A/N: This chapter is a golden one. It's filled with cliche's and so. much. cheese. but I really hope you like it! Make sure to leave a review, it makes me so incredibly happy :) hope you're all staying safe and well xxx

I stared into the mirror and frowned. I radiated anxiety. All dressed up and no date to go with. I shook the negativity from my mind, whispering words of affirmation to myself in an attempt to make the most out of my last prom of high school.

"You look stunning, sweetheart," my mother noted, indicating to my white, Grecian-style dress that hugged all the right curves, as she poked her head in my door.

"Thanks." I gave her a half-hearted smile and slipped on my shoes.

"You've made the right decision. It's going to be so much fun, kiddo. I remember my senior prom like it was yesterday, and boy did we have a good time." She replied, moving to stand behind me and kiss my shoulder.

I thought about all my mother had gone through, as she stared at me longingly, dreaming of the days when her only care in the world was making sure all her friends were together and having a good night. She didn't stop her plans for anyone, not even my dad. Although the stuff they got up to later on in the night apparently more than made up for it, but I wasn't about to think about that. The point was, I shouldn't have to depend on anyone but myself for my happiness, and that's exactly what I was going to do tonight.

"I know. I hope my night will live up to half as much as yours did." I grabbed my bag, fluffed my hair, and plastered a fake smile on my face. "Come on, don't wanna be late."

My mom dropped me off at the entrance to the school gym and assured me that I would have a fantastic time, even without a date. I just nodded and smiled, the first genuine one I meant all evening and shut the door. Lizzie and Bex had come with their dates but were meeting me inside. As I made my way up the wet pavement to the gym doors, the music echoed through the schoolyard, the bass vibrating against the glass windows. The inside looked just as I had imagined. Balloons and flowers in colours of white, red, and gold were on every table, with streamers and lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and glitter floating in the air.

I spotted Bex and Grant on the dance floor. I was surprised. I thought she'd have been waiting at a table or by the buffet stuffing her face, like she always did at these functions. Seeing her there, with her head thrown back in laughter as my boyfriend's best friend gripped her tightly around the waist smiling giddily, made me happy, despite the pang in my heart that I was trying so desperately to ignore. I turned around the hall looking for people I recognised, and spotted my petite blonde haired friend sitting at a table engrossed in what looked like an extremely interesting conversation with her date, Jonas. She was glowing in her light pink gown and the way Jonas kept inching closer, staring at her in a way that showed as much as he was listening he was also just admiring the view, was testament to how gorgeous she looked.

Instead of interrupting them I decided to wander around the gym and do what I do best: blend into the crowd. I watched couples dancing and smiled at the people who still surprisingly sought my attention. I wished Zach was there with me. It would have made this whole night perfect. People can't have everything they want in life though, and that was something I was learning the hard way. Nick and Courtney noticed me and proceeded to wave me over from where they were dancing under the disco ball, but I smiled gratefully and shook my head. I didn't want to be their third wheel, but I appreciated the sentiment.

"Told you that you're pathetic." Dee Dee's voice sounded from behind me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before turning to face her and Josh. Her red and gold mermaid dress matched the gym decorations perfectly. "Couldn't even get Zach to take you to prom?"

"Be quiet, Dee Dee. I'm not in the mood to listen to your crap." I sighed and rubbed my temples as though a migraine was forming.

"You're dateless at our last senior prom. How sad. You should have just stayed home." She laughed and wrapped her arm around Josh's waist. Even he had a smirk.

"Got something to say, Josh?" I couldn't help it. I felt like encouraging him.

"Just that I told you so. You're dull and predictable, and Zach got bored of you just like I said he would."

A few months ago, his words would have hurt me, but I couldn't have cared less what he thought now. I rolled my eyes and noticed that a few people and had stopped dancing and were staring and pointing at us. "Whatever, Josh. Best of luck for prom king and queen."

"Are you doubting that we can't wi-" Dee Dee started saying, eyes glaring and her lips pursed tightly.

She was interrupted by Bex who linked arms with me and stared daggers at our former friend, "No one cares, Dee Dee. Move on."

She pulled me away from the gaggle of people who stood staring at us, as if preparing themselves for a fight (I swear all people ever lived for these days was drama) before pulling me into a tight hug. "Why didn't you come say hi when you came in, you silly goose? We were wondering where you were."

"I was going to go over, but you and Grant looked like you were having the best time, and I didn't wanna ruin it." I babbled, as she pulled us over to the table our friends had saved for us.

"Nonsense. You're more important than that, Cams. Anyway, you look AH-MAZE-ING by the way. Zach's really missing out." She replied, smirking at me.

I felt my heart pang again and smiled sadly, "Yeah, he is."

I looked up to see Lizzie make eye contact and she squealed before rushing over to embrace me. "Cammie! You're here. Oh my gosh, you look gorgeous. What took you so long?"

"Oh, you know, getting mocked by Dee Dee and Josh, the usual." I replied, "Anyway, you my friend, look like you've stolen the heart of a certain someone over there, who is currently ogling at you."

I felt her smile into my hair, "He is? Oh gosh, this is going way better than I ever thought it would."

"Don't doubt how insanely beautiful and sexy you are, Elizabeth Sutton. You're a catch." I whispered into her ear, before walking over to Jonas and waving my hand in his face, breaking the trance.

"Oh, Jonas! Earth to Jonas. You know, some people might think it rude if you ignore them when they're trying to say hi…" I teased, waiting for him to snap out of it. He looked at me for a minute, realising it was me standing in front of him and jumped out of his seat.

"Cam! Hey. My bad. I was…uh…distracted." He coughed awkwardly, pulling me into a hug. "How are you, though? Haven't seen you in a while."

I chuckled to myself, "I'm good. Glad to see you're having fun."

"Is it that obvious?" He looked at me sheepishly, rubbing his neck. It was cute how oblivious they both were about each other.

"Just a tiny bit. Don't worry, she hasn't caught on just how much you like her…yet." I replied, patting him on the back. We all found our seats on the table and settled down into easy conversation. "Hey, where's Grant?"

"Good question." Bex said looking around the room.

I noticed the blonde haired Greek god approaching the table with two plates of food in his hands. I tried not to laugh as all the girls stopped dancing to watch him walk by, and pictured the look on Bex's face if she could've seen, but luckily her back was turned the other way.

He set a plate down in front of Bex, who smiled brightly up at him as if he'd discovered the secret to her heart. I could really see them becoming something great. Grant then looked up, noticing me grinning at the pair and gave me an even bigger smile, before opening his arms wide in a teddy bear stance.

"Camster! How I've missed seeing your face!" He laughed, squeezing me. "It's been too long. What have you been up to?"

"Hey granty! I missed you too. Nothing much, just hanging around." I responded with as much enthusiasm as I could summon.

He pulled out his chair to sit beside Bex and I, "We never see you at soccer practice anymore."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. It's just, I haven't seen much reason to go since…" I trailed off, staring at the only empty space at the table. "Zach isn't here." I finished, in a much softer tone.

The moments after felt like an eternity, with my mind swarming with images of the boy who was constantly in my thoughts. It was funny really, how, even when I wasn't with him, it felt like time stopped. I never understood the power of what missing a person felt like, until I met him. In reality, my epiphany only lasted a few short seconds.

Grant smirked at me, taking a huge bite of his burger before saying, "Are you sure about that?"

My head snapped up in an instant, my eyes searching his for the answer I begged to know was true. I glanced at my friends expecting some sort of response but was met with the wide eyes of both Bex and Lizzie, and Jonas' growing smile.

That was when I saw him.

"Zach," I whispered, feeling the entire room fall away as I met eyes with him from across the room.

He was leaning up against the wall looking calm and relaxed in black pants, a smart white shirt half-buttoned, and a bow tie that was untied and hanging loosely around his neck. He was running his hands through his hair and chewing on his lip, an action he did when he was nervous. Oh, I'd missed him doing that. He lifted his head, and a smirk instantly formed on his face when he saw me standing there watching him. Since when did I stand up?

Pushing himself off the wall, he started walking towards me.

"What the bloody hell are you doing? Go!" Bex called, shaking me out of my daze. That was all I needed to snap me out of it. I practically ran the last few steps to Zach, closing the distance between us as fast as possible by jumping into his arms as we met in the middle of the dance floor. Thankfully, he caught me. Like he always did.

"I've missed you too, Gallagher girl," he whispered into my neck, still laughing. My legs instantly wrapped around his waist, the thigh high split in my dress exposing more leg than appropriate for a school prom, but I didn't care. My arms were around Zach's neck. Threading my fingers into his hair, I pulled his head back, forcing him to look at me briefly before bringing my mouth down to his.

Zach's arms tightened around me, pulling me closer to his chest as our lips moved together, slow and gentle at first, but I quickly found myself wanting more. I hadn't seen him, touched him, or kissed him for practically two months. I didn't want slow and gentle; I wanted to make up for our time apart. It seemed Zach felt the same. I felt his tongue press against my lips, which parted of their own accord, allowing him to sweep his tongue into my mouth. I lost all sense of where we were as Zach explored every inch of my mouth like it was the first time.

"Well, as much as I want to continue watching this love fest." Grant's voice interrupted us, making me remember we were in the middle of the dance floor at school. I reluctantly pulled away from Zach, and he moved to set me down on my feet, but I used my legs to hold on to him tighter so that he couldn't put me down, meaning he had to turn us both to face Grant.

"You two might want to get a room before you give the entire senior class a live show. And zachypoo, give me some loving. You left me for months." He smirked, winking at me and laughed as the two of them did that classic bro-hug thing. Leaving me now on the ground, which I wasn't exactly happy with.

Suddenly, we were pulled over to the table where the rest of our friends convened, and everyone said their "welcome back's". All my senses were heightened as the now empty space beside me had been filled with possibly the sexiest man on this planet. Who was extremely, extremely…distracting. I couldn't focus on anything but the shape of his lips moving alongside one another as they formed words'; at that point I don't think I even heard what he was actually saying. At some point during all of the talking, he had finally turned to face me again and the first thing I noticed was his perfect mouth turned up into a devilish smirk.

"Do I have something in my teeth?" Zach asked jokingly.

"Hmm?" I replied, my head still lolled on my wrist, looking up at him.

He laughed, before moving his head next to my ear and whispering, "Sorry I was late."

"You made it, and that's all that matters." I smiled at him, happy that he was there. That he was home. He was extremely close to me now and I could smell his musky pinewood scent as it filled my nose, clouding my mind suddenly. I had to take a step back otherwise I don't know if I could control myself. Zach watched me quizzically but must've caught on because he smirked and placed his hand on my upper thigh. I gasped lightly.

"Cams, you okay?" Lizzie asked, concerned.

I looked at her with a tight smile, "Course Liz, I just had a little cramp in my leg."

"Oh, okay." She didn't look convinced.

Zach's hand kept inching higher…and higher up my leg with every passing second.

I couldn't take it anymore.

"What do you think you're doing?" I hissed.

He stared back at me, innocently. "Is something wrong?"

Suddenly a thought occurred to me. Two can play at this game. I leant forward to whisper something in his ear and watched as his eyes grew twice their normal size.

Zach cleared his throat loudly. "We're getting out of here, Gallagher Girl." His voice was deep- husky.

"What? You only just got here…" I teased, placing my arm around his neck and tugging at his hair just how he liked it.

"Let's go now." He said through his teeth and reached down for my hand. "Hey, guys, Cammie left something in the bathroom, we're just going to go look for it."

Everyone on the table looked at each other and started cracking up. Not very subtly, may I add. "Yeah, sure thing." Bex replied, winking.

Ignoring their remarks, we moved to leave the table. Grabbing my wrist tightly, he practically dragged me to the door, but we were stopped by Principal Buckingham.

"Not so fast." The aging woman put a hand out to stop us. "The presentation is about to begin." She indicated to the stage behind us.

It wasn't until we turned back around to face the gym for the announcement of prom king and queen that I realised the entire room was watching us. Well, that was embarrassing, and kinda creepy.

"Come on then," Zach groaned as he tipped his back and looked up at the roof. He led me back into the centre of the dance floor where Lizzie was laughing with Jonas.

"Didn't get very far, did you?" She smirked as we came to a stop beside her.

"Buckingham made us stay for the crowning." I leant into Zach's chest, his arms snaking around my waist, holding me close.

We stood and watched the stage, waiting as the music died down and the lights dimmed. I felt Zach's breath against my shoulder. I grinned at the feeling of being back in his arms. Two months too long. A spotlight appeared on stage, and the crowd went silent. I could just make out Josh and Dee Dee standing at the front as close to the stairs as possible with proud smiles on their faces. You'd be forgiven for thinking they had already been crowned king and queen, that's how big their smiles were.

Principal Buckingham made her way to the centre of the stage, and everyone clapped and cheered. I never understood the excitement of the crowning. It just seemed trivial to me. All I really wanted to do was leave with Zach.

After a brief speech thanking the prom committee for the decorations, it was finally time for the announcement. "Blah…blah…blah…" the boy cuddling me, whispered in my ear as Buckingham spoke.

"This year's prom king is…", She paused dramatically and waited for the drum roll. Josh and Dee Dee were bouncing on the balls of their feet in anticipation. "Mister Zach Goode." She clapped, and suddenly there was a bright white spotlight shining directly on us. Zach's arms tightened their grip on my waist.

"What the fu-"

"You won." I turned to smile at him. He looked down at me with a clenched jaw and narrowed eyes. The students around us were whistling and clapping.

"I didn't want to win."

Bex, Lizzie and the others were cheering beside us. Buckingham was calling Zach's name out and trying to encourage him to get up on the stage. Pressing my hands to his cheeks, I leant up on my toes and whispered against his lips. "You beat Josh."

"I beat Josh." His frown disappeared, and a sly smile formed on his face. "Hell yeah." He pressed his lips to mine briefly before releasing me and practically running up to the stage, where he took a bow and waved to Josh before blowing a kiss in my direction. I had to laugh. He was so happy once it dawned on him that he'd stolen the crown.

Lizzie's arm wrapped around my waist, and she rested her head on my shoulder as she laughed at Zach. Bex was by my side too, with Grant and Jonas mentioning how 'Josh deserved this and more', something we'd have to dive into later. The devil's face was priceless. He was bright red, and I swore I could hear his teeth grinding from the back where I stood. Dee Dee was trying to comfort him, but even she was pissed. If looks could kill, Zach would have been a dead man.

"Okay. And now the moment we've all been waiting for. This year's prom queen is…" Another dramatic pause and drum roll. Dee Dee straightened up and pushed Josh aside, making her way to the stairs in preparation for her name being called.

"If she's going to be crowned anything it's as her Royal Whoreness." Bex scoffed beside me. "Get ready, Cam." She winked.

No way. There was no way I could win. I wasn't even in the running.

"Cammie Morgan," Buckingham all but shouted into the microphone.

I stood completely still, dumbstruck as the crowd stared at me, clapping and cheering. I watched Dee Dee as she screamed and stomped her foot. She actually stomped her foot like a petulant child.

"You won," Liz squealed, jumping up and down alongside Bex, beside me.

"How? Why?" I couldn't deny that I was happy about beating the wicked witch of the west, but it just didn't seem right.

"Come on, C." Zach's voice sounded over the speakers. I looked up at the stage to see him smiling and waving me over.

I took a step forward, and the crowd of students parted to let me by. The sound of their clapping and cheering was drowned out by the sound of blood rushing to my ears. I won. Somehow, I'd beaten Dee Dee. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry or flip her my middle finger. So I stood tall and made my way up onto the stage with Zach, where he stood smiling with the principal.

Buckingham shook my hand and placed a cheap plastic gold crown on top of my head before ushering me over to stand beside the 'king', who winked and interlocked his fingers with mine.

"I present you this year's prom king and queen," Buckingham announced, waving her hand around in our direction. Streamers and balloons fell from the ceiling above us, and the crowd went crazy. They were clapping and cheering, with Grant practically blowing everyone's eardrums with his words of encouragement. It was all so surreal. Zach pulled in close and pressed his lips to the side of my face, which just made the noise even worse.

I glanced down at Josh and Dee Dee and laughed as I watched them bickering. They were both red in the face. Josh was waving his arms around, and his girlfriend was still stomping her foot. It was hilarious.

"And now for the dance," Buckingham said over the microphone. That song from Dirty Dancing began to play- "I've had the time of my life." Could they get any more cliché?

"We have to dance?" Zach's eyes were wide when he turned to me, his lip pulled between his teeth.

"Uhm…I guess." I hated dancing, but I wrapped my arms around his neck and waited for his hands to finally rest on my hips, his fingers digging into the skin slightly. He looked nervous. Zach Goode, nervous. Who would have thought? "It's just you and me, Goode. Forget about them," I whispered.

Bex and Grant yelled some crude remarks that I didn't quite catch, but Zach laughed. "You, Me, and those two lovebirds, you mean," he said and began to sway on his feet.

"Yeah." I laughed.

We danced slow, just swaying to the beat until the song ended. The cheers from the crowd had long since gone silent, except for the whistles coming from Jonas. Josh and Dee Dee had disappeared. Probably left to sulk.

"Can we get out of here now?" Zach asked.

"Please."

He grabbed my hand and all but dragged me off the stage and across the dance floor. I barely had a chance to shout a goodbye to our friends before we were out the door and running to Zach's car. Not that my best friends would have noticed by then anyway, as they were too busy swooning over their dates.

Zach didn't speak as we left the school grounds. His shoulders were stiff and hunched, and his knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel so tight.

"Zach?" I reached across and touched his arm while trying to work out what had him so tense and worked up. He was all right at the dance five minutes ago.

"I just need a minute, Cammie, please." I sat in silence while he drove us around town aimlessly. I didn't think he knew where he was going or what he was doing. He looked lost. It wasn't long before I realized we weren't even in town anymore. Where was he taking me? He groaned and started to chew on his lip. "I should take you home." His jaw was tightly clenched, and I watched his Adam's apple move up and down as he swallowed.

"What? No, Zach. I don't want to go home. You just got back from…wherever, doing…whatever. I want to celebrate winning these cheap and tacky crowns and spend time with you. I missed you," I said, cringing immediately and hoping he hadn't picked up on what I'd just said. I couldn't believe I'd told him I missed him. Expressing feelings' he didn't share. Way to go, Cammie.

"You did?" He looked over at me quickly before looking back at the road. I could swear there was a faint smile on his perfect lips.

"Of course. These last two months have sucked without you here. Pure hell." I didn't see the use in lying, so I decided to just be honest with him. Well, somewhat honest. I was not about to admit all of my feelings to him. That would just scare him off, and I didn't want that.

"To hell with it," he growled, suddenly slamming on the brakes, making me jerk forward in my seat. He veered the car off to the side where there was a small dirt track leading through the trees. Before I could wonder where he was taking me, the car came to a complete stop off the road in the middle of nowhere. I should have felt scared or worried, but I didn't. I felt safe. I always felt safe with him. Even in the middle of the sticks.

Zach shifted in his seat so that he was looking at me, lip pulled into his teeth. I watched as he chewed on it. I tried to work out what he was thinking, but I was completely distracted by his mouth. I moved in my seat so I was facing him. We just sat and stared at each other for the longest time, neither of us looking away or speaking until Zach finally reached his hand across and rubbed his thumb along my cheek.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?" He whispered, breaking the silence.

"No." I shook my head and ducked in an effort to hide the blush that was heating my face.

"Well, you do." He smiled and paused for a moment. "I thought it would be different, you know? That it would be easier when I got back." His voice was soft yet still husky as his thumb skated across my face to move my hair behind my ear, making me shiver. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I didn't want him to stop touching me.

"I thought being away from you would lessen how much I want you. Need you."

My heart beat harder at his words, and my breathing increased as his thumb dragged slowly down over my bottom lip and down my chin, stopping when his hand cupped around my neck. I could feel his trembling hand on my skin. I reached up to entwine our fingers. His eyes widened at our touch. His pupils were so dilated his bright green eyes were almost black. He seemed so serious. I almost believed his words, but that was only because I wanted them to be true. So much. I knew it wasn't true, though. It couldn't be. He must have just missed being home and having me around as a friend, and that had confused him into thinking he needed me.

"But it didn't, Cammie. Being away from you only made me want you more." It was when he said that, I realised he was serious. There was no hint of uncertainty in his eyes. He was chewing on his lip still. Zach didn't get nervous, but I could see it then. He was nervous at my reaction. He needed me. My breath hitched when he turned one side of his mouth up into a smile.

"It's okay, I know that it's not-" I stopped him from saying any more by leaning over and slamming my mouth against his. I couldn't hold back anymore. The kiss was heated, passionate, and rough. My hands curled themselves into his hair as his hands moved to my waist. He groaned as I deepened the kiss. I lifted myself up and swung my leg over the centre console trying to move over to him, needing him closer. Realising what I wanted to do, he lifted me slightly and pulled me over to side of the car so I was sitting across his lap with my knees on either side of his legs.

"Cammie." He mumbled my name into my neck before kissing the sensitive skin around my collarbone. "I need all of you." My fingers found their way under his shirt, trailing across his stomach. Somewhere in that moment, I decided to give in to my feelings and let him know how I really felt. I needed him, too.

"I'm yours." I gasped when I felt his teeth graze across the top of my shoulder. I slipped his jacket over his shoulders and tugged open his shirt. He sat forward and slid it off, throwing it somewhere in the backseat.

He held me still for a moment, letting us catch our breath, foreheads touching, gazing into each other's eyes. In that moment, no words even needed to be said for us to know what we were both thinking. "Are you sure?" He looked up at me, seeking confirmation. I nodded and pressed my lips to his. That was all the confirmation he needed.

A/N: Sooo, that was extremely cringe... but Zach has returned and it's evident that him and Cammie can't control themselves anymore. BTW, honest feedback: should i dial down on the smutty stuff? I'm not sure if it's always necessary and whether you guys actually want to read all that sexy stuff, so let me know. Let me just say, things are about to get REALLLL interesting. I'll update again either tomorrow or the next day! I'm so glad to be back again :) ALSO ALL GALLAGHER FF writers, you're all amazing and we really need to keep this fandom going so let's keep making these great stories. I'm actually doing a fat reply to reviews next chapter so stay tuned xxx