The ride to the mall was the typical beginning. Marissa fought for the radio and Ryan teased that she liked the same music as Seth, and when Ryan sang along to Journey, Marissa couldn't stop herself from laughing so hard she was afraid she would explode. Then there were the comfortable silences, and the two times they caught themselves looking at each other. When they got to the mall Ryan couldn't help but groan, he didn't feel like looking for parking so he just drove right up to the valet.

"Ooh! Valet parking? Did Karen give you a raise? My birthday is in a month and I am going to be expecting something with at least 3 digits on its price tag" she joked.

Ryan and Marissa were working as interns in the same Home Design Firm while they finished their studies at Berkeley. Marissa was studying interior design and Ryan was studying architecture. They always talked of moving back to Newport when they were done with college and opening their own firm. Marissa always had that dream in the back of her head, Ryan was more doubtful of it and wondered if they'd still be talking come graduation time and even though it was only 6 months away, Ryan was dubious if they would make it.

"No raise" he said with a smile as he handed the keys to the valet. There they were, standing in front of the mall, together. He wondered if he should grab her hand, he loved the way her small smooth hand felt in his large rough on. Unable to contemplate further on the topic, she grabbed his hand and looked over at him with a smile.

"Ryan, one of these days you should make the first move".

He laughed and they walked into the mall discussing petty things that didn't even really matter, just the comfort of each others presences was enough. Marissa ushered him in and out of stores and mocked him when he said nothing was his style. It was in Bath and Body Works that Marissa put down they Magical Mango spray she was spraying Ryan with and looked over at him with a rather distraught face.

"I want a pretzel"

"You're kidding right?"

"Nope, right now, Ryan, massive pretzel craving!"

They walked over near the food court and satisfied Marissa's sudden pretzel craving but not without Ryan taunting her all the way. She warned him on multiple occasions that she would pay him back and taunt him like he had never been taunted before. They walked back towards the stores when all of a sudden Marissa yelped.

"Oh my god! It's Abercrombie! Lets go in!"

She pulled Ryan into the store and he felt quite uncomfortable in there. It was a Newpsie-in-training store. Ryan became utterly confused when she turned towards the men's side, and then it hit him, this was payback.

"Marissa this stuff is really not me" he complained.

"I don't care, its gonna be hilarious"

"If I didn't know any better I'd think that you were trying to pass me off for a certain water polo playing ex-boyfriend of yours that was an aficionado to this store"

"Haha, what size pants are you?" Not even bothering to wait for a reply she spun him around so that her back faced her pulled the tags out of his pants and checked the size.

She began looking through the stacks of jeans. She chose pair that was ripped all over the legs. She also found a pair of khaki cargo styled pants and grabbed a pair of man flip flops off of the floor. She moved over to the shirts and grabbed some polos, among them was a pink one.

"Marissa, I don't wear pink"

"Mkay whatev!" she said, completely disinterested in him

When she was finally satisfied with her array of California- Prep clothing she had chosen for him, she dragged him into a dressing room and shut the door behind the two of them. He stood defiantly in a corner with his arms crossed over his chest. She walked on over to him, and pouted, trying to look as cute as possible, she even added in a soft whimper like sound for the full effect. She made a deal that he only had to try on one shirt and one pair of pants. He raised his arms in the air surrendering.

Without a word he turned toward the mirror so he could only see Marissa through her reflection. He went unbuttoning each button of his shirt and when he was done he folded it neatly on the bench. Marissa couldn't help but hold in a breath when she saw him shirtless. It had been a while since she had seen Ryan's tanned and built body. He reached over for the polos, he noticed that there was only one left where the stack of 6 had once been. Coincidentally enough the remaining polo was the pink one. He wondered if he should protest but Marissa's eyes were burning into his back and knowing that he was on her mind sent him over the moon. Reluctantly he pulled it over his head, it was pink, and Ryan was wearing it. Marissa couldn't help but smile. He looked over at the two pants. The cargo khaki's or the ripped jeans? The cargos reminded him of his second night in Newport, and the fight on the beach, the water polo players had been wearing them. He reached for the alternative.

"Marissa, you're gonna have to close your eyes" he said with his infamous half-smile.

She giggled closed them and he changed into the ripped jeans. He turned away from the mirror refusing to look at himself.

"Put on the flip flops"

"I must look gay"

"You haven't looked at yourself in the mirror?" Her eyes flew open. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"That bad?"

"Ryan, did you ever consider water polo?"

"Please stop" he looked ready to cry.

"No, Ryan you look good, I swear."

She hugged him, pulling him close to her, in that moment he forgot about what he was wearing, where he was, everything, he was immersed in Marissa. She kissed his neck once and giggled as she watched his skin become goose-pimply as she did so.

"Please turn around" she whispered into his ear. He closed his eyes as tight as they would go. Slowly she turned him around, wrapped her arms around his stomach. His eyes fluttered open. He didn't look as horrible as he expected, actually he looked semi-decent. Not very Ryan-ish, but it wasn't bad. And Marissa having Marissa's body accessorize the outfit wasn't that bad either.

"We are gonna buy it"

"I am not gonna wear it"

"I don't care"

And so she bought the outfit while he pouted and went back to doing what he did best, brood. She offered her card when it came time to pay, and he didn't even protest.

"Stop looking so sullen, You get to do the same thing at Victoria's Secret in a few minutes"

He couldn't help but smile.

REVIEW!