Fish Tale

Chapter 25: Same Mistakes

That's what crazy is
When it's broken, you say there's nothing to fix
And you pray, pray, pray that everything will be okay
While you're making all the same mistakes

- One Direction

(Same Mistakes)

"Hello?" Jace asked as he wandered closer. "Hey, are you okay?"

The red head slowly looked up. Her bright green eyes were brimmed with tears, her make up running in droplets down her face.

She didn't say anything and looked down; probably hoping he would go away. She looked very young, but the look he'd seen in her eyes told him she was much older than he though she was.

"I find crying doesn't really make things better."

"Well no one asked you did they?" she snapped fiercely.

"I'm Jace," he said, and sat on the curb next to her, even knowing his presence was probably unwanted.

She glanced at him. "I'm not in the mood to get hit on perv."

"I'm not a perv, and I'm not hitting on you."

"Only pervs walk around the streets in the middle of the night bothering girls."

"I'm not a perv, I swear. I like to walk."

"I'm sure."

"I'm surprised we haven't met before," he said. "Do you go to Harbor?" She nodded, briefly. "Really? How old are you?"

"Junior," she muttered.

"I think it's really weird I don't know you then."

"I just moved her at the beginning of the semester."

He smiled. "I guess that's probably why."

She nodded again.

"Do you have a name?"

"Cassie," she muttered.

"Cassie," he repeated. "Pretty name, pretty girl." "

"Now you are hitting on me."

He smiled his boyish grin that he had been told by Cammie could make any girl laugh. "I was just testing you to see if you'd notice."

She did laugh, making Jace feel as though he had accomplished something.

"I think I've seen you at school," she said to him.

"I'm a senior."

She nodded, "I figured. Friends with Cammie Morgan?"

"And how do you know that name?"

She rolled her eyes. "The whispers I hear all involve that name, along with others, yours included."

"Cammie gets more shit then she deserves."

"Little Miss Perfect as I recall."

He shrugged. "You could say that. She's the only girl I've ever met that doesn't act like a bitch and stab people in the back, loyalist person I know."

"Sounds like you're in love with her."

He smiled, a bit sadly. "I was once. But she's one of my best friends. We weren't meant to be."

"Of course."

"But enough about me," he started changing the subject. "Why the tears?"

She wiped her cheeks, as if just remembering she had been upset. She laughed again. "Wow, you actually made me not sad for a couple minutes."

"I have that effect on people."

She laughed quietly and shook her head.

"You didn't answer my question," he pointed out.

"Maybe I don't want to."

"I told you my life story."

"I don't think that qualified as a life story."

He shrugged. "It might make you feel better."

"You know," she said, her green eyes hooded but happy. "I think you make me feel better."

He threw her another grin. "Like I said— I have that effect on people."

"Your kind of cocky."

"It's making you smile."

She nodded again. "Thank you."

His grin never left his face. "No problem. But if you need someone to talk to, come find me."

He got up.

"You're leaving?"

"Yup," he said. "I got school tomorrow."

"Screw school."

"I would," he said and flashed her his cocky smirk which any of his friends would say was acquired from Will or Zach. "But then I wouldn't see you there."

She blushed red and didn't say anything. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said to her a soft voice, walking back the way he'd come.

But only, as he walked the same street he felt much happier than he had walking down it the first time that night. He hoped maybe she felt better too.

:*:*:*:

"Wait," Cammie said the next morning as she lay in bed, as she didn't have to worry about getting ready from school. "What do you mean you can't do it?"

"I have to go out of town for a couple days."

"And why do you have to do that?" she asked. "You moved out of your Aunt and Uncle's."

"Legs—"

"What aren't you telling me?"

"I just have to go," he said. "It will only be for a couple of days."

"I want to know why."

"I can't tell you right now."

"Zach, I thought we were done with the secrets." Zach was happy he couldn't see her. There were just some things Cammie never need to know.

"Remember how I said I still had a couple of skeletons in my closet?" he asked. "This is one of them I don't really want you to see."

"How in the world is that supposed to make me feel better?"

He sighed. "It's better than lying to you."

"You're lying to me now!"

"No I'm withholding information— that's different."

"Not to me," she snapped.

"Legs please. Trust me."

"How do I know you aren't going to go kill someone?" she said, the words barking out of her mouth before she had a chance to think about what she was saying. Before she could even hear his reaction she backtracked. "Oh my god, I didn't mean that, I'm so sorry. I have no idea why I said that, I swear that's not what I think."

Instead of being angry or upset like she had expected he laughed. "I know you say things you don't mean, it's happened enough times for me not to take it too seriously."

"God," she said and put her head in her hand. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, but I've still got to go."

She sighed and nodded. "Will you tell me when you get back?"

"If I can."

"I don't like it when your cryptic."

He smiled a little bit. "I know, I'll call you later okay?"

"Uh huh," she said. "Bye."

"Bye legs."

:*:*:*:

"Will?" Viney called as she entered the Nathanson household. She heard movement in the kitchen. "Babe?"

But instead of finding Will she found his mother, working dutifully over the stove.

"Mrs. Nathanson?" Viney asked.

The woman spun around. "Viney, call me Melissa," she smiled. "Lovely to see you."

Viney smiled and opened her arms as the older woman embraced her in a hug.

"How's the baby?" she asked. "My grandchild better be healthy."

Viney smiled again, throughout the whole thing Melissa had been very supportive, quite the opposite of what she and Will had been expecting. Melissa had even suggested them getting married right before they were about to tell her they had in fact, already eloped.

"All is good in the womb," Viney promised. It was still too early for anything to go wrong anyway. "Do you know where that son of yours has gotten up to?"

Melissa shook her head. "Zach's been packing, Will must have gone to school?"

"You don't know if he did?"

"Honey, Will is a smart boy. He knows the right thing to do. And if he doesn't do the right thing he knows I'm not going to always help him out of the sticky messes he gets himself into."

"Of course," Viney replied. "So he's at school?"

"That is what I'm assuming. Shouldn't you be there too?"

Viney shrugged. "Highschool isn't my scene."

"Nonsense, you need an education."

"I'm fine Melissa, really."

"I'll get you into Harbor," she said.

"Melissa," Viney said. "Please don't. I'm having a baby, I don't want to go back to school."

"Viney."

"It's just not practical."

"It's school."

"I've been fine for a while now."

"You shouldn't settle for fine."

Viney smiled. "Are you saying I should ditch Will?" she teased.

Melissa laughed. "My boy is a dove."

"Maybe to you."

"You joke but, sometimes that boy does get a little out of control. You come tell me if he ever does anything," Melissa demanded. Viney suddenly remember once upon a time Will had sent his mother into Rehab.

"I will," Viney said.

"Not that we have to worry about that," she continued. "Will's grown into the man I'd always hoped he would be. I don't think I need to worry about that anymore."

Viney smiled knowingly. "He's amazing."

"Well I have you to thank for it, you're the girl."

Viney felt her heart swell at the woman's kind words.

"What exactly does that mean?"

"It means you're the girl he can't stop thinking about, the girl he never thought he'd meet, you're the girl that turned him into an angel."

"I don't know if I would go that far . . ."

"I'm proud of Will, and I think once his father comes around he will be too."

"Speaking of which," Viney started. "Is there sometime in the near future I might meet Mr. Nathanson?"

Melissa sighed. "He's just not really in the picture anymore."

"I was just wondering."

Melissa smiled sadly. "I know— nothing wrong with curiosity."

Viney smiled. "So when's he going to be home?"

Melissa shrugged. "School gets out at three ten."

Viney nodded. "Alright."

"Any specific reason you're looking for him?"

She shook her head. "Just wanted to see him, anyway I'll probably stop by later."

Melissa nodded. "Anytime."

Viney really loved that woman. She was so kind and caring; her heart obviously three times the size of an average person. She was please to find that she thought Will had inherited that big heart.

:*:*:*:

Will glanced at his friend, who he swore was literally walking on air.

"Jace," he snapped. "Who drugged your pancakes?"

Jace rolled his eyes at one of Will's typical jokes. "No one, I'm just in a good mood."

"But in a weirdly good mood."

"You know, you're kind of ruining it."

Will made a 'psh' sound. "Moi?"

"Yes you," Jace said. "Why am I not allowed to be happy?"

"Stop sounding like a chick."

"Says the boy who can't shut up about his wife."

Will gave him a nasty look. "Shut up."

"I'm just playing your game Will."

He continued to scowl. "Well stop."

Jace laughed. "It isn't very fun, is it?"

"Point taken."

"But seriously, how's married life?"

Will rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

"I'm serious," Jace said. "All joking aside it's kind of freaking me out. I'm kind of wondering when I'm going to wake up."

Will smacked him over the head. "It's not funny."

"It's weird."

"You're jealous."

"Of being a high school senior that married with a baby on the way?" Jace asked.

Will growled at him.

Jace looked taken aback, maybe realizing he had taken it a bit too far. "Sorry," he muttered.

Will didn't look satisfied but managed to wipe the scowl of his face.

"How about we just don't talk about me, Viney, our baby, or our marriage?"

"Fine," Jace relented.

"Let's talk about you," Will decided. "Found a new girl yet?"

Will waited for a second before realizing Jace wasn't going to answer. He glanced over at his friend ready to apologize but saw Jace wasn't paying Will any attention.

He was staring across the parking lot at a pretty red head who had earphones in and looked to be walking off campus.

Will looked at his friend a bit confused. "Jace," he nudged him.

"Yeah?" he said, not looking away.

"Who's that?"

Jace slowly turn his head towards Will, his eyes being even slower to follow. "Who?"

"The red head?"

Jace looked again, and the red head had disappeared around the corner. "What red head?"

"The one right—" Will was going to point but the target in questioning had vanished. "The red head."

Jace shrugged. "I didn't see one."

Will looked at him. "really?"

"Nope."

"Ok," Will said, willing to let it go. He knew his friend was lying but until he figured out why he wasn't going to say anything. "Maybe I'm seeing things."

"Must be," Jace said, nothing on his face giving him away except for maybe the twitch of a smile at the corner of his lips that Will didn't notice.

:*:*:*:

Zach knocked on the door of a house that was all too familiar to him. It was painted white but years of weathering had caused some of the paint to ship away, giving the house a feeling of poverty and loneliness. The small home was decorated with a faded white fence, parts of it broken. For as long as Zach could remember he had known this house. Inside and own, he would call it his home away from home. The people who lived inside it were the only people from his past he had every really cared about, well still cared about anyway. But the house was so quiet, not at all how he remembered it. It was an eerie feeling and it was safe to say it made him uncomfortable.

He could hear faint footsteps coming to the door, and in the next second it swung open, revealing a small girl with dark brown pig tales, holding an scruffy bear in her arms.

Her grin grew wide as she smiled at him.

"Zachy?"

He smiled at the girl before she had flung herself at him, wrapping her legs around him.

"Hey kiddo," he held her tightly, stepping into the house and closing the door behind them. "Where's Di?"

The little girl rolled her eyes. "She went out."

"And left you here alone?" he asked, a disapproving note in his voice. The girl shook her head.

"Of course not, Me-maw is here."

Zach smiled. "She is? What about your mama?" he asked. "Where is she?"

Natalie shook her head again. "She goes out a lot. Di says it's because of work."

Zach nodded thoughtfully. "Where's me-maw?"

"She's taking a nap."

"So you thought it was a good idea to come open the door by yourself?" he asked disapprovingly.

The little girl rolled her eyes. "I'm seven Zachy," she said. "I can take care of myself."

Zach grinned at her. "You don't open the door for strangers."

"You aren't a stranger," she replied.

"I could have been."

"But you weren't."

Natalie was not the kind of child that would give into reason. So Zach didn't want to fight a losing battle. "Whatever Nats."

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Why? Not happy to see me?"

"That isn't what I meant," she said. "But I haven't seen you in forever."

He laughed at the little girl and set her down on the ground. "I know. I've been busy."

"Di says you've found a girlfriend," Natalie teased.

"She did, did she?" Zach asked, his smirk even familiar to the young child.

Natalie happily nodded. "You bet."

"Well she's kind of right."

"Is she pretty?"

Zach smiled. "She's very pretty."

"Yay!" the girl squealed, then brought her face level to his by tugging him down to her level. "Do I get to meet her?"

Zach smile wavered. "Maybe, but we'll have to see."

"Ok," Natalie said, seeming content with his answer. "Want to go play outside?" she asked.

Zach grinned again. He'd have to wait for Diana to get home anyway. He might as spend time with his favorite little munchkin.

"Sure," Zach said. "What game?"

"Hopscotch."

Zach met her eyes. "You're on."

The little girl squealed in delight.

:*:*:*:

"I miss him," Cammie whined, rolling over onto her back.

"It's been like two days Cam," Bex said, glancing up from the magazine she had been immersed in.

"Yeah but I haven't seen him for weeks anyway. And now he won't even call me."

"Where did he go?"

Cammie rolled her eyes. "He wouldn't tell me."

"He didn't even make up an excuse?"

"He told me he had to go deal with one of the skeletons in his closet."

Bex met her stare. "Because that doesn't sound like the shadiest thing I've ever heard."

"You're saying that because you don't like him."

"I don't like you and him together," Bex corrected.

"I don't see why."

"He's bad for you Cammie. We don't even know him that well."

"You don't know him that well, I do."

"Then why didn't he tell you where he was going?" Bex asked. "Doesn't seem like you know him as well as you think you do."

"Shut up," Cammie muttered. "He said he'd tell me when he gets back."

"You mean after he's probably gone drug dealing and murdered a couple of people."

Cammie glared at her, the fire in her eyes anything but fake. "He is not a murderer," she snarled.

Bex looked away. "Whatever Cammie."

"I can't believe you won't be happy for me."

"I'm not happy for you because he doesn't make you happy."

"What gives you any right to say something like that?"

"Um hello?" Bex said roughly. "You tried to kill yourself."

Bex had never seen Cammie look at her so venomously. "You are the one I should be cutting out of my life," she said, her voice even as she looked at her with absolute disgust. "You have been making everything so much harder for me."

"Cammie don't be—"

"You keep saying that Zach was driving me crazy or whatever, but honestly you've been driving me more crazy then he has! You don't support me in anything."

"That is not true!" Bex started, her voice rising with Cammie's. "I don't support Zach because he 's a no good—"

"Bex," a voice cut in through Cammie's doorway. It was Grant, regarding the both of them with a blank mask. "I think you should leave."

She looked at him like he was absolutely insane.

"What?" Because Grant had never said anything of the sort to her.

"Go. Cammie doesn't want you here."

"You're kidding."

His face didn't change. "Does it look like I'm kidding?"

Bex stared at him for a minute before standing up and snatching up her bag. "Fine," she snapped. "Goodbye."

Neither Cammie nor Grant said anything as she stomped out of Cammie's room and out of the house. No one spoke until the roar of Bex's engine had faded into the distance.

"Why did you do that?" Cammie asked quietly, only then realizing there were tears falling down her cheeks,

He came and sat on the side of the bed, enveloping her in his arms.

"I didn't was you to have another anxiety attack," he answered. "I could see stress building up."

"Even though you said the same things and agree with her?"

Grant shook his head. "I don't agree with her."

"But—"

"I did," he admitted. "But after you're panic attack, I knew I was wrong. I bet Zach never caused a panic attack.

"Nope," Cammie muttered.

"I realized I was part of the problem. Zach isn't really a problem, I guess I just tricked myself into believing he was."

"So you're okay with us now?"

Grant shrugged. "You're still my little sister and if he hurts one hair on your head he is dead meat."

She laughed and wiped her remaining tears away. "Fair enough."

He hugged her tight. "I love you Cams." She remembered he was there to protect her. He may have hurt her a little but along the way but he was doing what he had always been doing. He was being her older brother.

She smiled. "Love you too Grant."

Aww brotherly/sisterly love. Makes me love my brothers :) (Sometimes anyway)

Anyway as for the lyrics I'm kind of in love with One Direction because I'm pretty much your typical preppy teenager :P

Guess what? I'm doing shoutouts!

PS. THIS STORY IS NOW OVER 100,000 WORDS. THAT IS A BIG ACHIEVEMENT FOR ME!

PLEASE MAKE ME UBER HAPPY AND REVIEW?

Awkward Seductress: I promise we will find out more about Diana in the next chapter. She won't be a character that cause problems though. :)

samcheese1: I know. Cammie is kind of annoying. But I want her to be relate able. Most people blame other for their own mistakes.

Peppermintrina: It should be pretty upbeat for a while. With a couple angsty scenes but that's to be expected. Lovesick boys are most definitely the best. Oh Will. I love how much people love him. Especially since he's an OC. And thank you!

: A masterpiece? Jeez that's flattering. :) But thank you I love it when my work it appreciated. I've worked hard on this story, making sure loose ends tie up and everything makes sense :) Thank you for your heartwarming words!

zammielicious98: Don't worry. Grant will become a central character again. Diana may or may not be Zach's sister. ;) you'll find out in the next chapter.

Zammie 17: Maybe it's his sister... or not... ;) It was a new girl, Cassie. and HOLY SHIT I LOVE DANCE MOMS! Possibly the greatest reality show ever. Chole and Paige are my favorite :) And it's so sad Brooke left, I love her to. I hate Payton, grrr.