A/N: I'm finally getting hit with the thunderstorms from the hurricane and am stuck inside. So I decided to procrastinate a little more and write another chapter. Two updates in a weekend is like the dream goal, so hopefully I can stick to it. With that in mind, take this as a peace offering for during the week. I have thought about these next few chapters since this story popped in my head, so I can't wait to actually write them. Enjoy your Sunday!

Chapter 25

"Ah, welcome Cammie. I'm grading your last question right now. Have a seat, it will just be a minute." I didn't want to wait another minute. I wanted to get on the road as soon as possible. I settled into the chair and my leg kept fidgeting. It was the longest minute of my life. I was waiting for my fate and ready to either cry or celebrate. She started adding up points and put a grade at the top and circled it. She held a straight face as she slid the paper across the table. I held my breath as I picked up the paper.

"A 92?"I couldn't believe it but she smiled in return.

"Cameron, you have improved a lot over this semester. I do hope you have a great break."

"Thank you so much professor." I shook her hand harder than I should have and skipped down the hallway. When I made it outside, even the cold weather couldn't get me down.

Zach was already leaning on his motorcycle with a smirk on his face. I was skipping and his smirk turned into a smile.

"So I'm guessing you passed?" I nodded.

"92 on the final!" I did a victory dance around him and he laughed at my awful jig.

"And you said you didn't think you even made a 70." I smirked.

"I like to surprise myself sometimes."

"I think it's time for us to get down to Miami then to celebrate properly."

I was already hopping on the back, ready to go. I had a backpack on my back with everything I needed for the drive down. Zach put the helmet on my head and I already wrapped my arms around him.

"Lets get to some warmer weather. I'm dying to get out of the cold." I felt the vibrations of his laugh.

"This is picnic weather." Just then a chilly breeze swept across the parking lot and he shivered. "On second thought, lets get to that beach."

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It definitely got warmer even though it was the middle of December. So warm that I was glad Macey put a change of clothes in my backpack, warm. When we finally stopped in Georgia to get something to eat I was happy to put on that change of clothes. I looked through my bag and was happy to see that she at least packed a white v-neck and shorts for me and not a skirt or a crop top. My hair was a disaster from the helmet and the rest whipping in the wind. I did my best to comb through it but it was useless.

When I came back from the bathroom Zach already had food for us. My mouth was watering at the sight of the double cheeseburger.

"I love double cheeseburgers." I dug in without hesitation. I finished my meal in two minutes and started walking back and forth. We had already been driving for hours and my legs were sore.

"Alright we still have six hours until we get there. Do you think we can make it without stopping?" Zach shoved the last of his fries in his mouth before nodding.

"Yeah. We'll be pretty sore, but I think we can do it."

"Can I drive?" He looked like he was considering it until we heard the cars honking on the highway.

"I'll teach you how to drive when we're in Miami. I don't think you want to learn in traffic." I lost a little pep but that sounded like a fair compromise.

"Alright, but when we get to Miami I am going to tear up the streets."

He cringed, "Your mom is going to hate me. You got drunk around me, now your off riding motorcycles."

"Whatever. My mom loves you." There was a pause and I wish I could've stayed silent. He turned and he had a smirk and those playful eyes.

"So you talk to your mom about me?" I put my helmet on to try to cover my face.

"I'm going to shut my mouth."

"It's okay Gallagher Girl. You can admit it. I know you love me." I pushed his face forward.

"Just drive Blackthorne Boy."

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I was glad that Zach didn't let me drive once we crossed into Florida. We drove through rain for an hour and the traffic was horrible. I was glad to just be able to hold on and try not to think about how my white v-neck was becoming more and more transparent. I was glad that I was in the back and that I wasn't wearing my blue bra.

We finally pulled up to the house at 9:00. They weren't lying, it really was on the beach. There was a wrap around porch and the backyard was the ocean. Yeah I think I could live here for a few days. The only problem was, I don't think I can walk and my shirt was still slightly damp. Zach was already up and I had to deal with hoping my shirt wasn't as see through as it was before. That quickly became the least of my problems. As I tried to lift my leg to get off the bike, there was a pain at my hip and I knew it was too sore to stretch out and get off the bike.

"Come on Gallagher Girl. We're finally here." I looked at him sheepishly.

"I know. But um… my leg kind of doesn't want to work." He smirked and held his arms out. I put my arm around his neck and he picked me up.

"The things I do for you. You sure this isn't some plan just so you can put your hands on me some more?" I felt myself blushing. The 13 hour ride did have that perk.

"Oh please. You're not as great as you think. Those fries went straight to your stomach." He smirked at me.

"Hey, this is my winter bod. I'm still rock solid and you know it." I squeezed his bicep.

"I don't know. Seems a little flabby to me." He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Well if I'm going to have to carry you around for the next few days, it will be back to normal." We got to the door and he set me down. It was painful to stand, but my legs were starting to loosen up. He opened the door and gestured for me to enter.

"I'm going to be walking funny for a while." Zach gave a lighthearted laugh.

"Yeah, I remember my first time." The light in the living room flashed on. It was like a scene from the movies when your parents catch you breaking, but this time Bex and Grant were the parents. And we had done nothing wrong.

"Sounds like you had an interesting drive." I was still shuffling across the room and Bex looked amused.

"Geeze Zach. What did you do to her?" I paused and we both looked at them questioningly. Bex put on the mask of a disappointed mother.

"Cam, you have sex hair and can barely walk. Do we need to separate you two?" The blood rushed to my cheek and Zach ran a hand through his hair.

"Bex! This is the result of a 13 hour motorcycle drive. It's helmet hair." She looked disappointed.

"Damn. I thought you were going to have an interesting story to tell when you got here." Zach shrugged.

"Well we did have to drive through the rain for almost an hour." Bex shook her head.

"I liked my story better." Grant slung his arm around her for her to cuddle into. Their disappointed parents cover was blown. That role was probably going to be passed on to Jonas.

"Your bags are in the last room to the left." I shared a look with Zach but he looked just as confused.

"Both of our bags?" Bex had a smile that would rival the Cheshire cat's.

"Well we can be naïve and I could room with you Cam, but we both know that that isn't how it's going to be. We just eliminated the middle man." Zach shrugged and gave me a look that said they were right.

"Is your room next to ours?"

"Nope, were on the other side of the house." I gave a sigh of relief. I didn't want to be next to the lovebirds and I'm sure everyone else felt the same.

"Fine. But I get this comfy blanket." I snatched the blanket off the couch from her. She looked like she wanted to fight for it but Grant gave her a look and she melted into his side again. She put her mask on for one more quip.

"Okay. Now behave you two." Zach gave a half laugh.

"I think we should be telling you that."

We made our way down the hallway to the last room. It was pretty big, but there was only one bed. I dove face first into it and it felt like a marshmallow.

"I'll sleep on the floor." Zach was already throwing pillows onto the floor on one side of the bed. I scooted over and saw all the room on the other side.

"You don't have to. There's room up here." Did I just invite him to bed with me?

"Really Gallagher Girl. It's fine. The beds at Blackthorne were worse, so I'm used to it." I propped myself up on an elbow and stared at him in concern. He caught me and smiled while looking in my eyes.

"Really. It's fine."

It still didn't seem right that I had the whole Queen size bed to myself. There was plenty of room and we shared a couch before. Sleeping on the floor didn't seem to bother him though.

"Why are you so casual about this?" He shrugged and I saw a smile tugging at his lips.

"You want the truth?"

"Yes." It turned into a full blown smile.

"Honestly I'm a little relieved. I've lived with Grant for about seven years and when he gets a girlfriend, he can be insufferable." I thought of how many nights Bex wanted to stay up talking about Grant. I didn't mind but there were some nights when I just wanted to go to sleep.

"Yeah. That is a bit of a perk." He put his elbows on the edge of the bed and leaned forward.

"Besides, I get to share a room with my bestfriend for a few days. That doesn't seem too terrible." My mouth gaped open.

"I'm your bestfriend?" He smirked at me.

"Lately yeah. I have more fun hanging out with you than anyone else." My brain turned to a warm pile of mush and my heart was beating quicker.

"Who would have thought we would be friends? I hated you for a while." He gave a half laugh.

"Yeah I know. It's all part of the charm."

It already felt too late and I really needed to get ready for bed.

"Alright, I'm going to shower. I really need to get a handle on this hair situation."

"Really? I think it looks pretty good on you." I shook my hair around to make it messier.

"This looks good on me?" He smirked.

"Well now it really looks like sex hair." I smoothed my hair out to put it back into some type of order.

"It does not." He pushed some of my hair back from my face.

"Maybe not, but it doesn't look horrible." I'd never seen his eyes so dark as they were then. There was something hanging in the air between us with his hand still in my hair. Let me tell you, it is almost impossible to think about anything other than kissing when the guy you like is looking at you like that with his hand in your hair. It was practically impossible, but just as his hand trailed down my neck, he pulled it back like he felt a spark.

"Do you want to shower first?" I was still in a daze.

"Um.. yeah sure." I stayed there though so he cocked an eyebrow at me.

"Hey Gallagher Girl." My eyes snapped back to his. "Shower's that way." He pointed to the bathroom and my legs went on autopilot and lead me to the bathroom. I turned the shower on and my hands worked independently from my mind. If my mind had control, it would have marched back out that door and finished what it wanted to do. Maybe it's a good thing my body had more control right now. Three days left.