Secrets

"No"

"Please"

" Ah… NO."

"Please let me out"

"Not until you tell me"

Ryan shifts his weight so that his left shoulder is leaning more heavily on the closet door.

"Tell you what?"

"Seth."

"I didn't say anything"

"Really"

"NO. I mean, Yes. Dude, come on. This is beyond stupid"

"I agree. So just tell me what you said and it will all be over"

There's a brief moment of silence before the door's given a hard push from the inside of the closet. Seth barely gets a glimpse of the outside before Ryan pushes his weight down and shuts the door again.

"Not cool, man" Seth pouts and crosses his arms even though Ryan can't see it.

" Ryan it's dark in here, and I have to go to the bathroom, and Summer's probably looking for me, and I'm hungry because I didn't get a chance to eat lunch because Summers got this thing about Philly cheese steak and -"

" Seth! Tell me"

"There's nothing to tell"

" Uh. Huh. That's why Marissa, Summer, the soccer team and just about everybody else I know at Harbor was laughing at me today".

"Who else do you know?"

" Dammit, Seth!"

He doesn't care so much that he told something embarrassing about him (though the constant giggling throughout the school day did get terribly annoying) he just wants Seth to tell him what it was. It's not his fault he has to shove Seth in a closet to get him to be honest.

Seth couldn't have told them anything too… oh, wait.

"Did you tell them about my 'Tony the Tiger' pajamas?" Ryan could feel his face turning red just thinking about it.

"Yes. Yes, Ryan. That's what I told them and I'm really sorry. Tony's sorry too. Now will you let me out of here?"

" You know I only wear them 'cause Kirsten… That's not what you said"

"Yes it is" Seth yells through the crack in the door

"No it's not, it's something bigger than that"

"You're right. I didn't tell them about the pajamas, because I didn't tell them anything!"

" So we're back to that now? That's ok, I can wait"

"I didn't say anything" Seth is banging on the door now. It's only a matter of time before he cracks. Seth can't handle pressure.

"You told them something"

" No, I didn't. You're just paranoid. I told you you've gotten funnier these last couple of months"

"I guess you're never getting out of there then." Ryan relaxes against the door "I wonder if you'll be the first person that has died in that closet"

" See, that was funny."

Seth looks through the racks of clothes for ghosts before pounding his knuckles on the door again. "You can't keep me in here. You know I'm claustrophobic, I'll go crazy"

" Good. Then maybe you won't be able to tell people anymore embarrassing secrets about me"

"It wasn't that embarrassing…. Because it wasn't embarrassing, because I didn't say anything"

"stop trying to deny it Seth. Just admit you told people a secret about me"

Seth stops banging. His knuckles were getting sore anyway. "will you let me out?"

"yes"

"Ok. I told Summer…. And Marissa… And the soccer team- but they told everybody else!"

"What'd you say?.. Did - Did you tell them about me getting stuck on the roof trying to put up the Chrismukah lights?"

"Aww man, that was hilarious! Dad had to go up the ladder to get you to come down. Why did you agree to go on the roof if you're afraid of heights?"

"Because Sandy was busy and ... Seth just answer the question!"

"that's not fair. I didn't agree to tell you what I said, I only agreed to tell you I said it. That's a breech in contract Ryan Atwood, I could sue your ass." Seth kicks the door and immediately regrets it when the pain shoots up to his ankle.

But Seth's not going to crack. If he pesters him enough, Ryan will eventually get tired and drop it. Seth can't crack first, because if he does, Ryan will kill him.

"That's it, Ryan. I'm calling Mom and Dad. I'm telling them you have me captive without food, water or proper ventilation. You did this to yourself buddy… "

Ryan turns to lean his back on the closet door, his expression half annoyed half amused.

"Dad?, Yeah. Ryan's locked me in a closet because I talked to his friends and now he won't let me out. Uh huh, that's what I said. Hold on." Seth calls through the door "Ryan, Dad says your grounded for a month if you don't open the door right now!"

" Seth your phone is downstairs next to the play station and your parents won't be home for at least another" Ryan checks his watch "2 hours"

For a few minutes there is silence, both boys trying to sort out their strategies and prepare for the next battle.

Finally, the quiet becomes almost as suffocating as the closet, and Seth speaks first

"What I said wasn't even that bad. Why do you care so much anyway? You got self- esteem issues, Ryan"

Silence

"You're gonna get bored, and fall asleep, and when you do, I'm getting out of here"

No response

"I'm gonna write a chapter about you in my book, Ryan. Chapter 3: How I Survived Chino torture"

Nothing.

" Ryan? Dude I'm running out of air, I can't breathe Ryan!" Seth starts to cough and sputter " Mom will be pissed if you let me die in here, man". Seth stands up and puts his ear to the door.

"Ryan? You still there?"

Seth giggles the knob. Nothing happens.

Seth turns the knob ever so gently.

He pushes on the door and sees the corner of his bed and captain oats on his dresser.

He pushes with all his might.

BAM

The door snaps shut and Seth stumbles backward. Ryan's laughter echos in the enclosed space.

" Dammit Ryan!" Seth voice starts at a yell and ends in a whine " Dude it's too hot in here. If I don't get a hold of some fresh oxygen soon, I'm gonna pass out"

Ryan is leaning on the door with one hand and holding the knob still with the other.

"Right now, the thought of you passing out doesn't really bother me"

"Ryan? Who are you talking to?"

Ryan spins around to see a very confused looking Kirsten with one hand on her hip.

'Um… you're home early" He takes a few steps away from the closet but it stays closed.

"Mommy?" comes a hesitant voice from the inside

"Seth?"

"Mom, Help! Ryan's gone crazy and he's locked me in the closet and I can't get out"

Kirsten takes in the scene not sure whether she should be amused or concerned.

"Honey, um, did you try the door knob?"

"What?" the knob turns, the door bangs open and Seth falls on the floor. After kissing the ground several times the captive charges at his mother, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Thank you. Thank you so much for saving me from him"

Ryan takes a step towards him and Seth ducks behind his mother putting her in between the two of them.

"What's going on?"

"Ryan's trying to torture me"

"Seth told everybody at school something personal about me"

"Seth! What did you say?"

"He won't tell me" Ryan crosses his arms. He didn't want to bring the 'rents' into this, but if that's how Seth wants to play it…

"So you locked him in a closet" Uh oh. Kirsten's got her 'stern mom' face on.

"Yes" Seth interjects "And he shoved me in there, and I couldn't breathe, and it was soooo cramped and you know how I hate cramped spaces, Mom"

"Seth, it's a walk - in closet" Ryan retorts

Ok. First she was confused, then she was concerned, now she's irritated. But at least, this, she can fix. They haven't killed each other yet. She'd hate to think what would have happened if she hadn't decided to take the rest of her work home today.

"Ryan. I don't want you locking anybody, in anything, anywhere. Understood?"

"Fine. Sorry." Ryan gives an apologetic glance before directing his death glare at his brother

"And Seth, I want you to tell Ryan what you said and then apologize. I know you have trouble keeping your mouth shut, but I expect more self control especially when it comes to personal matters in the family"

Seth nods his head, but says nothing.

"Seth"

"Huh?" Ryan could of told him the innocent act wasn't working a half hour ago

"Seth. Tell Him. Now." Kirsten's 'mom face' is directed solely on him now "Itoldthemaboutthenotebookthing" Seth mutters looking anywhere but at his brother"

"What?"

"You told them about The Notebook… thing" Ryan's hands become fists and his jaw is clenched tight

"Oh" Maybe this wouldn't be so easy to handle. She thought Seth told people about his love of journey, or the plays he did in Chino. Not that. Honestly, she thinks "The Notebook Thing" is was kind of sweet, but telling her sons that won't help the situation at all. She takes a step forward making more distance between her two boys.

" Oh , you are so dead. I swear, they will never find the body"

"I'm sorry. I was talking to Summer and Marissa and it slipped out and they thought it was cute. And then Summer told Zack and he told me I had to tell the soccer team and they were being really nice and they thought it was funny-"

"SETH"

""It's not that big of a deal, lots of people cry during movies"

"I did not cry during The Notebook, I was yawning. You know I was yawning". Ryan takes a giant step forward only to have Seth take and even bigger step back. Damn family movie night. Damn it all to hell.

"Come on, it's kind of funny. You and Mom used like, two boxes of Kleenex that night"

Ryan takes another step towards Seth, who gives a shriek, stumbling backwards and runs into the closet, closing the door behind them.

Kirsten tries to keep a straight face. Maybe, two weeks from now, they'll all laugh at this, or at least, she and Sandy will. But right now she has to keep one son from murdering the other.

"Honey, honestly, it's not that big of a deal. I cried during that movie too." The look she gets from Ryan in response convinces her it's better to focus her attention on her other child. Kirsten walks determinedly towards the closet while Ryan continues to mutter to himself about yawning and allergies.

"Seth. Come out of there right now"

"I can't"

"Why not?"

"Because Ryan is out there and compared to death, the closet is looking pretty good right now"

"Seth, Ryan is not going to kill you. Right, Ryan?" Her face is pleading

"No, Seth. I'm just going to put you in the hospital"

"Ryan."

"You have to come out sometime, Seth"

"Ryan Atwood"

"Sorry" Only he has that mischievous look in his eyes, and even from the closet, Seth can tell this is far from over.

"Seth Ezekiel. Get out of that closet. Don't make me call your father"

"No way" Kirsten turns the knob and gets the door open a crack before it's pulled closed again

"I'm not coming out until he's gone"

"Ryan, go downstairs. Sandy and I will decide Seth's punishment" No revenge plots, young man. You're in enough trouble as it is.

Ryan shrugs before moving towards the door. But before leaving he calls, "Don't worry Seth, I'll see you later at dinner, and right before bed, and tomorrow at school and after school and -"

"Ryan!" But it's too late, it's already been said and there's no way Seth's leaving the closet now.

"Seth, you can come out now"

"No. I'm never coming out of this closet again"

Kirsten sighs and dials Sandy, and wonders if it's really bad parenting to lock Ryan in a closet and tell everybody she knows about Seth's irrational fear of turkeys or his 'Spice Girls' phase.

The End.