Hi everyone, thank you so much for those of you who reviewed, followed or favourited, those of you who also write will understand how much it means so thank you.

In this chapter there is a bit more background on the characters as well as a bit of dialogue. This is a bit short apologies, but I have written 10 chapters of this so far and this one is by far the shortest so I can guarantee much longer chapters in the future.

Once again, thank you, and please enjoy!

I don't own the original Gallagher Girl's series.

Chapter 2: It's called living

Zach's POV

So far this barbeque has been a train wreck for me. Firstly, my parents, and perhaps all the other parents here have decided that it is now acceptable for them to start being sickly sweet and sucking their other halves' face off.

Also, Daniel and George seemed to notice that I'm distracted and for the past hour have been pulling dumb pranks on me: shoving mud in my food and chucking stuff at me. Not only that but Grant seems more than happy to assist them in this while I glare at him. None of them are even pretending to hide their responsibility. I mean Grant's 16 and they're 15, are we not beyond this yet? God help them if they try to get any girls.

I was also slightly pissed that Rachel, Cam's mum, had decided that since she used to be a teacher at our school it is her job to tell me off for the last year. Sure I went a bit crazy but that's what you're supposed to do in high school. All it was was a few detentions from cranky teachers because I slept in the lesson, or was 'disruptive to the class', or was caught doing 'mature activities'. I mean really, it's called living.

Jaz has recently started glaring at me, I suspect that Cam has told her about our argument and as normal Jaz has taken her side. I swear I don't try to make Jaz pissed, it's just a consequence of irritating Cam.

And obviously to top it all off Cam is being her usual uptight self. I mean I was just having a laugh before and that princess goes right off saying I'm a dick and sexist etcetera. It's as if she doesn't even stop to consider that I'm just joking around. I might as well give up all hope of being nice to her.

To be honest I reckon she has, I mean she said she didn't even consider me a friend. I mean that didn't hurt me personally but I was annoyed because I do try. I'm trying to be civil to her, I try to joke around with her like a friend would and all I get is screaming.

I genuinely don't understand, I joke around with other people and they think it's funny, charming, but not her. I think she gets irritated by how most girls fall all over me. I am good looking, and to be fair I know it. I mean what guy wouldn't flaunt that! I'm 16 and I've slept with 4 girls, pretty good right.

I think that's how her Macey, and Bex became friends. From the get go they didn't just give me my way, I had to earn their respect and they mine. I liked that and we did, we did earn each other's respect. Bex is hilarious to be around, she's a great girl but we all know who she's rooting for. Her and Grant have an impossible 'relationship', they both obviously like each other yet neither of them will make a move, they're convinced that they'll ruin their friendship, or that the other won't actually like them. It's hopeless.

Anyway, Bex and Macey could not be more opposite. Bex is British and has dark brown-black skin with dark hair, Macey is the daughter of a senator, she has pale skin, is stick skinny with dark long hair.

Macey and I get on well. I think we have the same philosophy, we care about one thing and that's just about it. We don't care about school, life, or many other people (except our closest family and friends). All we bother to do much about is our image and that's for the opposite sex.

Sure, this sounds totally vain, but some guys can just ignore the fact that fit guys get laid, or you can do 100 press-ups each morning and have sex with 4 girls by your 16th birthday, it isn't rocket science. Macey does it slightly differently, that girl has the most creams and stuff I've ever seen, but I've never seen her with a pimple, or a plate of food with one ounce of grease for that matter.

Either way, Mace and I get each other, not in a girlfriend-boyfriend way. More like siblings, we just are so alike that we would never be able to date. To be fair I've had a few arguments with her, she can be a bitch for sure, but then I know I'm to blame too at times.

Anyway, back to the point. I think Cam liked them because they didn't and don't faun all over me. I just don't get how if I've gained their respect, why I haven't got hers?

I gazed once more around the yard, my eyes falling on my sister Liz and Cam's brother Jonas. They'd been inseparable since birth. I think Liz is amazing, Jonas is sometimes slightly obsessed with me, it comes down to the fact that he's smart and I'm sporty at a school where brawn comes before brains. But Liz knows what she's doing, if I'm getting a bit pissed at Jonas for chatting at me for ages she slowly pulls him away and they move off into their world of geek. I don't say that in a bad way though, my sister's smarts have helped me out a few more times than I'd care to remember.

Slowly I resurface back into the present. Grant is guffawing loudly as Dan is looking like he could throw up at any minute, I quickly put two and two together when I notice the cinnamon pot on the table and a now empty spoon in Dan's hand. Damn how did I miss that, this whole Cam fight has got me really zoned out of it.

I sighed then sucked it up. "I think I need a break." I said and started to get up.

Grant frowned, normally I would be joining in with their antics and he'd been flashing me weird looks all evening. "Okay, what d'you wanna do?" He slurred slightly, I glanced at his three beer cans and rolled my eyes.

"Let's go in the pool," I suggest. They all got up and agreed. Then, being the good friend I am I whacked Grant round the back of the head.

"What the fuck man!" Grant yelled at me. I just smirked, "Can't swim when you're drunk." I mock scolded him. He glared right back then chased after me as we headed for the pool. I rounded the trees and paused, glancing at the pair of girls lazily dangling their feet into the water.

I was distracted as Grant caught me and shoved me down. "Why'd you stop?" asked George after I got up.

"No reason." I said, still not moving closer.

"Then why are we standing here?" asked George.

"It's obvious, he's been bitching ever since Cam and Jonas got here, so obviously they had an argument again." Said the all too perceptive Daniel. I glared at him and Grant groaned.

"What could you have done, I swear she must have been inside for 5 minutes before I saw her with Jaz." He looked pissed but was thankfully still a bit foggy from the beer to really give me an earful.

"It was nothing." I insisted. It didn't really matter, if Jaz knew then Grant would know too before the night was out.

"Well prove it, go over there." Grant said smugly. I didn't have a choice, so reluctantly I set off. Then breaking into a run I yelled, "Last one in's on cleaning duty!"

I accelerated into a sprint leaving them in my wake.

Thank you for reading. Remember, if you review you get the next chapter's title which is a quote which sums up the whole of the next chapter.

Thanks, love Em xx