DINNER
Seth, Sandy, and Kirsten were finalizing the dining table.
"So how nervous is he?" Sandy asked Seth.
"It's like he's meeting the Queen! He can barely breathe at the mention of her name."
"Aw, how romantic and sweet" Kirsten smiled at her son.
"Mom, c'mon, this is serious stuff. Agent Ryan is undergoing Operation 'Fall In Love With Me Marissa Cooper'. This is not a time for games and lovey dovey talk."
"'Agent Ryan'? 'Not a time for games'? Seriously Seth?" Ryan said as he walked in. "What did he tell you?"
"Don't worry about it. Excited to see Marissa?" Sandy tried to change back to the subject. Though at the mention of her name, he winced and his eyes suddenly evolved from confusion to fear. Sandy and Kirsten looked at him and then looked at Seth who just gave them a look I told you so. And just before Ryan spoke a word, the doorbell rang. They're here. She's here.
/
The four all made their way to the door and Sandy went ahead and opened it.
"Hey Marissa! Nice to see you again!" Ryan immediately froze. He couldn't see her because he was standing behind Sandy but hearing her name...
"Hi Sandy, Kirsten! It's always a pleasure seeing you" Oh that voice. How much he's missed it.
" Marissa, pleasure. Summer, hey!" Seth said, waving past the girl he hasn't seen in 2 months, and greeting his girlfriend with a kiss. As Marissa stepped further in the house, Ryan was able to see her. Their eyes hooked onto one another. The corners of her mouth grew into a beautiful smile. Sandy and Kirsten were busy greeting Julie who just came in, while Seth and Summer were kissing, being a couple - although they kept an eye on Ryan and Marissa.
"Hey!" Marissa practically attacked him with a hug. Way to look desperate, Marissa thought to herself. But she couldn't help it. She's missed him too much and seeing that crooked smile he has, it was impossible to not hug him.
Ryan was surprised at first with the hug, but gladly accepted it. He smelled her vanilla shampoo and smiled. He couldn't be any more happy. "It's...I'm glad to see you" he stumbled. She just responded with an even bigger smile.
"Now that we've introduced ourselves again, let's eat!" Sandy said.
/
"So how was Italy?" Kirsten said, after finishing her mouthful of Thai food.
"Really good! The buildings were very nice. The culture, the people, it was so lovely!" Julie said.
Meanwhile, Seth and Summer stole quick glances at their best friends. Ryan and Marissa were seated across from each other and on occasions, would meet eyes and smile flirtatiously.
Seth shot Summer a look, looks good so far.
"Where's Caitlin? You didn't leave her there did you?" Sandy joked.
"No, she's very jetlagged. She's sleeping right now. But she says she misses you all and will definitely come by some other time before school starts." Julie said.
"And how'd you like it Marissa?" Kirsten asked.
"Umm, it was really good! Like what my mom said, the view all the time with all the buildings were just to die for! The food was great! Well, the culture in general. And some of us got to even know some of the people there." Marissa laughed at the thought of Caitlin and Antonio. She loved her sister, but when it came to dating, she was the worst with boys. Julie and Summer picked in on the inside joke.
"Antonio" Julie said, shaking her head and laughing.
"Are we missing something?" Seth asked.
"Just this hot, rich Italian boy." Summer said, waving her hand away as if she's dismissing the subject.
Ryan looked at Summer and re-analyzing what she just said. Who's Antonio? he thought. He looked at Marissa who was staring at him, searching for a reaction. She smiled at him and he looked away again. He took his drink and chugged it down.
What's going on? Why's he acting so weird? Marissa thought. Is there something on my face?
The dinner went on and Julie and Marissa continued to share stories of their time in Italy. Every time Marissa looked at Ryan, it was as if he was always occupied with something else. She was so confused with his behaviour. On the other hand, Ryan couldn't get his mind of Antonio. How he just pictured punching some random Italian dude. But why was he so angry about it? He can't possibly be jealous over some Italian guy?
"And how were you guys? Any drama we missed?" Julie asked. At that point, Ryan couldn't even look at Marissa. He felt too embarrassed flirting with her before and now realizing she might be seeing someone at that point... this "Antonio".
Sandy shrugged, "same as usual..."
"Work" Kirsten finished for him.
"Seth? What did you do?"
"I went to this awesome comic book convention to promote Atomic County. I really think the people there liked it. Hopefully it'll be published soon. OH! and I also went to a Death Cab concert, when they came to play at the Bait shop. They..."
"Ugh Seth!" Summer said cutting him off. She shut his mouth with her hand and smiled innocently at him. "Sorry baby, you talk too much." Everyone laughed.
"and Ryan?" Julie asked. Ever since graduation and both her daughter and Ryan went to Berkely, Julie has become more kind towards Ryan. She knew that he is very important in Marissa's life and she finally allowed herself to be accepting towards him.
"Yes, Ryan, what did you do?" Seth said in a British accent. He knew exactly what he did: spend his days being lazy and brooding in the pool house.
Ryan shot him a glare, trying to avoid Marissa's eyes that he felt on him.
"Fine. Hey why don't you tell them about Lily and the firm? That's exciting!" Seth suggested.
Marissa eyes shot bigger at the mention of this Lily. First his odd behaviour at the dinner table and now, who in the world is Lily?! She started feeling not so good and her heart felt like it exploded. Here she thought they would finally get back together after years, but now, who the hell was Lily?!
Snapping Marissa out of her thoughts and just as Ryan was about to respond, Julie's phone started to ring. She quickly excused herself out of the room.
"So?" Marissa asked. She tried to be as easygoing as possible, not wanting to come off as rude to the Cohen's or jealous towards him.
"Sorry, that was Caitlin. She just woke up, hungry, confused where we are. She must've forgotten we had dinner here. But anyways, we should go, it's getting late." Julie said.
As everyone made their way towards the door, Ryan and Marissa were walking awkwardly side by side.
"So um, I'll see you around?" Ryan said. Unsure of how to approach her now. It felt like it was high school all over again. Was this just bad communication between them, a whole big misunderstanding?
"I guess." Marissa awkwardly replied. And with that, they left.
