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

A Note from the Author: Yeah! I'm such a tease. Letting this chapter take your mind off of the cheesiness of the last chapter, and plus, psh. Did you really think it would be easier for them after that? Darling, there are always complications. By the way, this takes place like, a week after the last chapter. Harbour students are just really slow, hehe. Because the chapter is really short, I'll probably be updating like, tomorrow. So don't worry, be happy! Enjoy this last parting shot of Seth. The focus will be off of him for a few chapters… onwards. (Btw, CMangaFan, you should really check out the shipper thread at fanforum.com. It takes some manoeuvring and link-clicking, but totally worth it because there's tons of fanart/fiction/comments. And littleputz114, sorry to say that this won't be a Seth/Summer, but they won't be hard to find at fanfiction.net. Thanks again for everyone's reviews, though!)

Chapter Fifteen

Everyone had a theory as to why Seth and Summer, that emo geek and hot chick, the school's most romantic couple, had broken up.

The rumours ran rampant. It first began when Holly noticed that they weren't sitting next to each other at lunch anymore, and she relayed this to Alexis. Alexis whispered to Tara at homeroom that, strangely, Sethummer were seen being uncharacteristically cool together, and Tara passed this on to Leah in science class, who quickly told her boyfriend, Brad, at lunchtime. Brad, who just happened to be on the water polo team, shared the tidbit with his teammates in the privacy of the locker room.

Liam then remarked, "Oh! Does this mean Summer's free?"

That was when the entire school knew that Sethummer was no more, and all in the space of a day. Then came the speculation.

Holly thought that Seth was just too 'geeky', but Alexis argued that it was because he was too 'twitchy', whatever that meant. Tara blamed it on Seth's late trust fund, and Leah agreed, adding, "Because, I mean, 25? That is so old." Brad made a joke about Seth being gay and Luke's influence; no one really understood it but everyone laughed at it anyway. And Liam wondered if Seth just couldn't 'perform'.

But that didn't matter. In the end, they exchanged knowledgeable grins: "This means Summer's free."

Summer had thought that today would be a good day, considering how great it had started out with her first class. Then she found herself in a very familiar situation.

Brad was propositioning her. Again.

"So… Summer. The water polo team's having another kissing booth fundraiser this year – yeah, I know, a bit earlier in the school year than usual. We're looking for a girl who's comfortable being paid to make out with a bunch of guys… Naturally, we thought of you. And since you're single and all now…"

It was subtle, but Summer could almost swear that he leered at her. Ew. And "naturally"? She felt offended, a bit irritated, and a whole lot of enraged. At herself. So this was how she presented herself to be? This is what everyone had seen her as? No wonder she became such a bitch. It also came as no surprise to her that Marissa was never treated like this. Marissa was the girl guys wanted to comfort, and Summer was the girl that they wanted to spoon. It was all very unsettling to her.

She promptly decided that she just wasn't going to stand for this anymore. She wasn't going to go back and be Summer the (Secretly Virginal) Slut. She was better than just some two-bit whore now. Seth showed her that. Ryan was showing her that.

She smiled sweetly at Brad. His grin grew wider, and his expectations higher. "So, Summer? What do you think?"

Summer's sunny expression quickly vanished, replaced by a look of cold hard determination. "Hm, let me think about it. Uh… No! Jackass!" She resisted the urge to ground her heel into his foot, and stalked away, leaving Brad alone in the hallway, open-mouthed. Although she had had a perfect Neanderthal specimen standing there in front of her, she didn't want to miss science class.

Next door, Mr. Anaranjado was trying to get his catatonic class to repeat after him in Spanish. "Eduardo y Maria fueron a la ópera… C'mon, people! Before the euro is replaced!"

Nobody understood the comment, so nobody made the effort to make fun of him. Except for Seth, of course. All of those years of 'telenovela's hadn't been wasted on him. It was too bad that he was too out of it to respond.

He had seen Brad talking to Summer in the hallway, like last time. And like last time, he had hoped she would turn the kissing booth offer down, and declare her Sethummer status. But he had seen her give that trademark smile that used to make him melt, and he couldn't bear to watch the scene further. It had been weeks since their breakup. She wasn't his anymore. He couldn't call him hers anymore.

He had realized that already. So why did it still hurt so much?

If only Anna were here. She'd know what to do. She was always confident, always knew the answers, not like him. If Seth could just hear her sage wisdom one more time… But it would be crazy, and insensitive of him, to ask her about Summer. Not after the way they had ended things, and her hurried return to Pittsburgh.

"Seth!"

His head snapped up. "Uh, yes?"

It was uncanny how teachers could so interrupt deep thought, in an institution that promoted the very thing. Then again, this was Newport. Who needed a proper education when you had a hefty trust fund?