A/N: I'm really stuck with this story! Input and suggestions would be
cherished!
Chapter 8
The telephone was ringing when Anna entered her bedroom.
"Hello?" She answered.
"Where have you been? You left here hours ago!"
"Hello Ryan," Anna smiled. "I had a lovely afternoon. And you?"
"I was worried about you," Ryan wasn't amused.
"You don't need to be. It's not like I'm going to disappear into the night."
"Again, you mean. Because if memory serves you pulled that little stunt just last night," Ryan was getting angry.
"You never said anything. You put your arm around Theresa and thanked me for teaching you to waltz!" Anna protested.
"And then you told me to have a nice life!" Ryan was practically screaming into the phone. He had never fought with Marissa like this. He'd never actually fought with Marissa, they would disagree and he would back down. He had been afraid of hurting Marissa. He didn't have to be afraid with Anna. "I care about you Anna."
If she was surprised by the non-sequitar, Anna covered it well.
"I care about you too." There was a long stretch of what Anna was coming to think of as 'Ryan-silence.' "Talk to me," Anna requested. "Tell me what you 're thinking." "I'm worried about school tomorrow," Ryan blurted. "Okay. That will be interesting." Anna agreed. "Are you worried about anything specific?" "Marissa," It sounded like it was taking a lot of effort for Ryan to say the name, "and Luke, and everybody else." "Yeah," Anna sighed. "Well at least we have each other, and I'm pretty sure Seth and Summer have our backs." "Summer?" Ryan asked doubtfully, "Summer, Marissa's best friend, Summer?" "The one and only," Anna confirmed. "That's where I was all afternoon, talking to Summer." "About us?" Ryan assumed. "The soon-to-be most-talked-about couple at Harbor High," Anna sighed. "Maybe we should both move to Pittsburgh," Ryan suggested. "Maybe," Anna agreed. "Or we could just lock ourselves in the pool house forever." "I like that idea better," Ryan sighed. "I miss you." "I miss you too." "By miss, I meant want. I want you Anna," Ryan stated. "I knew what you meant Ryan," Anna said gently. "I want you too." "Come over," Ryan suggested. "I can't believe I'm about to say this, but, it's a school night." "So? Anna, are you seriously turning down sex because it's a school night?" Ryan was incredulous. "Do you have any idea how stupid that sounds?" "Yes," Anna groaned. "Believe me, I'm regretting it already." "Ann," the term of endearment was a surprise to both of them, "it's six- thirty. You could be here by seven and home by ten."
"Ah, but you see, there's the problem," Anna explained. "I don't want to be home by ten. I don't want to come home. I want to fall asleep next to you, and wake up next to you. My parents might pretend not to notice when I come home Saturday mornings instead of Friday nights, but I doubt they'll be so accommodating during the week. Especially tomorrow, since they're taking me to school tomorrow so that they can talk to Dr. Kim." "I want that too Anna," Ryan admitted affectionately. "What?" Anna was confused. "To wake up with you in my arms," Ryan explained. "All warm and soft and-" "Ryan? Did you tune-out the rest of what I said to you?" Anna asked in exasperation. "No. Um, yes. But I got that you aren't coming here, and I can't come to you," Ryan sighed. "So basically, no sex tonight." "That's about it," Anna confirmed. "Well then. I think I'm going to take a long shower and go to bed. Alone. My big, cold bed," Ryan pouted. "Stop. You sound like Seth, which isn't exactly a turn-on," Anna warned. "Sorry. I just miss you," Ryan paused. "In all possible senses of the word." "Goodnight Ryan. Have the best dreams," Anna instructed. "Sweet dreams, Anna."
Chapter 8
The telephone was ringing when Anna entered her bedroom.
"Hello?" She answered.
"Where have you been? You left here hours ago!"
"Hello Ryan," Anna smiled. "I had a lovely afternoon. And you?"
"I was worried about you," Ryan wasn't amused.
"You don't need to be. It's not like I'm going to disappear into the night."
"Again, you mean. Because if memory serves you pulled that little stunt just last night," Ryan was getting angry.
"You never said anything. You put your arm around Theresa and thanked me for teaching you to waltz!" Anna protested.
"And then you told me to have a nice life!" Ryan was practically screaming into the phone. He had never fought with Marissa like this. He'd never actually fought with Marissa, they would disagree and he would back down. He had been afraid of hurting Marissa. He didn't have to be afraid with Anna. "I care about you Anna."
If she was surprised by the non-sequitar, Anna covered it well.
"I care about you too." There was a long stretch of what Anna was coming to think of as 'Ryan-silence.' "Talk to me," Anna requested. "Tell me what you 're thinking." "I'm worried about school tomorrow," Ryan blurted. "Okay. That will be interesting." Anna agreed. "Are you worried about anything specific?" "Marissa," It sounded like it was taking a lot of effort for Ryan to say the name, "and Luke, and everybody else." "Yeah," Anna sighed. "Well at least we have each other, and I'm pretty sure Seth and Summer have our backs." "Summer?" Ryan asked doubtfully, "Summer, Marissa's best friend, Summer?" "The one and only," Anna confirmed. "That's where I was all afternoon, talking to Summer." "About us?" Ryan assumed. "The soon-to-be most-talked-about couple at Harbor High," Anna sighed. "Maybe we should both move to Pittsburgh," Ryan suggested. "Maybe," Anna agreed. "Or we could just lock ourselves in the pool house forever." "I like that idea better," Ryan sighed. "I miss you." "I miss you too." "By miss, I meant want. I want you Anna," Ryan stated. "I knew what you meant Ryan," Anna said gently. "I want you too." "Come over," Ryan suggested. "I can't believe I'm about to say this, but, it's a school night." "So? Anna, are you seriously turning down sex because it's a school night?" Ryan was incredulous. "Do you have any idea how stupid that sounds?" "Yes," Anna groaned. "Believe me, I'm regretting it already." "Ann," the term of endearment was a surprise to both of them, "it's six- thirty. You could be here by seven and home by ten."
"Ah, but you see, there's the problem," Anna explained. "I don't want to be home by ten. I don't want to come home. I want to fall asleep next to you, and wake up next to you. My parents might pretend not to notice when I come home Saturday mornings instead of Friday nights, but I doubt they'll be so accommodating during the week. Especially tomorrow, since they're taking me to school tomorrow so that they can talk to Dr. Kim." "I want that too Anna," Ryan admitted affectionately. "What?" Anna was confused. "To wake up with you in my arms," Ryan explained. "All warm and soft and-" "Ryan? Did you tune-out the rest of what I said to you?" Anna asked in exasperation. "No. Um, yes. But I got that you aren't coming here, and I can't come to you," Ryan sighed. "So basically, no sex tonight." "That's about it," Anna confirmed. "Well then. I think I'm going to take a long shower and go to bed. Alone. My big, cold bed," Ryan pouted. "Stop. You sound like Seth, which isn't exactly a turn-on," Anna warned. "Sorry. I just miss you," Ryan paused. "In all possible senses of the word." "Goodnight Ryan. Have the best dreams," Anna instructed. "Sweet dreams, Anna."