Chapter 14: Cammie's Pov

He never came. Not for breakfast. Or lunch. Or class. Nothing.

I was so- well actually, I didn't know what I was. I couldn't really determine how I felt. You know how when you're painting, you can't mix too many colors together? If you blend a few more than you should, you just end up with an ugly puddle of brown blah. Well that was how I felt, like I mixed too many emotions and was left with a blob of bleakness.

So, too sum up, I didn't feel all that great.

I decided to go find Zach, wherever he was. Maybe seeing him would clear up the murkiness inside me. Or maybe I'd be overcome with rage and try strangle him with his own tie. (Not likely, but hey, you never know.) It was worth a try.

I slipped on my shoes and headed out the door, only to be stopped by the one and only British Bombshell. Her fingers gently tugged me back into our dorm.

"Don't go Cammie."

"What do you mean?" I turned to give her a convincing look that showed nothing but innocence. "I'm just gonna go out for a jog. Try and clear my head." Lie.

"Oh please." Macey laughed from where she was lying on her bunk. "We know you're going to Zach's room. We're not idiots."

I sighed. "Fine, I am. But you guys can't just hide him from me! Or whatever's going on. I need to face him and figure out what… what we are now." I stepped away from Bex, edging myself closer to the door.

"Hide him? You think were keeping him locked up or something?" Bex asked.

"I don't know!" I cried a bit desperately. "Okay? I just don't know! All I want is to figure out what the heck is going on!" I could sense myself losing my cool, but I didn't really care.

"What's going on is that you are staying here while I go search for the nitwit." Bex pointed to my bed. "You can't just go waltzing around with him Cammie. He's not safe!"

"I'm not a little kid Bex! I'm a fully trained Gallagher Girl who can handle herself!" She was treating me like a helpless damsel. She knew better than that.

"Oh you can, can you?" Bex's voice rose threateningly.

"Bex," Liz warned. "Don't."

"If you can protect yourself, why didn't you? Why did you let that happen?" She motioned towards the ugly marks on my wrists. "Why did you let him?"

I clenched my fists. "What was I supposed to do? I was in shock, okay? I never thought my boyfriend would attack me."

"Cut it out guys." Macey's calm demeanor broke.

"Yeah? Well neither did I! I thought I could trust him. But apparently not!" Bex yelled. Her lip wobbled the slightest fraction.

"Well then that makes two of us!" It didn't make any sense to be screaming these confessions, but we did it anyway out of pure unstableness.

Bex pushed past me, out the door. I could hear her feet pounding down the hallway.

Macey groaned. "I should have known this would happen." She leaped down from her top bunk, landing on her feet effortlessly. "I'll go get her."

"No, no I should go. It's my fault anyways."

"Are you sure Cam? Bex can get a little irrational." Liz raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I'm sure."

I felt terrible for yelling at her like that. She was my best friend. Even if things weren't going all that great, I couldn't take it out on her. The only reason she was being so protective was because she cared.

I knew where she went. It wasn't that hard to figure out really. Bex would go straight to the source if she wanted to fix a problem. Zach.

The door was closed, as usual. I knocked twice and waited. No one answered.

Deep Breath, Cammie. Everything's fine. You can do this. Whatever's going on can't be that bad. Just go-

No way. There was just no way… "Bex?" I tried to make my voice as gentle as possible.

She didn't respond, just continued to sob. Yes that's right, sob. Bex Baxter was crying. I couldn't believe it.

I kneeled down beside her, wrapping my arms around her shoulders. The room was empty besides us. No Zach. He was gone.

I felt myself start to tear up too.

"He's gone." Bex whispered. "He- he's gone."

I shook my head against her shoulder. "NO. No, no, no. He's not. He can't be..." And just like that I was sobbing harder than Bex. My body shook and my mind crashed. He wouldn't do this. He wouldn't just leave.

Bex moved to envelop me in her own embrace. I'd never seen her cry. Her gorgeous brown eyes were red and blurry. I leaned into her for support.

"I'm so so sorry Cam."

"Me too."

AHH! Oh, there are no words. Seriously, I don't really know what to say other than I am expecting quite a bit of hate mail after this chapter. Haha… well I would like to thank all of you awesome readers for reviewing. 166! That is so amazing to me! You guys rock! I apologize for the long waits I've been putting you through. I hope it was worth it! Also, (because I know I've been torturing all you Zammie lovers) there is more Zach to come… I promise. Thanks a million for reading! God Bless.

~SpaceNut