So I've been noticing lately that my stories are a little… dramatic and angst-y. So I decided I needed something light, and that's where this little thing came from.

Enjoy, and, as always, review!

"Taylor. Hey." He was still awkward around her, even though they were supposed to be friends.

"Hello Ryan." Her inflection was cheerful, and she clasped her hands in front of her. "I was thinking that we should hang out because the Cohens aren't here, and Summer is off at Brown."

He pushed his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "Yeah, sure. What did you have in mind?"

"Ooh, Park Place. Pay up, Townsend," Ryan teased, placing his hand palm up over the middle of the board. Taylor pouted and handed the money over.

"This is the last time I use this piece. This top hat is bad luck, I swear." She frowned at the little metal piece, "can I switch?"

"No. Once you pick a piece, you have to keep it for the entire game." Ryan looked proudly down at his Scottie dog.

"Ok, see, now you're making up rules, Atwood. You're just smug because you picked the lucky piece," Taylor gestured at Ryan's obvious abundance of properties and money.

"I don't see why you don't just give up now." Ryan rolled and smiled broadly as he picked up a Community Chest card and collected his 50 dividend.

"Because I can still catch up. If you land on Vermont Avenue the next… eleven times around and go straight to jail - do not pass go, do not collect 200 - and I miss every one of your properties and win the lottery 4 times, then I could win." She frowned. "Wait… thirteen times around."

"It's hopeless, Townsend, you're mine," he was grinning wickedly at her.

"I do not loose, Atwood." She rolled. "Motherfu…" she cut herself off before the curse escaped. Ryan let out a loud laugh as she moved her piece. "I hate this game, it's stupid," she informed him as she shelled over her entire 'go' money to Ryan's railroad.

"Wait, I thought it was the top hat that was causing your losing streak?" It always made Taylor happy when Ryan smiled, but not when it was because she was losing this horribly at Monopoly.

She had no reply ready. Instead she slumped her shoulders forward, bottom lip jutting out stubbornly. Ryan rolled the dice and almost flinched when Taylor twitched furiously. "Free Parking? Do you know how many times I tried landing on that stupid spot?"

"I'm guessing every time around the board," he commented breezily, picking up almost 500 in jackpot money.

She let out a frustrated moan and shifted her position, dipping her feet over the edge of the pool. The cool water soothed her temper, and she breathed in deeply. She was Zen.

"Are you ready to go?" Ryan was trying to hold back a smile, pretending to rest his jaw on his hand while really covering his mouth.

"Can we get something to eat first? I'm starving."

"Fine," he sighed dramatically. "But you're still losing, and you still have to go when we come back."

They both got up and walked to the kitchen. It was in there that Ryan saw the clock. He and Taylor had been playing for about an hour and a half now. Good God, Monopoly was a long game. He looked back at Taylor, who was busily preparing them both sandwiches and lemonade. He leaned against the counter and just watched as she did all the work. Apparently she had some sixth sense that told her when someone was staring because she froze, and then turned her head to look at him.

"You could help, you know," she informed.

"I could, but it just seems appropriate that the loser: you, would make lunch for the winner: me." The smug look was back on his face.

"You know, Ryan Atwood, you are a lot meaner than you first appear." But she turned back fixing the sandwiches. When she was done, she shoved his plate and drink into his hands. "I should have poisoned them."

They sat on the two lounges by the pool, their game abandoned for now. Ryan couldn't help but stare in wonder as Taylor ate her sandwich ravenously. He was used to girls picking at their food, afraid of looking fat. She noticed him watching her. "What? I'm a growing girl."

"I wasn't going to say anything. Except maybe 'slow down', because there is a slight choking hazard involved here." She swallowed her mouthful, and then stuck out her tongue at him.

"So are you having a terrible time?" Her question caught him a little off guard.

"What do you mean?"

"Hanging out with me. You didn't seem too enthused when I first suggested it." She didn't look upset, angry, or judging. She just sipped her lemonade and waited for an answer. It struck Ryan as slightly sad that she was this used to people not liking her.

"Well, I'll say this: you're never boring." She laughed, choking a little on her drink. "See what I told you about choking?"

She glared at him, but didn't answer. "Anyway, where are the Cohens?"

"Visiting RISD. They want to make sure it's really where he wants to go." She nodded, understanding.

"So why aren't you there?" She finished the last of her sandwich, washing it down with the lemonade.

He shrugged. "Work. Plus, I didn't feel like listening to Seth whine and Kirsten get all sad that her baby is leaving."

Taylor smiled. "It must be so nice to have parents that actually care."

"It is," Ryan answered, realizing how lucky he was to have them. He knew what it was like to have awful parents. He looked back over at Taylor, "sorry."

"It's ok. I've come to accept that my mother will never love me. See, I figured that out when she kicked me out of the house and called me a stupid whore." Ryan's eyes widened, and he didn't know how to answer. "Oh, stupid because I married someone, and a whore because I did it impulsively," she explained.

"Ah."

"I suppose you want to get back to our game so you can continue to take all of my money," she sighed, and got off the lounge.

"Taylor, just admit defeat." Ryan was smiling broadly. Taylor was down to 100 and three properties.

"Oh fine," she cried, throwing her money and properties into the middle. "Now I have no money, and no place to live." She froze, realizing what she just said. How was this her life? How did she keep ending up with no money, and no home? Ryan seemed to have noticed the connection, because he wasn't looking at her.

"It's not that bad…"

"Ryan, I'm freeloading off of Dr. Roberts while Summer's not even there, with Julie and Kaitlin Cooper. I have no job, my mother has cut me off, and I have no friends here, because, no offense, but I don't really think you and Seth even like me." She covered her eyes with her hand. She was such a wreck, and it was embarrassing in front of Ryan. She liked him so much, and knowing he could barely stand her made her feel awful.

"Taylor, it's not that bad. I mean, look at me. I'm an emotionally distant, ex-cage fighter who put off college and ran away from the family that took him in, in order to not have to deal with anything." He cringed, and then added, "and I can't speak for Seth, but I like you."

"Wow, Ryan. That was very healthy of you to admit." She reached over and patted his arm. "But you have the Cohens, and you can catch up on college next fall."

They sat in silence for a minute. "What do you wanna do now?" Ryan broke the silence. She shrugged.

"I want to tell my mother that I'm not a whore." She smiled, and Ryan smiled back, relieved that she was joking about it. "What we really need to do is play some other game so I can kick your ass."

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