Alright, I am officially back.
I do apologize for my absence, there were pressing matters that had priority over this.
I also apologize that my updates wont be as frequent as they have been...especially that 2 updates in one day bit...lol...I still have much to do, but I write as much as I can when I can.
So this chapter...Not too much to it. a little smaller than the last chapter, but it sets the tone and level interaction between Seth and Summer rather nicely..It also sets up the next chapter which should be interesting.
Read, review, comment, let me know waht you like/dislike.
Chapter 10 should be up either tomorrow or the next day.

Bigger Stronger

After an hour of just laying there and playfully bantering back and forth following Seth and Summer's talk on the floor, they had since then migrated to the bed with Seth on top of Summer. They both had longed to be closer to one another ever since the whole clearing of the 'miscommunication'. Seth was all over Summer's neck placing soft, long kisses anywhere he could reach.

"Seth…..wait" Summer tried pushing his face away from her neck, even though she hated to do so.

"But I've been waiting" Seth returned, not letting up in the least bit despite the palm in his face pushing more pressure on him.

"No…..Seth!" Summer whined finally able to push him off her.

"There's something else I have to tell you" She looked at him uneasily, afraid of upsetting the just restored peace between them.

"That you're not purposely trying to destroy the mood?" Seth mocked playfully but a little annoyed with the interruption.

Summer glared at Seth before slapping him on the chest.

"I found something last night when I came back here the first time." Summer searched Seth's eyes for any negative signs.

"What d-….First time? How many times did you come here?" realizing what Summer had just said.

"Just once…but that was before I found that girls phone number on the chair" Summer shot out quickly trying to avoid elaborating on an explanation as to why she had fled the first time.

Seth just looked at Summer very confused but decided not to press the matter. Seth thrived off conflict evasion.

"Well?"

Summer immediately transitioned from being defensive to being the aggressor, a talent she held in high regards and was very proud of its effectiveness; especially against Seth. Summer's face no longer had an uneasy look. She now had her eyebrows raised and looked somewhat annoyed at Seth, who was clearly out of focus.

"Cohen" Summer glared at him sternly, her arms crossed across her chest.

"Okay, but if I tell you, do you promise not to get mad and not use your fists?" Seth knew that the only way he was going to get through the conversation without a bruise was by making Summer promise it.

"Cohen…" Summer gritted though her teeth, already displeased with the reason he had the phone number.

"Summer…" There was no moxie in his voice. Seth was rarely serious but this was an exception. He was still suffering from the bruise the volleyball from hell had left on his chest. He had forgotten about it up until Summer had slapped him in the exact same spot only a couple minutes earlier.

"Fine" Summer sighed rolling her eyes. It was way too early to argue with Seth about something so trivial as this….especially when she knew she'd do it later in the day anyways.

Seth lifted his fist up at her, extended his pinkie finger. He looked at her expectantly.

Summer smiled and wrapped his finger with hers, both kissing their thumb to seal the deal.

"If you must know, Sam gave it to me…" Seth cautiously looked at Summer through squinted eyes, slowly leaning away from her in fear of their promise being broken.

Seth noticed Summer flinch as the mention Sam's name, just as she had a earlier in the morning. Her eyed narrowed at Seth, hate swirled in her eyes at the mention of her. But she showed restraint, which Seth had always admired about her, even though it was a very selective type of restraint and he wished she showed it to him a lot more when Seth was in these particular situations.

Fortunately, Summer remained optimistic and allowed Seth to continue.

"…but only after she, uh…" Seth paused, not wanting to voice the previous night's catalytic event.

"Kissed you" Summer completed for him. Her expression had not changed, every muscle frozen in place. The reason for this was that Summer was not exactly listening to what Seth was saying. Instead she was focused on hating this girl, whom was the cause of everything that had ruined their vacation.

After a couple minutes of Seth searching her face for a reaction, all his words and their meanings dawned on Summer.

"Wait, WHAT?"

Her expression changed immediately, she was now completely pissed off at not only the super skank, but Seth too.

Seth saw the rage take over Summer's face and knew all too well that it would soon take over the rest of her body…and by the rest of her body, Seth meant her fists.

Seth quickly raised his arm that was closest to Summer to shield him from the impending onslaught, but he was much too slow.

Summer, honouring her deal, did not strike Seth.

"Cohen!" she yelled as she gave him a much more forceful than intended shove, sending him off the side on the bed.

Seth landed on his side with a loud 'thump'.

"I think I broke something" he whined, his eyes closed tightly which was all part of his over-dramatisation.

Had Seth's eyes been open he would have saw Summer grab the closest pillow and, while leaning over the edge of the bed, she started beating Seth with it.

"What……..is…….wrong……with…….you!"

Summer yelled at him in between strikes.

"What's wrong with you! We agreed no hitting!"

Seth quickly grabbed the pillow away from her, throwing it across the room far from her reach.

"This….." Summer grabbed another pillow from the bed, shaking it at Seth.

"…this is not my fist!"

Seth quickly realized that the tiny loop hole in his deal had just gotten him mauled by his pillow.

"Don't you know what 'NO' is!" She yelled at him.

"No." Seth laughed a little at the irony of the joke. Something Summer didn't take part in. Instead, she smoked the side of his head with the pillow.

"Smartass" She said bluntly, putting the pillow next to her.

"Alright! Just let me explain." Seth said from behind both his arms that were shielding his head from any other attacks.

Summer sat up, legs and arms crossed at the edge of the bed. Her pillow was directly beside her and ready for another assault on Seth's meagre body.

"The reason I have it is because after I yelled at her last night, she started to cry and I felt bad, okay?…" The sincerity and guilt in Seth's eyes was all but discrete. He truly felt bad for making someone cry…even though it was a milestone, having never made anyone cry before.

Seth was surprised at how defensive and protective he was about Summer. He couldn't remember the last time he actually yelled at someone…Seth was just not one of those people.

Summer's face dropped and was replaced with a faint smile. She knew Seth would never scream, especially at some one he didn't know… Seth was just not one of those people. The thing that struck her the most was that he was defending her and she didn't even know it.

"Cohen" Summer said softly, her head once again cocked to one said.

"I told her about you before she gave it to me so it's not like she was trying to.. you know, come between us or anything." Seth continued.

"Why did she give it to you then?" Summer's attention went back to the situation at hand.

"I don't know" Seth lied through his teeth to avoid another outburst from Summer.

"Cohen" Summer was getting frustrated again and could easily tell that Seth was lying.

"Fine. She wants to meet you and have lunch with lunch with us." Seth shot the sentence out of his mouth as quickly as possible. Just as quickly he leaned back from Summer and started to raise his arms again.

"Wh -What?" Summer shook her head in disbelief. Clearly she had heard him wrong.

Seth kept glancing from the pillow to Summer, carefully to notice any sort of movements.

Summer was getting completely worked up. She was at the point where Seth actually found her overreacting to be humorous….be he dared not to show it, for he would be struck down from where he stood. Even though pillows were too soft to leave bruises, he was convinced Summer would find a way.

"There is no WAY I would have lunch with her!" Summer spat out. She was offended that the girl would even suggest it.

"The only reason I would want to see her skanky little face is so I can kick her ass!" Summer loudly said. Her words engulfed with the most attitude she could muster. Her hands were curled tightly into fists.

Seth had no longer worried about the pillow and was now staring at Summer's hands with wide eyes. He couldn't help but take a couple steps backward.

Summer paused and closed her eyes. After a few deep breaths she flushed the rage from her body and slowly calmed herself down.

She opened her eyes and noticed Seth some 10 feet away from her.

Her eyebrows lowered at him.
"You're such a wimp Cohen"

"I'm not a wimp okay? I'm just cautious."

"Just come here" She laughed, a large smile on her face.

Seth lowered his arms and slowly made his way towards her, never taking his eyes off hers.

He sat down next to her, purposely between her and the pillow. He very nonchalantly pushed the pillow off the bed as he continued to watch Summer.

Summer laughed at Seth's poor attempt to remain inconspicuous.

After the pillow was far from her reach, Seth continued their conversation.

"You might like her…you might start hanging out"

"Oh yeah, what would we do?"

"I don't know, maybe she likes pillow fights too"

"Ugh" Summer groaned as she rolled her eyes.

"Shut up" She said playfully as she lightly tapped Seth's cheek with an open palmed hand.

Seth playfully opened his mouth and started biting at air towards Summer's hand.

Summer giggled and leaned into Seth, knocking them both down on the bed.

Seth wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"Fine" Summer, after a few minutes of silence, said quietly sounding defeated.

Seth smiled at her as he slowly stroked her dark hair.

"I'll call her after breakfast. You wanna go eat?"

Summers eyes lighted up at the first thought of food.

"Yesssssssss….." she groaned.

"…..My stomach's about to eat itself."

They both got up and out of the suite, forgetting that they were still in the same clothes as the night before.