If Only
Summary- Five years after graduation; Luke is gone, Seth's a teacher, Summer's a model, Marissa has a daughter, and Ryan doesn't know about anything.
Disclaimer- I own nothing that you recognize
Authors Note- Please keep in mind, it was late when this was written
Chapter One- Once an Adolescent
If only seven in the morning came later in the day. IF only punch cards didn't exist. If only alarm clocks didn't sound like they were announcing the third world war.
Marissa groaned, her limp arm dragging the clock off her nightstand and out of the plug, which meant she'd have to reset the thing later that night, again. To avoid not being as late as usual, she had slept in her uniform.
" Come on Lil, time to get up" she had rushed into the room with the teal paint and teddy bear border, which had been a four day project the year before.
The little girl, who never needed a waking, immediately got up from her bed to the matching outfit she had laid out on the floor the night before. Matching, one word Marissa had not yet comprehended. However, the four-year-old she lived with did it perfectly.
#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@
Marissa guided her daughter from the taxi cab to the sidewalk, right outside the city daycare center. She spent more time there than at home, which really tore up her mother. But there wasn't a choice.
" Lil honey, you know I'll be back, I always am" her big blue eyes only stared back, " can you say good bye?".
But she shook her head and ran off towards the building. Four years, four years and the young girl had not said a word. Not one, ever. Marissa knew she was capable of speaking, but couldn't understand why she didn't. All she wanted was to hear that voice, just once.
@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#
She was ducked behind a prescription medicine shelf, hunched over a text book, devouring every word she could. Three pages in thirty seconds was her personal record, and yet, she couldn't help but wonder if she was only wasting her time.
" What have you got to bring a girl back to reality?".
That voice, that tone. Marissa closed the book and stood up to see who was standing on the other side of the counter. " Summer" she almost laughed.
The one girl that was born a beauty and would never change, one way or another. But unfortunately that went for her attitude as well, " hey Coop, how's it going?".
" Usually you'd ask that if we haven't spoken for six hours, not six months".
Summer shrugged, " sorry, you know how it gets".
Marissa grinned, " no, I don't know what it's like being a famous European model, traveling the world, but a pharmacy cashier is pretty close I suppose".
She leaned onto the counter, " so, how's that gorgeous daughter of yours? Lindsey?".
" Lillian, and she's doing alright, but still not talking".
" Anything I can do to help?".
Marissa shook her head, " no thanks, with your kind of influence she'd either not talk until she was twenty or not shut up. No offense".
Summer giggled, " none taken, I totally agree. But what about that one handsome man?".
" Seth? Oh, he's great, he lives a couple doors down, he's a teacher. Can you believe it? Perfect job for him".
" Thanks for the info on Cohen, but" Summer silently hinted with her eyes, " you know who I meant".
Marissa nodded, " yeah, but I-uh, don't really want to talk about that".
She flared her eyebrows, " enough said".
The subject had to be changed, and not just because there was an uncertainty on which ' guy' each girl was referring to, " what brings you to the city?".
" Photo shoot, but I'm actually more chocked to see you here, I thought you'd be back in the county".
Marissa shrugged, " well, it's a secure place, strange as that sounds, and Seth's here, he really gets along with Lillian, I'm hoping he can encourage her to talk one of these days".
Summer tucked a strand of her rich hair behind her ear, " yeah, I always thought he's make a good dad. Someone else too".
Just then, an older man with a white paper bag in hand stood behind Summer. " Oh, sorry, hey, come by tomorrow, we can catch up on my break. See you later" she rushed.
Summer muttered under her breath, saying good bye and left. So she was going to be more exhausting than a newborn, seeing as Marissa has had experience with both Summer Roberts and Lillian Cooper.
@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@
Eight hours later of arguing with middle aged parents and constantly repeating herself to older people, Marissa stepped off the elevator on the fifth floor, balancing her purse and a sleeping child. All while digging for her keys.
" Have no fear, Cohen is here!" Seth emerged from his apartment, rushing to her and taking Lillian into his arms, which eased hers.
" Thank you so much" she found the key ring and slid a few correct ones into the lock before finally getting it, " guess who came into work today?" he shrugged, " Summer".
" I hope you mean the season".
She allowed him to walk in and followed him to Lillian's bedroom, " she's coming back tomorrow, would you like me to lie and tell her you were hit by a car?".
" I can make it so it's not a lie" he placed the little girl under her covers then replaced them over her and sighed before daring to say, " Luke called me today, looking for you".
Marissa bit her lip, " I think I'll follow you into traffic".
The two stepped into the hallway, beginning to whisper, " I told him you went back to California, it should lead him away for awhile".
" Thanks" she weakly smiled.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, " they're making steroids illegal, so you shouldn't have to worry about him".
They reached the front door, " yeah, well, it's not Luke I'm worried about".
Seth glared at her, " well then you got nothing to worry about" and he knew what she meant by that, one of the few people that could.
" Thanks Seth". She had a feeling of comfortable, now that he was so close. They had always been neighbors, but only now did she realize, that as long as he was there, nothing could happen to her.
Another Authors Note- It's suppose to be based around Marissa and Ryan, and it will be soon enough.
Summary- Five years after graduation; Luke is gone, Seth's a teacher, Summer's a model, Marissa has a daughter, and Ryan doesn't know about anything.
Disclaimer- I own nothing that you recognize
Authors Note- Please keep in mind, it was late when this was written
Chapter One- Once an Adolescent
If only seven in the morning came later in the day. IF only punch cards didn't exist. If only alarm clocks didn't sound like they were announcing the third world war.
Marissa groaned, her limp arm dragging the clock off her nightstand and out of the plug, which meant she'd have to reset the thing later that night, again. To avoid not being as late as usual, she had slept in her uniform.
" Come on Lil, time to get up" she had rushed into the room with the teal paint and teddy bear border, which had been a four day project the year before.
The little girl, who never needed a waking, immediately got up from her bed to the matching outfit she had laid out on the floor the night before. Matching, one word Marissa had not yet comprehended. However, the four-year-old she lived with did it perfectly.
#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@
Marissa guided her daughter from the taxi cab to the sidewalk, right outside the city daycare center. She spent more time there than at home, which really tore up her mother. But there wasn't a choice.
" Lil honey, you know I'll be back, I always am" her big blue eyes only stared back, " can you say good bye?".
But she shook her head and ran off towards the building. Four years, four years and the young girl had not said a word. Not one, ever. Marissa knew she was capable of speaking, but couldn't understand why she didn't. All she wanted was to hear that voice, just once.
@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#
She was ducked behind a prescription medicine shelf, hunched over a text book, devouring every word she could. Three pages in thirty seconds was her personal record, and yet, she couldn't help but wonder if she was only wasting her time.
" What have you got to bring a girl back to reality?".
That voice, that tone. Marissa closed the book and stood up to see who was standing on the other side of the counter. " Summer" she almost laughed.
The one girl that was born a beauty and would never change, one way or another. But unfortunately that went for her attitude as well, " hey Coop, how's it going?".
" Usually you'd ask that if we haven't spoken for six hours, not six months".
Summer shrugged, " sorry, you know how it gets".
Marissa grinned, " no, I don't know what it's like being a famous European model, traveling the world, but a pharmacy cashier is pretty close I suppose".
She leaned onto the counter, " so, how's that gorgeous daughter of yours? Lindsey?".
" Lillian, and she's doing alright, but still not talking".
" Anything I can do to help?".
Marissa shook her head, " no thanks, with your kind of influence she'd either not talk until she was twenty or not shut up. No offense".
Summer giggled, " none taken, I totally agree. But what about that one handsome man?".
" Seth? Oh, he's great, he lives a couple doors down, he's a teacher. Can you believe it? Perfect job for him".
" Thanks for the info on Cohen, but" Summer silently hinted with her eyes, " you know who I meant".
Marissa nodded, " yeah, but I-uh, don't really want to talk about that".
She flared her eyebrows, " enough said".
The subject had to be changed, and not just because there was an uncertainty on which ' guy' each girl was referring to, " what brings you to the city?".
" Photo shoot, but I'm actually more chocked to see you here, I thought you'd be back in the county".
Marissa shrugged, " well, it's a secure place, strange as that sounds, and Seth's here, he really gets along with Lillian, I'm hoping he can encourage her to talk one of these days".
Summer tucked a strand of her rich hair behind her ear, " yeah, I always thought he's make a good dad. Someone else too".
Just then, an older man with a white paper bag in hand stood behind Summer. " Oh, sorry, hey, come by tomorrow, we can catch up on my break. See you later" she rushed.
Summer muttered under her breath, saying good bye and left. So she was going to be more exhausting than a newborn, seeing as Marissa has had experience with both Summer Roberts and Lillian Cooper.
@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@
Eight hours later of arguing with middle aged parents and constantly repeating herself to older people, Marissa stepped off the elevator on the fifth floor, balancing her purse and a sleeping child. All while digging for her keys.
" Have no fear, Cohen is here!" Seth emerged from his apartment, rushing to her and taking Lillian into his arms, which eased hers.
" Thank you so much" she found the key ring and slid a few correct ones into the lock before finally getting it, " guess who came into work today?" he shrugged, " Summer".
" I hope you mean the season".
She allowed him to walk in and followed him to Lillian's bedroom, " she's coming back tomorrow, would you like me to lie and tell her you were hit by a car?".
" I can make it so it's not a lie" he placed the little girl under her covers then replaced them over her and sighed before daring to say, " Luke called me today, looking for you".
Marissa bit her lip, " I think I'll follow you into traffic".
The two stepped into the hallway, beginning to whisper, " I told him you went back to California, it should lead him away for awhile".
" Thanks" she weakly smiled.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, " they're making steroids illegal, so you shouldn't have to worry about him".
They reached the front door, " yeah, well, it's not Luke I'm worried about".
Seth glared at her, " well then you got nothing to worry about" and he knew what she meant by that, one of the few people that could.
" Thanks Seth". She had a feeling of comfortable, now that he was so close. They had always been neighbors, but only now did she realize, that as long as he was there, nothing could happen to her.
Another Authors Note- It's suppose to be based around Marissa and Ryan, and it will be soon enough.