The sound of an alarm woke Cammie from a deep slumber. She slowly peeled her eyelids open and glanced around her room trying to get her bearings.

Grey, morning light was seeping in around her drawn curtains, but no light came from under her door. Her mind only registered the fact that the alarm was still going when she flung her legs out from under the covers and glanced down to see it waiting to be deactivated. She pressed the blue button and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Thrusting open her curtains letting the natural light fill the room rather than flicking a switch.

Grabbing a brush off the table she began to run it through her hair and putting it up into a high ponytail. Then she headed to the bathroom to wash her face and apply a thin layer of makeup. Finally she put on the outfit that Gemma had picked out for her.

It was a vintage cream skirt, a grey tank top with a matching thin sweater that finished at the same length as her skirt and grey, pleather boots that laced up in the front. Kicking a few things out of the way she shut the door to her wardrobe and took a look at herself in the full-length mirror. She had to admit, she looked pretty cute.

Paisley was sat at the kitchen table, wearing a lavender dress with pale grey ballet flats. She was tapping away at her phone and didn't look up when Cammie came in she just ignored her when she asked what time it was, and whether there was any coffee left. Cammie sipped her coffee and munched down a banana.

"You ready Paisley? Got everything packed?" she asked placing her mug in the sink. Paisley just sighed before nodding and left the room. She wasn't surprised by Paisley's actions, it was normal attitude. So she just brushed her teeth and checked through her school back, a brown leather satchel bag, which she had saved up all year to get. She no one else in school would have one; it came from England, the Cambridge Satchel Company. She shoved her phone into the front pocket of her bag, not bothering to see if anyone had tried to contact her, she knew they hadn't. Cammie buckled up the bag and slung it up on her shoulder.

"Cammie! Paisley! Let's move out!" George called to his girls as he grabbed the car keys off the hook. Cammie came down the hall first. She smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, something neither of his girls did often.

"Is it okay if I just go out?" she asked heading for the door.

"Sure sweetie, take the keys." He tossed the keys through the air and they clanked together. Cammie caught them easily and headed outside, breathing in the warm September air. She looked up and down the street; all of the houses looked the same. Perfectly manicured gardens, black roofs, white outside walls, the only difference was the door colour. The Haveryard's door was light blue, because that had been Mrs. Haveryard's favourite colour. The Pines had a hunter green, which Cammie had always found ironic; since their name was basically a green colour in itself.

The Knights had a sunset orange colour and Cammie always smiled when she saw it. Not only because of the colour, but it was Jace's door, not that that mattered to Cammie. The warm orange always made her think of him. She huffed and climbed into the passenger seat of the white Mercedes. In all honestly she preferred her mother's blue PT Cruiser, but it was in the garage and hadn't been used for four years. She washed it every Saturday and was grateful that it was her dad's old car that her mom had taken to go pick her up that night. The back door opened and Paisley's bag was tossed into the car, soon followed by Paisley herself.

Their dad got in and started the car. The car ride was silent, everyone had their own thoughts and worries and hopes about today. Cammie gazed out the side window, Paisley stared down at her phone, every so often she would glance at her bag, but then her gaze would return to the glowing screen. Geroge concentrated on the road. The middle school wasn't that far, but the high school was a fare distance, not un-walkable, but tiring.

The time passed quickly and before she knew it Cammie was kissing her father on the cheek and getting out of the font seat. She looked up at the school. Its weathered brickwork and iron railing that lead up the steps and created little balconies around the windows. The grass field to the right of the building had been perfectly cut and trimmed. The steps had been redone, she remembered last year, they were cracking and chipping, she was surprised that had lasted as long as they had.

She soaked it all up.

Everything was different, and everything was as it was. She took a deep breath and strode forward, up the steps, through the large wooden doors and into the school. Locker 322. Locker 322. Cammie just headed to the locker she had had sense freshman year, she had requested that she kept it, though it was uncommon for someone to be moved. That also meant that the same people occupied the neighbouring lockers. Locker 323. Locker 323. Someone's hand slammed into the locker next to Cammie's head. She jumped back only to bump into someone's chest.

"Ivy League!" her heart skipped a beat for a moment as she turned around to Ramsey Stone, the Ramsey Stone looking back at her.

His hazel eyes held a playful glint that Cammie had seen often, but it was never directed at her. The nick name was old, from middle school even, Cammie had worn her mother's old Princeton hoodie almost every day to school and Ramsey had teased her about it, but she always liked it when he called her that so she didn't mind.

At least, she didn't use to mind.

"Ramsey." she replied, turning back to her locker and emptying her bag of the books she wouldn't need for the day. She gently placed her diary and her mother's favorite book next to each other on the shelf.

"What? No hello?" he asked mocking fake hurt. Why would he care? They hadn't spoken in practically two years, give or take a few days.

"Hello." She said shutting her locker and attempting to side step him, but he only placed his other arm on the other side of her head so she was trapped.

He was tall, grown to at least 6 foot over the summer. His hair was thick, black and messy. He was wearing black jeans and a white t-shirt; it was half tucked in and half out. His red backpack slung over his shoulder casually, Cammie smiled, keeping her cool. Two years ago she would have been shaking and stuttering and her breaths would have been jagged, cheeks bright red, but she didn't like Ramsey Stone, she hated him, well as much as you could hate someone as good looking as him. He smirked at her and she looked over his shoulder to stop from blushing.

"Come on Ivy. Tell me about your summer. Did you miss me?" she sighed, trying to sound bored, when really she wanted to push him out of her way and run down the hall; to get as far away from him as possible, and to top it all off, it was only day one.

"Ramsey, why would I miss you? I have- had no reason to talk to you for over a year." the words hurt a little to say, but it was true, maybe that's why Ramsey, stopped smirking.

To him Cammie looked good, she always looked good but today she looked, well not really like Cammie, she was slimmer than last year, her hair was lighter from the summer sun and she seemed to have a figure under the cutesy clothes her knew he so well for. Unlike other girls in this school Cammie didn't just dress in ripped blue jeans and a black tank top. It was true he hadn't talk to her much sophomore year, or Junior year, but he didn't think she had noticed his absence in her school days. She had other friends, closer friends than he and her ever were. She hadn't made an effort to talk to him either.

"Well we're talking now." he added with a grin that showed off his slightly pointed canines that she'd thought were so sexy.

"Why is that?" Cammie asked, maybe if she was rude he would go away. It usually worked for Gemma. But Ramsey didn't remove his hands; he just leaned closer so his lips were by her ear.

"Because you look good Cam." That was it, her cool demeanour fell and her knees started to shake. Ramsey stepped back to see her face, she opened her mouth, but then closed it not having anything to say.

"See you around Ivy League." He waved her goodbye before turning and striding down the corridor. Cammie just watched him walk away. Her stunned expression quickly turned to confusion and then annoyance. Ramsey had always been rather complicated, a bad boy, always getting into trouble, but everyone knew that Ramsey had a messed up home life, even the teachers, which was probably why he hadn't been expelled yet. It was also the reason Cammie didn't hate him as much as she wanted to, but why did he suddenly want to be her friend again? Cammie shook herself from her thoughts before shrugging her shoulders and heading in the opposite direction to Ramsey.

Ramsey spotted his friend Grant digging through his locker and smacked him on the back

"Ramsey!" Grant smiled at his friend from kindergarten. They hadn't seen each other all summer since Ramsey and his family had gone to Bermuda for the whole break.

"Hey, how was the sun?" Ramsey asked as Grant returned to his locker.

"Good, you?"

"It was great, well as great as it gets for me." Grant understood what he meant. Ramsey's parents fought a lot and were workaholics, yes they went to Bermuda, but only so they could close some big business deal. Still, Ramsey's naturally olive skin was tanned to perfection after being on the beach all summer.

"Should have stayed with me." Grant said and Ramsey nodded.

"Next summer," he said as Grant shut the locker and therefore somehow closed the conversation.

✎

Cammie looked around homeroom, taking in who she would have to get along with this year, and surprisingly it wasn't a bad group. Gemma had texted her saying she would be a little late, but she was in Cammie's homeroom which Cammie was beyond grateful for. But then her best friend walked in, her armed looped through the brown hair, brown eyed Jace. She felt sick at the sight of them so close. She smiled back though because Gemma couldn't know that Cammie didn't like them together.

Why were they holding hands? She was confused and somewhat clammy at the sight of it.

They came over and sat down at the desks in front of Cammie- neither of them sat next to her.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, "Hey Gemma," she said leaning forward so her head was in between her two closest friends.

"Cam, you look so hot!" Gemma squealed and looked her friend up and down eyeing her own handy work. Cammie was wearing the outfit Gemma had chosen for her and she looked so sweet in it.

Cammie blushed and dipped her head as she caught Jace's eyes. "Umm, thanks?" Cammie murmured not sure what else to say to the complement that had been exclaimed for all to hear.

"Look out Madison High!" Cammie smiled at her friend's enthusiasm and butterflies bust into her stomach, but not good butterflies. She glanced down and saw that Jace and Gem were still holding hands.

And Jace still hadn't said a word to her. When she raised her gaze he was looking at her and Gemma, his brown eyes soft and warm. Cammie turned to him and smiled, heart almost stopping in her chest. Her first time looking at him, really looking at him, since he'd dropped her off two nights ago.

"Jace, you excited?" she asked hesitantly, he smiled so easily that it made her feel better instantly. Smiling always came easy to Jace, she didn't know why she had expected anything less.

She was being crazy. He wouldn't do that to her. They wouldn't do that to her. She'd been at the party with them both two days and they'd never said anything about being together. In fact they'd done what they could not to talk to each other. Gemma had even been hooking up with Jarred Linetta.

"I was born ready, Cam."

She scoffed at his ego, "Sure, like you weren't up crying last night because you're still shit at English." She offered him her best cheeky smile given the circumstances, he chuckled.

"I wasn't crying, I was pouting. And I'm not that bad at English. Not since you started helping me with my papers at least." Gemma and Cammie laughed, but when the teacher came in the room fell silent.

"Alright, how was everyone's summer?" Mr Bacchanal's voice rang out, his balled head and plump belly more prominent than ever.

Cammie tried to listen to what he was saying but it was just a load of nothing. She leaned forward again on the other side of Gemma so that she Jace wouldn't hear what she had to say.

"I thought you and Jace broke up before summer," she paused "Again."

Gemma and Jace had had an on and off relationship since they were 16, it was kind of annoying and kind of weird; her two best friends going out, but she pretended that she was okay with it. At least she had pretended for two years.

"We did," Gemma whispered over her shoulder and for a split second Cam breathed a sigh of relief, "But over the summer, I sent him a text and we met up and, here we are. I didn't tell you because it wasn't official until last week and well..." She trailed off and when it seemed like she wasn't going to finish Cammie sat back, having nothing else to say either. The bell rung signalling class was about to start.

Last week? But the party was only a couple days ago... Had Gemma cheated on Jace?

"What do you have first, Cam?" Gemma asked picking up her bag and taking hold of Jace's hand again. Cammie looked down at their intertwined fingers. Why? Why did Gemma have to do this? Make her the third wheel? Make it... awkward?

Why did she have to have Jace when she could have any boy she wanted?

Did she really not know anything about how Cammie felt about him? Was she that good of an actress that neither of her best friends had suspected anything for over two years of tears and suppressed feelings?

And why hadn't Jace said anything to her? Why hadn't he told her he was back with Gemma after Cammie told him she loved him?

"Cammie," Gemma clicked her fingers impatiently.

"What?"

"I was talking to you."

"Oh,"

Gemma smiled at her friend, "Cammie, you still didn't answer my question."

"Yeah, um, I have History,"

"So do I," said Jace with bright smile. Cammie pushed in between him and Gemma.

"Well then let's go."

Gemma opened her mouth to object but then just smiled and watched as Cammie dragged Jace to their lesson. She didn't mind that Cam and Jace were close, they had been friends long before Gemma came along, and a lot longer than Jace and Gemma had been dating, besides, Gemma trusted Cammie. It only bothered her a little bit that they lived next door to each other and would spend time together without her, but Gemma was Cammie's best friend and she knew that so she just ignored it.

✎

Jace smiled as he let Cammie drag him along to their first lesson. Her pony tail swayed back and forth as she weaved in and out of the students all trying to get through the halls; all the while her small hand gripped his, never loosening.

"Cammie, Cammie!" Jace laughed as she tried to pull him past the History room "Cam!" she stopped and turned her eyes were alight and excited.

"Yeah?" she asked Jace, he pulled her closer to him and looked towards the door with the little gold plaque reading '101: History'. Cammie followed his gaze and read the sign. She blushed a little, and then giggled.

"Oh, we're here."

"Yeah," he nodded and she looked back at Jace. For moment she thought he was going to say something to her. She prayed the he would. The longer they didn't talk about it the harder it would be to bring it up.

"Cam I..." he trailed off and another kid pushed between them to get through the doorway, "I don't want to sit at the front."

He let go of her hand and walked into the room not looking back at her. Not even a glance.

Her heart shattered.

She shrugged it off, not thinking about how he pulled her close a moment before. It was clear now what she had to do.

She had to convince herself of one thing now. This had to be made clear: Cameron Lane Haveryard did not love Jace Knight. Jace Knight did not love Cameron Lane Haveryard. This would be her mantra from now till the end of time, till both statements were true.

Cammie followed Jace into the class room; she glanced around searching for an empty seat, her eyes settling on one by the window, second row from the front. She didn't hesitate to go for it. Plopping her bag down next to the chair she didn't hear Jace trying to get her attention from the back of the room.

"Cam aren't you going to sit next to-" he stopped talking when he saw Liam Abrams making his way towards Cammie.

"Cammie," her head jerked up in his direction,

"Liam!" she smiled up at him.

His blonde hair was short and scruffy shaved close to his head, his chin was sharper than last year. Had he lost weight over the summer? Or just gotten rid of the last of his baby fat? He was wearing a pair of worn jeans and red button-down polo shirt.

Cammie had always thought he looked like he belonged on golf course.

"Haven't seen you in ages," He said with a pearly smile as she stood up and gave him a hug, her and Liam had become friends freshman year. Well, the type of friend that you never purposely see outside of class, but are happy to see when your schedules collide. He didn't hesitate to hug her back.

She pulled back, "Well, it has been two months I think."

"Yeah, well," she looked him up and down "You have changed over the past two months."

"So have you," Cammie blushed and wished people would stop saying that as she sat back down. "May I?" he asked gesturing to the empty seat next to her,

"Oh, please," she said getting her history text book out. Liam sat down just as the teacher came in.

"Welcome back everyone, I trust you all had a good summer break?" The students mumbled and nodded their heads. "Great, but it's time to get back to work. Turn to page 34 in your blue textbooks and we can get started."

At the end of the day Cammie shifted her bag onto her other shoulder as she headed out of the school doors. Her heart felt heavy. Jace didn't feel the same way she did. He'd made that blatantly obvious today. It also seemed like he was going to act like nothing happened.

He had run right back into Gemma's arms. Even after she had dumped him for the second time. Even after all the stress she put him through. They'd gotten back together and neither one of them had even bothered to tell her.

She didn't know how else to say it. She had been blind sided.