(A.N.) Hiya! Sorry thi update took a little longer than I expected! The story is moving on faster and we're getting nearer and nearer to the climax! There isnt that much left but I'm gonna stretch it out so there's as much info and everthing makes sense! This chapter isnt great, i'll admit, lots of fluff when Summer makes a shocking discovery...

And I'd like to thank every single person who reviewed, they were really awesome so thank you so much!

Enjoy this chap everyone and please leave me some reviews!

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Ava's eye's flicked open as her alarm buzzed away next to her head. She sat up and clicked it off, rubbing her eyes. She'd set it at this specific time so she'd be in time to watch the morning news report and see if the cops were on her tail.

'As if that would ever happen! The cops in this town couldn't catch a cold,' she said to herself, laughing at her joke. She reached for the remote, propped up her pillows and settled down to watch the news. As the T.V. flicked on, the news was just beginning.

"The serial killer of Newport Beach has struck again in a more horrific attack than previously seen. Holly Fisher, an eighteen year old living in Newport, was stabbed and received severe head injuries from the as yet unknown killer. She was found in her abandoned limo by fellow limo driver Harold Lane and his teenage passengers, Seth Cohen and Summer Roberts…"

Ava sat bolt upright, her body freezing. Summer? Summer Roberts? This was too perfect for words. Summer had found Holly dead. Ava couldn't believe her luck as she laughed out loud to her self. Her attention focused back to the report.

"…Later on, forensic investigators found a body in the trunk of the abandoned limo which was later identified as being Mr Edward Johnson, the limo's driver. We don't know what exactly happened yet but police are trying their hardest to piece together the clues…"

Ava snorted to herself, she'd left no clues for them!

"… I can now cross live to Sergeant Greene who is leading this investigation, Sergeant, what clues do you have, if any?" The picture changed to show the sergeant stood outside the main police station.

"Well, Sally, in the two previous murders there were no clues whatsoever but this time, our killer has indeed slipped up." Ava felt all the blood drain out of her face and she stared at the screen.

"We have a large sports bag which we suspect was used to hijack the limo in the first place and the most exciting lead is a single hair found in the cab which did not belong to the original driver. This hair is currently in the lab being tested."

Ava's mouth dropped open and her whole body shook. Numbness trickled down her body like icy water and the happy thoughts in her mind had floated away. What had she done? She'd gone and practically invited the cops to come and find her. This was it, it was all over.

Unless… it wasn't.

Ava perked up and sat back into her pillows, a devious look appearing on her pale and drawn face. One last death would make four and that was enough. She secretly thought that the original ten was going to be a challenge. One more time and then she could end everything. That was it, she had her plan. And the victim would already be feeling pretty vulnerable…

"Summer Roberts, your time's up," Ava said to herself coolly.


Summer laid in her bed, feeling really comfortable. She sighed happily and rolled over onto her stomach. Her long mahogany locks were spread out on her pillow and she felt really contented.

Her eye's flicked open suddenly and she realised that the room, which was filled with light only a minute ago, was now getting darker and darker. It also began to feel really cold. Summer sat up in her bed and pulled her sheets closer, trying to cover any exposed skin.

She a voice outside her door, it didn't sound familiar though, a husky, creepy female voice. Suddenly Summer began to feel dizzy and confused. Where was she? What was happening? It got darker still until she could just squint to see.

"Dad?" she called, holding her aching head.

"Gloria? Coop? Seth?" she called feeling more and more helpless. She froze as the door began to slowly open and a shadowed figure entered.

"Who are you? Who's there?" Summer called though the thick blanket of darkness. Suddenly it got light again and the person's face was revealed. Summer inhaled sharply and yelled…

"AVA!" Summer screamed at the top of her lungs.

She opened her eyes and was in her room. But everything appeared to be normal. It must have been a dream. Summer panted, feeling queasy and out of breath. She thought about the face, who she'd seen.

Why was she seeing Ava Walker as a hooded and shadowy figure? Summer sat in deep thought before leaning over to get her cell phone. She'd call Seth, he wouldn't mind. As she stood up, picking up her phone the world suddenly went black and the phone slipped out of Summer's hands, smashing on the floor.

It was her. She was the killer. It made so much sense. Beth, who'd tormented her for years, Natalie who'd come up with the party plan, Holly who ring leaded the plan and…

"Oh my god," Summer breathed, feeling numb, "I'm next."


Seth slid down the staircase casually trying to disguise his messed up state of mind right now. His head was all over the place. Holly, Summer, Prom and very little sleep made him feel lost. He'd gotten home at around 2am following their own little prom and making sure Summer got home alright. Then he'd been confronted by his parents, his Mom holding onto him, sobbing about the terrible ordeal he'd been through and his Dad who looked angry but sad at the same time. It had been a very weird night.

Seth strolled into the empty kitchen. It was Saturday and his Dad would be out surfing, April would be over at her friend Freya's house on her Saturday play date, Ryan would be asleep and he didn't know where his Mom was. The doorbell rang and Seth hurried out to the foyer.

When he opened the door he saw a very dishevelled and scared looking Summer. She had puffy red eyes from crying and was twitchy.

"Summer? Oh my god are you okay?" Seth asked worriedly.

"Can I come in Seth?" Summer said quietly. Seth nodded and extended the door as she walked in quickly.

"Come up to my room so we can talk," he said, guiding her towards the staircase.

As they entered his room moments later, Summer gingerly sat down on his bed, Seth pulling his desk chair over to face her.

"What's going on Sum?" he asked, stroking her arm tenderly.

"I, uh, I had a bad dream last night, well I think it was a dream, but it helped me figure something out…" Summer said, looking into Seth's eyes. He looked at her, his stare urging her on to what she was getting at.

"I know, well I think I do, who killed Holly and Beth and Natalie…" she announced, her voice only above a whisper.

"What? I mean how do you know? Who is it?" Seth asked avidly.

"I think its Ava Walker…" Seth nodded, thinking to himself.

"What brought this to you?" he asked.

"Well, it was in my dream, she was like a shadowy figure and as she bent over me I saw her face and, well, think about it Seth. It all makes sense." Seth stood up, nodding but still thinking.

"Beth, who bullied her for years, Natalie who planned the party assault and Holly, Beth's accomplice," Summer stated quietly, looking at her feet.

Seth looked out of his window and suddenly spun around, his mouth wide open and terror etched on his face.

"You," he whispered.

Summer glanced up at him, a salty tear silently drifting down her cheek.

"But, no, this can't be… Oh God. What are we gonna…? No…" Seth stuttered, struggling to talk properly. He raced back over to his girlfriend. He knelt down in front of her, taking her hands in his and squeezing them comfortingly.

"This isn't definite. We're only guessing," Seth whispered comfortingly.

"I know, but if that's true then why does everything make sense?" Summer asked, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Listen to me Sum," Seth said. Summer lifted her head and stared back into his unflinching gaze. His eyes swallowed her up and encased herthoughts so she listened to everything he said.

"If it kills me, I'm not gonna let her find you. I'm gonna make sure there's always someone with you, and we're going to the hardware store to get locks and security stuff, ok?"

"You do that? For me?" Summer whispered, frowning.

"Yeah, I don't want you to get hurt, that's all," Seth half smiled and wiped away her tears.

"Thank you."


A week passed, it seemed like forever to Summer. Seth was constantly watching over her and although she really appreciated it, Summer felt like she was on a constantly short leash. Protection is one thing but she needed some privacy and alone time, that wasn't too much to ask. The lowest point was Wednesday, Holly's funeral. Summer and Marissa attended and as they watched the shiny wooden coffin sink into the earth, Summer's heart felt inexplicably heavy and fresh tears pricked at her eyes.

Despite the recent loss, Harbour School was doing everything they could to ensure that graduation went ahead without any hitches. It was set for the following Thursday and Summer was looking forward to it. She was actually looking forward to escaping High School and even happier at leaving the state for Brown in September with Seth.

And the four planned on taking a long vacation before the two couples headed their separate ways. Jimmy Cooper was lending his boat to them and Seth was mapping out the perfect trip. Marissa and Summer were both longing for some long sandy, deserted beaches somewhere other than Newport.

Summer sat dreaming about it in her class on Friday. As the bell went, Summer hurriedly gathered her books, knowing that Seth would appear at the door any second. How he got to all her classes so fast was a mystery to her. She was just glad it was the end of the day and she could go home, curl up in her bed with Princess Sparkle and watch season three of The Valley on DVD. Suddenly her cell phone began to ring. She dug in her bag for it and flipping it open when she retrieved it.

"Hello?"

"Hi Sum, its Dad." Her dad's voice floated into her ear and she frowned. Why was he calling?

"Listen honey, I cant talk long but you know that Gloria's in Dubai?"

"Yeah…?"

"Well she's ill and needs me to fly out there so im getting the next flight now. You'll be okay for the weekend wont you?" Summer's limbs went limp.

"Uh, Dad I don't…"

"Thanks Sum, I'll see you on Monday. Love you honey,"

"Uh, love you too dad," Summer spluttered.

The line went dead and Summer closed her phone, feeling utterly stunned. This wasn't good, at all. It would send Seth into overdrive and her last weekend as a senior would be ruined. Seth's head popped inside the room.

"Hey Summer, what's the matter?"

"Uh, my Dad just called…" she said.

"Really, anything wrong?" Summer stopped, thinking.

"No really he just said my step-mom's spending a couple more days in Dubai. He's home now and we're gonna have dinner tonight. So nothing special," Summer smiled nervously.

Seth nodded and followed her out into the bright sunshine. So she'd told a little lie? So what? This way Seth wouldn't be breathing down her neck and worrying about her constantly.

What harm could it do…?