Whole New World - 1
This story is based on a prompt another author left on her page as something she wanted to see but wouldn’t write herself. No one else picked it up so I figured I’d give it a try to see what I could do. I think I just about finished my first story and should post the conclusion once I do a final review of I but in the meantime I started the below….
A Whole New World
“So who are you” Ryan hears. He’s headed down the driveway while waiting for his lawyer to break the news to his wife about their unexpected house guest. He still can’t believe he accepted Sandy’s offer after Ryan called him this afternoon.
“Whoever you want me to be” retorts Ryan. As soon as the words leave his mouth he’s kicking himself for his automatic response. This isn’t Chino where he’s expected to try and pick up every girl he runs into and he’s trained himself to just hit on every new girl that he meets so the words have left his mouth before he could think. Now he’s got to finish the game with this chick. Hopefully he won’t end up having to take her to bed like he has with too many other girls who he has no interest in. After a little small talk he gets lucky and Sandy comes to the rescue and takes him up to the big house before he has to say much else to Marissa.
He hits it off with Seth, Sandy’s son and they have a great weekend. Seth is a cool kid who accepts Ryan right away and he’s happy to have a friend. While he considers Seth kind of cute and adorable there’s no way he’s letting himself think of Seth as anything but a friend. Seth spends the entire weekend talking about his life long crush and its obvious Seth is straight as an arrow and no good could come from Ryan thinking anything could happen. So Seth has been put very definitely in the friend only column which is just fine with Ryan because he has enough complications in his life and doesn’t need to add another one to them.
Before he knows it the weekend is coming to an end and he figures out that its time to run before he gets sent back to foster care. He’s been down that road before and there’s no way he’s going back if he can help it. He’s packing and is almost ready to go when Seth catches him and convinces him that he’s got a better plan. Turns out to be a pretty good plan and he ends up at one of Kristen’s model homes. He knows its not a real solution but it gives him some time to breath. Unfortunately Marissa got involved and he still has to play the “I’m interested” game with her since she’s been hanging out with him and Seth. He’d much rather be hanging out with just Seth. Seth is so over the top that Ryan can just be low key and be himself. Even if he can never let Seth know that he’s gay he doesn’t have to play at being someone he’s not and he’s having a better time with Seth than anybody else. Seth is a little bit girl crazy but that’s nothing new so he just enjoys the friendship while he can.
Seth and Marissa left a few hours ago and Ryan is just enjoying the solitude trying to come up with a plan for himself. He told Seth he was thinking about Austin but maybe West Hollywood or San Francisco would be a better place for him. From what he’s heard these two places might be easier to blend in to the background. He hears a car pulling in the driveway and becomes worried. He’s not supposed to be here and if it’s a security guard he’s screwed. Looking out he realizes its Marissa coming back without Seth. He realizes he’s still screwed. Looks like Marissa has decided that she wants to be more than just friends with Ryan. It figures this would happen. He knows he started this game but he’s pissed off at himself that he continues to put himself in these positions.
After a little small talk it become obvious that Marissa is making the move on him but he tells her “Marissa this isn’t going to work”.
He’s hoping she thinks he doesn’t want to get with her because he’s leaving town. What he’s really thinking is that he doesn’t have to play his fake I love girls act when there’s no one watching so what the heck is he doing. Once she leaves he’s sorry that he upset Marissa but satisfied that he didn’t let himself take the easy way out and sleep with her. He doesn’t hear Luke and his buddies until it’s too late.
“Stay away from my girl” yells Luke as he’s rushing in to throw a punch at Ryan. They get into a scuffle and knock a couple of the lit candles over. Ryan’s knocked out and the other boys run. Luke is the last one out of the house and realizes that Ryan was not following them. While he’s pissed off at this new guy for trying to mack on Marissa he doesn’t want him to die. He goes back and pulls him out of the fire.
Once he regains consciousness he tells Luke “Thanks”
Luke can’t believe this kid just thanked him for knocking him out and almost killing him and just stares at the kid. “What are you thanking me for?”
“You could have left me to die in there. I know a lot of people who would have done just that” Ryan replies and starts walking away.
“Huh…… Where are you going?” He asks Ryan as he’s still trying to process the comment from him, wondering how someone can just expect to be left for dead.
“I should go and let Seth know I burned down his mom’s development and see what’s going to happen to me”.
Not feeling right about letting Ryan take the blame for the fire he gives him a ride back to the Cohen’s and they jointly confess to the fire resulting in them both being arrested and taken to jail.
It’s obvious to Ryan that Luke has never been in lockup before. He can see the fear in Lukes eyes after the handcuffs are off and they are processed into the block. Figuring that this kid will be eaten alive if he’s left alone, Ryan takes him under his wing and explains some of the facts of jail life to him.
“This may still be the OC but don’t start anything here or your going to be someone else’s bitch” he tells Luke reminding him of the first night they met and Lukes “That’s how we do it in the OC bitch” comment. Luke really doesn’t understand this kid. He should be leaving Luke to the wolves in here and yet he’s giving him advice on how to survive.
With Ryan’s help he manages to avoid a couple of run ins and the next morning they are both called up to the front. Luke is being bailed out and Ryan has a visitor. As Luke is leaving he gives Ryan a look that tries to convey Thanks and Sorry at the same time.
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Part II - Here