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

A Note from the Author: This focuses more on Seth's angst, just because I felt it was kind of neglected in Chapter Ten (actually, a few reviewers didn't like the Seth/Marissa focus, but I mean, ex-girl/boyfriends don't just disappear when you hook up!). But don't worry, this story is about Ryan and Summer, and it will focus on them. I think… In the future… Uh… Let me get back to you on that. Anyway, if you review, I'll be indebted to you, and did I mention reviews make me happy? Plus, I'm trying to get over this really bad haircut (bangs + poufy wavy hair = me getting emotional) so please? Make me feel better? puppy dog eyes And I mean, the chapter's long this time. Okay, longer. But, short chapters means you get 11 chapters in 2 weeks. That's gotta be a good thing, right? Ah well. Onwards!

Chapter Eleven

Captain Oats was trying to achieve a moment of epiphany.

The facts, to him, didn't make much sense. He used to be able to visit Princess Sparkle all the time, and frolic with her on some wide expanse of astroturf meadow, but for some reason, Seth never took him to see her anymore. Oats wracked his little plastic head for said reason, but it was quite difficult, as he had been shoved under a pillow and was laying there, briefly forgotten.

Likewise, Seth was burrowed in his bed, with the covers pulled tightly above him, and Death Cab playing softly in his room. He was gradually running out of oxygen, but, oxygen wasn't Summer. So he didn't care much.

He couldn't believe he told her he loved her. Of course she'd react like he had suddenly turned into a leper or something. It was just too early in the relationship for him to spout love sonnets, and now he had blown it.

Surprise, surprise, Seth Cohen had managed to fail at yet another undertaking in life. He dwelled silently on this thought in the sanctity of his bed.

He could hear thumping as someone came up the stairs, and Seth really didn't want any company right now. "Go away! I'm studying… naked!"

Of course, with the covers above his head, it sounded more like: "Gnn awnnh! Mm stuhdin… kuh!"

So, without warning, Ryan burst into the room.

Seth groaned. He really should have that lock fixed so it could be put to use. What if he really was studying naked? Err… not that he did, of course.

"Uh, Kirsten said that dinner's ready, and uh, you should really eat something. It's been two days –"

"Not hungry," Seth grumbled.

Ryan regarded him warily. "Look, man, I know you're depressed and all, but –"

"I'm not hungry, okay?" Seth snapped. "Sometimes I like to live like Gandhi and fight the power and keep the peace and all that. So leave me alone and just… I'd like to be alone right now."

Ryan, a little hurt, decided to do just that and leave, but not before making a mental note to bring Seth some dessert later. The boy needed to eat something, and besides, he could never resist some apple pie with vanilla ice cream. Then again, who could?

Later, with dinner over, Ryan laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Fingering his wrist cuff, he absently counted the number of stucco bumps dotting the surface.

One, two, three, four…

He sincerely felt sorry for Seth. The boy had a way of regarding everything as a matter of life and death, and for him to lose the one girl he'd fantasized about ever since grade school, well, it's a damn tragedy.

Not to mention why Summer would break up with him. It wasn't because of Ryan, of course. Hadn't they agreed that it was just for the summer? Maybe it was the guilt, because believe you me, he was definitely getting the sinking feeling that what he had been feeling wasn't heartburn. He wondered if Seth had noticed. Lately, it had been hard for Ryan to look at him, let alone talk to him, and now Ryan was wondering whether it was possible to bring himself to do as he should and console the poor boy.

At first he thought he could pull through for Seth's sake, but it was getting harder not to think about Summer. They had hung out together practically every day, and now, they just… weren't doing that anymore.

Fifty-three, fifty-four, fifty-five, fifty-six…

So if it wasn't heartburn, what was it? Maybe it was just the sensation of having to get used to her absence. Regardless of whether he cared about her or not, it would still feel a bit weird at first, but eventually he'd get used to it. The feeling was like breaking in a new pair of sneakers. So this would make Summer… his old pair of sneakers.

Okay. Ryan could get used to this analogy. But then instead of picturing dirty sneakers, he could only picture pristine white ones. Then strappy sandals, then bare foot, with his gaze trailing up a shapely tanned leg that… Wait. The whole point of this exercise was not to think about her, right?

Oh shit, he just lost count. One, two, three, four…

This was too weird.

Ryan welcomed the distraction when the phone suddenly rang.

All he heard on the other end was heavy breathing. "Hello?" he asked warily. "Uh, anyone there?"

"Ryan?" Summer said, almost disbelievingly.

"What, you were expecting Seth?" he retorted.

She fell momentarily silent at this comment. "Um, no. So. Like. Um," she stammered.

"Yeah?"

"Like, um, hey."

"Hey," he replied.

The two remained speechless. All they could hear was the other's ragged breathing.

"Ryan, I…" She sighed. "I'll talk to you later."

At the sound of the dialtone, Ryan regretfully placed the phone in its cradle. Noticing a shadow, he looked up and saw Sandy standing before him.

"Mind if we talk?"