A special thank you to HOTTERTHNU, my beta who did an amazing job editing all my chapters. Please review! Please tell me of your suggestions for the story. You can leave it in your Reviews or E-mail me at coolcolin5hotmail.com, just please title it "Story Ideas" if you email. I look forward to hearing from you. And I know I have a cliffhanger and it will be answered, but not now. The only problem is that this chapter needed to go here or I couldn't include it in the story and I think this is a very important chapter. I'm sure you will agree after you have read it.
Chapter 5 – Why He Is
Summer ran out the front door of the Cohen house, her fingers firmly wrapped around a white piece of paper. She stepped onto the lush grass on the front lawn and walked a few steps to find a wooden bench. Summer looked up at the bright sky and sat down. Her face was red and tears stumbled over her face, slowly falling to her top lip; she tasted the salty tears and it reminded her of Seth, Seth and his sailing. Summer sat there for an hour reflecting on the last year. She couldn't bring herself to read past the first sentence of Seth's letter. All she had read was…Dear Summer, this is extremely hard to say to you. I need to get away from this place, It's to painful to stay here and sailing is the only thing that takes the pain away…
After reading that much into the letter she was far too scared to read further. What if she opened the letter and it said…Seth didn't… want... to be with her? What if he came to his senses and realized that he was too good for her? Another tear rolled down her face.
Josh jumped into his yellow rich-kid car. Fumbling with the keys they finally found their way into the car's starter. He turned it and the engine hummed like an angel. He pulled out of the driveway and continued down the street. Driving for a few minutes, he tapped on the brakes, seeing a familiar face…Summer's. He pulled over and put the car into park. Getting out, he locked the door and walked over the Cohen's front lawn to Summer.
"Summer, that you!" Josh called and waited for a response.
"What you're not going to answer me?" Josh spoke angrily and bit his lip when he saw the tears coming from Summer's eyes.
"Are you ok?" Josh said, his voice now soft, as he sat down beside Summer.
"I'm fine." Summer mumbled, trying to shake off her teary eyes.
Josh reached out to touch her face. "I've missed you," he said in his charming voice.
Josh had been her boyfriend for many years. In fact, they started going out in grade six. However, they had broken up in grade 9, the result of going to different high schools. He was Summer's first crush, but not her first true love. He had broken up with him after she refused to have sex with him. She was crushed at the time, but she could then see him for his true colors, he was using her. She had never gotten the looks that Seth gave to her from him and it was what she had been craving for when she got together with Seth. Although she had to admit she did miss Josh's boyish good looks. Josh was tall, dark haired and had the perfect face, and the whitest smile and the body to match.
"I guess I've missed you too," Summer sobbed softly.
Josh reached out for Summer's smooth face. Josh's lips touched hers and she let herself go, allowing Josh to kiss her softly. Memories flooded her head, times when everything in her life was perfect. Before her parents had divorced, before this year and sadly before Seth.
"What's wrong?" Josh asked.
Summers turned her shoulder and looked towards the ocean and realized what she had just done. Somewhere Seth was out there and she had betrayed him.
"I have a boyfriend, I'm sorry," She said softly.
"You do," Josh sighed and continued. "Who?"
That was when Summer's brain took over her heart. She and Josh had gone to the same school before high school and Seth was the biggest loser. He would just laugh at her, if she told him she was going out with Seth Cohen. Then, at that point in time, old memories of Seth resurfaced in her mind and she was brought back to that time when Seth was alone. "Summer Roberts you're next," a bright young female teacher called out to the class.
"Nice job Mr. Cohen," Mrs. Fields, the teacher, said as Seth walked back to his desk.
"Ya, nice job Cohen you queer!" Luke called out as the whole class laughed.
"Luke Ward, quiet down," the teacher yelled. "It's your turn Summer."
Summer stood up and walked to the front of her sixth grade class, her hand shaking as she saw all the faces staring back at her. Seth watched her and noticed the slight shake of her hand. She began:
"I Wish I Was a Mermaid," the young Summer started.
Seth opened up his ears and began committing Summer's beautiful poem to memory.
I wish I was a mermaid,
And was friends with all the fish,
A shiny tail,
And seashells that would drift.
Drift from place to place,
Upon my very wish,
I wish I was a mermaid,
So I could sing and play with all the fish.
The class clapped and Summer smiled nervously and sat down. Josh turned around as Summer sat down.
"Not bad Summer."
"Thanks Josh," Summer said, smiling.
Seth turned towards Summer. "It was amazing Summer."
Summer's eyes turned to disgust as she saw who was talking to her.
"Whatever freak."
Seth's face froze as he took a deep breath.
Josh looked at Seth, "Hey why don't you just shut the hell up and turn around and stop talking or trying you fagot?" Josh yelled, loud enough for the whole class to hear. Seth's classmates all laughed and pointed at Seth.
"What's going on?" The teacher yelled.
"Seth was bugging Summer," Josh blurted out, a smile across his face as he spoke the words.
The teacher walked towards the two boys. "Seth, I'm surprised at you. Both you and Josh will have detention after class today for one hour."
"But…I…didn't do..." Seth attempted to say before the teacher cut him off.
"Would you like to make it longer Mr. Cohen?"
Seth looked confused. "I was just saying I liked Summer's poem."
"Mr. Cohen you have just bought yourself another hour." The class laughed as the teacher spoke. Seth gave up and slumped down in his desk as the bell rang. Josh looked over at Seth.
"You're going to pay for this fag," Josh spoke with anger in his voice.
The class got up and left and Luke and Marissa were the last ones to walk out of the class together. Seth could hear them talking as they left.
"Don't you, like, live next door to him?" Luke said.
"Yeah, but he's not my friend," Marissa said. "Believe me, if I could I'd move just to get away from the freak vibes coming from his house."
Their voices trailed off as they left the classroom.
"Josh, your one hour starts now. And Seth, your first of two also starts now. I want no talking, I need to go inform your parents." With that the teacher left the room.
The two children stared at the wall for some time quietly until Josh started to talk.
"Listen loser, I am so going to get you back for this." Seth just sat there staring at the blackboard.
"What, don't losers talk?"
"I'm not a loser," Seth mumbled just in time for the teacher to come in and hear him talking.
"Seth you're really pushing my patience today. I have informed both your parents." The teacher finished and sat down at her desk to start to correct papers. Time moved slowly and every few minutes the teacher would look at the large clock on the wall. When she looked for almost the thirtieth time in half an hour she stood up.
"Mr. Days you may go."
With that Josh stood up from his desk, gave a dark smile at Seth and as he walked by whispered menacingly.
"Why do you bother coming?"
When Josh left the room, Seth slumped his head down and let the tears quietly flow from his eyes. As he lay he realized he had to take a chance. He wanted to ask Summer to go out with him. Based on her early reaction she wasn't interested, but he had to try.
Seth quietly walked out of the classroom, as the teacher gave the okay. He walked down the empty hallways to his locker. He grabbed the lock and turned it to 15 then 11 and finally 30. The lock opened and he pulled it off and opened his locker. Seth reached in, grabbed his bag and alone walked out of the school.
A black car purred, waiting for him outside. He jumped in.
"Hello son," Sandy said smiling.
"Hi," Seth whimpered.
"It's only detention son, you'll make it through this," Sandy said, remembering his youth.
"I know Dad...Its just one more day down," Seth muttered.
"What are you counting the days down to?" Sandy asked.
"I don't know, I'm just glad another one's over."
The car drove away from the school towards the sunset.
"I don't think we should punish him at all," Sandy said to Kirsten.
"Sandy, he was given a two hour detention."
"I know, but the kid is depressed enough. If we take away his video games or his sailing privileges, what else does he have?"
"Ok," Kirsten said, agreeing with a slight nod. Kirsten walked over to Sandy.
"I'm worried about him."
Seth lay up in his room lying on his pillow, the lights off, he was practicing what he would say to Summer tomorrow. He lay up until one in the morning trying to gain enough confidence, when sleep took hold and silenced his active mind.
The next morning Seth awoke with half the confidence he had last night. Yet he was determined to go through with it.
The morning went smoothly, if you didn't count everyone laughing at him during the first recess, when Luke held him down and Josh stole his shoes and threw them on the roof.
After the lunch bell rang. Seth went into the hallway to find Summer talking to her friends. As Seth walked up to her, Summer's friends left her side and began walking away.
"I need to talk to you," Seth pleaded, his voice cracking.
"What?" Summer responded.
"I just wanted to say that I like you and I think you're amazing," Seth boldly said. Summer smiled slightly at the compliment. From behind Seth Luke walked up, and, hearing what Seth had said, laughed.
"Summer you wouldn't really go out with this freak would you?" Luke barked.
Summers smile quickly faded. "No? He's a complete loser."
Seth looked at Summer, brokenhearted.
"See you fag, you never had a chance," Luke said to Seth's face. Summer smiled at Luke.
"Thanks Luke," Summer said thoughtfully, as she stared at Seth like he was a freak of nature and walked away to the other side of the hall, joining her friends. Luke looked back down at the other end of the hallway and yelled.
"Hey Josh, the fag was hitting on your girl," Luke yelled as he pointed at Seth.
Josh's face turned red and he walked to Luke.
"Lets teach it a lesson then," Josh spat the words at Seth.
Josh and Luke both made fists and both punched Seth. He fell to the floor and curled up in a ball using his hands to protect his bleeding face from the kicks of Luke and Josh. Seth lay taking the beating and swore he would never share his feelings or trust anyone again.
A teacher turned the corner to see Seth lying on the floor with Josh and Luke around him. The teacher ran over and, seeing the bleeding boy, turned to Summer.
"Summer Roberts who started this?" the teacher yelled.
Summer looked at Seth, then at Josh and Luke.
"Well, Ms. Roberts?"
Summer turned to the teacher. "It…was...Seth who started it." And out of the corner of her eye she could see Seth allow a single tear to roll down his face.
Summer sat on the wooden bench beside Josh many years later.
"So," Josh said, shaking Summer out of her memory. "Who's the boyfriend?"
Summer glanced away from the water and at Josh. "Seth Cohen."
Josh stood up and laughed. "The loser from school? You're dating that guy? The fag, that we sent to the hospital in grade six? Summer Roberts is dating the elementary school fag," Josh said, laughter in his voice as he stood up from the bench.
Summer stood up to and looked directly into Josh's eyes. She slapped Josh as hard as she could.
"Owww," Josh grunted, feeling the sting from the slap. "What was that for?"
"That was from me for being such an ass!" Summer yelled. "And this, well this is from Seth, the one I love!" Summer pulled back her leg and with its spring loaded she kicked Josh square in the middle of the legs. Did I just yell that I LOVED Seth Cohen, Summer thought to herself, as Josh fell onto the grass in extreme pain. The only question was if Seth loved her. That is when she remembered the letter. She opened it and read the bottom of the letter. Summer this is the hardest thing to say because you might not feel it back…I…love you.
Summer folded the letter up and, staring back over the ocean, yelled at the top of her lungs, "I love you Seth Cohen!!!"
Please Review this Chapter. Thank you for reading.
And if you have suggestions e-mail me at coolcolin5hotmail.com
I hope you enjoyed chapter 5 and keep checking for chapter 6.
Your writer, Colin