Hi all. What's new? Well okay first off, I'd just like to thank everyone who takes time to read and review my story! I bow to all of you :) Second off, I realize that my plot for the story will not work any other way unless I copy out of a drama I watched. So this is a parody of a Korean drama that I saw ages ago. Well, kind of a parody… most parts weren't in the drama. Thirdly Zoey and her friends are now all 25 or 26 since its 8 years after they graduated!

Zoey buttoned up her coat as Nicole forced her to take a raspberry muffin for the road.

"Visit soon, Zoey," Nicole said, stuffing the muffin into Zoey's hand. "I'll be waiting for your call!" She came in for another hug. Zoey quickly pocketed the muffins so it wouldn't get squished between the two of them.

IT was getting late and most of them were on their way home. Dustin and Katie had already left to another appointment they had.

"C'mon Zoey, are you coming?" Logan said impatiently, jangling his car keys. Dana sighed loudly and mumbled something about Logan always being in a hurry. The two of them started bickering and Michael laughed as he took off his golf cap and readjusted it.

"I have a tight schedule," Logan complained. "As soon as I get home I have lots of work to do." He glanced at his watch. "It's already nearing 12 AM!" He sighed loudly.

"I don't want to take up your time," Zoey said. "I'll just… grab a ride with someone else." She looked over at Michael who shrugged his shoulders at her.

"Hey, don't look at me. I took the bus here," Michael said. "I just live one bus stop away actually." He yawned and took some change out of his pocket. "I guess I have enough for you too, Zoey. You can take the bus too if you want…"

"I'd give you a ride, Zoey, but I have to clean up," Nicole said apologetically. "And Tony's going to stay and help me. I have to give him a ride later since he came in Jake's car… maybe if you stayed a little longer then I can give you a ride when I'm giving Tony one…?"

"I'll give her a ride," Jake offered.

Everyone stared at him. Zoey cleared her throat. "Oh… no, that's ok. I can just… walk." The last thing she wanted to do was sit in a car with someone whom she believed was Chase. It felt like her heart would break every time she saw him. So close… yet so far…

"It's no trouble," Jake said. "Where do you live?"

Zoey mumbled her address and Jake grinned. "Great, that's really close to where I live." He pulled his car keys out of his jacket pocket and started out the door. Zoey had no choice but to follow him.

Dana and Logan got into their convertible and drove off, waving and promising to call. Then they watched Michael walk down to the bus stop and board a bus. Finally Jake got into his small little black car and Zoey got into the front seat after him.

"Call soon, Zoey!" Nicole called after them as Jake pulled the car out of the driveway. Tony waved as well and then they both disappeared inside the house.

It was silent in the car for awhile. Jake coughed and finally turned the radio on. A familiar song played on and Zoey felt her heart ache even more. She turned her head so she was facing out the window. A single tear rolled down her cheek.

It was their song. The song Zoey and Chase had danced to at their first dance as a couple. She remembered it clearly. He had held her close… so close she could smell his cologne that he had obviously borrowed for Logan.

"Chase," she murmured into his shirt.

"Zoey," Chase murmured back.

"I love you," Zoey said, looking up into his glowing face.

"I… love you too," Chase said.

It was the first time they had said those words. Such precious words they were. They had both held on to them as if they were made of gold. They had both treasured those words and Zoey knew that she still did.

"Zoey… are you there?"

Zoey blinked and turned her head. Jake was trying to get her attention.

"Sorry," Zoey apologized. "I was just…" She wiped her tears away. "What were you saying?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to stop by the supermarket tomorrow where I work," Jake said, his eyes glued on to the road. "Since it's near where you live I thought maybe you'd like to stop by and say hi."

Zoey took a deep breath. See Jake again? She wasn't sure she wanted to. "Well… we'll see." She turned her head again to stare out the window and closed her eyes. Tonight had been too much excitement for her to handle. She didn't talk for the rest of the ride. Finally they had reached her apartment and Jake was dropping her off at the front doors.

"Nice to meet you, Zoey Brooks," Jake said, smiling.

"Same here, Jake…" Zoey paused, unsure of his last name.

"Matthews," Jake said. "My name's Jake Matthews."

Zoey froze. "Matthews?"

Jake nodded his head. "Uh… yeah… It's a pretty common last name so…"

Zoey nodded and quickly opened the car door. She stepped out and gave a tight lipped smile to Jake. Slamming the door shut she ran into the apartment and instead of waiting for the elevator, started up the long flight of stairs to the seventh floor. Her heart was beating fast and she felt her mind spin. She couldn't believe the coincidence. Jake Matthews… Chase Matthews.

She pulled her keys out of her pocket and shoved them into the keyhole. Her hands were shaking so much she could barely open the door. When she finally did, she yanked the key out and slammed the door, shivering as if someone had thrown a bucket of ice cold water over her body.

Running into the kitchen she dropped her keys on to the table and her jacket on the chair. She opened the fridge and brought out a carton of milk, hoping it would soothe her nerves. She grabbed a glass and started pouring milk, but her hands were shaking so badly that milk splattered all over the counter.

She knocked over the glass and it fell on the floor, shattering. Zoey quickly bent down, feeling her heart swell up with sadness. She picked up a piece of glass and accidentally cut her finger. Gasping with pain, Zoey ran over to grab a paper towel. She wrapped it around her finger and felt tears running down her face.

"Chase," she said, gasping for breath as she did. She slumped down on the ground, feeling utterly defeated. "Chase… Chase…" She sputtered uncontrollably. "Why couldn't it have been you? Why can't you be here right now to stop my blood with your shirt?" She cried harder remembering the day at the carnival and the rose thorn.

"Chase… Chase…"

She fell asleep that night on the kitchen floor with a paper towel pressed against her wounded finger. Her face was tear stained and her heart heavier then a ton of bricks. She was confined in a space where her memories were bouncing off the walls. All those terrible thoughts that she had concealed for eight years were free. They were everywhere she went and the only thing she could think about.

She awoke the next morning to the sound of a car honking. Her eyelids fluttered open and she felt sore and stiff. She had fallen asleep sitting up. Her hand ran up to her face. It was wet with tears. She sighed and slowly got up to her feet, stumbling a little. Sunlight streamed through the open window, casting a bright yellow sun bathed look in the kitchen. Avoiding the glass scattered on the floor, Zoey made her way to the bathroom.

After brushing her teeth and having a shower, Zoey sat in front of her full length mirror, blow drying her hair. She felt and looked freshened up. All the events from the night before had worn her out. She sighed as she clicked the hair dryer off. It was insane. No matter what she did, all she could think about was… the past.

Blow drying her hair reminded her too much of Nicole.

Well on the positive side, Zoey thought. I'm never going to see them again. That was just one night. I don't have to think about or see them ever again. Things will go back just to normal.

But it didn't.

Skipping her run that day, Zoey was in the middle of having breakfast when there was a knock on the door. Dropping her fork, Zoey glanced sideways and back as if expecting to see a spy jump out from behind some plants. She felt as if she should open the door yet something told her that if she wanted her life back to what it was like for eight years she shouldn't.

She got up to go answer the door.

"Zoey," Nicole said, grinning when Zoey opened the door. "Hi! I… thought I'd visit. I hope that's ok." She was bouncing up and down, looking excited. "Can I… come in?"

Zoey felt dumbfounded. She nodded and opened the door wider so Nicole could come in. She stepped in and took off her shoes, surveying the apartment as she did so. She took her coat off and Zoey quickly took it and hung it on the coat rack.

"Nice place, Zoey," Nicole commented. "You know… I've never been to your apartment. Isn't that weird? I mean when we went to PCA together we were roommates and now…" Her voice trailed away. "It's just weird, isn't it?"

"A little, I guess," Zoey said, not really finding it weird at all. "I guess we just grew apart after school." It wasn't really true. Zoey had grown apart, not Nicole.

"Are you going to give me a tour/" Nicole asked cheerfully. Zoey nodded and led Nicole around the apartment, showing her the bedroom, the kitchen, the little living room, the bathroom, and the spare little room she had. Nicole kept nodding her head and remarking how nice the place was.

"So… uh, what brings you here?" Zoey asked finally. She was slightly nervous having Nicole here. It was strange having an old friend come back into her new life. She considered. Did she like her new life? Well… it was ok. Not bad, really. But it was a little lonely. Maybe she could have Nicole over more often? This wasn't too bad… not really…

"Tony broke up with me," Nicole said, dropping the news like a bomb. She suddenly burst into tears and Zoey had no choice but to pull her into a reassuring hug. Patting her on the back, Zoey asked the dread question.

"When did he do that?"

"Last night after everyone left… he wanted to stay behind and help me clean up to… tell me that… that..." Nicole pulled a tissue out of her purse and blew her nose into it. She sighed. "He told me that we weren't meant to be."

"Oh… Nicole, I'm sorry," Zoey said sadly. "I know how much you liked him…"

Nicole nodded her head, her nose red. "I… I can't believe it. I thought we were doing well. Zoey… it's almost getting too late for me to fall in love! Zoey…" She caught her breath. "Then I had to drive him home. It was awful. He offered to take the bus, but I couldn't let him do that."

Zoey smiled/ "You're a kind person, Nicole."

Nicole sighed. "Well… Zoey… I was kind of hoping that…" She took a deep breath. "Well I really can't stay in my house anymore without remembering that Tony broke up with me. And it's a bit lonely there so I thought… maybe I could… move in with you?"

Zoey blinked. Have Nicole as her roommate again? No… definitely not! How could she rid herself of terrible memories when part of her past would be living with her? But then again… hadn't she just been thinking about how lonely it was? Didn't she want Nicole to visit a lot? But there was a difference between visiting and LIVING!

"Zoey…" Nicole said hesitantly. "What do you think?"

"I think…" Zoey paused. "I think…"

Nicole waited with her breath held.

"I think…" Zoey smiled. "That would be a great idea."

Nicole squealed and jumped up and down, pulling Zoey into a tight hug. "You are the BEST!" she said, feeling extremely giddy. "I just have to drive back to my place and get all my stuff and then… wow, we're going to be roommates again, Zoey! Just like PCA times!"

Zoey smiled as Nicole made her way to the front door. "Yeah… just like PCA times."

After Nicole left to drive off to her former home to pick up her things, Zoey went back to the kitchen. She cleaned up the remains of her breakfast and then dusted up the glass that was still sitting on the floor, sparkling in the sunlight. She would be living with Nicole now. The thought made her feel strange and happy at the same time.

Nicole wouldn't be back for another hour or so. Zoey decided to go copy a house key for her since it would be her apartment now as well. Locking the door and taking the elevator down to the first floor, Zoey walked out and felt a rush of air blow against her face. She walked down to the grocery store where they copied keys and when she got there, she realized just who would be there.

She managed to get the key copied without spotting him. Then just as she was leaving she saw him. He was stacking toilet paper in a pyramid like shape. Zoey couldn't take her eyes off him. Chase… no, she couldn't think like that because it wasn't Chase. It never would be Chase. She quickly pushed open the exit door and left.