WHAT TO DO?

Ryan was back in at the apartment watching TV. He was in the living room waiting for Marissa to come home from her last class of the day. He was playing scenarios in his head of how to tell her about Victoria and how he should ask her what he should do. He just started this internship. Everything had being going great! His boss and his boss' boss already loved him. But then there was Victoria. And he thought he left 'drama' in high school. He sighed in frustration and turned off the TV to go out on the balcony to breathe some fresh air – see if that'll help the upcoming headache.

Suddenly his phone rang in his pocket. Seth. He first contemplated whether he should answer it. He didn't know if he was in the mood for Seth's sarcasm... After a few seconds of ringing, Ryan finally flipped it open. "Hey Seth, what's up?"

"Not much, it's late here, Summer's already fast asleep but I'm wide awake."

"You can't sleep? Is everything alright over there?"

"Oh yeah, no, everything's fine, don't worry. I just can't sleep. Just one of those nights, you know? Anyways, tell me, how's it all going over there? Maybe you'll bore me to sleep."

"Glad to know I can be of assistance..."

Seth laughed, "No I'm serious, what's new?"

"Umm... nothing."

"Really? How's you and Marissa?"

"We're good..."

"And school?"

"Also good..."

"And the job?"

"Great!" He said excitedly, but it was obviously fake. Damn, way to play it smooth, Ryan thought.

"'Great'?" Seth imitated Ryan and chuckled. "Ryan? You know you suck at lying..."

Ryan shook his head. "Okay fine... Victoria."

"What about – OH MY GOD. Did you two..?"

"What? NO! It's just... you were right. Things went downhill..."

"Well what exactly happened?"

"Nothing happened. But I'm scared something will... Victoria is my boss' boss' daughter. So what she says, I kind of have to do if I want to keep this job and look good. Well I don't have to do but...that's how she plays..."

Seth maniacally laughed, "DAANNGG Ryan my brother, you are in a pickle here!"

"Seth, no time for jokes! She's super forward and already has told me she wants to hook up. I told her I have a girlfriend but she doesn't care."

"Oh snap. I have no advice here. But dude, you just can't seem to escape drama?!"

"I'm very close to hanging up." Ryan sternly said.

"Okay, okay... I'll stop. Did you tell Marissa?"

"I will once she gets home... I don't know how to start the conversation though, bring it up. UGH! Just thinking about Victoria and all her comments... just frustrates me!"

"Oooh, what'd she say?"

"Does it really matter?!"

"Well, lucky for you, it's Marissa. She won't freak at you or anything. Just be normal..."

"How can I be normal though?"

Just at that moment Marissa walked into the apartment. She saw the balcony door open and made her way.

"I don't know, Seth!" She heard Ryan say. "God, I really don't like her. Can't she just go bother someone else? I'd move across the country if I could."

Marissa felt a pang in her heart. Was he talking about me? And here I thought things were going so well... she thought to herself.

Ryan noticed a shadow and saw Marissa behind him. "Seth, I gotta go, I'll talk to you later." He quickly hung up the phone and stuffed it back into his pockets, "Hey, I didn't hear you come in." He walked over to give her a kiss on the lips but she dodged it so he only got her cheek. "Is everything alright?" He noticed a frown on her face.

"What were you talking about with Seth?"

"Hmm? We were talking about my work... Marissa, I have to tell you something. Come here." He took her hand, led her back inside, and sat on the couch.

Before he spoke, Marissa cut him off, "So what did I do this time?" She asked annoyed.

"What? You did nothing..." Ryan said confused. He clicked in and laughed. "I wasn't talking about you when I was telling Seth about moving away. That's actually what I wanted to tell you. Or more like, who. There's this girl at work, Victoria. Another intern... or actually I don't know what she is. But I do know I'll be working with her a lot and... she's just... a problem."

"Why what happened?" she asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, nothing happened." Ryan reassured her. He rubbed the side of her arm in comfort. She smiled at his touch. "I made sure of it and will make sure it stays that way. I told her I had a girlfriend."

"Good!"

"But there's more to it... She, uh, is very forward. She already told me she has her eyes for me and the 'girlfriend' thing doesn't even bother her. I'm not going to do anything. You know I love you. But she's Lily's boss' daughter. So... I don't know how to confront Lily or do I or... I just don't know what to do in general..." Ryan sighed and hung his head.

"Wow," was all Marissa could say. She saw the confused, tired look on Ryan's face. She cupped his face and tilted it back up so they'd be eye-to-eye. "I'm sorry, I don't really know what you should do either. But I know no matter what, you'll do the right thing." She leaned in to kiss him and soon after he deepened the kiss. She leaned back, laying down on the couch as Ryan climbed on top of her.

"Mmm, besides, there's no one else I'd rather make out with..." Ryan joked.

"Glad to hear it." She giggled as they continued their make out session.

/

After what seemed like forever, Marissa's phone rang, interrupting them.

Ryan pulled back and looked at her phone on the center table, "Ugh do you have to?" he complained.

"Let me just see who it is..." She reached over and looked at the caller ID as Ryan began sucking her neck. "It's Alan." Ryan stopped and looked at her with a serious face. Marissa laughed at his reaction, "He just transferred this year and is in one of my classes, don't worry, he's not like a Victoria."

"I wasn't worried. Just curious..." The ringing continued. "Don't get that. Let it go to voicemail." Ryan said as he went back to the spot on her neck he'd been sucking.

"Ugh, I can't, I told him if he needs anything to give me a call. He's new and probably so lost..."

"Mmm..." Ryan ignored her as he concentrated on the spot on her neck. "I'm sure... He'll... survive."

Marissa laughed and pushed Ryan to the side as she sat up and answered her phone, "Hey Alan!"

Ryan leaned back, giving up. He looked at Marissa who's back was to him, busy talking on the phone with this Alan. He thought of playing with her so he moved her hair aside and started kissing her neck. At first, Marissa jumped but then laughed at what Ryan was doing. She knew exactly what he was doing.

"Umm.. Yeah... Wait... Pardon me?" She was having trouble concentrating on her cell phone conversation. Ryan began moving his hands from her arms down to her waist, raising her shirt up a little bit so he can feel her bare stomach. "Well... What are you craving." Marissa was playing hard to get, ignoring all of Ryan's motives. But he persevered. He moved his hands up and under her shirt and cupped her bra. "UM WAIT, SORRY. ALAN... can I call you back? Sorry. Just... go to Jack's. It's cheap and by Berkely." Marissa hung up the phone quickly and turned around to Ryan. "RYAN!"

"What? I've missed you all day. I'm not in the mood to sharing you tonight with Alan."

"He just wanted to know what's a good place to eat!"

"Good, you told him about Jack's... Now, you're all mine." He continued kissing her neck and playing with her shirt.

Marissa smiled and gave up. She couldn't resist him any longer.

/

The following day, Ryan went to his classes and after, it was back at the firm. He didn't know what he'd do just yet, but after the night he had just shared with Marissa, it was clear to him that him and Victoria aren't going anywhere.

Ryan walked into the building feeling confident. He greeted almost everyone who walked by him as he made his way to the elevator. He went all the way up to Lily's floor and straight to her office.

"Good afternoon," Ryan said as he knocked on the door and opened it.

Lily was busy away typing something on her computer as she turned her attention to Ryan at the door. "Ryan! Hello to you too! Please come in." Ryan shut the door behind him and made his way to her desk. "Today the floor prints of the model home came in. I want you to check it out for me. I already did but I need a potentially great architect like you to check it out for me!" Lily smiled.

"I'd be happy to!" Ryan replied excitedly.

"Great, they're over there." She pointed out to the corner desk. "You can go use the spare office on floor 2 and get back to me when you're finished!"

"Sounds good!" Ryan made his way to collect the floor prints and down to the office.

After a few minutes of going over the prints, a knock came on Ryan's door.

"Hey stranger," a familiar voice said.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Ryan looked at Marissa with a shocked face.

"They said at the front desk that I could find you here! I was just dropping you off some late lunch – burgers and chilli fries?" She held up a bag.

"You're the best." He grinned from ear to ear. Marissa went over and dropped the bag off on the desk, then went to sit on Ryan's lap.

"So this is your office?"

"Nah, it's just an empty one so they lent it to me for the day as I go over some of these stuff."

"And what are you exactly 'going over'?"

"Floor prints... for the model home."

"Fancy. Look you at, Mr. Only-Has-Been-A-Few-Days-Big-Shot."

"I wouldn't make fun of him. I mean, you're dating him."

"Yeah I guess you're right." She leant down for a kiss and before it went any further, someone at the door cleared their throat. The two immediately broke apart.

"Didn't know there were more interns." Victoria spoke. Marissa, embarrassed, immediately stood up from Ryan's lap, Ryan following her and stood up as well.

"Umm, Marissa, this is Victoria... Victoria this is my girlfriend, Marissa."

"I'm Marissa, nice to meet you..." She said nervously, as she held out her hand.

"Girlfriend? You never mentioned to me you had one..." Victoria mischievously said. She took her hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you too. Anyways, I need to talk to Ryan and Lily needs those floor prints as soon as possible so if you would just show yourself out..."

Marissa glared at Victoria who had on a devilish look. "It's okay, I was just dropping off lunch for Ryan..." She grabbed her bag on the desk and before she made her way out, she gave Ryan a long goodbye kiss. "I'll see you at home, babe."

Before closing the door, Marissa looked at Ryan and he gave her a smile back. He knew exactly what she just did and why she did it, and he was glad.

"I don't know if visitors are what you really need, Ryan." Victoria said, snapping him out of his thoughts. "If you really want a job out of this in the end, you'll have to show commitment and that definitely isn't it."

"Oh c'mon, Victoria. Marissa was just dropping off lunch for me."

"Yeah whatever, don't let me see it again. Daddy doesn't like workers who slack."

"I'm not slacking, I'm almost done." Ryan was getting impatient.

"Watch it, man. Are you forgetting who I am?" Victoria said with a evil, seductive smile.

"I want to..." he mumbled.

She reached up and stroked his hair. Ryan flinched at her touch and she just laughed.

"Look, Victoria. I don't want to play games or anything. I'm with Marissa."

She just shrugged off what he said like it was nothing and showed herself out; but turned back one last time before shutting the door behind her. "We'll see."