"When do you want to start this?"

"As soon as possible. Jace tried to confront me about everything this morning and I'm lucky I got away by being called to see Principle DeRosa. I can't survive another conformation like that one."

"Okay, as soon as possible. That works. I mean I was hoping to have more time to plan how we announce this but I can improvise." he said nodding his head more so to himself. It was a little evil villain in a comic book to Cammie and made her nervous. Ramsey turned his gaze on her with a smirk and she couldn't help but swallow hard. He had a wicked, playful gleam in his eye and she was stuck again by how quickly she regretted her decision.

"I'm confused though, why are you helping me? I thought, I mean yesterday you seemed angry. And you should be, I get it. I didn't exactly have the nicest things to say about you. I'm really sorry, I never..." she shyly looked up at him through her eyelashes, "I never intended for you to read those words."

Ramsey looked at Cammie's shaking shoulders and pink nose.

"Cammie, you shouldn't be sorry." Cammie sniffed and looked up at him, her eyes watery again. There were a lot of emotions in her.

"I shouldn't?" she asked uncertainly. Cammie didn't know what she should be feeling right now. She felt so many emotions running through her veins that she couldn't think straight, so many words she wanted to say. Ramsey shook his head, black hair tossing about in the wind.

"No, I don't have the right to be annoyed with you. I'm sorry."

She just stared at him with a puzzled expression, "You don't?" Ramsey tensed and took a deep breath to calm himself down. Here he was trying to apologize to her and she was just squishing it in the mud, without even realizing it!

He chuckled, "I mean sure it hurt to read those things. I was pissed and I wish I could unread those things." well not all of them, he though as his tucked his hand into his pocket to grasp the paper that described his eyes, "But last night I realized that I am certainly not the victim here. Or at least not the intended victim, just merely collateral damage."

"Really?"

"Look just take the apology Cammie, jeeze." He gasped, half frustrated and half amused.

Cammie forced a smile and nodded vigorously, "Thank you, Ramsey. I mean it. I'm not sure why you're doing this, but I'm just gonna say thank you for now."

Ramsey smirked, "It's fine, glad I can help. So we cool?"

"Yeah," she said, "We're cool." and Ramsey starts to take steps back, soft green grass squishing under his feet as he shoves his hands into the pockets of his dark jeans. Cammie just smiled shyly and watched him turn. She couldn't believe that he was being so nice. I mean sure he had shouted at her and made her cry... but after that he was very nice. He apologized and that wasn't something Ramsey, let alone any guy, did often.

She was suddenly overwhelmed by the whole thing. A moment ago she felt like she had no one in her corner, except maybe Principle DeRosa, but she didn't really count. Yet, Ramsey had clearly thought about her, about how this was making her feel and even though she thought his idea was terrible he was trying to help her. For moment when she looked at him she saw the Ramsey who used to smile at her in the halls Freshman year, who'd sit next to her in class whenever their schedules lined up. Before he began to ignore her.

With all of that in her mind she flung her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek against his chest.

"I really appreciate it." she said, her eye stinging with relief. Ramsey jumped back slightly, shocked at Cammie's actions once again. Slowly he put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her away gently.

And she was thankful. Up until now she had no idea how she was going to handle an future conversations with Jace and Gemma. As of now, she was pretty certain that the one diary entry she had written about Jace after the summer party was the only one that hadn't been printed. At least she hadn't come across it and it hadn't been in the pile that Jace had given her. She didn't know why but she was grateful. When he'd confronted her she had a feeling that she wasn't doing a very good job of convincing him there was nothing to worry about.

"Okay chill out there Ivy League," he said with a smirk on his face, her checks turned pink and he brushed them with his thumbs, "You're blushing Cammie." this only made her blush deepen and Ramsey chuckled.

"I know," she muttered to herself so softly she thought she might not have even said it at all. After this confrontation she thought her skin might never return to its natural color.

Cammie shivered again and Ramsey's gaze fell onto her bare arms, he shrugged off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders, warming her small body instantly as the warmth from his body seeped into hers. Cammie looked up at him skeptically a small smirk on her lips; He smirked back down at her.

"So," Ramsey rocked back on his heels in the interim of his thoughts, "If you want people to believe that we are in a relationship then we are going to play this up. We're gonna need a plan of action."

Cammie nodded in agreement and then pursed her lips, "We're gonna need some rules too."

"Rules?"

"Oh yeah, every fake relationship needs rules. It like... a part of the formula." It was a benefit of her reading career. She knew how fake relationships worked. She'd read the Love Hypothesis and To All the Boy's I've Loved Before. Rules were key. Sure, in those books the rules were thrown out the window, but she knew that Ramsey and her were not at risk of falling in love. She loved Jace.

She'd always loved him with all her heart. He had been there for her from the beginning. He'd held her hand at her mother's funeral. Jace had been there when she fell out the tree at the park and broke her wrist, sipping her tears away while they waited for one of the other kids to go get her parents. On this one thing she was certain, she'd always love Jace Knight. That was why she needed to do this, why she needed to make sure she kept in her life.

"What if it doesn't work?" Cammie blurted. Her heart needed it to work desperately.

"It's my idea Ivy League. It'll work. I'll make it work." There it was again. The cool cockiness of Ramsey Stone and while she usually found it frustrating, she couldn't help but think it would come in handy for what they had just agreed to do.

The bell rang and Ramsey grinned at her, "Meet here at lunch and we'll take the first step to get the ball rolling."

Dear Reader,

Ramsey's eyes look sad today and I can't help but think that it's tragic. His eyes are usually so bright. A beautiful misty forest of browns and greens just after dawn. I hope whoever he's going through doesn't dim them forever.

✎

Cammie was tucked inside of Ramsey's jacket under the Kissing Tree and waiting for him precisely 3 minutes after the start of the lunch period. Her stomach was grumbling loudly already and she was regretting not eating a more hearty breakfast and agree to give up her lunch hour.

Her hopes that this wouldn't last that long was being dashed each second Ramsey didn't show up. Her foot was tapping the ground impatiently by the time he rounded the corner a slight swagger to his step that got on her nerves considering how late he was.

She narrowed her eyes at him and he smiled before picking up his pace.

"Do you leave all your girlfriends waiting in the wind?" she asked. Usually she wasn't so snippy. She was quieter and she didn't mind that, but with everything going on she'd found herself in a little bit of a fouler mood that she normally was.

"Sorry Ivy League, Mr. Jameson kept us late because he started late." He said and she frowned because that sounded just like Mr. Jameson and therefore she didn't have a right to be mad. In fact, she was a little embarrassed by her initial reaction and blushed.

"Oh, um sorry I guess I'm just a little anxious. I mean I still don't really know why you're doing this."

"I told you I want to help."

"Well yeah, but you have to have your own motives, right?" she asked cautiously. She didn't want to pry but it did seem like something important that she should know.

"Don't worry about that, Cameron." he clapped his hands to gather as he stopped in front of her and rubbed them together eagerly, "Now, I was thinking: Go big or go home right?"

Huh? What did that mean?

Ramsey took hold of her hand and started to take her back into the school.

On second thought... Cammie didn't like the tone that Ramsey had in his voice, that mischievous glint was back in his eyes, the one she was all too familiar with. Whatever Ramsey had in mind Cammie wasn't convinced she wanted to be a part of it. Her heart was thumping in her chest; she started to chew on the inside of her cheek because she was afraid she would make her lips bleed if she bit them anymore.

Ramsey suddenly started to speed up, his shoes now slamming down onto the tile panels that made up Madison High's's floors. Her breath would catch in her throat when they passed someone. What if she made a mistake? What if she was the one who messed up their fake relationship? What if people didn't believe any of it?

"What are you doing?" she blurted out suddenly, Ramsey turned his head to look at her, a smirk present on his face, his hazel eyes glowing from the light shining in through the windows.

"You said as soon as possible right? Well, you owe me for this Ivy League." He said as he came to stop at the doors to the lunchroom. It seemed like a whole different world now. Everything was going to change when Ramsey opened those doors because Cammie could tell he had something planned. She was blushing and she didn't even have anything to be embarrassed about yet. It was like when someone throws something at you and you say ow before it even hits you. That instinct, human instinct, Cammie's instinct was saying that this wasn't a good idea, but she didn't want to back out, she had no other idea anyway.

"Owe you for- for w-what?" she stuttered in shock.

"For this," Ramsey scooped Cammie up bridal style into his arms and kicked the lunch room doors open. They banged into the walls, hitting the rubber bumpers that prevented the handles creating holes in the plaster. "Arms." Ramsey whisper and Cammie flung her arms around his neck. They were slim and pale and being hidden by the leather sleeves of Ramsey's jacket.

Everyone turned and stared. If you thought this morning had been bad, you didn't want to be there now. Mouths hung open in shock. Eyes were either wide with surprise or envy. Though no one really understood anything till Ramsey strode in towards his table of friends. He was completely unfazed by the stares and whispers and hundreds of eyes on him. Cammie however was shaking. When Ramsey came to a stop his eyes scanned the room searching for a face, the one that this was all about. If he wasn't here then this wouldn't have the impact her wanted. Cammie found him first though. Gemma and Jace were both looking straight at her. Jace look annoyed. She tried to mouth something to Cammie, but she couldn't understand, she just tightened her grip on Ramsey. She slowly sucked her cheek in again and gripped it with her teeth, trying to stay calm. Ramsey was only stood there in silence for a few moments, but it felt like years. He grinned at the crowd of people,

"I have an announcement to make," he stated clearly, his voice loud and playful, he looked down at Cammie and gave her a wink.

"Ramsey what are you-?" Grant tried to cut in, his friend looked crazy, insane really. Holding Cammie in his arms like that,

"Meet my new girlfriend. Cammie Haveryard." Cammie felt a metallic taste seep into her mouth. She had bitten her cheek and broken the skin. Blood coated her tongue. She couldn't smile; she couldn't look away from Gemma and Jace. She felt Ramsey's gaze return to hers, her heart rate spiked, "Can I kiss you?" she heard him mumble right next to her ear and she'd barely had time to register the slight nod of her head before his lips were on hers. Her eyes snapped shut as his lips moved against hers. An applaud started as people came out of the shock bubble that had encased the entire population of the room. Ramsey Stone was dating Cameron Haveryard. How could anyone doubt that now?

Grant's eyes widened in shock and he took a few steps back. Cammie Haveryard was kissing Ramsey in the middle of the lunchroom in front of everyone. His best friend was making out with the girl who'd spilled her guts to the school.

This was bound to make the gossip page in less than 5 minutes. Cammie daren't open her eyes as suddenly she started to kiss him back. When the thought hit her, she pulled away from him and just looked him in the eyes. His hazel gaze was glued to her blue grey one. Then she let her arms fall from around his neck and he let slowly lowered her to her feet. Her shoes touching done softly into the linoleum floor. Ramsey's hand was still burning into her hip when she turned to see Gemma stood up from the lunch table with her mouth hung open and look of pure surprise and shock in her eyes. Jace? Well Jace did not look happy.

Everyone was watching Cammie. Watching the two of them. She looked up at Ramsey and blushed.

"If you have a problem with her then you have a problem with me. Got it?" Ramsey added sternly referencing the sniggering whispers that had followed her like a shadow since yesterday.

"I'll see you later," and then she squeezed his hand before hurrying away.

"What the hell was that?" Grant asked as the hall erupted into chatter. Ramsey shook his head gently. Knight looked positively distraught while his girlfriend, looked totally bewildered. Ramsey's lips were tingling and his jack was gone, still around Cammie's little shoulders.

"You never tell me anything anymore!"

"What?" Ramsey asked absentmindedly.

"You're dating Cameron Haveryard and you never told me!" Ramsey tried to make it nonchalant, but he shot his friend a signature cheeky smile.

"Oh, that. Yeah it's not a big deal, so just chill." Ramsey said turning around and looking in the direction to where Cammie ran.

✎

People stared and whispered as she walked past. Their eyes looking her up and down, girls took note of what she was wearing and guys studied her soft features and small frame, her little legs carrying her as quickly as they could to the girl's toilets. Despite Ramsey's warning it seemed worse than before.

Although maybe it was better in the sense it wasn't about her Diary pages anymore.

Except, Cammie didn't know how to handle so many eyes on her. She had never had so many people watch her before. She was usually the one who was able to disappear into the crowded corridors like a fish into the sea, but not today. There was nowhere to hide and the fact that news travelled so fast made the whole situation even worse. Cammie's brain was whirling with thoughts and emotions. Now everyone thought her and Ramsey had some kind of thing, when she couldn't even stand the sight of him. And everyone didn't just include anyone, it included Jace and Gem, I mean she had kissed the most popular boy in the grade a whole 3 minutes ago and that was a life time ago compared to speed in which gossip moved at Madison High.

She had said she wanted to start as soon as possible, but this was... it was too quick. No one would believe it. Why had he done that? Why had she left Ramsey do that?

Frantically, Cammie reached the toilets, the green grey door slamming into the cracked tile wall before swinging shut behind her. She rushed over to the sink and turned on the tap as ice cold water sputtered out of the faucet, globules of water spraying onto her dress and sitting on top of the soft cotton fabric like little glass balls. Cammie's hands shook as she filled them with water and splashed her face, not caring if she ruined her makeup, before gripping the sides of the sink. The pressure made her fingertips and knuckles turn white enhancing the colour of the lavender, chipped nail polish left over from a few days ago. Little drops fell off her face and into the sink, some slightly grey from mascara.

"Calm down." She muttered as she dried her face with paper towelling and retrieved her tiny makeup bag from her satchel and reapplying some concealer to cover her dark circles again. The bell signalled she was late to Algebra 1. She wasn't about to miss another class.

When the bell rang, announcing that it was the end of the dayCammie jumped up from her seat, her books already in her bag as she hurried out of the classroom. Her palms were sweating; her lip was stinging from her biting it. She turned a corner and pushed through the crowds of people. She was about to turn again when nails dug into her and a hand yanked her into an empty classroom. Cammie squealed in shock and looked up to see a girl with flaming red hair and porcelain skin stood in front of her. She wore a pair of white skinny jeans and a tight, cropped beige turtleneck; a pair of knee high suede boots were surely cutting the blood circulation off to her toes.

"Cammie Haveryard." Alana spoke her name bitterly. Her nails had left little crescent moons on Cammie's forearm. Cammie looked over her shoulder to see two other girls stood by the door. Their names were Talia and Britt, but she couldn't remember which one was which. The room was a history classroom. Something Cammie thought was appropriate because she and Alana had a lot of history.

"Alana," Cammie said her blue grey eyes locked onto Alana's bright green ones. Cammie had always been envious of green eyes. Again, appropriate.

"Don't Alana me, you little weasel." She spat and Cammie resisted the urge to step backwards, not wanting to give the red head the satisfaction.

"I don't know what you mean." Cammie said trying to straighten her back, she heard snickers behind her from Alana's 'friends' if you could call them that.

"Don't give me that. You know what I mean. You think you can go after my Rammy?" Rammy? Really? Thought Cammie despite the situation and she cracked a smile, realising too late that was a bad move.

"You think this is funny?" she spits. She looked at the small blonde in front of her as though she was a pebble she had just got out of her shoe after a marathon. She looked so innocent, so cute as the guys called her, but Alana knew what Cammie was really like. She knew that this girl was rotting and putrid underneath that perfect skin. This little daddy's girl wasn't going to ruin her chances of getting back together with Ramsey.

"Alana, I don't want to fight with you. I'm sorry that you feel I'm trying to steal your ex-boyfriend." The cheek! The nerve! Thought Alana, she felt like her blood was boiling. Who did this girl think she was?

"We aren't friends anymore Cammie. This isn't a friendly conversation about crushes between BFFs." Cammie nodded as Alana took a step towards her, miraculously not falling over in her healed boots. She stared down at the 5 foot 2 Cammie.

"I know Al." Cammie said using the nickname she had used when they were younger.

"Don't call me that!" Alana yelled squeezing her eyes shut. They flew back open as Cammie took a step backwards not sure if she wanted to be so close to someone who appeared to unstable.

"Mark my words Cameron. Step away from Ramsey, he is going to come crawling back to me sooner or later. Please don't get in the way." Then she smiled and she couldn't help but blow a kiss at Cammie's puzzled expression and hurrying out the classroom with the other two girls behind her. Cammie couldn't really comprehend what had just happened. She remembered that Alana had been a bit controlling and ran a bit hot and cold when they were younger, but it seemed to have gotten worse now that her hormones had kicked in. It was because of Alana and Cammie fighting that her mother died and that was one of the longest conversation they had had in a while. Cammie shook her head, taking a moment to try and calm herself down and clear her head before she went back into the hall. She stared at her reflection in the glass of a portrait on the wall. It held the Principle's photo.

She didn't know where Ramsey was now, probably headed home, she would have to ask and ask him to talk privately soon. Things were already more complicated than she expected them to be.