Chapter 5

The First Proposal

Seth Cohen sat staring. He couldn't help it, she was beautiful. The sun shimmered off her olive skin, and her red bikini fit her in all of the right places. Her long dark hair was left loose and hung down her back in a silky curtain. She was perfect, and what's more, she was his.

"Hey Cohen," she sniped, turning to face him with a big smile on her face. "Fancy getting out from under that parasol and going for a swim?"

Seth squinted at his girlfriend, wondering what he had done to deserve her. Oh hell that was a cliché, but lately, Seth had been thinking in a lot of clichés where Summer was concerned.

"Cohen," Summer sing-songed. "What's up, has the lack of sun finally frazzled your brain?"

Seth mock-laughed. "Oh, ha wow. That was… surprisingly not funny."

Summer threw a beach towel at him. "Last one in the water is a rotten egg!" she yelled, jumping up quickly.

"Oh yeah, that's mature – hey no fair!" he laughed, jumping up and wrestling Summer to the ground. She laughed loudly and fought back with all she was worth.

"Cohen!" she whined as he pinned her to the ground. She felt the soft sand beneath her back and squirmed delightedly. Seth wasn't given up. Fine then, she'd just have to play dirty. She pinched his elbow with her nails and laughed as he yelled out. In the one second that he raised his arm, she took control and turned him over so she was the one on top.

"hey," he laughed, "that's cheating."

Summer flattened herself on top of him so he couldn't shift her and stuck her tongue out. Immediately he placed his mouth on top of hers and they kissed – long and passionate. He massaged her tongue with his and Summer found herself moaning with pleasure. He pulled away.

"Cohen" she whined, "What did you do that for?"

"The kiss? I couldn't resist."

"I meant the pulling away," she said haughtily, before leaning down again and kissing him.

"hey Mommy, are they having sex?" Summer pulled away from Seth quickly and jumped to her feet as a little girl pointed at them, holding the hand of a very disapproving mother.

"This is a public beach," the mother hissed, causing Seth and Summer to stare at the floor guiltily.

"Sorry," they said simultaneously, before the woman headed off.

Seth started laughing. Summer threw him an annoyed glance but couldn't help herself, she started laughing too. "Oh God," she gasped, "We've just been chastised!"

"I – I know. That hasn't happened since we were eighteen…"

"In the college library!" Summer finished. They laughed again until Summer had to sit down. She slumped into the sand beside Seth and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Ah, the good old times," she laughed.

"Oh yeah, back in the day," Seth played along. Summer looked at him and burst out laughing.

"Coming in the sea now?" she asked. Seth pulled a face but Summer wouldn't take no for an answer. She dragged his wrist and pulled him up playfully.

"Summer," he moaned. "I don't want too."

"Well that's tough Cohen. You're coming to swim with me because I am your girlfriend and you owe me for putting up with you all these years."

"Oh, I love you too sweetie."

They reached the edge of the sea and Summer turned and looked at him, she put her hands on his shoulders and looked mock-sincere.

"Okay Seth Cohen, this is a little thing I like to call 'the sea'. Now in 'the sea' we can swim, which is what we are going to do now. Do you know how to swim Seth Cohen?"

Seth raised his eyebrows at her. "Right," he said firmly. He grabbed Summer under the knees and flung her over his shoulder, ignoring her screams of protest. He waded into the sea until he was waist high

"Cohen, don't you dare! Cohen, you'll get my hair wet!" Summer screamed. Seth splashed the water onto her and she screamed at the shock of the cold.

"What's it worth huh?" he asked.

"Well, if you put me down slowly I may not KILL YOU!"

"Only may eh? Well in that case I may as well have my wicked way with you."

Suddenly he went to drop her. Summer screamed and cursed loudly. But Seth grabbed her slowly and lowered her to the water gently. He didn't know why he'd done it, but he just had an overwhelming urge to protect her.

Summer stood shakily, the water reached to the top of her stomach. "Whoa Cohen, are you losing your touch?"

"Or my mind," Seth answered. Summer stared up at him, confused.

"What?" she asked.

"I don't know, I'm just talking crazy."

"Hum, yeah, 'because that's a change."

"Marry me?"

Summer stopped adjusting her bikini bra strap and stared up at him, she had lost full control of her lower jaw.

"Wha – what?" she asked, amazed. Seth's own jaw was hanging slightly opened. It was like he'd lost full control of his mouth and it had just spewed out his innermost fantasy. Was he really ready for this?

"I – I don't know why I said that." He answered truthfully.

Summer tried to ignore the feeling of disappointment that was gnawing at her. "Oh. Well, we could just put that down to a spur of the moment thing and pretend it never happened. If that's what you want," she added the last part quickly. She didn't want him to know that it was what she wanted, but she also didn't want him proposing unless he really meant it.

"Right," was all he could manage.

"Right," Summer repeated. "So, I'm going to go sunbathe." She started off to go but Seth grabbed her arm.

"Summer, wait." She turned around and nodded.

"What?" she asked.

"Uh, I'm not very good at this whole saying the right thing - thing.. I mean, talking – that I'm good at, I can talk for hours but when it comes down to saying something that doesn't make me look like an absolute jerk – not so hot. Um, which is exactly why I'm rambling but… I think that… that what I just said was the right thing."

"What, the ramble?"

"No, the marry me part."

"Oh."

"So will you?"

"Will I what?"

"Okay, I should kneel here but I think my head would go under water and that wouldn't help either of us so… Summer Roberts, will you marry me?"

Summer couldn't get any words out, she wrapped her words around Seth and kissed him


Summer's eyes fluttered open. All she could see where eyes – a lot of eyes. She strained to open her eyes further and realised that the eyes were all part of faces.

"She's coming to," someone yelled. Finally her eyes were fully open and she pulled herself up. Her head hurt, but it only took a second for all the memories of the night to come flying back at her. Seth.

"Hey sweetie, are you alright?" she heard Dominic's voice, and then saw his face. She smiled weakly and looked around. She tried to deny to herself that she was looking for Seth, but she knew that she was. She could never really lie to herself, although she had tried many, many times.

"I – I'm fine," she stuttered. Dominic tutted loudly and put his hand on her forehead. She looked around and saw Marissa. She tried to relay the question 'where is he?' without saying the words. Luckily, Marissa had been her friend long enough to read Summer's wordless questions.

"He's gone Summer," she said quietly.

AN: Hey everybody! I updated! Yay me! Lot of ! Anyway. Moving swiiiiiiiiftly on. How did ya like it? Please review it, I'd really appreciate it. Again I won't be able to update as often but I will try.

Leanna :)