Chapter 3- Before Sunset
Zoey laid down on her stomach as she traced a sketch of the sunset. She closed her eyes, and then looked down at her comforter. She didn't have to do Logan's bet. Maybe she should just pretend to be sick and not go. Zoey sighed and placed her hands to her forehead.
A knock was heard at her door.
"Nicole can you get that?"
"Zoey…the 50 steamiest southern stars is on E!" Nicole complained.
Zoey got up, "Fine, Fine."
"Your blocking Ian Somerhalder!" Nicole yelled.
Zoey shook her head, "Sorry." She opened the door to reveal Michael.
"Zoey, did you forget we were supposed to meet. I don't mean to hunt you down like a hound dog, but I got a lady to impress."
"Yeah, I'm sorry Michael," Zoey said stepping outside and then closing the door behind her. Zoey glanced down at Michael's workout gear, "Are you headed to the gym?"
Michael nodded, and then flexed his muscles. "Yeah, I'm starting to get a little definition in my arms, so now it's time to focus on the rest of my body."
Zoey giggled, "Are you doing all this for Skyler?"
"She's hot, what can I say."
"Hey, can I come with you?" Zoey asked.
"I wish I had a tape recorder for this. Zoey Brooks actually asked to come exercising with me."
"Well I have a lot on my mind, and I need a break." Zoey opened the door.
"Justin Timberlake!" Nicole screamed.
Zoey smiled in Michael's direction. "I will be right out."
"Okay," Michael looked down at his watch.
Five minutes later Zoey stepped back out of her dorm in a white tank top and some pink sweat pants. "Where is Chase?"
"Still at work, he gets off at eight today."
"Poor Chase, he hates that job." Zoey replied. "So how did you want me to help you with your lady problems."
"Well, you know how I want Skyler right."
Zoey nodded, "How could I forget…after that trail of drool you left on the table."
"Are you going to keep on bringing that up?"
"No, that's the last time." Zoey said laughing.
15 minutes later they arrived at the PCA student activities center. "Let's work on our legs."
Zoey looked around at the machines in confusion. "Um…Michael which machine works the legs?"
"Hopeless," He said.
Zoey bit her lip, "It's my first time in here."
Michael walked over to some machines and sat down. "These machines work legs."
Zoey picked a random machine and sat down. She took one glance at the weight set to 90 pounds, and then readjusted the weight to 30.
"Zoey, what do you look for in a man?" Michael asked moving his legs outwards along with the machine.
"Huh?" Zoey asked struggling with the weights.
"I want to impress Skyler but I need a girls point of view. I could always ask Chase what I can do to catch Skyler's eye, but…"
"Chase is a guy."
Michael nodded, "Exactly, I need a feminine point of view."
Zoey pulled her hair out of her face and looked down. "Well Michael you have to realize not all girls want the same thing in a guy."
"Well you give advice at PCA in the school newspaper give me whatever you got."
Zoey gave up on the weights. She turned to the side and rested against the seat. "You should be yourself."
Michael stared back at Zoey with a straight face. "Is that it."
"Yeah," Zoey said watching as Logan and Sawyer stepped into the gym.
She turned around with lightning speed. Oh No, what if Logan saw her? Then she wouldn't be able to pretend to be sick later.
"Hey, Zoey, not to be selfish but I need your attention here."
"Oh yeah, sorry." Zoey said.
"Don't give me any Dr. Phil nonsense right now. Just tell me what you look for in a guy. Sklyer has to want some of the same things."
Zoey glanced at Logan once again from the corner of her eyes, and then focused back on Michael. "Well I look for a guy that has a nice personality, a warm smile, and pretty eyes."
Michael scoffed, "Zoey, I could've gotten that in any Teen Girl magazine."
Zoey tilted her head back and glanced up at the ceiling, "Well Michael, what do you want from me?"
"Um…what kind of clothes do you like your guys to wear?"
Zoey thought it over. She liked polos and really neat graphic tees like the one's Chase wore. "I like the kind of clothes Chase wears."
Michael nodded. Score a point for his homeboy. Zoey was digging Chase's style.
"What else, I don't know Michael." Zoey said defeated.
"Man, I might just go to Quinn."
Zoey smiled amused. "Quinn? Michael what could Quinn possibly do to help you win Skyler's heart."
"Remember when we saw her stealing people's milk cartons at lunch today?"
Zoey nodded, "Yeah,"
"She found out about my crush. I was talking to Chase and she overheard…and anyways to make a long story short, she offered to invent a new cologne that would attract all the girls to me."
Zoey grinned, "Kind of like a love potion?"
Michael nodded, "I don't know how she's going to do it. But as long as it is free it is worth a shot."
"Remember those free potato chips she gave you? The ones that made you walk all funny."
"They were good!" Michael said rubbing his stomach.
"What's up Michael," Logan said strutting over to Michael and Zoey with his gym bag in hand.
Zoey looked away. Her eyes met Sawyer's. He smiled at her confidently and then placed down his weights. Zoey returned his smile, and then looked away. Sawyer was so cute, but he belonged to Nicole.
"Zoey, Sawyer tells me that you and Nicole want to audition for the band." Logan said leaning against Zoey's machine.
"Yeah," Zoey said with a straight face.
"Well Nicole can't audition."
"What!" Zoey exclaimed.
Michael shook his head and stood up.
"Where are you going Michael?"
"To find that nut Quinn. I'm hoping she has the potion to win me some lovin' from Skyler."
Zoey sighed and then focused back at Logan. "Nicole is a great singer, she is probably even better than me."
Logan sat down at the machine Michael had been sitting at earlier. "I'll let Nicole try out on three conditions."
Zoey rolled her eyes.
"Watch your eyes girl,"
"What Logan?" Zoey asked watching as Sawyer pulled off his shirt. She quickly turned away. Bad Zoey. Bad.
Logan grinned, "#1 make sure Nicole starts paying me back before auditions, 2, go through with that kissing Chase thing, and 3, help me get Dana."
"Dana?" Zoey asked.
Logan nodded, "Why are you surprised. She's hot. I'm hot. We're meant to be together."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Put my notes in her locker. Don't read them, and don't tell her until I am ready."
Zoey scowled, "Dana will eventually figure it out."
"No she won't. I would be the last person she would expect. After all I do have a reputation around PCA as being a meathead."
Zoey remained silent. Wasn't that the truth.
Logan stood up and squeezed Zoey's shoulder. "I'll send your first note, via e-mail after your kissing scene with Chase."
"Logan, why are you so interested in me kissing Chase?" Zoey asked standing up.
"I like to shake things up. Besides you took the dare sweetheart. I know Chase is not me, but he's not that bad."
"That's not it." Zoey said crossing her arms.
"Then what is it?" Logan asked focusing on a group of girls walking by.
Zoey glanced at Sawyer once more who was bench pressing weights on his own. She bit her lip. He was so cute. Zoey's cell phone rang.
"See ya tonight." Logan walked over to a random girl, "Hey do you need some help with those weights."
Zoey looked down at her cell. Aww, it was Chase he probably just got off of work. "Hey Chase,"
"Hey Zoey, where you at?"
Zoey giggled, "At the gym."
"Are you serious?"
"Unbelievably yes,"
"Well, do you want to work on the PCA fashion show tonight?" Chase asked.
Zoey's cheeks burned at the thought of staying up late with Chase, putting together the show, eating pizza, and watching re-runs of Lost. They're favorite show, which they taped religiously.
"Actually Chase…I am going to um…poetry night. And I was wondering if…" Zoey closed her eyes. Chase was going to hate her after this. "Do you want to go?"
"Of course, I'll get ready. And then I'll pick you up at your dorm."
"Okay, thanks Chase,"
"Bye Zoey,"
"Bye," Zoey clicked off her cell phone and then tossed it back in her purse. She was going to do it. She was going to kiss Chase.
Chase pulled off his hairnet and then the apron. He was quitting that stupid job at the cafeteria. If he wanted to win his best-friend, then he had to have a cool job. Chase glanced in the mirror and then struck a pose. Zoey would like him if he was a model. He crossed his arms and raised his chin. "How do I look Zoey. You look beautiful as always, it's just you, and me."
He smiled at himself. Pretending as if Zoey is here isn't going to win her heart man. He placed his hands against the mirror, and then tried to imagine kissing Zoey. She was so perfect, God couldn't have created a more beautiful girl for him.
The door opened and Michael stepped in.
Chase turned around, and stepped away from the mirror.
"I saw you, don't turn into Logan on me man,"
Chase smiled and looked down embarrassed. "I can't believe Zoey was at the gym with you."
"I think she is trying to impress you."
Chase's eyes widened and a wide smile formed on his face.
Michael raised an eyebrow, "In order for me to talk to that face, I am going to need you to wipe off that cheesy smile."
"I can't help it. I feel like my relationship with Zoey is moving forward. She invited me to poetry night Michael!"
"Well are you going to read her some of the poems you wrote about her. We didn't take that English seminar in poetry for no reason."
"I might. But I'm not going to get up stage and read it." Chase reached for his towel. "I am going to get showered."
"Okay, well I'm off to sign my soul away to Quinn."
Chase frowned, "It was nice knowing you Michael, you were a good friend of mine and I will truly miss you."
"Quinn isn't going to kill me!"
Chase narrowed his eyes as Michael, "Say that again. Quinn has a record of failed experiences."
Michael scowled, "Well maybe this one will be successful,"
"And that's a big maybe."
"You have fun tonight, I might stop over late so we can work on homework…"
"Michael," Chase said.
"Yeah?" Michael asked pausing at the door.
"We also have to plot how to get Zoey and Skyler as our partners for the experience. So bring pizza with you, it's going to be a long night."
"Oh okay…" Michael held out his hand.
"What's up" Chase said giving Michael a hi-five.
"No," Michael signaled for Chase to give him money. "I am broke as a camel. How about you give me money to by the pizza. You are the one with the job."
"Oh, well we'll just settle for PB&J sandwiches then."
Michael nodded, "Fine by me."
After Michael left Chase looked around the dorm he shared with Logan. His eyes then rested on the sunset in the back. Palm trees blew gently in the wind as the yellow lemon drop in the sky settled below the Pacific.
He smiled. Tonight was the night. Tonight was the night.
"Zoey you look so cute!" Nicole chirped.
"Thanks Nicole," Zoey said sitting down next to her. Her stomach was in knots, and her hands felt clammy. She felt like she was going to be sick.
Nicole fanned herself, "Zoey, look there's Sawyer. He is such a babemuffin."
Zoey raised an eyebrow, "A babemuffin Nicole?"
Nicole nodded absently, "Yeah, what's wrong with that?"
Zoey waved off her question when she saw Chase heading over to them. She held her breath and clasped her hands together. Chase looked amazing. He was wearing a sports jacket over a tee-shirt and a pair of jeans.
"Oh la la look at Chase," Nicole cooed.
Zoey gave her a nervous smile.
Chase sat down across from them. "Hey guys,"
"Girls," Nicole corrected.
Chase raised an eyebrow in Nicole's direction and then smiled at Zoey. "Guess what Zoey."
"What?"
"I had to write a poem for English so I am going to read it tonight."
Zoey nodded, "Oh really? That's cool Chase,"
Chase's cheeks grew red, "But the thing is I get really nervous when I have to speak in front of audiences so do you think…."
"I'll go up there with you!" Nicole cut in raising her hand.
Zoey tucked her hair behind her ear, and tried to keep her legs from shaking.
"Zoey, I was just wondering if you would go up there with me." Chase asked.
"Oh poo." Nicole complained.
Zoey's mouth dropped open. She had to say yes. How could she say No. Logan dared her to kiss Chase on stage, and she had to do it. Zoey glanced at Nicole from the corner of her eye, who was staring at Sawyer in awe. Logan wouldn't let Nicole audition for the band if Zoey didn't go through with the dare, and give his secret letters to Dana. How did she get herself into these situations.
Chase placed his hand on Zoey's, "If you don't want to…"
"Yes Chase, I'll go up with you." Zoey said forcing a smile.
"Thanks Zoey," He said.
Zoey stared down at Chase's lips and then back into his eyes. This kiss was inevitable. It was going to happen tonight.