Zach was my last lifeline, my floating device. I was neck-deep in water and he was the only thing lovingly holding me up. It was crazy how I had him, crazy why I had him. I could live life a million times over and still not deserve him, but I didn't care. Not right now, anyway. I gave myself one selfish wish and clung to him, letting him comfort me and rock me back and forth, in the rain and under the flickering streetlight. But sooner or later, I had to learn to swim without him. And I'm not sure if I'm ready for that day to come yet. But it's getting closer, and there's nothing I could do to stop the waves.

Zach's POV

Cammie clutched at me tightly, hanging onto my neck with her thin arms so hard that they were shaking. Rain dripped from our clothing, soaking us down to the bone.

I sighed and gathered Cammie in my arms, standing up. The light pole flickered and then went off. The rain was a light mist now, sprinkling down our faces, sending the light scent of rain to our noses.

"Zach?"

"Mmm?"

"I love you. I'm sorry, but I love you."

My jaw clenched and I shook my head.

"Why are you sorry?" Anger and desperation made my heart flutter, and I felt the back of my eyes prick. I hated this. I hated feeling so weak. I hated seeing Cammie in pain. And there was no way I could stop the pain. Helpless, I was so helpless.

My arms tightened around her, but she didn't seem to notice.

"I'm pulling you closer and closer into this utterly depressing life of mine."

I stopped walking and leaned down, brushing my lips against her cheek. I looked up and pleaded with her through my eyes.

"Any life of yours I'm in is a happy one for me," I murmured.

She just closed her eyes.

I walked as quickly as I could, trying not to jostle Cammie, and half-jogged back home. Both our fingers were white and shaking, and my teeth were chattering so hard I almost bit my tongue off about half a dozen times. Exhaustion knocked Cammie out, and I was glad that she was finally resting. I looked down at her face. Innocent and pure and utterly, completely sad, even in her sleep.

I shook my head and clenched my jaw.

"I'll get you out, Cam. If it's the last thing I do, I'll get you out."

I walked up my steps and there was a sticky note attached to my front door.

Decided you and Cammie should be left alone when you guys get back. There are warm towels and clothes in the dryer. Don't sleep with wet hair. -BGTMLJ

I rolled my eyes and smiled at the note. I leaned over and ripped it off with my teeth, and kicked the door open and closed with my foot. I walked to the kitchen trash bin and dropped the note into it, and then laid Cammie down on the couch.

She whimpered but didn't wake up, curling in on herself. I walked to the dryer and pulled out a towel and Cammie's clothes.

Rain pounded mercilessly at the roof of the house, and lightning flashed through the room.

I kneeled by the couch and pressed my lips to Cammie's forehead.

"Wake up," I whispered.

She grunted and pressed a kiss to my cheek, but turned around and I heard her breathing even out again.

"Come on, baby. You can't sleep in wet clothes, you'll get sick," I pressed a hand to her cheek.

"I don' care." she slurred.

"I do."

She just grunted again.

I sighed. "Fine, then. I'm gonna stay in my wet clothes too. We'll be sick together."

I slid onto the couch next to her, and felt her stiffen. She rolled over so she was facing me, and a cute scowl was gracing her features.

"No. Chernge." she muttered.

"Not 'til you do." I raised an eyebrow.

She moaned loudly. "You're annoying."

I laughed and sat up, pulling her up with me, wrapping the warm towel around her body. She padded to the bathroom and locked the door. I heard the blow-drier go off and I sighed, sitting back on the couch and running my fingers through my damp hair.

Memories of cuts and bruises on her pale skin flashes through my mind, and I squeezed my eyes shut, gripping my hair tighter. Her father's drunk face red and angry, his big fist flying towards Cammie's helpless body. I felt tears prick at the back of my eyes, and I punched the table in front of me.

"Damn it, Zach. How could you let this happen to her?"

I stood up and paced around the room, my fingers shaking for the second time that day. This time, it wasn't because of the cold. I glanced at the piano, and suddenly I was sitting at the white bench.

The keys splayed out in front of me, so many chances at so many melodies in so many different keys and tones with so many different meanings.

I spread my trembling fingers across the top of the slippery keys and played a chord. Warmth immediately spread through me, and it felt good, so I kept playing.

Melodies and words flowed into my mind and I grinned, notes flowing around the room.

Until the referee rings the bell,
Until both your eyes start to swell,
Until the crowd goes home
What're we gonna do, love?
Give them hell, turn their heads
Gonna live life 'til we're dead.
Give me scars, give me pain
Then they'll say to me, say to me, say to me
There goes the fighter, there goes the fighter
Here comes the fighter
That's what they'll say to me, say to me, say to me,
This one's a fighter.
And if she can last thirty rounds,
There's no reason you should ever have your head down.
Six foot five, two hundred and twenty pounds
Hailing from rock bottom, loserville, nothing town.
Text book version of a kid going nowhere fast
And now I'm yelling, "Kiss my ass"
It's gonna take a couple right hooks, a few left jabs
For you to recognize you really ain't got it bad.
Until the referee rings the bell,
Until both your eyes start to swell,
Until the crowd goes home,
What're we gonna do, love?
Give them hell, turn their heads
Gonna live life 'til we're dead.
Give me scars, give me pain
Then they'll say to me, say to me, say to me
There goes the fighter, there goes the fighter
Here comes the fighter
That's what they'll say to me, say to me, say to me,
This one's a fighter.
If you fall pick yourself up off the floor, get up.
And when your bones can't take no more, come on.
Just remember what you're here for
'Cause I know, I'm damn sure.
Give them hell, turn their heads
Gonna live life 'til we're dead.
Give me scars, give me pain
Then they'll say to me, say to me, say to me
There goes the fighter, there goes the fighter
Here comes the fighter
That's what they'll say to me, say to me, say to me,
This one's a fighter.
'Til the referee rings the bell,
'Til both ya eyes start to swell,
'Til the crowd goes home,
What're we gonna do, love?

I kept playing random melodies and humming along. I heard Cammie's footsteps run up to me, and soon enough she was somehow in my lap. She giggled softly and I grinned and lifted my head up. She leaned down and pressed her lips to mine. She tasted like rain, and she sighed into the kiss, hugging me closer.

"Go change," she muttered.

I stood up and she sat down at the piano bench, and started pecking out 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' with her right index finger. She bit her lip, concentrating, and missed a note.

I chuckled and scooped my clothes and towel off the couch and headed to the bathroom. Once I got in there, I looked at myself in the mirror and winced. The fluorescent lighting made my skin look a sickish grey, and deep purple bags were under my eyes. It seems as though this day had taken more out of me than it did Cammie. I shuddered and washed my face, and stripped out of my soaking clothes, tossing it into the bath tub where Cammie's lay. Slipping on boxers and plaid pajama pants, I dried my hair and walked out, expecting to hear more nursery tunes on the piano.

Silence met me and slapped me in the face. I pulled my eyebrows together, worried, and walked quickly to the piano.

I saw tendrils of hair spilled out across the white keys, and I chuckled and walked closer. Cammie's head was leaning down on the keys, pressing some down, the flat ringing still resonating from the piano softly. There were still scars and marks on her arms, and I leaned down and kissed on.

She woke up and wrapped her arms around my neck, and I picked her up. She hung onto me like a koala, and I brought her upstairs to my room.

We collapsed onto my bed and with the thunder and rain and blood and bad memories and tears swirling around us like a hurricane, we fell into a fitful sleep, clinging and grasping and holding and drawing strength from the other.

And this was how it should be.

It's Cammie and I against the world.

Sorry for the boring chapter, guys! We kinda needed a calm filler in there to kinda even out the extreme-ness of the last one. I'm sorry it took so long to update, too!

Quote for this chapter: Anything less than mad, passionate, extraordinary love is a waste of your time. There are too many mediocre things in life to deal with, and love shouldn't be one of them. -Dreams of an Insomniac

I am so sick of my classmates just going into relationships simply for the reason that they want to be in one. A relationship where all they do is have awkward lunches together and make out. I haven't actually fallen in love with anybody yet, but I watch couples on the street and I want to have it.

I don't want to go into relationships simply for the title of not being single. Who cares if you're 40 years old and single? You're waiting for the right one, as you should be. Wait for someone who gives you butterflies, wait for the person who will leave you breathless. Wait for the one that actually cares about your feelings and your heart and who holds your hand and takes you out on dates and tolerates your choice in music and it should be heart-pumping and mind racing and even doing nothing with them will be like doing everything in the world.

Wait for the person who will be able to find their way to your heart and take it in their hand and protect it, instead of crushing it in their palm. Wait for the person who's waiting for you, too. Because I don't want any of you guys to ever have to go through a divorce or a break up because you thought you were with the right person, but in all honesty, you only liked the thought of them.

And with that, thank you so much for reading this chapter, and again, I apologize for its lateness and boring-ness. I love you all and your reviews light up my day and I just love you, ugh. And if you still review on this unmoving chapter that brought this story no where, I will love you even more.

'Til next time.