A/N: Thanks for reviewing everybody! I figured it was time to catch up with what Summer's up to...

Summer swung her car into the long driveway that led up to Jen's outsized, opulent mansion. Parking in the nearest available spot she heaved a big sigh and leaned heavily back in her seat, trying to rally herself to face Newport's finest.

Consumed by a dangerous mix of anger, frustration and emotional pain, the drive had passed in a blur. Although Summer's actions were partly fuelled by an irrational desire to spite Seth, there was also a part of her that knew she had to do this. As much as the idea of being with these people again repelled her, she needed to know if Seth was right…and if she was ready to give up entirely on the old Summer…

Whipping a compact mirror out of her purse, Summer examined her reflection a little critically. The swelling of her eyes that was inflicted by the torrents of tears had subsided, but the blood shot look remained, a more lasting reminder of the turmoil of the past few hours. Not that anyone at Jen's party would notice something like that, Summer mused bitterly, they were all too wrapped up in themselves to recognise somebody else's pain.

Steeling herself, she got out of the car and made her way a little gingerly up to the door. Summer laughed softly as she realised the one thing she really needed at that moment was Seth; a squeeze of her hand, a quick hug or just one of his trademark goofy smiles. He was her support system…and right then she could have done with a little encouragement.

Summer shut her eyes briefly and sternly reminded herself that she had to do this with an open mind…and she had to do it alone.

The pounding beat of the music inside could be heard as she approached the door, and so, realising that ringing the doorbell would never be heard, let alone illicit a response, Summer pushed open the door and surveyed the scene in front of her.

Screwed up table cloths and several smashed champagne flutes flung carelessly to the edges of the room were all that had survived from the supposedly elegant dinner party and the gathering had descended into typical Newport teenage debauchery.

Scantily clad girls writhed sexily around drunken water players to the thumping beat of the music. Empty beer cans littered the floor and all the chairs were occupied by intertwined couples consumed by alcohol and lust.

"Summer!" Jen screeched and rushed over to her "You came!"

"Uh yeah…" Summer nodded trying to muster some enthusiasm "Well how could I possibly miss all this?" she added

Jen, who was too dim, or too drunk, to pick up on the sarcasm just gave a wide smile "So you decided not to ask Zach then?" she asked with mock sympathy "It's ok Summer I understand…you just didn't want to face him rejecting you again."

Summer opened her mouth to protest but was cut off as Katie dashed over and enveloped her in a very insincere hug "Sooo glad you decided to come Summer!" she shrieked "And Seth…he's not with you is he?" she questioned with forced levity "Not just hiding under your coat somewhere?"

"Uhh no." Summer snapped, trying her hardest to keep her anger in check…at least for now.

"You know what?" Summer continued "I'm just going to get a drink. I'm feeling a little in need of some party spirit."

She shot a cold glance at Katie before turning and making her way through the crowds.

Several drinks later, the evening was going little better. Admittedly Summer had found a handful of people with whom she could conduct a vaguely interesting conversation, but most of the night had consisted of her smiling inanely, nodding where appropriate and necking ever increasing quantities of alcohol to numb the boredom and the frequent stabs of pain she experienced whenever her mind lingered on Seth.

Every new person Summer spoke to made a comment about not having seen her for a while or how she seemed different in some way. At these points she feigned ignorance, as though she was the same as ever, the same old Summer Roberts- play hard, party hard, let your guard down to nobody. But on the inside, she knew that she really had changed…probably more than she would ever fully realise.

Summer also found herself on the receiving end of a fair amount of male attention. In the past, she would have revelled in this…it was a way of feeling a bit less lonely, and a bit more like she was somebody. But now, any touch that wasn't Seth's felt dirty and wrong. When he held her, his arms were a shield…she felt safe and loved.

But frequently that night, inebriated, self obsessed jocks would walk just that bit too close to her, grazing her ass or her arm as they went, and it sent a shudder of disgust straight through her.

Standing alone, surrounded by people she felt no connectionto whatsoever, Summer suddenly had a vision of how her life could have been if she never given Seth a chance…

No doubt she'd have settled for the type of guy who was here tonight. The kind who would parade her around like a trophy, happy to get his physical kicks but emotionally, be entirely absent. There would be no real connection, but a relationship of mere convenience. He might say that he loved her, but the words would be empty and his commitment to her would be questionable at best. The sad part was, the old Summer might have settled for that…preferring it to a life alone…totally oblivious to the love was possible if she just opened her eyes.

Tears pricked Summer's eyes now as she surveyed the scene around her. It meant nothing to her. There was nothing real about it…nothing fulfilling…nothing that she would miss.

The whole point of going there that evening was to give old Summer one last outing, a chance to see what giving her up would do. But it had only served to show her that old Summer didn't exist anymore.

Her past persona was just that, a persona, it was nothing real…merely a façade, a wall built up around herself as protection, a way of keeping people away from her vulnerable heart.

But Seth had destroyed the wall…with love, humour, compassion and patience; he had shattered it into a million pieces and exposed her to world that was truly real. So although shards of her former self may resurface occasionally, it was too broken to mean anything…too broken to threaten her and Seth again.

A feeling of sheer relief washed over Summer as her minor epiphany sank in

Her past life was finally behind her…old Summer was finally dead…she was finally free.

Free to live, free to love, free to be truly herself for good.

A/N: Hmmm...I hope that was ok, because Ireally wantedyou to get Summer's train of thought, but I'm not sureI explainedit too well!Anyway, thanks for reading - please Review!