Sweet Valley High: The Last Summer

Plot: Full summary inside Set during the summer of Senior Year. It is their last summer in Sweet Valley: Jeff meets a new girl who helps him let go of his feelings for Liz; Jessica misses Jeremy who is now in Arizona; Liz and Conner have to sort out their feelings towards each other; Will and Lila seem to have a little something for each other and so do Melissa and Bruce, who's back from SVU. All in all, it is a summer they'll never forget. (Jess/Jeremy; Melissa/Will; Liz/Conner/Todd; Jeff/Kylie)

TIA RAMIREZ

JESS LOOKED PRETTY SPACED OUT TODAY. STRIKED THAT. SHE LOOKED TOTALLY SPACED OUT. EXCEPT FOR THESE LITTLE INTERVALS WHEN SHE KEPT GOING ON ABOUT HOW MUCH SHE MISSED JEREMY...NOT GOOD.

LETS SAY JESS CAN BE A PAIN IN THE YOU-KNOW-WHAT WHEN SHE WHINES. AND THE THING IS, I COULD TOTALLY RELATE. HULLO, TRENT WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE MY 'BOYFRIEND' DITCHED SPENDING WHAT WOULD PROBABLY BE OUR LAST SUMMER TOGETHER WITH ME TO GO TO THIS AROUND-THE-WORLD TOUR WITH A COUPLE OF HIS BUDS. I MEAN, SURE, HE NEEDS HIS FRIENDS AND IM NOT STOPPING HIM FROM SPENDING TIME WITH THEM BUT WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE OUT OF THE COUNTRY??

AT LEAST JEREMY DIDNT 'DITCH' JESS. HE HAD NO OTHER CHOICE.

UH, LIZ AND CONNER ARE COMING OUR WAY. THEY LOOK AS SPACED OUT AS JESS. WHAT IS IT NOW?

JEFF FRENCH

Things to do this summer:

1. Stop pitying yourself in spite of the way your life got totally screwed up.
2. Stop thinking about Liz.
3. Stop thinking about the way things ended up with Liz and what a pathetic loser you are without her.
4. Get over Liz.

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Chapter One :: Where We Belong

"Bruce Patman's in town," Lila announced, gathering her dark brown hair into a ponytail as she searched for a scrunchie.

They were at Melissa's house, and had just returned from a trip to the beach. Cherie, Gina, Melissa, Lila and Amy were all pretty exhausted. It was something to do with the way exposure to the sun totally tired you out. Under the cool blast of the air conditioner and glasses of ice cold lemon juice Mrs. Fox had given them in hand, they seemed to have everything they wanted.

"Who's Bruce Patman?" Cherie asked frowning slightly, as she tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear.

As the question was thrown carelessly by Cherie, Amy's eyes widened as though Cherie had just asked something utterly foolish.

"You don't know who Bruce Patman is?" Amy asked, her already widened blue eyes widening further. Lila seemed to roll her eyes, finding Amy's reaction rather amusing yet annoying at the same time.

"The name does sound familiar," Gina piped in. "But don't really know him."

"You don't know who Bruce Patman is?" Amy repeated, still dumbstruck by Cherie's reaction.

"Stop that," Lila said, her haughty features enhanced as she scowled. "Cherie, Gina and Liss just transferred to Sweet Valley High this year, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," Amy said, as it dawned on her.

"So who is this Bruce guy?" Cherie asked impatiently. The only person who had nothing to say was Melissa, who was sipping her juice, listening to the conversation wordlessly.

"Just this guy who used to sort of hang out with us-" Amy started.

"No, he didn't," Lila interrupted, her scowl widening.

"-and is coming home this summer. You guys might like him even though he's sort of an arrogant jerk-"

"Exactly," Lila said.

"-but pretty hot."

"No, he isn't," Lila said, looking more annoyed, if that was even possible.

"God, Li," Amy said rolling her eyes. "You just don't like him because he's practically your family rival or something."

"Is that so bad?" Lila asked, arching an eyebrow. "Besides, he is a jerk."

"He sounds like a Hot Jerk though," Cherie said, after a minutes thought. "Hot...Jerk...That sounds kinda appealing."

Melissa struggled hard not to roll her eyes. Her eyes had passed from Lila to Amy to Cherie for the passed few minutes. They seemed to be pretty caught up in the chatter, to notice that Melissa hadn't piped in. Which was fine by Melissa. These little conversations, the frequent hanging out...they were all just getting so mechanical and predictable.

Even Will and her were getting predictable and boring. She had even stopped looking forward to their dates when they would just share the gossip, talk about their future or just make out. The usual. As said before, too predictable.

Months before, Melissa would've embraced this. She hated change and loved things to go just according to plan. But this was just getting too systematic and boring lately, that even she wanted change.

Tucking a strand of shiny brown hair behind her ear, her eyes travelled back to Lila who looked even more annoyed than before. Somehow Lila didn't enjoy Bruce being the center of conversation.

"Bruce is far from appealing," Lila was saying, her dark eyes narrowing. "He is more...repulsive."

That would be the cue for Amy to contradict Lila's statement, Melissa thought quietly to herself.

"No way he is repulsive," Amy retorted. "I mean, he isn't the perfect guy to get committed to. He is pretty possessive and bossy but not repulsive."

It was just as she thought.

Totally predictable.

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The library.

Elizabeth had no idea why she kept coming back here.

The place was so silent and almost uninhabited, thanks to the school year having already ended. In fact, she shouldn't even be here. She didn't have any homework or a project to research on. If she needed a book to read, she had already got a stack of paperbacks written by her favorite author that Maria had given her for her birthday along with a pair of blue chandelier earrings.

Then why had her legs dragged her here of all places?

The answer was unexplainable, and yet Elizabeth felt at home with the silence. It wasn't that bad, it was actually quite fun. This was her chance to curl up with a good book with no Jessica to interrupt and whine on about Jeremy or Tia to drag her away to the mall. Not that Elizabeth was annoyed by the way her friends kept distracting her from what she wanted to do. She understood that both Tia and Jessica were getting over the fact that their boyfriends were away.

Jessica was just taking it out by grumbling and appearing moody and Tia, by distracting herself and jumping around as though her life depended on it. Yet, Elizabeth had a life of her own other than consoling her friends. It just took people a while to realise that.

This summer, Elizabeth wanted it to be all about what she wanted to do. It looked like it wasn't happening without appearing selfish. This was her only chance to do what she wanted. Her hands moved randomly on the dusty shelves, fingering the spines of the books written by her favorite authors. Which one would she read today?

Before she could make up her mind, a sharp sound interrupted her thoughts. It was somewhere between a grunt and a groan, followed by light footsteps...

Wary, she turned around and her eyes landed on the lone figure at once.

Her eyes narrowed, What would Conner be doing here?

She frowned slightly.

Then suddenly, she remembered the other time she had seen him at the library, the time when she had thought he was a big time jerk. She had gone up to him, hoping they would settle their differences once she introduced herself. He had just stared at her and said, "Right-- you're the hearts-and-flowers girl"

She chuckled slightly thinking of how angry that had made her before she had said, "And you're the scorn-and-bile boy."

That had lead to a series of retorts:

"Oooh...Barbie has a brain, huh?"

"Oooh...Ken has an attitude."

"So we're suddenly a couple?"

"Excuse me? Who said anything about a couple?"

"You did. Barbie and Ken. Ken and Barbie."

"You know I didn't mean...What I said was--."

"Listen, Elizabeth. You saw me, then you worked up your courage to come over and talk to me. Admit it, you're fishing for a date."

"I wouldn't go on a date with you if you were the last guy on earth."

"That's usually the line the girl gives the guy before they ride off into the sunset--"

"Shut up!"

As the memory came alive in her mind, she was now laughing at herself. She had been so angry with him as he had made her feel like a ditzy blonde. Who would've guessed the guy she thought she'd hate forever turned into a guy she couldn't forget even if she tried?

She could feel a pair of eyes on her, as she looked up. Conner was still there, staring at her with an unreadable expression though the corners of his mouth were twitching slightly as well.

"What?" Elizabeth asked, feeling so vulnerable all of a sudden. The fact that Conner's gaze was practically stripping her down, making her feel so vulnerable once again, just didn't help. She thought they had talked about their relationship. They weren't working out, they were never going to.

Then why did she always have to feel so drained out and warm around him?

"Oh hey," Conner said, his eyes lingering on her blue ones, as though inviting her to join him.

He didn't have to say so, her hands grabbed the first book she laid her hands on. She said gave him a weak smile, before sitting next to him. "Hey."

An awkward silence followed.

Elizabeth was getting sick of this. Why was it that she never managed to get more than a word in nowadays? Sure, Conner wasn't the easiest person to talk to, but still.

"Remember the last time we were here?" Elizabeth blurted out, before she could stop herself. She could help it, there were some things you just couldn't help. Which wasn't good. Especially since Conner was not exactly the nostalgic kind of guy. He'd probably think looking back to what had been was pathetic.

He snorted slightly, as his green eyes with the slightest twinge of grey lit up unexpectedly.

"Yeah," he admitted. "That was hilarious."

"I got so angry," Elizabeth remembered. "I labelled you as a big time jerk." You still are one. Sometimes.

"I thought you were just another uptight blonde," Conner admitted. And you still are too perfect to be true.

"And now?" Elizabeth asked, the question popping out before she could stop herself.

"And now..." he repeated slowly, his voice trailing away.

And now we don't know where we belong Elizabeth thought, biting her lip. Which is just as annoying.

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"Why are you wearing the baby blue bikini?" Heather demanded, giving her younger sister a look of total despair.

They were at the beach, working on their sun tans. Rather Heather working on her sun tan while making her sister, Kylie Rosewood feel like total dirt in comparision. Who wouldn't? Kylie was slightly skinny, a bit too tall, had so-so complexion and dark brown hair. The only good feature was her big brown eyes that had the feel of innocence to it making it mesmerizing.

She was going to be a freshman at Sweet Valley University that year but wouldn't even pass for a Senior in High School. Heather on the other hand, had long shiny blonde hair with copper highlights, wide blue eyes, perfect skin and looked totally hot in the bikini she was wearing even if it was fluerescent orange in color.

"Why, what is wrong with the bikini?" Kylie asked defensively, looking at the pale blue bikini she was sporting, that made her skin look paler.

"Not your color," Heather said automatically. "Besides, you look like a stick in it."

"Whatever," Kylie responded a bit too quickly, as she let out an inward sigh. The only reason she had enrolled in Sweet Valley U and had come here two months earlier was because she was sick of her old life. The life where people took advantage of her, the popular kids picked on her and guys just used her to get close to Heather. But with Heather in the picture, Sweet Valley wasn't any better.

"I was just trying to help," Heather responded with a shrug, as she dabbed a dainty finger in the bottle of sun tan lotion.

Kylie sighed. She hated the way Heather seemed to overshadow her wherever she went and make her feel like nothing in comparision. It was just difficult. Difficult to see eye to eye with her sister who everyone preferred to her.

She wished she were anyone else. Even that kid over there sucking an ice lolly or that pretty woman flirting with the lifegaurd or--

That was when she saw him. He was standing alone, staring into a space. She didn't know what caused her gaze to linger at him, but it did. He had longish black hair, and a face that had a slightly easy-going feel to it. She watched him as he turned, and she found herself looking into those warm brown eyes of his. He smiled at her.

"Not your type," she heard Heather mutter next to her, breaking the moment.

"What?" Kylie asked, frowning. Trust Heather to spoil everything.

"That guy you are staring at. He's not your type." Heather stated bluntly.

Maybe that was what caused Kylie to get up and walk towards him. The reckless feeling inside her to prove to Heather that Heather wasn't the only girl who could get the attention of a cute guy. She held her breath, as she reached his level and smiled tentively at him. He looked up. Score.

"Hey," she said softly, forcing a smile. Don't look too mechanical. Stop smiling for the sake of it.

"Hey," the guy replied, a frown creasing his forehead. He seemed oddly relieved by her greeting as though she had relieved him from painful yet uncertain thoughts. "I don't exactly know you-"

"I'm Kylie," Kylie said at once, smiling once again in spite of herself.

"Oh, I haven't really seen you anywhere," the guy said, after a pause.

"I'm new to this place. I'll be starting college at SVU," Kylie volenteered. Her smile was still on.

Suddenly, he started to tense.

"Um, I'm sorry--" Kylie started, wondering if she had scared him away...

"No, its okay," he assured her quickly. "It's just that I know someone who's going to attend SVU this year and...never mind."

"Um, okay," Kylie said biting her lip. This was hard. The guy seemed pretty mixed up. Okay. Enough beating around the bush, Ask him out.

"So, you're new, huh?" the guy said, as Kylie nodded.

"Yeah, this place is totally alien to me," Kylie said. "I wish someone could, you know, show me around." Did that sound too desperate?

"I'll show you around," the guy offered, siezing the opportunity so quickly that surprised Kylie. He seemed to be half relieved but still sort of spaced out. "How 'bout tommorow?"

"Sounds good," Kylie said, a slight giggle escaping her throat. "I didn't catch your name though..."

"It's Jeff French," he said, his mouth curving for the first time into a smile.

s w e e t v a l l e y h i g h : s e n i o r y e a r: t h e s u m m e r s e r i e s

JEFF FRENCH

Reasons why showing Kylie around won't be such a bad thing:

1. She isn't blonde.
2. She doesn't look all that uptight or as serious as...never mind.
3. She sounded pretty cool though kind of desperate as well.
4. Her name isn't Elizabeth Wakefield.