"Look at him. He's all like....stiff and.... not moving." Summer commented as she looked at Seth. It was the second Tuesday since the shooting, the second time Summer had visited Seth. She was different since the shooting. Something seemed to have disappeared that day.

"Sum, that's like the same thing." Marissa told her. She stood on the other side of Seth, arms crossed, looking down at him. Ryan was there also, only he stood by the window, staring out it.

"So? How else am I supposed to describe him? He's in a freaking coma, it can't get much worse." This was only the fourth time Summer was out of her room in the last week. It was the first time she was out of the house.

"You can't talk like that around him." Marissa whispered.

"Why not?" Summer didn't understand.

"Supposedly he can hear everything we say." Marissa answered.

"Oh." Summer said. She didn't say anything else, just staring at Seth sadly. He hadn't moved since they last looked at him. Summer hated looking at him, it was just too sad. But she couldn't not look at him while she was in the room. She loved him so much, and just seeing him lie there was too much. Summer closed her eyes and a tear fell from her eye.

"Sum, it'll be all right." Marissa tried to console Summer when she saw her crying.

"I hope you're right." It was almost a week since they found out Seth had fallen into a coma. How much longer would he be in it?

"Sum, are you hungry?" Marissa tried to divert Summer's attention from Seth.

"No." Summer never even looked up.

"Ryan, are you hungry? Do you wanna come to the cafeteria with me?" Marissa asked him. He looked up at her.

"Sure." Ryan answered. The two left Summer and Seth and headed to the elevator. They didn't say anything, which was fine to Ryan. He wasn't the talking type. He shouldn't be, especially now. But strangely, being alone with Marissa made him kind of want to talk.

They entered the elevator and no one was on. Marissa pushed the button for the cafeteria, and down they went. People came on at every floor and Marissa and Ryan were separated. Upset visitors, doctors, and nurses divided the two until they reached the ground floor, where everyone exited.

The cafeteria was busy. Doctors on breaks and visitors took up almost every table. Only about five were open. Marissa looked at the foods while Ryan just followed.

"I thought you said you were hungry." Marissa commented as she put some fruit salad on her tray.

"I am." Ryan defended.

"Well then, why aren't you looking at any food?" Marissa joked.

"I don't know."

"Then what are you hungry for? Maybe I can get it." Marissa picked up some macaroni and cheese.

"I don't know." Ryan wasn't helping.

"Okay then." Marissa went to pay for her food. Ryan quickly looked around, and grabbed an apple. He took his place behind Marissa.

They bought their food and sat down at one of the remaining three tables. Marissa took a bite of the macaroni and cheese.

"Okay, not to sound all conceited and everything, but I must admit that I think my mac and cheese is better than this. Here, Ryan, try."

"Okay." Ryan barely got out before Marissa shoved a spoon in his mouth. She laughed as he chewed. "Yeah, yours is a lot better." Ryan agreed after swallowing.

"Thanks." She took another bite. "Ryan, listen. I'm really worried about Summer. I mean, she's totally out of it." Marissa pushed the macaroni and cheese away and took a bite of her fruit salad.

"So what are you thinking?" Ryan asked, taking a bite of his apple.

"I say, we get her out of it. Take her mind off of Seth for like a tiny bit. What do you think?" Marissa was really worried about Summer. She seemed to be taking it the hardest. Marissa barely got her out of her house. Summer was scaring Marissa. Something was definitely different about Summer. She wasn't herself.

"If it works, try it on everyone." Ryan bit into his apple. He amazed himself that he was talking to Marissa. More so, talking in general. He much more preferred to be alone in the pool house. It was his sanctuary.

"Ryan, she's really worrying me. Like, freaking me out. She wasn't nearly as bad when he ran away. She was really vocal, and went to a lot of parties, that's how Summer usually deals with stuff. This depressed Summer is totally new. I want to get her out of it." Marissa told him.

"Okay, what's the plan?" Ryan asked. It seemed a good reason to help Summer.

"You're agreeing?" Marissa hadn't thought Ryan would help.

"Did I have a choice?" Ryan knew Marissa would make him help anyway.

"Well, yeah, but...." Ryan glared at her. "Okay, well, you didn't, but you know. Anyways, there's this carnival going on this weekend. It's like twenty minutes away, but I thought..."

"We go, put her on some rides, win her stuff, and she'll be good?" Ryan guessed.

"Well, sorta. I just want to take Seth off her mind for, like a bit." Marissa explained.

"Oh."

"So, will you help?" She asked.

"I said I would." Marissa smiled happily and looked at Ryan. It took all her willpower not to go over and hug him. Ryan looked back, and the tiniest of smiles appeared on his face. He felt good around her. Maybe Marissa was the one he should choose. He didn't know. It was a tough choice. Ryan might have a baby with Theresa. If it was his, it would change everything. At this point, he hoped the baby wasn't his. If there wasn't a baby, maybe none of this would have ever happened.

The two finished eating and they left cafeteria. They were walking back to the elevator, but Marissa stopped Ryan and took him into the gift shop.

"Let's get Seth a balloon or something." Marissa said as they walked into the gift shop.

"He can't see it, Marissa." Ryan pointed out as Marissa looked for the right balloon.

"I know that Ryan. But he should at least have something to look at when he wakes up." Marissa continued looking. "Ugh, they don't have any good ones. I'll just get some plain ones and write stuff on them." She picked out some colored balloons and went to grab some sharpies. Marissa then went over the card area, where Ryan was already looking. "Find any good ones?"

"No. Not a single 'hope you come out of your come soon.'" Ryan joked.

"It's a hospital. They should at least have some."

"Blank ones, then?" Ryan walked over to the blank card area.

"Yeah, I guess." Marissa sighed. She followed and they began picking out cards. Most had animals on them, so they tried to find ones that had animals sleeping or just waking up. There weren't many, but they did find some.

The two purchased their blank cards and balloons, some pens, and some sharpies. They left with their hands full. It was nice to have someone to talk to, Ryan had to admit. They joked about what they would put on the cards and balloons. Even tough they were thinking about Seth, they felt good for once.

"Any change?" Marissa asked Summer when they came back. Summer was still in her seat, Seth still lie on the bed.

"What do you think?" Summer shot back sadly.

"Right." Marissa began unloading their bags. Pens and balloons littered the table.

"What did you get?" Summer looked over, curious to know.

"Stuff for Seth." Ryan answered.

"He can't see any of it, you know that, right?" Summer told them.

"We know that." Marissa said and began to blow up a balloon. It was green, and on it she wrote, "Can't wait to see your eyes open!" Ryan blew up the next one, which was yellow, and on it the message now read, "Somehow, we miss your incessant babbling. Wake up soon!"

"I have to go to the bathroom." Summer announced and left the room, taking her purse. When she got in there, tears rolled down her face. Marissa and Ryan were so optimistic, supportive. They had thought the whole time they were downstairs, Summer was sitting next to Seth, maybe even talking to him. When in reality, she wasn't. She spent the whole time in the bathroom crying. Summer couldn't take watching Seth lie lifeless on that bed. It hurt her too much. She had reapplied her makeup just in time to check outside the room and see Ryan and Marissa leave the elevator. Summer rushed to her seat, and closed her eyes so she didn't have to look at Seth, until Ryan and Marissa came back. Tears rolled down as she thought about Seth. She hated herself for being awake, able to move, talk. The picture in the yearbook flashed in her mind. It made her cry harder.

"Sum? Are you okay in there? Marissa knocked on the door. Summer was taking too long. She wiped her tears away and got up.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just checking my makeup." Summer answered and saw the wreck that was her face. She quickly took off all her old makeup and took a tiny glance at her clean face before putting more makeup on. She looked different, plain, strange. She shook away the thoughts and began putting makeup back on so it looked like she hadn't been crying.

"You know, Seth won't mind if your makeup isn't perfect. He can't see it." Marissa joked.

"Yeah, well, it begs me if it isn't perfect." Summer finished her makeup. Over the years she had become a pro at replicating makeup fast. She opened the door and found about seven balloons, all with various messages, floating at the ceiling. Marissa and Ryan sat at the table, filling out cards. One or two were already on Seth's little table by his bed. No one sent him anything, either they didn't know he got hurt, or they didn't feel like sending him anything.

"Wanna help?" Marissa asked Summer. She didn't notice anything wrong.

"No." Summer looked over at Seth, and felt the tears welling up behind her eyes. "I should really be going. My step-mom probably need me." Summer tried to escape.

"I'm sure she won't mind if you're visiting Seth." Marissa didn't want Summer to leave.

"No, I think she will." It was a little harder to get away than expected.

"Oh. Okay. Well, I guess I'll talk to you later, all right?" Marissa said.

"Yeah. Talk to you later, Marissa. Bye, Ryan." Summer left, but Marissa noticed something. Summer used their real names. Only once had she heard Summer use Ryan's actual name, and never once had Summer used Marissa's real name. Something was definitely wrong.

Summer rushed to the elevator, trying to get as far away as she could before crying. But she only made it to the elevator. She got in the empty elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor. As the doors closed, her tears came crashing down.

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Summer tried to breathe. But her tears were making her a mess. She was in her car, and it was raining. She couldn't see. The rain was pouring down too hard, and her tears blurred her vision. She couldn't take it. She had to pull over.

Cars sped by without even noticing Summer. She didn't care, she just needed to breathe. Life was too overwhelming now. Why had she even let Marissa con her in coming? They had both taken their cars, thank God. Summer wouldn't have been able to stay there any longer. She couldn't look at Seth anymore. Every time she felt she was the one to blame. Like she had put him there. Really she hadn't, but she just couldn't get that idea in her head. Maybe, if she had forgiven him, they might be together now.

Tears never stopped falling from her eyes. There was too much pain behind them. She loved Seth and him being in a coma was way too much for Summer. But she couldn't let anyone know that. She couldn't fall apart in front of them. She wasn't weak.

Summer couldn't look in the mirror. She could see herself, the horrible, pitiful, evil person she was. She hated herself, everything about her. She wanted to rip her hair out and scream. Life sucked without Seth.

"Summer?" Someone was knocking on her window. Summer screamed in surprise, and looked over. Marissa stood there, in the pouring rain. Summer looked at the clock. She had been sitting in her car for over a half an hour. Where had the time gone? "Sum? Are you okay?" Marissa screamed. She had been driving home when she saw Summer's car pulled over to the side of the road. Marissa was worried, and had went to see what was up. Summer rolled down the window. "Sum, are you all right? Do you need a ride or something?"

"No. I'm just waiting it out." Summer answered, wiping her tears away.

"Have you been crying?" Marissa was getting cold, the rain was drenching her.

"No. It's, it's from the rain." Summer lied, but Marissa wasn't buying it.

"Are you sure you're okay? I can drive you home if you want and we can pick your car up tomorrow." Marissa didn't want to leave Summer all alone on the road.

"No, no I'm fine, Marissa. I swear." Summer just wanted Marissa to leave her alone, but Marissa was sick of this bull shit Summer was giving her for the last week.

"No, you're not okay! People who are okay don't spend a week in their room! Now what is wrong?" Marissa was flipping out. Summer didn't say a word, she just stared down at her lap. She made Marissa feel bad. "Listen, Summer, I'm really sorry. I'm just worried about you." Marissa apologized.

"You should be worried about Seth, not me." Summer whispered sadly.

"I know, but I'm worried about you too. You're really freaking me out, and everybody else. You need to get Seth off your mind for a bit. How about Friday, we go somewhere and you can forget about him? Just for a bit."Marissa figured she might as well tell her about her plan.

"What if I don't want to forget him?" Summer answered.

"It's just to make you feel better. Will you come?"

"I guess."

"Sum, I know you're upset about Seth, I am too. But he's gonna be okay, he's gonna wake up." Marissa tried to cheer Summer up.

"I know." Summer had yet to look up at the soaking wet Marissa.

"Then what is wrong?" Marissa was so confused. Summer looked up.

"Nothing," she lied. "I think the rain is slowing up. I'm gonna get going." Summer put the key in the ignition.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Marissa asked again.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll see you Friday, or maybe earlier, okay?" Summer wanted to get away.

"Okay." Marissa nodded and watched Summer pull out onto the road. Marissa sighed and went back to her car.

Summer continued driving and thought about what Marissa had said. She never really heard Marissa yell at her. She barely ever heard Marissa scream. Was she really worrying everybody? Why should they care about her? Seth was the one in the coma, he should be getting the attention.

Summer drove past the Cohens' house and shuddered. She remembered the day when she learned Seth had run away. She knew he had been upset, so she came by with a picnic packed and they were gonna have a great time and the summer would at least be a little okay. But she was greeted by, not Seth, but Kirsten. Summer was told not good news, but bad news. Really bad news. Kirsten had wiped away tears and handed Summer a note. Summer had read it, left the Cohens', got in her car, and called Marissa. She had called Seth every bad thing in the dictionary, hating him, wishing he never came into her life. He had come back, but Summer hadn't cared. She had been over him. She barely spoke a word to him. She hated him, and the fact that she had cared for him. But the minute the first gunshot went off, that all changed in the blink of an eye.

The rain wasn't slowing up, Summer was wrong. The windshield wipers tried to get the rain off, but it was just coming down too fast. She squinted her eyes to focus. Her house wasn't far away. Streets were washed out, so detours were all over. She watched as cars pulled to the side of the road, while some chose to pull into parking lots. Summer kept going, who would care if she got hurt? She hadn't shed a single tear since talking to Marissa. But as she thought of him, the tears came. All she could do lately was cry, what was wrong with her? She was stronger than this. No, no she wasn't. Otherwise Summer wouldn't be crying. She was weak, puny, pitiful.

Summer's house was in the distance. She was almost there. Almost to her room, where no one came in. She could be alone, no one would bother her. She could cry in peace. Summer stopped at a stoplight and looked around. She never really noticed what was around her. She wasn't observant. Summer never cared for what was around her, only her and what was happening.

The light turned green, but Summer didn't go. Maybe she wanted to stay there. Her mind was screaming press the gas! but she didn't listen. In her rearview mirror she could see headlights coming fast. Headed for her. Summer came back to reality and stepped on the gas. Hard. She sped off just in time. The came right through where she was seconds ago, then passing her on the left.

Summer was still a little shook up when she pulled into her driveway. She didn't go into the house right away, something in the yard had caught her eye. She got out of her car and went to inspect what she saw. Rain poured on her, but it didn't faze Summer. Her mind was focused on the thing she saw. As she walked closer to it, it came into view. It was the yearbook she had thrown out her window days earlier. Glass cracked under her feet as she got closer. The book was open so that Summer could see the picture. It was of Seth, the photo of him as the sailing team. She laughed when she saw the picture of him glaring up at her.

"How did you fuck yourself so bad, Cohen?" Summer asked the photo, half-expecting an answer. But she didn't get one.

It was strange, no one had noticed the yearbook and glass outside. No one knew Summer busted her window, the rain was still pouring inside. Summer looked up at the window, but saw nothing but black. What had she been expecting? Seth, to be standing there, waving down at her?

Lightning streaked the sky as the thunder made Summer jump. Her tears fell freely, she had given up on holding them back. She was soaked to the core, her makeup smeared, her hair plastered down. She wanted to go inside, but Summer felt content standing in the rain. All the lights were out in the house. She was alone.

She took a deep breath. She couldn't stand outside forever. As she walked away form the book, leaving it lie there, she could still hear the glass cracking under her feet. The ground was muddy, wanting her to sink into the ground. She floated across it and to the porch. Her hands shook as she forced the key into the lock. She turned it and it opened, letting her inside the dark house.

And then she screamed. Not a small one, Summer tried to let her anger out. But there was too much. She fell to the floor in weakness, tears pouring from her eyes. She sat there for a while, losing track of time. No one came home, did they ever? Her father was at work, trying to catch up after his vacation. Her father and his wife had come home last Tuesday to console Summer, but really they didn't. After one day they ignored her, going back to the normal routine. Summer had distanced herself from her father, they barely talked now. She knew he was wrong about Seth, Summer just hadn't had an opportunity to prove he was wrong.

Finally, Summer rose and slowly headed to her room. When she opened the door, wind blew in her face. The storm had picked up. Everything in her room was blown around, it was a complete mess. No one could come in, they'd know she had fallen apart. She hadn't fully fallen apart, not yet reaching her breaking point. She hoped Seth would wake up before she did reach it.

Summer fell into her usual corner. This was the corner she cried her pain away over the years. She sat in it more and more, it was the only place she ever was now. It was in her closet, behind the clothes, the fake life. No one knew where her secret corner was, only her. She had developed it when she was in the third grade, when her parents were at the end of their marriage. She'd hide in her corner as her parents screamed and she would cry. Later on, Princess Sparkles joined her in the crying game. She would always be so mad at her parents and so upset, that Summer would fall asleep in her corner. Every time she woke up, she hoped that they had gotten so worried about Summer that they would forget all their arguments and look for her. Then when she popped up, they would be so happy and they would be the perfect family again.

But they never did. For a while, Summer was never tucked in, or kissed good night. When her parents fought, Summer was forgotten.

After the divorce, Summer was lavished with gifts and love from her father, but every once in a while, she would go into her secret corner. She missed when her family was a family. Everyday, she would pray that her parents would get back together. When her father remarried, the praying stopped. Summer had lost hope in love.

For a while, Summer had forgotten about her corner. When she was with Seth, she didn't need the corner. He made her feel good, happy. But when Seth had run away, she was pissed. She was going to a party the day after she learned he left when she rediscovered the corner. Summer had stared at it, half wanting to go and crawl in it and cry. But she was too strong. She didn't need the corner.

Summer's secret corner was her safety, no one could take it away. No one knew all the pain Summer had dealt with in there. Only she and Princess Sparkles knew. The corner had been replaced at one time, Seth had been her corner. But when she was Seth, she didn't need to feel sadness. She was complete.

Without Seth, nothing was right. She wanted him to be okay, to wake up, so badly. Everyday that he was in that coma was torture to Summer. Her corner became the only thing she could rely on.

Summer needed Seth Cohen more than he would ever know.