Okay so I know I've had two previous stories. I've decided to delete both of them because I've went in with an idea and the stories have just died out. I'm so so sorry to anyone who was following them but yous are welcome to take the idea up on your own and right a story along those lines. Who knows? Maybe I will try again one day.

Now on to the good news: I've decided to write a story based on one of my favourite songs, Castle on the Hill by Ed Sheeran. I'm going to write notes out for every chapter and plan it properly so I know where it's going before I start it so I might actually finish a FanFiction hahaha. Again I'm so sorry about building bridges and she's the Blackthorne girl, hope yous don't hate me too much xoxo and here is Driving at 90!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gallagher Girls or any of the characters, they all belong to the amazing Ally Carter. Also, I do not own Castle on the Hill but I sing it so much I'm going to start growing a ginger beard and wake up as Ed Sheeran if I don't stop xxx

Chapter 1 ~ Graduation

"When I was 6 years old

I broke my leg

I was running from my brother and his friends

Tasted the sweet perfume of the mountain grass I rolled down

But I was younger then "

-Castle on the Hill, Ed Sheeran

Zach POV

I can't believe it. I'm fucking graduating and I have everything I need. My parents are beaming and I've finally made them proud, though they apparently can't make it because they're in France on an "important" business trip, my best friend is head over heels for an attractive British "bombshell" who keeps him right and me? I'm off to Georgetown with my amazing girlfriend by my side to study medicine. Life couldn't be better.

"Hey man!" Grant cheers as he slaps me on the back in the locker room, "Can you believe it? We're actually fucking graduating. I honestly thought we'd be dead by now the road we were going down."

I still remember the day I met Grant. I was 6 and just broke my brother's favourite football. Him and his friends chased me right across the small town shouting at me, whether it was to come back or to kill me I wasn't sure so I just kept running until I tripped on the grassy field and rolled down it, breaking my leg in the process. When I went to hospital, Grant was in the bed next to me witha broken arm from trying to fly off his roof with paper wings. I knew we'd be joint at the hip from then on and there had been many more hospital trips after that from one of us being a fucking idiot.

See before we met Cammie and Bex, our life wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. Unless you count the type that comes in a small bag and in the form of white powder. You see, Grant's dad had a drug problem for years and we started to notice when we were around 14. I was always at Grant's and I was even there the first time Chris lifted his hands, it was awful. Watching him belt Grant again and again until he couldn't get back up. After about 2 months of this, he snapped. I tried to stop him but he was determined to fuck up his life. After the third time of him sniffing, I asked why.

"Because it numbs the pain, man my heart has been beaten as much as my skins and I can't fucking take it. Don't even dare say I'm fucking up my life because look at me Zach! I can't get more fucked up than this?" He said with tears in his eyes. That's when I took it, we'd started off with our hand rolled cigarettes and now we were running from cops and sniffing illegal drugs! That's why Cammie and Bex saved us. They put a stop to it as soon as they found out. About a week after I finally asked Cam to be my girlfriend, I got Chris Newman locked up for child abuse, drug abuse and I guess they'd been lining something up for a while because there wasn't even a court case. I had to do it, it was the only way I could keep Grant safe and alive. His mom wouldn't have any of it, however. She refused to believe it and swore to avenge her husband by tracking down the killer. Would Grant hate me if he found out? Or would he thank me? Who knows?

"Yeh I know but I'm so glad," I reply finally, shaking Grant's hand as he puts his cap on, adjusting it in the mirror. I'm about to do the same but I'm interrupted by an unknown number calling me. Strange. "Grant man I'll meet you out there I just gotta take a call real quick it might be College or something," I call as I make my way outside into the car park where graduation students and parents make their way to the PE barn.

"Hello?" I ask as I pull my cell to my ear nervously.

"Zach it's Tracey, I know what you did. Leave and never contact Grant again otherwise I'll tell him and let him cut the balls off you for putting his father in prison," Grant's mom screams down the phone at me. "Putting that monster away is the best thing I ever did and Grant will agree with me on that one," I whisper quickly, what the fuck am I going to do?

"Are you sure of that?" She sneers, "if you're not gone by the morning we'll find out." I hear her sickly voice murmur before the line goes dead. FUCK!

Graduation passes far too quickly, I'm greeted by Cammie and her mom, Joe (her stepdad) and my brother who came down too to support me. We're meant to go off to some party at Tina Walters' house but I guess I need to pack. I can't say bye to the boys, especially not Grant but what about Cammie? I can't tell her the truth but I can't leave her wondering why I never said bye.

"Hey," She whispers in my ear as I meet her by her locker. She's beaming ear to ear as if she's won the lottery. I don't think I've ever really appreciated Cam's beauty. She calls herself a plain Jane, a vanilla in the ice cream isle but it's not what I see. I see a gorgeous, amazing, beautiful girl with golden blonde hair resting at her hips and bright blue eyes you could swim away in. Her lightly tanned skin glows and the light freckles that dance across her face are mesmerising. I love the way her bottom lip is perfectly round and plump, setting her lips in a constant pout (probably the reason she always gets her way). I take in all 5'4 of her, how her body is toned like an athlete despite her diet being mms and waffles. She's just fucking beautiful and the girl I should be putting a ring on the finger of. I would be if it wasn't for this fucked up situation. I know I shouldn't do this now but will I get another chance?

"Look Gallagher Girl, I'm breaking up with you. I've always thought you were the love of my life but now that graduation is over, I feel like we are too. I don't know, I've been offered a scholarship somewhere else so I'm going to take it and we won't be seeing eachother anyways so..." I drift off, my heart shattering as her bright blue eyes well up with tears.

I go to brush her golden blonde hair behind her ear, "Gallagher Girl I-" I'm cut short when she slaps away my hand in a flash, "don't call me that," she spits, "you lost the right to call me that about 15 seconds ago. Goodbye Zachary," Cam turns on her heels and walks briskly towards the exit, I know she's crying because I am too but I had to do it. Didn't I?

By the morning, I'm completely packed. Off to New York to start a new life without any of the people I love, not even Cammie. Will I ever be able to come back?