As we were about to walk across the street I heard Zach yell after me, "I meant what I said Cammie, I'm not giving up, not on you Gallagher Girl, not ever."

As we walked across the street I couldn't help but think about what Zach had said to me as we left.
What the hell did he mean by he wasn't going to give up on me. Just that dumb ass, he's not going to give up on you. No matter how much you push him away. You know what I shouldn't bother fighting with you… Why because you know I'm right? No because there is absolutely no point in arguing with a crazy person! I'm you smart one, so that means that if I'm crazy then so are you. This conversation is over.

I blocked out the tiny voice before it started to annoy the shit out of me again. That's when I realized that there was another voice that was trying to get my attention and was also becoming very agitated. "Cammie! Get your mind out of that alley-way and back to now." I grabbed Macey's wrist before her open palm made contact with my cheek. "Alright there was absolutely no reason for you to try and hit me."

"I'm sorry Cam, but where the hell were you? We've been trying to get answers out of you since we walked across the road, away from the alley way…and that douche bag. What happened back there?" I tried to think up something to say. Whether or not I should tell them what he'd said. I must've been lost in thought again because all of a sudden Bex had grabbed my arm to stop me in my tracks and told the others to go on. Once they'd moved a reasonable distance away were they wouldn't be able to hear what we were saying. "Cam, look…I heard what Zach said to you as we left the alley. And honey you really shouldn't think about it so much. We all have different opinions about Zach. Most of us think that he isn't worth the pain. The rest…think that he's worth the pain, the heartbreak because the two of you belong together, and that when you're hurting, he's hurting just as much."

I tried to hold back the tears welling in my eyes. "Sound like…you believe that he's worth it." Bex looked apologetic as she pulled me in for hug. "I'm sorry sweetie, it's just. I saw the look in Zach's eye when he had you pushed up against that wall. Sure there was a whole lot of lust but there was a lot more of something else too…love. And I, I honestly think that he loves you and that he's sorry for the things he said that day, that he had an ulterior motive for saying what he did. But hun, listen to me, I'm not saying that you should just take him back because to be really honest with you, he doesn't deserve that. He may be worth the tears in the end but at the moment he doesn't deserve any special treatment from you. Not now."

I pulled back from her gripping her arms but not so tightly to leave bruises. "Then what exactly do you expect me to do? He's not going to leave me alone, I know that he won't, he's not the type of guy to give up on something if he sets his mind to it." Just thinking about him never leaving me alone gave me mixed feelings. The thought overjoyed me and scared me shitless at the same time. "Yes well I have a plan, which I will reveal to you and the girls once we're back at the mansion. You know, away from prying-lip-reading eyes." Then she starred at a point behind me, I looked at the reflection in a glass window behind her. In the reflection I saw him.

Zach.

He was staring back at me as if he knew that I was staring through the reflection back at him. I looked away and back at Bex. She took her hands from my shoulders and grabbed my hand, pulling me away from the crowds and towards the bus that would take us back to mansion. "Isn't it a little early to be heading back? We're not meant to be leaving until five."

"I know, but I asked Mr. Soloman if there would be any buses going back earlier for students who didn't want to spend the whole day in town. I knew that you and Zach would end up in some kind of altercation and I wanted to be sure that we'd have some kind of speedy escape route should things go terribly wrong. Anyways, he said that there would be a bus waiting for us when ever we needed it. He…also may have worried that something like this would happen."

"Isn't this a little bit unfair? He's giving me special treatment just because he's my god father. I'm sure there's something in the rule book about that." Bex looked at me as I'd suddenly lost my mind. And who knows? Maybe I had, and I just didn't know it yet. "Cam it's not special treatment and you know it. He's not giving you the answers to a test or letting you out of a punishment. He's taking care of you, just as he would any of the other girls if they were hurt."

"I'm not hurt Bex, Zach wouldn't have physically hurt me, he knows what would happen if he did."
"You know what Cam?"
"What?"
"Just get in the damn bus so that we can get back." She meant it seriously but said it with a laugh and a smile, gently pushing me into the bus. I laughed and took my seat. The seats around me were filled with Macey, Liz and Bex as well and a few of the other girls who had been on the Mall Mission with us. Uncle Joe was in the driver's seat and when I entered the bus he turned around to look at me. His face was stone and to the normal observer his eyes would appear uncaring but to me they didn't. They were full of worry but before he could ask me if I was okay, I smiled reassuringly and nodded.

Understanding he turned back around and waited for the last of the girls coming home early to climb on board before he shut the door and drove back to our home away from home.

"Alright so this is what we're going to do," and Bex went on to explain the plan. We'd already checked the bedroom and bathroom for bugs as well as the hallway. Now we were sitting on the floor between my bed and Macey's. When Bex finished explaining we all sat there in shock for a minute. "Um, Bex I really don't think that that would be a good idea."
"Why Cammie, it's perfect. You'll get the point across without actually giving to confront him which would give him the opportunity to corner you."
"Thank you Liz…but no, I can't sing. Not even when no ones watching."
"Alright Cam, that's a lie and a half. I hear you singing all the time when you're listening to you iPod. You probably don't even realize that you're doing it because when ever we look at you, you always look confused as hell."
"Alright then Mace, maybe I do sing sometimes, but what I meant was that I can't sing musically, not physically. I'm not good at singing."
"Again you're lying. Or maybe you're not lying and you're just wrong."
"Look, Bex, I really appreciate what you're trying to do but isn't there something else we can do? Something else to give him hell."

"Oh my God, Cam! That's it, that's another song that you can sing."
"What are you talking about Liz?"
"Gives You Hell, it's by The All American Rejects. You'll understand when you listen to it, but it's about a guy who's girlfriend cheated on him and he hopes that when ever she thinks about him, sees him or walks by him that it gives her hell. We can change some of the lyrics so that it applies to a guy instead of a girl."
"Oh Liz that's perfect. I was thinking of having her sing that song by Demi Lovato…umm Don't Forget."

It was like I wasn't even needed in this conversation anymore. I leaned against my bed post and closed my eyes, hoping to have a nap while they finished coming up with my song list. No matter how much I fought against this plan I knew that it was a losing fight. They'd strip me down, shower me, then re-dress me themselves if I didn't co-operate. We'd all feel extremely awkward but they'd still do it.

"Alright Cammie, we've got three songs that you can sing. We'll probably have more by tonight but for the moment I want you start practicing. Here's my iPod I've created a playlist called 'Cammie's Songlist'. The lyrics are there for each song, read them while you listen, it'll help you memorize." Macey handed me her iPod before moving off towards my wardrobe, probably to get an outfit ready for tonight. Tucking the iPod into my pocket I left the room and headed down the hallway till I reached a passageway hidden by a wall hanging. I pushed the hanging aside and stepped through, before it could fall back though, something grabbed my arm and pulled me back out of the passageway.

Reacting on instinct I grabbed the wrist of the hand holding my arm and pressed on the nerve, jerking the arm around behind their back I pushed my attacker into the wall, their face turned so their nose didn't break. Spinning them around I put my other arm to their throat and pushed them to the wall again, their back connecting with the stone this time. I kept pressure on their throat and looked up at their face. That's when I knew who it was. "Zach, what the hell are you doing?" I took pressure off to allow him to talk. "Cammie, I wanted to talk to you," I pursed my lips in mock thought for a moment. "Hmm, yeah not good enough. I told you too leave me alone. I want nothing to do with you." I tried to control all the tell tale signs that I was lying; pupils changing size, pulse quickening. The look in his eyes said that he didn't believe me, but I didn't need him to believe me right now, I'd worry about that later, for now all I need is for him to leave me alone.

"Cammie, if you really believe that then –"
"Then what, Zach?" I cut him off. It was more of a threat, an 'I dare you to finish that sentence,'
"You know you look beautiful when you're angry." My anger dimmed slightly before flaring up again with a vengeance. I grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him forward and he came away from the wall willingly enough, probably thought that I was going to kiss him. Stupid. He realized his mistake when I slammed him back against the wall, my arm was still at his throat and his head banged against the stone wall behind him. His face scrunched in pain and his eyes close instinctively. "Leave me alone Zach. Just leave me the hell alone." Without waiting for him to open his eyes or even reply I ducked back behind the wall hanging and down the passageway. There was an alcove in the wall. Practically invisible in the dark, even with a torch it's nearly impossible to see. I ducked into it, pushing my back flat against the wall.

Listening carefully I heard the curtain being pushed aside and the almost silent sound of footsteps running down the passageway. I held my breath as he ran past my hiding place, not daring to breath incase he heard me and stopped. If he did then I'd be trapped in this alcove. I was fast and got the upper hand before but he would be prepared this time. He let me get the upper hand, he'd wanted me to do what I did. I waited until I was at least somewhat sure that Zach was gone before exiting the alcove and heading back the way I came. I couldn't go practice where I had been first planning too, there was too much risk that Zach would find me.

Less then ten minutes later I found myself up in the pigeon tower. Locking the door behind me I scanned the room. There were empty bird cages scattered around the edge of the room. Taking the iPod from my pocket I tapped the screen and the iPod came to life. Going to the playlist screen I found the one with my name on it and tapped, the first three songs were Don't Forget, Gives You Hell, and Here We Go Again. After listening to all three of them once through I decided that the two Demi Lovato songs didn't really send the message that I wanted. They were more about how much this girl loved her guy no matter how much she tried to get him out of her head. I wanted to make him feel like crap, not tell him how much I loved him. Not that I do.

Of course not, we can't have little Cammie Morgan falling for big bad Zachary Goode now can we? That just wouldn't be right. You know what? You need to be quite now. Blocking out the little voice I searched through Macey's iPod until I found a Ke$ha song Kiss and Tell, which I liked, and Raise Your Glass by Pink. It didn't fit with the other two but I thought that if I had to sing at this karaoke night I might as well sing a song for me and my girls as well. After adding the two new songs to the playlist I started to learn them, for whatever reason Macey had the lyrics included for every song for which I was grateful. She was right when she said that reading the words while listening to the song helped to memorize the words.

Hours passed without me realizing. By the time I looked at the time again three hours had passed, it was past lunch time and I was hungry. I decided to sneak down to the kitchen and grab some food, that way I could avoid Zach if he was in the dining hall. There were a series of passageways which I could take that would throw even an experienced spy of my trail but I chose the most direct route to the kitchen on account of my stomach was now roaring at me. Once there I greeted the Head Chef who offered me a seat at the island in the middle of the kitchen. We chatted for a bit while he put together an amazing chicken sandwich and some cookies. Most of the school was still in town and wouldn't be back until just before dinner so Chef didn't have much to do for lunch. He set a few things out for those who were back and wanted something to eat but it was basic. No need to throw together a grand feast for only a handful of people.

While I ate he started getting things prepared for dinner and we talked. We chatted about what he did over his summer break (competed and won an international televised cooking competition) the new improvements to the school, and also our new students. He warned me about a few of the boys who he'd seen causing trouble and appreciated that he was looking out for me even though he knew that he didn't have too. I may be the headmistress' daughter but none of the staff were under any obligation to look out for me so when they did it meant they cared. By the time I noticed the time again two more hours had passed and the rest of the students would be returning in another hour or two. Bidding goodbye to Chef I left the kitchen, again through the secret passageway and went from passageway to hallway, going back and forth until I finally got back to my room.

I'd been listening to the iPod as I made my way back to the room, learning the songs and being sure of the words, singing along in my head. When I opened the door to my room I saw something that I really wasn't expecting…

…..

…..

…

.

…

…..

….

Zach.

Alright, no it wasn't seeing Zach that surprised me. Actually it was more something that I was expecting, seeing Zach, I'd actually been expecting for him to pop up when I was walking back here. It was that he was in our room, and my friends weren't ripping him limb from limb. And I know that Macey really wanted too. Bex was mad but she still thought that we should be together, and Liz…well I wasn't really sure of where Liz stood on the subject. But whereas I didn't know where Liz stood, I sure as well knew where I stand. And I stand on the side of throw him out the window and deal with the consequences later. However instead of following that course of action I slammed to door loudly, making everyone in the room jump in surprise.

They'd all had their backs to the door and so hadn't seen me come in, they should've heard me but I guessed that they were too involved in their conversation with Zach. Alright, that just ain't cool. They're supposed to me on our side, not conversing with the enemy. Calm down there tiger. Why don't we find out what's going on before we jump to conclusions.

"Why are you here Zach?" My friends and the person in question stood there staring at me. They knew that they'd been caught doing…what ever it was that they were doing. And they were in trouble now. "I wanted to talk to you. When you weren't here I decided to wait until you got back and we all got talking." I glared at my friends, why hadn't they kicked him out? God only knows how many bugs he's planted without them noticing. I'm not saying that they're bad spy, hell no, they're some of the best in our year, hell our school but Zach is sneaky. Once he'd gone you sweep the room, check for anything suspicious. Good idea 99.

"I told you to stay away from me Zach, multiple times." I kept my face blank, making sure to not show any emotion, and not letting my tone give away anything but anger. "And I told you that I wasn't going to give up on you." He took a step towards me and I took a step back, we continued this until my back was against the door. I looked to my friends for help but they just stood there. Zach was now right in front of me. So close that if I reached out I could touch him. He took another small step forwards and brought his mouth to my ear. I was frozen, not knowing what to do.

"I'm not going to give up. Ever. I promise you that." He took something from his back pocket and pressed it into my hand, "Read this once I'm gone. Please." He begged me. I wasn't going to promise him anything. He didn't deserve it. Not now. I averted my eyes and looked towards the bathroom door. I heard Zach sigh in front of me and before I knew what was happening he'd leant forward and pressed a kiss to my forehead. He pulled me away from the door, but not into his arms like I'd expected he would. "Till later Gallagher Girl," then not daring to stay longer I'm guessing, he ducked out the door, closing it again behind him.

No one said a word. No one even moved for exactly one minute and 45 seconds. I didn't understand what was going on, all I knew was that my friends had been talking to Zach and I didn't know what about. I trusted my friends, but Zach was another matter. He was sly, deceiving and sneaky. He could get info out of almost anyone without them realizing. Who's to say that he didn't try to get information out of my friends?

"Cammie, look, nothing was going on. He seriously just came up here to talk to you then when you weren't here he wanted to stay and wait for you. We tried to get him to leave but he wasn't going anywhere." Liz tried to reassure me, but it wasn't working. "What were you talking about when I got here?" Their eyes looked anywhere but at me. "Guys stop making it seem worse then it is." Macey stopped and took a deep breath before continuing. "We were talking about you. He wanted to know if you still had any feelings for him aside from anger. He used to be sure that you did but he's starting to doubt himself. We didn't tell him anything, I promise. "

How can Zach doubt himself? How can someone like him doubt himself? "Thank you, I do believe you, it was just a bit of a shock to see him sitting here, talking to all of you, as if it was normal, as if he was just waiting for me to get back from classes, as if we were going to go for a walk or something. It just freaked me out, that's all." They all came over to me and threw their arms around me. I hugged them back tightly and we stood there for exactly one minute and fifty five seconds.

After disentangling myself from my friends, I started sweeping the room for bugs. I found three just sitting out in the open, one on the lamp shade by my bed, one on the windowsill another one on the headboard of my bed. They were there to throw us off. But I knew that the others would be better hidden. Unfortunately for Zach I'm not an idiot and neither are my friends. We all searched the room and came up with five more bugs.

One was in the bookshelf, hidden among the books, another was on the clock face, right in the center. The third one was on the lampshade by Macey's bed but it was better hidden then the one which had been on mine. The fourth one was on the door handle and the last one was attached to the back of the photo frame on my bed side table. "Now we can talk a little more freely. You know without them listening in." Then without waiting for them to…well do anything, I took the bugs to the bathroom and flushed them down the toilet. Going back into the main bedroom I faced my friends, "So when are we going to do this thing?"

I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in so long. School let out a month ago for the summer but everything has been so busy, especially during the last few months of school. However I'm going to try and get back on the ball with my stories. When I'm in the mood to write the chapters then I'm going to write as many as I can get out, then post them, just not all at once. You may have noticed that this chapter is Karaoke Confessions Pt1 so yes this is going to be a Part 2. I just wanted to give you all a little something to work with here, tide you over till the next installment. Which is in progress by the way.

Shadow Wolf