New chapter! Sorry for the long wait! Enjoy! :)

~C

Message for the Chameleon.

Josh didn't noticed the nervous wringing of my hands or the way my eyes darted back and forth. It was the first time I wished Justine would make her appearance and I vowed it would be the last. Seeing your ex-boyfriend was incredibly awkward for normal cases though for me, it increased tenfold. Having my mother slipped my boyfriend, now ex, some tea that made him forgets everything that he saw and know, including the real me and the school's secret was not something out of the average dating handbook. I saw him from time to time a few years back but we kept it at that. A few pleasantries and hellos before moving on. Last I knew, he was seeing DeeDee, a close friend of his.

"Hi." I said again, somewhat stupidly.

"Hey." He reiterated, smiling widely.

"W-what are you doing here?" I asked, seeming to remember Josh lived back in Roseville, Virginia near the academy.

"Oh, I'm visiting relatives. And tagging along with my father to a pharmacists' convention." He replied grimly, lips thin and smile icy.

"That sounds...fun." I laughed, shaking my head. I knew how much he hated the fact that his dad wanted him to follow in his footsteps and own the family's business. A pharmacy store. I had given him some advice before our relationship crashed to talk to his father about his own choices in the future and to back off his life but I can see that it was ineffective.

"Wouldn't you know it." Josh rolled his eyes and I marveled at how much he's grown. Curly brown hair, brown eyes, tall frame and smothering glances. He filled out. He'd gained some muscles and his chest seemed bigger. "What are you doing here?" He asked, breaking my shameful inspection.

"Wedding dress shopping." I replied and instantly regretted it the second his face fell.

"You're getting married?" The words seemed to stick to the roof of his mouth.

I licked my lips. "My, uh, friend is. I'm the Maid of Honor." It's strange hearing the words coming fro my mouth. I hated it. It sounded foul and acidic. I still haven't come to term with the fact that I was going to be helping Justine plan the most important night of her life. It's more strange hearing me call Justine my 'friend.'

"Oh. Who is it? Macey, Bex, Liz?" His face seemed to brightened that I wasn't the one getting married. And I wondered if that should be taken as a compliment or an insult.

"It's not them. She's not really my friend. I was kind of forced to." I smiled ruefully.

He nodded thoughtfully.

"How's DeeDee?" I asked, changing the subject. In all honesty, I was kind of curious. His love life had to be better than mine.

"I don't know. We broke up a long time ago. She's married now, I think."

"Married?" I echoed, shocked.

"Yeah. Some guy from college." Josh shrugged.

"Wow." I blinked. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I–"

"Cammie?" Justine's sickly sweet voice rang out amidst the group of people milling around the strip mall. I glanced to my left and saw her picking her way over, a piece of paper in her hands. She was smiling and when she saw Josh next to me, the smile was replaced by a knowing smirk.

"That," I swallowed. "is my friend. Kind of. Not really."

Josh chuckled and nodded. "I see."

"Hi!" Justine chirped, slinging an arm around my shoulders.

I deftly ducked under her arm and took a step back.

"Who's this?" She asked, eyes wide and innocent-looking.

I felt sick.

"I'm Josh." Josh introduced, sticking out his hand for a shake. Justine placed her hand in his and gave it a slightly shake. But her fingers lingered a bit and I narrowed my eyes.

"Justine Martin. How do you know my friend, Cammie?" The tone she used when she said my name and our relationship was surprised and skeptic.

"We, uh, used to date. She's my ex-girlfriend." Josh replied awkwardly.

"Ex-boyfriend." I clarified. "We should get going!" I exclaimed, grabbing hold of her arm and dragging her away.

"Wait! Cammie, hold up." Josh shouted. He felt around his pocket for something and came up with a piece of paper and a pen. Scribbling something on it, he handed it to me, all folded up. "We should hang out sometimes."

"Yeah. Sure thing." I replied, smiling and nodding. I pocketed the note without looking at it and waved, stalking off.

"Wow." Justine said conversationally. "He's hot."

"He's off-limit." I spat, curling my hands into fists.

"Relax." She grinned. "I have Zach."

"Screw you." I growled, getting into the car and starting the ignition. Justine slid into the passenger and buckled her seat belt. Justine waved the slip of paper in front of my face as I reversed out of the parking lot. I swatted her hand away. "Do you want to die?"

She pouted and crossed her arms. "I picked my dress."

"Whoopee." I deadpanned.

"Wanna know which one?"

"Not really." I said, turning on the blinkers and coasting onto the highway.

"It's Vera Wang!" She squealed.

"I really don't care."

She continued her incessant blabbing until my grip on the steering wheel tightening. My knuckles turned white and my lips dried. I need her to shut up. Her voice was like knives to my heart. She talked about the flowers: white lilies and blood-red roses. The invitation theme: fancy and opal colored. The location and the entire schedule. It was deafening. Her voice gained volume until it rang loud in my ears.

I finally had enough. If she continued her talking, I would run the car off the highway and off the bridge. "Shut up!" I yelled. "Just shut up!"

…

"Zachy!" Justine squealed, launching herself at a smiling Zach, who caught her in his arms.

"Ew." I commented flatly, walking passed them.

"Oh, Zach! We saw Cammie's ex-boyfriend. What was his name? Josh!" Justine announced.

"Really?" Zach stared at me, eyes undecipherable.

"Why do you care?" I asked, shrugging. The piece of paper in my pocket burned.

I noticed Zach's best man, Jason, standing next to him. I caught his eyes and he shook his head slightly. I raised a quizzical brow and shrugged. Jason motioned for me to follow him and I gladly complied, wanting to get away from the damnable Zach and his psychotic fiancee.

"What's going on?"

"Something came for you." He sped up, turning the corner.

"What is it?"

Jason didn't say anything. He tapped his ear and then pointed at the foyer where Zach and Justine were still talking. Message received, I nodded and followed him as he started up the stairs. We entered my room and found Bex, Grant, Jonas, Liz, and Macey on the bed. They went silent as I walked in.

"Well?" I demanded.

"This came in for you." Liz spun her laptop in my direction and I sat down, pulled the device onto my lap and stared at the screen.

A message popped up: I'm alive, Cammie.

I stared, uncomprehending until the words clicked and my blood ran cold and I froze.

"It was sent to you from somewhere in Egypt. After a little more research, we learned that the base of Justine's operation is located in Egypt." Macey informed.

"I–" My mouth opened and closed. I wasn't sure how to respond. "You think my father's alive." It was a simple statement yet they held so much questions.

"It's possible."

The information finally kicked in and I breathed out a sob. Tears ran down my cheeks, creating rivulets. My father was alive. He wasn't dead. It could be a fix, a hoax, but I needed to know. If there's any chance that I can get a fatherly figure back in my life, a life devoted of a father's love, I'll take it. But the words swarmed in my head: I'm alive, Cammie.

He's alive.

That only fueled my cries harder. Times like these, I wished I had Zach. Back then, when I was depressed or sad about something, as stupid as it was, he would always comfort me. Now, I couldn't count of anybody. Except for a very limited group of people.

Another thought came to me. A thought I should have acknowledged before. But it didn't make any difference now. Though it did feel nice to admit: I need Zach.