None of it's mine. Sorry this one's a little shorter. And I lie so easily, two more after this one. Peace and love...

One year, six months later...

"Where are you going?"

"Party."

"Where?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I'm your father."

Summer's hand was on the doorknob and the other was on her hip. This guy sitting on the couch with the current bestseller was trying to tell her what to do. She didn't even know the guy.

"Was. Was my father."

"Summer..."

"Sorry. Go talk to your wife."

"Summer, that's not fair."

"You know what's not fair? My own father ignoring me. I have no idea why he was, is, but suddenly deciding he actually wants to be my father. That's not fair."

"I want to be your father."

"Save your breakthrough for someone who cares."

"Why are you making this so hard?"

"Because, Dad, when I was thirteen, and you were banging a different blonde every night, I was the one comforting Tracy. And I was the one who actually considered asking Jimmy Cooper to adopt me."

"I wouldn't have allowed it."

"I wouldn't have cared."

"Summer, remember when I used to take you to the zoo? And take you to Britney Spears concerts?"

"That wasn't you. Granddad took me to the zoo and Mom took me to Britney Spears concerts. She knew all the words."

"Well, your mother's not here anymore. She left us. And I'm all you've got."

"Oh no, Father, I have Lana. The bitch who acts more like a fifteen year old than I do. Remember her? Although you just use her for the sex, so I guess you don't remember much except for 'Oh Neil!'"

"Summer James Roberts, you do not have the right to talk to me like that."

"After a few too many hangovers, I think I do."

She walked out of the door and slammed it behind her. Marissa's new birthday present was sitting in her driveway.

"Pretty sweet, huh?"

"Yeah, it's cute."

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, Coop, let's do this."

Marissa drove to Holly's house and parked outside. Summer was wearing a white boyfriend tank over a new orange bikini and a pair of white cotton shorts. She smoothed them down and ran her fingers quickly through her hair. They opened the door to the pounding bass of Nelly's "Hot in Herre." Holly came rushing to the door and hugged both of them with John attached to her ear, trying to get her top off. She giggled and pushed his chest away as she pulled it off herself. Apparently Holly had gotten her new birthday presents a few months early. Summer silently prayed to herself that it hadn't been her father that had given them to her. Holly's bathing suit was light pink and she looked like the perfect Barbie. Summer smiled at her and pointed past her toward the living room. Holly had John up against her and she nodded with her eyes closed. Marissa had gone off a while ago to find Luke and Summer stood stationary in front of the stereo. Chad had nodded her a silent hello; she knew he still liked her but he was such a...boy. Like the ones she used to baby-sit. She needed a man.

Some guy across the room was smiling at her, so after a while she smiled back. He was...very blonde. But she let him walk up to her and press so close against her that she didn't have to move anymore. He could move both of them. She saw Marissa making out with Luke on a couch and she saw Holly making out with John close to her, and she put her arms around this guy's neck to pull him in even closer. He dropped his hands to her ass and pulled her up even closer against him. She was literally breathing this guy in. His hands went up the back of her shirt and played with the ties of her bikini. She pulled off her shirt and pressed against him before he could see the roundness of her stomach.

Here was a guy she hadn't spoken a word to in her life.

The song changed to a slower one and the guy pulled her in tighter. His hands were on her lower back and hers were playing with the necklace that he had hidden beneath his shirt. He moaned against her ear and she shivered slightly against his warm breath against her cool back. She moved with him until the song ended, but when he tried to go for the next one, she pushed him away and smiled sweetly.

"I gotta go. Sorry."

"Oh, yeah, sure. What's your name, anyway?"

"Um, Summer."

"Well, Summer, I hope I'll see you again sometime."

"You can count on it."

"I will."

He winked at her and she smiled back. She walked away from him and went into the bathroom. She shut the door and fell against it. She leaned her elbows on her knees and stuck her head in her hands. She breathed in and got up to leave but realized that Marissa was the only ride she had. So instead she pulled out her cell phone and played with the ring tones, trying to ignore anything about the place where she was. She found Suzanne Vega and thought of walking down a street singing to herself and some kid rolling up beside her. But she didn't think about him anymore. She didn't have any reason to.

"My name is Luka. I live on the second floor."

She was barely whispering in Holly's bathroom. And really confused. She punched a number into her phone, sent it, and looked at the white tiles on the floor.

"Hi, um, is Neil there?"

"He just walked in. Who may I say is calling?"

"His daughter."

"One second, Miss."

Summer pushed her hair back with her fingertips again and found a can of Altoids. She popped one in her mouth as her father's voice came on the phone.

"Summer?"

"I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"This is Summer Roberts, correct?"

"That's me."

"You're sorry? For what?"

"Yelling at you."

"Oh, Summer, I've gotten used to it."

"Say you accept the damn apology because I'm not saying it again."

"Um, all right. I accept it. Are you all right, sweetie?"

"Say you forgive me."

"I forgive you."

"I'm fine. Thanks, Dad."

"Sweetheart, do you want to have dinner sometime? Without Lara?"

"Uh yeah. Okay. Tomorrow night?"

"Excellent. I'll pencil you in."

She weakly laughed.

"Are you sure you're all right, honey?"

"Fine. Bye Dad."

"Bye Princess."

She hung up the phone and pushed her head against the door. Someone knocked on the door making it vibrate against her back.

"Someone's in here!"

"God, sorry."

She let her legs fall flat in front of her and whispered words that her mother used to sing to her before she fell asleep. She said it was perfect, the epitome of the perfect man. And Summer would be complete if she found a guy who knew the melody.

"You say, you want, diamonds on a ring of gold. You say, you want, your story to remain untold. But all the promises we made, from the cradle to the grave. When all, I want, is you. You say, you'll give me, a highway with no one on it. A treasure just to look about it. All the riches in the night. You say, you'll give me, eyes in a world of blindness. A river in a time of dryness. A harbor in the tempest. But all the promises we break, from the cradle—"

"Summer?"

"Yeah? Just a minute."

Summer stood up and struggled with the tangles in her hair to make it neat. She smoothed out her shorts and opened the door. Holly was standing there with her eyes looking around Summer.

"Are you in here alone?"

"Um, yes."

"But I heard voices."

"Oh, I had to make a call. But I'm, I'm done."

"Okay. We should get back out there. The boys might die if the prettiest girls are alone in a bathroom together."

She winked at Summer and giggled. Summer laughed despite herself and nodded.

"That would be a travesty."

"So let's go. Get our groove on."

Summer laughed and Holly was in hysterics. They walked out and Summer danced with at least five guys she had never seen before. Surprisingly enough, she actually had fun giggling hysterically over everything they said. And it was easy, and it made them kiss her while they pulsated to rap that should have made her nauseous. But it didn't.

Marissa gave her a hug when she dropped her off and a grin.

"That was fun."

Summer nodded.

"It was."

"You were quite the little player."

"What can I say?"

Marissa giggled and Summer found it catching as she tucked her hair behind an ear.

"So I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah, sure, that'd be good."

"All right, Sum. Love you."

"Love you too."

Marissa drove off and Summer couldn't wipe the grin off her face. This was beyond ridiculous. She was murmuring to herself in a bathroom a little more than an hour ago. Then she had fun. In a situation she wouldn't have willingly put herself in. But she had...forgotten about everything that had overcome her life before. It hadn't been so significant. And it felt good. To lose her inhibitions and be able to let go. And Co—nobody was going to make her lose sleep worrying. At least not that night.

"Luka" written by Suzanne Vega

"All I Want Is You" written by the amazing Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen