By Daniel Barron for AllPop
We start 'The Secrets and Lies' with the gang (minus Marissa of course) at the Bait Shop enjoying some good wholesome times. Seth and Summer are watching Ryan and Sadie as they talk. It's a new couple alert, as Summer says their body language shows they're into each other. Ryan and Sadie go up to them and say they're ready to head out. Seth goes to leave as well but Ryan says they'll just go alone. Bow-chicka-bow-bow.
Summer complains that she never sees Marissa, and speak of the devil, who shows up, with none other than Volchok? Marissa of course! If that's not worth a Summer 'ew!' I don't know what is.
Marissa and Volchok aren't just having a good time at the Bait Shop. We see the two lying in bed together the next morning. The trailer door starts banging and we hear Summer yelling in. Marissa quickly tells Volchok he has to hide. Marissa lets Summer in when the coast is clear and Summer starts giving her the fifth degree. Their conversation is cut short when their respective parents call each of them to tell them that they're back from their trip and want to have dinner together. Summer leaves and Marissa goes back to Volchok, who is smoking up.
Ryan, meanwhile, is in a great mood. Sadie even managed to get him dancing the night before - this girl HAS to be special. Sandy walks in on the boys and we see that he's very stressed. He's about to get more stressed when Kirsten walks in and tells him they have a romantic dinner set for that night. Sandy is forced to cancel on her because work is so hectic right now. Seth steps up though and tells his mom he'll hang out with her.
At school, Seth and Summer are playing some video games (sounds a little bit like Donkey Kong to me!) and talking about the current girlfriend/ex situation. Seth still hasn't told Ryan about Marissa and Volchok. Neither want to tell anybody anything.
At the Newport Group offices, Sandy fires Matt. Matt is understandably angry and ends up threatening Sandy and Dr. Griffin, saying he knows that Griffin has been taking money from people. Matt storms out of the office.
At the Roberts' house that evening, Julie and Neil announce their engagement to the daughters. Summer puts on a happy face and congratulates them but Marissa barely says a word. She chugs down the remainder of her champagne (someone stop giving this girl alcohol!!) and leaves quickly after getting a call on her cell. Looks like we're back to the same old ways of Marissa the little brat. Summer follows Marissa outside and sees her get on Volchok's motorcycle. Marissa and Summer eye each other just before they peel away.
Summer calls Seth, who is driving home with his mom from the movie they just finished watching. Summer tells him about the engagement, as well as Marissa and her 'slut spiral' she seems to be spinning into. Seth gets home and goes to tell Ryan, and walks right in on him and Sadie making out.
At the Harbor School the next day Ryan and Seth are talking and Ryan n who seems to be taking a few lessons from Socrates or something n Ryan tells Seth that 'we make our own choices' upon hearing about Marissa and Volchok.
Later on, we see Ryan out in the halls and he spots Marissa at her locker. He goes up to her and says hi. He comes right out and tells her that he's worried about her missing class. As she's closing her locker, she accidentally drops her bag and a flask drops out, which Ryan most definitely sees. They say nothing as Marissa goes to pick it back up.
Summer talks to Marissa and echoes what Ryan said, saying she's worried about Marissa's drinking n and also about her and Volchok. Marissa complains that Summer has Seth, Ryan and now Sadie, and Marissa has no one, not even Johnny. Summer is fed up and she lashes out at Marissa, who lashes right back. It's not pretty and the two leave, angry at each other.
Sandy goes to his office late at night for something and finds Matt snooping around in a filing cabinet. Matt says he needs something from there and Sandy tells him to leave right away. Matt threatens Sandy again and it looks like he isn't playing around.
That same night at the diner, Ryan and Sadie are having a bite to eat when a few scuzzy-looking guys walk in talking about Volchok and his 'hot' new squeeze (it's obvious they're talking about Marissa). Ryan and Sadie decide to leave but at the last minute Ryan goes back in and quietly tells one of the guys to let Volchok know that he wants to meet him at the pier the next day.
Volchok does show at the pier, and he's ready for a fight. Ryan doesn't have any violence in mind though. He simply wants to tell Volchok to treat Marissa right. He tells Volchok that she has a drinking problem and she deserves someone to treat her well.
The next scene sees Summer and Marissa sharing one of the most mean-spirited breakfasts ever. They barely say a word to each other and in fact don't even acknowledge each others' existence as they wait for tea to be poured or food to be passed. It looks like things are going to get worse before they get better.
Ryan gets a crushing blow that day when he goes to Johnny's old house. He meets a guy there named Bob who apparently has bought the house. Sadie says that she sold it, as all the work is done and there's no more reason for her to stay. Ouch. In her words: 'I can't change my whole life to be with someone who's distracted.'
Neil, Julie and Summer are having dinner n minus Marissa of course n later that night. Things are obviously awkward and Julie says she doesn't feel like a good mother. Marissa, meanwhile, is at the pier with Volchok, who is asking her what's wrong. Marissa doesn't like the fact that she's in a fight with Summer. Marissa then asks Volchok why he's asking so many questions. He tells her that she deserves to be treated right, to which she replies 'if I wanted to be treated right, I wouldn't be with you.' And with that, Volchok offers her some drugs. That sure didn't take long.
Matt comes home that night to his apartment and listens to a message on his answering machine about Dr. Griffin. It's then that Matt's door gets smashed open and some large men come in. They do a number not just on Matt, but his apartment too.
Ryan goes to Sadie's with some flowers but it's our friend Bob who opens the door. He tells Ryan that she left for Oregon about an hour. Ryan walks away and throws the flowers on the ground. He makes a beeline for the pier and Marissa ends up seeing him there. She asks where Sadie is and Ryan tells her what happened -
...And in one of the first cool moves of Marissa's OC career, she makes a beeline to the Greyhound station to catch up to Sadie. How does Marissa know that Sadie is at the Greyhound station, as opposed to the airport or somewhere else? Well, apparently Marissa is psyhic. Sadie is as surprised as anyone to see her there. Marissa tells Sadie that Ryan really cares about her and Marissa doesn't think she should leave.
In another awesome scene, Seth and Kirsten go out on a second 'date.' It's a surprise to Seth, and it turns out to be one of Kirsten's AA meetings. Seth is ready to walk out on her but she tells him she wants him there. She gets up in front of the class and we find out she's been sober for nine months now. Kirsten says that the reason she got sober in the first place is because of her son, who points everyone to. She sits back down and they hug.
On the other side of things, Marissa goes to the Bait Shop and tries to get a drink but the bartender doesn't let her. She tells him she gets drinks all the time there n but the bartender says that's because she's with all her older surfer friends and they're the ones buying the drinks. Marissa is obviously pissed off and leaves.
Sandy appears at Matt's apartment and sees him, beat up, lying in what looks like the aftermath of a hurricane. Sandy is shocked and asks what happened. Matt replies by saying 'like you don't know.' It seems he's convinced Sandy was part of the whole plan to beat Matt up. This may just come back to haunt Sandy in the future.
Ryan, meanwhile, goes back to the poolhouse and sees Sadie there. It looks like they really don't take much time to make up, as they're jumping into the sack with each other almost instantly.
Marissa goes to the pier and sees Volchok there, who offers her cocaine. She accepts with barely any hesitation.
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