Chapter 2
Three weeks passed and we were in a helicopter on our way to D.C. Our first mission was to shadow the Gallagher girls and my heart was leaping in excitement at meeting Cammie Morgan. Of course, no one knew this--about me liking her I mean--and I wasn't about to tell them.
I shuffled over to a bench in the park with Grant and lazily sat down, trying to mimic a normal boy's behavior. We didn't have to wait long until two girls in uniform walked past us. One, with exotic beauty, was twirling around and in an instant I knew it was our Gallagher girls.
"Zach." All Grant had to do was say my name and I knew he was thinking the same thing. "Man, if we weren't on this mission, I would totally ask that girl out. She's so hot." Ok, that wasn't what I was thinking, but I smirked and looked back at the girl spinning. Sure, she was pretty, I won't deny it, but I wasn't attracted to her. No, I was falling for Cammie Morgan, a girl who I haven't even met yet.
Suddenly the girl Grant was crushing on put her arm around the girl next to her, a girl who I overlooked. I didn't know how I could've overlooked someone but as soon as I noticed her, my heart leapt. Her friend mumbled to her and that girl looked at us. My breath caught. She was probably the most beautiful creature in the world. Words can't even describe how gorgeous I thought she was.
I saw her mutter something to her friend and watched them talk back in forth. Whatever it was, the girl didn't look too happy. She looked as if she was trying to hide sadness and immediately, I wanted to comfort her.
"Zach," Grant interrupted my thoughts, "Zach. Which one do you want?" Which one did I want? That was easy, I wanted the girl who I had first overlooked.
"I don't care," I said, trying to sound indifferent and besides, I knew that Grant would go after the other one.
"Fine, I get the one who was spinning," Grant told me eagerly and we went after them, biding our time. I would wait until the end and that's when I would talk to her.
* * *
I watched her throughout the mall, losing every shadow. Man, she was pretty good, but not good enough to notice me. Finally, she and her friend split up. Now was my chance to make her late, but I would try a different tactic.
I saw her going to press the button to the elevator but beat her to it. "Hey," I greeted her, giving her a half-nod. I hoped I appeared as a normal boy.
"Hi," she replied simply pushed the elevator impatiently. It was as if she didn't want to talk to me. I couldn't blame her. I trailed into the elevator with her and she gave me a look, saying she didn't want me here. Too bad for her. I leaned against the railing, readying myself for the long ride.
"So," I said when the silence had become overbearing. I pointed to the crest on her coat and purposely mispronounced it. "The Guggenheim Academy--"
"The Gallagher Academy," she corrected me.
"I've never heard of it," I lied.
"Well it's my school," she responded. More silence.
"You in a hurry or something?" I asked.
"Actually, I'm supposed to meet my teacher at the ruby slipper exhibit. I've only got twenty minutes and if I'm late, he'll kill me."
"How do you know?" I was hoping to catch her mistake.
She only looked at me as if I was stupid. "Because he said, 'Meet me at the ruby slipper exhibit.'"
"No." I smiled at her misunderstanding and shook my head. "How do you know you only have twenty minutes? You're not wearing a watch."
"My friend just told me." I would have believed that if I knew that she wasn't a spy or that fact that she fidgeted a lot.
"You fidget a lot," I told her.
"I'm sorry," she said in a way that I knew she really wasn't. "I have low blood sugar. I need to eat something."
Well, mission or no mission. I could help with that so I handed her a bag of M&M's from my pocket. "Here. I ate most of them already."
"Oh…um…" What? She couldn't take candy from strangers? "That's okay. Thanks, though."
I shoved them back into my pocket. "Oh," I said. "Okay."
Finally we reached the surface and I wouldn't deny that I was sad it ended.
"Thanks again for the candy," she said and darted away from me, but I had to follow her. "Where are you going?" she demanded and spun towards me.
"I thought we were going to meet your teacher in the wonderful world of Oz," I answered, still not believing one of the famous Gallagher Girls had told me where she was going. I smiled inwardly. Maybe I was more convincing then I had thought.
"We?"
"Sure. I'm going with you."
"No, you're not," she snapped. I actually was, whether she knew it or not.
"Look," I said confidently. "It's dark. You're by yourself. And this is D.C." I saw the slightest bit of disbelief on her face. "And you've only got"--I pretended to ponder this--"fifteen minutes to meet your teacher". I knew I was off by ninety seconds but I was pretty darn sure normal guys wouldn't be that particular.
She just quickened her pace and said, "Fine." I quoted Dr. Steve in my head. Excellent.
"You can walk really fast," I observed but she didn't answer. "So, do you have a name?" It was an innocent enough of a question, despite her being a spy and all.
"Sure, lots of them."
I smiled at her. So now I was going to have some fun and pretend to be the normal flirty boy I wasn't. "Do you have a boyfriend?" I flirted with her and I almost laughed at her expression. She was so taken aback.
"Look, thanks for the chivalry and all, but it really isn't necessary," she muttered. "It's just up there." She pointed to a museum exhibit. At first I was confused, but then I remembered that I was on a mission and wasn't just supposed to be a boy who was flirting with her. I mentally slapped myself. "And there's a cop over there."
"What?" I said, glancing at the D.C. police officer that stood at the corner of the street, "you think that guy can do a better job protecting you than I can?" I wanted to laugh aloud at the thought.
"No, I think if you don't leave me alone, I can scream and that cop will arrest you," she semi-joked, but I can get a clue so I stepped away and smiled. She smiled back and my heart instantly began to flutter.
"Hey," she called to me as I walked away. "Thanks anyway." I nodded and waited for her to leave before I snuck into the exhibit.
* * *
I saw Mr. Solomon as I entered the exhibit and stepped in the shadows, waiting to pop out at moment's notice. The girl already had the ruby slippers in her hand and Mr. Solomon signaled for me to stay there.
"You're four seconds late," the spy said.
The shoes glistened when she spun around. "But I'm alone."
"No, Ms. Morgan. You're not." Wait, that's the infamous Cammie Morgan? I mentally slapped myself again for the second time that day. I should've known it was her. How easily I overlooked her. She truly was a natural pavement artist. My heart began beating louder and I willed it to be quiet.
That was when I decided to make my presence known.
I looked at her.
And smiled.
And said, "Hi again, Gallagher Girl."
