Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

KC-Chick: really glad you liked my little RM moment! yeah, there won't be much 'action' in this story but if you read Marissa Choice you'll be able to see where this one finishes and that begins, if that makes any sense!

EVCGLSB: Yay! you reviewed, i thought maybe you hated it or something! glad you liked it and I hope you had a nice vacation!

xGoingUnderx: aw thanks, yeah I had to use your idea, it was so fab! Don't worry, this chapter is one big RM scene! hope you enjoy it!

smartiepantz: glad the party scene was all good! Yeah, the Summer thing, I totally know what you mean so I was thinking maybe a little Ryan/Summer scene when she tells him that actually he's not all bad, and that she just didn't like him cos hebroke up with Marissawhat d'ya think?

I-Believe-In-The-Butterflies: lol, know what you mean about the great minds thing! this chapter is finally the PS2 thing! I hope you enjoy it!

IluvDanBen33: know what you mean, it's killing me not to write them together!

Just a little note before I get on with the story, I'm really, really worried about how you guys are gonna react to it esp the end, I really hope you like it though! (Also, i've never ever played PS2 in my life -maybe Ryan could give me a lesson- so please don't ask what game they're playing! I made it up! lol, you can probably tell!) Enjoy (hopefully!)

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By 3pm the next afternoon Ryan was driving himself crazy. He had been deliberating all morning whether to ring Marissa and invite her over. Part of him wanted to drag her into the poolhouse throw her down on the bed and, well, y'know. But the other, larger part of him, was really liking being 'friends' with Marissa. He couldn't quite decide whether inviting her over would cross the 'friends' line. Oh what the hell, he decided after torturing himself for nearly the whole day. He picked up the phone and called her cell. It rang. And rang. He sighed and was just about to give up and put the phone down when she answered.

"Hello?" She answered breathlessly.

"Hey." Ryan said. There was a pause. "It's me."

"Yeah, I know," Marissa giggled, "I do have caller ID y'know."

"Um, yeah, course, listen..." Ryan said desperately trying to string more than two words together. "I was wondering, I mean, I don't know, you might be busy, but, I thought maybe we could-"

"Hang out?" Marissa finished for him.

"Yeah." Ryan breathed relieved that she had understood what he was trying to say. "If you want to."

"I'll be right over." She smiled into the phone, bless him.

"Cool, see you soon." He said putting the phone down. That didn't go to badly, he told himself when he'd hung up. Yeah right. He was going to have to learn to relax if this 'friends' thing was going to continue.

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"Hi!" Marissa said cheerily as she bounced into the poolhouse twenty minutes later. "You ok?"

"Yeah, you?" Ryan said immediately relaxing, all traces of awkwardness leaving him at once, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

"Fine thanks, now..." She kicked off her shoes and flopped down on his bed. "What d'you wanna do."

"Um, I dunno really, you choose."

"Ok, well..." She looked round the poolhouse for inspiration, she soon found it. "Don't laugh, but you know what I've never done?" Ryan shook his head, confused. "Play PS2. And I've always wanted to."

"You wanna lesson?" Ryan asked going over and switching it on. She nodded eagerly. "Ok, Catch!" He said throwing a set of controls at her.

"Ok, so now what?" She asked looking down at the controls as if they'd just landed on earth from Mars.

"Well, you're holding them upside down for a start." Ryan laughed.

"Oh, oops." She blushed turning them the right way round.

"Right then." Ryan said sitting back down next to her. "Now," he reached across and moved her fingers onto the buttons "This one? Jump."

"Jump." Marissa repeated nodding her head.

"This one?" He moved her hand again "Sword."

"Sword. Right."

"This one makes you throw weird things that hurt your opponent."

"Weird things that hurt, gotcha. And this one?" She asked pointing to the square button.

"Don't have a clue. Never used it."

"K," she giggled. "Right! Let's go!" she said excitedly. Ryan laughed again

"What?" She asked defiantly.

"You." He said smiling at her "I can't believe you're getting this excited about PS2."

"Well, it's very exciting." she said mock sulkily. "Now, lets get going so I can kick your ass!"

"You wish."

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"Ok, so maybe I'll have to beat you next time." Marissa sighed two hours later as she threw down her controls admitting defeat. "I'm so crap at this."

"No, you're not, you're really good for a beginner." Ryan encouraged.

"Thanks."

Ryan studied her for a moment, they were getting on brilliantly, now would be the perfect time to make a move, so why wasn't he? Maybe it was just that; they were getting on so well. They'd never really just 'hung out' when they were dating, there had always been some sort of drama preventing them from doing so.

"What?" She asked, noticing that he'd spaced out.

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking." He said shaking his head slightly as if to bring himself out of it. She looked at him expectantly - he was obviously supposed to elaborate. "We never really hung out when we were dating did we?"

Marissa thought for a second "No, you're right," she agreed. "We didn't. But it's fun, maybe we should have broken up ages ago." She teased. Ryan looked at her, hurt. "I mean, Oh God, worse joke ever, sorry." She rambled trying to backtrack.

"It's ok."

"No, oh God, honestly, I didn't mean it, I mean it was my fault -"

"No, Marissa listen," he said grabbing her arm and forcing her to look him in the eye. "I broke with you remember? I wouldn't have done it if I didn't want to." Now it was Marissa's turn to look hurt.

"Well, that told me." She said trying to lighten the mood again.

"Sorry." He mumbled, he definitely wouldn't be making a move now. Marissa suddenly burst out laughing.

"Oh my God, we're so stupid. Let's just forget it, we went out, we broke up, we're friends, right?" He nodded, relieved that she hadn't been totally offended by his comments.

"You wanna play again?" He asked cautiously, glancing sideways at her.

"I think that could be arranged, as long as you go easy on me this time."

"I'll try." He said smiling "But you know, I can be very competitive."

"So can I." She winked.

"So it's war?" He challenged.

"It's war." She giggled andsmiled to herselfas Ryan started up the game. Suddenly she knew, everything was going to be ok.