Chapter Four

Foul Play

One year earlier…

Bex wasn't in any of my classes. It wasn't really a shock that I wouldn't have anyone that I had met so far to be in any of my classes, as that tended to be the luck I had. Or lack of luck, that is.

So there I was, stuck in Chemistry, knowing that the class itself would be terrible because I sucked at it. It was made infinitely worse because of Mr. Hunk And Tan sitting a few rows down. But I had a new resolve today. I would focus on the professor and the lecture and maybe meet some of the other two hundred students in the class.

Right. Sure, Cam, you try to focus. Let's see how that goes.

I roll my eyes at my own thoughts and pull out my laptop to take notes. I twist my long blond hair into a ponytail and take a sip of my café mocha. Yeah, I'm ready to kick the butt out of this class.

"Attention class," the professor says, the speakers making his voice loud and clear throughout the hall. "The final you will all be taking in December for this semester will be a group effort. I have assigned you all into groups of four and expect each of you to do your own share. If one of your members isn't, and you don't deal with it yourselves, too bad. I'm grading the project as it comes so you better deal with issues from the beginning."

The professor starts reading off the names of the groups and I begin to doodle Donald Duck in the corner of my notebook. Bex, a native of California, is taking me to Disneyland this weekend.

"At lab table 15 we have Cammie Morgan, Tina Walters, Josh Abrams, and Zachary Goode…" I stop doodling and put my notebook in my bag, sliding my glasses back up my nose.

Usually, I'm not the type to get lovesick over a guy. I've always been sort of a nerd, hiding behind my thick-rimmed prescription glasses and my long hair. But that was okay with me because I didn't need the attention. And honestly? I was just here to learn even if I was the only virgin college freshman with absolutely no social life. And that was perfectly fine for me.

Until I realized that his name was Zachary Goode.

His friend with the long black hair nodded at him as he grabbed his own bag and made his way over to our lab table. I made my way out of the aisle, walking down the steps carefully while keeping my eyes on him, my stomach fluttering.

Shoot, I was blushing and I couldn't do this. Nope! I'd just have to tell my professor that is sucked at chemistry and would have to take it, like, my senior year. Or never. Yeah.

I didn't see the guy with the USC water polo shirt jogging down the steps towards the lab table. While I took one last glance at Zachary and whipped around quickly to get out of the lecture hall, the blond haired boy flew past me, knocking into my shoulder and sending me backwards.

There was a chorus of "Oooh"s and "Ouch"s and I didn't know whether or not to cry or…well, I just wanted to cry.

But I didn't. I stood up and grabbed my bag and quickly made my way back down the stairs, my hair creating a curtain as I pushed my glasses higher up on my nose. After all that, I couldn't just leave. Even if I really wanted to, I didn't want to be completely defeated.

"Oh my God. Oh my…" I mutter to myself as I practically run the rest of the way down the stairs. I can practically feel the pity onlookers are giving me and I can most definitely hear their comments and laughter.

When I get to the lab table, I see the blond in the polo shirt and groan to myself while sitting in the stool.

"Oh, hey, sorry about earlier on the stairs. I didn't realize what happened until I was already over here. Didn't even see you! No hard feelings right?" he rambles with a cocky smile on his face.

"Uh, no," I say and finally realize that I'm sitting at the same table as Mr. Hunk And Tan.

Dear God, kill me now.

Zachary is sitting across from me, another blond girl I didn't notice before sitting next to him. He's looking at me with the same pity everyone else is. Jeez, I'm pathetic.

"Are you okay? That was a pretty nasty fall."

"I'm fine," I assure him, even though I'm lying because I already have a huge headache coming on. "I'm Cammie Morgan by the way."

"I'm Tina," the blond smiles with a wave and looks towards Zachary, "You must be the new freshman quarterback everyone's talking about."

Zach smirks and looks her up and down, "Yeah I guess. But you guys can just call me Zach."

"Josh Abrams," Water Polo guy says and leers at Tina as well. "So Tina, you from Cali too?"

"Sure am," Tina winks and looks back at Zach who's staring at her with that lazy smile I first saw on him.

After that first awkward introduction, the three of them started talking and with me being socially inept, I didn't add much to the conversation. So when class was over and I started packing up, I had every intention of at least saying goodbye.

Tina pulls the strap of her bag over her shoulder, waves at me and Josh and leans over and kisses Zach on the cheek, whispering something in his ear. Zach's smile widens and she grabs his hand, pulling him up with her and out of the lecture hall before I can even say a word. Josh glances at me and rolls his eyes-which I'm sure he thought I couldn't see-and quickly walks out of the room.

All of a sudden, I'm alone at the lab table, still wondering what the hell just happened and how in the hell did I get here?

^*9~6*^

Present Time

"Okay, you totally have to wear this blue shirt with those jeans," Bex throws a shirt at me as I'm putting my wig on.

Laughing at my roommate, I pull it on, "Thanks babe. So I was thinking that I should go to my general ed class as Grant…just to make it seem like he's attending his classes."

"Yeah, that's one thing I do not get. How in the world is he keeping his scholarship if he's not even going to classes?" Bex steps over to her closet and pulls on her knee high brown boots.

"He has his textbooks and I email his assignments…but the tests? Well, I don't know yet."

"Sounds complicated."

"Yep."

Sighing I plop down on the bed, my wig accidentally falling off.

Bex raises her eyebrows and motions for me to sit up, helping me pin it back in.

"Why are you doing this? I know why you want to help your brother, but I think it's taking a toll on you. I've never seen you so stressed."

I know the real reason why I agreed to do this for Grant, it's just a little embarrassing. Bex is the best friend I ever had, but I don't know if anyone could ever understand how I feel. After the past 19 years, I feel like I'm actually doing something unique and crazy.

"It's hard to explain. But I can do this. It's only for like another few weeks."

"What's gonna happen when you actually have to play on the field?"

"Not going to happen. I'm second string."

"So? They play second strings, too, Cam."

"I know! Okay, yes, I'm nervous I just can't think of what ifs right now. See you in class?"

Bex shakes her head, "Yeah. See ya."

^*9~6*^

"Hey Grant!" Zach jogs up beside me and asks, "You're in this class? Didn't see you here before."

"Uh," I was sort of blanking out, a lie not coming to my mind fast enough. Okay, so I was having flashbacks of Zach's back muscles from last night. Sue me!

"Hey let's go sit down!"

"Uh, okay," Zach narrows his eyes and I lead him over towards where Jonas and Max are.

"What's up guys? How's it going," I swagger over to a seat beside Jonas and smack his shoulder. I hold out my fist to Max and wait for him to bump it before I relax back against my chair.

"Okay," Jonas shakes his head and I know I'm totally failing at the whole 'homeboy' thing. "Anyway, Zachy boy here told us about his boundaries as far as condoms go."

Zach glares at Jonas, "Do not call me Zachy Boy."

"Fine, Sunshine, but back to the condoms-"

"You're so weird, Jo, stop teasing Grant about the condoms thing. It's not like he's using any."

"That might not be true," Zach smirks and nudges my elbow.

My eyes widen, probably very comically, and I blubber, "W-what do you mean?"

"Oh, you know, you hanging out with your sister in the girl's dorm. Or maybe the reason you visit your sister so much is because of her roommate?"

"Oooh, who's this roommate?" Jonas asks and I probably blush or something cause then he practically jumps out of his seat, "It is the roommate!"

"What's her name?" Max asks.

"Well, uh-"

"Her name is Bex," Zach recalls from our conversation the other night.

"She you girlfriend Grant? School has only been in session for a few days. You move quick, man."

"No, no, no it's not like that at all-"

"Hey Grant!"

I look over to see Bex heading towards me and feel the blood completely rush from my face.

"Bex, uh, can we talk later?"

Max, Jonas, and Nick all start whispering and chuckling next to me until finally Jonas slaps my arm and asks, "That's the Bex?"

"What? No we're not-"

Bex smiles and winks at me, "Hey Grant! Liking the blue shirt, looks sexy with those jeans!"

I step on her foot discreetly and chuckle nervously, "Thanks, but don't you think that you should go sit with your friends, like your best friend, who is my sister, Cammie?" I manage to say this through clenched teeth and motion with wide eyes and my head for her to scram.

"You don't have to leave just yet," Jonas says and continues to jam his elbow into my side.

"Yeah," Max says, "Don't you want us to meet your girlfriend?"

Bex freezes beside me and once the guys have their attention off of us I whisper, "I told you!"

"Girlfriend…Oh, right, girlfriend," Bex says to the group and then grabs my arm, "Can I talk to you for a sec, baby?"

The guys make catcalls behind me as I let Bex drag me to the side of the classroom.

"So why am I your girlfriend now?"

"They came to that conclusion when they heard I was with you and my 'sister' yesterday…and then there's the thing about the condoms and boundaries."

"Wait what?" I open my mouth to speak but she interrupts, "Never mind. I don't wantto know."

"This is getting more and more weird," I sigh and rub my face with my hands.

"Wait, this could actually work in your favor."

"In what way?" I ask incredulously.

"Well, if they think that we're dating, they won't question it if you come to my dorm room for you to change back and forth and whatever. Right? This could work."

Nodding, I smile and say, "Okay, this could work. Listen, you stall them while I go to the guy's dorm and grab some of Grant's clothes so I have back up clothes in our dorm.

"Okay, I'll stall."

So then I grab my bag quickly, letting the guys know that I'll be right back, and walk to the dorms.

Pulling out my second set of keys, I go to unlock the door, only to notice that it's already unlocked. Someone's broken in.

Softly closing the door behind me, I grab the umbrella from the closet right next to the door-although why we have an umbrella in Southern California I have no idea. I hold my makeshift weapon above my head when I hear the TV on in the living room.

"Whoever's here you better freaking explain yourself!" I yell in the manliest voice I can manage and notice a head with a baseball hat on resting on the back of the couch. I swing the umbrella at it as hard as I can.

"Ouch! Damnit!" the guy grabs at its head and looks up at me, "Damnit Cammie, I was sleeping!"

Holy shit.

"Grant?"

^*9~6*^

A.N. Sorry for this really late update. Life, SATs, APs, AP scores, College Essays, family, and summer school, and summer laziness got in the way! Forgive me! Plus, this chapter was hard to right. I swore to myself this wouldn't have angst or anything but then I started to right Cammie's freshman year and all of a sudden it's starting to feel angsty! I swear, my characters pretty much write their own stories. I'll try to keep it light but it will get a bit angsty!

Anyways, tell me what you think is gonna happen! Things are getting more and more complicated, and you guys finally get to meet Grant.

xoxo ~Akira