A/N: My apologies for the wait! I hope you like it :) CUTIEPIEAMY MADE ME LIKE TWELVE THOUSAND COVERS AND I LOVE THEM

Chapter 13: Sweet as a Cupcake

I stood outside the coed dorms, wondering if what I was doing was right. I was about to intervene in Ginny's love life, something she'd warned me to stay away from.

"Hey, Charlie, is it?" a girl in my English Lit class, Fiona, called. "What are you doing here?"

I smiled broadly, thankful to see a familiar face. "I'm just looking for Zach. Do you have any idea where he could be?"

"Well, I think his dorm number is twelve, I'm not sure if he's in though." Fiona looked at me worriedly. "Why do you need him, Charlie?"

I smiled. "I just need to pass on a message from Ginny."

"Oh. Okay. Well, be careful, alright? Zach's been drinking a lot lately, causing a freaking zoo in our dorm."

I nodded and waved goodbye. I knew Zach loved drinking, but was the reason for his overconsumption because of my best friend? I'd have to find out.

People stared at me as I walked through their dorm. I stayed in the girl's dorm at all times, but I'd been in the coed one before. It was a lot bigger, but smelt like men. Not even attractive men, like Ben, but like sweaty undergraduate men.

I knocked on the door marked 'twelve' and heard an unintelligible groan from the other side. "If that's you, Reina, go away!"

I winced. "It's not Reina," I said softly. "It's Charlie."

Ginny and Zach had 'dated' for the better part of a month, longer than I'd ever seen either of them before. Zach had come from my old high school and we were good friends, which was how he met Ginny. She and Zach didn't start dating until this month, though.

The door opened, revealing a shirtless Zach with week-old stubble and a disgruntled look on his face. "Why is it that you take forever between your visits to me?" he grumbled.

I smiled at him and pushed past into his room. The place was a mess - clothes everywhere, bed in disarray, bottles and pizza boxes cluttered on the desk. "Nice place," I commented.

Zach groaned again and slammed the door shut, shuffling over to stand next to me. Even though he smelt like he hadn't taken a shower in a couple of days, I hugged him. I had been so busy that I hadn't talked to him in couple of months, and I'd missed him. He was like a big brother to me.

His arms squeezed me gently and I saw his face light up. "Missed you, pest," he said.

I let go and patted his chest. "Missed you too, now go take a shower, you smell kind of like you've been sitting in a dumpster."

Zach never argued with me, because everything I told him to do was for his own good and he knew that. He grabbed some clothes from his closet before shuffling away.

While he took his shower, I gathered up all the rubbish and threw it in a big, disposable bag. Then I took all his discarded clothes and dumped them into his empty laundry basket. I had to pinch my nose because the place smelt disgusting.

I took a bottle of air freshener from my bag, always fully prepared when it came to Zach. It seemed like every time I visited him, his room got more and more nasty. He was so lucky that he didn't have a roommate, otherwise the poor guy would've died from the stench.

When Zach entered, his dark hair dripping onto his blue shirt and looking refreshed, his carpet was somewhat visible. I smiled at him from where I sat on his still messy bed. "Hey, Cheesehead," I said. "I did a little cleaning, but you better do the rest, okay?"

He smiled at me. "Thanks, Charlie."

I nodded and patted the spot next to me. "C'mere, Zach."

"I know that face. What have I done this time?"

I beckoned to him and he came and sat down next to me, making the bed dip. "Zach," I began seriously. "Do you like Ginny? Because if you do, I need you to please go fix whatever you did. She's my best friend," I said gently.

"She doesn't like me, Charlie."

I grinned at him.

He blinked, huffing out a confused breath. "I mean...she doesn't, right? I thought she hated me and just liked the sex."

I coughed awkwardly. I didn't like picturing my old best friend and new best friend doing anything. "Why don't you find out? If it gives you a hint, she's been kinda down since you broke up with her."

A small smile blossomed on his lips. "Are you sure?"

I patted his shoulder. "I'd give it a go. She might punch you a few times, but she's worth it."

Zach rested his elbows on his thighs and turned his head to look at me. "Okay," he said. "I'll try."

I nodded and stood up. "Don't hurt her, Zach," I said. I did something very out of character and grabbed his collar, bringing his face close to mine. "You make her cry again and I will kill you," I whispered. I let go of him and waved. "Bye, Zach."

"Bye, Charlie," he said weakly.

I skipped to my next lesson, a smile on my face. I couldn't wait until Zach talked to Ginny.

***

The door to Ginny's and my room slammed open, and I was greeted with her completely red face. I sat up in my bed, my lips turning up at the sight of her pissed-off face. She was so funny when she was mad.

Ginny stalked towards me. "Charlie," she said darkly.

I stood up. "Yes, my wonderfullest bestest friend ever?"

"Did you or did you not talk to Zach about getting me back?"

I edged around my bed, my smile not dropping. I knew she would be mad because her pride was the most important thing to her. She never wanted to feel like she needed someone to do her work for her. But I'd rather her be happy than lonely.

"As a matter of fact, I may have done something like that," I said.

"Well, Charlie," she said. "I need you to do something for me."

"Yes?"

"Run!"

I yelped and pelted out of the room, dodging around the girls in our dorm. Ginny chased me, yelling things that I'd really rather not repeat.

I ran outside and glanced over my shoulder to see her slowing down. I may not have been the most athletic girl around, but I was a mite more fit than Miss Couch Potato. Because I was too busy laughing at her sweaty face, I didn't notice when I was about to hit someone until I slammed into their chest.

The person grabbed my arms before I could fall and I smiled a dazed smile. "I'm so sorry," I said, and then looked up. "Oh, hey Ben!"

Ben looked at me in annoyance and set me upright. "What are you doing, Lottie?"

I peeked behind me and squeaked, twisting in his grip until I was hiding behind his back.

"Lottie-"

I hushed him and waited for Ginny to race past us. Because he was much larger than me, he hid my entire body. I heard her heavy breathing as she approached Ben.

"Hey, jerk!" she called. I giggled and bunched his shirt under my fingers, pressing my face into his back.

I felt him stiffen and giggled again. "What do you want?" Ben asked her - and quite rudely, might I add.

"Have you seen Charlie? She was just here."

I whispered, "No," into his back, hoping he'd hear me.

"No," I heard him say, and I sighed in relief. Ben's back stiffened even more and I waited until I heard her footsteps jog away.

"Is she gone?" I whispered.

"Yes, you can let go now," he said, his voice oddly strained.

I slowly let go of him and he turned around, his expression tight. I smiled gently. "Thanks for hiding me!"

His face twisted into a strange grimace and his hand reached behind him to smooth out the crumpled fabric of his shirt. "What were you doing?"

My smile became turned sheepish and I scratched the back of my head. "Well...I kinda sorta...set Ginny up?"

Ben looked at me funny. "So why is she so mad? You didn't pick some creepy, ugly guy did you?"

I laughed. "Of course not! It was her ex-boyfriend."

He rolled his eyes. "That's even worse."

I shook my head earnestly. "No, they really like each other, Benny. I couldn't let them just wallow in self-pity!"

Ben stared at me for a minute, and I could've sworn I saw affection in his eyes. "Wow," he said, but his voice was flat. "I can't believe you."

I cocked my head. "What?"

His hand came and brushed against my cheek for a split second before he snatched it back. I felt a heat flush my face.

"You're such a..." He stopped in the middle of his sentence and his face went kinda pink.

I smiled and patted him on the cheek. "I agree."