Sorry for not updating but my imagination was way low. I was watching the last few episodes of Pretty Little Liars Season 2, when this came to my mind.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own GG. All rights go to Ally Carter except my characters and plot.
The following morning, Cameron Morgan woke up smiling. She wasn't sure if it was the fact that her Aunt was going to stay for a week, or the fact that she was with Zach the previous night. She knew that it seemed kind of weird and too fast to suddenly be best friends with Zachary, but something told her it was okay. Sure, she only knew him for like three days, but nothing could suddenly go wrong, right?
Cammie got off her bed and walked over to the bathroom. She took a quick shower, got dressed, brushed her teeth and hair, and walked downstairs.
"Good morning." She said.
Ms. Morgan smiled at her daughter. She was glad that Cammie had taken the move in a positive way and hasn't been too… moody. Unlike Rachel Morgan, Abigail wasn't that happy. She tried, but couldn't. Not after the talk she had with Rachel the night before.
"Hey, squirt." Abby said as a greeting while sipping her coffee.
Cammie frowned. "What's wrong?" She asked.
Rachel dried her hands from washing the leftover dishes from last night and said, "Nothing's wrong sweetheart, oh and yesterday the neighbors couldn't come, but they're coming today."
Cammie nodded, but before she could tell her to not change the subject, Abby raised an eyebrow, ignoring Rachel's response. "Why would you think something is wrong?"
Cammie shrugged and sat on the mahogany stool. "Well, last night you were acting very weird. You also stayed up late."
"And you would know?"
Busted, Cammie thought. She desperately tried to search for an answer, when her phone ringed. Cammie grinned. "That's my ride."
She got up, hugged her mom and aunt, and stepped out. The cool, fall air made Cammie smile in delight. She took a deep breath and with a smile, walked over to Zach's house, which was three houses down from hers. She was walking over when she saw Price shaking her head and Zach pouting.
With confusion written all over her face, Cammie made her way towards them.
"Please, Ash. I'll do anything." Zach said.
"No is no, Zach." Price replied. Zach was the first to notice Cammie and stopped pouting.
"Hey, Cammie," He said with a smile.
Price smiled and rolled her eyes. "Nice going, Zach. Why don't you ask her? Oh and hey, Cammie,"
Cammie smile at them. "Hey, guys, and ask me what?"
Zach glared at Price and then turned his attention back to Cammie with a smile, causing Price to roll her eyes. "Well, I was asking her if she could help me with math."
Price raised an eyebrow and before Cammie could say anything, Price's phone rang. "Sorry, but I have to take this." She said with a small smile and walked away.
Cammie nodded. "Well, I could help you."
Zach grinned. He didn't really need math help. For once, he completely finished his homework, even with his mom's yells and complaints about life. "Sure,"
Together, the two of them got into the truck. "So," Cammie started, noticing that the Aeropostale bag was gone. "What happened to the Aeropostale bag?"
Zach warily glanced at her. "What bag?"
Cammie narrowed her eyes. "The bag that your friend left,"
Zach chuckled. "That bag was long gone."
"Ten hours is long for you?"
"Yep,"
"So, who's the friend?"
Zach glanced at her and forced a smile. "More like family,"
Cammie was about to ask who it was, when she realized that someone was knocking on the car window. It was Price. Cammie rolled it down with a raised eyebrow.
Price gave a small smile. "Um, hey Zach, my ride got cancelled… May I?"
Zach smiled. "Anytime,"
Price smiled and Cammie realized that she had to get out in order for Price to get in. "Sorry," she muttered. Price nodded and got in the backseat, with Cammie up front.
Zach cleared his throat. "Um, sorry but I have to make a quick stop."
Both girls nodded and said, "Sure," Both girls nervously chuckled and the rest of the ride was in silence. Zach was dying. First, he made the stupid mistake of asking Price to be his fake girlfriend. He had a feeling that he ruined their friendship. He couldn't ask Cammie. He just met the girl three days ago. And even though they got close pretty fast, he had to face reality. And he was about to make the biggest mistake of his life.
Zach drove and parked in front of Joe's Tool Shop. "Be right back." He said. He hoped that everything would go fine.
When Zach left, Cammie's curiosity got the best of her. "So, how long have you known Zach?" She asked Price.
"Since freshman year," Price replied. She smiled a knowing smile and added. "But we never really connected until last summer."
Cammie frowned. "What do you mean connected?"
Ashley Price knew that what she was doing was dangerous. It was trouble, but if Cammie didn't realize her feelings for Zach, someone else might move in. "We never really talked and hanged out."
"What happened?" Cammie asked. She looked at Price through the rearview mirror.
Price shrugged. "Fate, I guess, or more like a coincidence." She fought the smile that was threatening to come out.
Cammie raised an eyebrow. She didn't know why she suddenly wanted to strangle Price. "Mind telling me what happened?"
Price shook her head. "No, not really,"
"So, um,"
Price smiled. "It all started at the bar."
"…At the bar?" Cammie was surprised. She didn't think Price would drink.
"Hey, they have some good drinks."
"You drink?" Cammie still asked surprised.
"Only when trouble comes to visit me,"
"Aren't you a joker?"
"Yes," Price didn't really know where Cammie was headed to.
"So isn't trouble like always following you?"
"Oh, yeah," Both girls laughed. "But this visit, involved my ex."
"Danny?"
"Yeah, um," Price looked at the ground. She knew that she would lie and she had done a lot of lying lately. It wasn't something she was proud of. "I was heartbroken." Well, maybe that part wasn't a lie. "So, I decided that going might help the pain. When I got there, I found Zach. He surprised me. I surprised him, too. 'What's up?' sounded retarded and plain wrong, so I ordered tequila."
"Why tequila?"
"Well, I am Latina."
Cammie chuckled. "Go on,"
Price sighed. "After the first sip, I knew I had to speak up so I did. I asked, 'What brings you here?' He told me and by the time he finished, I had had five shots. It was my third time drinking and I was pretty drunk. I don't remember exactly what happened, but Zach said that I told him something big. Something that could shake the whole school up… but I don't remember. Up till this day, he hasn't told me."
Cammie nodded. "So, the big secret brought you together?"
Price nodded. "Yes, but that's not all."
Cammie raised an eyebrow. "It isn't?"
Price shook her head. "I was so drunk so he took away the tequila and paid the bill. He was fine so he offered to take me home. I said, 'No, I can't go like this.' I still had my mind, even though I was giggling and saying stupid things. But what I didn't exactly have was my memory. All I remember was sitting down and watching Zach pay. The next moment, he's dragging me to his truck with a bleeding lip and small bruise on his face. I asked what happened and he simply told me to get on. And I did."
Cammie was speechless. First of all, she didn't know why Price opened up like that. Second of all, that didn't sound like the Zach she knew. And last of all, the story was so… empty. She wanted to know more but she had asked enough.
Price gave a small smile. "I woke up an hour later at his house and I saw him sitting at the edge of his bed, staring at the wall. Without a word, I treated his wounds as best as I could. I never asked what happened because I knew he wouldn't answer me. He dropped me home fine. I was still dizzy but my parents never found out."
Cammie was about to say something when the driver's door opened and Zach came in with nothing. "Hey, we have ten minutes until class starts."
"So, that's good, right?" Price asked as if nothing had happened.
Zach nodded buckling his seat belt. "Yep," Before he could reverse the car, he looked over at Cammie and asked, "Hey, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Cammie tried to smile. "Yeah, I'm okay, just feeling a little dizzy."
On the five minute ride to school, Cammie got the feeling that something else had happened on that day, on that summer. She intended on finding out and she knew that Price wouldn't offer anything else. She suddenly realized that she never called Bex and the girls back last night. They were supposed to meet at the café across school that morning.
"Thanks for the ride." Price said surprising Cammie. She realized they were at school and got out so Price could get out, too.
"Thanks," Cammie said.
Zach nodded. "No problem,"
Together, they made their way to the doors where the last few students were entering. "May Zachary Goode come to the main office? I repeat, Zachary Goode."
Cammie and Price looked at Zach with confusion written all over their face. Zach shrugged. "See you later,"
They nodded and continue walking in silence.
"Hey, Ashley, sorry for asking you about it,"
Price smiled. "Don't worry about it. You're not the only one, Cammie."
Cammie got the feeling something was up. "What do you mean?"
Price bit her bottom lip. "Listen, there was someone else there from school at the bar but I don't remember. Before you came here, I got in trouble with Amanda, but it wasn't regular. You see, she knows what happened but won't tell me either. She threatened that the new girl will face it if I don't stay away from Zach."
Cammie frowned, lost and scared. "How did she know?"
Price shrugged. "It was a day before you came and she can be pretty sneaky."
Cammie sighed. "I never thought about this. I came out with all the possible scenarios on my first week, but not this."
Price was about to say something when the bell rang. "Well, we have a class to catch."
Cammie nodded and then remembered about the letter. She took it out of her backpack and said, "Ashley, Jenny said to give it to you."
Price looked at the letter confused. "Jenny?" She took it and said, "Um, thanks, Cammie."
Cammie smiled. "No problem."
Price nodded and slowly walked away. She opened the letter trying to read it through the running teens in the hallways. When she opened it, a business card was taped onto to it. She frowned and continued reading the rest of the letter. When she finished, she threw it in her backpack and ran to 191 Light Bloom Street.
Line Break
Cammie was heading to English when someone bumped into her. She looked up and saw Zach. She smiled. "Hey,"
Zach looked confused and then composed himself. "Hey, Cammie,"
Cammie looked around the class and noticed the teacher wasn't there. "So, where's-"
"Sorry, Gallagher Girl, but I have to go." Zach quickly said and walked past her.
Cammie was confused. "What just happened?" She muttered. She shook her head and walked towards her seat.
Zach knew that he could have at least have asked for more time to say goodbye. He knew it was wrong to steal more time but he had to find Price. He had to tell her what happened that day in the bar. He had to. He looked everywhere; asked the teachers and janitors, but no one knew where she was. He couldn't ask her friends. They would get suspicious and he didn't need to explain more. He was looking near the school entrance when he heard his mother yell, "Zachary! Time to go,"
He sighed and followed his mom to his truck. At least he left a note telling Danny and Sammy to tell her. He hoped kept their promise.
When math ended and lunch started, Cammie was still confused. Macy was the first to notice. They were sitting down when Macy asked, "What happened?"
Cammie raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Macy rolled her eyes. "You look like a lost puppy, Cammie. What happened?"
Cammie sighed. "Well, Zach-"
Macy grinned. "Oh, don't explain more."
Cammie frowned. "But you said-"
"Nope," Macy said with a knowing smile which made Cammie even more confused.
"Hey, Cammie," Liz said as she sat down.
Cammie smiled. "Hey, Liz, I haven't seen you all day."
"Well, a smarty pants like her does have all AP classes." Bex said.
"I can't believe you took the SAT's three years ago." Grant said as he and Bex sat down.
Liz blushed. She wasn't used to having this much attention. Jonas grinned. "Well, you better believe it."
That comment made Liz blush more. Thankfully, Grant asked, "Have you guys seen Zach?"
Everybody shook their heads, except Cammie, who said, "The last time I saw him was this morning."
Before Macy could say something, Ana and Jenny came over to their table. "Hey, guys," Ana said.
"Oh, hey Ana," Bex replied.
"Have you guys seen Ashley Price?" Jenny asked.
"No," Everyone said, but Cammie who said, "This morning,"
Ana turned her attention to Cammie. "You did?"
Cammie nodded and stopped eating her salad. "Yeah, Zach gave Ashley and me a ride to school."
Ana gave her a small smile. "Thanks you for telling us."
Jenny shook her head. "Did you give her the letter?"
Cammie nodded. "Yes,"
Jenny shook her head more. "She never understood."
Macy frowned. "What do you mean?"
Ana stopped talking back and forth in her head and replied, "Price was threatened by someone named Catherine and every time this Catherine would send her something, Price would do anything to find her. But she would bring someone with her. It used to be her cousin but since her cousin got grounded, she asked one of us. One day, we found her with Zach and they were planning to visit this Catherine. We stopped them but if she has gone back…"
Silence fell on that table. Grant and Jonas were thinking, I hope Price never found Catherine. Liz, Bex, and Macy were thinking how Cammie could get heartbroken if Zach and Price got together. Jenny was feeling guilty for giving that letter to Price and Ana was feeling guilty for telling them that secret but they were Zach's friends.
Meanwhile, Cammie's mind was racing. She thought of the night she found Price on the roof. Price seemed to be troubled over something. Then, she thought of the person in a hood leaving a basket of flowers which were connected spelling 'Price'. Even though it was dark, she knew that there was also a card in it. Then, she thought of the bar story. She also thought of Zach entering Joe's Tool Shop and coming empty handed and the Aeropostale bag gone. She also remembered Price confused but scared face when she gave her the letter. Lastly, she remembered Zach being called to the principal's office and his confused and weird face when he bumped into her. Something was off.
Cammie frowned. "Guys, where's Preston?"
Macy looked around. "I don't see him."
Bex frowned. "I didn't see him all day long."
"And Nick is still not found," Grant added but winced when he saw Macy's glare.
Cammie bit her bottom lip. "Do you guys know how to break out of school?"
Ana nudged Jenny who glared at her. Liz noticed this and said, "Jenny, please."
Jenny sighed. "Fine, follow me."
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