Hey guys! So originally I was going to write this chapter about the fifth grade, with the mermaid poem. I actually had a whole chapter written up, but I didn't like it. In fact, I pretty much hated it. I figured I couldn't do justice to that wonderful scene, so I decided to just leave it alone!

Instead, this the sixth grade. If you guys have any ideas of things you'd like to see in future chapters, feel free to add them in your reviews! I'd love to know any ways I can improve the story.

Faulty Cameras: Thanks so much for the review! Haha yeah, I really like writing young Seth and Summer it's a lot of fun, especially young Summer. I have a lot of fun with her character. Yeah, I wasn't planning on killing Rosie. I really enjoyed writing her, I loved her relationship with Summer. But her death lead to the main events in this chapter, so it was sort of essential.

soleilneko: Haha yeah! I didn't even think about that until after I posted the chapter and then a few days later I was watching an episode of The OC where they bring that up and I sort of went, "Oh! That's like Summer's Rosie."

tines: Yeah, I can see Seth as being like that, always wanting to comfort and help Summer. He's like her knight in shining armor :) Minus the armor and the manliness :P

summerbreeze14: Aww thank you for the review! Glad you like the sweetness, I enjoy writing fluff :) It's the most fun to write. Enjoy this chapter!

kursk: Glad you liked it! I wish it had been more like that in the show, instead of Summer basically ignoring Seth until Ryan came along. But then I guess there really wouldn't have been a show.

Lt. Garry: Well here you go, your wish is my command (i.e. another chapter!) Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this one just as much!

Disclaimer: Alright. So. I have begged dear Josh to let me own his characters. "JOSH!" I cry. "You've already ended the show. Marissa is dead, can I at least have HER!" And Josh just smiles and mutters something about a restraining order. So I still don't own anything!

Sixth grade hadn't been a good year for Summer, to say the least. It was her last year at Newport Elementary. The teachers constantly stressed how important this year was to their education in middle school. Summer had never been one for getting nostalgic, but she felt herself wishing she could go back to kindergarden, when everything was so simple. In kindergarden, leaving the school had seemed so far away. But now it was May, and in a few weeks Summer would be leaving Newport Elementary forever.

After Rosie had died, Summer had just stopped listening in class. At first, everyone was sympathetic. Mr. Bradford gave her extensions on all her work. Her Daddy let her stay home a lot and Marissa spent almost every weekend at Summer's house. But then people started getting annoyed. "Listen Summer, I know this is hard on you, but I can't keep giving you special treatment," Mr. Bradford would tell her. Her Daddy would have to nearly drag her out of bed in the mornings and Marissa started seriously dating Luke, so she didn't have much time for her anymore.

Over the remaining months of fifth grade, her Daddy tried desperately to find someone that could replace Rosie. Nobody was nice enough for Summer. None of them made a grilled cheese the way Rosie did, and none of them liked the same music as Summer, the way Rosie did. So Summer's Daddy decided she was old enough to be alone during the weekends and after school. All the other girls thought Summer was lucky that she got to stay all by herself. But the truth was, Summer just wanted someone to look after her.

Her Daddy sent her to summer school between July and August so she missed out on the big beach trip that she,Holly, Marissa and a few other select girls took every year.

Her sixth grade teacher, Ms. Fink was horrible. She had puffy grey hair, boring brown eyes and wrinkly, saggy skin. She was mean, ugly and old. She thought NSYNC was the name of a spaceship. None of the kids liked her, except stupid Taylor Townsend. Taylor and Ms. Fink were a perfect match for each other.

There was other things too. Summer had never really cared about her weight. She had always cared about her clothes and her hair and she always made sure her fingernails were clean. But she never cared about how much she weighed, until sixth grade rolled around. Summer had spent her vacation, from June to September eating. It helped her forget about Rosie.

Summer didn't think of herself as fat, however. She was five foot one and weighed eighty seven pounds. But then in the sixth grade, Summer had started to look at girls on the covers of magazines. She noticed the way that bone in their neck (she was pretty sure it was called a collarbone) stuck out and the way their cheekbones were pointy. She saw their tiny arms and their thin legs.

Summer also noticed the way her collarbone didn't stick out and she started looking at calories on the labels of cookies and ice cream. Summer's dad didn't notice her the way he used to. She knew that if she told her dad that she thought she was fat, he would assure her that she wasn't.

Summer was sitting at her desk now, staring intently at the ground, trying desperately not to cry. She was sure that Holly hadn't meant what she said as a mean comment. But that was certainly how Summer took it.

They had been sitting at their usual spot under the tree at recess, eating their lunch. Marissa was eating a salad, while Holly was in the midst of cutting her strawberries into tiny pieces. Summer felt horribly out of place, with a chicken sandwich, two cookies and a granola bar.

"Hey Sum," Holly had said offhandedly, picking up Summer's two Pillsbury cookies. "Did'ja know there's like.." Holly scrunched up her eyes, "two hundred calories in these cookies and like, nearly five grams of fat?"

"Hmm." Summer said. Summer was well aware of this. "Really?"

"Yeah. That's like, a lot of fat and calories. And ohmigod I totally don't want to think about all that white bread. I haven't eaten bread in so long. And I run nearly every night. I totally lost five pounds over the last three months." Holly informed Summer.

"That's awesome Holl," Summer said quietly.

"Yeah and like, no offence Sum, but I really don't think you need two hundred calories. I mean you're not fat or anything, but look at Marissa. She could totally afford to eat seven of these cookies, but you just might wanna be careful. You know, you could totally come running with me if you wanted! Only if you can keep up though, I'm super fast now."

Marissa had bit her lip and concentrated on eating her salad.

Then that afternoon in gym, when they had to change into their Newport Elementary t-shirts, Holly had smiled at Summer. "Wow Sum. Your stomach's pretty big. I mean that in the nicest way you know, not mean or anything. But you should seriously watch what you're eating. I could show you my mom's Weight Watcher books, they helped her so much, it's crazy."

Now that Summer thought about it, it occurred to her that Holly did mean what she said in an unkind way. Summer stared hard at her arm, poking her leg and stomachs.

"S-Summer?"

It was Cohen. It was always stupid Cohen, around when she didn't want him to be, when she was weak and upset. Summer always put up tough fronts for other people, but he seemed to be one of the few who could get her through to her. She was determined not to let this happen again.

"What do you want Seth?"

"Sorry, I was just.. do you want the rest of my cake? We had my grandpa over last night, 'cause it was his birthday and my mom bought this amazing chocolate cake. You'll love it." Seth pushed the cake towards Summer.

"No thanks Seth."

"Why not? It really is good cake, I promise it isn't poisoned or anything. My mom didn't make it," Seth said, smiling.

Don't cry Summer Roberts, she told herself, don't you dare cry. "It just.. it's just something Holly said."

Seth made a face. "Holly's stupid. What did she say?"

"She just basically told me I was fat."

At this Seth laughed. "You've gotta be kidding me. You are joking right?"

"Nope. And I guess it's true because I do eat-"

"Summer shut up."

"Cohen. Don't tell me to shut up."

"Sorry. But Summer, you're so skinny! You look like a supermodel."

Summer blushed and reached up to her eyes, wiping away a few tears. "Thanks Seth, but I don't. I really don't. Marissa looks like a supermodel, Holly looks like a supermodel. I don't. I'm going to go to the bathroom now, tell Ms. Fink for me 'kay?"

"Summer wait-"

"Cohen, please. I'm fine."

When Summer returned from the bathroom eight minutes later, Seth, Holly and Marissa were gone. "Ms. Fink?" Summer asked timidly.

"What is it Summer. You're supposed to be doing the math excersises I wrote on the board."

"I'm sorry I just.. where's Marissa?"

"She's in the principal office. You'll be called down shortly."

"Why? What happened, am I in trouble?"

"No," Ms. Fink told her. "Seth is."

"Seth?"

"Yes."

"Seth Cohen?"

Ms. Fink sighed. "Yes, Ms. Roberts. Seth Cohen is in trouble. Now please take your seat."

When Summer was called to the principal's office ten minutes later, she found a sobbing Holly, an angry Seth and a confused Marissa. "Summer?"

"Yes Mrs. Gould?" Summer asked.

"I need to ask you a few questions. Seth called Holly a few.. unkind names and when I asked him why, he told me it's beacause Holly made a few comments about your weight. Is this true?" Mrs. Gould asked.

Summer bit her pinkie nail, forgetting that Marissa had just given her a French manicure the other night. "Summer? Is that true?"

gUm..."

"Summer, you told me yourself! She said that you were fat!" Seth exclaimed.

"Summer." Mrs. Gould said again.

"I dunno.. Holly might have said that, but I'm sure she didn't mean it! Right Holl?" Summer added uncertainly.

"Mrs. Gould, why would I say Summer's fat?" Holly said between sobs, innocently.

"Marissa?"

Marissa squirmed uncomfortably and Summer felt horrible for putting her in the middle. "Holly said a few things, but nothing really mean. Nothing that should have made Seth practically attack her."

Mrs. Gould sighed and after giving them a lecture on learning to use their words properly, and not calling others names, she dismissed them.

"Summer," Holly said coldly. "You are a bitch. Why would you tell Cohen anything? God, Summer could you be more immature? Let's go Marissa."

Summer stopped, looking after Holly and Marissa as they dissapeared down the hallway, Marissa shooting Summer a 'sorry' glance.

"Thanks a lot Seth," Summer said, trying to be snide. Her voice, instead of sounding mean as she had hoped, sounded wavery and sad. "Holly was my best friend. Now she'll probably never speak to me again."

"Summer," Seth said gently, "Holly wasn't your best friend. 'Cause a best friend doesn't say stuff like that to you. Especially to someone like you.. I mean.. you're perfect."

Summer laughed. "Whatever Cohen. I'm far from perfect. But thank you."

"Now will you have my chocolate cake? It really is good, I swear. Please. Pleasey poo."

Summer rolled her eyes. "Fine.