Cammie POV
"Morgan get up!"
My covers were pulled off me and someone pulled me out of bed.
I hit the hard floor with a thud and jumped up to my feet in seconds.
"BAXTER," I yelled and lunged at her. She laughed and dodged my flying body.
"Can you guys hush, I'm trying to sleep," Macey groaned.
Bex and I shared a look and then pulled her off the bed.
She landed on her back and hit her head on the ground. "You two are dead," she muttered.
The door opened to the bathroom and Liz walked out. "The bathroom is open for whoever is going next," she announced and then darted out of the way as Macey and I fought for the bathroom.
Naturally, Macey won and I was stuck sitting on my bed sourly.
"So Cameron," I shot Bex a nasty glance, "have you heard from Price Charming lately?"
I smiled at the thought of Zach.
He had visited with Joe over the summer when I was at my grandparent's house in Nebraska.
His smile, laugh, and eyes made me melt every time.
"We hung out over summer for a week, but he had to leave soon to do something with Joe." "They were probably trying to find leads on the Circle," Liz said happily. "Most likely," I stood up and ran my fingers through my tangled hair.
"Consider yourself lucky Cam," Bex sat down grumpily on her bed, "I haven't heard from Grant in four months." "Zach said something about how he and Jonas were on a summer mission," I said.
Liz stared down at the ground, probably thinking about how many firewalls Jonas was breaking down at this moment.
"I'm sure their fine," Bex said, smiling.
"Joe would be super careful…he wouldn't do anything that would put Zach in danger," Liz said and then laid her hand on my shoulder.
"Besides that," she moved and went to walk out the door, "nothing would keep Zach from you."
[{Thirty Minutes Later}]
I sat with Macey, Liz, and Bex at our normal table eating cinnamon rolls, when my mom stood up.
"Ladies of Gallagher. I would like to welcome you and welcome you back to school safely and soundly."
Bex chuckled next to me.
"We have a couple of visitors who will stay with us for the rest of the year to stay safe. Please do not ask questions about why they are here."
My mom gave my friends and I a look like "that doesn't include you four".
Macey pinched my arm and I snapped "What?" "Look who it is," she whispered, pinching me again for snapping at her.
I looked past my mom and saw Mr. Solomon slipping into a chair next to Madame Dabney.
Why would Mr. Solomon need protection?
Why would my mom talk about him as they?
"These boys you already know. Some of you have very strong relationships with them."
This time my mom gave me a very strong look.
I stared down at the floor and despite the whispering, I tuned everything out. I knew who was coming…and the reason they were coming wasn't good.
"Please welcome, Jonas, Grant, and Zachary from Blackthorne Institute."
The doors opened and Zach, Grant, and Jonas walked into the Dining Hall.
I resisted the urge to run to Zach and throw my arms around him.
He was here because he was in danger, I just didn't know by whom.
The girl's around us were whispering and pointing (like they didn't spend their entire academic careers learning to be secretive) but I could tell Bex and Liz were resisting running to Grant and Jonas too.
"Enjoy your breakfast," my mom sat down.
Zach made his way over to me hurriedly and I stood up.
Girls stared at me but I ran to him.
Soon enough he was right in front of me.
I threw my arms around him and held him tightly, my face buried in his chest.
He was shaking a little but so was I.
"You're fine right," I breathed.
"Yes Cam," he exhaled and hugged me tighter.
I didn't care that all of the Dining Hall was watching us, I was just glad I had him in my arms, safely.
"You have to tell me everything Zach," I whispered.
"I will Cammie, I promise," he tightened his arms around me.
When Zach had come to Nebraska the thing he did most was hold me as I cried.
It wasn't the best way to spend time with him but he never complained.
He never did.