Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own it.
Okay so I took a little longer than usual to get this chapter out. What can I say? In the fight between School and me and I am being owned. I am it's bitch. But I got to update so yay. :)
This one gots a little (lot) less Zammie action so bear with me. And we will all be fine.
In a desperate attempt to understand the induced mindfuck I was going through at the moment, I found the nearest possible empty room in the entire building where we could talk privately.
Now the kitchen is a place for gossip. Everything thinks it's the bathroom or the photocopy room but no. The bathroom is where you do your business and the photocopy room is where you photocopy. End of story.
But the kitchen, oh ho the kitchen is a magical land filled with stories and myths and rumors galore! Plus it has free coffee. So because we're bitches we locked the doors so no one could enter Gossipland.
Sorry to all you morning haters like myself who need their caffeine fix before even attempting to use their brains, there is a Starbucks down the road, I suggest you make the most of it.
So after screaming at all the angry kitchen-gossipers to go get some damn Starbucks and leave us alone, I made some tea for Bex and a very strong coffee for me.
I placed a steaming cup of tea in front of Bex on the small metal table she was sitting by. It's a proven fact that along with ice-cream, cheesy romance movies and the good old trash talking, tea is one of the top contenders of making you feel better.
"You okay?" I asked sliding into the chair opposite to her. She nodded her head silently, continuously staring at the table without blinking.
"How long has it been going on?" I asked knowing she would understand what I was talking about. A slight blush rose of her cheeks and I strongly resisted the urge to make fun of her.
Use the force Cammie.
Then again what do I even know about the force, I don't watch Star Wars.
Just don't tease her, this is not the time. Get the idea away from the brain.
Think of Zach in nothing but a towel.
Insert dreamy smile here.
I later noted that although talking to yourself may be entertaining, making faces while having a conversation with yourself will only lead others to believe you need to upgrade your wardrobe to lots of white straightjackets.
"Does he know?"
"No," she whispered quietly wrapping her hands around the mug. "I'm not even sure that I am."
British say what?
"How do you not know if you're pregnant?"
Isn't it kind of obvious, you get really bloated, swell like a whale, then push a human being out of a certain small space that should never be allowed to expand like that.
"I didn't take a test," Bex replied taking a sip of her tea, scrunching her face for a quick second before it went back to its blank state. I strongly, with great patience, held back the urge to snap at her.
Now Rebecca Baxter is one fickle daughter of a manwhore who likes her tea a certain way – you know cause she's British and all – and I am one hundred percent sure that the damn tea was perfect.
One. Hundred. Percent.
And they say there's no such thing as perfection? Well they lied. Because if that's not perfect I will shave my head, change my name to Bob and raise cows for a living. I swear on my TiVo.
"So let me get this straight. You didn't take a pregnancy test but you're sure you're pregnant," I relayed.
"I'm not sure but it's just I feel... different but in a completely good way. And plus I can't even look at an apple without up chucking," she said and my eyes widened in shock because Bex loves apples.
She really really loves apples. If there was an obsession for apples Bex would be the first to be diagnosed with it. Plus she's certifiably insane since yesterday so why not add to her growing list of mental problems.
"We need to get a pregnancy test." This shit needed to be sorted out. Like pronto. Before I start to get gray hairs from all this drama, because I live in world of denial thinking that I'll look like I'm still in my twenties when I'm fifty. And there is no way I'm dying my hair anytime soon.
I don't trust hair dye. At all.
Macey tried to put highlights in my hair once and pieces started to fall out. I blame Liz. There was definitely some illegal shit up in there which is why we do not leave legal substances around Elizabeth Sutton.
Ever.
"I have one," Bex said finally meeting my eyes and in that moment she looked so small, almost like a little child. Helpless, nervous, scared, the list goes on but most of all she looked like she just needed someone to hug her and tell her it's okay.
"Why didn't you use it?"
"Um..."
"Bex?"
"Grant had it..."
"Oh," I replied staring at her vacantly.
"So Grant had your pregnancy test but he doesn't know it was yours?"
"Pretty much."
I hmm-ed and took a sip of my coffee. Why couldn't my life be simple?
"Is that why he passed by you yesterday?"
"Yep."
Hmm... interesting. So she didn't get hot, angry sex in the process then. Interesting. Very interesting.
I took another sip of my coffee.
"So are you gonna tell me what happened when he came over?"
"Nope."
Dammit.
I nodded my head and we sat in a relatively normal silence for approximately two minutes and five seconds.
"Okay, get up, we're leaving," I announced slinging my handbag onto my shoulder while digging around in it for my cell. When I finally found the little piece of shit hiding in one of the secret zip up pockets in the bag I punched in the number.
I don't believe in speed dial you see.
Actually I just don't believe in getting beat up because I put this one as number one instead of that one. That shit went down once and I almost lost an eye.
Not fun I tell you.
"Who are you calling? Bex asked pushing her chair under the table, the metal scraping against the tile as the automatic ringing started in my left ear.
I ignored her, unlocking the door and sticking my head out, scouring the area. You never know when angry kitchen-gossipers were going to come out with pitch forks and People magazines trying to attack so they could get their free coffee and gossip about the important matters of who's sleeping with who in peaceful harmony.
Spies are especially vengeful when it comes to not getting free coffee.
"What the hell are you doing Cammie?" Bex asked from behind me. I ignored her once again sweeping the area one more time.
The coast was clear I deduced since the hall was vacant.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her into the empty hallway."Well you're leaving with me and I'm calling in reinforcements," I stated as a groggy 'Hello' sounded from the other side of the phone. Finally! Some people just do not know how to pick up a telephone on time.
"Make sure you have ice-cream, because I'm landing with Miss CrankyPants in tow at your humble abode in five." and with that I snapped the phone closed.
"So let me get this straight," Macey started shoveling a spoon of Ben and Jerry's into her mouth. "You and Grant are having sex?" Bex nodded her head. "And you admitted you like Grant?" Bex bit her lip and nodded slowly.
"Finally," I muttered over a spoonful of heaven in a container.
"Please Cameron you're input is not necessary," Macey stated raising a hand to stop me. I made a face at her and went back to my ice-cream.
"And now you may be preggers because you guys didn't use protection one time?" she asked. Bex nodded her head once more.
"Then why don't you just freaking pee on the damn stick!" Macey exclaimed suddenly almost causing me to drop my spoon. She was looking for it I tell you. That is the second time she's got my tit in a winger.
Three strikes and you're out McHenry, just remember that.
"I'm scared," Bex admitted after a moment of silence (whether it was from sudden shouting or the almost loss of my ice-cream is still under investigation). "Bex, it's okay you don't have to be, we're all here for you," Liz reassured gently pulling her into a hug.
"Yeah, I'll still love you even if you're carrying the demon's baby spawn."
"Oh, Macey how your words bring joy to me," Bex said sarcastically rolling her eyes at her. "Aw, there's that sarcastic bitch we all love," I cried jumping into the group hug. No one likes to be left out of group hugs, it just makes you feel like a friendless looser, which you would be if you weren't in the group hug.
"Ugh, I have horrible friends," Bex laughing pushing us all off her. "Yes you do and you love us for it," Liz stated smiling brightly at her. Don't you just wanna pinch her cheeks.
Just a warning though, don't pinch her cheeks because even though Liz trips over air and runs into walls, poles, people, desks, bookshelves and other common inanimate objects, she will kill you if you pinch her cheeks.
Well not kill per say, but she will put illegal drugs in your coffee or whatever you're drinking at the moment when you're not looking. Or if she's feeling the mad scientist vibes, she'll put a truth serum in it. Trust me, you'd want the illegal drugs rather than that.
Not that I ever pinched her cheeks or ended up telling the truth to everyone in a two mile radius around me for three days straight. Because if I did that would be disastrous and I would have to take a week off work until Tina Walters could find a new rumor to spread around.
Never happened to me I tell you.
"Now get your tight little ass, which I am very jealous of I might add, in that bathroom and pee on the damn stick already," Macey smiled throwing the box towards Bex who caught it easily with her left hand.
"Do I have to?" she whined.
"Yes," Macey deadpanned throwing her index finger towards the bathroom. "Now," she continued putting the 'ow' in now when she gave Bex her signature death glare since she wasn't moving.
"I'm going, I'm going," she grumbled shuffling her feet towards the bathroom, daintily holding the box in her hands as if it were going to explode at any given moment.
She's such a silly bird. Pregnancy tests don't blow up unless they contain C-44, the evil double twin of C-4 invented by crazy scientists -such as Elizabeth Sutton- in the CIA laboratories. It's half the size of C-4 with double the power.
CIA labs, creating weapons of mass destruction since the beginning of time.
I distinctively picked up the sound of a toilet flush in the distance as I pondered over whether to paint my nails turquoise or teal. It's a sad time when you learn the difference between the two, but it comes in the hand-guide of Becoming Besties with Macey McHenry under the requirements that are needed to be met.
Paragraph three, subsection four - All future potential best friends must be able to accurately state the differences between teal and turquoise, periwinkle and lavender and all other colours with almost the same characteristics (Please see page 431 for list). All future BFFs must also have a general hate for the colour Bubblegum pink.
Macey doesn't really have a hand-guide by the way, she's too much of a lazyass to actually put thought into what she wants out of a friendship.
"Guys, I need you," a slightly panicked voice shouted, the sound drifting towards us from down the hallway.
Two minutes later, all four of us were crowded around the sick where the pee stick was located. "Is it time yet?" Bex asked completing the record for most times a single question can be asked in the span of two minutes. She never fails to amaze me.
"No!" we all exclaimed simultaneously. Bex stuck her tongue out of us, shrinking further back into the toilet seat she was perched upon. As we can clearly see, Rebecca Baxter is not one for patience.
"Should I paint my toes teal of turquoise?" I asked desperate for someone else's opinion. My question caught their attention and they all turned to look down at my bare toenails.
"Skip both go with with cyan," Macey declared after just a glance. I rolled my eyes -internally of course- because cyan was in the same fucking colour palette as turquoise and teal. While on the outside I looked positively calm on the inside my face resembled a possessed girl with a raging case of PMS. I didn't bother to say anything though because arguing with Macey is like arguing with a broken pencil.
Pointless.
"Okay times up!" Liz announced cheerfully. Have you ever seen a constipated person after they take a laxative and get down to business? Well that's what Bex looked like after Liz said that.
She picked up the pregnancy test looking down at it with a blank face. The tension in the room was thick as we all stared at Bex who stared at the pregnancy test, sitting impatiently for her to say something.
Well we finally figured out that she wasn't going to say anything Macey asked "What does it say?"
"Negative," Bex replied still looking down at the little white stick in her hands.
A collective sigh went around the room and the tension dissipated.
"I say we celebrate with tequila and vodka," Macey declared.
"I second that," Liz smiled. Liz, the same girl who gets drunk just looking at alcohol and has sworn off of it since the last time we went out, she woke up the next morning in her bed in a pair of underwear that was not her's. She does trust us when we're under the influence anymore obviously
But yes that same Liz was suggesting we go drink.
"What?" she asked scrunching her eyebrows at us as we all started at her like she just turned into a dragon with Care Bears for heads. "You don't drink anymore."
Liz huffed, crossing her arms. "This is a one time thing okay and it's only to celebrate Bex's non-pregnancy." Macey got an amused look on her face and started to say something but Bex beat her to it.
"Sorry guys, I already have plans for later."
I looked at her strangely since I was positive that she had no plans for later, she said so herself. Bex turned slight to catch my gaze and for a split second her face changed. It was so minuscule that you wouldn't have actually seen it unless you had been watching her carefully which I had been doing.
"Um, yeah sorry guys, Bex and I have some business to tend to later," I lied smoothly looking Bex straight in her eyes. She sent me a small, grateful smile and I rolled my eyes slightly in response.
"What do you mean business?" Damn you Liz and your curious nature.
"Sorry Lizzie, it's confidential for now," Bex placed a hand on Liz's shoulder shooting her an apologetic look. "Oh, okay," said she responded slightly deflated. Macey on the other hand was still looking at us suspiciously. Liz was easier to lie to convincingly, Macey on the other hand, well her bullshit radar was at an all time high these days and I'm sure it was going haywire right about now.
Leave. Time to leave. Now. Let's vamos Baxter.
"Sorry for bailing guys," I said putting on half pretending guilt-ridden mask. Lying to my best friends always made me feel uncomfortable and I would always drown myself in guilt for not telling them the truth. Now was one of those times.
Kind of.
"But we really have to go. Rain check tomorrow?" I asked hopefully with a smile. Liz cheered right back up but Macey was still unfortunately giving us her cold gaze. Shit.
The gave their assurances and we hightailed it out of there before Macey could bust us.
I stole the keys from Bex, sliding past her into the driver's seat. Without complaint she sat in the passenger seat, curling her legs up into her chest and stared out the window.
"Would you like to tell me why I just had to lie to our best friends?" I asked glacing over at her.
Her small frame curved itself into a protective stance as I uttered the question, her shoulders tensing. She shook her head in lieu of an answer, refusing to meet my gaze.
"Well then you want to tell me why you didn't jump up and down when you found out it was negative?" I tried again.
Bex didn't answer me, choosing to stare out the window at the blurring street lights and buildings instead.
"You wanted it to be positive didn't you?"
A deafening silence met my question once again and I sighed defeated.
I'm such a failure. I can't even get a head shake.
"At first I didn't," she whispered almost inaudibly. I didn't look at her or say anything knowing that if I did I might just never hear the rest of the answer. Some people are like baby animals, you can't make any sudden movements or you may startle then and they'll run away screaming, in their native animal language, bloody murder.
At the moment, Bex was a baby animal.
"My mind was a complete mess that day and I had no fucking clue what to do," she chuckled humorlessly and the sound making my heart constrict for knowing my best friend had to go through that alone.
"I was walking through the park during my lunch break. I was thinking that if I was pregnant I'd have to have an abortion. It seemed to be the only solution to the problem and I was almost convinced that I should go through with it when I saw this lady with a little boy and I just ... I just froze. He was holding her hand dragging her somewhere and she was laughing at him. The sight just made something in me snap and I thought what if it that was me and my child which I was planning to kill. After that I swore I'd never get an abortion.
"Then I just grew so attached to the idea of a child that was part me, part Grant that I didn't even think about the possibility of not being pregnant. I finally bought a test but I stopped off by Grant before I went home and I left it there by accident. When I called you it was to tell you, but then you were all freaked out so I told you to come by me."
By time she reached this part of her story, we were pulling up to my apartment complex. Placing the car in idle I turned to face her giving her my undivided attention.
"Then I couldn't find the test and Grant called, said he had 'something that belong to me'. I freaked out and almost died having a heart attack. And you came and he showed up and it was just so fucked up. We ended up having this huge fight and he said 'if you're pregnant I don't want the kid' so I freaked, told him the test wasn't mine and to get out and everything after that's just a huge blur."
Bex stopped talking, biting her lip as a lone tear trailed down her cheek. "Bex," I whispered and she turned to look me at. Unshed tears danced around her caramel eyes, refusing to overflow.
This time though, I didn't have to pull her in, she did it herself, throwing her arms around me. I hugged her back, running my hands through her hair and shushing her sobs.
My shirt was drenched, I had a wedgie and we were adding to the death of the earth by leaving the car in idle but I could care less aobut my wet shoulder, irritated bum and very not eco-friendly parking because my best friend was in pain.
And when my best friend is in pain, that means the person who put them in pain will now get to be tortured. It's all in the best friend-hand book.
Five minutes later after all the water works had passed, the snot had dried up and the sobs had died down, Bex spoke again. "His words hurt me beyond comprehension but when I saw that negative sign I-I just ... " she trailed off.
"Bex you don't have to finish that sentence okay. Grant was an asshole and I should kick his ass, take a video of it and put it on Youtube for the whole world to see then castrate him and dangle his family jewels in his face."
She laughed genuinely complete with a snort at the end and all which sent me into a fit of giggles along with her. When the laughs finally subsided we just stared at each other small smiles on our faces.
"Everything happens for a reason, just remember that." I told her and she nodded solemnly at me. "Do you need to spend the night?" I asked.
Shaking her head she opened her car door. "I'm fine thanks Cam, I just need to get home, sleep for a few hundred years and I'll be okay," she smiled and all was right with the world again.
"Whatever you say Baxter, but you get to explain our 'business' to Macey when the times come," I laughed opening my door and jogging towards my apartment.
"Cammie!" she shouted indignantly from behind me. "I love you!" I shouted looking back at her. She was standing on the drivers side, her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.
"Get outta my parking lot Baxter you're looking like a stalker!"
"Psh, you should feel flattered a gorgeous piece of ass such as myself would want to stalk you!" I could feel her smirk from where she was standing.
"SHUT UP!" an angry voice screamed cutting off our very loud conversation. A beat passed then we both burst out into raucous laughter further angering Mr. Angry man.
"I'll see you tomorrow Cam," Bex shouted one last time and I waved at her until her car left the parking lot. I stood there at the door to the building staring down the street Bex's car had just disappeared into. The screech of tires and a screeching cat sounded throughout the silence of the night. Rolling my eyes I turned to walk up the stairs. Bex may be hurting right now but she was strong. She'd beat herself up for crying over a boy, build a bridge, get over it and then throw Grant off of it. I was sure of it.
Halfway up the stairs I stopped at stared at the wall wondering why the hell I decided to rent an apartment at the top floor of a building that has no elevator.
In conclusion, I am an idiot.
"Zach?" I called out as I stepped into the living room. He didn't answer back but I knew he was home from the pair of shoes resting at the door. After the day I had all I wanted to do was snuggle up in my bed and watch a marathon of Jeresey Shore. But no I can't because it is later and now we need to talk.
Dropping my keys into the bowl on the entry table I walked further into the room. "Zach?" I shouted, louder this time as I neared the bedrooms.
A vague, 'In here' came from his bedroom. I walked down the hall and found his door slightly opened. Quietly pushing it back on his hinges I stepped into his room leaning on his doorframe.
He was sitting at his computer desk, surrounded by a mountain of manila folders. "Paperwork?" I asked raising an eyebrow as he turned in his chair to face me. I got my answer in a blank look. My heart went out a bit for him. If paperwork was a person, we'd all be his/her bitches.
"Save me please," he begged giving me an adorable pout. Laughing I walked towards coming to a halt between his open legs. No such thing as a personal bubble in this house I tell you.
"You didn't go on a mission lately though so why are you doing paper?" I questioned as he looked up at me wrapping his arms around my middle and pulling me closer towards him.
Now now heart, if you don't stop beating so fast I might get a heart attack and die.
I really don't want to die.
"I'm the chief's bitch of the week," he stated. I patted his head sympathetically. I knew how it felt to be the Chief's lackey. He gives you a file with a criminal report and then you spend each and every waking minute trying to find out every detail down to they way they tie their shoelaces.
All work and no play, makes Cammie and dull, cranky, PMS-ing, bitching girl.
"Need any help?" I offered even though it was most probably illegal to be helping him.
Breaking the rules is my middle name.
Well actually that's a lame middle name so I'll stick with Ann which is just a hundredth of a decimal fraction better. Ann just sounds so holy and makes me think of a nun.
And I am not, repeat not (not) a nun.
Zach just shook his head, giving me a soft squeeze. My hands snaked their way into his commercial worthy hair on their own accord. His soft, silky locks slid through my fingers easily as they continued to twirl and take their sweet sweet time messing up his hair.
When my hands ventured further down towards the nape of his neck, on their own accord again, their was a drastic shift in the universe. Zach's hands were no longer on my waist, no no, they were migrating slowly down south.
My breath caught in my throat when his fingers made patterns right at the waist band of my jeans just barely brushing my ass. And then his hands were resting on my ass.
Resting. On. My. Ass.
My hands froze their ministrations and I felt his lips curve into a smirk against my stomach which had just gotten another plague of butterflies erupting into balls of fire. His hands continued their torturous movements leaving in their wake a trail of fire, singeing my skin. Then he grabbed.
Yes actual grab-age.
And I squeaked.
Actual squeak-age.
Holy fucking cupid on a arrow.
"You okay up there?" Zach smirked his eyes twinkling with mischief.
Whose eyes even fucking twinkle anyway?
Zach's own of course.
"I'm fine," I said quickly. He raised a disbelieving eyebrow at me.
"I'm fine, just dandy, peachy keen, one hundred percent a-okay," I rambled on as his smirk just grew wider. I was only adding fuel to the fire with my rambles.
Shit.
This is not good.
Not good at all.
Fuck my life.
Or me.
"Whatever you say Cam," he grinned before standing up, his hands staying firmly planted where they were. Now due to the fact that he was sitting, the body to body ratio was inevitably smaller but when he stood up the ratio became no ratio because he's right there. In front of me.
Oh sweet baby Jesus I can feel his abs. Shoot me stupid cupid.
"I'm gonna take a shower." And with that he walked away. But not before getting another handful of ass. I might have whimpered just a little as I watch his form walk away.
I can now infer from this situation of epic proportions that Zach is an ass man and it was now later than later and we still didn't have our talk which is bound to happen whether I want it to or not.
Tomorrow is another day.
And I am not looking forward to it.