So, compared to the last couple of chapters, this is relatively tame and kind of short. But it's chock full of Ryan/Taylor drama, so there's that…
Ryan stared at Taylor's lips as she drank her milkshake.
She was doing this on purpose, and damn it if he wasn't falling for it. She pulled the straw slowly from her mouth, licking her lips when the tip finally emerged. He swallowed hard, and felt icy liquid poor over his hand. He glanced down, "shit!" He had squeezed his drink so hard the paper cup had burst and spilled coke all over the place.
"Ryan!" Dawn cried, sopping up the spilled drink with a handful of napkins. "What were you thinking?"
"Yeah, Ryan," Taylor chorused, trying to look stern, "what were you thinking?"
He was going to kill her.
She was giggling helplessly, thrashing against the bed. Ryan got hold of her left arm and got it pinned along with the right one over her head. "Sorry!" she gasped. "Ryan, I'm sorry!"
"Too late." His left hand was tied up in keeping hers above her head, but his right was fluttering over her stomach, making her giggle. When his fingers brushed against her side, she gasped and let out a strangled laugh.
"Stop! I'm sorry!"
"It's not my fault you're ticklish," he mocked from above.
"Oh my God! Stop!"
His fingers froze, and she tried to get her breathing under control. "Now, do you promise to be good?"
"Yes, I promise."
"Alright." He got off her, and she continued to lie there, catching her breath.
"So do you think she'd fuck me yet?" Trey looked over at his brother, who was shoving food into their basket. Ryan sighed. "I'm just saying, I think she's into me."
"I don't know," Ryan mumbled, trying not to throttle his brother in the middle of the Wal-Mart.
"But I only have a little time left," Trey just insisted on continuing this. God-awful music blared overhead.
"What do you mean?" Bread, they needed bread. He grabbed a loaf of the shelf, tossing it into the basket.
"Come on, do you really think she's gonna go to Chino High with us? I don't think so. Once school comes around, she's gonna run off to whatever private school her rich mommy sends her to. Where is she even from?" Trey walked impatiently behind Ryan, who was doing all the shopping.
Ryan ignored the question about Taylor's home town. "She might want to stay."
"Why would she stay in Chino when she could go to a school where you won't get STD's from sitting on the toilets?" Ryan had to give him that. "No, I say her mother calls up soon, and she goes running. That's why I need to get in now."
"What are you doing about school?" he mumbled against the top of her head.
"Hmm?" she moaned against his neck, falling asleep. Their legs were entwined and her hands were curled up in front of her between their bodies.
He pulled away from her, brushing the hair out of her eyes. "School. It's going to be starting up in a month and a half. Have you decided what you're going to do?" She shrugged, and buried her head back into his chest.
"I don't want to think about it," the reply was muffled. He sighed, and gently pushed her away again.
"Well, I think you need to."
She sat up angrily. "Why are you pushing this?" She got off the bed and started pulling her clothes on.
"Taylor, calm down and come back here," he commanded.
"My mother called." That made him quiet. "She told me Dean Kim wanted to know why my tuition check hadn't arrived. Then she called me an ungrateful bitch, and told me that I had until August first to let her know if I was coming back. She said she doesn't really care, but she doesn't want to get in trouble for child abuse by not letting me return." By the end of her spiel, Taylor was fully dressed, and Ryan was lying on his back, staring blankly at the ceiling. "So, why don't you tell me what I should do, cause I sure as hell can't decide." Then she was gone, and he could hear the front door open and close as well.
He shut his eyes.
Taylor stormed down the streets of Chino.
She desperately wanted to stay with Ryan, but she couldn't imagine going to public school here. She couldn't really imagine going to public school anywhere. Did she really want to throw away her entire future for a guy who may only be fucking her out of boredom?
Ryan. He was so sweet and funny and smart. And the sex was absolutely fantastic. Maybe she could go back to Newport and still see him. It would probably have to be on weekends. Sundays, preferably, because the social club met sometimes on Saturdays. And then she would have to drive about an hour just to get here, and then back.
No. It was either Newport, or Ryan.
He was waiting for her when she got back, sitting on her – his – bed. Luckily he was fully clothed or she wouldn't have been able to function properly.
"Ryan, I…"
"I think you should go back." His voice was low, but he met her eyes. She recoiled as if he hit her.
"What?"
"Come on, it's obvious you should. I can't see you going to public school, and you can't throw away your future." Damn it, was he reading her mind? "I mean, the thought of you really living here? It's kind of ridiculous."
Was he being mean on purpose? Even if he was just trying to protect her, it hurt.
"Fine."
The silence was awful. Ryan stared down at his plate as his mother stared at him. Trey stared at the TV.
"You're such an ass," was all Dawn told her youngest son.
Taylor looked up at Harbor, squinting a little in the bright California sunshine. She was back.
Joy.
She took a deep breath, pasted a smile on her face, and marched up the steps. "Marissa, hi! Summer, I see you've tagged along. You really should just join." The two girls smiled back politely. She joined them on the way to the social committee. It was still six weeks before school, but they were already planning the welcome back parties.
This year, she wasn't so into it.
Sorry to everyone who expected Trey drama in here. It just didn't seem to fit with his character. Yeah, he wanted Taylor, but he didn't seem to care enough. I don't know maybe if I feel like bringing it up later on…
Ok, so next chapter (10), is where this story and the actual show connect (just with a few changes). So chapter 10: car stealing, more drinking, and fate