Chapter 5- Hearts on Fire

"Zoey, open your eyes. I have a surprise for you!" Nicole exclaimed walking into their dorm with a bowl of hot soup.

Zoey removed her hand from over her eyes, and slowly sat up. "Is that clam chowder?"

"Yeah," Nicole inched closer.

Zoey glanced down at Nicole's book bag on the floor, "Nicole, watch out for…"

"Woah!" Nicole screamed. The bowl of clam chowder went flying from her hands.

Zoey's mouth dropped open and she tried to move, but the clam chowder was coming at her to quick. She turned her head as the bowl of soup hit her on the head and then spilled onto her pajamas. Zoey expected the clam chowder to burn…but it was cold.

Nicole stood up and placed her hand to her mouth, "Oh my gosh Zoey, I am so sorry!"

Zoey wiped the cold clam chowder out of her eyes. "Um…Nicole,"

Nicole grabbed Zoey's towel and handed it to her. "I am so sorry."

Zoey waved Nicole away. She didn't want to be mean, but she was really stressed out and Nicole wasn't helping. She was trying, but it was making everything worse. Zoey pulled off her shirt. "Why is this clam chowder cold?"

Nicole winced, "Is it? Oh no! I forgot to put the microwave on. I could swear I did. There was something on t.v. about Ashton Kutcher, and then Sawyer walked by…actually he skated by."

Zoey nodded as she pulled off her socks. She still couldn't believe she almost kissed Chase. Maybe it was a good things that he turned away from her. Zoey pouted, Dana was probably right. Chase probably did like another girl.

"Do you want me to make you some Cream of Crab."

Zoey shook her head, "If there is anymore clam chowder I'll cook it."

"Um…no there is no more."

"Really? I thought we brought eight cans."

Nicole bit her lip, "We did, but…"

Zoey sighed, "Nicole, what did you do to the clam chowder."

"Remember that long walk back from the grocery store?"

Zoey wrapped her towel around her waist. "Yeah,"

"Well, I accidentally dropped the bag down the gutter, and I kind of forgot to tell you."

Zoey nodded in defeat. She had too much going on to worry about this right now. "Okay Nicole, we'll order pizza."

"I…"

"Your broke, I know I'll pay." Zoey suggested.

Zoey opened the door. She ran into Dana.

Zoey glanced down at Dana's duffel bag. "Are you going home?"

"I wish." Dana groaned.

"Charlie's?"

Dana shook her head, "You know the PCA rule, no girls allowed in guys dorms after eleven, and vise versa."

"So where are you going?"

"Mind your own business Zoey." Dana replied.

"Fine, I'm sorry for asking." Zoey raised her hand in the air and walked towards the bathroom.

"What happened to you? You look a mess." Dana said.

Zoey acted as if she didn't hear Dana and continued on towards the bathroom. She was surprised to find Quinn in the bathroom running water into a vile. She stepped back.

"Hi Zoey."

"Hi," Zoey said.

"I'm working on Michael's cologne. You better steer clear of him because any girl that comes within a fifty mile radius of him will become enticed by his scent."

Zoey gave Quinn a small smile. Poor Quinn, and even worse poor Michael.

"Zoey can I borrow a strand of your hair?" Quinn asked.

Zoey nervously laughed, "Um…why Quinn?"

"No reason, can I."

"I um…I um…oh look the showers." Zoey quickly dodged into the showers.

Quinn looked after Zoey oddly, and then focused back on her experiment.

"How was your night with Zoey?" Michael asked looking up from his intense game of Grand Theft Auto.

Chase collapsed onto his bed, "It was good."

"Well alright." Michael said holding out his hand to give Chase a hi-five.

Chase frowned.

"What are you just going to leave me hanging?"

Chase gave Michael a hi-five half-heartedly. And then collapsed back on his bed. His head hit the wall with a hard thud. "Oww!" Chase yelled shooting up, and then hitting his head on the top bunk.

Michael stood up, "You're a mess."

Chase nodded and closed his eyes. "I am a mess,"

Michael moved Chase's hand and looked down at Chase's forehead, "I don't see any war wounds from those hits…so what happened?"

Chase sat up still rubbing his head, "Zoey tried to kiss me, and I…"

"Woah, woah, Woah!" Michael's eyes widened and a smile formed on his face, "Zoey Brooks tried to kiss you! Well suki suki now."

Chase sighed, "Yeah,"

"What's wrong with you? Aren't you excited. After all the poems you've written for her, and all the dreams…"

"How do you know about those?" Chase asked embarrassed.

"Let's just say you talk in your sleep, and Logan and I got it all on tape." Michael got up and removed a tape recorder out of Logan's draw, "Do you want to hear?"

Chase looked down at the tape recorder with wide eyes, "Um…am I on that."

Michael nodded, "Yeah, it's some funny material on here."

"I don't want to hear it." Chase said. Mental note, destroy that tape.

"Your loss," Michael said tossing the tape back into Logan's draw, "So tell me, what happened between you and Zoey…inquiring minds want to know. Keep it up playa, and you won't even have to confront Walsh about getting Zoey as your partner."

Chase leaned forward and ran his hands through his disheveled hair. "I turned my face, so she got my cheek."

"What? Chase…" Michael looked away from his friend in disbelief. "She was right in front of you with her lips puckered and you let her fall through the cracks. Chase do you know what you just did."

"Michael, look I know I messed up, but if Zoey does like me…"

"Sawyer has been hanging around Zoey like a dog looking for a bone. Your loss is his opportunity."

Chase closed his eyes.

Michael stood up. "Get up Chase,"

"Where are we going?" Chase asked.

"Duh, to Zoey's dorm. Your getting a second chance to get that kiss."

"Michael…"

"Chase, get up. This could be the last chance you got. Get up, Let's do this." Michael reached for Chase's arm and pulled him up. "Make sure your breath is fresh, and, clothes are good…what else…I think we're set. Zoey better be ready because a surprise is coming for her tonight."

Logan leaned away from the building as Dana approached him. He smiled. He didn't believe she was going to do it, but Dana was here.

"Let's hurry up and get this over with." Dana growled.

Logan pulled off his shirt and tossed it in the bushes. "Take it off, Take it off."

Dana gave him a murderous look.

Logan shutup. "Oh, okay."

Dana looked around and then pushed Logan out of the way.

"What are you looking for?" Logan asked pulling off his pants.

Dana kept her eyes on everything but Logan. No, don't look at him Dana, don't look at him. Dana turned around, "I'm looking for a camera because I don't trust you."

"There is no camera. Are you going to get undressed?"

"Not with you looking. Turn around." Dana snapped.

"What is a peek?" Logan teased.

Dana crossed her arms, "Why am I even doing this?"

Logan turned around, "Hurry up, I got a special girl who wants to have some fun later."

"You're a pig." Dana growled.

"You know you want to have fun too."

"Give me a break." Dana pulled off her shirt.

Logan turned around quickly. A smile curled across his lips. Dana, Dana, Dana.

Dana turned around with electric speed, "Turn around before I pluck your eyeballs out of your head."

Logan turned around, "Are you trying to mess up my market value. Without my eyes, I wouldn't be nearly as hot."

Dana pulled off her jeans. She took a deep breath and then looked down at her tee-shirt and panties. Why was she doing this?

Take it off. Take it off. Logan thought excitedly.

After Dana was undressed she quickly hid behind the bush.

Logan threw his head back and laughed. "Get out of there bambi. What are you doing?"

"Where are we running to?" Dana asked.

Logan pulled off his boxers.

Dana looked away.

"We are running to the outdoor pool and then back, I was only half kidding when I suggested you run around the whole campus."

"No, you weren't your just changing you mind because your doing it too."

Logan shrugged, "Everyone wants to see me though, so why wouldn't I give them what they want."

"And are you trying to imply that I am an ogre?"

Logan grinned, "Shrek, get out of the bushes."

"Urggh." Dana growled.

Logan crossed his arms, "It's getting cold."

"I can see that."

Logan turned around, "Let's go."

Dana came out of the bushes, and instead of going over to Logan she ran like the wind.

"Hey!" Logan yelled running after her.

Dana's eyes were deadest on the pool. Get there. Get there!

"Ms. Ashbury, have you seen my keys?"

Dana's eyes widened. Oh No! why were teachers still here! Logan caught up to her.

"I know your good at sports, but I'm better!"

"I heard someone." Dana said.

"Did you hear something?" Another teacher said.

"I think so let's check."

Dana and Logan stopped at the pool. Dana's eyes widened as she saw the shadows of the teachers stepping out of the science hall.

Logan grabbed her hand, and pulled her into the pool.

"My hair!" she screamed going in.

Zoey stepped back into the dorm. Her hair was still wet and she had a pink towel wrapped around her body. "Nicole, if Quinn comes by here looking for a lock of hair don't give it to her."

"To late," Nicole chirped.

Zoey shook her head, "Oh well,"

"Two guys are here." Nicole chanted.

Zoey's eyes widened when she noticed Chase and Michael sitting on Dana's bed. "Oh hey guys do you think you can step out for a second so I can get dressed?"

Both Chase and Michael stepped out. Zoey closed the door behind them and quickly got dressed. After she was wearing a pair of shorts and a tee-shirt she opened the door.

Michael stepped in first and Chase stepped in after him.

There eyes met. Chase smiled back at her.

Zoey gave him a small smile. She had to fix things between them. After she tried to kiss him, she wasn't sure what he thought of her.

"Hey guys lets dance!" Nicole went over to Dana's boombox and turned it up full blast. She raised her hands in the air and started to bounce around the room in a frenzied dance.

Zoey leaned against the wall and watched Nicole in amusement.

Michael elbowed Chase. "Go over to her,"

"Not yet," Chase mumbled.

Zoey looked down shyly. She could tell Michael was trying to get Chase to talk to her, but he didn't seem as if he wanted to.

"Wohoo, dancing fever! Come on guys it's contagious!" Nicole yelled shaking her hair all over the place.

"Nicole stop before you break something." Zoey said softly.

Nicole ran into Dana's lamp, and accidentally threw it on the floor shattering the lightbulb. "Um…Zoey, do you have any extra bulbs?"

Zoey nodded, "Yes Nicole, yes I do."

Michael stood up and walked over to Dana's boom box and turned it off. "Hey guys, I have a new game."

"What find Sawyer and bring him to me?" Nicole asked clasping her hands together.

Michael stared back at Nicole oddly, "No,"

"Well what is it?" Chase asked somewhat nervously.

"This game is called how well do you know them." Michael explained.

"Ohh, is Sawyer going to play." Nicole asked giving Michael a playful wink.

Michael scowled, "Nicole he's not even here."

Zoey handed Nicole a light bulb for Dana's lamp. "I'll play."

Michael rubbed his hands together. "Sweet. Okay the first question is who is your celebrity crush. I'll go first since I asked, for me the answer is simple…the fine and bootylicious Beyonce', Chase your up."

"Evangelline Lilly…Kate from Lost." Chase said glancing at Zoey.

Zoey crossed her arms and smiled. She knew that Chase had a celebrity crush on her. "Well, I kind of like Ian Somerholder…Boone from Lost."

"Hey!" Nicole screamed. "He's mine."

Zoey shrugged, "Okay, Ashton Kutcher."

"He's mine too!" Nicole scolded.

Michael grinned and shook his head, "Ladies no need to fight. Boone is dead. And Ashton is with Demi."

"Beyonce is with Jay-Z." Chase said.

Michael turned to Chase, "Not helping man, not helping. Now, the next question is how well do you know Zoey?"

Zoey pouted, "Michael, does it have…"

"Ms. Brooks, I'm going to have to ask for silence. How well do I know Zoey Brooks…um, nothing is coming to mind. I know your favorite food is spaghetti."

Zoey shook her head.

"I know, Michael, her favorite food is maccoroni and cheese…the homemade kind." Chase filled in.

A small smile formed on Zoey's face.

"I bet that is all you know." Michael challenged.

"Her favorite perfume is Curious by Britney Spears, her favorite t.v. shows are Lost and The O.C. and her favorite color is pink."

Zoey's smile widened. Chase got everything right.

Michael nodded impressed. "He's got you to a Z Zoey."

Zoey tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and looked down happily. Maybe things were still okay between her and Chase.

"Do you guys want to stay over?" Nicole asked.

Zoey's eyes widened, "No Nicole. Remember the curfew rule, they can't be here past ten."

"Well we already are." Michael said looking down at his watch.

Chase reached for Michael's watch, "Yeah, it is definitely past ten."

Zoey blew her hair out of her face. Another thing to worry about. "Okay, well you guys have to leave really early in the morning. And if someone checks on us, you guys have to hide under the bed. We could get expelled if you guys are found in here."

"Got it." Michael said.

"This is so romantic." Nicole said taking the bunk bed ladder up to her bed. "If only Sawyer were here."

"Is this all she does? Because it is getting tired quick." Michael complained.

Zoey nodded, "Pretty much."

"Where's Dana?" Chase asked moving over to Zoey's bed and laying against her pillow.

"I don't know." Zoey sat down on the bed next to Chase. "I thought your poem was really good."

"It was nothing special." Chase said.

"I think so," Zoey replied.

Chase grinned, "Well that's all that matters."

Nicole's head appeared from the top bunk. "Ohh…am I sensing a love connection?"

"No Nicole, we're just talking."

Nicole winked, "Okay kiddies, I'll let you get back to that."

Michael laid down on Dana's bed, "Wake me as soon as she gets back."

"Sure, Michael…we'll even take it a step further and wake you before she gets back."

"Sounds even better," Michael turned over on his side.

"You had a busy day today Zoey." Chase said.

Zoey nodded, "I did, I had detention, and…I just want to go to sleep and wake up to a new day."

Chase smiled, "Me too, so you signed up for that psychology project right?"

Zoey nodded, "Yeah, I hope I am paired with anyone but Logan."

"What about me?"

Zoey looked up at Chase.

His eyes started to twitch, and his knees started to shake. "Sorry, I somehow managed a random nervous disorder today."

"You should get that checked out." Zoey said with a laugh.

"I think I know what the cause is."

"What?" Zoey asked crossing her legs and leaning closer to Chase.

Chase swallowed down a lump in his throat. He wanted to say Zoey it's because of you. "Bad cabbage,"

"Bad cabbage?" Zoey asked.

Chase nodded quickly, "I knew I shouldn't of given it a second chance at the cafeteria, but it looked so good."

"Ohh, well now you know never touch the cabbage."

Dana surfaced gasping for air. Logan surfaced a couple of seconds later. She looked around cautiously for the teachers they had heard earlier. They were gone.

"You messed up my hair!" Dana screamed.

"Mine is messed up to. Do you think my hair looks this good by itself…well not this good…when it's dry."

"What if I didn't know how to swim!"

"I wouldn't let you drown." Logan pointed out.

Dana rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I really don't believe that."

Logan swam closer to Dana, "Well believe it."

Dana backed against the edge of the pool as Logan swam closer.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Fulfilling my last dare of the day,"

"What?" Dana said.

Logan placed his hand against the side of Dana's face and then leaned forward to kiss her. Once their lips touched Dana tried to pull away from him, but she couldn't. She allowed her eyes to close and she started to wrap her arms around Logan but then stopped. Logan turned his head to the other side, and then cupped Dana's chin with his other hand.

"Stop!" Dana said pushing him away. She raised her hand to smack him, but stopped.

Logan opened his eyes, "What that wasn't good for you?"

Dana pushed him away, and crawled out of the pool. As soon as she got out she broke out into a sprint towards her clothes, and as far away from Logan as possible.

Logan smiled and then floated backwards on his back. He looked up at the moon, and let out a howl. "Dana, so wants me."