AN: Okay, so some of you wanted his declaration of love to be dramatic, but this isn't. I just had to make their relationship perfect and romantic before things start going wrong. This chapter is super long because I just couldn't stop writing it, and the Cammie POV starting at the end is coming up next, probably within a few hours, because snow days are perfect. This chapter goes out to Lmb111514 because she gives me a lot of really nice reviews and I really appreciate it. Thank you! Enjoy!

Chapter 13: Candles and Stars

3 weeks later

Zach POV

Cammie and I were getting closer by the day. Even better, the production group in LA had decided to hold the album for a month, so we had been able to work on our relationship without having to deal with any rock star problems. I felt like a regular guy whenever I was with her, and it was perfect.

Right now, it was her winter break, and we had hung out every day and gone out almost every night. Sometimes we hung out with our friends; Bex and Grant were getting closer too, and participating in PDA way too often, something was going on between Preston and Macey, but he wouldn't tell me any details, and Liz and Jonas both liked each other, but were too shy to admit it. I preferred it when it was just us, lying in the back of my car or sitting in the greenhouse on the roof of my apartment building, looking at the stars.

I knew I loved her now, and I was going to tell her tonight. It had been a month since that night I took her to the carnival, and while it wasn't that long, I felt like I had known her forever and it seemed like a major milestone. I hadn't told her where we were going tonight, but I did tell Macey so Cam would be dressed appropriately. I wanted to make this a romantic surprise that she'd never forget.

I got to Macey's house at 8, and Bex came barreling down the stairs.

"You can't come up yet! Don't you know that you're supposed to be late to really give her time to get ready?" she shouted at me.

Really? Did I already screw up? Shit, I know nothing about normal girls and normal dating; I thought being on time or even early was good.

Bex saw my horrified expression and laughed "I'm just screwing with you you're fine, but you still can't come up, Cam's not ready."

Phew, way to freak me out Bex. At least I didn't really break some rule. I waited in the giant hall for another 15 minutes, looking at all the pictures of the girls scattered around. Were those girls always together? It seemed like in every picture they were together, at the beach, at the mountains, at the pool. I wonder if I'm not intruding on girl time—

I broke off when Cammie appeared at the top of the stairs. She was wearing a light blue dress that flowed around her knew, and her hair fell softly in curls to her shoulders. She looked perfect.

"Careful Zach, you're going to catch flies." I heard someone say, but I didn't even react, because no one mattered right now except for Cammie. She had the same kind of astonished look on her face as she looked at me, which made me smug; I was wearing a sports jacket and khaki pants with a blue button down. I tried to clean up for her, I knew most of the time I looked really laid back, in a t shirt and shorts or jeans. Tonight I wanted to look like I deserved her.

She snapped out of it before I did, probably because Bex elbowed her, and she started down the stairs towards me. She seemed to float, but was looking at me the whole time, at least until the last stair when she tripped and fell forward. I lunged to catch her and smiled when she landed in my arms, a mirror image of when we were at the carnival.

I smirked at her and leaned in until my nose was centimeters away from hers, "Showing my chivalry again, I should really be knighted if this continues."

She blushed, but before she could say anything I leaned in and kissed her, erasing any response. She tasted so sweet, like strawberries, and I got lost in her mouth. That is, until we both jumped as a scream resounded through the hall.

"Zachary Goode, I know you did not just screw up her lip gloss! Wait, I'll go get it, oh I can't believe you! I do all that work and you screw it up within minutes."

One guess who that was. I lowered my forehead to Cammie's and breathed her in, laughing at Macey. Too soon she was at the foot of the stairs and yanked Cammie from my arms to put more of that stuff on.

Cammie rolled her eyes "Mace, you know he's just going to screw it up again as soon as we are outside right?"

Macey sighed deeply, seeming annoyed. "God, I know. Just take it with you and put in on when his raging hormones are done ruining my masterpiece."

She handed Cammie the lip gloss stiffly, and then shot me a glare. I grinned, angry Macey was hilarious.

"Alright" said Cammie, dragging me by the hand out the door, "We'll be home later, you know more about this date than I do so don't worry. Say bye Zach."

I chuckled and turned back at the threshold of the house, ignoring Cammie tugging at my arm. "Night girls, thank you for helping. She looks amazing."

They all smiled and waved, except for Macey, who looked like a bird with her feathers ruffled and just sniffed dismissively at me.

I followed Cammie outside, and she went straight to my car, then turned and smiled coyly at me, fluttering her lashes.

"You're not going to tell me where we're going?" she asked softly, pulling me closer and playing with my collar. Shit. I could never remember that I wasn't going to tell her stuff when she was like this. Hell, I could barely remember my name sometimes.

"No, I'm not telling you and you can't make me." I said firmly, hoping declaring that would help me.

She pouted adorably "Not even a little hint?" While she spoke she leaned in closer until we were breathing the same air. I could barely think, what was I hinting at? I knew she saw my eyes glaze over, because she smirked. Her smirk knocked me out of the daze a little, and I shook the glaze from my mind.

I leaned in even closer, until our lips were touching but we weren't kissing. I spoke against her lips, knowing the movement would drive her wild. "No, I'm not ruining the surprise and neither are you." With that I drew my mouth down until I reached her jaw, and started kissing her softly along her bone. I got up to her ear, and I whispered into the hollow right beneath it, "Now come on, or we're going to miss our reservations." I pulled away, drawing a whimper from her mouth, which made her blush when she heard it. I smirked, and opened the passenger door for her.

Within 15 minutes we were at the restaurant, a nice cozy Italian place that I knew she loved but was nice enough she didn't go very often. I gave my name to the hostess, and she smiled and led us to a table in the back with candles burning. Cammie looked around, then gestured at our table, "You did this didn't you?" she asked, smiling softly. I grinned at her, the candles were a personal touch and weren't anywhere else in the restaurant. "Well you're worth it." I said, as I pulled her into the booth beside me.

The whole dinner was perfect, the food was amazing, and the company was even better. When we finished and I paid the check, I took her hand and led her from the restaurant. "I have one more surprise for you beautiful" I said, taking her back to my car.

She sighed, she really hates not knowing what we are doing, which is part of the reason I love surprising her. "And you really won't tell me?" she pouted, looking at me pleadingly.

"Nope" I said, popping the 'p', "I guess you'll just have to be surprised."

She settled back into her seat as I drove, and gave me curious looks as I drove her back to my apartment building. As I parked she just looked at me. "Are we meeting up with the group?" she asked

"No, the girls are distracting the boys, we have the apartment to ourselves, now come on." I said. Cammie looked really nervous, until I pulled her past my apartment and farther up the stairs. As she relaxed her body, I realized what she had thought her surprise had been and I busted out laughing.

She knew what I was laughing at immediately. "What, I was worried your surprise would be a certain body part! I was going to have to shoot you down."

I couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard. "For future reference Cam, I would be a lot more subtle than that. Plus, I don't want to rush this with you; we won't do anything you aren't ready for. I'll never push you."

As I finished my speech, I reached the door to the roof. I held my breath, hoping that Grant had fulfilled his promise and not gotten too distracted by Bex. I let out a sigh when I opened the door and saw the soft light coming from the greenhouse. I pulled Cammie to the greenhouse quickly, and paused in the door. She gasped at the set-up. I had laid out a mattress pad with pillows and blankets in the middle of all the plants, and I had gotten Grant to light candles everywhere when we were done with dinner. It smelled like strawberries, which was the scent I associated with Cammie. I turned to her, and she looked up at me with what looked like tears in her eyes.

"You did this for me?" she asked brokenly.

"Of course I did. Cammie, I love you."

Dammit. I had wanted to wait a little while to say it, after we had looked at the stars and talked some more and—

"I love you too Zach" she said softly, stopping every thought I had.

She loved me? Yes! I grinned the goofiest grin ever, and she gave me one back through her tears. I hoped they were happy tears. I picked her up around her waist and spun her around in a circle while she clung to me, laughing. This beautiful girl loves me.

I picked her up and carried her over to the mattress pad, and then laid her down on top of me, with her head resting on my chest. She sighed deeply, and we looked up at the stars together, and I'd never been this happy. This perfect girl was here with me tonight, I could feel her heart beating against my chest, and she loved me.

AN: So after this I'm doing the Cammie POV and then I'm thinking of doing another friend situation. I'm putting up a poll on my profile for either Liz and Jonas or Macey and Preston. Please vote because I really can't decide which couple to do! Thank you for reading!