As a result of having lost her mother at an early age, when Summer grows close to Stephanie Scully (Carla Bonner), she begins to see her as a substitute mother and a potential love interest for Max. Summer is threatened by Jacinta Martin (Eliza Taylor-Cotter) who wants her to give up her paper round. Boyd's girlfriend later tells Jacinta to back off. Summer is happy when Steph and Max begin dating and that her aunt Izzy (Natalie Bassingthwaighte) comes to stay. Summer goes on her first date with Declan Sands (Lewis Reed) and she experiences a bad first kiss with him. She breaks up with him and he starts dating her best friend, Lisa (Rhiannon Fish). Summer then dates Caleb Wilson (Joss Kasper), the son of a billionaire, but he breaks up with her as he meets someone else. He later returns and they start dating again until Caleb wants to take things further and Summer dumps him. Summer becomes friends with new neighbour Bree Timmins (Sianoa Smit-McPhee) when she moves into the street.