Hola Boys and Girls!

Originally my plan was to update every two days but my Clinical Technology test screwed that plan up. Nevertheless, here it is now. I'm stoked my review to hit percentile went up to 0.87. I'm aiming for 1 so let those fingers do the talking! I REALLY appreciate all the review thus far, you guys are keeping me motivated. READ and REVIEW if you want me to continue… MUHAHAHAA!

Chapter 12

Welcome to my life

"So you are going to be hanging out with Ryan tonight?" Allie asked as Summer was finishing up her English assignment. "Yeah, I'm going to his apartment. Luke's also going to be there. I haven't seen him since he left Newport. It's weird, I had to come here to see two of my best friends again." Summer and Allie were fast becoming very good friends and she thought that she could confide in Allie. "Yeah, you come to Portland to reconnect with the two most popular guys here... Anyhow, I know Luke has a girlfriend but what about Ryan? You can't tell me you never thought about the two of you getting together?" Allie was reclined on her bed and from her angle at her desk Summer could only just see the smirk on her face. "Even if I did, there could never be anything between us. Marissa was my best friend and she completely screwed Ryan up – he almost died because of her and I dated his brother. Well his adoptive brother…" Allie laughed and said "All those reasons you just gave, are in Newport and 4 years ago. Now is a different. Ryan is the perfect guy! You two can be great together! There is no reason you can't be together now. Anyway, during your entire repertoire, you never said: No Allie, I never thought about me and Ryan getting together…" All Summer did in response was throw a pillow a Allie's head only causing Allie to laugh harder.

Later that night made her way to Ryan's apartment and she was once again amazed about how nervous she was. She found Ryan's apartment and rang the bell. A while later Ryan opened the door looking a great deal more disheveled than earlier that day- he was wearing sweatpants and a wife beater. Summer wasn't sure he was ready for her arrival and she could smell something burning. "Ugh, hi Ryan. You said come anytime so… Here I am. Is something burning?" Ryan looked confused for a second before a look of recognition registered on his face "Son of bitch!" was all Summer could hear before Ryan sped off inside.

A few minutes later Ryan returned to the door. "Hey Summer. Sorry about that – I dozed off while I made diner. Apparently physiology is a great sleep-starter. Anyway, come inside. Luke will probably be here any minute now." Ryan ushered her inside and closed the door behind him. She looked around the apartment and she was amazed at how spacious it was. It had an open-plan living area with the kitchen next to the door. It wasn't a big kitchen but it held all the necessities. Ryan had two couches, a lounge chair together and a bookcase with the entertainment unit in the living area. His furniture wasn't new but it was surprisingly homely Summer thought to herself. Her conniving brain once again made her think about how nice it would be to be with Ryan – she quickly pushed those thought aside and sat down on one of the couches. Ryan looked as if he regained his composure and he sat down on the other couch.

"Listen Sum, I'm sorry about this. I was studying and trying to make diner when the time just got away from me. How was the rest of your day?"

"Fine. After lunch I went to the library for some research and after that I just finished my English essay… Nothing eventful."

"English assignment. What's it about?"

For the next hour they fell into a comfortable pattern of conversation. They talked about movies, music, college life, books and, Summer was astonished to find, fashion. As much as their taste was the same, they differed as well. Summer enjoyed debating with Ryan when they differed so when the bell rang announcing Luke's arrival Summer was chagrined that she would no longer have Ryan's undivided attention.

Ryan opened the door and immediately Luke launched into a diatribe. "Dude, what the hell is up with Coach Jones? Two miles a day? Does he not realize I need my beauty sleep? One doesn't look like I do, without a lot of effort going into it. I have this killer paper due for anthropology and the professor is a total bore so I've sort off missed a few classes, now I have to schmooze Lacy Young for her notes but she's still mad because you dumped her last year. Sometimes you make me really mad. Who's that? Dude, why didn't you say you had a girl here, I would've come back later…"

During his entire rant, Luke only saw Summer at the end and even then he didn't recognize her. He looked at her and slowly a look of recognition crossed his face. "Summer? Is that you?" Luke looked between Summer and Ryan, waiting for an answer. Summer laughed and went up to Luke to give him a hug. "After almost four years one would think you would be a bit more congenial towards a long lost friend!" Luke looked astonished before regaining his look of equanimity "Well just proves how forgettable you are…" Luke quipped and Summer playfully slapped him on his arm.

They spent the next couple of hours catching up and sharing stories. Luke and Ryan about their time in Portland and Summer about New Port. Luke hadn't change much in three years – he was still very much a jock at heart. Even though he majored in biology, it was clear that his studies didn't rate very high on his list. Summer wasn't surprised that Luke had a different girl every week and secretly she wondered about Ryan. At times Summer wondered why Luke and Ryan were friends, but at other times it became obvious how close they were and it was clear that they had a deeper understanding of each other after helping the other out when he was at his lowest. She also got a new image of Ryan – she thought his life was perfect but she now saw that at times he still struggled to keep things together and at times like these he turned to Luke. She obtained a more profound understanding of Ryan and another emotion Summer was unwilling to acknowledge also took hold of Summer. She didn't realize she her gaze lingered on Ryan quite a lot and she didn't see Luke eye her skeptically when that happened.

"I don't want to be a wet rag, but I stink…" Ryan said as Luke laughed and Summer eyed him questioningly. "Would you guys mind if I took a quick shower?"

"Dude, way to go ruining the moment. You med students are all the same, no respect for anything. Go ahead, I can entertain Summer for a while…" Ryan gave Luke an impish look and said "I'm sure you can!" before turning and heading to his bedroom.

When Ryan left Luke went to the kitchen and called Summer to help him make something to eat, adding that Ryan was the worst cook in the history of the world and that if it was left up to him, they would eat instant noodles and even then it would be a gamble. When they decided what they were going to make, Luke paused for a second before turning to Summer "I see what's going Summer, I saw the way you kept looking at Ryan. There are some things you must know about him. Ryan doesn't have girlfriends – he has dates. A lot of them. He is, for loss of a better word, a player. Marissa messed him up and even though his, as he likes to call, sabbatical helped him get over a lot of shit, he has never fully recovered from that. He doesn't allow anyone in. Some girls have tried to change him but the majority knows from the get go that Ryan isn't a long-term kind of guy and they accept that. I am however afraid that you might just be able to break down the wall Ryan has built around him. He has shared more with you during the last couple of days than he has ever shared with anyone else. If you do that however, some other defense mechanism of his will kick in and both of you will get hurt. I know it's not copasetic for a guy to admit this, but I love Ryan. I don't want to see him get hurt… Either of you. As a friend, I'm asking you not to do anything." Summer was stunned into silence and before she got her ability to speak back, Ryan came out of his room.

After Luke's discourse Summer was surprised that she now found Ryan even hotter and she blushed a little when she imagined her hands in his wet hair… Luke's eyebrows shot up when he saw her blush but she was saved from anything else when Ryan suggested t hey watch a movie after they ate. Luke finished his Mac-n-Cheese and put his plate in the basin. He went to the entertainment unit to select a movie. He started jumping up and down when a took a DVD from the cupboard. "You got it! You got it! When were you going to tell me you got it!" Summer stood up and took the DVD from Luke's hand. She burst out laughing when she read the title – Hoodwinked. "An animation film? You can't be serious?" Luke was panic-stricken when he realized what he had just done while Ryan just looked on amused. "Summer, you can't say anything! Seriously. If it came out that the star running back of the Portland Panthers was a secret animation-maniac, it would ruin my reputation." He looked genuinely alarmed. Summer could only laugh as she said "Don't worry Woody, your secrets safe with me! Go on, put it on…" Luke shrieked and Ryan mouthed "Woody?" to Summer.

When Luke put the DVD on he sat down in the lounge chair. Summer silently cursed him for leaving the coach for her and Ryan… As she sat down she was amazed at how tired she was. When she glanced at her watch she saw that it was passed 1 am. Ryan sat down, as Summer was afraid, next to her. She vowed she wouldn't fall asleep on top of Ryan yet when the movie was in the middle her head fell to Ryan's shoulder and she promptly fell asleep…