A/N: Every time I write a new chapter, I think of something new to add to the story, so one chapter in my mind ends up being three. This is the result of one of those ideas, but I'm not even mad. This chapter is definitely very fluffy (but who doesn't mind that). It's cute and there's some development there.

Chapter 21

There was a pain in my neck from sleeping with it on the armrest all night. I moved my head to the left and I heard a pop. It gave a little relief, but I needed to get up and stretch. Except, getting up was a bit impossible at the moment.

There was a mop of dark brown hair on my stomach and arms wrapped around my waist. The pillow that was on me knees last night was now on the floor and he was using me as a pillow. I tried slipping off the couch but he had a strong grip around me.

"Zach." I whispered loudly and he didn't stir.

"Zachhhh." I started poking his cheek. That just made his nuzzle into my stomach more.

"Zach. Wake up." He tightened his grip and buried his face.

"Five more minutes," was the muffled response I got. My whole body slumped, defeated. So what would reasonable girl do when she was being cuddled by a very attractive boy? She would turn on some Netflix and let it be. And I was a reasonable girl, wasn't I?

So I put on an episode of Friends (another great sitcom) and I waited. And I waited. Two episodes went by and he didn't so much as stir. It was only seven, but it was a Saturday. Usually that was our running day, but I could tell he had a different schedule on holidays. I didn't mind, except that I was getting hungry and was starting to feel the urge to pee. I subtly tried to ease upward, but that just resulted in my shirt lifting high enough for a sliver of skin to be exposed. Zach's fingers were already placed right on the sliver and I felt goosebumps race up my side. Again, I was stuck.

Near the end of the fourth episode I was caught off guard, and not because Rachel and Joey had just kissed (that was actually one of my favorite episodes).

"Rachel and Joey should have been together." His voice held no sleepy tones. He was completely awake so I leaned over to the side to see his eyes wide open.

"You're awake?" He looked up a little and had a timid look on his face.

"Yeah, I have been since the start of this episode. You're laughing woke me up and I like Friends." I started squirming and his grip loosened a little.

"Are you kidding me? I've had to pee for like thirty minutes." His smirk plastered on his face and a playful look danced in his eyes. His hands tightened on my sides and I felt dread fill my face. This was it. This is where I die.

"Oh, you do?" This was a prime tickling position, and I hated it, but I was tickilish.

"Zach, don't." His hands danced lightly on my sides, but I knew they would turn deadly. And the minute I tried throwing myself off the couch was when they did. I was half falling off the couch but he still had a hold of me and my sides were aching now. I was screeching as he kept tickling me and he just laughed.

"Zach!" My head was now on the ground and I was slowly slipping down. When my shoulder touched, the tickling stopped. I slid the rest of the way to the ground and was catching my breath.

"I call a foul." He just stretched out on the couch with his hands behind his head.

"What are you going to do about it?" I felt myself smirking.

"You're going to buy me breakfast." He just shrugged and reached for his shoes on the ground

"Sure. I was going to do that anyway." I was in the middle of standing up and paused. My eyebrows furrowed together.

"You were?" He nodded.

"I figured you didn't have your wallet. And it's my love crazed roommates fault you had to stay here." He was right, I didn't have my wallet. And his reasons made sense but I still felt myself smiling.

"So where will it be? I want some waffles." His faced scrunched up.

"Waffles are fine, but pancakes are better." I felt a defensive wall go up. There was one philosophy that I would stand my ground on, waffles were better than pancakes.

"That is a bold statement Blackthorne Boy." He smirked but was already standing towards the door. "Waffles have those little syrup wells that gives every bite a perfect balance of cake and syrup. Pancakes always fall flat." The corners of his mouth tugged into a smile at my joke.

"Cute. But a good pancake doesn't need syrup." I crossed my arms defiant.

"Waffles represent all that is good in life. They have never let me down." I poked his chest defending my point. He just gave me that Zach look that felt like he was reading me.

"You just haven't had the right pancake. I'll change your mind."

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"So?" I was still chewing the chocolate chip pancake. It was buttery and rich and chocolatey. I didn't want to admit it, but it was great. It made my stomach happy and seeing the smirk on Zach's face, made me wish it didn't.

"It's good." I tried keeping a straight face, but when I put another bite in my mouth I smiled. Zach just threw a fist into the air.

"Yes! Pancakes have won!" Luckily there was only an older couple in the diner and they didn't mind his yelling.

"Alright, now admit it." He started digging into his blueberry pancakes waiting for my ultimate defeat.

"Alright, Alright. These pancakes are better than waffles."

"I told you I would change your mind. You just needed the right pancakes." I thought about my experience with pancakes.

"The only real pancakes that I've had were these no wheat, flax seed, organic blueberry things Josh's mom made. Those and frozen pancakes." Zach just shook his head.

"Those don't deserve to be called pancakes. Here," he handed me a fork full of blueberry deliciousness, "try a real blueberry pancake." The minute I took a bite, I knew I've been giving pancakes a bad rep for the wrong reasons. Sure waffles were still amazing, but I would be content to have these pancakes for the rest of my life.

We were eating in a comfortable silence when my phone buzzed.

Bex: Where are you?

Breakfast. Is it safe for me to come back?

Yeah. We were going to go eat brunch together.

Brunch? Are you married already?

Lol not yet.

"My dorm is clear." I must have imagined it, but his smile dropped a little.

"Great, that means I have to go home to a lovestruck Grant."

"Not yet. They're going to brunch." His nose wrinkled.

"Brunch? They might as well settle down in the suburbs and have their two kids already." It was such a coupley thing to do. Brunch was the meal for couples. Not like breakfast at a diner. That was made for friends, and hungover students.

"Well if I get kicked out again tonight, I'm bringing a change of clothes."

"You mean you don't like wearing my shirt out in public?" No matter how soft and comfy it was, it was still very much a male's shirt. Too long and big for me and everyone could tell. That paired with my messy ponytail probably screamed morning after. If only they knew the circumstances that lead to me in that shirt.

"I need to change. I can't wear this out. People start staring."

"Only because they've never seen that shirt look so good on someone." He winked at me and I rolled my eyes.

"I doubt that. This is your shirt after all." Though I had never seen him wear it, I know he looks good in it. It's big on me, but I bet it fits over his muscles well. He had a lighthearted laugh and rubbed the back of my neck. Did I make him nervous? Did I just openly flirt with Zachary Goode?

I didn't have much time to think of what a bold move that was, because the older couple in the diner approached our table. They were so put together that I felt self conscious with what I looked like. I tried fixing my hair the best I could and made sure the shirt wasn't hanging at a weird angle.

"Are ya'll enjoying your Saturday?" The woman had a soft southern draw.

She reminded me of Liz in the future.

"Yes ma'am we are." Zach had a charming smile on his face. The woman looked like putty in his hands.

"Oh Glen, don't they remind you of us?" She patted his arm but he just smiled. "Don't you remember being this young and in love? How we went out to breakfast every time you came to visit me?" She turned her attention back to us, "We couldn't keep our hands off of each other. I'm sure you know what I mean." She winked but we both went still in the booth.

"Oh, um… we're not dating."

"Oh?" She looked as embarrassed as I felt. "I'm sorry dear. It just looked like…" She trailed off and let the words hang in the air. I looked down at my hands and started fiddling with the ends of Zach's shirt.

"It's okay ma'am. Cammie and I are just good friends." I saw Glen and his wife share a look. It looked like they had the same thought as they smiled back at us. I glanced up at Zach to see if he had a clue, but he was still as shell shocked as I was.

"Well, friends are great things to have. I do hope you enjoy your Saturday." She gave us a warm smile and looped her arm through her husbands and headed towards the door. We were still sitting in silence watching them leave.

"Well I am stuffed." I rushed to agree with him and grabbed my keys from the table. He threw down some cash and we headed towards the door. I felt like I was in a daze when I drove back to campus. I was gripping the steering wheel too tight and my posture was too straight. I risked a glance at Zach and he was staring out the window, so I gave myself a little longer to take in his mood. He was sitting straight and his foot was shaking. He looked like he was as anxious as I was to end this awkward car ride. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked over at me. He looked caught off guard that I was already looking and I snapped my attention back to the red light. But the damage was already done. I felt his gaze linger on me a little longer before returning out the window.

It felt like the longest ride in my life and I was relived when I finally parked. We sat in silence and I felt like I needed to say something.

"So…"

"So…" He stretched his word out longer than mine.

"That lady was a little funny, huh." I tried to smile but it faltered. I wanted to show that I wasn't as rattled by her assumption, than I felt.

"Yeah. Older people are so old fashioned. They see a boy and a girl and just assume they're dating." But I didn't think they were old fashioned. I could sense that they were some hell raisers in their day. The way she didn't shame me for wearing his shirt, I could see she was progressive. But I put that thought away.

"Yeah, it's like they don't think boys and girls can be friends." He let out a laugh and the tension started to break.

"Yeah. The age old question."

"You know there's a whole movie about that." He looked at me for the first time since we parked and his eyes lit up.

"Yeah, When Harry Met Sally." I leaned on the console.

"Yeah! It's a great movie." He cracked a smile again.

"We should watch that next time." I unbuckled my seat belt and got out of the car.

"Don't forget about the rest of How I Met Your Mother."

"Please. We can finish that this week." This week. My week alone. With Zach. I felt the pancakes in my stomach doing a little flip. "Besides, you know you have to break up a TV series with a few movies."

The tension from the car was completely gone now that we were inside, closer to my door.

"Fine. We watch When Harry met Sally and then we finish season one."

"Sounds like fun, Squirt. I'll bring the popcorn." I froze in my track at the sight of my aunt leaning on my door. She looked like she could have just walked off the runway at a fashion show, not the runway at a flight field.

"Aren't you going to introduce your favorite aunt?"

I had to. I love Abby and I had to put her in the story. Thank you so much for the reviews again!

Gymnast1150: Thank you! BTW love your stories! I can't wait for your next update of Addicted to Rock

: All the Zammie moments when they're not together! Cammie is definitely starting to notice how coupley they are in this chapter.

Swmmrgrl09: I will try to fill your update needs! Next week starts the first day of school, so it might take a little longer now, but I will try!

Luckyme22: Thank you! You're honestly so sweet and such a loyal reviewer.

MyGallagherGirl66: Thank you! So seeing your story actually got me into listening to Hamilton (I know I'm late to the party). But since I never really heard it, but knew the basic gist I listened to the soundtrack and am in love! I am so interested in how the whole Cammie (Eliza) and Bex (Angelica) is going to play out since they're both in love with Alexander. Keep up the good work!