A/N I haven't been getting many reviews so please read and review, just press that little button and tell me what you think! Thanks
Marissa re-applied her lip gloss for what felt like the thousandth, she tilted her head slightly allowing her lips to shimmer in the light and smile in satisfaction, smacking her lips together and checking for invisible bumps in her straight shining hair. She let out a sigh and sank down onto her dressing table stool and picked at her nails uninterestedly. She looked at her watch again 7:30, Ryan had rang her earlier saying to be ready in the apartment by half seven to go out to a restaurant. He hadn't said which one but only to be ready. She sighed audibly and checked her appearance for the fiftieth time and glanced at her watch again now reading 7:30 and 5 seconds. Why was he being so mysterious about all this? What was he up to? Deep down she hoped it was something special…The question but the more she thought about it the less she expected it. Ryan wouldn't be ready, he was starting his internship soon and she would be going out looking for modelling jobs and he had never really mentioned the subject. But it would be fantastic if he did ask, of course she would say yes. She loved him so much and getting married to him would be like a dream come true…she could have the perfect dress, tulips for the flowers, Summer as her maid of honour and her dad could walk her down the aisle and they would get married in one of those small beautiful churches by the sea…She was pulled from her reverie by the sound of the front door opening. She hastily tottered to her feet and walked towards the doorway. She ruffled her hair sexily and leant her thin frame against the doorway as Ryan stepped through the door. He was wearing a black suit and an open collar white shirt revealing some of his muscular, tanned chest. He grinned at her his blue eyes sparkling and he knees threatened to buckle. She returned the smile and walked slowly towards him, her heels clicking against the wooden floor. He pulled a large bouquet of tulips from behind his back and held them out to her still smiling. Marissa let out a small gasp and clasped a hand to her mouth taking the bunch of scarlet tulips from his hands. She leant in and kissed him still grinning.
"Oh Ryan! They're beautiful! Thank you!" She gushed gazing at the flowers and smiling. She drew her gaze away from them and kissed him again on the lips passionately. They broke away eventually and Ryan grinned, blushing slightly
"No problem…" He said breathlessly
"We better go or we'll be late for our reservation."
Marissa stepped out the car and looked around her, her mouth dropped open as she surveyed the building before her in awe. Her expression changed to grin and she spun around to face Ryan who was smiling slightly his deep blue eyes reflecting the bright lights that danced around them.
"Oh my god Ry…The Ritz!" She gasped looking around her and smiling, clutching Ryan's hand tightly. He grinned and squeezed her hand gently
"Yeah well…I thought we hadn't been out in a while and we might as well go somewhere nice." He said as they walked towards the suited man standing at the entrance in front of a stand and a reservation book. He looked up at Ryan and Marissa who stood in front of them and smiled politely
"Name and time of reservation?" He asked.
"Atwood, 7:40."
The man nodded them in smiling
"Table 4 sir, good evening ma'am." He said politely waving them in. They stepped through the large doors and Marissa looked around in awe her eyes wide. She squeezed Ryan's hand and looked into his eyes.
"It's beautiful, thanks Ryan." She whispered kissing him softly.
Jimmy glanced at his watch and grinned at Julie who was sitting next to him and scowling heavily.
"He might be asking her right now." He said excitedly. He was glad it was Ryan proposing to his daughter, he was a good kid with a brain and he really loved Marissa. He glanced across at his wife who was still glaring at the TV.
"If she has any sense she'll say no and be done with the boy." She mumbled taking a sip of her wine and continuing her staring contest with the TV. Jimmy's mouth dropped open and he turned to face his wife
"How can you say that? You can see how happy Ryan makes her, she's stopped drinking and she's doing well for herself. She loves him and he loves her, end of story. Personally I'm glad it's him asking her."
Julie shook her head and took another sip of wine. She wasn't going to let her daughter marry Ryan Atwood.
"She may well be happy but she wont get anywhere being with him, he's not going to make anything of himself and he has no money. They're living in numbered streets Jimmy! He's just going to pull her down, she's too good for him." She snapped drawing her gaze back to the programme she wasn't even watching. Jimmy spoke to her slowly and quietly obvious threat in his voice.
"Don't you dare ruin this for her Julie, she is finally happy and if you screw this up I will never let you forget it."
Marissa set down her knife and fork with a sigh and smiled across at Ryan who was still eating his meal. She grinned as she noticed the sauce that was on his chin. He looked at her and smiled back his eyes sparkling.
"What is it?" He asked through a mouthful. She leant forward and he could smell her sweet perfume.
"You've got a little…here let me…" She said reaching across the table and wiping the sauce of his chin gently with her finger. She licked it off the end of her index finger and smiled flirtatiously
"Thanks." Ryan said smiling and reaching into his pocket with his free hand checking for the hundredth time that the ring was still there almost expecting to find that it had disappeared.
"Marissa I…the reason for…all of this is, I just want you to know that…" He started his hands shaking and his heart pounding in his ears, blocking out the slow music that was playing in the background. Marissa stared at him her heart hammering when she noticed someone from the corner of her eye.
"Oh my god!" She whispered looking past Ryan. He looked at her before turning round following her gaze, he groaned…
"Ryan! Marissa!"
Too late, Ryan though to himself…he's seen us. Marissa smiled and slipped out of her chair gracefully and crossed the room meeting the person half way and pulling him into a hug and kissing both cheeks.
"Luke! How are you?" She asked smiling. Ryan got to his feet slowly his hands had stopped shaking and he let go of the ring he had been clutching through his pocket. He had no chance now…
"I'm great thanks! How are you two? Still going strong I see…" He said looking between the pair and shaking Ryan's hand. Ryan forced his face into what he hoped would pass as a smile but was sure had come out as more of a grimace.
"Yeah, how've you been man?" He asked politely willing Luke to excuse himself or for him to have to go somewhere…
"Great, hey why don't you come join me at my table? We can catch up?" He asked eagerly. Ryan groaned inwardly as Marissa turned to him and grinned, he forced another painful smile
"Shall we?" She asked hopefully, Ryan watched his plans go sailing out the window and nodded weakly and Marissa took him by the hand and led him over to the table excitedly.
Summer tapped her hands steadily against the side of the fridge as she scanned the contents looking for something to eat. She sighed and closed the door.
"Cohen! I'm not letting you do the food shopping anymore the only food in there is cream cheese and pudding!" She moaned crossing over to the couch where Seth was laying and staring gormlessly at the TV
"You gotta love that pudding and don't insult my cream cheese."
She collapsed down next to him and leant her head on his chest tapping her fingers restlessly on the arm of the sofa restlessly
" I wonder if he's asked her yet?" She said aloud. Seth sighed
"Probably, and they're most likely to be having wild romantic sex right now." He said. Summer hit him with a cushion
"Ew, mental picture!"
Their conversation was interrupted by the apartment door opening and Ryan and Marissa stepped through the door. Summer and Seth leapt to their feet and rushed over to Marissa who was smiling slightly
"Oh my god Coop! Let me see your hand!" She shrieked grabbing her best friend's hands not noticing Ryan's hand signalling her to shut up. Marissa looked at her bewilderedly and Seth nudged Summer in the ribs and Summer looked up and noticing Ryan's expression dropped her friend's hand immediately. Marissa raised an eyebrow still staring at Summer who smiled weakly.
"Um…I wanted to see if you were keeping them moisturised, hands age quicker if you don't look after them coop! You remember that!" She said hurriedly patting Marissa's hand gently as Seth rolled his eyes despairingly whilst Ryan stared down at the floor his hands in his pockets. He caught Seth's gaze.
"So…what happened man?" Seth asked meaningfully looking at his brother. Ryan sighed and Summer drew her gaze to him wanting to know why Marissa had no idea why Summer wanted to look at her hand. Before Ryan could answer Marissa opened her mouth
"You will never guess who we ran into!" Marissa said sitting down on the couch with a sigh.
"Luke." Ryan said bitterly and Seth winced and Summer's mouth fell open.
"Ouch man." Seth mumbled not loud enough for the girls to hear who were now talking to eachother about gossip, Summer managed to shoot Ryan a commiserating look before turning her attention back to Marissa. Ryan sighed
"Tell me about it." He murmured
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Next Time: Ryan decides to give things another go but what will Marissa say? Julie has a plan...