The next morning I woke up with a weight on my waist and my neck felt sore to move, opening my eyes I was met by the sight of my reflection on the mirror against the back of Zach's bedroom door. My neck, given I didn't look at it last night, had a light purple line across it from where my dad's arm had been. I tried to lift Zach's arm off me but his grip tightened until my back was flush against his chest.

"Don't break your promise, we need to talk." If the situation was different I would shiver at Zach's mouth being so close to my ear and his croaky morning voice being the first thing I heard. I rolled over so I was facing him, his head propped up on his palm as he leaned on his pillow with his elbow. Reaching out he ran his thumb across my cheekbone, "I can't let him hurt you again."

Closing my eyes and subconsciously scooted closer to him and I felt myself drunk on his touch, god I was in deep, "We still need to go today, he hurt me but I won't let him do it again. I punched him remember, I can protect myself now. But I can't ruin today, not after my mum went through so much to make this day so special for the bastard."

Without much thought in my actions I moved so my arms were wrapped around Zach's waist and he was now lying on his back as he held me against him, his fingers trailing up and down my arm. "How can I protect you Cammie if you won't even tell anyone?" His voice was so desperate and my heart ached at his need to be there for me.

"Don't you get it yet?" We were silent for a moment my head pressed against his chest, "Around you I don't need protecting, you make me feel like I could run through flames and still come out just fine. You make me feel safe and secure." I heard his heart beat hard against his chest, and I smiled. "You're hearts beating really fast."

It got faster after that and Zach pulled my tighter against him, "Yeah I know. That's the effect you have on me."

Zach and I got up soon after that, it wasn't the talk Zach wanted and I knew that but it was the talk we did and so far I'm happy with it. We were going up the elevator back to my apartment before my mum hits the roof because I wasn't there to help. I showered and changed at Zach's so I have on the jeans I arrived at his last night on and one of his tops- it's a black Levi one that is honestly the comfiest thing.

As the elevator stopped and the doors opened I felt myself stuck in place but then I felt Zach's hand in mine and I had the power to move again. "I can't believe I let you wear my favourite top." Zach mumbled making me laugh as we approached the door.

"Suck it up because you're not getting this back I've wanted a Levi top for ages now and this is legit the softest thing ever."

We stopped in front of my door and I turned to look up at Zach and he was smiling softly down at me, "It looks pretty good on you anyway." Then quickly he dipped his head down and planted a soft kiss on my lips, I leaned further into it to try and savour this but then I had to pull away. "Are you okay?"

I smiled weakly at him, "With you here I am." Zach then softly kissed my forehead and then I unlocked the door and walked into the apartment.

When I walked in I was met by the smell of cooking food and my mum and dad laughing in the kitchen, "Cammie is that you?" I heard my mum shout and I walked through to the kitchen, "I was hoping you'd turn up soon, your dad said you weren't in when he got home I presumed you were at Bex's. Good job we left a key under the mat otherwise your dad would have been out there till God knows, he got the dates mixed up baby he got here last night."

Her entire face was lit up, her eyes lighter and more carefree and her smile so natural I found my lips twitching too. She hadn't called me 'baby' in years and I felt a warm fuzzy feeling inside. My dad was standing by the counter mashing a pot of potatoes and he turned around and his dark eyes met mine. "Oh my god Cammie what the hell happened to your neck?" He dropped when he was doing and ran to my side, no one had noticed Zach lurking behind me, his voice full of concern.

For a moment I thought maybe he was too drunk to remember it but his eyes met mine daring me to spill the beans, "I was at the gym last night and somehow managed that." I mumbled never leaving my dad's eyes and he smirked at me nodding, my mum then appeared and made a shocked sound.

"Were you angry? I told you not to work out angry, it only ends in a mess Cam." Her fingers lightly touched my neck, the bruising had reduced a bit and it wasn't as sore to move or touch anymore. I would probably be all healed in a few days.

I pulled away, "I'm fine mum. This is Zach by the way, you've met him before." I announced grabbing his hand and pulling him into the kitchen.

My mum's eyes wandered from our entwined hands to the large top I had on that clearly wasn't mine, "Lovely to see you again Zach, Matthew come and meet Cammie's friend." My dad appeared and his eyes narrowed in on Zach, "Darling this is Zach, he is one of the great friends I was telling you about." My dad's eyes scanned Zach and a look of disgust greeted his features.

"You two dating?" My mum gasped and slapped him, playfully glaring at him, "I'm sorry honey, but it was just a question. I don't often wear my friend's clothes and hold their hands."

Before I could argue Zach spoke up, "No we aren't dating, but we are really good friends and I really like her so you never know where it will lead." He smirked at me and I just rolled my eyes at him a smile on my lips.

I turned to face my dad, realising that in the eyes of my mother this was the first time I had seen his in a year, "Welcome home dad." As I was about to walk away he wrapped his arms around my waist, hugging me. I stiffened completely and gasped for air, I heard my mum muttering how lovely the scene was and my dad mumbling against my ear how much he missed me.

I wanted to be sick.

Eventually I pulled away and smiled at him and my mum then made an excuse for me and Zach to go upstairs to my room, as we were heading up the small set of stairs I heard my dad say to my mum, "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with Cammie having a boys like that in her room, or staying at their's overnight, we'll have to put together some rules Rachel."

When the door was closed to my room I frustratingly ran my fingers through my hair, "How dare he? Like he's been in prison and he comes back and thinks he can act like a dad and make rules and pass judgement on who I spend my time with. He's unbelievable."

Zach then stood behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders began massaging them, his thumb digging into my shoulder blades, "He is pretty unbelievable; I'm surprised I didn't hit him when he hugged you." His voice was soft and he chuckled at the end of his sentence, but I could hear the underlying anger in it.

Leaning back against him I suddenly felt exhausted, this is what that man does to me, my body relaxed and the tightness that came with being under the same roof than Matthew subsided, "Part of me wishes you did, but the sane part is glad you didn't." Zach lifted his hands from my shoulders and I turned to face him, "Thank you. For everything, you didn't have to forgive me but I'm glad you did."

I wanted to tell him then, tell him how I really feel but I didn't want to ruin this just yet.

It was two hours into this crap party; all of the gang was here, most of my mum's friends and all of my dad's old friends who didn't think he was a thug. There wasn't that many who thought that. Everyone was up on the roof catching my dad up on everything he may have missed from football scores to whose kids are going to college.

I was sitting between Bex and Zach, my legs propped on his that were propped up on a table, "How you doing Cammie, with your dad and stuff?"

I looked at Bex, "Okay I guess, it's a bit weird but I have to get used to it."

"You can stay with me for a bit if you want you know, if it's too weird being with your dad." Bex knew my dad got angry and drunk a lot before he went inside, and she knew the anger was usually pointed towards me; however she didn't know that he hit me. And she would never know. That's why she knew why I'm so against my dad being back here, the gang however just saw me go off the rails and they kind of gathered that I didn't want him back in my life.

Smiling genuinely at her, "Thanks Bex, but I need to get over it. I'm not going to upset my mum any more than I already have in the last year."

After that we got into our usual conversations about school and mocking each other- on a friendly way- and I became more relaxed. Eventually I had my head rested on Zach's shoulder as his arm wrapped around my waist, it didn't take long for the gang to pick up on stuff. "Right I'm not one to beat around the bush so I'm not going to start now; can you two please tell us what the hell is going on between you two?" Nick cut through the conversation and looked at Zach and me.

I felt my cheeks warm up as the whole gang turned to look at me, Adam's eyes met mine and I saw the anger in them. For some reason he is really against the idea of Zach and me getting closer. I lifted my head from Zach's shoulder and his hold on my waist loosened, but his hand still rested lightly on my hip. "I have no idea what you're talking about." I stated and the smirk on Nick's just grew.

"Bull crap Cammie, just tell us we are meant to be best friends."

"We are just closer than we used to be," not a lie, "Can you just stop with the group interrogation." I didn't know whether Zach wanted everyone to know what was going on between us, so I was planning on keeping it on the down low for the time being. But we'd have to talk about it soon. "Now before you embarrass me any further I'm going to go and get a drink."

"I'll give you a hand." Bex said and she and Macey stood up. Great now it's time for girl interrogation.

The drinks table was pretty quiet since people just grabbed and left so it was only us three, I poured myself a plastic cup of lemonade and offered the girls one but they quickly dismissed it, "Right spill." Bex stated and I rolled my eyes telling her how ridiculous she was being.

"That's the boy isn't it? The boy you kissed, I told you I would figure it out!" Macey exclaimed, and then I remembered after the first kiss Zach and I shared I asked Macey about it. Oh how stupid of me. But considering my cheeks were heating up it didn't really take a genius to figure out she was right. "So are you two together now?"

Suddenly I felt really uncomfortable as my two closest friends stared at me as if I held the answer on how to end world hunger so I fiddled with the ends of my long hair, "Well there's no official label been put on it yet but I do really like him. And I think he likes me too."

"Whoa, first you need to tell us how this even came about and what you've been doing." Bex explained. So I briefly explained what's been going on, it was a pretty run down version but the main parts were there. The kissing, fighting and making up; including the screw up I made the other night. "Cam you have to stop pushing people away. You clearly really like Zach and you know just as well as we do, he isn't going to hurt you." Bex explained once I was done.

"I know that Bex, but it's just my thing I guess. The minute people get too close I feel as though it's my duty to protect them and push them away." Sighing I took a sip of my drink, "But I don't really want to push Zach away."

Then Macey made a big awing sound and I saw the guys all looking at us as she pulled me into a tight completely over the top hug, "The Ice Queen is falling in love." I quickly yanked myself from her muttering swear words at her in the process, "No but seriously if you don't think he likes you as much as you like him you must be blind." I gave her a confused look as Bex nodded along with her, "Seriously he looks at you like you the most precious thing in the world, and he doesn't just look at you like a horny 17 year old he looks at you like someone who genuinely cares for you. You have to talk to him Cam."

Nodding at her, "You're right but I'm just scared we'll lose what we have now, because it's kind of great."

It was now nightfall and most of the guest had left, my dad had gone to the local pub with his old drinking friends and my mum and her friends were cleaning up everything down in the apartment. There wasn't that much since all the plates and cups were paper or plastic. We, the gang, decided to go and join the majority of the junior class and go to the beach where there was an arcade and some crappy unsafe fair rides.

Slinging his arm over my shoulder Adam pulled me against him interrupting me as I spoke to Macey, "So do you think if I win you a big toy animal you'll give me a kiss." I didn't really know how to act around Adam anymore after what Zach said he did regarding freezing me out.

"You could win me everything possible in this place and I still wouldn't kiss you." I said it in a jokey way so he tilted his head back laughing and then I saw that his eyes were a bit glossy so I realised he must have had a few drinks. "Hey, are you drunk?"

He looked at me with a sloppy smirk on his lips, "Babe I'm just having fun, so be it if alcohol is in the mix." Then he kissed my cheek and walked off to go and see some boys from the football team that were calling him over. The minute he got there a pretty brunette started talking to him and he, being the flirt he was, placed a hand on her waist pulling her to him. I raised my eyebrows at his behaviour.

"I bet Zach wouldn't have to win you a teddy for a kiss." Bex whispered as she joined me with Grant by her side, I playfully glared at her. "So we're going on the spinning claw thing, do you want to join us?" I nodded and then we joined the queue.

Since Adam had went off with the jocks like he usually did it was just Bex, Grant, Nick, Macey, Zach and me. Zach would usually go off with Adam since he didn't like playing gooseberry as the two pairs flirted but he seemed to have tagged along tonight. As Bex and Grant began their usual couple bickering over who was more likely to be sick after this and Macey and Nick openly made out, I guess they must be realising that their perfect for one another, Zach and I stood next to each other.

"You and Adam looked pretty cosy earlier." Zach stated after a moment and I felt my lips curl into a smirk at the jealousy in his tone.

"Yeah he was asking how many toys he would have to win me for me to kiss him." I laughed but Zach didn't really find it that funny, "The answer was regardless of how many he won me I wouldn't kiss him." I quickly stated and then saw him relax again, "It's quite the turn on seeing how jealous you get." I stated and I saw Zach's cheeks tinge red.

"I'm not jealous." I nodded but he could clearly see I didn't believe him, "I'm not." He argued.

"Okay whatever you say babe." I was smirking but soon my smirk dropped when Zach grabbed my wrist and pulled me between the claw ride and a hook-a-duck stall. "What?"

He had my back against the metal wall of the ticket book for the ride, his chest against mine, "What did you call me?" There wasn't much room here and it was pretty dark with only the glow of the lights from the rides, but no one would be able to see us.

I gave him a confused look and then flushed with embarrassment, "Nothing." He pressed himself harder against me, it didn't hurt but it did make it very hard to think clearly, "Babe, I called you babe." I mumbled. But before I could justify my slip up Zach's lips were on mine.

It didn't take long for me to react; my hands went to his chest gripping his top in my fingers as he left warm passionate kisses on my lips. He gripped my hands entwining our fingers and then placed them above my head as he made his entire body flush against mine, I couldn't stop the soft moan as he did. I felt like my whole body was on fire with ecstasy, I started trying to get closer to him by moving my hips into him and I smirked as he groaned against my lips.

His hands left mine and ran down my sides until they reached my hips and then gripping my thighs he lifted me up and I wrapped them around his waist, my fingers deep in his hair. His lips were on my neck and were slowly getting lower as they brushed over my collarbone until eventually his mouth reached the top of one of my breast's where my V neck top had been pulled down. Gasping I tightened my legs around his waist and pulled his mouth to mine.

"We need to stop." I mumbled and then we lifted our lips from one another.

Both of us were gasping for breath, my legs still tight around Zach's waist since I doubted they would really be strong enough to hold me at the moment. His hands held my legs tightly so I knew I wasn't falling anytime soon. As I placed my hands on either side of his face, my thumb running over his slightly swollen lips, Zach asked, "Do you want to stay at mine tonight?"

Without even needing a second to think about it I quickly agreed.

Sorry for the late update I was away all weekend with really bad internet. Hope you like this update, the next chapter with be Zamme and some drama between Cammie and her dad.

Please leave a review, I really appreciate it.