A/N: Here's another one of my CZ oneshots. There's fluff in it, so enjoy. It's sort of drabbleish.
Disclaimer: I don't own Zoey 101 or 'Bubbly' by Colbie Calliat.
Bubbly
"I've been awake for a while now
You've got me feelin' like a child now
'Cause every time I see your bubbly face
I get the tingles in a silly place…" –Bubbly (Colbie Calliat)
--
I never understood love.
Sure, I've had a couple of boys I've liked and a couple major boyfriends – like Danny and Lance Rivers, but that's pretty much. Love seemed so complicated. One day, there were two people that were madly in love, and then the next they were going through a bitter break-up.
It makes me wonder why they would go through all that trouble to date in the first place. The answer makes me laugh, because my question was sort of naïve. It's one of these things that you just sort of fall into, and you don't know why. You don't know what causes one to fall in love, but it happens, and you just don't know why.
I had serious denial issues. I've come to realize that, or I think I have.
You were – and still are my best friend, so I was only looking out for your well-being. It was weird having you date my roommate, and then she told me. She told me you were in love with me while I obliviously stood by. I was annoyed, but was determined and somewhat terrified to find out the truth.
And I did. You kiss her. She kisses you. I understood, even though you told me she was your girlfriend. Suddenly, despite me being friendly, I got this weird feeling around her, and that brunette became the most horrible person alive. She blackmailed me and that's when I lost it.
I feel like I can be myself around you the most. It's not Miss Perfect or the Overachiever, and like everyone else, I'm not perfect.
You make me laugh and smile.
With you, I can be a goof and be silly, because we're both silly…and as you said silly is the new cool. They were the dumbest thing in the eyes of everyone but it was just us. Like remember the time we went joyriding in those school carts after dark. It landed us in detention, but well worth it.
It's cool that we have inside jokes none of our friends get. It's almost makes me feel like a child again in kindergarten…when you'd tell your best friend your deepest secret by the sandbox, and it was just between us. I can tell you things I can't trust with anyone else and I promise, Chase – your secrets are safe with me.
You make feel better, when I'm at my lowest.
Sometimes, it makes me wonder. You're a bushy-haired knight in shining armour. Remember the time I lost my dorm necklace in the quad somewhere, and we spent hours finding it? It was pouring rain and we were soaked but I was grateful when you jumped into a fountain and dug out the familiar pink polka-dotted key with my initial on it. It was bittersweet because we got my dorm key back but we got sick together with the flu.
The nurse in the infirmary scares me, as much as she does you, but it was cool playing cards and beating you in thumb wars, while we sneezed our brains out, and we smelled like menthol but in a strange sense, it was most fun.
I sneeze, and cough as I call your name. We have beds beside each other anyway.
"Chase?"
You stir and roll over on your side, and smile weakly when you see me. Your hair sticks to your head, your eyes are tired, and you sound like you're loosing your voice. So am I, so you're definitely not alone on that. Your skin is all flushed, and I feel really bad for doing this to you.
"Hey," you greet softly, and cough. "How are you holding up?"
My head is pounding, but the aspirin is slowly starting to kick in. My throat feels like really dry sandpaper. I feel and look terrible. I don't have a mirror, but I just know.
"The aspirin's starting to kick in a little," I reply. "Look, I feel really terrible for getting you sick with me. I was so clumsy and lost my key and you stayed in the rain yesterday looking for it with me. I owe you, big…"
You give me that crooked half-smile, "You don't owe me anything. I was happy to do it, Zoe. Really…"
"You're sweet, Chase…" I reply, as we both sneeze at the same time.
And we laugh, like we always do.
"I try, I try…"
"Chase, I know it's weird for me to be asking you this, but I left Floppy Bunny back at the dorm, and I'm kind of scared," I say, quietly. I should be scared, but hospitals always creep me out. The infirmary is close to a hospital, so I'm slightly freaked. "We're sick together anyway, so you want to share a bed or listen to music or something?"
"Sure…"
Soon enough, we're falling asleep while we listen to Make Me Happy by Drake Bell on your MP3.
Sunshine that you're bringin'…and it makes me happy…
That's exactly what you do to me and I'm thankful that you're my best friend.
You make me come to the realization that I might have feelings for you – romantic ones.
I probably do, no wait, I do.
People have told me you liked me but I was always quick to deny them. I can't run anymore. I can't hide because there's only so much hiding a girl can do before she realizes. So, I realize that I have romantic feelings for you too.
It takes a weight – a weight I didn't know was there – of my shoulders.
As I walk into a not-so-empty Fulton Hall Lounge, I'm smiling as I see your figure there with Michael, Logan, Quinn and Lola. I feel impulsive and almost bubbly so I'll do it.
By 'it', I mean kiss you, because you make me want to do that too.
So I do.
I catch you off-guard, as I plant my lips on yours. I feel the whole room cheering as you pull me closer and kiss me back after your initial shock. My arms are around your neck and it feels right that they would be there. You pull away, and I look into those green eyes. I smile, a blush coming to my cheeks, and sure enough I almost feel the tinge of pink.
"I love you too, Chase…" I admit to you, honestly. It really is the truth. Your face breaks out into a grin.
"Are you my girlfriend then?"
I reach up because you're slightly taller than me and peck your lips, "I'd love to…"
Your hand fits mine as we pull apart from our second kiss and the whole room yells, "FINALLY!"
Finally indeed, I think as you hug me from behind and kiss my hair, making me lean into you and smile. Now that I'm with you, I'll experience that bubbly feeling way more often.
I'm looking forward to it…
A/N: Nothing cures a cold rainy day like CZ fluff.
Review, and check out "Surrender". I just finished it.
Okay, enough of my jabbering…
-Erika