Up to No Goode

Chapter Fifteen

That night, in the dorms of the East wing, I felt restless. Too much on my mind I guess. I walked down the Grand staircase and turned left into the entrance-way of the mansion when I heard footsteps.

Quickly, I flattened myself against the banister. It was a girl walking towards a large stone fireplace... and disappearing inside of it.

Cammie.

I walked towards it, and I waited. For a long time. Something they don't tell you about being a spy- how much of it is really observation. Remaining idle.

Just as I was about to leave, I heard the sound of footsteps. I walked up to the fireplace. "So the tours closed huh?" I said trying to be cool. Unfortunately it was a bit too cool. She darted up so fast her head hit the mantle. Hard.

Shit.

"Ow!" Cammie cried, clutching the back of her head "What are you doing here?"

I had just stayed waiting there for HOURS. There were many reasons why I was there, none of which I could tell her. Afterall, spies don't make a living on honesty.

"Come on" I said, ignoring her question. I moved my hand behind her head where a small bump was forming "You'll live"

She looked at me, completely taken aback. "You're being nice"

"Don't tell anyone." I crossed my arms and nodded my head toward the stone wall she just appeared from. I smiled as I said "so... did your bugs hear anything interesting?"

She just stood there. Staring. Blackthorne really needed to update it's body language courses, because nothing we'd learned there had prepared me for Cammie Morgan.

"What is it Gallagher girl?" I asked. Why were girls so complicated? " No snappy comebacks? Nonexistent cat named Suzie got your tongue?"

"How do you know about Suzie?"

I pointed to myself. "Spy."

Moonlight filled the room, bouncing off the walls, slicing between us and I noticed then how beautiful she was. Cobwebs stuck to her hair, a streak of dirt on her cheek. I found myself leaning closer and closer. I reached out to touch her face, and I moved a strand of hair from her eyes.

And then, suddenly, I yanked my hand back. It wasn't fair to Cammie. It was only a matter of time before she found out the truth about me, about blackthorne, about my parents. And then, she wouldn't love me. She couldn't, with a past like mine, what they're planning.

Suddenly, I feel the sudden urge to tell her. To tell her about my past, about what Dr. Steve's doing, why I hacked into the Gallagher files and how I let her slip through my fingers. I'd tell her and maybe she'd understand and love me anyway.

"Why don't you ask me about it? about them?" I asked, my eyes falling to the ground. I look back up at her, her beautiful blue eyes meet mine. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours"

I stood there, remembering that night in Rome. The screams of the agent who never came home. The last time I saw my mother.

"It was a mission" she said "Four years ago my dad went on a mission... no one knows what happened."

Four years ago I was in Rome.

I could hear the screams. I could hear my mom talking to... agent Morgan.

I stare at her, realizing for the first time, who her dad was. I feel like I'm going to be sick. My mom killed her dad. I killed her dad.

Cammie can never know about this. I can't tell her who my mom is, what she is. I can't ever tell her the truth about me. She'll never look at me the same way again. And suddenly, I'm angry. Of all the girls I could have fallen in love with. Of all the years the exchange could have happened. Why did everything lead up to this moment?

"someone knows." I said, Instantly regretting my words. But they're out there and I can't take them back.

There are a lot of things I can't take back.

Her face falls. "What?" She asks "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that someone knows." There's an edge to my voice now, and I know I'm close to crying. " I'm saying you shouldn't act like there aren't any answers because you haven't taken the time to look for them."

"What am I supposed to do zach? I'm just a-"

"Just a what?" I asked. She goes to the best school in the world, her mom is a living legend. Joe would do anything for her. " Just a girl? I thought you were a Gallagher girl." I shrugged and shook my head. Then, I walked away.

I went back to my dorm, thinking of my mother and how disappointed she would be to see me right now.