A/N: So here's the next chapter, sorry my A/N is so short. I'm on my way to a super bowl party. Have a nice Super Bowl Sunday!
Recap: "Nice brush pass Goode." I whispered to myself. And then, I found myself sobbing into my pillow all over again.
The rest of the day past by quickly, for I felt numb and impervious to the events around me. Luckily, due to block scheduling, I didn't have any more classes with Zach. That was a relief. I didn't know what I would have done if I had to partner and work with him, much less be in the same room as him. I dragged my hand along the cement walls as I headed down the hallway to my mother's office.
It was two to seven, and I quickly sped up my walk, as it wasn't good for spies to make a habit of being late often. Coming to her door, I began raised my hand to knock. However, before I could even lift my hand fully up, my mother yelled from inside, "com in Cammie." She had an uncanny ability to know whenever I would be at her door. Then again, it was probably because almost every single time I visited her office, it was through a scheduled appointment.
Stepping through the doorway, I saw my mother sitting at her desk, with the couch where we often ate our frozen dinners form, opposite from it. Oddly enough, sitting on the corner of her desk was Joe Solomon. I opened my mouth to greet him, but he raised his hand to stop me. "Don't bother Cammie; I was just about to leave anyway." Blinking I watched him walk out of the room before turning back to face my mother.
"Why was Joe here?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"Oh, he's was just here to talk about some personal things with me," my mom replied casually, "Don't worry about it Cammie. Why don't you sit down? Dinner's almost ready."
Walking to the couch, I sat on its worn upholstery. I could see all the marks of dinners we had shared together in the past. The red spot from the salsa of taco night still remained at the arm of the couch, and the oil marks from the time my mother had attempted to make microwaved dumplings stood out against the solid fabric of the couch. I sighed, stifling a laugh. Sunday dinners with mom had long since been a tradition of ours. Therefore, it was odd that we would have dinner on a school night, a Thursday night, most specifically.
After leaving the room to retrieve our dinners from the microwave, my mom returned with a plate of microwaved chicken nuggets and tater tots. I smiled. How sweet. After handing me my plate, she sat down on the opposing side of the couch, and turned to face me as we ate. Although we made small talk in between bites, it wasn't until we set our plates aside when we were finished, that we really began to talk about why we were here.
Unfortunately, the tater tots and chicken nuggets were not the best of mom's meals, and I find myself dreading each bite I took. Because I finished about 1/23 of the entire plateful, I would most like end up taking a stop to the kitchens on the way back to my room. It wasn't that I didn't like when my mother "cooked", but seeing as he cooking skills revolved around a microwave and toaster oven, there wasn't much she could do.
After we finished our respective dinners, my mom opened up the conversation.
"So Cammie, how's school going? Did you enjoy your last Cove Op trip? I helped plan it."
"Oh," I groaned. "Don't even get me started on that. It was a disaster."
As I recounted my painfully embarrassing field trip, I found myself laughing hysterically along with my mom, even through the most awkward parts where I had wanted to crawl in a hole and die. It felt good to laugh again, and by the end of my story, I was in high spirits, almost completely forgetting about my situation with Zach. Almost.
After a couple more minutes of small talk, my mother cut me off and left the room.
"Wait a second Cammie, I'll be right back."
Returning to the room, she carried a long, floor length gown with a deep slit along the side that probably reached to the mid thigh. It was strapless, and had cascading sparkles throughout the entire dress. My mouth gaping, I shook my head. I could already sense what was coming. I was not going to wear that. Before I could protest however, my mom cut into my thoughts.
"Now I know what you're thinking Cammie," she stated, smiling knowingly at me, "but I think that it will complement your figure nicely, and it's the perfect thing for you to wear tomorrow."
"What's tomorrow," I asked, still gobsmacked.
"Oh, I didn't tell you?" she apologized, "How regress of me. We're meeting with a prospective Gallagher Applicant who doesn't even know she's applying yet."
I was really confused. Didn't Gallagher Girls get invited after their testing scores were secretly reviewed by the board? Why was I being sent on a "mission" to retrieve/influence a prospective student? It really didn't make any sense to me.
"Now I know that it's not what we normally do, but these are very special circumstances. She's a very important figure, and it is a well known fact that she will be attending this ball in New York, so we will be flying up to see her tomorrow afternoon around four." She smiled before continuing. "Why don't you have Macey and the others get you ready. That girl can do wonders with a makeup brush."
Internally, I groaned. That was not going to be very fun. I could already see Macey leering over me with a mascara brush while I wiggled underneath her as Bex held me down, and Liz squealed at me from the sidelined. Yep…definitely was going to be a nightmare.
"Well Cammie, here's you dress." She handed it to me before herding me towards the door. "You should get to bed, for you still have classes tomorrow. See you at four. Oh, and tell Zachary hello, and that I apologise for stealing his girl on a Friday night."
As she walked me to the door, I tried to smile back at her, but the smile was entirely fake. After a couple of minutes without having to think about Zach, or my newfound singles life, I had gone back to it, feeling even worse then before. I actually felt like throwing up. As I walked out the door, through the hallway, I watched my mother's retreating form as she walked back into the room.
The walkways and stairs seemed to swirl around me as I traveled back the room. I felt like throwing up over and over again, but I didn't dare to, because if Macey ever found out that I had thrown up on that beautiful dress, she would murder me a hundred times over again. I began to realize what a terrible mistake I had made, pushing Zach away. I really felt lost without him, but I wasn't sure if I should ask him to come back to me. He might not even like me anymore. He was probably glad I had set him free.
Opening my door, I faced three expectant looking faces peering back at me. Macey shrieked as she saw my dress, rushing up to take it from hand, and affix it to the back of dorm door.
"It…..GEOURGOUS." screamed Macey.
I shuddered when I saw the gleam in her eyes, probably imaging all the ways to torture me with her makeup.
"What's it for?" asked Liz, inquisitively.
"I'm supposed to meet a prospective Gallagher Girl or something like that. Apparently, she's a hotshot rich girl, or something like that. Looking up, I caught a knowing look passing between Bex and Macey. Well…that was weird. Before I could move to get changed, the tone of the room suddenly changed.
"Cammie," Liz started. "Were you crying?"
"NO." I quickly protested. However, my denial was to no avail.
"Don't lie to us," stated Bex matter of factly, "you are, of course, a terrible liar."
"Wait…" said Macey, "You and Zach are good now aren't you?"
Her comment finally broke me down, and I spilled the truth to them. The truth that I couldn't trust Zach not to cheat on me, and that I loved him to much to let myself potentially go through that.
"But Cammie," Liz softly stated. "Zach's infatuated with you. Anyone can easily see that."
"I—I think I know that now Liz. I-I just hope it's not too late. I really miss him."
"Don't worry," chastised Macey. "He wouldn't hesitate to get back with you. For god's sakes. He's in love with you Cam."
Macey's comment reassured me, and I found myself start to fell a little better. Maybe I could get back with Zach. Hopefully, he would give me a second chance. Before settling into bed to go to sleep, I promised to myself I would talk to him tomorrow. I would have to make him see how much I loved him, and I only broke up with him because I was too stupid to see what we had.
The next morning, I yanked myself out of bed, and even allowed Macey to dress me, and get me ready like a doll. If anyone could make me look good, I knew it was Macey, as much as I hated to admit it. Stepping out of our room, freshly made over, Macey McHenry style, I walked briskly down the hallway to the dining hall. I knew Zach woke up early, and I wanted to catch him before the rest of the school came to eat.
Arriving at the dining hall, I moved to take a step into the hall, before a sight stopped me in my tracks. Zach sat at a corner table, his arm around a girl with dark hair who leaned into his shoulder. I refused to let the tears fall this time. I should have known it was too late. Zach had moved on, and I hadn't. Zach had moved on, and it was too late. There would never be an us again.
A/N. Review! Let me know what you think. I love hearing from my readers.