Friday morning began as a typical day for college freshman Seth Cohen. He got up, saw that he had overslept again, and ran out of his dorm room 30 minutes later, bag flung over his shoulder clad in his usual attire of jeans and a long sleeved novelty top his girlfriend had sent him. He barely had enough time to stop for a bagel and coffee to go before running to his first class of the day. "Today is not going to be a good day" he thought as he put his bag down next to him and concentrated on what his professor was saying. The rest of the morning was spent in the same way, running from class to class with barely enough time to stop and relax. After his last class Seth walked out into the campus and relished the cool breeze, happy that winter was over. "And I thought that I wanted to experience cold winters" he thought as he walked absentmindedly to his dorm room across campus. He had just walked into his room when his cell phone began ringing. He flung his jacket and his bag onto a chair before accepting the call. "Hello?" he asked curiously, sitting down at his desk chair. "So, you haven't called me today and I was beginning to suffer from withdrawal symptoms, so I thought I'd call you for a change" a familiar voice explained. "I thought I'd let you study, seeing as that is what our parents are paying you to do." Seth responded, a smile on his face. "How are you doing?" Ryan asked, genuinely concerned for his best friend. "I'm fine. I'm busy with my classes and stuff." Seth responded. "You know that you did the right thing don't you? For you and for Summer." Ryan reminded him. Seth smiled as he looked up at a newspaper clipping of Summer protesting with GEORGE. "I know, but somehow that doesn't make me miss her any less. How are you and Taylor doing?" Seth asked, wanting to change the discussion. "She's in Paris and I'm here. Having a long distance relationship bites, but she loves the Sorbonne and it's the best thing for her, so I try not to tell her just how much I miss her every time we talk on the phone, but I'm guessing your parents will want to kill me for charging so much money on my cell phone." Ryan responded. "No they won't. But they told me that they would disown me if I cut classes in order to go and see Summer." Seth answered back. "I would to. Just hang in there. Weren't you guys supposed to meet this weekend?" Ryan asked curiously. "She went back to Newport and caught up with Che instead. He needed her help for a protest." Seth explained sadly. "I know. She called me yesterday to check on Flapjacks, and she said that Che begged her to go and help him save a rainforest." Ryan commented. "So how is Flapjacks? You killed him yet?" Seth joked. "Very funny Seth. He's thriving and he is good company for me." Ryan responded. While talking to Ryan, Seth turned on his lap top computer and checked his e-mails. "Did dad send you the newest Sophie pictures? I can't believe I'm missing all this." Seth complained, looking at his father's newest e-mail which included a picture of Sophie-Rose. "I know. I went and visited them all last weekend and I felt like I hadn't seen her since forever." Ryan agreed. Sandy, Kirsten and Sophie were happy in Berkley. Sandy realized his life long dream of teaching and was an instant hit with the student body, while Kirsten spent her days with her daughter, relishing in her role as mother. "It almost makes me regret deciding to come out here on my own. I mean you guys are all near each other and I'm stuck here on my own." Seth complained. "Seth, first of all you decided to go to Rhode Island, and second of all I know where this is leading and I can't fly out this weekend. I have a huge project due next week and I have to work on it all weekend man. I'm sorry." Ryan apologized. "I know. I have to finish a project as well." Seth admitted, sighing deeply. "Just hang in there man. You'll have Summer with you in no time at all. I hate to hang up on you, but I have to get to work. I'll try and call you tomorrow." Ryan proposed. "Sounds good man. Take care of yourself." Seth responded. "You too Seth." Ryan agreed before hanging up the phone.
Seth had just about finished the rough copy of his newest design as his cell phone abandoned to the side of his desk rang again. Seth smiled as he saw the number on the caller id. "Hey dad. What's happening?" he asked, leaning back in his chair. "I'm missing my son." Sandy admitted. "I miss you guys too. I got the new pictures of Sophie by the way." Seth responded. "She seems to change every day, but she misses her brother a lot." Sandy joked. "I know the feeling. This is going to be a bad weekend. Summer was supposed to come here, but she went to Newport instead to help Che with his newest protest, so I'm stuck here all alone." Seth complained. "Maybe Ryan could fly out or you could come here for the weekend." Sandy proposed. "We are both too busy. I have a design I want get started on. Turns out my professor loved my Atomic County designs and he wants me to keep up with them." Seth explained. "Sounds good." Sandy responded. "It is, but it's difficult to write about Marissa." Seth admitted, happy to have someone to talk to. "I know son, but you like drawing and designing Atomic County don't you?" Sandy questioned. "I do, but I think I've outgrown Atomic County. I've left Newport and I've left it all behind me." Seth explained. "Then draw about something that you like and that's important to you." Sandy proposed. "I don't know dad. I feel overwhelmed." Seth commented. "I know you Seth. You'll be fine. Just hang in there and stay true to yourself and to what you want to do and you'll be fine." Sandy responded. "Thanks dad. Anyway, what's new with you?" Seth asked, wanting to change the discussion. "We're all fine. Sophie is growing and looks like Kirsten, Kirsten loves being around Sophie and being a stay at home mom and I love teaching." Sandy responded. "I'm happy for you. Is mom around?" Seth asked curiously. "So I'm good for classes rant, but not for love life rant? I feel loved." Sandy joked. "Dad it's just that I need mom's advice. I love you and I miss you. Just take care of yourself." Seth responded. "I know son. Hang in there kid." Sandy answered back before handing Kirsten the phone. "Hey Seth! What happened?" Kirsten asked, in a worried tone. "I'm fine mom. I just need to vent my anger and frustration." Seth admitted. "Fine. What did Summer do to you?" Kirsten asked curiously. "We haven't seen each other in a long time, and then she has one weekend off and she tells me that she wants to come and spend it with me and I'm excited, and then last minutes she cancels and goes and helps Che with a protest instead." Seth explained. "You guys have been through so much together. I mean you'll see each other soon enough." Kirsten responded. "I know. I just miss her a lot. I've realized just how much I love her and I want to spend the rest of my life with her, and I had this whole weekend planned out and now it's all in vain." Seth complained. "It's not. You were planning on proposing to her weren't you?" Kirsten asked. "Yes I was. I had everything planned. I was going to take her out for a romantic dinner and then pop the question and give her grandma's wedding ring." Seth admitted. "Seth honey all you have to do is wait to give her the ring until you see each other again, which will be soon. I know things seem unfair right now, but Summer has changed a lot and she's doing good work Seth. You should be proud of her." Kirsten explained. "I am mom. I just wish I could see her, and hold her and be around her." Seth uttered. "Too much information, but I know what you mean son, just don't wallow in misery for too long. Sophie is crying and wants to be fed, so take care and I love you." Kirsten responded. "I love you too, and give Sophie a kiss from me. I'll try to come and visit soon, I promise." Seth answered back before ending the conversation.
Seth was rubbing his eyes and put his pencil down for the evening when the phone line he had installed in his dorm room rang. "Hello?" he asked curiously. "Seth there's a Summer Roberts here to see you. She says she's your girlfriend" the security guard Tim explained. "She is. Let her up Tim." Seth responded, confused as to what Summer was doing there. A few minutes later, an exuberant Summer walked into Seth's dorm room and right into his arms. "Hey Cohen. Surprise!" she shouted. "I know. What happened? Not that I don't love having you around." Seth explained. "I couldn't get on the flight to Newport, so I got on one to Providence instead and here I am." Summer responded. "Ok. And what about Che and his protest?" Seth questioned. "I thought we needed to see each other more urgently than I needed to save Newport from itself and Che understood when I told him." Summer responded. Seth's face broke into a big smile and he kissed Summer deeply before touching her forehead with his. "Welcome to my home" he uttered, causing Summer to smile as well. "So, how is Providence?" Summer asked curiously. "Cold until this week." Seth responded. "So what do you have planned for this weekend?" Summer asked curiously. "I thought that we could go out to dinner tonight, unless you want to stay here and order a pizza or something and we can watch a movie." Seth explained. "I think I can share you with the world for one meal." Summer agreed. Half an hour later Summer had showered and changed and the couple walked to the restaurant hand in hand, oblivious to the rest of the world. "So how are your protests going? I read your blog daily, or I try to." Seth explained. "Good, but I miss all this. I miss you." Summer admitted. "I miss you too Sum, but look at all the work you're doing! You should be proud of yourself. I know I am." Seth responded. The discussion was interrupted by the arrival of their meals. Seth took advantage of the time to feel the ring box in his coat pocket and sigh deeply before turning to smile at Summer. "So if we miss each other than why are we doing this?" Summer questioned. "Because we had to Sum. Because feeling right with someone doesn't mean they're right for you now. We both needed a break from each other. Maybe I should have done this sooner." Seth responded, happy to be the sensible one in the relationship for once. "Maybe. By the way, the people at GEORGE offered me a job for when I graduate from college. Isn't that great?" Summer commented excitedly. "It is Sum! You are going places and getting things done." Seth responded, happy for Summer. "Are you sure? I mean I know that we haven't talked about the future. Maybe I shouldn't say yes straight away. Maybe I should think about it, or talk about with you first." Summer commented. "Are you crazy Sum? If you want this, then go for it. I'll always be here for you in the background. You were meant to do great things Summer Roberts, and I was meant to be there for you, pushing you to do those things. I have to share you with the world, even if I'm scared of loosing you." Seth explained. "I know. I'm scared of loosing you too. I always think that you'll find someone who you love more, who you can be in the same place at the same time with." Summer responded. "Sum I fell I love with you in the 5th grade. You're it Sum. I could never find someone to love more than I love you, because there is no more to love." Seth answered back, taking Summer's hands in his. The rest of the meal passed in comfortable conversation. "Can I interest you in any desserts?" the waiter asked kindly an hour later. "We'll have one piece of chocolate cake with two forks please." Seth responded, smiling at Summer. During Summer's semester at Brown, the couple would often go to the same restaurant, and they would always get the same dessert and share it. "So I have a present for you." Seth commented as the waiter left. "What did you get me? I didn't get you anything." Summer uttered excitedly. "I know. I just thought you might like this." Seth explained as he reached for the box in his pocket and slid in smoothly across the table to Summer's side. Summer's hand immediately went to her mouth in shock as she slowly opened the box to reveal a diamond ring. "This was my grandmother's wedding ring. My mom kept it safe for years, but she gave it to me when she and my dad came up for Parent's weekend. She told me to give it to the girl I want to marry." Seth explained. "Seth I can't..." Summer began. "This is not for now. I want us to be engaged, but we can wait as long as you want to before betting married. I've realized that I love you too much to risk loosing you." Seth explained. "I love you too Cohen. Being married to you and starting a family with you is my destiny." Summer responded, obviously moved. "So what do you say? Do you want to be engaged to me?" Seth asked hopefully. "Yes. Nothing would make me happier." Summer responded, leaning over to kiss Seth, causing the restaurant to burst into spontaneous applause. "I think we've made fools of ourselves." Seth whispered to Summer a few minutes later. "Yeah but I don't care." Summer responded, her face breaking into a huge smile. A few minutes later the couple left the restaurant and walked back to Seth's dorm room. "I can't believe you asked me to marry you again! I thought I'd have to wait a long time." Summer joked. "I can't believe you said yes. I was prepared to hear you say no again." Seth responded. "Our lives have changed so much in such a small time frame." Summer commented. "They have haven't they? I mean my parents decide to move back to Berkley, my dad becomes a college professor, Ryan goes to college and I survive on my own. But no one's changed as much as you have Sum." Seth answered back, tightening his grip around Summer. For the first time Seth thought about the future, and he saw his children and his family playing and laughing, and he saw himself still in love with Summer, his Summer.