SEVEN
::
"The one bloody day that we get to go to town," Bex said as she drew a towel around her hair, "you decide that you 'Don't want to go'? Are you out of your mind? Do you like being trapped in this fortress, or do you enjoy blowing me off?"
Cammie rolled over in her bed, groaning. "Bex, it's-" she looked over at her clock, eyes blinking slowly, "-7:32 in the morning. Would you please keep it down? Thanks so much." She returned to her original fetal position amongst her numerous blankets, before Bex so graciously discarded them once again.
"Cameron Ann Morgan, I swear on the Queen's left hand-" at which point Cammie shot up, gasping dramatically before rolling her eyes, "that if you don't get your bloody arse off the bed this instant, I will personally call Nick up here myself."
Groaning once more before tossing the bed sheets off her body, Cammie reluctantly stood up, dragging her feet towards the bathroom, muttering incomprehensibly.
"Be done in fifteen!" Bex yelled, exiting the dorm.
:::
He grinned as she walked down the steps, her skirt billowing in the breeze. Her dark hair was clipped up, her face clear and smiling as she took his hand.
"It's been a while hasn't it?"
"It has," she replied, grinning, before stepping into the car. "Come on, Zach. The movie starts in twenty minutes and I want good seats." He shut the passenger seat in response. As he turned around, a flash of red appeared in the corner of his eye, and he immediately froze. Vaguely, he remembered the dress that she'd worn on that night. She'd been so beautiful.
But as he looked at the girl sitting in his car, he shook his head, clearing his mind. Macey tilted her head in concern. "Zach, are you alright?"
He looked back again, but she was gone. "I'm fine Mace," he reassured. "Let's hurry- I heard Tom Cruise hangs off the plane in the first two minutes."
::
"See, what I don't understand why you brought me out here, if you didn't have anything planned in the first place," Cammie said, crossing her arms in frustration. Her dress was uncomfortable, the red fabric pulling against her sides in almost unbearable pain.
"I blame that horrid dress you're wearing for this attitude, Morgan. You're usually not so prissy until late afternoon," Nick retorted, grinning wickedly. Looking down at his friend, he continued more light-heartedly. "Besides, it is rather nice out. Enjoy the sun, Morgan- Look, even Bex and Grant are sharing ice cream."
"If you're implying that I might share my ice cream with you, you're extremely mistaken, Nicholas," Cammie responded, tossing her hair back as she crossed the street. It was nice, she admitted, to be out here with her friends. At least she didn't have to see Zach every second here.
Stop thinking about him, Cammie.
It had been only three days since he and Macey had arrived, and she had to admit- she'd done a good job avoiding the couple. She understood the rationale behind their relationship- Macey would never intentionally hurt her- and the fact that the pair had developed true feelings for the other, though it hurt profusely, was a fact that Cammie had to accept, even if she still loved him.
So, she walked into the parlor, glancing around before heading towards the empty booth in the back, laughing as Nick jogged in, glaring at her before joining her.
She barely noticed Zach watching her from the park bench across the street.
:::
She sat in the garden watching the blossoms on the tree flutter down. A box of fresh raspberries sat beside her on the bench. Bex was off to London again for break- a weekend getaway with Grant and her parents (Cammie worried of the possible outcomes- vacations with Bex were always either dangerous or violent). Liz was visiting Jonas in D.C..
She popped another raspberry in her mouth. She would be alone again this spring break- her mom was on business in New York, so the mansion was all to herself. (Well, Nick didn't count. He was always here.)
Cammie rather enjoyed being alone, actually. Contrary to popular belief, Bex snored quite a bit. And when I say snore- I mean snore. Cammie liked to describe it as a growling bear singing on stage using a megaphone. Multiplied by ten.
And Liz never turned off her desk light. Like never. Bex had once tried to turn it off so that she could get some sleep, and Liz tackled her in the middle of the floor, glaring so intensely that Cammie had even jumped from her position in her bed.
She was interrupted from her thoughts when she heard the crunch of leaves behind her. Turning around, she was met with a fresh plate of whipped cream. She screamed in surprise.
"Nicholas Hale, I am so going to get you!" she yelled, wiping her eyes to see her friend's gleeful expression. She glared at him. "You have three seconds to run."
He laughed, taking off in the direction of the castle before she chased after him.
:::
Zach sat in his room, hanging his discarded clothes on the supplied hangers. His two suitcases sat in the far corner of the room, finally empty after three days.
"Zach, I'm going to head out and grab some coffee," Macey called through the connecting door. "Do you want anything?"
"Not in the mood for coffee- be careful, babe!" he responded, before hearing the click of the door and a faint 'goodbye'.
The sound of laughter startled him from outside the window. He peered out, pushing the curtains away from the arch.
Nick was running through the gardens, seemingly escaping from a petty endeavor. Zach was about to turn away before he saw a glimpse of the blonde hair.
Cammie.
Since he'd come back to Gallagher, everything slowly fell back into place. He and Grant were on speaking terms now- they'd even gone to the gym a couple times together. Jonas could never hold a grudge, either. But Cammie was an enigma- he could never decipher what she was thinking, how she was thinking, what she would do. He knew for a fact that he liked Macey- he was going to marry her, for God's sake- and that wouldn't change (or so he thought), but there was a certain intrigue about Cameron Ann Morgan. It was a certain pull, a feeling that Zach always got when he saw her or near her. He didn't know whether or not the feelings he had for her were still there- even if they were, he'd suppressed them to nearly nothing.
And so it was decided, he thought. Watching her dart around the rose garden, her melodic laugh tinkling in the air as she tackled Nick in the grass, he smiled sadly before turning away.
:::
'Cause I still don't know how to act, don't know what to say
Still wear the scars like it was yesterday
But you're long gone and moved on
But you're long gone
~The Script (Long Gone and Moved On)
::
A/N: Once again, terribly sorry.
I'm going to keep this one short, because I have to get to writing the next chapter (YAY), but thanks so much for all the amazing reviews I got for the last chapter- you all are so amazing.
Sunniva Steiner: Don't worry, Zammie will get patched up soon, but not without a few bumps in the road, of course.
BookGuru101: SOON, don't worry! Zammie always prevails!
Teenage Gallagher Girl Spy: DON'T CRY- THAT IS NOT MY INTENTION! But 'the feels' will continue piling on, I'm afraid. (I advise tissues?) THANK YOU- you are a remarkable author as well. (:
Zammiandjackunzel4evaderp: YES ZAMMIE WILL REAPPEAR SOON I PROMISE.
OhNobody: Your penname is very misleading, I must admit- you can't be nobody- but back to the point. I'm so glad you like this story! The good ones always make me cry too, don't worry, Youa re nto alone. (:
Samanthabooks13: I'm so glad you like this story… as for the update, I think the facts prove that I am not the world's greatest updater (I'm quite horrible at it, if you've noticed… sorry).
LH0001: YAY- HERE'S THE UPDATE. (After three months… goodness, I'm horrible.)
Guest: AND THE NEW CHAPTER AWAITS YOU.
Gallaghergirl614: Zammie takes time, I'm afraid. But I've updated finally! I hope you like this story best!
Guest: OH I'M SO GLAD YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER SO MUCH. This one's crap, though. I apologize.
PLLandGG: I'VE UPDATED… sorry for the wait (:
ProudlyUnique: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! I must say, 'the feels' get me all the time too, even as I'm writing. (Which is why I always have my emergency box of tissues).
Waxxbean24: YES THE FEELS. IM GLAD YOU ENJOYED THE CHAPTER.
THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO REVEIWED.
I PROMISE TO TRY TO UPDATE ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS.
UNTIL NEXT TIME,
~ilovemesomecupcakes
