Description: this is my first Zoey/NC new character story, so bare with me. It may seem like it won't end up Zoey/chase at times. But if you want to know if it will, you'll have to R&R to find out. I don't expect much, just three reviews per chapter is what i would love from you guys. Other then that, enjoy this story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Zoey 101, but if i did there would be more conflict and love triangles.

Authors note: is my third Zoey 101 story, if you haven't read the others you should check them out )

Chapter #1

(Chase's pov)

" umm, chase? Who's tekmate is that?" questions Michael with curiosity as he walks up behind me. Crap, where did he come from? Out of no where or something? I thought that i was the only one that came back to the dorm? Michael must have not been far behind me.

" what, this old thing? Its, uh...mine." i lie as my attempt to fool him. Unfortunately for me Michael wasn't born yesterday. Why would my tekmate be pink? You know, unless i were a girl. Which I'm not. I am so busted right now. Its not even funny how busted i am.

Not fully believing me, Michael snatches the tekmate from my hands," really? So, since when are you Zoey Brooks then man?"

knowing full well that I've been caught, i hesitantly make my confession," fine, so maybe is it Zoey's."

" dude, why do you have Zoey's tekmate?" questions Michael as he dodges my swift attempt to snatch it back. Why does he always have to show up when I'm doing something that I'm not supposed to? Why? Can't i once get away with something without him finding out about it?

" i found it, and i was about to return it to Zoe actually." i fib as i avoid Michael's gaze. I know that he can tell I'm lying right off the bat. He's really good at knowing when I'm not telling the truth. Sometimes i really hate that about him. Thats what i get when my best friend is my roommate though.

Folding his arms across his chest, Michael raises a none convinced eye brow," chase."

sighing to myself in frustration, i pace the dorm before i finally admit," fine, so i lied. I stole it from Zoey. Now you know, are you happy?"

" ok, why exactly did you steal Zoey's tekmate again? You have your own man. We all do. Why take hers?" interrogates Michael as he frowns in disappointment. Why else would i take Zoey's tekmate? Because i made a HUGE mistake, thats why. And if i didn't steal her tekmate, Zoey would know that i love her.

" lets just say that i accidentally sent her a message that was meant for you. And it was really important that i deleted it before she ever read it." i confess after i cave under Michael's prodding stare. There, now he knows. And he is going to think that I'm the biggest coward and jerk. And you know what, maybe i am. But Zoey could NOT see that message.

With a nod in understanding, Michael sits beside me," i see, so does Zoey know you took her tekmate?"

stuffing Zoey's tekmate into my pocket, i glance over at Michael," nope, she thinks that she lost it. So, lets keep this between us."

" whatever, just for the record? You are insane man." jokes Michael as he rolls his eyes at me. That may be so, but at least i just prevented the complete destruction of mine and Zoey's friendship. Now she will be none the wiser and I'll never have to worry about her knowing what i did.

" thats fine, i can live with that." i comment with a wide grin on my face. Michael is a good friend. I always knew that i could count on him. He knows how much i treasure Zoey's friendship. And he would never take that away from me by telling her what i did. I know i could trust him with anything. ...

(Chase's thoughts)

alright, i did something that I'm a little bit ashamed of. But it was absolutely necessary. If i didn't do this, something bad would have happened. And when i say bad, i mean catastrophic. So, i don't feel bad. Not one bit. No, i feel horrible instead. I stole Zoey's tekmate. I'm a thief! ... Well, maybe not a thief. I'm going to give it back. But I'm not proud that i ever took it in the first place. It was really important though. If i didn't, Zoey would know that i like...no love her. See, i accidentally sent a message to her that was meant for Michael. And thats not good. Because in it i said how i felt about her. So, you can see why i went to desperate measures to prevent Zoey from reading that message. If she were to read that text message, i would die. Maybe not literally, but Zoey can not know how i feel. It would only ruin our friendship. And i could not let that happen. So, as far as I'm concerned i did the right thing. ...Or at least i hope that i did. None the less, here i am. Sneaking inside the girl's dorm room. There you have it. I, Chase Matthews have reached a new kind of low. And its called breaking and entering. Sure, the door was unlocked. But that doesn't make what I'm doing any less wrong. All i have to do is return Zoey's tekmate. After that i am off scotch free. Then i can forget all about this. Now all i have to do is leave before i get...caught. Ah, crap! Its Zoey! Of all people. I'm such a dead man. ... (end Chase's thoughts)

(Zoey's pov)

" chase? What are you doing here? In my dorm...alone?" i ask after i jump a foot back from becoming startled. Why is chase here? And more importantly, why is he in my dorm? Neither Nicole OR Lola are here. What did he do? Just waltz in here? Why would he come here if no one was around?

" well, to tell you the truth...i was looking for you. Thats why I'm here Zoe." explains chase with a nervous smile. Something is wrong here. Very wrong. Why is chase squirming around? What could he possibly have to be nervous about? Its not like he did anything wrong.

Raising an eye brow at chase, i look at him suspiciously," ok. Well, i was at sushi rox with everyone else."

slowly backing up towards the dorm door, chase blindly searches for the door knob," right, well bye Zoey."

" umm, wait a minute. Will you chase?" i ask as i touch his arm lightly. I notice him flinch as i do so. What is the matter with him today? And why does he suddenly look kind of guilty? What could chase have done that would make him look so guilty? I'll never understand this boy sometimes.

" yeah?" inquires chase as he lets out a ragged breath. Something is seriously the matter with him. I have known chase for two years. And not once have i ever seen him looking the way he does right now. What could possibly be bothering him that he feels the need to rush off?

Grabbing a blitz from the mini fridge, i toss another to chase," you just told me that you were looking for me. Remember?"

scratching at the back of his head, chase gives a distracted grumble in response," yeah, i was. I just wanted to see what you were up to. Thought maybe we could hangout or something Zoe."

" alright, then why are you leaving?" i ask in a bewildered tone. With an arched eye brow aimed at chase, i patiently wait for his answer. This boy is always keeping me on my toes and full of confusion. For someone that i know so well, its sometimes so hard to understand him.

" I'm not leaving. Why would i do that? Who ever said that i was leaving Zoe? Because I'm not going anywhere. Nope, not me. I'm going to stay right here with my best buddy and we're going to hangout." rambles chase so fast that i barely understand a word that he has just said. What is it with him? Is he trying to hide something from me?

" ok smarty pants, then explain something to me chase. Explain to me, why it is that your hand is on the door knob? Why would you have your hand on the knob if you weren't trying to leave? That doesn't make any sense." i point out with a chuckle. I can't help it, chase is such a bad liar. Whatever he is so fidgety about, I'll let it slide. I was actually kind of hoping that i could have some alone time with chase. He is my best guy friend after all. And we haven't really hung out much lately.

" Zoey, my hand is not on the door knob. Your just severely disillusioned. ...Oh, he he. So it is, oops." chuckles chase when he finally realizes that i was right. Ha! Now who is the one thats delusional? Certainly not me. Chase is so such goof sometimes. He could never lie to me. I know him too well. ...

(Zoey's thought)

should i be worried? Chase was acting kind of strange tonight. And way more fidgety then usual. Why was he in my dorm? It couldn't have been just to look for me. More importantly why was he in such a rush to leave? I thought that he came over to hangout with me? You know, if i didn't know better i would say that chase looked guilty. But why? What could chase have to possibly feel guilty about? It was almost as though he were hiding something. I don't know, maybe I'm just over thinking things. On the other hand, i found my tekmate. I thought for sure it was gone. But i must have just left it in the dorm. Which is odd, i could have sworn i had it on me. But i guess not. Either way I'm glad that found it. I've only been looking for it all day. I guess that i would have found it a lot quicker if i had only started here. Oh well, at least i have it back now. I have to learn to be more careful with it. This thing is cool. You can text message, and call people for free! Its like a cell phone but WAY better. I think I'm going to text chase now, just to say good night. ... (end Zoey's thoughts)