Hey everybody, thank you for all the reviews! Happy Easter, even though it's not till Sunday.. I don't know about you but I live in Canada and we still have a lot of snow, so no outdoor easter egg hunt for us:P
tines: Hey! Yeah, I do feel kind of bad about making Seth bullied and picked on, by Summer and everyone else, but it's the way it was so I guess I have to write it.. it's weird though because I bet if Seth was a real person (like I often wish he was) that he would be really liked. Haha anyway hope you like this chapter, thanks for the review!
Lt. Garry: lol thank you for the review! yeah, I liked writing that, it's a lot of fun to write Summer as a little girl. enjoy!
anonymous: thank you for the review, I hope you like this chapter!
"Alright... what about this one?" Summer held up a pink dress against her body, flashing a smile.
"I like it.. it's really pretty. How much?" Marissa asked, flipping through a rack of jean skirts.
"Four hundred dollars," Summer said, staring at the price tag.
"Wow. That's a lot of money Sum."
"I know. But my Daddy said that I could spend as much as I wanted.. whatever. I know he's just doing this 'cause he feels bad about missing the dance."
Marissa giggled. "Yeah, my Mom took me shopping yesterday. I got the most adorable outfit from Guicci.. you'll have to come over before and I'll show it to you."
"Alright.. so you think this is the one?"
"Totally.. Lucas will love you in it."
Summer nodded. "He better."
Summer and Marissa were discussing the biggest upcoming Newport Elementary event. The fifth grade class had been studying the subject of dance in gym and their teacher, Mr. Bradford had decided that they would put on a fancy dinner for their parents and then show them the style of dancea they had been learning over the past few weeks; the waltz. At first Summer had rolled her eyes, thinking the waltz was for boring grown ups. But when Mr. Bradford said they were allowed to pick their partners, Summer had changed her mind about watzing. She paired up with Lucas Fitzpatrick, easily the second cutest guy in the class (Luke Ward coming in first, but he, as a general rule was off limits because he and Marissa were a couple.)
Summer walked to the front of the store with the dress placed carefully in her hands. "Hey Ms. Roberts," the man working at the front desk, Rob, knew Summer well. She had only been to the Prada store about seven thousand times. She always shopped in the Kids Prada section, which often didn't seem as glamorous as the section for adults, but hey. It was Prada, it didn't really matter what department it came from. As long as it cost over two hundred dollars, Summer didn't really care.
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The next morning, Rosie made Summer a big breakfast. "You need to eat lots if you're gonna dance with a buh-oy," Rosie said, squirting syrup onto Summer's French toast.
"Noo Rosie, I can't eat this much!" Summer exclaimed, staring at the heaping plate of food in front of her. "There's probably a gazillion calories all together."
"Summer, don't even say that. You're as skinny as a pole, you could probably eat this every day and not gain a single pound. Now c'mon. Eat up. What happened to the days when you used to beg me to make you chocolate chip pancakes and muffins for breakfast?"
Summer rolled her eyes dramatically and prodded at a strip of bacon. "It's not gonna bite Summer."
"Yeah alright," Summer poked her tounge out at Rosie and took a bite of bacon.
"You know you liike it. You know you do. It's great isn't it?"
"It's alright," Summer said. "I've had better."
"Oh you little.." Rosie raised her spatula in mock threat.
"I'm just jokin' Rosie, you know you make the best food."
"I know that."
"You're sooo full of yourself," Summer teased. "Maybe I'm just bein' nice and your cooking really stinks."
"Look who's talking! Ooo I'm with Luuke for the dance! Do my hair Rosie, I'm dancing witg Luuke!"
"I don't talk like that! And his name is Lucas. Good bye Rosie. Nice knowing you," Summer gave Rosie a quick hug and grabbed her backpack.
"Where are you going?"
"Marissa's here! She's picking me up so we can talk about the seating arrangement.. I'm stuck beside Ashley, and we really want to sit together."
"Alright, have fun. Be careful, I bet that Lucas is a real player!"
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"Summer? Is Summer in here?" Mr. Bradford's voice came through the door of the girl's bathroom, followed by a brief knock. "Summer? Are you here?"
"Yeah Mr. Bradford, I'm here. What is it?"
"Can you come here for a second?"
"Sure, one sec," Summer ran her pink brush through her hair once more before opening the door for Mr. Bradford.
"Summer, you were to be dancing partners with Lucas, right?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"There's a little bit of a problem." Mr. Bradford began.
"What is it?"
"Lucas went home just a few minutes ago, he isn't feeling very well."
"What so he's like.. sick?" Summer's hand went instantly to her hip.
"Yes, I'm afraid so. He had a really high fever, he would have never been able to dance."
"So what am I supposed to do? I have to dance Mr. Bradford, I bought a new dress! I got my nails done!" She waved her nails in front of Mr. Bradford's face as a visual.
"Well you're going to have a partner Summer, don't worry about that."
"Good.. did some other girl go home sick as well?"
"Not quite. You know there are twenty seven kids in the class, which makes for an odd number. You know when you kids partnered up that Seth didn't have a partner-"
"Ohmigod. No way Mr. Bradford. I am not dancing with Seth Cohen."
"I'm sorry Summer, you either dance with Seth or sit out of the dance entirely. I know Seth would be very happy-"
"Yes! Exactly the reason I'm not doing it! Mr. Bradford, puh-lease! There has to be someone I can go with, anybody!"
"Summer, like I said. You either dance with Seth or don't dance at all. You've got about five minutes to decide."
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"Summer?" Seth looked up, his forehead crinkling in surprise. "Why are you here?" Seth was sitting alone in the classroom, holding a yo-yo in his hand. Most of the girls were in the bathroom getting ready and most of the guys were clustered in the hallway, pretending that they were dreading having to dance with an atual girl, while actually looking forward to it quite a lot.
Summer didn't talk for a few seconds. Then she took a deep breath, shook her hand so that her Tiffany bracelet jingled against her skin and began talking. "Because Cohen," she tested out the name and liked it, "Lucas is sick. And Mr. Bradford was all, if you don't dance with Seth then you don't dance at all.. and I got this new bracelet," she held her hand in front of Seth's face pointedly, "and I have this new dress from Prada so I can't just like, not dance."
"So are you.. dancing with me?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
"Really?"
"Yes Cohen! I'm dancing with you!"
"Summer?"
"What?" She snapped.
"Could I call you Roberts?"
"No. Never in a million years. C'mon, Mr. Bradford says I have to show you the steps. And give you the extra tux he has."
Seth made a face. "I have to wear a suit? Nasty."
"If you want to dance with me? Yes, you better believe you're wearing a suit."
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"Oh my god Sum, I feel so bad for you. I can't belive Mr. Bradford is making you dance with Seth Cohen," Holly said, applying another coat of lip gloss to her already plump and cherry looking lips.
"Yeah, I know," Summer had told Holly that she had been forced to dance with Seth. Which was practically true. It wasn't like she really had a choice. She couldn't not dance. Rosie was coming and taking her home early and they were going to go out to Burger King for lunch. So really, what else could she do but dance with him?
"Oh well Sum, you're pretty enough for the both of you," Holly giggled.
"Thanks Holl," Summer flashed Holly a smile. She'd never dare to admit that she didn't think Seth was totally disgusting.
"Girls?" Mr. Bradford knocked on the bathroom door a few times. "We're ready now, so if everyone could come down to the gym and find your partners?"
Everyone gathere for a quick last look in the mirror and then filed out of the bathroom towards the gym. By the way most of the girls looked, you'd think it was Miss America rather than a quick little dance in the gym for a bunch of parents and teachers.
The girls quickly found their partners, Marissa blushing as she stood beside Luke, Holly smiling and batting her eyelashes at Keon. "Hello Seth," Summer said once she had found Seth, leaning against the wall. "You better not forget your dance moves. I don't want to look like an idiot in front of everybody. Seriously Cohen. You mess up one single thing, you're dead."
"I know Summer. I'm not gonna forget. I'm not stupid you know."
"Could fooled me."
Mr. Bradford was talking now, telling the parents how long they'd been studying the waltz and that everyone had worked really hard. "Now, put your hands together for the grade five students of Newport Elementary!" The curtain rose up, the gross classical music began to play and they were dancing. Seth wasn't a great dancer. He stepped on Summer's feet four times and his hand was pretty sweaty. But he didn't mess up and he smiled, which was good.
Summer saw Mr. and Mrs. Cohen in the audience, smiling at Seth. She could see Mrs. 'call me Julie- Cooper in the front row. She even saw Holly's dad. But she couldn't see Rosie. At first, Summer figured that Rosie was sitting in the back because she was late, or standing off to the side so she could get a picture of Summer dancing. But when the lights went on and people stood up to clap and come find their kids, Rosie wasn't there.
"Good dancing Summer," Seth said, waving at her shyly before scampering off to his parents.
"Good job Summer. See, that wasn't so hard was it? Seth is a very good dancer.. is your dad or Rosie here?" Mr. Bradford asked. Mr. Bradford knew a lot about Rosie, because she was normally the one picking Summer up for appointments and the one bringing her to school. Rosie was the one who had come in just the other week when Summer forgot her lunch at home.
"No.. my Daddy had a surgery, he was giving some lady a new nose. Rosie said she would be here, we were going out for lunch after.. but I don't see her." Summer frowned, scanning the gym again.
"Mr. Bradford?" Ms. Wilson approached Mr. Bradford slowly, the way she did everything. "There's someone on Line 2 for you, they say it's an emergency." Ms. Wilson whispered something in Mr. Bradford's ear, before shuffling out of the gym.
"Summer?"
"Yeah?"
"Would you come to Ms. Wilson's office with me please."
"Am I in trouble Mr. Bradford?" Summer asked nervously. Even though Summer giggled in class and passed notes and stared out the window a lot, she never got in trouble. It wasn't something she liked.
"No Summer, you're not in trouble."
When they reached Ms. Wilson's office, Mr. Bradford picked up the phone. "Yes. Yes, speaking. Mh-m. Yes. Yes she is.. no. Uh-huh.. oh... oh my. Alright.. thank you. Buh-bye." Mr. Bradford hung up the phone and sighed.
"You alright Mr. Bradford?"
"Summer, that was someone from the hospital, calling about Rosie. There was an accident Summer."
"And.. is everyone okay?"
"No Summer, I'm afraid not. Rosie was hit by a transport truck.. she didn't make it. The doctors did everything they could but-"
Before Mr. Bradford could finish, Summer was gone. Running down the hallway, running past parents and kids and teachers. Her first instinct was that Mr. Bradford was playing some really mean joke on her. Rosie couldn't be dead, Rosie was.. what was the word... invincible. Rosie was her best friend, the person that let Summer sleep with her if she had a nightmare and the person that had been there when Summer broke her arm in the third grade.
Summer knew where she was going to go. They had a stage in their gym, at the end of one wall. The curtains were thick and good for hiding behind. She was headed there and she was never ever coming out, not in a million years. Unless Rosie came and got her. She would just live behind the curtains.
Summer had been sitting there for maybe five minutes, getting the curtains wet and snotty with her tears when a little hand drew them back. "Summer?" It was Seth. What was with him, always finding her in the most embarassing situations? You'd think one of these days he'd just go away. "Summer are you in here?"
"Go away," she said, doing her best to sound tough.
Seth, as usual, didn't listen. He pulled the curtain back entirely. "Are you okay Summer?"
"No I'm not okay you idiot."
"What happened? Was I not a good dance partner? 'Cause I thought I was pretty good, man I might be a dance when I'm older I really-"
"No, it wasn't you... you were pretty good."
"Well did you hurt yourself?"
"No," Summer wiped her hand across her nose and sniffled.
"Well then what is it? You can tell me, I got lots of time.. my parents are talking to Mr. Bradford."
"Well you know Rosie?"
"Your nanny?" Seth asked, sitting down behind the curtains with Summer.
"Yeah."
"Yeah, I know her.. she's really nice."
"Well she's dead," as soon as Summer said this she started crying again. She turned her face away from Seth so that he couldn't see her, but he knew all the same.
"I'm sorry Summer.. I know how you feel.. 'cause my grandma died, she was real sick."
"Yeah, b-but I bet you didn't l-love your grandma as much as I l-loved Rosie," Summer said.
"Probably not."
"So what did you do then? To stop bein' sad?" Summer asked, out of curiousty more than anything.
"Well my mom and dad helped me when I was sad, like they would hug me and stuff..and I remembered all the fun stuff my grandma and me used to do together, so that helped."
"Okay." Summer sniffed and a fresh wave of tears rolled down her cheeks. Marissa had put mascara on Summer for the dance and Summer was pretty sure it would be all smudged by now.
"Do you want me to get Mr. Bradford or Marissa or Holly?"
"No it's o-okay.. you can stay if you want."
"Okay," Seth, very cautiously, extracted his arm from under his leg and, slowly and quietly, put it around Summer's shoulders.
"Thank you," Summer said. And she didn't move, or say gross.