Ryan sighed staring at the stars, wondering how he'd gotten himself into this mess. Marissa was nice and great and everything... and hot. He could imagine running around on the beach and kissing her like he had on the ferris wheel again.

Then there was Taylor. She was pretty, and sweet, and she was always reading. He wasn't really sure why the fact that she was reading was important but for some reason it always stood out in his head. He could imagine sitting in the oversized chair in the living room with her curled up in front of the fireplace while she read her book, and he was just content with being with her.

Both fantasies had their pros and cons. Both fantasies were perfect too. But he knew he could only have one of them.

He looked down at the end of the driveway and saw Taylor sitting there with her book. Now Ryan had never been a big believer in signs, but he couldn't just ignore this. Right?

"Hey." he said.

"Hi." she said looking up and smiling, "Marissa is inside." she added with a tilt of her head in the direction of her house.

He shrugged, "Yeah, but you and I haven't talked in a while."

"We talked in the car today." she said.

Ryan laughed, "Uh actually in the car today you and Marissa fought the whole way home, and then you talked to Seth."

Taylor shrugged, "Yeah but what does it matter you were talking to Marissa anyway."

"I was waiting for you." he said softly as he sat down next to her.

"For what?" she asked, suddenly afraid of the answer.

"I... I don't know... I guess to tell you-" Taylor didn't get to hear what Ryan was gonna say cause at that moment Luke's truck pulled up to the sidewalk.

"Get in Townsend." Luke said, "Oh hey Ryan. What's up?"

"Nothing." Ryan said pasting a fake smile on his face, "Going somewhere?"

Taylor avoided his gaze and nodded, "Yeah, Luke and I are gonna go see a movie."

"Oh." he said nodding.

"Maybe I'll see you later." she said before climbing into the car.

"Yeah. Bye Luke."

Ryan watched the two pull away before taking a deep breath, and standing. He walked to the door and paused. He knocked once and within seconds Kaitlyn Cooper answered.

"Ryan, hey. Taylor isn't here."

"I know. I wanted to see Marissa."

"Are you sure?" Kaitlyn asked softly.

He nodded once.

"Okay." she said, moving to let him in.

"You okay Townsend?" Luke asked. They had finished the movie and decided to get something to eat. Taylor had barley said a word all evening and Luke noticed.

"I'm fine." she nodded.

"You do want to be here with me right?" he asked.

"Of course Luke." she half lied. She liked the attention she was getting from him. She liked the fact that every once and a while Luke would reach over and touch her hand. She liked that he would laugh at the things she said. But mostly she liked the fact that he hadn't mentioned Marissa once during their whole date.

Taylor's problem was that she couldn't stop thinking about what Ryan would have said, had Luke been only a few minutes late.

"That's good." he said leaning in to kiss her. Taylor was shocked but at least she wasn't thinking about Ryan anymore.

"So what's up?" Marissa asked as she led Ryan to her room.

"Uh nothing." he said shrugging, "What's up with you?"

"Nothing just stuck here while my dad paints our apartment."

"Oh that's coll. What color?"

"Ryan, you're not really here to talk about what color my dad's apartment is." Marissa said stepping closer to him grinning.

"I'm not?" he asked, she shook her head and closed the distance between them. At least, Ryan thought to himself, I'm not obsessing over Taylor anymore.

Kaitlyn sighed and walked next door to the Cohen house, "Seth?" she called walking in. Knocking wasn't really her thing. Plus she knew Seth was the only one home.

"Hey." he called from the living room.

"Taylor is on a date with Luke."

"Please say Skywalker." Seth said, moving to make room for Kaitlyn.

"Ryan's with Marissa." Seth nodded, "I love Marissa. She's a great sister and she takes care of me. It's just... Taylor likes Ryan. I know she does, Seth, and I really thought he liked her too. That's why I was pushing so hard. Taylor doesn't really have anyone except me, and I thought maybe Ryan."

Seth shrugged, "She does have him. Just not in the way you and I thought she would." Kaitlyn looked up at him, and he shrugged again, "They're kinda the same. Ryan doesn't have anyone except my family"

"And me." Kaitlyn said.

"And you." he nodded.

"You didn't have anyone either did you?" she asked.

Seth shook his head.

"I think Summer really does like you, you know."

Seth eyes bugged out, "Really?"

"She was flirting with you when we all went to TJ." Kaitlyn shrugged.

"I knew it!" He said happily jumping up, making Kaitlyn giggle.

"You are like the brother I never had... or wanted." she added with a grin, "Both you and Ryan." she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I had a good time tonight Luke." Taylor said.

"Me too." he grinned, "You know the night doesn't have to be over."

Taylor paused, and for some reason her thoughts went immediately to Marissa, "No, I think it does." She gave him a quick kiss and got out of the car.

Before anything really happened between the two of them Taylor knew she had to talk to Marissa. Luke had been Marissa's boyfriend since fifth grade, and Taylor knew it had been wrong to throw it in Marissa's face that they were going out so soon after the TJ trip from hell.

"Marissa?" Taylor asked timidly opening the door, "Oh." was all she said as Marissa and Ryan broke apart, "Sorry... I was just... uh Marissa I wanted to ask... you know what never mind."

"Taylor." Ryan started as Taylor turned to leave, "I should uh... I should get home." he added to Marissa.

Ryan closed the door behind him just as he saw Taylor's door close. He heard the door lock and knew he should just leave, but he stopped and leaned against the door, wishing for the first time since Sandy had brought him home that he'd never met the Cooper- Townsend sisters.

Okay here you go. Sorry it's short, I'll make it up to you I swear! Please review.

-Em