Here's the latest update. Thank you to everybody who reviewed. I was blown away by the response and I am so glad there are more Ryan/Taylor fans out there. I love the way she makes him seem so relaxed and happy. It feels like forever since he genuinely smiled. They are so cute together. So this is a Ryan/Taylor story everybody, my newest favorite couple.

Disclaimer: I do not own Instant Star but I wish I did.

Chapter 2

"Princess Sparkle is still mad at Captain Oats for making fun of her hairdo last night," Summer said smiling into the phone.

"Captain Oats wants to apologize but he feels he has to do it in person," Seth said.

"Princess Sparkle still doesn't think he'll mean it," Summer said picking up her brush to fix her hair.

"Why don't we meet at neutral territory and they can both talk it out amongst themselves?" Seth asked.

Summer wanted to laugh but she held it in. "I think that might work, why not lunch at the Diner on the pier?"

"Sounds great," Seth said making a mental note. "Captain Oats is looking forward to apologizing." There was silence and then Seth added, "And so am I because you looked beautiful last night."

"You said I looked like a peacock," Summer said rolling her eyes.

"A cute peacock," Seth said making Summer chuckle.

Summer opened her mouth but saw Taylor walk past her bedroom and hurried to the hallway. "Where are you off to so early?"

Taylor smiled as she turned around to face Summer. "I'm off to find a job."

"A job," Summer said confused. Taylor needed a job?

"Now that I am officially on my own I need to do something or I'll go crazy. Getting a job is another step towards complete independence," Taylor explained.

"What kind of a job?" Summer asked forgetting that Seth was still talking to her on her cell phone.

"Hopefully one that will challenge me." Taylor turned to go with a wave but Summer had an idea.

"Well, why don't you meet me and Cohen for lunch at the Diner on the pier after your job search?" Summer asked hopefully.

"Okay," Taylor said nodding.

"I never thought the day would come where my girlfriend would ignore me for Taylor Townsend," Seth was saying when Summer put her Cell back to her ear.

"Oh be quiet Cohen," Summer said making sure Taylor was walking out the front door before telling him the plan. "I need you to invite Ryan to lunch with us."

"Okay but didn't you just invite Taylor?" Seth asked confused.

"Yeah," Summer said.

"I thought Taylor wanted to back off and let Ryan get over Marissa," Seth said even more confused. "Isn't this sort of pushing them together?"

"Exactly," Summer said. "But I want the four of us to be able to hang out…it could sort of be like old times with just a quirkier fourth person."

"Taylor is more than quirky she's just plain weird," Seth said pretending to shudder.

"Whatever just ask Ryan to lunch," Summer said rolling her eyes. "I'm going to go though, I have to call my Dad and tell him the latest."

"Alright," Seth said still shaking his head as he hung up the phone. He couldn't believe Summer was trying to match make Ryan and Taylor. He still thought those two together was a little too weird but when his girlfriend made a request…err demand, he listened. When Summer was happy, Seth was happy.

"Ryan," Seth called after opening the door to the pool house.

"Gotta go," Ryan said grabbing his sweatshirt before he pushed past Seth and out of the pool house.

"Wait man," Seth said jogging to catch up. "I just want to know if you'll meet Summer and me for lunch."

"I'm working today," Ryan said heading toward the front door.

"Great bring me home some nachos but don't you get a lunch break," Seth said following him to his car.

"Fine yeah I'll go," Ryan said climbing into the driver's side.

"Great one at the Diner on the Pier," Seth said nodding as he backed away so Ryan could back out of the driveway. After he was gone, Seth took a deep breath and then headed back inside. He'd done his part, Summer would handle the rest.

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"Are you sure he said he'd come?" Summer asked looking out the window.

"He said and I quote 'yeah fine, I'll go' end of quote," Seth said for the fifth time.

"He's late," Summer said pursing her lips in annoyance.

"He'll get here when he gets here," Seth said opening his menu.

"I wanted him to be here first," Summer explained.

"Hey guys," Taylor said walking over to the table.

"Hey Taylor," Summer said seeing her plan already falling apart. "How goes the job hunt?"

"Not very well," Taylor said making a face. "Nobody is hiring right now or if they are, I definitely don't want the job."

"So Taylor is entering the work force," Seth said nodding his head. "Well I'd hire you at the Comic Book Shop but then I'd have to fire Roger or I and I can't do that."

"It's okay," Taylor said opening her menu.

"Hey sorry I'm late," Ryan said freezing when he noticed Taylor. He couldn't believe she was sitting there, well, looking at Seth's guilty face, he could believe it. After thinking about her for the last 48 hours, seeing her made a part of him want to smile and sit beside her but another part of him wanted to run.

"Ryan," Taylor said standing up. "I didn't know you'd be here," she added shooting a glare at Summer.

"That's funny, I didn't know you'd be here either," Ryan replied. After another uncomfortable silence went by he opened his mouth to make some dumb excuse but Taylor beat him to it.

"Oh crap," she said grabbing her purse. "I totally forgot I have an interview…at this cute little shop but it's on the other side of town so I have to go." She turned to go but Summer stopped her.

"I thought you said nobody was hiring," Summer said pointedly, she could see through her lie.

"I forgot about this place," Taylor said quickly. "Yeah it's new and I really hope they like me."

"Taylor I'll go," Ryan said realizing she was lying. "I should get back to work anyway."

"No Ryan," Taylor said shaking her head. "You stay, they're your best friends, and you belong here." With that said she turned and left without another look.

"Great job Atwood," Summer said taking her anger out on him even though she was mad at herself.

"What'd I do?" Ryan asked taking his seat.

"Nothing," Seth said before Summer could say anything. "It's mine and Summer's fault for not telling you that we invited you both."

"She didn't have to go," Ryan said softly.

"Yeah she did," Summer said crossing her arms over her chest. She was pouting, she admitted it but she had hurt her friends feelings and she didn't know what to do.

"I didn't tell her to go," Ryan said defensively.

"But she's backing off," Summer said before closing her eyes. Nobody should tell her anything anymore. She couldn't keep a secret even if her life depended on it. "Can you pretend I didn't say that?"

"No explain," Ryan said taking Summer's menu away when she tried to hide behind it.

"Taylor is backing off…of you. She is going to stay away from you and let you get over Marissa on your own time," Summer said after a moment. Ryan wouldn't let her leave without hearing all of it anyway. "I tried to explain that that could be years but she is stubborn and doesn't want to be pushy."

"Taylor not wanting to be pushy," Ryan said looking like he didn't believe her.

"Yes which is hard for her so she can't be around you, hence the leaving," Summer said gesturing to the door.

"Hence," Seth said smirking. He loved it when Summer used new words.

"Yeah Tyra Banks used it on her show today and I liked it," Summer said smiling at him.

"Maybe she's right," Ryan said still thinking about Taylor and her plan of backing off.

"Of course she's right," Summer said remembering the Tyra show today. "Those girls are being stupid drinking and carrying on like a bunch of skanks and whores." When Ryan and Seth just stared at her, she made a face. "So, okay you were talking about Taylor…got it."

"I do need to deal with my feelings for Marissa on my own," Ryan said frowning when he pictured Marissa's face. He had been having trouble the last couple of days picturing her happy or even smiling. He could only see her after the crash…when she was dead in his arms.

"She's gone Ryan," Summer said coldly. "She's never coming back and you just need to realize that and move on."

"Summer," Seth said his heart breaking for the pain in her eyes. She was telling Ryan the same thing she had been telling herself since it happened but thinking that way, wasn't going to help them move on.

"No Cohen," Summer said glaring at them both. "She's gone guys; she's not coming back…it doesn't matter how much we want her to. So get over her Ryan, move on and get a life." With that said she stood up and stormed out of the Diner slamming the door behind her.

Seth sighed and put his hand on Ryan's shoulder. "Sorry man, she's still a little angry and she doesn't deal with her anger very well."

"It's okay," Ryan said but her words had hurt him. He couldn't just get over Marissa she was…his everything. He loved her and he didn't know how to stop loving her. And he didn't know if he ever wanted to.