An: you learn a little bit R/M past relationships in this chapter, but not in detail-- those will follow.

Chapter 3

"I don't understand why you're so opposed to the idea," Summer said to Marissa. It has been exactly one month since they started there 'adult lives', according to Summer.

"Because blind dates never end well, so why waste the time," Marissa answered simply.

"It won't be a waste of time, you might actually fall for him."

"Or I'll just end up have a miserably boring time."

"Fine new question, why are you sooo opposed to the idea of having a boyfriend?"

"I'm not opposed to the idea; I just don't want a boyfriend right now. Someday I will, someday in the far future. Right now my main concern is work."

"You can have a job and a boyfriend at the same time. I do."

"Look Summer no offense but my mom didn't get the opportunity to go to college she ended up knocked up forcing her to get married and for the first 13 years of my life she depended solely on my father, I don't want to be like her. I want to be independent before I find a guy."

"Just because you go out on a date with someone doesn't mean you're going to marry them," Summer pointed out.

"I know, just… can we just drop it."

"Okay, fine. But for the record he's Seth's roommates so the chances that he's living a whole different life are really slim," Summer pointed out referring to Marissa's last relationship.

"That's not what I was thinking about," Marissa said defensively, because you're always defensive when the other person is right.

"Whatever you say Coop."

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"Seth, how many times do I have to tell you? No I won't go on a blind date with Summer's roommate," Ryan said clearly frustrated.

"And why not?" Seth asked.

"Because every time I've ever time I let someone into my life they always end up leaving, especially the women." Ryan pointed out.

"Ryan, its one date. It doesn't mean you have to tell her your whole life story. You just talk about simple things like where you work, where you went to school… first date stuff. Oh right you don't do that so…"

"She's also you're girlfriends roommate," Ryan said cutting Seth off.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"From what you're telling me things with you and Summer are pretty serious so imagine how awkward things will be when things between me and her roommate don't work out."

"Who said they weren't going to work out?"

"It's a blind date Seth. They never work out."

"If you go with that mentality then it won't work, but if you go with the mentality that there's a possibility that a real relationship could form from this, then it might very well work out," Seth pointed out wisely.

"The answer is still no," Ryan said bluntly and went to his bedroom in the apartment.

The truth Ryan didn't want to go on the blind date, or any date for that matter in fears the he might actual feel something for the girl. He can count all the people that haven't let him down or haven't left him in his life on one hand. Sandy. Kirsten. Seth. That was it. Everyone else, they left. And sure if his mom didn't leave he wouldn't be where he was, but a part of him wished that she kept in touch, at least tried to get sober. But it didn't happen.

Getting into a serious committed relationship is just an easy way in setting your heart up for pain. That's the motto that both Ryan and Marissa lived by.

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On your first day to work the last thing you want is to be late. But being too early, in Ryan's opinion, made it seem like you're trying to hard. Therefore on his first day of work he was showed up at the office building an hour and half earlier, parked his car and decided to wait it out. He must have walked around the corner 15 times and was beginning to fear that someone may have called the cops on him. He knew he probably seemed like some psycho stalker, but those were the last of his worries.

He exited the coffee shop across the street, surprised no one said anything to him and made his way back to the front of the building. Still he had fifteen minutes to spare and decided to take one more walk around the block.

Once he made it to the other street he was broken out of his nervous state when he heard someone talking.

"First day of work?" The girl asked.

Startled Ryan looked at her. She was tall, just about his height. She had golden brown, blonde hair with light blond highlights. She was tan and had crystal blue eyes. That's what threw him off, her eyes. There was something familiar about them.

"How'd you guess?" He asked.

"You've must have walked past here about 20 times."

"Sixteen," He corrected.

She smiled, "Plus I was acting the same way you were about 2 day's ago."

"I'm assuming you just graduated," Ryan asked and she nodded. He didn't want to play the 'do I know you from somewhere' lame pickup line. Even though he was convinced he'd seen her before. So instead… "Where are you from?"

"Napa Valley," She answered simply. "You?"

"Newport… Orange County."

"Judging from you attire, you're defiantly upper class." Ryan smiled and nodded. "Look I got to get to work, so…"

"Oh, yeah me too."

"Good luck, I'm sure you'll do great. Besides being a five minutes early isn't that horrible, however five minutes late, well that's a different story." She smiled and began walking in the opposite direction.

"By the way I'm Ryan," He called out to her.

"You mean you're name is Ryan," She said before continuing walking.

As she disappeared from his sight, Ryan looked back one more time. He definitely met her before. On some conscious level Ryan was almost sure that she was Marissa Cooper, his childhood friend. But he pushed down that thought, why? He wasn't even sure.

--

Marissa also looked back once she was sure he couldn't see her anymore. She had a feeling that he was Ryan Atwood, her childhood friend. His looked the same, just more mature. And once he said his name was Ryan, she was positive that he was the same boy she wrote that note to all those years ago. So why didn't she say anything, why didn't she tell him her name.

Again, unaware both people were that they were thinking the same things.

An: Yes I got the last "You mean you name is Ryan" from One Tree Hill. I love that line so I had to use it. Anyway please review. I know everyone says that reviews motivate them, but for the record it really does motivate me, even if it's only three words. Also I'm taking anonymous reviews now.