-1A/N This is an idea that popped into my head today. I don't know if I should continue it though. Tell me what you think, R/R, enjoy

I don't trust people, and I definitely don't trust girls. They make you think that they love you then, bam, they break up with you. I've had that happen to me more than once, and I don't plan on it happening again. I made a decision, I wouldn't let a girl get close to me again. No, not me, Ryan Atwood.

When I made this decision, I had just gotten dumped by a girl named Sadie Cambell, and I didn't want to get that feeling again. I didn't think about getting lonely, or the chance that I might meet someone I might care for. No, my heart ache got the better of me. I didn't plan on meeting her. Marissa Cooper.

What can I tell you about Sadie? She was nice and sweet. I thought I really loved her, and I thought she really loved me too. So I bought her flowers one day, and I was taking them to her dorm when I heard the laughing coming from inside. I pounded on the door and a guy in his boxers answered. So much for a lifetime of happiness huh.

We went to college at Berkley, since it was close to Chino where my parents lived. I had gotten a scholarship and I planned on becoming an architect. She was going to major in fashion and design. I was even going to propose that summer. There goes that plan.

It's been two years since then, and I am over her. I just don't want to be heart broken again. I mean, you may get over someone, but you never forget the pain you went through. So that's when I made my decision. Guys may call me a wimp, but you try getting your heart broken and see a girl the same way afterwards.

So I lost myself in my studies. Yeah, I had my friends, but nothing too special. I went out on a couple of dates, but never got attached. I had a method, you go out on two dates, maybe three. When they start getting attached, you break up before either of you get hurt. What could possibly go wrong in that plan?

One day I was studying in my dorm. My roommate comes in, a girl following. I immediately get that I'm not supposed to be there. I get my textbook. I leave without saying goodbye. He doesn't seem to mind though. If I had a girl, I wouldn't either.

So I walked to the coffee shop, and I brought a puzzle with me. I love puzzles, although I'm not good at them. I guess I like the challenge. I walk in and find a table to sit at. I set my puzzle aside and open my textbook and start studying for my exam coming up. That's when I hear her voice, her sweet voice. "Hello, I'm Marissa, What can I get for you?"

I look up and I'm met with her blue eyes. Beautiful blue eyes. She gives me a smile, and I feel myself become nervous. I don't know what to do. I want to tell her what I want, coffee, but I can't bring myself to say the words. "Uhh…. Coffee ….please." I finally stutter out.

I feel like a complete fool now. I can't even order coffee. She just smiles and walks off and I put my head down on the table. She probably thinks I'm a huge freak. I suddenly remember my decision about girls. I shouldn't care, she's a girl, she'll break my heart like Sadie did.

I sigh. Sometimes, I hate my decision. Sometimes, I want someone special in my life. Sometimes, people need someone special in their life. I wish that I could convince myself that I won't get my heart broken, because I know it will. It always does.

I go back to my textbook, forgetting about Marissa. Then, like a curse, she comes back with my coffee. "Here you go." She says as she sets it down on the table. "Do you need anything else?" She asks.

I look up and meet her eyes again. Her eyes have a twinkle in them and I give a small smile, "No, I'm fine, thanks." I turn back to my textbook, avoiding her gaze and she walks off. I look back up a couple of seconds later, my eyes following her through the shop. She's beautiful, there's no lie in that.

I take a sip of my coffee and sigh. I look down at the book and realize that I'm not going to get anything done right now. I close the book and push it aside. I bring out my puzzle and start working on it. It's supposed to look like a lifeguard station, something I've always wanted to see. I never could though, I've never been to the beach.

I start working on it, but I can't seem to get it right. I can't even find one piece, and after a while, I start to give up. That's when I hear her voice again. "Is there anything else you need?" She asks. I look up and I see her smiling down upon me. I feel the butterflies in my stomach. What is it with this girl?

I can't speak again. I'm too caught up in her beauty. Her hair is pulled back in a pony tail and she's wearing a blue apron over her clothes; a shirt and jeans. She has a smile on her face, and her eyes are twinkling, waiting for my answer. "Uhh, no, I'm fine." I finally respond.

She just nods and walks away. I watch her go, and I think that she knows the effect she has on me. I watch her go and talk to someone else, a young couple. She turns and catches me watching her and I look down, embarrassed. I feel like I'm in high school again, even though that was three years ago.

I go back to my puzzle, suddenly motivated. I work on it for at least an hour. I get the border of it done, and some of the ocean in the back ground. I'm getting fed up with it again, when I hear her sweet voice. "Are you having problems?"

I look up to see her bright eyes staring down at me again. She's not in her apron anymore though, she has that in her hands. "Can I sit down?" She asks. I nod my head, to intrigued by her to speak. She looks down at the puzzle as she sits. "So, what brings you here?"

I look down at my puzzle, still trying to get a piece to show off to her. "School."

She seems interested. "So am I, I just work here between classes sometimes." I nod. I work sometimes too at the movie theater down the street. I'm not going to tell her that though. No, that would make her know where to find me. She must see that I'm not going to respond, so she goes on. "You don't talk a lot, do you?"

I shake my head no in response, still looking down at the puzzle. I avoid any eye contact, knowing that if I look long enough, I'll be lost in her eyes. That doesn't go with my decision though. No, that ruins my plan.

She sighs and looks down at the puzzle herself. I catch her looking at me out of the corner of my eyes though. She's smiling, I can see. She must have caught me watching her because she said. "You're shy, aren't you."

I don't say anything, just shrug. She laughs slightly, and I wonder what's so funny. So I ask, "What's so funny?"

She doesn't say anything for a while, and looks like she's searching for the right words. "You are."

"I am?" I ask, surprised. I'm not funny, not even a little bit.

"Yes, you are." She pauses. "You come in here with your book and puzzle and stutter when you talk to me. Then, you lose yourself in your book and try to avoid me. Then, you decide that a puzzle is what you want to do. So you start working on it, ignoring everyone around you. I ask to sit down, and you say I can, but still ignore me. I try to talk to you, but you just stare down at your puzzle." She laughs slightly. "And you haven't even gotten a piece since I sat down."

I don't find that very funny though. I just look down at my puzzle again. She sighs, obviously wanting me to say something. I don't though, and before long, I feel her hand on mine. I look up, feeling the sparks fly between our hands.

She looks into my eyes and says. "I've always liked puzzles, how about you?"

I look down at the puzzle, not allowing myself to get lost in her gaze. "Yeah, they're a challenge."

She smiles at me and says, "Not really."

I look at her, confused. "Yeah, they are. You never know where the pieces go, and you have to find it out. It's hard though."

She gave me a sly smile. "Puzzles are easy." She gestured to the puzzle in front of me. "You have all the answers right there in front of you…." She put two pieces together. "All you have to do is put it together." She got up, smiling. "See you around, Ryan Atwood."

I watched in awe as she walked out the coffee shop and down the street. Then, I had the weirdest feeling. She could do better than I could at my own puzzle, that I've been working on for a couple of hours. And, I don't remember giving her my name.