A/N: Back again. Just read it, we'll talk again at the end.
Cohen Kitchen
Seth walks into the kitchen through the patio doors and sees his brother already occupying a stool at the island. "Morning, man," he says, grabbing a bagel and placing it in the toaster. "You're up awful early for a Sunday. Got some plans with T to the T?"
"'T to the T,'" Ryan asks.
"Sorry. Summer's vernacular can rub off a little. So do you have some early morning plans or something?"
"Not today." Ryan takes another sip of coffee.
"Are you guys still on rocky ground with everything that's going on in French class?"
"We're not on rocky ground, Seth."
"So everything is good with Frenchy Le Pew macking on your girl?" At Ryan's red face and grimace, "I didn't think so. Why don't you go talk to her, ya know, tell her what's bothering you?"
"I have. She just says that I'm exaggerating and that Monsieur de Momourant is just really nice." He aggressively rips his bagel apart, causing Seth to flinch, and stuffs part of it in his mouth.
"Take it easy on the bagel bro. I don't think that it is cheating on you with your French teacher."
Seth takes a full step back this time as Ryan slams down his coffee cup. "She's not cheating on me, Seth."
"Fine, I get it. She's totally loyal and completely committed to your relationship. Even if she is, doesn't it make you a little worried that that weaselly little French dude is interested in your girl?"
Ryan picks back up his coffee. "More than you can imagine."
Seth schmears his bagel. "So take her out today. Go do something fun. Remind her why she's head over heels for her blond surfer boy from California."
"I wish I could but she's hanging out with Anna today. I think they're going down to the mall to check out this new store that opened that specializes in Asian cinema."
"Dude, that place totally rocks. I spent about four or five hours there the other day, just walking around. I think the clerk was about ready to file a restraining order against me for spending so much time there. Maybe he thought I was a shoplifter," he questions. "So what do you think of Anna? She seems pretty cool, right?"
"Yeah, she's cool. Seems more like your type of girl than Luke's, though."
"Maybe. Seems like opposites have a tendency to attract here. Your quiet and reserved demeanor is contrasted by Taylor's talkativeness and outgoing personality. My hyperactivity and overall geekiness is repressed by Summer's flair for pop culture and her dangerous rage control issues. Maybe Luke has found the yin to his yang as well?"
Ryan shrugs. "I hope so. That kid needs someone less self involved than his prior girlfriend."
"I thought you and Marissa were best buds, old friends, the closest of pals?"
"We are. I mean, we were. Hell, we may still be. I don't know. I haven't had a chance to talk to her since before the New Year. That's actually why I'm up so early. I'm gonna go next door and try to fix all of this."
"Why don't you just call her," Seth asks, as if it's the easiest solution in the world.
"I'd love to, only her phone isn't taking calls from me, like the number is blocked or something."
"Weird," Seth adds. "Well, good luck with that. I think Summer is going to be over later. We might be swimming in the pool if you'd care to join us."
Ryan carries his empty coffee cup over to the sink and rinses it out. Seth finishes his cup as well and looks at Ryan expectantly for a moment. Ryan breaks down and rinses Seth's cup out as well. "We'll see. I might go hit up Luke and see if he wants to do some surfing."
Sandy Cohen walks into the kitchen right at that moment. "Surfing? Now that sounds like a good way to spend a Sunday." He claps his son on the shoulder.
"You want to go, Dad?"
Sandy shakes his head. "You know I'd love to kid, but I have to meet Jimmy and go over some things for the Lighthouse. Why don't you take your mother," he asks as his wife walks in.
"Take me where," Kirsten Cohen asks as she too fills up a mug from the coffee pot. Ryan looks from his mother to his father and then back again, a questioning look in his eyes. "What," she asks again. "Take me where?"
"Seth," Sandy questions, ignoring his wife.
"No thanks, Sandman. I'm going to stick to the calmer waters of the pool."
"Somebody tell me where you were going to take me!"
"Well, I'm off to meet Jimmy," Sandy says, rinsing out his mug and placing it in the sink. "Have a good day, sweetie," he says as he kisses his wife on the cheek.
"And I've got to go meet someone," Ryan offers, mirroring his father's actions.
"I'm going to get the pool house ready." Seth, too, leaves the kitchen.
"Boys!"
The Cooper Residence
Ryan knocks on the door to Julie Cooper's house and stands back on the stoop. The door is soon opened by Julie Cooper.
"Ryan," she says, greeting the younger boy with a hug. "How are you?"
"Good, I guess. Is Marissa here?"
Julie opens the door fully, allowing Ryan access into the house. "Yes, she's up in her room. You know where it is." She moves aside as Ryan walks toward the stairs. "Ryan?"
Ryan stops his ascent and turns back to the older woman. "Yes, Mrs. Cooper?"
"See if you can get through to her, will you? I've tried everything I can, but she won't hear it. I don't think she wants to talk to me."
"I'll see what I can do, Julie." He continues his climb up the stairs and finally comes to Marissa's room. He knocks softly on the door.
"Not now, Mom," a voice yells from inside. "I'm busy studying."
"The Cooper I know surely wouldn't be studying on a Sunday," Ryan says as he walks into Marissa's room. The sight that greets him is not a friendly one: Marissa is on her bed, making out with Oliver Trask.
"God, I SAID I was busy," Marissa says, straightening her top.
Oliver rearranges his clothes as well. "Ryan," he says in greeting, earning a glare from the blonde boy.
"Can I talk to you for a bit," he asks, ignoring Oliver and directing his question at Marissa. "Alone?"
Marissa begins to protest, but Oliver cuts her off. "It's cool, I should go anyway before your mom sees me. I'll see you at school tomorrow?" Marissa nods her head and he pecks her cheek, stares down Ryan, and leaves through the window.
"Thanks for scaring my boyfriend off," Marissa says once Oliver has left.
"So you guys are dating now?"
"Yeah. What do you care," she asks, openly hostile.
"Hey, who you date is your business. I just want to know why you seem to have cut all of your friends out of your life. None of us have heard from you since New Year's."
"My friends," Marissa questions. "My so-called friends were the ones that cut me off! I haven't gotten any phone calls from any of you since that night. And you finally managed to find your way over here. They can't do the same?"
Ryan shakes his head in frustration. Who is this girl and what did she do with his best friend? "Look Cooper, the world doesn't revolve around you. We've all tried to call you but, for some reason or another, our calls won't go through. And you could just as easily have come over to our house or called us. I don't remember you being this selfish, Marissa."
"Yeah, well maybe I've always been like this and you just never knew me?"
"I really hope that's not the case. I miss the Marissa that I've had so many good times with. The one that pushed Zach when we were in the second grade because he was bigger and wanted my lunch. The one that made me hang out with Luke more because she thought he was cute. I miss the Marissa that was someone that Summer and Taylor could depend on to always be there for them. So do they. We all miss that Marissa." Marissa looks away at all of this and doesn't say anything. Ryan shakes his head and stands. "I'm still here for you, if you ever need to talk or anything." He walks out and shuts the door behind him.
"Thanks," Marissa quietly whispers as she wipes a tear from her eye.
The Mall
"Oh my God, I'm so in love with these movies we picked up at that new store," Taylor gushes. "Who knew that such a cool place would open here in Newport?"
"I know," Anna adds. "I'm liking Newport Beach more and more all the time."
Taylor shifts her bags and gives Anna a sidelong smile. "Does that include any certain male members of its population?"
Anna blushes a little and joins Taylor in grinning. "Maybe it does. Luke is just so cute. I don't know what it is. I was never really attracted to the jock type. They just always seemed stupid and thick-headed to me. Luke is different though."
Taylor grins as her new friend stares out into space, thinking about her crush. "Hello? Earth to Anna." She snaps her fingers at Anna and finally succeeds in snapping her out of her daydream. "You okay there?"
Anna laughs. "Sorry about that. I kinda spaced out there a little."
"It's okay. Luke is a pretty cool guy. He's super nice and extremely loyal to his friends. And he's not stupid. He hides it a little, but he's got a brain hidden under that blonde mop. You wanna go in here," she asks her shopping companion and points at a fashionable store. Anna nods her assent and the two girls enter and begin searching the racks.
"So do you think he likes me," Anna asks a few minutes later as she holds up a top, checking the look in the mirror.
"Who, Luke? I'd have to call you crazy if you thought that he didn't. Aren't you guys going out tonight?" Taylor shakes her head at the top Anna has selected and puts it back on the rack.
Anna takes the remaining clothing items she has selected and goes into the dressing room to try them on. "Yeah we are but it's just dinner and a movie. That could mean anything. Maybe he just wants to be friends?"
Taylor continues to comb through the racks as Anna changes. "I doubt it but you'll probably have an answer for sure after tonight. My money is on a kiss goodnight."
Anna pokes her head out from the dressing room. "Do you think so? If he goes for it, what do you think? Tongue or no tongue?" Both girls think for a moment and answer simultaneously.
"No tongue."
"So how are you and Ryan doing," Anna asks as she steps out of the dressing room, modeling her new outfit.
"That looks cute," Taylor offers and Anna goes back into the room. "Me and Ryan? We're fine I guess."
"You guess?"
"Yeah, well he's not entirely happy with our French teacher at school. He keeps saying that he's a creep and that I should avoid him."
"Yeah, he does kinda give off the creepy foreigner vibe. I see him in the hallways every now and then and it always seems like he's hitting on the girls," Anna says as she throws a disliked top over the door.
"It's not that, he's just... new here and he doesn't know how it works in America. I've been spending my study hall in his classroom, just talking to him. He's really smart. You should hear some of the stories that he has. Did you know that he's had lunch with the Prime Minister of France as his guest. His guest. He invited the Prime Minister to lunch and he came. How impressive is that?" Taylor selects another shirt and hands it through the door.
"Pretty impressive, I guess. Maybe all this time that you're spending with Monsieur de Momourant is straining your relationship with Ryan. It seems like he's been on edge lately."
"It's probably everything going on with Marissa," Taylor says, dismissing Anna's concerns. "They're best friends and they haven't talked in a few weeks because of this Oliver business."
"I'm sure that's part of it but I like to think I'm pretty intuitive and I think this business with your French teacher might be bothering Ryan. You should talk to him, make sure that it's not that."
"That's probably a good idea. Alright, you've been in there for awhile. Let's see what you've got." Anna walks out of the dressing room. "Very nice. You should wear that tonight for your date with Luke. His jaw is probably gonna hit the floor."
The Beach
"Dude, the surf totally sucks today," Luke says as he paddles back up to Ryan.
"I know. I think you just caught the only surfable wave we've seen all day. You want to go in?" Luke nods his head and the two teens ride a small wave into the shore. After stripping off their wetsuits, the two friends load their surfboards in Luke's truck and walk down to a nearby burger stand. "So," Ryan begins as he sits down at the picnic table, "I talked to Marissa today."
"Oh yeah? How'd that go," Luke asks around a mouthful of cheeseburger.
"She's dating Oliver now. And she thinks that we were the ones that bailed on her."
Luke looks up. "You guys kept trying to chill with her after we broke up?"
"Sorry man, but she's been my best friend since we were little kids. I didn't want you to think I was choosing her over you but I needed to know what was going on. Turns out that it was a waste of time because none of our calls ever went through."
"So what was goin' on then? Was she ignoring you guys?"
Ryan shrugs. "Who knows? When I was over there today, she was acting all stuck up, like we were the ones that wronged her and not the other way around."
"I'm so over her. I mean, I care about her because she's still my friend, even if she isn't my girlfriend, but I'm done with her drama." Luke takes the last bite of his burger and throws his and Ryan's trash away. The two boys begin to walk back to Luke's truck.
"So are you ready for your date with Anna tonight?"
Luke colors slightly. "It's not really a date, Cohen."
"Uh huh. It's dinner and a movie. Sounds like a date to me."
"Dick," Luke says jokingly, but Ryan can tell that he's looking forward to the evening. "You ready to roll back to your place, play a little Playstation?"
"Sure," Ryan says as he hops into the lifted truck. "Seth and Summer should still be there. Seth said they'd be swimming all day."
Luke bellows out a laugh. "Yeah, right. With both your folks out of the house today? They're probably going at it."
Jimmy's Apartment
"I don't know if I can commit to the Lighthouse, Sandy," Jimmy says as he rubs his face. "It's just too much money and I don't have the capital right now."
"Jimmy, I need this. I've got to get away from the private sector. Those evil bastards are draining me dry! This is the perfect opportunity and I want you with me, doing this. And I've already got the down payment taken care of."
"I don't know. I mean, this is all really fast. Restaurants fail."
"This one won't, Jimmy."
"I just don't know. I need more time to figure things out." At that moment, there is a knock on the door to the apartment. Jimmy walks over to open it, revealing Veronica Townsend. "Hey, V," Jimmy says, greeting his girlfriend with a kiss on the cheek.
"James. Sandy," she says, turning to address the other man. She notices the strained looks on the faces of the two men. "What's wrong?"
"Sandy has been trying to convince me to go in with him on a proposal that he has. We're thinking about buying the Lighthouse."
"The Lighthouse? You mean that old restaurant that has been around for forever?"
Sandy raises his enormous eyebrows. "That's the one. What about it?"
"I loved that place! That's such a good idea. What's the problem," she asks her boyfriend.
"I'm just not sure that I can take this on right now. It seems like a big investment and I-I just don't want it to fail."
Veronica walks up to Jimmy, who is standing facing out the window, turns him around and kisses him. "You're a smart man, James. Between you and Sandy, I know that you will be able to do this. I might even be willing to invest a little into it, if you boys would like. I'd be a silent partner, of course," she says, winking at Jimmy.
"Really," Jimmy asks, a curious look on his face. "You'd do that?"
"Of course, James. I know you've had trouble in the past, but you've got a good head on your shoulders. If Sandy is investing in it, I know it's good and there's nobody I'd rather have looking after my money than you." She kisses him again. "I know you can do it."
Sandy smiles a little and turns to his prospective business partner. "So does that make you a little more confident, Jimbo?"
Jimmy smiles. "Let's do it, Sandy."
The Movie Theater
"How do you feel about a monster bucket of popcorn," Luke asks as he and Anna walk up to the movie counter.
"It sounds great as long as you don't mind me flossing after the movie is over. I hate the feeling of popcorn kernels stuck in my teeth."
Luke smiles and pulls a small container out of his pocket. He opens it up and dumps the contents into his hand: toothpicks. "I used to wear braces when I was a kid. They told me I couldn't eat popcorn because it would get stuck in my braces so I started carrying toothpicks."
"Awww, that is so cute," Anna gushes. "So you were a little geeky then, huh?" She laughs and Luke joins her.
"A little bit." Luke pays for their sodas and popcorn and they grab a seat in the theater. "Where do you want to sit?"
"Oh I always sit up towards the front. That way-"
"-people talking during the movie don't bother you," Luke finishes along with her. "Holy crap, I thought I was the only one that liked sitting in the front." He takes her hand and they sit down just in time for the previews.
Later, Anna's House
"So I had an awesome time tonight," Luke says as he and Anna reach her front door.
"Me too, Luke. I'm normally not a big horror movie fan, but I felt a little braver with you there." She smiles as Luke turns a unique shade of red. "I'd invite you in but it's getting late and my folks will be waiting for me."
Luke shrugs his shoulders. "It's cool. We'll leave meeting the parents for another time." He shuffles his feet a little. "Sooo...."
"So... goodnight," Anna asks, leaving it as more of a question than a statement. She fumbles in her purse for her keys for a second until she feels a strong hand lifting her chin up. She looks up into Luke's blue eyes just as he leans down to take her lips with his own. The kiss doesn't last too long and Anna's concerns earlier in the day are put to rest as Luke doesn't try to force his tongue into her mouth. All too soon he pulls away, leaving Anna a bit flushed.
"Night, Anna." Luke smiles at her as he watches her unlock her door. After shakily trying to get the key in the lock for a few moments, she finally succeeds and opens the door. She waves goodnight and shuts the door behind her. As the door closes, his small smile gradually expands until it covers his whole face and he reflects on one of the best nights he has had in awhile.
Inside, Anna locks the door behind her and leans back against it. She softly touches her lips as if imagining Luke's still there, a smile on her face as well.
Next Day, Cohen Residence
"Wakey-wakey, eggs and bakey, buddy."
Ryan opens his eyes and sees Seth standing over his bed, smiling. "That's the creepiest thing I've ever woken up to in my life."
"I brought bagels and coffee," Seth says, holding up a schmeared bagel and a steaming cup of coffee.
Ryan looks over at his bedside clock. 8:03. "Why are you waking me up at eight in the morning on a Sunday, Seth?"
"I'm bored. Let's do something."
"What is there to do this early on a Sunday? Go back to bed." Ryan rolls over in his bed and tries to resume sleep but Seth will have none of it.
"Ryyyaaaan! RyanRyanRyanRyanRyanRyanRyan!" He dodges a thrown pillow. "I figured you'd have better aim than that after playing water polo. Come on, get up. Let's go to the beach or something."
Ryan groans but sits up in bed. "Fine. But I need a few minutes to wake up." He takes a bite of the bagel and chases it with a sip of coffee.
"I'll be downstairs calling Summer. You want me to have her invite the other girls?"
Ryan thinks for a moment. He really did want to talk to Taylor, but he'd prefer that it was in a more private setting. Oh well, they could probably get away from the group for awhile. "Sure. Call Luke too. See if he wants to invite Anna."
"You got it big guy."
The Beach
"What time did the girls say they were gonna be here Corona," Luke asks Seth.
Seth checks his phone. "Fifteen minutes ago. You know how girls are, though. They gotta look their best everywhere they go. Speaking of, how did your date go? Was Anna looking pretty hot? You get any tongue action?"
Luke glares at a chuckling Ryan and turns back to Seth. "No, I didn't get any 'tongue action,' tool. We got close during the movie and I got a pretty hot goodnight kiss, but that was about it. We'll see what happens from here."
"The girls are here," Ryan announces. The other two boys turn to see Taylor, Summer and Anna walking their direction, beach bags in hand. "Hey, babe," he says as Taylor unfolds her blanket and sits down next to him.
"Hey." She gives him a kiss. "Sorry we're late but Henri-Michel called. He wanted to make sure I had some papers ready for school tomorrow."
Ryan begins to frown. "Why did your teacher call you on a Sunday? Why does he even have your number?"
Taylor looks confused. "Because I'm his teacher's aide, Ryan. I thought I told you about this on Friday?"
"No, you didn't."
Anna, who has just set down her beach gear, looks from Ryan to Taylor. "Come on, Luke. Let's go play in the water for awhile." Luke gets the picture and follows Anna into the surf. Summer picks up on the tension as well.
"Let's go too, Seth. I'll let you chase me around the beach." She tries to pull Seth up and toward the water but he resists.
"No thanks, my dearest. The salty water will ruin my Jewfro. Not to mention that my pale skin will burn to a crisp if I expose it to this strong California sun," he says, pointing to his shirt covered torso.
"You won't have any hair left if you don't follow me down to the water right now, Powder. Let's go!" Seth squawks about the threat of Summer forcibly removing his hair but gives in and follows her down to the water, leaving Taylor and Ryan alone on the sand.
"So what is going on with you and this Henri-Michel guy? You know that I don't like him but he keeps flirting with you in class and you're not doing anything about it. Now you're his aide?"
"He's not flirting with me, Ryan. He's just really nice. And you know how I am with French. This chance to be his aide is the perfect opportunity to learn more about the country from someone that was born and raised there. I'm lucky he asked me and not one of the other girls in the class."
"That's just the thing, Taylor. You don't think that he's being overly nice to you, like he wants something from you? He told me that he was attracted to you. Doesn't that bother you?" Ryan takes his girlfriend's chin in his hands and turns her face toward him. "Just do this for me, please? I don't like this guy."
Taylor pulls her head from her boyfriend's hands. "You know, Ryan, I wasn't going to say anything but Henri-Michel told me this might happen. He said that you'd feel jealous and that you'd try and keep me from being involved in my pursuit of understanding French culture."
That son of a bitch, Ryan thinks to himself. "You're kidding me. You think I'm jealous? Fine." He gets up and throws his shirt on.
"Where are you going? We just got here."
"Home. I'm not gonna sit here and listen to you defend that pedophile. See you tomorrow. Tell Seth to get a ride home from Luke." Ryan throws his shirt back on and walks back over to his Jeep. He quickly jumps into the driver's seat and tears out of the parking lot.
Later that night, Cohen Residence
Kirsten Cohen softly knocks on the door of her son's room, hoping that he would answer. Seth had told her earlier about what had happened at the beach that day and was worried about his "brother from another mother," as he liked to put it. Truth to tell, Kirsten herself was a little worried about her son. Ryan was known for his cool head and even temper. For him to come as close to an outburst as he did, something must really be bothering him. "Sweetie?"
A quiet moment. "Yeah?"
"Can I come in?"
Another pregnant silence. "Sure."
She slowly opens the door and turns the corner into her son's room to see him curled up in chair, a book in his lap. She suppresses a smile at the sight of her son relaxing with a book and not zoning out in front of the television like so many other teens his age. He always did have a good head on his shoulders, which is what made this latest situation so perplexing.
"What's up, mom," Ryan asks, putting the book down.
Kirsten sits down in a chair across from Ryan, her hands in her lap. "Well, I just wanted to see how things were going with you. We haven't talked in awhile and I just wanted to, well... check... in. I guess," she finishes, a little unsure. When had talking to her son become so difficult?
"I'm good, I guess." Her son looks a trifle confused. "Is everything okay?"
"No, I'm fine. Your father and I are fine. I was wondering about you." At Ryan's questioning look, "Seth told us about your problems with Taylor." Ryan stiffens, something Kirsten didn't miss.
"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."
Well that was an encouraging response. "That's fine, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I just want you to know that your father and I are here whenever you need to talk. I hope you know that you can talk to either one of us about anything." She stands and kisses her son's forehead, ruffles his sandy hair, and turns to leave.
"She's going to break up with me."
Her hand releases the doorknob and she turns around to face her son. "Tell me what happened."
"Taylor is getting hit on by this... older guy at school." Kirsten senses that Ryan isn't telling the full truth here, but she decides not to pursue it. "She thinks he just wants to be friends to her but it's more than that."
Kirsten worries her lip a bit.
"I've tried telling her that I don't want her being friends with this guy, that it bothers me, but she just ignores it." Ryan shakes his head. "I just don't understand it."
She hesitates a moment, making sure that she had her words and comments well thought out. What she said could easily make or break her son's relationship with his girlfriend. "Ryan, you know that Taylor is a smart girl. She's easily able to take care of herself. If she seems to think this guy isn't after her, then you have to trust her to make the right decision." She walks back over to her son and hugs him as he stood. "You two are going to be just fine."
"That's what everyone said about Luke and Marissa and look at them," her son groans. She had to give him that. "I've just been thinking a lot lately. I care about Taylor a lot and I don't want to lose her. Is this just fate telling me that we're not supposed to be together?"
Kirsten tries her hardest not to let her smile show. She doesn't want her son to think she was smiling for the wrong reasons. "Ryan, everyone that has ever been in a relationship has problems like these. Even your father and I have our issues every now and then. The point I'm trying to make is that you just have to decide if what keeps you together is stronger than what is pushing you apart." She stands again, Ryan standing with her. "I love you, sweetie, and I want nothing but the best for you, whether it be with Taylor or someone else. I hope you know that." She kisses him on the cheek and pulls her face back again. "But I do love Taylor so I hope you two work things out," she says with a smile. She notices Ryan's slight smirk show on his face as she walks out of the room.
Next Day, Harbor
Ryan hops out of his Jeep, Seth mirroring his actions from the passenger side of the vehicle.
"So, I'm sorry about yesterday," Seth begins, but Ryan interrupts him.
"Don't worry about it man. I'm glad you told Kirsten. She made me realize that I need to trust Taylor to make the right decision. If she thinks that she can handle Henri-Michel, then I trust her to fend him off. I'm not happy about it but I can deal." He slings his messenger bag over his shoulder.
Seth looks skeptical. "Really, dude? Even after he basically challenged you for Taylor's affection?"
Ryan grits his teeth almost imperceptibly. "Yes, Seth. Even after that."
"Okay, man," Seth says, shrugging. He points to an approaching Summer and Taylor. "You want some alone time with her?" Ryan nods. "No problem, man. Hello, my dearest," he exclaims at Summer's approach. "Would you care to escort me to my class? Save me from the neanderthal bullies that roam these here halls?"
Neither of the boys miss the questioning glance that Summer sends Taylor's way and the accompanying slight nod that follows. "Sure. Lord knows most of the athletic department is more afraid of me than you."
As the two brunettes walk off, Ryan and Taylor glance at each other, neither knowing where to start.
"I'm sorry," Ryan begins. "I should have trusted you more."
"You're right, you should have." Taylor glares at her boyfriend slightly. "Even if Henri-Michel is flirting with me, I'm a big girl. I can tell him to get lost." She finally breaks into a small smile. "But I think it's cute that you're worried about me." Ryan smiles back as she gives him a slight kiss. "It means you care."
"So does this mean we're done arguing?" Ryan kisses her back.
"Mmmm, yep," she purrs.
"Does this mean we get to have make up sex?"
Taylor gives a sharp hiss of breath. "Ryan Cohen! You dirty boy!" She smiles mischievously. "Maybe. Want to meet in the library for lunch?"
"Better believe it." He gives her one last kiss. "See you in a few," he says, walking off into the quad.
Taylor followes his progress for a moment before turning and almost running into another, taller, individual. One with a very... pungent aroma. "Oh! Pardonnez-moi, Monsieur de Momourant," she says, apologizing to the older Frenchman.
"Il est tout à fait bien, mon beau Français s'est levé. It is such a beautiful day for an encounter such as this. How was your weekend of no school?"
"Oh, it was very nice. I just hung out with my friends."
"That does sound very 'nice' Mademoiselle Townsend. Now I must ask something of you. I have been having much trouble grading the essays that your fellow classmates turned in on Friday. The language they write with is très terrible and my poor eyes can take no more. I need your beautiful auburn eyes to read some of these assignments for myself during lunch so that I might have them graded on time."
Taylor fidgets a little, remembering her promise to meet her boyfriend in the library during that time. "I would love to Monsieur, but I promised Ryan-"
"Ah, Ryan Cohen, the boyfriend," he says, a slight hint of contempt in his voice. "Taylor, you have certain responsibilities as my aide, ones that have to be fulfilled. If they cannot," he trails off, finishing by shrugging his shoulders. "There are many girls in the class that would love to fulfill your duties for you."
Taylor thinks quickly. Ryan would surely understand. This was something for class, right? Didn't he just get through saying that he trusted her? "I'll see you at lunch then, Monsieur."
Lunchtime, Monsieur de Momourant's room
"Thank you for the help, Mademoiselle Townsend," the man says as Taylor drops the pile of manuscripts on his desk. "I could not have stomached much more of that terrible dribble your classmates called writing."
"I know. Maybe I should start offering my services as a tutor to some of the class," Taylor wonders aloud. She looks up at the clock. "Wow, I finished just in time. Lunch is almost over. See you later, Henri-Michel!"
"Au revoir, my dear."
Taylor walks out of the classroom and turns to see her boyfriend leaning against the lockers. "So this is where you've been all lunch while I was waiting for you in the library?"
"Henri-Michel asked me to help him grade some papers for him over lunch. We started talking about his chateau in France and we just kind of lost track of time. I'm sorry I missed lunch," she says as she tries to hug Ryan, only to have him back up.
"I can't keep doing this, Taylor. Am I going to keep having to worry about plans with you being canceled because of your French teacher calling you up and needing something? What's going on with you two?"
Taylor glares at him. "What do you mean by that?"
"You're spending too much time with him, Taylor. I can't handle this anymore. I know I said I'd try and be okay with this but I can't do it anymore. It's either me or him."
Taylor's jaw drops. "That's not fair, Ryan! You can't make me choose between you and my chance to learn more about what I love."
"You know I'm not comfortable with you around him all the time. He's in love with you!"
"That's not true. Don't do this, please," she asks, tears in her eyes.
"Bye, Taylor."
A/N 2: Man, I've missed this story. I've been wanting to get back into writing this thing for awhile, but it just seemed like I couldn't get it down on paper. Hopefully I've gotten through what I need to to start writing again. I've missed this : D Anyway, random fact of the chapter. Hmmmm. Unpaid sabbaticals, or career breaks, are becoming quite popular in the United Kingdom. Over 20% of business in the UK offer this one year break, with another 10% considering introducing one. Hopefully my sabbatical is through lol. Oh and the translation for Henri-Michel's greeting to Taylor is "It is quite alright, my beautiful French rose." At least, it is according to Babelfish. Good to be back! I've missed you all! Please, please, please read and review!
AZ