A/N: You're really going to hate me after this one. I'm sorry. Just promise you won't stop reading!

Splinters

Chapter Seven: Trading Spouses – Not Just For TV

I found Zoey fairly quickly by walking in on her and Chase making out in our dorm. "Ugh!" I said, turning away. They quickly moved apart and Zoey straightened her shirt. "Put up a sign or something next time, okay?" Zoey looked at me like I had lost my mind.

"Seriously, James? You want us to put up a sign on the door warning you that we're in here making out?" By the end of her sentence, she was on her feet. I groaned.

"Gross, no. I just would like a little warning. This isn't exactly the most comfortable situation I've ever been in."

Zoey took a step forward, looking fairly aggressive. I'd seen that look on her face before, although it was always directed toward Logan. "And you think it's all peachy-keen for us?" She snapped. "It's not all about you, you know!" I was a little surprised by her outburst but recovered quickly.

"I never said it was all about me! This is awkward as hell, Zoey. I don't know if I can do this anymore." Chase stood up, stepping between us.

"Whoa, guys, let's calm down for a sec. James, you're not moving out, we'll just work this out however we have to." I shook my head.

"I'm not talking about moving out. I'm talking about us being friends." I pointed to myself and Zoey, whose eyes grew wide. "Between this and you lying to my face and then going behind my back, I'm just not sure I can do this."

"What are you talking about?" Chase demanded, predictably coming to Zoey's defense, but Zoey had turned pink and looked away mumbling, "I don't know what you mean."

"Yes, you do," I snapped, now angrier. "You know exactly what I mean. And you should have told me, instead of letting me find out from Logan right in front of her. Someone should have told me something!" She glared at me.

"She should have told you!" She shot back. "But she's a liar. I knew she wouldn't come clean."

"Why didn't you come clean?" I demanded. "Why didn't you tell me if you were so sure she wouldn't?" I shook my head. "You told her to stay away from me? Doesn't that sound just a little hypocritical, considering?" She glared at me, and Chase held up his hand.

"Whoa, now, wait a minute, James," he said. "That's different. Zoey was just looking out for you."

"No, if she had been looking out for me, she would have told me! The fact is, you weren't one hundred percent sure, where you?" I asked her, pointing my finger in her face. She pushed it away. "You thought there might be a chance she was sincere, and so you stayed quiet." She folded her arms.

"Do you think she's sincere?" Chase asked Zoey, who didn't reply right away. She looked out of the window and then back, and addressed Chase.

"I don't know."

I sat down in the desk chair, my head in my hands. "I can't believe this. You should have heard some of the things I just said to her." I glared at Zoey. "Why didn't you just tell me the truth? Or you? Did you both know about the date? Is that why you were so pissed off when I got back?" I demanded of Chase. Zoey gave him a sharp look.

"Why were you pissed off, Chase?" She asked, her tone dangerous. He crossed his arms.

"Why didn't you tell him about it in the first place?" He shot back. "You waited until it was too late to tell me. I couldn't even warn him."

"You could have warned me after!" I interjected. "Both of you are at fault here."

"Hey, if you wouldn't have been so damn secretive about the whole thing, maybe we could have!" Chase snapped at me. As he did, Michael and Logan came running into the room with Lola and Quinn behind them.

"I had every right to not tell anyone about her," I shouted. "That's my private business and since you all were lying to me, I had no reason to believe it affected any of you!"

"James, calm down," Michael said, stepping in between Chase and I.

"I will not calm down. This is bullshit, Michael, all of it! They kept something really important from me and now he's trying to put it on me, like it's my fault?"

"You're right," Chase said quietly. "We should have told you. And I'm sorry." I stared at him. "Really, I am. I thought that Rebecca had told you everything and that's why you were being secretive, and it made me angry. But I should have told you." He held out his hand for a truce and after a brief hesitation, I shook it. Lola and Quinn relaxed visibly.

"I'm sorry, too," Logan said. "I came on pretty strong back there." I nodded and looked at Zoey, who shrugged.

"I'm sorry you're dating a psycho," she snapped. "I'm sorry you didn't feel like you could trust anyone with your new girlfriend."

"Whoa, Zoey," Lola said, taking her by the arm, but Zoey pulled away.

"Are you going to keep seeing her?" She demanded.

Everyone turned to look at me. Folding my arms, I faced off with Zoey. "I don't know." Her eyebrows shot up, and she put her hands on her hips.

"Then you're right. We can't be friends." Turning, she stomped out of the room. I watched her go with mild surprise.

"Great," Lola muttered, hurrying after Zoey. Quinn shot Logan an unreadable glance before following.

"Are you really?" Chase asked quietly. I shrugged.

"I don't know. I really like her. All of this is weird and crazy and I wish it hadn't happened, but I don't know if it changes how I feel about her. Maybe a little." He nodded.

"I guess I understand." Michael and Logan seemed to be standing on their toes, waiting for something to happen. "I'm not going to hit him!" Chase snapped at them, and they relaxed. "Geez." I couldn't help but smile.

"Seriously, I need to go talk to her." Chase sighed.

"I need to go find Zoey." He looked at me. "Sorry she freaked out on you like that. Rebecca is a pretty sore subject with her." He left the room. Michael and Logan looked at each other and then at me.

"Dude, I think you should give Rebecca a chance," Michael said. I stared at him. "Really. I know she screwed up before, but look at Vince. At least Rebecca never hit anyone. Maybe she's changed." Logan nodded.

"He's right." He paused. "Tell her I'm, uh, I'm sorry for calling her crazy." I smiled.

"I will. Thanks guys."

--

Taking a deep breath, I knocked on Rebecca's dorm door. One of her roommates answered it.

"What do you want?" She demanded.

"I want to talk to Rebecca." She folded her arms.

"And what if she doesn't want to talk to you?"

I sighed. "Then I don't blame her. But I'm hoping that she'll accept my apology and hear me out." She pursed her lips before opening the door.

"Fine. But you say one word to upset her and-"

"Domi, just let him in." She did and I saw Rebecca sitting on their little sofa. "Now get out," she said to her roommates, who complied quickly.

"Can I sit down?" I asked quietly. She nodded and I did.

"I'm sorry-" we said at the same time. She giggled.

"I really am," I told her quickly, before she could interrupt. "I was mad at Zoey and I took it out on you."

"I'm sorry I wasn't honest," she replied. "I promise I won't keep anything else from you. That is, if you still want to be my friend." I was confused.

"Your friend?" I asked. She shrugged.

"I-uh, I figured it was wishful thinking to hope for more." I scooted closer to her.

"There's nothing wrong with wishing," I said, kissing her.

She smiled when I pulled away and whispered, "Especially when it comes true."

--

I returned to my dorm room a few hours later with a huge smile on my face. That smile fell when I saw Chase sitting on one of the bean bags, his eyes red. Michael and Logan were sitting on either side of him.

"Whoa, what's going on?" I asked. Chase glanced up at me.

"Zoey broke up with me."