Ladies and Gentlemen of Fanfiction,
I had an interview at Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women yesterday.
…
JK! No, I didn't. But I DID have an interview at an all girls private school yesterday. The coincidences continue. The uniforms are exactly like the Gallagher ones. There's a Science teacher who is a total hottie and reminds me of Joe Solomon, and the lady who interviewed me reminded me strongly of Rachel Morgan, and looked a little like I imagined. So…if I will now refer to this place as my Gallagher Academy. The end.
I kept walking. I felt like I was walking forever, my mind in a different place. Zach was in New York. And he didn't even bother to talk to me. What kind of crap is that? I probably should've been crying by now, but I was just so angry at him! I could have gone after him, of course, but he would just disappear, and I would've lost Abby and Townsend. After about ten more minutes of walking in silence, we arrived at Abby's building. Well, Abby and Townsend, that is. Edward nodded to me as they walked into her building, and I followed, ignoring the light breeze biting against my face and the blisters on my feet.
When I walked in the lobby, it was empty, except for a young, cute security guard listening to his iPod. Crap, how was I supposed to listen to them now? I couldn't exactly ask for a key, then go up to Abby's apartment and spy on them, now could I?
"Um, excuse me?" I asked, walking up to the security guard's desk. He was nodding his head to the music, ignoring me. The volume was up loud I could here the course of "Not Afraid" by Eminem three feet away. "Hello?" He didn't reply. "HEY!" I yelled, and he slowly took out his earphones.
"Sorry, what's up?" He wondered, obviously annoyed.
"Do you know Abby Cameron?"
"Yeah, just by sight, though. She was the hot chick who just went up to her apartment, right?" He wondered, raising an eyebrow.
"That would be her. Do you know if she has a video camera monitoring her apartment or anything?" I asked, figuring she would. She was a spy, after all. She would want to know if anyone broke into her apartment or anything.
"Uh, yeah, actually. The monitor's locked up, though. You need the combination." He sighed.
"Well, do you know where it is? The monitor, I mean." I asked.
"Across the room, the door right next to the restrooms. It's the security office. Once you get to the monitor, if you open it, that is, you can bring it up on the big screen." He mumbled, and plugged his headphones back in his ears. I murmured a quick 'Thanks', and headed off across the lobby towards the door. Inside was a huge security sweets, like something you would see at NASA. The screens were currently filled with images of the lobby, basement, and hallways of the lower apartments. I walked softly up to the safe in the corner. It had the name 'ABBY CAMERON' written on it in my aunt's handwriting. I glanced at the lock. A three number combination, like the one you would see on a locker. I knew it would be stupid to try and pick it.
What would my aunt use as her combination? I thought for about a half a minute. It would be something meaningful, that she would always remember. Something close to her heart. I began entering in the combination, and smiled when it clicked open. There was the screen, turned off. I pressed the "MEGA SCREEN" button, then the "ON" button, and the monitor's image came up on all the security screens. I slowly slid into the cushy chair in front of the control panel and began to watch.
The camera (which I guessed was microscopic, since I didn't see one when I was in her apartment) faced the huge living room. Aunt Abby had changed into an oversized COLOMBIA tank top and navy plaid pajama pants. Edward was sitting on the couch, and he had taken off his jacket, tie, and shoes. My aunt slid onto the couch next to him silently, running her fingers through her hair.
"So…you want to talk?" She wondered, raising an eyebrow.
"I want to know where all this pain is coming from…that's all." He insisted quietly.
"Are you sure? I might start to cry, and when I start to cry, I'm really hard to stop." Abby said. He smiled softly.
"It's okay. Cry all you want."
"It…all started when Matt died. He was my best friend. It's my fault he's dead after all. I had to be stupid and fall in love…" Her voice caught, and I could see her eyes clouding with tears.
"Abby, it's okay. Keep going." Edward persisted, rubbing her back gently.
"I was so upset. I couldn't go through a whole day without bursting into tears. The CIA gave me a few months off, as long as I saw a therapist and a grief counselor. As soon as that was over, I had to get away. I had to…break away from everything and start a new life somewhere else. So, I moved to New York City. I started going on missions, trying to distract myself from Matt. I could see the whole image in my mind, like it was yesterday…" She closed her eyes, sighed, and shook her head, wiping the tears that were rolling down her perfect face.
"Then, of course, there was the heartbreak. I mean, I was in love with him. He wasn't like any guy I've every met before. And he…betrayed me. I've been closed off ever since. I've avoided getting in a serious relationship ever since." She whispered.
"It's okay. Everything's going to be okay." Edward murmured, and wrapped his arms softly around her.
"I'm scared." Abby admitted, snuggling closer to Edward. My eyes widened. My aunt was the most courageous person I know. She's never scared of anything. "I'm scared that I'm going to have my heart broken again. I'm scared that the Circle of Cavan is going to kill Cammie, and I'm scared that I'll never find someone who loves me for me."
"Well, you don't have to be scared of the last one." He smiled, and she rolled her eyes, wiping more tears from them.
"Shut up. You don't love me. You just feel this way because…" She couldn't come up with an answer.
"Because…?" He prompted.
"Because…I don't know."
"Because I love you." Edward insisted, turning to face her, his hands resting gently on her shoulders.
"CAMMIE!" A loud voice called from behind me. My mother, Mr. Solomon, Macey, Bex, and Liz came bursting into the room. My mom looked relieved. "We've been looking-"
"SHUT UP! Abby and Townsend are about to profess their love for each other and I don't want to miss it!" I yelped, and everyone turned quiet, gazing at the screen.
"Why do you love me? I dumped you, then told you I was pregnant with a baby that wasn't yours-"
"What happened to the baby, anyway?" He wondered.
"I told you, I was really, really stressed and things happened." She murmured.
"You had a miscarriage?" He wondered softly, looking over at her. Abby didn't say anything, but it was clear by the tears forming in her eyes he was right. He laid down on the couch softly, pulling her down next to him, letting her cry into his shoulder. She rested her head and an arm on his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her closer to him, their legs intertwined. "Shhh…it's all going to be alright." Edward whispered into her hair. Abby shifted closer to him, closing her eyes. After a few quiet minutes, I thought they were both asleep.
"Thank you." Abby whispered, her voice shaking.
"You're welcome." He sighed, his hands running through her hair gently.
"I…love you, too." She murmured, and snuggled closer to him, falling asleep. Edward smiled slightly, and fell asleep a minute later.
"How'd you get into the safe?" Macey wondered, as I turned off the monitors, and shut the safe.
"I knew the combination." I shrugged.
"What was it?" My mom asked me.
"Dad's birthday." I mumbled softly, walking into the lobby with them. There was a long silence as we stepped out onto East 81st Street.
"Are you okay, Cammie?" Mr. Solomon asked me.
"I'm fine." I lied. One thing was still bugging me. What had Zach told them?
