A/N: Don't own it…you know the drill.

Summer was his favorite season. And his favorite girl. Summer made everything beautiful. The season did, and so did the girl. She was incredible. She was perfect, his dream girl.

And that was why he couldn't stand the thought of her leaving him. It was bound to happen. It was because of Ryan that they were together in the first place. Summer hadn't even noticed him until Ryan came along, hadn't looked twice…hadn't known his name. So it followed, logically speaking, that after Ryan left, Summer would too. Seth wouldn't sit around and wait for that to happen.

Sum,

I love you. I wish I could say that in person, but I can't, Summer. Just know it. Know it every day, feel it every night. You are so wonderful, so incredible, so beautiful. And I love you. Don't forget me.

Always,

Seth

Don't forget him? Don't forget him. How could she forget him? Ever? Why would he write that? He was coming back, right? There was no reason to write that if he was coming back. Seth just needed a break. Some time to himself, away from Newport. He just needed to wrap his mind around Ryan leaving, and then he'd be back.

Summer was sure of it.

Summer was sure Seth was coming back. For a week, she'd gone about business as usual. Beach, shopping, tanning, hanging out with Marissa. For a week she'd been certain that he'd show up any second.

The week after that, she'd been pretty sure. She'd gone to lunch with her father, gone to a charity gala with Marissa. She'd racked up a few thousand in new clothes and bathing suits, and she'd been sure to come home every night, because Seth might show up at her house looking for her.

The third week, she was getting annoyed. How much time did he need, anyway? Now she didn't leave much at all, because if she did, she might miss him.

Before she knew it, Seth had been gone for a month. And Summer was pissed. Her stupid, pansy-ass boyfriend couldn't stand Newport without his boyfriend? Fuck that.

The transition from pissed to sad and scared was a smooth one. She found a new best friend in a box of tissues. From time to time she joined Marissa in drinking away her troubles. She watched the saddest episodes of The Valley until she knew every line, could map out every tear, on the faces of the actors, and on her own.

He would be back in a week. He just needed some time.

Well, maybe two. Because there was more time to think in two weeks than in one. And he had a lot of thinking to do.

But the only thinking he seemed to be able to do was thinking about Summer. About her cascade of dark brown hair, as it grazed his skin, as it danced through his fingertips. About her eyes, big, wide pools of chocolatey brown, so telling of her every emotion. About her skin, smooth and silky-soft like velvet…

He couldn't stop thinking about her. And he needed some more time, because he had other things to think about.

It was August. Almost time to get back to school. And time for Summer's birthday. She'd spent the last two weeks helping Marissa plan her surprise party, and not thinking about Seth Cohen. Ryan was helping them too, Ryan had been coming back to Newport a lot, staying nights at the Cohen's, hanging out with Marissa and Summer. It was clear that he wasn't happy in Chino, he didn't want to be living there again. He had a job working construction, and every time he had a day off, he spent it in Newport.

Luckily for Marissa's liver, Ryan's presence was doing wonders for her drinking, slowing her down considerably. They were "dating" again. They were "trying to make it work." And Marissa was much, much happier for it. Even though she was endlessly paranoid about him going home to Theresa so often.

"Okay, so the guest list is done," Marissa said. "275 of your closest friends will be there." She dropped her pencil, just having finished cross referencing the invite list with the piles of RSVPs. "Only ten people aren't coming, Sum. That's pretty impressive."

"Especially considering we've been hibernating since like, last December," Summer sighed, rolling onto her back. "I mean, I haven't been to a good party in so long, Coop."

"I know," Marissa replied, glancing up from her to-do list. "Okay, the caterers are confirmed, Hailey is taking care of the alcohol, we're having it at Caleb's and my mom's while they're in Rome…um, I hired someone to set up and clean up so we don't have to worry about it…what else?"

Summer smiled. Social Chair Marissa was back in action. It suited her. "Um, outfits?" She said. "Coop, let's go shopping!"

"Sum, we don't need to shop. We both have about twenty different things we could wear. What about your Chanel? And I'll wear that-"

"Ohmigosh, Marissa!" Summer cried, sitting up and pressing her palm to her best friend's forehead. "Are you sick? Delirious? Because I could have sworn you just said that we don't need to go shopping."

Marissa smiled, removed Summer's hand. "Yeah, okay. We'll hit the South Coast Plaza."

"Good," Summer said. "Because it is my birthday, damnit. And I am going to look hot!"

Marissa shook her head. "You will, sweetie. You will."

Seth would be back just in time for Summer's birthday. He'd given up on "thinking." It was a sign that all he could think about was her. He had to go back to her. He loved her deeply. He missed her even more. He had to make it in time for her birthday. That was the best present he thought he could give. And she would never forgive him for missing her eighteenth, assuming of course, that she ever forgave him for any of this debacle.

Luckily, the winds seemed to agree with him. They were on his side, and got him home just in time. The morning before her birthday. He stumbled into his house, exhausted. His parents were there, sipping coffee, reading the paper, eating bagels.

"Seth!" His mother cried. "Seth, honey!" She rushed at him, crushed him with a hug of more force than he knew she possessed.

They weren't going to ground him, because he'd been responsible about his disappearance, he'd been safe, he'd kept in touch. That, and they were too relieved of his return to ground him. They wanted him to put his life back together.

"Ryan's going to be here soon," Sandy said. "He's coming today to help Summer and Marissa with the party. He won't leave until the day after tomorrow. So you boys can have some time, to talk. Work it out. You didn't exactly part on good terms, did you?"

"He's been home a lot, honey," Kirsten said. "He's been staying overnight…he's not happy with Theresa. Maybe you could help him work something else out? Help him sort through this situation. He needs someone to talk to. And he doesn't seem to be able to let that someone be Sandy or me."

Seth nodded. "What party?"

"Summer's birthday party," Sandy said. "Her surprise party."

"Are you…are you thinking you might want to go?" Kirsten asked.

Seth shrugged. "I don't know," he sighed. "Just, show up? At her birthday party?"

"It would probably make her night, sweetie."

"Yeah, or induce a rage blackout of epic proportions," Seth muttered. Kirsten stared, somewhat blankly. "Never mind," he sighed. "She's going to be so pissed." It was a lose-lose situation. She'd be pissed if he did go, but she'd be pissed if she found out he was back home and didn't go.