A/N: I don't own the OC. Or Paris Hilton.

Thanks for all the reviews – I really appreciated it and it gave me a clear heading for how my first chapter went and how the rest of the story (hopefully) is gonna go.

Also, like I said before, I love drama. I feel that drama makes a good story. Plus drama equals reality and I'm a big fan of getting my head out of the clouds and into real life situations. So that's what's gonna happen here. But staying true to my childish roots and being someone of mind, body, & Sethummer – there's no way I can avoid romance & fluff.

Eventually.

Please read & review. Reviews are probably my favorite things ever. (At least on this site they are.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seth didn't know how long he had fallen asleep on the couch for but when he woke up it was no longer light out and the faint smell of Chinese food flooded the apartment. He sat up and looked over to the kitchen – if it could even be called that – and saw Summer sitting on the counter with her back towards him, eating out of a Chinese take-out box.

Seth got up and wandered his way over to the refrigerator, opening it up and reaching for a Pepsi can. He then searched for the other Chinese take-out and, without seeing any, turned around and looked at Summer, who was eyeing her food intently.

"Where's the rest of it?" Seth asked as he took a gulp from his Pepsi.

"Where's the rest of what?" Summer asked innocently.

"The take-out. You know, the stuff -" Seth grabbed a fork on the counter and took some noodles from her box and shoved them into his mouth, "- you're eating."

"Ew, Cohen," Summer snatched her box away from his prodding fork. "I didn't get anymore."

Seth's mouth was full but that didn't stop him from talking, "You didn't get anymore? What – did you just think I wouldn't be hungry?"

"You shouldn't talk with your mouth full."

Summer jumped down from the counter just as Seth lifted her back up and kept her in place by holding each of his hands at either side ofher waist. "Well, I am. Now why didn't you get me anything?"

"You were asleep."

Seth rolled his eyes. "That's never stopped you before. Next excuse."

"I thought you went out to eat with Bethany."

"Summer!" Seth lifted his hands from her waist and threw them into the air in frustration, giving Summer the opportunity to jump back down from the counter and slink out to the living room. "Bethany got to the apartment building the same time I did so we walked up the three flights of stairs and made small talk." Seth followed her out to the living room. "Now how exactly does this brand me for a jerk? Or a dick? Or whatever name it is you're calling me tonight?"

This time it was Summer's turn to act nonchalant about the whole argument. "You said you wanted another excuse. I gave you one. No need to get so dramatic." Seth rolled his eyes again. "And anyway I'm glad you're up, I wanted to tell you that I'm going out for a little while with Chad."

"Chad and…?"

"No one else. Just Chad," Summer smiled to herself and sat on the couch.

"Right. So you can yell at me for walking up stairs with Bethany but it's completely fine if you go out for drinks or whatever with Chad."

"It's a business meeting."

"Business meeting my ass," Seth scoffed as he grabbed his keys, "I'm going to get some food. Have fun."

"Bye baby," Summer smiled sweetly as Seth plastered on a fake smile and walked out the door.

-------------------------------------------

Summer didn't know why exactly she decided to call Chad up for drinks earlier that night. Well, that was a lie. Of course she knew why she did it. She wanted to make Seth jealous. But she knew she was being completely irrational with the whole Bethany issue. Which, well, there wasn't really an issue at all. So, okay, yeah there was that first week in the laundry room on the basement floor when Summer first met Bethany and Bethany kept going on and on about this guy she'd met in the building. She deemed him "totally adorable" and "completely date-worthy" and she was determined to "snatch him right up" and, coincidentally enough, Bethany's crush turned out to be Seth, but that didn't mean Seth had to get yelled at for it.

Summer was just finding herself more and more insecure in their relationship because she could no longer even count on her fingers and toes combined how many college and twenty-something aged women had either a) hit on him at parties, bars, or anywhere else or b) told Summer she was "so lucky" to have such a great boyfriend and if she ever let him go, they'd grab him. Yeah, okay, guys hit on her too, but lately it had not nearly been as much as the entire population of the female species in America hitting on Seth.

Hell, he even had gay guys commenting on his clothes and then asking for his number.

Which wouldn't be a total surprise if it weren't for the fact that this was never the case in high school. Not even during their freshman year of college. But sophomore year comes around, he changes schools, styles his hair in a slightly different way, and dresses a little more sophisticated and suddenly girls are everywhere.

And was Summer enjoying Seth's newfound appeal? Yeah, hmmm, that would be a negative.

Besides, it really didn't matter if she was going out for "drinks or whatever" with Chad because as much as she wanted to make Seth jealous, she didn't want guys bombarding her asking her out. Regardless of her actions as of late, she was happy with Seth and didn't want other guys drooling over her, trying to get her number. And going out with Chad really honestly didn't mean a thing. Because Chad had a boyfriend.

Yes, a boyfriend who looked like an Abercrombie model and answered to the name of Stephen.

But Seth didn't need to know that.

"Hey, Sunshine!" Chad ran up to her as she entered the bar and enveloped her in a hug, "So what's up, sweetie?"

"Lots," Summer sighed as they sat down, "Seth and I are fighting."

"Again?" Chad asked sadly as he rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "What happened now?"

"Nothing really," Summer tried to swat away the tears that were threatening to fall. "It's just that stupid Bethany. She keeps trying to hit on him and I don't like it."

"So you got mad at Seth for Bethany hitting on him?"

"Well, yes… no… I don't know! You make it sound stupid."

"Isn't it?" Chad asked pointedly but after receiving a glare from Summer, tried to cover up his mistaken question, "Well, not stupid but… over reactive?"

"No!" Summer jumped. "I just don't want other people hitting on him!"

"Sweetie," Chad scooted closer to her and slung an arm over her shoulders, "Seth's a great guy. You say he's funny, caring, respectful… and from the pictures I've seen he looks way hott." Summer giggled as Chad swatted her arm lightly. "So of course girls are gonna hit on him. But that doesn't mean he's gonna leave you for them."

Summer merely nodded, even though deep down she knew that this was exactly what she was afraid of – It wasn't Seth getting more attention than her.

It was Seth realizing he's getting more attention than her and then finding out he could do better.

"Summy, look at me," Chad's hand tilted her chin towards him, "Seth Cohen worships you. You have nothing to worry about. Unless you keep treating him like this then maybe you might."

"I know," Summer sighed, "I just don't like all these stupid, fake girls constantly around. I mean, Bethany, she's like, a walking replica of Paris Hilton. And she wants my boyfriend."

"Umm, Sum… Paris Hilton? Ew. No decent guy wants Paris Hilton. Did you see her homemade video? She didn't even look good." Chad swiped his hand through the air.

Summer laughed, "You know what I mean."

"Summy, don't worry so much. Instead have really great sex with that hott piece of ass you lovingly refer to as your boyfriend. And I'll continue to admire from afar, relish in your stories, and picture the beyond adorable babies you two will have."

Summer laughed again, this time whole-heartedly, "Alright, I like that plan. Now what about some Mudd Pie?"

"I was watching my figure but I suppose I can take an interruption in the diet for some Mudd Pie with the hottest girl on the planet."

Summer smiled again. Chad was like a girl's best friend. Dogs were men's and Chad was hers. And Summer needed one of those ever since her best friend left her two years earlier.

-------------------------------------------

Seth arrived back to the apartment, a sandwich from a nearby sub shop in tote, and he was opening up his door when Bethany popped out of her own apartment.

"Hey Seth!"

Seth stopped fumbling with the keys and looked over at Bethany bewildered. "Oh, umm, hey Bethany."

Bethany was dressed in gym shorts and a tank top that was either two sizes too small or was designed to end right above her bellybutton. Seth really didn't want to know which. She began walking over towards Seth as he began fumbling with his keys again.

"You really have lots of trouble with your keys, don't you?" Bethany asked as she put her hands over Seth's, helping him with the keys.

"Umm," Seth pulled his hands away from the doorknob and out of Bethany's grip, "Yeah, I guess, sort of."

Bethany giggled and shifted the doorknob to open the door slightly and take a peek in, "Is Summer home?"

Seth stuttered knowing exactly what Bethany was up to, "Umm… ahh, you know, I don't know. But, ahh, I really have to… have to, umm, get some work done so I'll just ahh, talk to you later, okay?" Seth reached for the doorknob as Bethany put her arm on the doorframe, blocking Seth from getting through.

"I heard you and Summer arguing earlier. You've been doing that a lot lately haven't you?"

Seth didn't know how to quite respond to that so he just shrugged his shoulders.

Bethany continued. "People who aren't in happy and healthy relationships argue a lot and it brings down their confidence and self-esteem."

Seth swallowed. "Well, I never was one to, ah, really have an overabundance of confidenceor self-esteem so that's, umm, really no problem." Seth tried to move Bethany's arm kindly but she still wouldn't budge.

"Seth…" Bethany whispered as she drew her face closer to Seth's.

Seth didn't realize what she was doing until he saw her eyes close and felther lips collide with his. His immediate reaction was to wince and spit because the lip-gloss she was wearing was burning his lips but instead he justnicely pushed Bethany away and he swiftly maneuvered his way into his apartment while Bethany looked at him bewildered.

"Look, I love Summer. I always have. Since I was 10, actually. And I don't want to leave her. I don't care if we argue all the time or yell at each other because the good far outweighs the bad. I just don't want anyone else. And I sincerely apologize if I, umm, accidentally gave off that vibe or whatever but I'm in love with Summer so, umm, yeah, umm, goodnight." Seth, then not knowing what else to say and afraid of what Bethany might try to do next, shut the door on a very shocked Bethany.

When Seth closed the door, he turned around and stood against it, taking in a deep breath. What was with all these girls lately? They were everywhere, winking, smiling, flirting, kissing him wherever he went.

"Something's gotta be in the water," Seth muttered to himself as he fell onto the couch and his stomach grumbled, shaking his thoughts of the world's women and their weird actions out of his head and focusing on the food still in his hand.

-------------------------------------------------

Summer walked quietly into the apartment much later that night. She hadn't realized that nearly four hours had flown by while she was at the bar and it was suddenly midnight. Summer had quickly said goodbye to Chad, saying she'd see him in only eight short hours, and grabbed a cab to get back to her apartment.

She had had a little bit to drink, thanks to Chad being born two years before her, but she could clearly see Seth sleeping soundly on the couch.

Summer brought her hands, which were still clasping her keys, up to her mouth to stifle the 'aw' sound that was threatening to escape. There was Seth; curled up in a ball form with his hands held together, reaching up under his chin to cover his neck. He had on long gym pants that cuffed at the ankles (of which Summer hated with a passion, declaring they should go back to 1987 where they belonged) with white socks and his old and outdated Death Cab for Cutie t-shirt wrinkling in the crevices of his torso.

She couldn't tell if it was the alcohol talking or her sudden need to be close to her beyond adorable boyfriend, but she walked quietly over to the couch and straightened out his legs, taking his arms and placing them around her petite body as she settled into the couch, lying right next to him. With her face turned towards his sleeping one, she reached up slightly and left a lingering kiss on his lips. Seth unconsciously pursed his lips together and tightened his grasp around Summer. Summer smiled, uttering the phrase "I love you" ever so quietly, and found she too was drifting soundly off to sleep.

So she didn't exactly explain herself for her impossible mood swings or tell him that nothing happened at the bar with Chad because Chad swung the other way.

But she supposed that could wait until tomorrow.