*Sigh* I'm enjoying this story far too much!

Okay, so Zammie moments are going to become more frequent from now on

Can I hear a 'Yay'?

No… okay, perhaps I'll just get on with writing.

DISCLAIMER: If you don't know that I'm not Ally Carter, then you need your eyes checked, because I think I will own the Gallagher Girls series around about the time I become Prime Minister.

Or President.

Whatever floats your boat.

"Well, you scrub up well, Goo- I mean, Zach."

He just smirks at you, offers his arm and replies, "Don't I always?"

You take his arm nervously, and you both walk into Macey's 'entertaining room' together. There are already small bunches of people chattering away to each other, but you still spot Macey easily.

She looks stunning is her black, sequined dress, but, then again, when does Macey McHenry not look stunning?

Noticing your arrival, she tears herself and Preston away from a conversation with a snobby-looking lady.

"Cammie, you're here!" she cries, enveloping you in a tight hug. "How are things going?" she whispers in your ear, and you know she doesn't mean life in general, she means things with Zach.

"Normal. Fine," you reply, pulling back.

You're glad to see Preston has discarded his Spiderman watch for the occasion. "How are you Preston?"

He smiles and hugs you, too.

It's pretty much like a hug-fest.

"I'm good. Sorry about your friends; they were good people," he says sympathetically.

Looking downwards, you smile, trying to keep the tears at bay.

You're surprised when you feel a warm hand slip into your own. Zach gives you a comforting smile and squeezes your hand.

Macey's eyes widen for a brief second at the sight in front of her. She smiles at the two of you before pulling Preston away to greet more guests.

"Thanks," you tell Zach, once they're out of earshot.

"No problem."

You notice that he hasn't let go of your hand, and you blush a little.

"Let's get a drink," you say, wanting to get some sort of conversation going.

He nods and the both of you head over to the drinks table, where you, literally, run into Liz.

"Oopsie daisies, I'm so sorry, Cam!" she cries out, as juice runs down your shirt.

She shoves you a bunch of napkins, with which you dab at the remaining apple juice.

"Hang on, apple juice, Liz?"

Blushing, she turns to Jonas, who gives her a smile and a nod. "I'm pregnant!"

After much squealing and 'Congratulations', you notice Liz is beginning to cry. Zach looks at Jonas, alarmed, before scurrying off in the opposite direction. Jonas says something about seeing someone from work, and also hurries off.

"Aw, Liz, it's okay…" you console, pulling her into a hug.

"I ju-just wish B-B-Bex were h-here," she sobs into your shoulder, as you pat her back.

"But you know what, Lizzie? She is. She'll always be with us in spirit."

Liz sobs even harder at your words, and her grip is almost suffocating you, but you don't mind. She's your sister. Maybe not by blood, but you will always be there for her, even if Bex - the fourth part of your sisterhood - can't.

You have to find her a seat, on which you both sit down. Liz's tears have subsided, and she's now clutching a glass of water.

"I think it's the hormones," she jokes, smiling through her tears.

You smile sadly back at her. "Or maybe you, like the rest of us, loved Bex."

With more apologies about ruining your shirt, Liz walks off to find Jonas, leaving you alone, sipping at your drink.

"Cameron!" a snooty voice calls, and you discover that Jeannie Perch has decided to talk to you. "How are you?"

You nod. "Just fine, thanks. And you?"

"Oh, perfectly wonderful. I just got back from a five week trip with my husband, actually. It was simply divine!"

"That's nice…"

She turns her nose up, and smooths back her hair. "Are you married, yet?"

"Oh, no…"

"Engaged?"

"Nope."

"Boyfriend?"

Before you can reply, an arm slips around your waist, and someone says, "Yep, me."

Jeannie's eyebrows raise and she says, "Oh, hello Zachary."

Before she can ask much more, one of her just-as-snobby friends calls her away, leaving you feeling relieved.

"Is Liz alright?" asks Zach quietly.

You turn to face him, and reply, "Yeah, no thanks to you."

"What? I don't know how to deal with sobbing women."

"Yet you can take on an orphaned, four – almost five – year old girl?"

He grins sheepishly, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Well, at least Bianca… I—"

You raise your eyebrows expectantly at him. "What? At least Bianca… what?"

"Well- I don't know, okay!"

"The infamous Zachary Goode, doesn't know? That's something you don't see every day. Besides, we've just had to deal with the death of Bex and Grant. How do you think she's going to feel?"

He shrugs, defeated.

When a slender, but firm, hand grasps your forearm, you turn and see the ecstatic face of Macey McHenry smiling at you. "I need to tell you something, Cam!"

Without letting you reply, she drags you out into the deserted corridor and practically shrieks, "Preston proposed!"

Your mouth falls open at the sight of the enormous, sparkling rock which graces her finger. "My God, where did he get the money to buy that?" you ask incredulously.

"What, no 'I'm so happy for you, Macey'?" she retorts, still grinning.

So you wrap your arms around her thin frame, and give out – what feels like – the fiftieth hug for the night. "Congratulations! You two are perfect. Once you turn a blind eye to the Spiderman watch, of course."

That earns you a playful slap from your friend. "Hey, I'll have you know that he is a very grown-up man."

And that's when the two of you hear an outburst of giggling coming from the room. You turn your heads and see Preston tickling a young, sandy-haired boy.

Raising your eyebrow, you turn back to Macey, who says, "Don't. Say. A. Word."

You just raise your hands and shake your head, trying not to laugh. "Wasn't going to."

She squeezes your hand, before running off towards Preston and kissing him in front of everyone.

You're glad that your friends are happy. You really are. But, you can't help but feel a little – okay a lot – jealous at their happiness.

Once you return to the party, you bump into Zach, who's looking questioning.

"Macey's getting married," you tell him, putting on a fake-enthusiastic smile, which he can obviously see through.

"Are you okay?"

"Um… yeah… can we go home, now? I'm not feeling too well."

He nods and leads the way back to the car. On the drive home, you bite back tears. But you're not really sure why you're crying. After all, you should be super excited for your friends.

It feels like everyone's lives are going far better than your own.

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