Chapter 2:

Summer's POV

God, Cohen is such an ass

I mean how am I supposed to be mad at him when he does sweet things like remember my favorite flowers. And show up on my doorstep looking so sad and wearing that polo I bought him in Abercrombie, even though his emo-geek self would never admit that he actually likes the store.

And ...grr, I want to be mad at him, I am. But, I don't think I can honestly stay mad at him, or even pretend to hate him when he does stuff like...like this, remembering things he shouldn't and being so sweet when, God, can't he just be an ass? Then I could just hate him and move on with my life.

I can't stay mad at him because...because he's Cohen, and despite everything, I love him.

But, in Newport Beach you can't just go back to the geek who abandoned you, you can't sacrifice your social standing for a second time, because in the O.C. you don't get third chances, hell you don't usually get second chances.

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Seth POV

I always knew that she was too good for me.

I mean the whole time we were together I was just waiting for her to realize what she was doing, I mean what kind of girl wants to be with me anyway?

And even if ten years of ridicule in Newport entitled me to some degree of happiness, I blew it. I took every good thing that had happened to me this year and threw it all away. The second I stepped on that boat, I walked away from her, and she was the best thing that ever happened to me, I mean it, the best thing.

This summer was supposed to be like last summer, different from every other summer I had ever experienced, Ryan and I were supposed to go sailing and take Summer and Marissa with us. I was supposed to get to spend the whole summer making out with my girlfriend and ignoring the prospect of college that loomed before us, but the second that Ryan said he was leaving everything changed.

It shouldn't have mattered, Chino isn't that far away.

But it did matter, Ryan made this town home for me. Without him, I never would have spoken to Marissa, or Luke, or God, even been close enough to Summer to see her. And I couldn't help but think that without him, things would go back to the way they were and I'd be alone.

It may have taken my leaving to realize it, But I had the best life, and I threw it away to hang out on a boat for two months. And in doing so, I lost the best thing in my life.

I love you, Summer, I'll always love you.