(edited)

NINE

:::

There were a lot of things that Rebecca Baxter had done in her life- jump off the Empire State Building to save the Hope Diamond, for instance. She'd done things she was proud of, and things she was ashamed about, but she never regretted the things she did. After all, her parents had raised her to be strong-willed and determined.

But of all the things she'd done, she couldn't help but feel terrible about the night of the ball. She had noticed Cammie slipping out of the room, out to the garden, her shoes in her hand. Nick had given her a questionable look, turning to Bex in confusion. She should've stopped her, but Grant- damn him- had pulled back into the fray of people, asking for one last dance.

So now, she was stuck tending to a heartbroken Cammie Morgan for the fifth time in three months.

"I thought we established that you were over him."

"Well, you thought wrong," Cammie replied, her voice weary as she turned over to look at the window. It was a cold day, the bleary gray sky casting shadows over the Academy.

"You can't keep doing this to yourself, Cam."

"I'll do whatever the hell I want to."

Bex was taken aback by her friend's sharp tone. She was getting more cynical by the day, her words tinged with a biting harshness.

"Zach is not the most important thing in life, Cam. There are other people."

Cammie laughed coldly. "Not for me, apparently. I think the world's set on putting me through hell even before I die."

"You can't possibly think that."

Nick sauntered into the room, grinning at Cammie's annoyed expression. "Well, aren't you a happy camper today?"

"I can't put up with your shit today, Hale. Leave now or I'll have no choice but to shoot you."

Nick glanced over at Bex. "Has she been going on like this all morning?"

"She's been like this all week."

He walked over to the edge of her bed, sitting on the small couch beside her. "A bit snarky today, are we?"

"Shut up, Nick," she retorted, earning a slight chuckle from her friend.

"Cam, you can't stay in here all the time. Your friends are worrying about you," he said, leaning on his arm. "Besides, you smell noxious. A bit distracting, really."

"I do not smell," Cammie said indignantly. "And, that's a load of bull. No one cares anymore. The building's half empty. Everyone's on break enjoying their time while Zachary Goode has successfully put me in a perpetual state of heartbreak. I hate that motherfu-"

"Let's keep to nicer terms, will we?"

"He doesn't deserve nicer terms, the arse he is."

Bex sighed. "Cammie, you can't do this. He may be marrying Macey, but he still cares about you."

"Not likely."

Nick rolled his eyes. "You've got to face him some time, you know."

"Well when I do, I'll tell you the devil says hi."

:::

It took another two days for Cammie to finally get out of bed, and by that time, Bex had left for England. Something about the 'London Eye during December' being amazing, which she didn't really understand because Bex had been on that stupid ferris wheel over a hundred times. (Cammie had personally been forced onto that godforsaken wheel every time she visited Bex in England.)

She crept out of her room, past Nick's body which was sprawled over her couch, and into the quiet hallway. She made her way towards the kitchen, heading for the emergency crème brulee she'd left in there. About halfway down the stairs, she heard a second step of footsteps behind her, and she immediately sped up.

Shitshitshitshitshit. This cannot be happening right now.

"Cammie?"

This is what I get for leaving my room.

"Cammie, I know you can hear me," he called after her.

She broke into a run. No, I can't see you. And you can't see me. I'm the Chameleon- you're not supposed to see me.

But of course, the fates were against her and she felt his grip on her wrist seconds later, twisting her around to face him.

Fuck me.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Zach said, searching her eyes. She glanced downwards, refusing to meet his eyes. They were still a striking green, the alluring color drawing her in- just as it had used to. She hated that he still had that effect on her.

'Leave me alone, Zach."

"You look terrible, Cams."

She snorted. "And you shouldn't be looking. What would your mother think if you were this close to anyone but Macey?"

"My mother has better things than to worry about Macey and I."

She gave him a withering look. "Obviously not. The two of you are getting married in September, and the daft woman has been dragging your fiance around for the past three months," Cammie said matter-of-factly. "I'd hardly call that 'not worrying' Zach. Besides, shouldn't you be with them, planning for your highly-anticipated wedding? I hear Vanity Fair is all over Macey's dress."

"I had business to finish."

She scoffed. "Hard to believe that you have business at school, Zachary."

"My business was you."

Cammie rolled her eyes. She'd heard this far too many times from him before. "Save it, Zachary. I don't want to waste your breath." She turned away from him, her footsteps growing fainter as she stalked out of the room.

He stared after her, oblivious to the silent tears streaming down her cheeks.

:::

A/N: It's been a while, so I decided to update just a short bit today.

~ilovemesomecupcakes