Would You Rather…
Zoey walked quickly through campus, searching for Chase in the rain. In her pajamas, she was freezing. She found him, sitting with his hands in his pockets by the fountain, rain pouring down on him. He was facing with his back to her and he was hunched over with a weight of sadness on his shoulders. She walked up to him slowly, not knowing what to say. She stood in front of him and he wouldn't look up. "Do you wanna be alone?" she asked him. He shook his head and hung his head even lower. Sitting next to him, there were no words to say. She put her arm around his shoulder and hoped it was enough. Breathing heavily, he leaned his head onto her shoulder and she tightened her hold on him. She's never known a loss like this, and her heart was breaking for her best friend.
Zoey and Chase sat there until they both started to shiver. "Come on, Chase. Let's get inside and get dry." She stood up and took his hand; the warmth was totally gone. She pulled him up, and put her arm around his waist. She can't take his grief away, but she can at least help him keep his head up. They walked slowly. It didn't matter; they were already soaked to the skin. Chase tried to get a hold of his breathing, but every inhale pierced the hole in his heart. He was glad Zoey was there to keep him up right now. His grandma meant the world to him, and he didn't know what he would do without that light in his life.
Reaching the boys' dorm, they walked in and headed straight for Chase's room. They didn't want to encounter anyone asking what the matter was. This was not a moment for words. Zoey opened the door and led Chase inside. "Don't sit down yet," she said. "We gotta get you out of these wet clothes." She searched through his drawers until she found some boxers, pajama pants and a shirt, all dry and warm. She placed them on the chair. "Do you want me to wait outside or turn around?" He shook his head and started to collapse onto the floor. She barely caught him, catching his chest on her shoulder and hoisting his torso upright. They sank to their knees, as Chase wrapped his arms around Zoey and sobbed. Zoey, feeling agony for her friend, clung to him and started to cry too. Water was running down their faces and into their already wet clothes, creating a puddle of rain and tears on the floor. After one last big sob, Chase broke away from the embrace and looked Zoey right in the eyes. He took her hand and said "Thank you." Zoey looked down, shying away from his intensity, and replied, "I'm so sorry, Chase." Chase could only nod.
"We don't want you to get sick, Chase. Let me help you." Zoey was emboldened; she stood up and grabbed a towel. Placing it on top of the clothes, she walked over to Chase and stood in front of him. She gently placed her fingers on the hem of his shirt and lifted it up and over his head. Stepping close to him, she dropped the t-shirt on the floor. She placed her hands on his chest and laid her head on his shoulder. Chase was surprised, and Zoey surprised herself. She didn't know why she suddenly felt the urge to be as close to Chase as she could get. Shaking her head, she stepped back and grabbed the towel and began to towel off his torso as Chase kicked off his shoes. When he bent down to remove his socks, she dried his back. Taking a step back, she turned around so he could change. Her own pajamas were sticking to her skin and her hair was dripping water. She pulled off her eye mask and sheer green cover up and flung them on the pile with Chase's clothes. Taking the towel from Chase, she dried her hair. When Chase was dressed in his comfy clothes, he noticed Zoey was still shivering. Rifling through his drawer, he found a pair of sweatpants and a tank and handed them to her. "You can wear these. We don't want you to get sick either," giving her a small smile. She returned the smile, though neither smiles touched their eyes. Chase walked to the door, gave Zoey one last look before walking out to the bathroom. Zoey quickly pulled of her pajama top and slid off her bottoms, relieved to have the cold satin off of her skin. Her underwear was also soaked, and she didn't know whether to keep them on or not. She decided to strip them off anyway so she wouldn't stay cold. She threw all of the clothes on the pile, and hid the underwear under her pajama top. Quickly toweling off her body, she slid on the tank and sweatpants and she sighed at the warmth. Looking around the room, she suddenly felt exhausted. She walked over to the couch and placed her head in her hands. She had always loved Chase; he was her very best friend. He was her rock. He was always there and always knew the right thing to say or do and always gave her support. He would drop everything for her, and she loved him for it. Seeing her rock tremble was almost unbearable, and she knew she could sympathize with Chase for losing his rock. Sucking in a big breath, and letting out a sob, she felt a pressure on the couch and looked up. Chase was sitting there, looking down at her, and he put his arms around her. She folded up into him, and tried to breathe. She whispered, "I will always be here for you, Chase. I'll be your rock the way you've been mine." Chase kissed her forehead and knew he was a very lucky guy. Despite his sadness, knowing Zoey needed him excited him.
"I'd really appreciate it if you would stay here with me, Zo. I don't think I can be alone right now. I know we're both exhausted, but we could just lie down together," Chase said. He had gotten up to get a drink of water, and looked back at her. Zoey didn't know what to say to this. She wanted to comfort him, but lying down together seemed so intimate. Seeing her hesitation, Chase went to her and rubbed her arms. "We're both still freezing; we could use the warmth." Knowing how whole Chase made her feel, she agreed. She crawled into Chase's bed and lay closest to the wall. After turning out the lights, Chase crawled in next to her and covered them with blankets. Being on the bottom bunk, Zoey felt encased with Chase. Having him this close put butterflies in her stomach, and she burrowed further into the blankets. "Seriously, Zo. This means more to me than you know. I don't even know if it's totally hit me yet. But you being here keeps me on the ground. Like an anchor. Or I guess like a rock." And he gave her that lopsided smile, but this time it gave her a whole new feeling. It warmed her heart to see him smile and to know she meant as much to him as he did to her. She scooted a little closer to him, and lay down on her back. Staring into the darkness, she asked, "Shall we play would you rather?" Giving a small chuckle, Chase agreed. "I'll go first. Would you rather eat sardines with every meal for two weeks or give up cake?"
"I would never give up cake. I'll eat the sardines."
"Seriously? You'd smell bad." Chase smiled at the idea of Zoey being anything less than perfect, knowing it was totally impossible.
"Cake is a seriously important food group. Plus, you'd like me anyway. Okay. Would you rather have to give a speech in front of the whole school about your most embarrassing moment or live on the roof?"
"Oh wow. That's hard. On one hand, shelter is awesome but on the other hand, I don't think I'd ever be able to live down my most embarrassing moment. I'll take the roof."
"Maybe you'd get a little less pale," Feeling Chase elbow her in the ribs, she giggled.
"You like me anyway. Would you rather go on a date with Firewire or kiss Logan?"
"Oh my god that's so easy. Date Firewire. I can't give Logan the satisfaction."
"Very true. Personally, I'm very glad to hear that," Chase chuckled.
Zoey paused. She was looking at Chase in a very different way now. She realized how amazing he'd been to her since they met. She truly didn't know what she would do if he wasn't her best friend. He'd had her back more than anyone. Biting her lip, she was debating what to do about this realization. Is it possible that she loved Chase as more than just a friend?
"Zo? You okay? You're being pretty quiet."
"Chase…." She paused. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Would you rather me walk out of this room and never come back or kiss me right now?"
"Are you serious? What are you talking about? Are you joking?" Chase was terrified. He loved Zoey and he couldn't stand to lose her. But where the hell did this come from?
Squeezing her eyes shut, she felt a tear run out. "Chase, you really are my rock. Seeing you hurt is breaking my heart. I don't know what I would do without you, and I think I might feel more for you than I ever thought. If you don't want to kiss me, and you don't feel the same, that's fine. I'll leave right now. But I don't think I can be just your friend anymore. I know this is terrible timing, but my heart is pounding and I needed to tell you." She exhaled loudly, hoping to calm her heart beat.
"Zo, I can't lose you." He leaned up on his elbow and looked at her. Even with only the dull light from the moon, she was as beautiful as the first day he met her. He couldn't believe what was happening, but if he thought about it he would never act. So he leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers. It was perfect.
Feeling her enthusiasm, he shifted so he was on top of her, pressing down on her. Zoey moved her arms to grasp his shoulders and run her hands through his hair and down his back. Chase put one hand on Zoey's face and put one hand on her waist. Two of his fingers grazed the skin that was revealed when her tank rode up on her soft stomach. Zoey sighed and deepened the kiss. She ran her hands down his back and grasped him closer, his hips pushing into her thighs. Chase was living his fantasy, and he took all he could get from this moment. He kissed her again, and put all his passion and love into it. Though he didn't want to, he pulled away and smiled at her. "Wow." He sighed and smiled at her. As she smiled back, he pulled off of her and lay down on his back next to her. "I have been dreaming about this for three years. I'm in love with you, Zo."
"I think I'm in love with you too. I'm in shock, honestly. Part of me doesn't know if this is really happening."
"I promise this is really happening." He leaned over and kissed her again, running his hand along her face as she cupped his cheek. He stared into her eyes when the kiss was over, and said "I don't know what to think about this day." Zoey simply scooted close to her and placed her head on his shoulder and put her arm around him, rubbing his chest. He pulled his arms around her and rubbed her back. There was no need to say anything. As the day's events ran through their minds, they slowly relaxed in each others' arms and fell asleep.
Chapter 2
Michael and Logan returned to the dorm around 10:30. Seeing Chase sleeping, they chose not to worry and fell into bed.
Since no one needs an alarm on a Saturday morning, all four of the sleeping teenagers groaned when it went off at 8 am. Someone forgot to turn it off. While sleeping, Chase and Zoey had shifted where they were both facing the wall, and Chase was holding Zoey. As a result, Michael and Logan didn't see her when they came in the night before. As Chase turned over and Zoey sat up, Logan notices her presence.
"Dude! What the hell? Why is Zoey in your bed?" He yelled.
"Logan, come on! It's not a big deal." Chase said, attempting to do damage control.
"It's a very big deal. Chicks can't be here when I sleep. Especially hot ones." He winked at Zoey. Embarrassed, she looked down.
"Dude. Not cool." Chase fixed Logan with a glare.
"What is going on? It's eight am on a Saturday and this is not drippin'." Michael said as he hopped down from the top bunk. Seeing Zoey, his jaw drops. "Chase, what happened last night?"
"Chase didn't want to be alone last night. He asked me to stay, Michael. I'm sorry." Zoey was really sorry she and Chase had been caught like this. "Let me just grab my clothes and head back to my dorm. Chase can explain it to you. Chase, I'll call you later okay?" Zoey gathered her things and slipped out of the room, though Michael was staring after her and Logan was still pissed.
"Chase, man, I'm so confused." Michael collapsed in a chair and waited for his friend to explain.
"Dude, did you score with Zoey?" Logan asked, obviously impressed now that he'd processed the situation. Chase chucked a pillow at him in response.
"I really needed her last night. But she totally surprised me. She asked me to kiss her. She says she thinks she's in love with me. Dudes, I'm jazzed." Chase broke into a smile. Just then, Chase's phone rang. "Hello?" As he listened to the other end, his smile faded. When he hung up he said, "That was my dad. He's coming to pick me up to go home for the funeral."
"I'm really sorry, man. But part of me thinks I should congratulate you," Michael said.
"Yeah, man. What a roller coaster you're on," Logan said.
"Totally." Chase laid back down to block out the confusion.
"Zoey! Where the hell have you been?" Quinn shouted as Zoey walked through the door. Lola sat up as well, crossing her arms.
"I was with Chase. I'm sorry I didn't call. Things got a little crazy. His grandmother died." Zoey sat down on her bed and slumped.
"That's horrible," Lola got up and hugged her friend. "Poor Chase."
"Yeah. What a crappy birthday. Wait a second, why are you wearing boy's clothes? And do you mean you spent all night with Chase?" Quinn interrogated.
"I stayed with him because he really needed me, okay? And our clothes were soaked from the rain, so he let me borrow some of his. But there's something much more important. We kissed. I asked him to kiss me, and he did." Zoey sheepishly admitted.
"You kissed? Finally!" Lola and Quinn cheered in agreement. Logan, Michael, Lola and Quinn all had been waiting for this to happen. "But why did you ask him?"
"Seeing him hurt really broke my heart. I realized that he meant more to me than I ever knew. I think I'm in love with him, guys." Hearing this, Lola and Quinn smiled. They were really happy for their friend.
"Zoey? It's Chase."
"I know. I have caller ID." Zoey smiled at his thoughtlessness.
"Oh. Right. So my dad called. He's on his way to get me for the funeral today." Chase sounded really low.
"Oh. Okay. How long will you be gone?" Zoey didn't want to have too much space after what happened.
"I'll come back on Friday. The funeral's on Tuesday and then there is stuff that needs to be taken care of." Chase's sadness seeped through the phone.
"Of course. This must be really hard for you. I'm so sorry, Chase." Zoey was really worried about the week apart after this new development between them.
"It is. Thanks. Anyway, I was hoping I could stop by your room and say goodbye in about an hour." Chase sighed. "Also, I told Michael and Logan what you said."
"Oh. Of course you should stop by. And I told Lola and Quinn too, so no worries." Zoey didn't know how she felt. The news would spread fast, no doubt.
"Cool. So I'll see you in an hour. Bye." Chase hung up without Zoey getting the chance to say anything.
A little more than an hour later, there was a knock on Zoey's door. "Come in!" she yelled.
Chase opened the door and waved. He was dressed in blue jeans and a plain green shirt, and had a duffel bag thrown over his shoulder. Zoey smiled at his simple fashion. Chase was so easy; you didn't have to try too hard with him. She walked over to him and he put the bag down to free himself for her hug. The hug was intimate: Zoey's arms were around Chase's neck, and Chase wrapped his arms around Zoey's waist. She placed her head on his shoulder and let herself really open up to what she felt for him. It was wonderful.
"Lola and Quinn went to lunch, so do you want to stay awhile?" Zoey was hopeful they could talk about last night.
"I actually have to head out. Dad's waiting at the gate. Just wanted to stop by and say thanks for last night."
"Anytime, Chase." She smiled up at him.
"I've gotta go." Chase leaned down and gave Zoey a quick peck on the lips, grabbed his bag and walked out the door. Zoey was stunned. She expected more than that. She was worried.
Chapter 3
"Zo, what's up? You've been distracted all week." Lola was concerned about her friend. She should be happy, considering she's just fallen in love.
"I'm fine." Zoey really didn't want to get into it.
"No offense, but that's crap. What's wrong?" Quinn was always blunt.
"Okay. When Chase said goodbye to me before he left for the funeral, he gave me a tiny peck. He didn't say he loved me or anything. And now he won't answer my calls or reply to my texts. I even left him a voicemail saying I loved him. I want to be there for him, but I think he regrets what happened last Friday."
"Chase has been in love with since he first looked at you. I'm sure he's just really sad and stressed over his grandma. You were with him Friday, and now he probably just needs his space now. He needs to really grieve and be with his family right now." Quinn had been through loss before, and grief comes in waves. It takes a long time to come to terms with it all.
"I'm sure Quinn's right, Zo. That boy can barely form coherent thoughts around you he's so in love. That won't go away." Lola is forever optimistic about love.
"I'm sure you're right. I'll try not to worry about it." But it was only Wednesday. Two more days seemed like torture.
When Friday finally came, Zoey was practically hyperventilating. She texted Michael once an hour to see if Chase was back. Eventually, Michael got fed up and said he'd call when Chase got back. Zoey really needed to calm down. She had fidgeted all through classes that day. So she got up, got her mp3 and went to the fountain. She got up on the edge, laid down and put on music. As she sang to herself, she relaxed. She believed Chase would give her a chance.
After a couple of hours of lying in the sun on the fountain, Zoey was really relaxed. Reliving the kiss over and over in her mind, she could not wait to see Chase again. Her phone vibrated. Michael had texted. Chase was back and said he would come to her dorm in a few hours. So Zoey got up and went back to her dorm. She showered and put on a patterned red shirt and her fun mini-skirt with the bells on the bottom. She'd never gotten this freaked out over a guy before. But Chase was special, and she wanted to look cute. It was actually kind of fun to get all dressed up just for a guy.
Around 9 pm, Lola, Quinn and Zoey were in the dorm playing cards. Well, Go Fish. None of them knew how to play poker. Michael and Logan were on their way with sushi. Zoey was really waiting for Chase and trying to stay calm. When Michael and Logan walked through the door with a tray full of raw fish, the girls cheered. A few minutes later, Chase walked through the door and Zoey hopped up.
"Hey guys. Havin' a part without me?" Chase joked.
"You're always invited," Zoey said with a smile.
"Good to know. Zo, can I borrow you for sec?"
"Ya know, man, you can kiss her in front of us. We're all kind of excited to see what it looks like, to be honest," Michael said, with their friends nodding in agreement.
"Man, shut up. I gotta talk to her." Chase took Zoey's hand and led her out.
When they got outside, the stars were already shining. The night felt different than all the nights they had spent together before. They were something different now, and Zoey was excited to embrace it.
"I'm sorry I ignored your texts and calls. Honestly, I was a wreck this week." Chase said.
"It's okay if you needed space," Zoey said. She wondered if he still wanted space.
"I didn't need space. I wanted to talk to you. But I felt so goddamn guilty for being happy over you when my grandma is gone. All I could think of was how much I wanted to tell her about you and that my dreams are coming true and she won't be here. It made me feel pretty shitty."
"Oh. Chase, I'm sure wherever she is, she can see you and she's happy for you. She seemed like that kind of woman." Zoey was bursting with excitement knowing this.
"She was a beautiful person. You're totally right. I have something for you, though. I hope it will make up for ignoring you." Chase pulled a small velvet box from his back pocket. He handed it to Zoey. What was inside was absolutely gorgeous. It was a gold bracelet, with one diamond centered in the middle, and filigree on either side. "It was my grandmother's. Grandpa gave it to her when he told her he loved her. He said it doesn't matter if you love me back, but take this so you always know someone does. He gave it to me to give to someone as special as my grandmother. Well, that's you, Zo."
Zoey teared up. She had been so worried Chase wanted to take back what he had said. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. "It's absolutely gorgeous. I can only hope I can do your grandmother proud." Chase took the bracelet from the box and helped slide it onto Zoey's wrist. It fit like it was made for her. He took her hand and pulled her into him. Sliding his hands down to her waist, he brought her close under the stars. She slid her hands up his chest and smiled at him. He leaned down and kissed her, filled with all the love he had for her. It was a kind of love that she returned.
Hearing cheers, they looked up to see their four friends leaning out the window, whooping for them.
"Let's give them what they want," and Chase leaned down and kissed Zoey like he would every day from now on.