A/N: Alright so yes I'm a horrible person that takes forever to update and I wish I could say it won't happen again but it definitely will. I'm sorry but I am only five weeks away from the end of school. Buttttt then my summer job starts. Anyway, right now I think I'm going to keep writing but it probably will be shorter than Dirty Laundry. Let me know what you think.

P.S. If you haven't read "Not if I save you first" you should! It was so good with a few GG references in there. Also I'm meeting the goddess herself this Saturday so maybe that will inspire me.

Chapter 11

It was getting later and later into the night and the alcohol was running its course. Nick was swaying and singing a Frank Sinatra song, David challenged a guy to an arm wrestling contest, and Lucas was, well, Lucas. Always cheerful and cracking jokes, but the jokes were getting dirtier and dirtier.

"Riddle me this. What gets whiter the dirtier it gets?"

"Easy. A chalkboard." Lucas was trying to fight a grin.

"Nope. Annie after Nick-"

I covered Lucas's mouth. "Alright, that's enough of the jokes tonight." Lucas pouted but everyone else looked relieved he didn't finish the punchline. It probably would've resulted in a punch from Nick.

"Are we going to get pizza tonight?"

"Yes!" Lucas's voice echoed in through the room and he was already marching toward the door.

"Hey slow down Luckey," Cammie giggled. Lucas stumbled to a stop at the worst possible place; the clingy girls spotted him. The brunette that he was chatting up trailed a finger down his arm. His face was one of pure panic. Cammie downed her drink and wobbled over and hung onto the arm the girl was touching.

"Lucas are we about to leave? I'm sooooo ready to go home."

I shared a look with the guys and Jonas shrugged.

"Oh… uhm yeah Cammie. Leaving right now." We took the hint and already were moving around them and out the door.

The air was a lot cooler outside now. We regrouped in a circle, but our circle was smaller.

"Where'd Lucas and Cammie go?" David looked around the circle and then back inside. In an instant he was running back in the door and as soon as the door opened, I knew why. There were cheers around a circle and I had a feeling what I would see in the middle.

I pushed my way inside the door and saw Lucas pulling on Cammie's arm and Cady on the ground. I relaxed a little. She was safe. She backed up and Lucas tried to clear through the crowd. I met him half way.

"What happened?" His eyes were wide.

"I don't know. I couldn't hear what happened-" He was cut off with a screech. I saw Cammie lunging back toward Cady and the rest. In a flash I moved and threw her over my shoulder. I saw Cady smirk at me and give a wave. I sneered and turned toward the door.

Cammie was kicking and twisted the whole time. I had to grip her waist tighter to keep her still, but she kept kicking.

"Gallagher Girl, stop. They're not worth it," I hissed in her ear. For a moment her kicks were less forceful and when the door opened she stopped completely. Once we were closer to our cars I dropped her down to the ground. She didn't look at any of us, she just stood with her arms wrapped around her.

"Cammie, are you okay?" David looked genuinely worried, and I'm sure I mirrored his emotions.

"I'm fine." Her voice was as cold as the breeze.

"What happened?" Nick asked.

She looked down at the ground and her voice was barely louder than a whisper, "I am not a slut."

I wanted to go inside and smack the girl myself. As far as I understood, calling another girl a slut was pretty high on the insult totem pole.

"Of course you aren't Cammie."

"No one has ever called me that. I wasn't going to let her." She bit her lip and I saw her eyes were darker than usual as she glared at the door.

"Well," David sighed, "The bar owner saw what happened. He told the other girls they can't come back, but you have a weeks suspension."

"At least they can't come back," Lucas tried to force a smile. "And one week isn't too bad. I'll stay home with you during your house arrest."

"No, you don't have to." She cracked a small smile. "You guys can still go. I'll just catch up with you next week."

"No way! I got you into this mess, what kind of friend would I be if I let my little jail bird sit at home alone?"

"She doesn't have to stay home. She just can't come here." I started thinking about where else we could go, but Jonas beat me to it.

"It's simple guys, we just go to Grant's party next week."

David looked a little concerned. He wasn't really the frat party type. The only reason he sort of enjoyed the last one was because he had a role of looking after Nick. "I can handle that for a week." The mood started to lighten.

"Cammie, I don't know if your MMA performance will drive away or attract more guys." I forced an awkward laugh to join in with the others. I hope it would drive them away. Guys don't make passes at girls who kick asses, right?

"Did you see the way that girl toppled over? It was beautiful. You have to teach me that some day." They were starting to laugh and lighten the mood, but I noticed Cammie's smile didn't reach her eyes. She pulled her arms closer around her and looked around as the rest of them laughed.

"Alright, who's ready for pizza?" He led the charge toward the cars, but she lingered like she didn't register what he was saying.

"Not tonight." I looked at her and she was starting to shiver. "I think I'm going to head back." Nick stopped and looked at me like a puzzle.

"How are you going to get back?" I guess that's the downfall of carpooling.

"Can I drive your truck?" Nick gave a laugh but was already reaching in his pocket.

"You drive this truck more than I do." I grabbed the keys and saw Jonas looking at me.
"Someone has to go back with Zach. My car only holds four."

"I'll go. I probably need to get home anyway." I kind of expected this. She had enough entertainment for the night.

00000000000000000

She hadn't said a word since she got in the truck.

"Hey Gallagher Girl?" She turned her attention from the window toward me. "Are you okay?"

She took a deep breath, "I'm fine." The words were right, but she didn't look fine. Not even a little.

"You're shaking." I reached into the backseat, looking for my jacket I abandoned at the beginning of the night. "Put this on."

She took it gingerly but didn't put it on. "No really, I'm fine."

She wasn't fine, but I could help the cold. "Cammie, it's forty five degrees outside and still dropping. And you're wearing shorts and a short sleeve. Put it on." She obliged and the shaking stopped.

When I opened her door to help her get out, she hesitated but eventually took my hand, if only for a second. She kept her hands in my jacket pockets and her eyes down to the ground. She was quiet the whole way and when I turned to check on her when we got inside, I saw why. Tears were trailing down her cheeks.

"Gallagher Girl?" She tried wiping the tear away but she missed. I wiped it away with my thumb and she looked so broken. I pulled away and crossed my arms, giving her a little space.

"She was right." Her voice cracked and a tear streamed back down.

"Cammie, no."

"She was Zach. My dad wouldn't have wanted me to fight. He would have-"

"Been proud that you stood up for yourself." My voice was strong and her tear fell. I reached forward to wipe it but she pulled back and wiped it with my jacket sleeve.

"Gallagher Girl, I'm just trying to save my sweatshirt from your tears." She was starting to pull it off and I shook my head. "No, I don't need it." It may have been really my only favorite sweatshirt, but she needed it more. And honestly it looked good on her. "You can keep it for now."

She wrapped back up and hid her hands inside the sleeves.

"He would be proud of you. I mean that was one hell of a push. That girl toppled over." She cracked a smile and laughed a little. I would be lying if seeing Cady falling over because of Cammie wasn't a little hot.

"Well, she said some pretty nasty things." From what Cammie said, Cady wasn't the one to call her a slut, but she was the one to get pushed.

"What did she say?"

"She was angry that I was friends with you. She has some type of claim or something." That was insane. I talked to her once and she thought we were together. If she knew my story, I don't think she would claim me. No one ever did. I would always be the kid that was better off on his own.

"Trust me, Gallagher Girl. No one has a claim over me."

Cammie was moving closer slowly and damn, I really wanted to kiss her. I wanted to kiss her in the booth and I knew nothing would stop us. Except my own damn mind. If she only knew my story she probably wouldn't want to be with me either. This isn't a good idea. Not now.

I stepped back down the hallway. "Good night Gallagher Girl."

The whole walk back upstairs was torture.

I'm an idiot. I could have kissed her.

Every step made me want to turn back around. But my feet were already through the door and reason started taking over.

She doesn't know you. She's just your friend. She's in a dark place right now and you were just the one to help her.

The thoughts circled in my head the whole time, but when my head hit the pillow one more mocked me.

She wasn't in a dark place in the booth.

That little thought of hope made me think, maybe someday.

0000000000000000

"Get up. Both of you." It felt much to early for a pillow to hit my face. I was an early riser, but this was too early for a Sunday.

I picked my head up and Grant was looking mystified with me. Jonas had a serious look on his face so I didn't question why he wanted us to get up.

"What's up Jo boy?"

"We need to have a little chat." I looked over at Grant and he was staring back at me.

"Both of us?" We both asked at the same time.

"It would be best if it were." Grant cracked a smile.

"What's wrong Jonas? Do you have four months to live?" He gave a half laugh.

"Just get dressed. We're going to get some breakfast and chat."

It was a quiet ride to our favorite little café. Jonas didn't hint at what this chat would be about, and my mind was rolling over and over. I knew he saw Cammie and me and he already talked to her. This could be the time for the chat, but why would Grant come along?

"So are you going to tell us what this is about?"

Jonas put down his coffee cup, "Gentleman, I fear something is going to be happening to us soon."

"What do you mean something is happening to us?" His eyes flicked to me, but focused back on Grant.

"Let's start with you first, Grant." He sighed, "I'm not sure how long we can keep staying friends." It was so blunt that both of us sat shocked.

"Wh-what? Why not?"

"It's nothing against you. You're still my best friend and I hope to keep it that way. But the current trend has been hanging out with only Bex. I've never really met her, but she seems like a nice girl and I'm happy for you, but sad for myself." Grant sat scratching his neck.

"I don't know what to say. I don't mean to ditch you guys, but I just want to get to know her better before introducing her to all of you." Jonas just leaned on his elbows and nodded his head. He looked like a therapist who was about to ask, 'And how do you feel about that'. But Jonas still had the mind of a scientist and he would find a solution to our problem.

He cracked a smile, "That's understandable. It would be insane to bring a girl you just met to our group." They both laughed and smiled at each other.

"I promise to make some time just for us guys again." Jonas didn't respond, he just went back to nodding like he understood but wasn't sure of the promise.

"So are we okay to keep staying friends?"

Jonas pursed his lips, "Well I'll have to think about that."

Grant's eyes went wide like he just saw someone hit his puppy but Jonas laughed.

"I'm kidding. You will always be my best friend. And I would like to meet Bex whenever you're ready." Grant smiled and I clapped.

"Well that was beautiful. We saved a friendship." I smirked at them but Jonas studied me.

"Well our friendship is saved. I'm not sure how yours will be with some people."

I fiddled with my thumbs, "Alright, let's get this over with."

"You know what this is about?"

I took a deep breath. "Is it about Cammie?" He nodded and Grant was the one looking wide eyed now.

"Woah, I thought you said you didn't like her."

"Look it's not like that." I ran a hand through my hair, already dreading this conversation.

"Why does Jonas feel the need to wake us up early to talk about it then?" He turned to Jonas. "What happened?"

"I just saw the two of them looking rather cozy in the booth."
"It wasn't like that," I exclaimed again.

"Okay, then why don't you tell us what it was like. All I got from Cammie was, 'nothing was going to happen' and 'I didn't know we were that close'. So I want to hear from you what you thought was going to happen." She said nothing was going to happen. Was anything going to happen? If her phone never buzzed I'm pretty sure I would've kissed her.

"We were talking and getting along really well. I guess gradually we moved closer together. I didn't even know it until she laughed and her head was on my shoulder." I took a deep breath, "And I guess we were close to kissing."

"So you do like her?"

"I don't know. I like talking to her, but we are just friends." Jonas nodded a little.

"That's what she said too." I knew she would just want to be friends. That further cements her 'just friend' status and I have to protect that.

"Why didn't you kiss her?" Grant sounded genuinely confused.

"Because Bex texted her." I gave a half laugh but Grant wasn't laughing along.

"Is that the only reason?"

"We were caught up in the moment and I wasn't thinking. I won't let it happen again."

"And why not?" I wasn't really expecting Jonas's response. I thought this whole chat was to further confirm that I wasn't going to date Cammie.

"It's hard to explain. She's not looking for anything and I'm not going to do anything to make something happen." They both shared a look.

"Alright, one last question and we can enjoy our breakfast in peace. Could you like Cammie?" I knew what my answer should be, but that moment last night muddied the waters. He didn't say if I was, he asked if I could.

"She's my friend that I am attracted to. I guess I could." Grant had a sly smile and Jonas just nodded, filing away my response for a later date.

"Alright, then one last thing needs to happen. You have to make sure Lucas doesn't feel the same way."