"How'd it go?"
"Good. But the whole 'I believe in you' thing? You know she gets paid for every word of encouragement she says."
Ryan managed a smile, for Marissa's sake.
"So, why'd you come pick me up? I mean, Summer said to call her when I got out."
"Had to get out of the house."
Then there was silence. That uncomfortable, torturous, I-didn't-say-I-love- you-and-now-I-feel-like-a-jackass kind of silence Ryan had so hoped wouldn't appear. But here it was, rearing its ugly head and ruining any chances of him apologizing.
"Marissa-" How did you say sorry for not telling your girlfriend you love her?
"What?"
"I-" Wait, what was going on? He felt the words on his tongue, but they refused to exit his mouth. "I lo-"
"What Ryan?"
Oh great, she was getting agitated.
"I lo-" He sighed, big. "Forget it."
She snatched up her purse and shook her head. "Can you just let me out here? I wanna look for something at this shop up here."
"What about-"
"I'll call Summer."
He wasn't about to fight her on this. She was upset and he knew it. "Ok." He pulled up to the small boutiques parking lot and Marissa started to get out. "Hey, will I see you tonight?"
"I'm going to Oliver's. He's having a party. You wanna come?"
"Uh, sure. Why not?"
"Ok. See you tonight."
And then she was gone. 'Great, a party with Oliver. Can't wait to see how this goes.'
"Good. But the whole 'I believe in you' thing? You know she gets paid for every word of encouragement she says."
Ryan managed a smile, for Marissa's sake.
"So, why'd you come pick me up? I mean, Summer said to call her when I got out."
"Had to get out of the house."
Then there was silence. That uncomfortable, torturous, I-didn't-say-I-love- you-and-now-I-feel-like-a-jackass kind of silence Ryan had so hoped wouldn't appear. But here it was, rearing its ugly head and ruining any chances of him apologizing.
"Marissa-" How did you say sorry for not telling your girlfriend you love her?
"What?"
"I-" Wait, what was going on? He felt the words on his tongue, but they refused to exit his mouth. "I lo-"
"What Ryan?"
Oh great, she was getting agitated.
"I lo-" He sighed, big. "Forget it."
She snatched up her purse and shook her head. "Can you just let me out here? I wanna look for something at this shop up here."
"What about-"
"I'll call Summer."
He wasn't about to fight her on this. She was upset and he knew it. "Ok." He pulled up to the small boutiques parking lot and Marissa started to get out. "Hey, will I see you tonight?"
"I'm going to Oliver's. He's having a party. You wanna come?"
"Uh, sure. Why not?"
"Ok. See you tonight."
And then she was gone. 'Great, a party with Oliver. Can't wait to see how this goes.'
