(Disclaimer: I don't own anything at all. So don't sue me. Please.)

A Note from the Author: This is my first story. Ever. Constructive criticism would be appreciated, but please don't psychologically damage my fragile little mind. I am totally going for a future R/S pairing, so you have been warned! I've written a couple of chapters already, but if there isn't some feedback, well, I just won't update. So read and review, pretty please with a cherry on top? And… onwards to the story!

Chapter One

Summer Roberts hesitatingly opened her eyes, grimacing from the bright light shining through her bedroom window. She wondered what time it was, being that no one bothered to wake her up.

But then again, no one ever did.

The house was empty, save for the occasional housekeeper visit, and where her dad and step-mom were, well, Summer could never keep track. However, this made things nice and quiet, and it was great to wake up whenever she damn well pleased and have a coffee in the kitchen for breakfast. Summer preferred it that way.

Well. She had preferred it that way.

Because lately she had the feeling that everything was a little too perfect, a little too peaceful, a little too boring, if you ask her. Sure, it was nice to know that if she ever needed a shoulder to snark on, there was Seth, and if she ever needed some spooning, there was Seth, and if she ever needed anything… There was Seth.

It was just that sometimes Summer wondered whether Seth would be the last (and only) guy she would ever sleep with. And it was these kinds of random thoughts that just popped into her head whenever Seth was busying himself with the clasp on her back.

That was why she had told him. That she needed some time apart, you see, and that she hoped he understood but it would be nice to just be a 'Summer' instead of a 'Summereth'.

And that's when the shit really hit the fan. It probably didn't help matters that she told him in the middle of… you know. It was getting quite boring, anyway, and she had almost had to start faking it right there.

Seth started getting all defensive, and articulate, and loud. Summer did too, but she was louder (as always). When he started getting insulting, so did Summer, before she told him to get out of her room and take Captain Oats with him, because the Captain was not going to get any alone time with Princess Sparkle for an indefinite amount of time.

So. That was last night, and Summer figured that maybe Seth had forgiven her. She put on her skimpiest skirt, the one that Seth was rendered speechless most of the time by, and a nice low top to complement the look, and primped in front of the mirror for a full twenty minutes before leaving for his house.

This is what she did every time they fought, and it usually didn't take long before Seth was all apologies and touchy-feely. The only part of the usual preparation Summer left out was her requisite supporting phone call from Marissa, because Marissa was somewhere in Europe right now, vacationing for the summer with Julie and her latest boy toy with a bank account.

Summer drove to the Cohen's house, all optimistic. She snuck in the pool house to look for Seth, who usually hung out there for some 'guy time' with Ryan before succumbing to the call of Summereth and followed her into his room for some 'girl time'.

Anyway, that was how things were always like, and today shouldn't have been any different.

Then Ryan spotted her and broke the news.

Seth had upped and left to go sailing all summer. "To give her space," he had said.

Hah! Cowardly jackass.