Disclaimer: I do not own Zoey 101 or any of its characters.
It was a sunny Monday morning, as 24 year old Zoey Brooks stepped out of her car, sunglasses in her hand, and slowly breathed out as she admired the boarding school she was going to teach at. She knew the place: she went to school there from 8th grade until graduation. Pacific Coast Academy.
Zoey had just finished college and became English teacher, so that was her first day at work.
"I'm gonna make it" she thought to herself, while she closed the car's door and stepped towards the teacher's lounge. It felt really strange getting back there, and memories filled her mind as she walked past the buildings. It was two days before the actual start of school, but many kids were already there, carrying heavy suitcases or just hanging around, searching for their friends. PCA had not changed much: there were some new buildings, but not many. Zoey stopped in front of her former dorm, as she saw room 101. No one was in yet, but the room had not changed. Just the fridge and the windows were new. Zoey's hand involuntarily went to her neck, feeling the key to that room she had kept for so many years, and she wondered if it actually still could open that door.
By the time she arrived to the teacher's lounge, Zoey had a wide smile, due to the memories and feeling like home.
"Oh, Zoey, there you are. May I have your attention please" Dean Rivers Jr. said to the other teachers. After his dad had died, Lance had taken his place at PCA. He was great, from what she had heard. It still was a bit weird, having as your principal a guy you used to date and then dumped.
"This is Zoey Brooks, you actually may already know her because she went to school here. She'll be taking the place of Mrs. Fitch as English teacher for 8th grader." He said. A couple of "hi" and "welcome back" echoed through the room, and then everyone got back to their work.
"So Zoey, since you've already lived here is it ok if I won't give you the PCA tour? I have a few things to urgently take care of"
"Yeah, no problem. I saw nothing changed that much" she replied. He smiled to her and walked in direction of the door, only to turn to her after a few steps.
"Oh and Zoey! If you need any help or something, Mr. Matthews will be happy to help you. He's our English teacher for seniors here… I heard you used to be big friends back at school, right? I'm sure you'll be happy to see each other again" and with that he disappeared. Zoey just stood still, letting his words sink in. Chase. Chase Matthews. Her ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend, there? Well… crap.
The rest of the day went by slowly. Agonizingly slowly. She was all tense up, thinking of meeting Chase Matthews again. Other loads of memories filled her head, about her and Chase, about college, about their fights in senior year, about everything. Thoughts she had tried to repress for the last 4 years came up again, and let me tell you, it wasn't very pleasant. Meanwhile campus was getting more and more full of students, screaming and hugging friends not seen in 3 months, or holding PCA Campus guides to find their new dorm.
Too soon the first day of teaching came.
"Hello guys, I'm Zoey Brooks, and I will be your English teacher this year" she greeted her first class.
"I guess we'll have to know each other better during this year, but why don't you start by telling me your name and your hometown?"
Silence. Great.
"Come on, someone stand up"
A blonde guy stood up, beat red in face, and whispered something Zoey was unable to hear.
"Sorry, what?"
"My name is Andrew and I'm from Kentwood, Louisiana" he repeated.
"My name is Angelina and I'm from Santa Barbra, California. You went to school here, right?" A brunette said, standing up and pointing to Zoey, which was a bit surprised by the sudden question.
"Yeah, that's true. How do you know?" But before Angelina could answer, another girl stood up.
"My name is Katie and I'm from San Francisco, California"
"My name is Matt and I'm from San Francisco too"
The presentations continued until the bell rang and everyone burst out.
"Great. Nice lesson Zoe" Zoey told herself (with sarcasm) as she got her things and headed for the cafeteria.
Unfortunately, the cafeteria wasn't were it was years ago. So Zoey went searching for it, with no results. Until she got to the PCA Store and just bought a sandwich there, deciding she would eat it at the beach. As she got there she went searching for her special spot, only to see it was already taken by some student.
I'll just sit down near there, she thought. And she did. But then…
"Zoey!" She turned to face the student which took her place and… Oh shit. No student. Chase.
"Oh. Hey" She said faking half a smile. God he changed. He looks even better than before. Wait, what was she thinking? No. Thinking of Chase equal handsome not allowed.
"They told me you were going to teach here this year, but I actually didn't believe it" He was being really friendly to her, which was kind of new to her thoughts about senior year.
"Yeah, well, I'm here" she replied, a bit coldly. A long silence followed, Zoey eating her snack (bleah), Chase looking at her. Ten minutes after she stood up to leave, but Chase stopped her.
"Look Zoey, I'm sorry for what happened between us. I don't want us to hate each other the whole year. Is there a possibility we could start fresh?" she looked at him, wondering why her thoughts just brought up an angry and hating Chase, while he was so nice now.
"I don't know Chase. A lot happened, and I don't know if" but he cut her off.
"I know a lot happened. But I also know we changed. We're adults now. And I really miss my best friend"
"Well…" Maybe he was right. Why should she not give it a try.
"Alright. Can you tell me just one thing?" She asked.
"Anything Zoe."
"Where's the cafeteria?"
A few days went by, and the kids started to warm up a bit to Zoey. She finally got to know all their names and had started to recognize them around campus when they greeted her. She had talked with Chase a bit during her free time, finding out that he was teaching there last year too. Back home she went searching for the PCA box which contained many pictures of the years she spent there and obviously many pictures of her and Chase. Tears came to her eyes as she found the picture of their first kiss, snapped by Lola and Nicole (hiding in a bush) during their trip to Miami one summer. She quickly whiped them away and stood up.
"Zoey Brooks, there's nothing to cry for. You will not fall for Chase Matthews again" She mumbled to herself.
But she still did put a photo of them holding hands in her pocket.
The day after, after her first period, her phone rang. She looked at the screen and it said "Unknown number". Wondering who it was, she picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Hey Zoe, it's me, Chase"
"Oh hey. What's up?" He still has my number?
"I was thinking, maybe I could invite you to dinner at Sushi Rox this evening? Just if you still like Sushi, or maybe we could go see a movie or even"
"I still like sushi, don't worry" she laughed to herself. Rambling Chase had not changed. "It's fine with me. What time?"
"8 o'clock?"
"Ok. See you there"
"Bye"
So yeah, maybe she had a date with him this evening. Well maybe not really a date. Zoey, are you hoping it is a date? God, that guy was driving her insane.
Dinner was fantastic. She and Chase ate, talked, laughed and then took a walk along the beach. It kind of felt like the old times (those before the fighting).
He had insisted on giving her his jacket as she shivered from the ocean breeze, and drove her home promising he would pick her up next morning. And yes, ha also gave her a quick goodnight kiss on the cheek before getting in his car and driving home. It had been a long time since she had been that happy.
And to add some more happiness, she was really starting to like the teaching at PCA. She had a great time with the kids and they seemed to learn fast.
"Mrs. Brooks?"
"Yes dear?"
"How do you know Mr. Matthews?" Angelina always could ask things which made Zoey blink twice. She was one smart girl for her age, but also incredibly chatty and curious.
"Ehm… Why?"
"Someone saw you at Sushi Rox and on the beach last week. They said it was like a date"
"Yeah we went to dinner together. It wasn't a date. We used to be best friends as we went to school here"
"Oh. And you never were a couple?" Now great Angelina, always these questions. What should she answer now?
"Well" She didn't really know what to say and paused a second, but that lasted for a few whispers to go round the class. "I told you they were" "I bet it was a date" and other things she didn't understand. Fortunately the bell rang, Zoey grabbed her purse and escaped the room. She half ran along the hallway, only to turn the corner and knocking into (guess who) Chase.
"Whoa! Hold on" He laughed.
"Oh Chase, I'm sorry" she stood up and fixed her bag on her shoulder.
"Where are you running to?"
"You won't believe me, but I was seriously escaping class"
"How come?" Is this another Angelina question? Great again.
"Ehm… the kids asked me if we were a couple" she turned red at that.
"Oh" he said. "What did you tell them?"
"I escaped" she smiled.
"I see. Just because of the goodnight kiss the other day?"
"He gave you a kiss goodnight? That's so sweet! So you are a couple?" Angelina said, jumping out from behind them.
Zoey just looked at Chase with a "save me" face.
"Okay Angelina, now you go, because I have to save Mrs. Brooks from this awkward situation" He said, but winked at her.
Before Zoey could realize it, Chase had grabbed her under her legs and back and had pulled her up in his arms.
"Chase! What are you doing! Put me down!" she shrieked, while he started to run.
"I'm saving Zoey!" He shouted racing down the hallways.
Angelina and her classmates laughed at that. Mr. Matthews was so funny.
"Mrs. Brooks is so lucky to have a guy like him." Angelina thought.
"Chase, if you're not putting me down right now, I swear I will tell every kid in this school your deepest secrets!" Zoey yelled as Chase continued to run with her in his arms all across campus. The teens outside watched as they passed, a smile on their faces seeing the funny situation.
Chase slowed down a bit, but didn't stop.
"Ooh, harsh, Brooks" he said, with a smirk on his face. "and which dark secrets of mine would you know?"
"Chase, let me remind you I've been your best friend for 6 years AND your girlfriend for two years. I know every single embarrassing detail about you, trust me"
"Tell me one"
"Let's see… How about that time we had dinner together on the beach, and then you fell in water because of the seagull?"
Chase frowned at that memory.
"Stupid seagull. Do you even know how much that whole setup cost me? And that stupid animal had to come right then screwing up our date."
"Well you should have thought about crazy animals. And no, I don't know how much it cost you. Was it really that much?" she asked, a bit worried.
"Well, let's say I was really in love with you" Then silence came down. Chase was still walking in the beach's direction, Zoey thinking about what he said.
"Chase?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry about turning you down that day." Chase didn't say anything for a while, and Zoey said nothing either.
"I guess it's ok. We were both too young for that, and I might have been running too fast. I guess I was just scared I could lose you, which I clearly did by proposing" He set her down on the sand, and she was silent.
"Do you want to take a walk?" He asked her. She just nodded.
They walked for half an hour, completely silent, both thinking about what the other one had said. Then Zoey took off her shoes and went to the water.
"Come on, Chase, don't let me alone in here!" She said with a smile.
"You do know that last time you said that you fell into the water and dragged me with you, right?"
"It's just water, you big baby. And you do remember that if we had not fallen, we wouldn't have gone back to my dorm to "dry off"? And don't tell me you regret that night, because I will punch you" she said with a laugh. It scared the hell out of her she could talk so easily about their past with him, especially about that part of their past, but she kept the smile in place.
"Also true" he said. "But I don't think that if you make me fall now, we will get to that" he added, but eventually took his shoes off and went towards her.
"This conversation is starting to get a little awkward" Zoey said with a light frown on her face.
"Hey, you started it"
"Don't blame me, Fuzzyhead. You caused this situation when you picked me up in the hallway"
Chase kind of stopped mid-step, causing her to turn towards him.
"Something wrong?"
"It's been a long time since anyone called me Fuzzyhead" He said.
"It's also been a long time since I called someone Fuzzyhead, but boy, I never met anyone again with hair like yours" she giggled.
"Oh, it's on Brooks" he replied, starting to splash water at her.
"No! Chase! I can't get wet!"
"It's just water, you big baby!" he mimicked her. They continued to splash each other, and 15 minutes after they were completely wet.
"Alright, Curly Sue, now you have to bring me home in your car, I'm not getting mine wet"
"It would be a pleasure, Miss, on one condition"
"Tell me"
"I'll make you dinner"
As they arrived at Zoey's apartment, they agreed on getting changed and cooking some Spaghetti. Chase had no dry clothes with him, so Zoey went searching for something to wear for him.
"Here Chase, I found a sweater and a pair of pants. It's all I've got" she said handing him men's clothing. Chase eyed her suspiciously.
"ex-boyfriend left them here?" he asked.
"No, they're Dustin's. Sometimes he stays here for the night. You get changed, I'm going to get the pasta downstairs" He went into the bathroom and changed himself. As he walked past Zoey's room, he saw the old PCA box with the photos near the door. On top was the one of their first kiss. He took it up and Zoey came back from downstairs.
"Chase I think we will have to go for something else than spaghetti, I forgot to…" she saw what he had in hand and turned beat red.
"I was just… flipping through them a bit" she said.
"I didn't remember there was this picture. I don't even know where my old PCA things are" he said, still looking at the picture he had in hand. They stayed silent for a bit, looking at it.
"Do you really regret it Zoe?" he suddenly asked.
"What?"
"As we broke up, you told me you wished we never dated. Do you really regret the time we had together?"
"No, of course not. I mean, if we cancel the whole fighting and break up part, it was probably the happiest relationship I ever had" she replied, then mentally slapped herself. What are you doing? Was her mind screaming at her. You should hate him! Why is it so difficult? But something stopped her thoughts. No, not something, someone. Someone that was most definitely kissing her in a way she hadn't been kissed in many years. So, she did the only thing she could: kissed back.
A few hours later, they were on the couch, wrapped up in each other's arms, under a heavy cover. Their clothes scattered around the room, the old PCA pictures in their hands.
"Remember this one? Spring Fling in 8th grade." Zoey showed him a picture of them, all along with Dana, Nicole, Logan, Michael and Drake Bell.
"Oh yeah, the fund raiser. That reminds me of Coach Heller" he said with a frown "Thank God he doesn't work here anymore." Zoey giggled lightly and looked around.
"We should clean up a little. You know, we still have to get to work tomorrow"
"What time do you start?" Chase asked her.
"10 am" Chase smiled at her and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.
"Me too. Means sleep 'till 9 am"
"Yeah, but still. And I'm kinda hungry" Chase just smiled, jumped up and went to the kitchen.
"What would you like to eat, miss?"
"First I'd like you to wear something, and then we'll see" she said, a playful smirk on her face, while she got up, took his shirt and wore it.
"Oh, come on" he said, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "You know you like it" he whispered in her ear. Zoey's face reddened up a bit, turned around and whispered in his ear. "Yeah, but, you know, the window's open and the kids are staring at you." At that he jumped up, grabbed a pillow hiding himself behind it, and then noticed the window was so not open. Zoey raced off, and he did too, chasing her.
"You are so dead, Brooks!"
She was laughing, really laughing, and it was the best sound he'd ever heard.
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So yeah, another story for you. Hope you like it! Review, I appreciate it so much. Thanks to you all!
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ValeSwiss94