Hey guys. By request, I am putting a little less dialogue and more description into this chapter and am going to try and make it longer (also by request). Hope you like it!

Chapter Four: Sink or Swim

"So what's the deal with you and Zoey?"

Chase opened his eyes and yawned loudly. He sat up in his bed, feeling stiff as a board. "Hey, Michael…" He groaned and rubbed his eyes blearily. "Where am I?"

"You fell asleep," Michael said. He was pulling on a pair of pink socks with white stripes. He caught Chase looking at them. "Uh… it's not what you think. See, I don't like pink. I got them for a birthday present and I ran out of socks…"

"Whatever, man," Chase grinned and yawned again. "So how long have I been sleeping? More or less then ten minutes?"

"More," Michael said, checking his reflection in the mirror. "You've been asleep for two hours."

"What?" Chase glanced at his watch. It was 2:30 now. He groaned even louder then before. "How could this HAPPEN? Why didn't you wake me up?"

Michael shrugged his shoulders.

"And did I miss all my classes?" Chase demanded.

Michael grinned. "Nah, I took care of that. I told them all you were in a tragic state of your life and you couldn't talk to anyone for 25 years. Oh yeah and I may have also mentioned that you think that you're a unicorn and people MAY stay away from you these days…"

"You're a real pal," Chase said thickly.

"I try," Michael grinned again and nodded his head.

Chase scrambled out of his bed and grabbed his bag. All classes were over now, but he figured he could at least apologize to the teachers for not being there- and clear up the fact that he didn't think he was a unicorn. He ran out of the room and collided right into Zoey who was standing there, looking expectant.

"Hey Chase!" she said happily. "Where are you going?"

"Oh… uh, class cause I'm not a unicorn," Chase said absent mindedly.

Zoey laughed. "Whatever. Hey, want to go get a taco? I'm starving."

"Sorry, Zo, can't right now," Chase murmured, glancing at his watch again. "I have to go tell the teachers that-"

"Oh," Zoey said, looking crestfallen. "Okay then, whatever." She turned her back on Chase and folded her arms across her chest.

"Oh, Zoey, don't be like that," Chase groaned, exasperated.

"Be like what?" Zoey mumbled, playing dumb.

Chase looked at his watch again. Most of the teachers would be gone in half an hour. He had to move fast. "Oh… Zoey…" He sighed. "Fine, fine, let's go get a taco. But HURRY!"

"Yay!" Zoey grabbed Chase's hand and started to run. Chase hesitantly went along with her, trailing behind her.

Zoey went right by the cafeteria. Before Chase could ask, she dragged him outside. Although it was still rather early, the sky seemed a dark blue. The clouds, usually so white, were now a pink colour, big and fluffy.

"Look, Chase, cotton candy," Zoey whispered.

A light breeze wafted around them. Chase shivered and Zoey edged closer toward him. He could practically feel his heart stop when her arm brushed against his. She took his hand and pulled him, beckoning him to follow her. She led him to a bench and sat him down, sitting down next to him.

"Zoey I really have to go…" Chase started. Zoey put her head on his shoulder. He caught his breath.

"Chase," she sighed. "I don't know how we just managed as friends." A tear slid down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away.

"Zoey," Chase said, turning to face her. "Um, I have to tell you something. You see, that day Quinn gave us the love potion-"

Zoey jerked upright and stared Chase in the eye. "What are you talking about? LOVE potion?"

Chase blinked. "You know… last night… A Cinderella Story…"

Zoey stared at him, her brown eyes locked with his green ones. It felt as if everyone around them had melted into the ground and they were the only ones left on the earth. They could hear the wind and the waves crashing along the shore in the distance.

"You're not in love with me?" Zoey's voice quavered when she spoke. She was gripping the bottom of the bench tightly with her hands, so tightly that her fingers were turning white.

Chase shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He wished that he hadn't said anything. He wished her head was still on his shoulder. Oh why, WHY did he always make such stupid mistakes?

"Chase?" Zoey's eyes were full of tears now.

Chase's mind was working rapidly. This was his chance to confess to Zoey about his REAL feelings. But they wouldn't be real- not to her anyway. Quinn had said the potion would wear off in 48 hours. By tomorrow, Zoey wouldn't even remember his confession. He felt very confused.

"Look, Zoey," he said slowly. "I do like you- a lot. But you don't like me. At least I don't think you like me. I mean, I hope you like me but-"

"Chase!" Zoey cried. "You're not making any sense. And I don't just like you, I love you, remember?" She reached for his hand, but he quickly pulled it away. She looked hurt.

"You don't love me, Zo," Chase said sadly. "It's the potion. You see, Zoey, I didn't-"

"Stop it!" Zoey yelled. She jumped up to her feet, tears now streaming down her face. Then she turned and ran. Chase just sat there for awhile. Then he realized that this was his cue to go follow her. He quickly got up and started to chase after her.

She was faster then he had thought she was. Chase was looking wildly around the beach, looking for any trace of Zoey when he heard a loud piercing scream. He peered out into the ocean and saw Zoey, flailing her arms around, trying to stand. His heart sank as he looked down at the sand. Her footsteps led into the water. She must have walked into the ocean to cool her feet when a giant wave caught her off guard and carried her right in the middle of the ocean.

"SWIM, ZOEY, SWIM!" Chase screamed.

Zoey didn't hear him. She was too busy trying to stay afloat while tremendous waves kept crashing against her. Suddenly her head disappeared under the water and didn't come back up.

"Zoey?" Chase called hesitantly. "ZOEY?"

Her blond head popped out again, but only long enough so she could scream, "CHASE!"

Zoey was a good swimmer, but it looked as if she wasn't good enough to withstand those giant waves. Chase took a deep breath and ran right into the water. He walked deeper and deeper until the water was up to his chest. He took a deep breath and plunged underwater and started to swim towards Zoey.

She was farther out then he thought. Chase came up for air and a wave hit him in the face. He gasped and dove back underwater. He could see the outline of Zoey's body, now still and sinking… then floating… then sinking a little… then floating back up to surface. A wave threw Chase around before he could finally reach Zoey. Her head was down and he quickly managed to flip her over and pull her into his arms. He started to swim again, now pulling Zoey along. The waves weren't as bad as when Zoey had walked into the ocean. It was actually calm now. He made it to shore, gasping for breath.

Chase lay Zoey down in the sand. She started coughing and sputtering. Chase leaned over her to see if she was alright. Her eyes fluttered open.

"Chase?"

"Zoey, you're ok!" Chase cried. He felt so relieved that he almost forgot how tired he was. Almost, but not quite.

"What… I don't…" Zoey sat up, looking strained. "I just went into the ocean to walk along the edge of the water… but then this huge wave…" Her eyes filled with tears. "Chase, I could have died if you didn't follow me!"

Chase sighed and lay down on the sand. "I'm sorry, Zo. I shouldn't have said what I said. I mean, it's my fault you-"

"Chase," Zoey said. "If you don't love me then why did you save me?"

Chase sat up. "Huh?"

"Why did you save me, Chase?" Zoey looked worried now. "You could have died."

"But I didn't," Chase murmured.

"But you could have," Zoey said quietly. She leaned over Chase. His heart started thumping wildly.

"Zoey…?"

She leaned down and kissed him. His mind just turned blank. It would have been the perfect kiss- he had just saved her, there was a sunset, and there was no one else around. But then an unpleasant thought occurred to him. She was under a spell, he thought. So it's not real. By tomorrow… by tomorrow it'll be just the same. By tomorrow night we'll be Zoey and Chase- just friends.