Zack: Get over it.

AA Battery: But Ryan and Seth are so hot.... If only...

Zack: If only you would start writing!

AA Battery: Fine!

Chapter 1
Escape

‘You had to go ruin it,’ Ryan thought angrily at himself. He sat, staring out the window of Kirsten’s car, wishing he could pound his head against the glass.

He had had everything- food, a school, a roof, and people who at least pretended to car about him. He had to go burn down a house. Mentally, Ryan cursed himself- he’s let his friendship with Seth and Marissa get in the way. After his mother had abandoned him, he’d promised not to let his defenses down. He’d failed. He had accepted Seth’s open friendship, Marissa flirtations. Hell, he’d even fallen for the fake love Mr. and Mrs. Cohen offered.

Here’s where the pretending stopped and the hitting began. Ryan was trapped. Sandy had fed the false love and hope to Ryan and though it was a short period of time, Ryan had taken it. Sandy had the blonde teenager right where he wanted him. For deep down Ryan knew he could never bring himself to fight back against any of the Cohen’s- like he at least attempted to do with A.J. or his mom’s other boyfriends. They had been his temporary haven for too long.

‘And now- thanks to you- the happiness is gone. Stupid.’

“Here we are,” Kirsten announced, pulling into the driveway. Ryan sat motionless, trying not to let his surprise show- it was the Cohen’s house. He’d thought for sure Sandy would meet them somewhere; they’d give him a few (or more) well placed punched and then be gone.

‘Maybe they won’t do much in front of Seth,’ he thought hopefully. ‘Don’t be an idiot- Seth won’t be there all the time.’

Carefully avoiding Kirsten’s eyes, Ryan followed her into the house.

“Hey, man, you’re back!” Seth greeted him as they walked into the kitchen. “Wanna get creamed at Playstation?” Ryan gave his friend a tired smile- but Seth was already talking and walking towards the living room.

“Ah, Ryan, you won’t believe who made me explain the biology chapter to her!”

“Summer,” Ryan said, picking up a controller. Seth looked slightly taken back- but then continued.

“Well, yeah- but you wouldn’t believe some of the things I had to tell her0 she like didn’t know any of the background or anything! Anyway afterwards-“

Ryan smiled; only half listening as he let his Seth’s banter ease worries of what Sandy and Kirsten would do to him once Seth was gone.

Ryan swallowed hard as he heard Sandy enter the house.

“Hey Seth- didn’t I tell you that being grounded means no Playstation eith-“Sandy stopped as he spotted Ryan. Ryan looked down at his controller- trying not to let his fear show.

“Oh,” Sandy said, stepping out of the room. “Kirsten! Do you think you could explain something to me?”

“Awesome!” Seth exclaimed. “He didn’t even make us get off!”

Ryan sighed- suddenly he didn’t feel like playing anymore.

“I’m kinda hungry- I’m gonna go get something to eat,” he said, standing. Seth nodded, but Ryan was out of the room before he could say anything.

Ryan walked into the kitchen, stopping dead in his tracks as he heard Sandy and Kirsten arguing- about him.

He listened, feeling a tiny bit guilty. Sandy was talking about giving him false hope or something. ‘They’re gonna put me in the system,’ Ryan though angrily. ‘Hit me up and put me in the system.’

Ryan sighed and picked up his backpack, which held the few things he called his own. He walked out to the pool house- his anger building.

All he’d ever been was either a punching bag or a paycheck. With his mother, he was a punching bag. He was just something she could take her booze- inflicted temper out on. Or something the boyfriends could play with- something they did a lot.

When he’d been in the ‘system,’ before, he’d been a paycheck. No one really wanted the 13 boy. They wanted the cute 7 year old that would laugh and called them Mommy. They didn’t care about him- just showed him to a room and left.

Anger faded into fear- he wasn’t going in the system again. But what could he do? He couldn’t ask Sandy for help – that would just start the hitting faster.

Running away seemed to be his only option. It wouldn’t be that hard- all he had was his back pack and his bike.

But what about Seth? Should he tell him? Last time he hadn’t told him parents, he hadn’t ragged Ryan out.

‘But he convinced you to stay,’ another voice said. ‘I’ll leave him a note,’ Ryan told himself. Ryan didn’t bother to unpack- as soon as night came he would be gone.

Seth looked up as Ryan walked back in from getting a snack.

“Hey man what took you so long,” he asked, as Ryan sat down again.

“Put my stuff away,” Ryan answered. Seth nodded.

He was very happy Ryan was back. Ryan was the only true friend he had in......... well maybe his whole life. Ryan didn’t care the he was obsessed with graphic novel. Or that the closest thing Seth came to a sport was skateboarding or sailing. Ryan didn’t seem to mind Seth’s constant chatter or the fact that Seth was the biggest outcast in Orange County.

Also, Seth knew Ryan could hang out with “The Luke Crowd” if he really wanted. At the party, if Ryan had joined in with Luke and made fun of Seth- he would have been much more accepted. And if he had told them about Captain Oats- they would have loved him. Or he could have ignored the situation completely and saved his own skin. But he didn’t- instead he’d challenged Luke for Seth.

Of course both of them ended up getting thrashed- but that wasn’t the point.

“Seth! Ryan!” Kirsten called from the kitchen “Sandy brought home dinner!”

Seth didn’t fail to notice Ryan’s flinch when his mother first called. He had also noticed Ryan’s refusal to meet either of them in the eye. He frowned- he hoped everything was okay.

Sandy had mixed emotions about the fact that Ryan was back. At first he’d been surprised- but once his wife had explained the situation- he could see her reasoning. But Kirsten was confusing him to say the least. First she brought him home- and then she insisted on giving him away.

Sandy tried to catch Ryan’s eye. Any moment now Kirsten was going to realize he wasn’t eating and her mother instincts would kick in. But, Ryan was staring at his plate, refusing to look up.

“Ryan,” Kirsten said.

‘Ouch- too late,’ Sandy thought. Ryan’s eyes flicked to Kirsten. “You need to eat- pushing it around doesn’t count.”

To Sandy’s surprise, Ryan gave a barely audible, “Okay,” and began to actually put food in his mouth.

Sandy caught Kirsten’s eye- Ryan never ate more than he wanted to. What was going on? His wife looked just as confused.

‘Do whatever they say,’ Ryan thought as chewed the food without tasting it. ‘Slow ‘em down. Do whatever they say.’ That was his plan of survival. Sometimes if he did whatever his mom told him to she wouldn’t hit him too much. ‘Do whatever they say.’

Seth must’ve caught Ryan’s discomfort because he quickly steered the conversation to a new Playstation game. Thank God for Seth. Dinner ended and Ryan hurried to the pool house.

He had been lying on his bed, trying to think of where he was going to go when someone came in. Thinking it was Seth, Ryan sat up at ease.

“Hey,” Sandy said. Ryan bolted out of bed. Sandy appeared a little taken back with Ryan’s sudden movement-but he chose not to comment. “We’re watching a movie inside.”

A movie- Seth would be there, no problem.

“Okay,” he said quietly and followed Sandy into the main house

The movie was okay, but Ryan was glad when it ended- he wanted to get out of there. Waiting until he was sure everyone was asleep, Ryan scribbled a not to Seth and disappeared into the night.

Author’s Note: Please excuse any spelling errors due to author’s severe case of S.S. (Spelling Stupidity)

Author’s Other Note: Umm... I hope you all liked it! Remember no flames please and uh... please review!! Anyway, thanks! The next chapter should be coming soon- it’s already written... just not typed... ok well bye!!