Guy Advice.

"Hey, Atwood."

Ryan wasn't sure why he was surprised: the fact she was standing there, in the doorway of the poolhouse, or because she was standing there, holding her math textbook in her arms, ready to study. Summer Roberts did not study. She did not like math. And she definitely never paid Ryan a visit en route to seeing Seth. Ryan regarded her the way Seth did Marissa: his best friend's girlfriend, an addition to the core group. Summer's visit had to have a motive that would somehow involve Ryan, who wondered for a second where Seth was before remembering he had gone to pick up takeout before a PreCalc study session for the two.

Summer was here to see him. That had to be it.

"Listen, um, I need to talk to you." Summer moved the textbook to her hand now, looking at Ryan. It wasn't that Ryan didn't want Summer around. If anything, his studying for biology was getting to him, and he was going to call Marissa soon anyway. But he continued focusing on Summer's textbook: the numbers, the formulas, the title of the book.

"Here, sit." Ryan made way for Summer where he was sitting. It was the least he could do. Summer sat down, looking first at her book, then at Ryan's, and finally over at Ryan himself. She looked so..awkward. As if this was something she'd done on a whim, or been dared to. Talk to the guy who she'd acknowledged his presence with a nod up until they went to Tijuana? Ryan didn't know whether to start the conversation, or how. Summer's conversations were often short and not exactly sweet.

"So, I need some guy advice," Summer said, "because you know, it's like, midterm week and after that, we have this long winter break. I have to get closer to Cohen somehow other than just asking him to help me with math."

"I see," Ryan said. Summer took a deep breath before continuing.

"So, as much as I love his little quirks, I'm like, completely over hearing about just them. And I really want us to have a steady relationship based on mutual likes and stuff. That's what they say in all those magazines anyway."

"I'm not sure what you need from me," Ryan answered truthfully. "I hear the same things you do."

"Yeah, and I'm sure you hear everything about our relationship too, which is so totally ew, but what am I supposed to talk to him about? Could you get him interested in The Valley somehow?" Summer checked her watch. "If Cohen doesn't come back soon, I am going to miss the new episode anyway."

"Okay." Ryan looked at Summer's pleading face. "As much as you might be sick of hearing Seth talk about comics, you're going to have to realize that's Seth. And for someone who listens to the same music, over and over again, he's got a good taste in it."

"Atwood, did you get a Death Cab CD?" Summer asked, interrupting.

"Anyway," Ryan continued. "I'm not saying for you to get into Superman, or Spiderman, or whoever. But at least listen to him when he talks about them, 'cause I'm sure if he realizes you're not listening he'll just keep talking about it until you do."

"Should I be taking notes?" Summer asked.

"Just trust me on this. Seth's a very, very talkative guy, and I've heard you get longwinded. Just talk to each other about anything."

Summer sighed as she heard a car pull up. "That's got to be Cohen. I'm gonna go study. Thanks."

"Anytime," Ryan said, realizing his words before long. "See you tomorrow."

Summer left, a little less awkward now and a little bit more ready for Seth, if not PreCalc. Ryan walked over to shut the door, but not before he heard Summer: "Hey, Cohen. After our exams..you wanna see if Death Cab's in concert? And I'm sure you could use a couple more comic books for Hanukah." Only Summer would string them all together, Ryan thought. Only Summer.