Summer stopped running as soon as she saw him. Her breath was ragged from
the run and she tried to take a deep breath, but she felt her throat catch
at the sight of him. His dark hair was messier than usual and his cheeks
were flushed.
"Summer?" His voice was hesitant and unsure. Seth looked her over. Summer Roberts was standing before him, not moving as he slowly inched toward her. Her hair fell around her bare shoulders in loose waves, and her midnight blue strapless dress was bunched up in one hand. Her feet were bare, and he noticed that she was clutching a pair of jeweled heels in the other hand. Her cheeks were bright and her dark eyes were glossy, as though she were on the verge of crying. This had to be a dream, he told himself. The Summer Roberts he knew would never cry in front of him.
She spoke.
"Seth-" And she was in his arms. She dropped her shoes to the ground and wrapped her small body around his. He smoothed her hair and rested his chin on top of her head as he felt her chest take in air in deep, hungry gulps. As her breathing slowed to an even pace, she took a step back and met his eyes.
"Is something wrong?" He looked worried. "Are you hurt? Did something happen-"
"Nothing's wrong." Summer paused and looked down. "I don't know why I'm here, I mean, I was at Candace's and I was watching them, you know, and I remembered how I used to fit in there. I mean, I still fit in, no one's like, shunned me. But it just doesn't seem right." She glanced up at him. He was watching her carefully, fidgeting with his hands. She continued.
"But the thing is, I feel different. And Marissa's not there anymore, she's always with Chino now, and no one really knows me." Summer paused and willed herself to stay in control. She would not cry.
"And then I thought about you. The way you watched me for so long, which would be creepy if it were anyone else, but it's not like that with you, it's like you were taking care of me, knowing me and learning about me, the real me, without me needing to tell you everything. And at Caleb's party, when I kissed you?" She looked up at him. Seth's face had softened and he was listening carefully. She wanted to pick up her shoes and run again, back to her guarded mansion, where the tall walls kept everyone out. But she lifted her chin and looked him right in the eyes.
"That meant something to me. All of it, because you- you mean something to me." A tear escaped from her eyes and trickled down her cheek. "I miss you, Seth. I-" She took a breath and forced herself to admit it, not just to him, but to herself. "I need you."
"Summer?" His voice was hesitant and unsure. Seth looked her over. Summer Roberts was standing before him, not moving as he slowly inched toward her. Her hair fell around her bare shoulders in loose waves, and her midnight blue strapless dress was bunched up in one hand. Her feet were bare, and he noticed that she was clutching a pair of jeweled heels in the other hand. Her cheeks were bright and her dark eyes were glossy, as though she were on the verge of crying. This had to be a dream, he told himself. The Summer Roberts he knew would never cry in front of him.
She spoke.
"Seth-" And she was in his arms. She dropped her shoes to the ground and wrapped her small body around his. He smoothed her hair and rested his chin on top of her head as he felt her chest take in air in deep, hungry gulps. As her breathing slowed to an even pace, she took a step back and met his eyes.
"Is something wrong?" He looked worried. "Are you hurt? Did something happen-"
"Nothing's wrong." Summer paused and looked down. "I don't know why I'm here, I mean, I was at Candace's and I was watching them, you know, and I remembered how I used to fit in there. I mean, I still fit in, no one's like, shunned me. But it just doesn't seem right." She glanced up at him. He was watching her carefully, fidgeting with his hands. She continued.
"But the thing is, I feel different. And Marissa's not there anymore, she's always with Chino now, and no one really knows me." Summer paused and willed herself to stay in control. She would not cry.
"And then I thought about you. The way you watched me for so long, which would be creepy if it were anyone else, but it's not like that with you, it's like you were taking care of me, knowing me and learning about me, the real me, without me needing to tell you everything. And at Caleb's party, when I kissed you?" She looked up at him. Seth's face had softened and he was listening carefully. She wanted to pick up her shoes and run again, back to her guarded mansion, where the tall walls kept everyone out. But she lifted her chin and looked him right in the eyes.
"That meant something to me. All of it, because you- you mean something to me." A tear escaped from her eyes and trickled down her cheek. "I miss you, Seth. I-" She took a breath and forced herself to admit it, not just to him, but to herself. "I need you."