A/N Thanks for the comments keep them coming. I really appreciate them and they inspire me to keep writing :)
Youth is like diamonds in the sun
The next morning as planned Summer met Seth and Ryan for breakfast. Seth was taking a phone call leaving Summer and Ryan to talk amongst themselves. "So Chino you've been quiet" She said.
He thought about how she still called him Chino but in reality he hadn't lived there in nine years. "You always going to call me that?" He asked. "Yes Ryan's too boring" Summer said kidding. "So what's up? Things with you and Marissa okay?" She said. "There alright I guess" he said.
"What about things with your mom?" She said. He was a little uneased. "She's Dawn and I don't expect her to be any less" He said. "Well you're really talkative this morning" She said sarcastically.
Ryan smiled at her. "Actually things have been so crazy that I didn't even get a chance to tell Seth this but Kirsten offered me a job at the new port group" He said. "Wow so if you took it you'd be working for Caleb?" She said. "No technically Kirsten would be my boss. It's a pay raise, a step up from my current job, and its non travel based" He said.
"And it's in New Port Atwood that's awesome" She said excited at the idea. "So you going to take it?" She said.. "I'm thinking about it" He said. "Well please do. I mean how much fun would it be if you actually lived here again? I mean it would be like high school" Summer said. "Except Seth lives in LA" He pointed out. "Right" She said.
"So when are you going to tell him Summer?" He said. "When you tell Marissa" She said. She dodged him.
With that Seth came back and they finished eventually Ryan's Cell rang to the tune forever young which kind of made him embarrassed because he knew he would have to pay later for that because Seth and Summer knew it was his and Marissa's song.
It had been so long since they actually spoke on the phone that he almost forgot to change the ring tone. "Hello" He said. "Hey" She said. "So you promised you would call" He said.
"Right I have those proofs for you and I thought you'd might like to see them today" She said. "Right so how about fifteen minutes by the pier" Ryan said. "Okay it sounds good I'll see you there" Marissa said hanging up. He shut his phone closed.
Seth and Summer stared at him. "What?" He said. "Nothing" Summer said. "Come on forever young Ryan" Seth said teasing. "Okay so I haven't changed her ring tone so whats the big deal" He said.
They laughed and the conversation ended. Seth and Summer just laughed as Ryan excused himself and told them he'd see them later.
Ryan was at the pier not really intending on running into Marissa he just thought it was a joke and he had actually bailed early on breakfast to give Seth some time with Summer although he never shared that with them.
He laughed at himself knowing that they had to know what he was doing. "So you're laughing at yourself now? Is that all in a days work of an architect?" She said with a smile. He turned and smiled facing Marissa. "I didn't think you were actually coming" Ryan said.
"Well I didn't think you'd actually wait" she said teasing. He laughed. "Besides I can't lie to my mother these days. Now I can say that I did go to the pier and meet with that client I told her about" She said smiling.
"Yeah except I'm not exactly a client" He said. "What she doesn't know can't hurt her" she said. "So why the need to feel like you had to not lie to Julie Cooper?" He said. "You know me Ryan I'm not really the lying type" She said leaning against the railing.
He laughed. "That's cute that you still try to keep you're mother happy" He said. She smiled. "Well anything for my mom I guess" She said. He nodded. "I know the feeling" Ryan said staring out into the distance.
"Is this supposed to be a depressing moment?" She said trying to cheer him up. "Does it sound like it should be?" He said. "I know one way to make it better" She said getting an idea with a smile on her face.
"And just how do we do that?" He said. "Come on" Marissa said grabbing his hand and dragging him along to the car.
"Harbor?" He said looking at it from the parking lot. She got out and leaned against the back of the door watching students engage in another busy day. "What are we doing here?" He said joining her.
"Well sometimes when I feel like I'm lost it's weird but I come here and I watch as the kids head off to class. As we did so many years ago and I can't help but feel like I belong. Like however I'm feeling at the moment gets taken away just by thinking about high school and everything it brought me" She said looking at him.
"Wow. So you're not just a stalker then?" He said sarcastically. She laughed and playfully hit him. "No it's just calming" She said.
"It feels like a million years ago doesn't it?" He said staring at the school and imaging himself wandering the halls. "And here we are standing here again" She added. He smiled. "It does have an odd calming feel to it" Ryan admitted. She smiled.
"Ryan Atwood. Marissa Cooper?" They heard there names being called and immediately were drawn back to high school they turned and knew it was none other then "Dr. Kim" They said with a smile.
"I knew it had to be you" She said with a smile. "Yeah we were just thinking about harbor and decided to stop by" Marissa said. "So how's it going for you too? Ryan I heard a rumor that you were an amazing architect" She said.
Ryan smiled. "What is Sandy whispering in your ear?" He said joking. She smiled. "And Marissa things are going well with you? I saw you the last time you made a visit but this is a first you bringing Ryan" She said. "Everything's going really well" Marissa said.
"That's good well who would ever imagined you too still together today. It's really great to see you two" She said. Marissa looked at her nervously and went to correct her but heard the sound of the bell. She checked her watch.
"Well you two stop by again I got to get to a meeting. It's really wonderful seeing how great you guys are doing" She said walking away. Marissa felt awkward. She felt the need to say something. "I'm sorry I tried to stop her but he interrupted
"It's not exactly a lie I mean we are here today together standing at Harbor" He said. She laughed at how light hearted he was about this extremely awkward situation. He smiled. "So you want to get at of here?" He said.
"Oh you're leading the way now so where to now?" she said.
"As a matter a fact I have an idea" He said getting in the car. She got in the other side.
"Fashion Island well you can't beat the shopping and definitely not the balboa bars" She said eating her ice cream. "You know I always thought it was weird that New Port had its own Ice cream. I mean the balboa bar where did that come from?" He said.
"I could care less it's just really good ice cream" she said sounding like a kid. He had to laugh at her response. "What? It's true besides I don't see you complaining" She said walking down the pier. He smiled. "It was a good idea even if it is in the dead of winter" She said.
"Winter Marissa? Please I spend winters in Boston and when you experience that then come talk to me" He said joking. "Yeah I know it is awfully cold there" She said.
Ryan looked at her surprised. "So you've been there?" He said casually. "Yeah for work of course" She said. "Right. So what part?" He said. "Worcester, Um in the Massachusetts area around there" She said rather quickly.
"You know I live in the Massachusetts area it's kind of funny we never ran into each other" He said.
She looked up at him know longer able to not tell him. "Well just because you never saw me doesn't mean I didn't see you" Marissa said looking at him. He looked at her wanting more.
"Okay so Kirsten really told me about the house and I guess I wanted to check it out myself so I thought I was in town no big deal. But when I got there I saw the house which was beautiful by the way but then on the balcony I saw you working" She said being honest.
"Why didn't you just come over?" He said with a grin. She shrugged. "I don't know I guess at the time it didn't feel right" She said.
He nodded understanding that up until this vacation things had been really awkward for them. Before this they weren't really in each other lives. "So since you saw my work I'd like to see some of your work. You know maybe make this lie to your mom not much of a lie" he said. She smiled.
"Okay I got a few things at the house" Marissa agreed and they went to her house.
Marissa lived in a house in New Port it was a nice house but simple it was hers. She let him in and closed the door. "Nice place" He said. "It's simple but its home" She said.
"You bought it?" He asked. "No actually it was my dad's well is my dads he's sort of letting me stay here. I was in an apartment for awhile but things started to get way too cluttered and all over the place. So I just thought why not. At least now I get a dark room out of the deal" Marissa said walking into the foyer.
He followed. She opened a door. "So welcome to my studio" She said and he followed her in. "So those on the wall are just pictures for my own personal amusement" She said looking around pointing over to an area of the wall.
He looked at some. He saw some of Summer lying on a near by table. She looked happy with a big smile on her face and yet the way it was shot captured Marissa's sadness.
"These are amazing. You're obviously very committed to your work" He said. "Thanks" She said. The phone rang. "I'm going to just get that" she said walking out of the room. He looked around seeing some other ones obviously shot for magazines and such but the personal ones are the ones that drew his attention.
He walked over and saw one of Seth sitting on the Cohen's front stoop only he wasn't looking at the camera. He smiled at it. He was looking so carefully that he bumped into her work station and looked down to see that he didn't knock anything over. He did and picked up the framed picture staring at it.
Now it all made sense why Marissa was there that day. She was there to take shots of the newly done house. His first ever. He couldn't believe that he didn't know.
"Kirsten did tell me about it" She said breaking his thoughts coming up behind him. He looked at her wanting more then that. "However I failed to mention that I was hired to take the picture" Marissa said. He nodded.
"You know it's weird I felt like we weren't apart of each other's lives in so many years and then I see this and its like was I wrong?" He asked.
"Just because we weren't apart of each other's lives at the time doesn't mean we forgot about the times when we were apart of each other's lives." she said putting the picture back in it's spot. "Right" He said.
"I could have a copy made for you if you want?" She said. "Yeah sure I'd like that" He said. "Of course" She said.
"So how about the diner it is almost dinner time" He said. "Burgers?" She said. "And Chili fries." He said. "Oh you're on" She said with a smile walking out. He took one last look of the picture smiled and walked out behind Marissa.