night, they were all so happy and having a good time. Now, things were changed forever.
[ooc: warning for depressing subject matter behind the cut; if any of you are familiar with the S3 finale, you know what to expect. Otherwise, beware of spoilers. NFB due to distance. Not for interaction, though ooc comments are always welcome.]
It was now morning and she was still half asleep. She'd stayed up late the night before and had plans to sleep in today. Those plans were interrupted by gentle knocking on her bedroom door. Maybe she was dreaming?
"Summer?" called a voice she recognized. Okay, so maybe she wasn't dreaming. She quickly climbed out of her bed, still in her PJs. She was decent enough, though, so she opened the door. "Cohen? You're at my house. At ungodly o'clock in the morning."
She was expecting some sort of sarcastic comment in response. Instead, Seth stood there looking solemn.
"What's up, Cohen? Did someone kick a puppy or something?"
When he didn't answer right away, Summer assumed the worst. "Oh my god, if someone did kick a puppy I will kick their..."
"It's Marissa," Seth interrupted.
Summer's concern was immediate. "What about her? Don't tell me she and Atwood are off again."
Seth's expression was grave. "There was an accident..."
Summer sunk down slowly onto her bed. No, it couldn't be. Not now. "Oh no." It was just as her daughter from an alternate world had predicted. "She's gone, isn't she?"
Seth sat beside her, taking her hand. "I'm sorry."
"Was she drinking?" Summer knew her best friend had issues with alcohol. It was one of the reasons she was sent to Fandom.
Seth shook his head. "No...Ryan was driving. This guy, Volchok, he ran them off the road last night."
Summer's eyes filled with tears. "Why?"
Seth shrugged. "I don't know. He was obsessed with her or something. It doesn't make any sense."
A few tears slipped down her cheeks. "Is Ryan...? Is he okay?"
"Yeah," Seth replied. "He walked away unharmed. But he's kind of messed up and blaming himself."
Summer sighed, wiping the tears away. If it was anyone's fault, it was hers. She could have warned her best friend. Maybe if she had told her what she knew, told her to be more aware. Anything. Maybe this wouldn't have happened. Not now.
"You need to go so I can get ready," Summer said. "I need to check on her mom and Kaitlin and..."
She buried her face in her hands, sobbing. Seth pulled her into a hug and just let her cry. It lasted a few moments before Summer pulled herself together. "I'll stop by later, okay?"
Seth nodded, standing up to leave. "Yeah. You'll be okay?"
She nodded. "As well as can be."
Before long, she was showered and dressed and ready to go. Only she didn't move for awhile. She wasn't sure what to say to Marissa's family. Or Ryan. She wasn't even sure she could keep herself together enough to be there for them.
How could this have happened? Last night, they were all so happy and having a good time. Now, things were changed forever.
[ooc: warning for depressing subject matter behind the cut; if any of you are familiar with the S3 finale, you know what to expect. Otherwise, beware of spoilers. NFB due to distance. Not for interaction, though ooc comments are always welcome.]