A/N: I know, i know, it's been a while :(....So, I've hit a bit of writer's block/hectic school-ness. This story is definitely NOT on hiatus, but it's not exactly my top priority at the moment either. Um, I'll try and get another chapter up in the next two weeks, but i make no promises. (although *hint hint, nudge nudge* reviews always incite me to sit down and write :D. i'm so very subtle, aren't I ;P) ANYWAY...ENJOY! :D :D

Two Weeks Later

Things – life – had finally settled into an almost easy and comfortable routine. Dana glanced around the chattering lunch table that had claimed her as one of their own and sipped placidly on her straw.

Today just about everyone had decided to stay on campus for lunch, which was a quite a rarity, and the atmosphere was feverish with voices bubbling over each other and laughter spilling from and intermingling in a complex symphony of sounds. It was easy to sit back, slip into the background, and just observe and think.

It was hard for her to believe it had been a month since she had left the warm familiarity of Chicago. A whole month without her best friends and her life. But things were getting good here.

She and Eric were tentatively rebuilding the easy friendship they had found almost instantly. It would probably never be as comfortable as that first day – however insane that sounded – because she could still feel a part of him pulling and shifting away from her. It was slow going, but at least it was going after she had confided in him. They hadn't talked about the almost kiss and she got the distinct sense that he really didn't want to bring it up. Ever.

He had drawn the boundaries – sharp and distinct and unbreachable – defining their relationship.

Friends. Take it or leave it.

Well, she certainly couldn't leave it.

She peeked over at Eric, who was spiritedly engaged in a debate about something or other. He caught her eye and gave a slight nod and she smiled around the straw.

Her eyes wandered over to the other source of conflict in her life.

Ryan.

The two of them were – she exhaled sharply – god, she didn't even know. They were locked in the no-man's-land between friends and more-than-friends. Some days the scale would tip in one direction and then the next day they'd be back to straddling the middle ground. But, at least they were firmly at friends (or more) and she could stand and like being around him.

Actually, she really liked being around him on most days. There's was something … intoxicating about him and being near him. The world jumped into focus and seemed to hum with life and energy.

It was addictive.

But the same chemistry that drew her to him, that intensity, often caused them to collide in jarring, volatile ways. And he drove her crazy sometimes. A lot of times. Everything was went topsy-turvy with Ryan in the picture, but she didn't want him out of the frame either.

It was calm right now. But would it stay this way? Or was it just the calm before the storm? A permanent détente or just…?

She didn't know, really didn't know. She just wanted it to be calm and stay calm.

"Hey, what're you thinking about all seriously over here?" Ryan asked, throwing an arm around her shoulders.

"Nothing really," she shrugged.

"Nothing?" his hold tightened around her into a sidehug. "Nothing doesn't make you do that funny puckered thinking face."

She frowned, "Gee, thanks. That's exactly how every girl wants to be described."

"You know what I mean," he rolled his eyes. "And, I bet I know what you're thinking about."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, what am I thinking about?"

"How we're going to celebrate your entrance into the world of adulthood!"he grinned.

"What?" she twisted in his arm to look up at him.

"Your birthday," he said slowly. "You do remember what that is, right?"

"How'd you know it was my birthday?" she demanded, ignoring the jibe.

"Magic."

"Be serious, will you?"

"Why are you getting so wound up about this?" Ryan asked laughingly.

"I'm not! I just – I just want to know how you found out," she said with a strained half-smile.

"No," he placed his hands around her face and tilted it up, his voice sobering. "This really bothers you. Why?"

"It doesn't!"

"You can tell me," he smiled.

"I'm just not a big fan of birthdays," she demurred.

"That's not it."

"Can we just leave it alone?" she sighed, slipping out of his grasp.

"Sure," he shrugged. "After you tell me why you're so freaked about it."

"Ryan," she sighed.

"Dana," he mimicked.

She scowled.

"You know, most girls try the eyelash-fluttering-batting thing when they're trying to distract a guy," he suggested helpfully.

"How bout I try that pummeling-you-until-you-talk method that the mafia raves about?" she offered innocently back.

"Now how would you know how to do that?" he smirked.

"I'd tell you, but then they'd kill you."

"Aww, see I knew you cared about me," he grinned, wrapping his arm around her.

"You're an idiot," she rolled her eyes as she laughed.

"Genius."

"What?"

"The word you meant to say was 'genius'," he beamed mischievously.

"Nope," she shook her head. "I'm pretty sure I meant idiot."

"You suuuuuuuure?" he teased and reached around her back and pulled a yogurt container into sight.

"No," her eyes widened as he slowly turned the container to face her. The characteristic white letters of "CaliYogurt" emblazoned against a raspberry colored berry. "Ryan! How'd you do that?" she peered suspiciously behind her and around him.

"My little secret," he smirked. "Now," he put a hand on either side of his face, "stop squirming." She stopped obligingly and grinned. "Okay. Now, still think the word isn't 'genius'?"

She laughed, brightly and openly, and Ryan suddenly understood all that sappy sentimentalism he'd read – well, glanced over… he was a guy, after all – in his English lit books. It was the warmest, purest laughter he'd ever heard in the world. Not angels singing, or birds peeping (whatever the analogy was, although he guess he could see those – again, not that he'd ever admit it) but heavenly in its own way.

Beautiful.

Especially with her head tilted back, and her hair flowing freely and the sun hitting her just right. That smile and those dazzling eyes and that sound. He wanted to devote his life to making her laugh like that again.

"I suppose that depends," she chuckled.

"Depends on what?"

"On whether I have to share my yogurt."

A/N: Read and review? Please? :D :D