Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with The OC (Sadly!)

A/N; Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your great reviews, it means a lot that you took time out to respond! Just a few specific replies to reviewers..

Cutie Cay- Glad you like the story!I know some oftheposts are sort of short but I just felt they worked better as chapters that way. I thought that if I post shorter ones more regularly it would sort of work out the same-but let me know what you think!

ocobsessedrachel2- Firstly, I love the song Bittersweet Symphony too! I'm trying to name allthe chapters after songs that I love which also have some vague relavance to the post itself, but I think I may run out of those! Sadly no I didn't watch it last night because I live in England :( but i'm keeping up with what's going on over the net! I hope they kiss soon too!

Somebody's Dark Angel - Thanks for reading and leaving such a detailed review, it was great! I love Seth-Ryan time in the show and quite enjoy writing it too, so expect some more to come!

Thanks again to everyone who reviewed!

Summer wandered down the halls of Harbour high lost in her own thoughts and oblivious to the usual morning mayhem surrounding her. Over the past week she had replayed her latest encounter with Seth over in her head countless times and each time she suffered the same emotional turmoil.

To start with, she'd be overcome with pain and regret. Being so close to him reminded her of their time together as a couple and old feelings would come flooding back with a vengeance. It was at these times when she would wish that she'd just fallen back into his arms and let him heal her wrecked heart.

But then she would allow her head to take control and remind herself that she never wanted to put herself such a vulnerable position again, especially when she suspected he didn't actually love her like she loved him.

So by the end of each flashback Summer would be left with a dull ache of loneliness but a sense of peace with her choices. It was a draining cycle that she just couldn't seem to break out of.

"Hey Sum" her thoughts were interrupted as Marissa tapped her on the shoulder and fell into stride next to her.

"How are you doing?" Marissa's voice was full of concern but Summer was becoming a little tired of her friends looking at her as though she was about to self-destruct at any moment. So she took a deep calming breath before replying.

"I'm fine…really" she added seeing Marissa's sceptical face

"Ok then, good" Marissa knew her friend better than to push her on something like this. She wasn't fine…but she would be eventually.

"Oooh so" Marissa began brightly "You'll definitely be coming to the Autumn Harvest Dance next week then?" She shot a pleading look at Summer and grasped her hands together in a mock praying position.

"No way, sorry Coop but those events are pretty dire at the best of times and at these times…well I'm just not in a very school spirit kind of mood"

"Urgh but please, I'm seriously begging you. You know how much Ryan hates these kinds of things and so I need you there to make sure that he doesn't get so bored that he starts a fight among the polystyrene sheaves of corn that I spent all last week painting!" By now Marissa was looking desperate, not to mention stressed, as she recalled all the ridiculous effort she'd put into making the school hall vaguely resemble something Harvesty.

Summer sighed and patted her friend sympathetically on the arm "I don't know how you get yourself into these things Coop, I really don't"

"Unfortunately it comes with the Social chair position. So will you come? Please…take pity on me and my pathetic mock ranch thingy…please"

Summer scrunched up her face in distain but finally gave in as Marissa shot her relentlessly pleading looks with her giant puppy dog eyes "God Coop, so owe me so much for this"

"Yay!" Marissa celebrated by throwing her arms around Summer who rolled her eyes and laughed at her friend's elation. "I won't forget this I promise" Marissa assured her.

"Damn right you won't!" Summer shot back "You can expect me to be landing on your doorstep at some ridiculous hour of the morning the next time I'm an emotional wreck and in dire need of somebody to watch The Valley with me!"

"Ok" laughed Marissa "I promise not to turn you away. So…are you going to find some lucky eligible young Water Polo player to escort you to this event?"

Summer became a little quieter and distracted all of a sudden "Uh no…I think it's best if I just fly solo for this one" Inside, Summer's heart sank at the idea of having get through the evening with no date. And she had a feeling that it was a little beyond the realm of her and Seth's friendship to start attending these things as a platonic couple.

Panic rose in her chest however as she contemplated for the first time the fact that Seth may bring somebody else as his date, but she pushed this thought to the back of her mind. There was no use worrying about that now, and it definitely wasn't a good enough reason to find some random to escort her for the evening.

"Nope" Summer continued "I shall be alone, so you can count me in as yours and Ryan's third wheel for the evening. Which means no escaping on the dance floor to do coupley things and leaving me to look sad and pathetic"

"I don't think you have to worry about that Sum," Marissa said smiling "I have a feeling Ryan will be giving the dance floor a wide berth all night"

The bell rang to signal the start of the next class and Marissa quickly said goodbye to her friend leaving Summer to contemplate how many more of these events she would be roped into and have to go through alone. Events where she would spend the whole evening knowing that there was only one person she could possibly want to be there with, and that that person was out of reach…for now at least.

Thanks for reading, please review!