Chapter eight

(A/N: Oh my god, guys! Thank you so much for reviewing. J'adore all of you! I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long, I've had serious writer's block.

ConfusedMo: Hahahah, I get what you're trying to say. And I'll take it as a compliment…right?

Oh, and Chadslover: Zoey definitely didn't 'get' Ty. In fact, someone else is going to swipe him from right under her nose…)

"I'm not doing it, Zoey," Dana said.

"Doing what?" Zoey asked.

It was the next morning, and Zoey felt giddy and happy. She would be out with Ty tomorrow night! She didn't need her roommate's problems bringing her down.

Dana sighed. "Getting Logan back. Word has it that he's crushed on that new girl Charlotte."

"She is pretty," Zoey put in.

"ZOEY!"

"Sorry."

"Anyway," Dana continued. "I still like Logan, but I'm not going to make a move on him. I'm going to find a boyfriend, instead. To make him jealous. Get it? Now is that genius or is that genius."

"Dana," Zoey sat up in her bed. "How did you find out already that Logan likes Charlotte?"

Dana shrugged. "Word travels fast. Anyway, it's time to put into action OPERATION BOYFRIEND."

bReAk

Half an hour later, Zoey and Dana were dressed and ready to begin Operation Boyfriend. Monday classes didn't start until noon. Dana looked especially good: she was wearing a black halter top, short red miniskirt, and black platform flip-flops. Her dark hair was blown-out and sleek, her lips were cheery red, and her dark eyes were lined.

"You're a knockout," Zoey whispered. "I'm sure the plan will be successful."

"I hope so," Dana muttered darkly.

A really cute guy was walking towards them. "What about him?" Zoey whispered.

Dana shook her head. "He's on the basket ball team. No way could I date a fellow player."

Zoey was about to speak when the guy approached them. "Hey, Zoey. Hey Dana."

"Hey," they replied.

"I'm Nate," he said to Zoey. "I play on the basketball team with Dana."

"Cool," said Zoey, studying Nate. He was very tall and very handsome. He had a tan, muscular body, curly dark hair, and a white, toothy smile.

Nate grinned at her. "You want to go out for ice cream or something? My treat."

Zoey shook her head. "Actually, I have to help poor Dana—"

"No, you go," Dana interrupted. The last thing she wanted was Zoey Brooke's pity.

"Really?" Zoey asked happily. "Kay-kay. "Let's go, Nate."

Kay-kay?

Dana looked after he blonde friend, shaking her head.

bReAk

Dana surveyed the cafeteria. It wasn't lunch time yet, but a couple of students were hanging out, drinking cans of Sprite from the vending machine. Were there any date-worthy guys? Dana had impeccably high standards. In fact, the only boy she'd ever fully approved of was Logan Reese.

"Hey there, hot mama, you look lonely. How 'bout a date?"

Dana whirled around to see some slime-ball of a guy giving her a 'I'm so hitting you' look. She could just imagine Zoey or Nicole squealing over his blonde locks and surfer-tanned skin, but this Jeese McCartney wannabe wasn't her type. "No effing way, you BEEP!"

Dana wondered why the boy had a smug smile on. She realized the reason when the strict history teacher said, "Dana Cruz—swearing in school? How un-lady like! To the vice-principal's office."

Dana didn't answer, move, or give any proof that she had heard the old lady's words. She was too busy looking at Logan. He was sitting on the other side of the caf, his arm around the stunning Charlotte Tabloid, who managed to look gorgeous in a simple blue-and-white Adidas track jacket, white pleated mini-skirt, and pink high top Sauconys.

Who wears pink high top sneakers? Dana wondered. All of the sudden, Logan looked up from gazing at Charlotte and his eyes met with Dana's. It felt like to her like she was frozen in time, staring into his penetrating eyes. Finally she forced herself to look away.

"NOW!" the teacher barked.

Dana sighed. Operation Boyfriend had better not fail her. She needed Logan.

bReAk

"Let's get out of here," Logan whispered to Charlotte.

"Why?" Charlotte asked. She was having a great time. The kids at PCA were really cool.

If it were any other girl Logan would have just ditched her with a sneer for not going along with his plans. But he knew that if he left Charlotte alone with all his Logan-clone friends they would pounce on her. And he really, really wanted to be alone with her. Because he had just seen Dana, and knew that if he didn't get some action from Charlotte he would still feel things for Dana. And Logan didn't like to feel confused.

He smirked secretively. "I have something to show you."

Charlotte loved surprises. It was the perfect bait. "Okay!"

She waved cheerily to Logan's friends. "See you guys!"
"Bye, Charlotte," they said in unison, practically drooling.

She touched the top of her head to make sure that her sunglasses were perfectly placed on her shimmering dark hair before getting up and leaving with Logan.

bReAk

Nicole was still asleep when someone knocked on the door.

"Come in," she murmured, not fully awake.

The door creaked open slowly and somebody stepped in. Nicole's eyes were closed, so she couldn't tell who it was.

"Uh—Nicole? You awake there?" the person asked, sounding nervous.

Nicole recognized the voice and her eyes flew open. "Ohmigosh…Jem! Yeah, I'm totally awake. What's up?"

She sat up in her bed and tightened her black hair scrunchie. Jem laughed at the sight of the girl with the most perfect hair in the world (in his opinion) wearing a messy ponytail.

"What?" she demanded with a laugh.

Jem shook his head and his face turned serious. "Ah, Nicole?"

"Yes?"

"I was…uh…wondering something," he said, taking deep breath. He was going to do it.

"Was is it, Jem?" Nicole asked happily, thinking he probably just wanted to borrow some money or something.

Jem had never been more nervous in his life. "Iwaswonderingifyouwantedtogooutwithmesometime," he blurted.

If Nicole had been anyone else she would have asked him to repeat that, but luckily she often talked like that and understood what he was asking perfectly. "You want to go out—with me?"

"Well," Jem started. "You know the PCA radio station?"

"PCA R-O-X?" Nicole put in. "I love it."

"Yeah," continued Jem. "Well they had this contest. The prize was free reservations for two at Piers, Tuesday night at seven. And I was one of the five winners, so…"

"I'd love to," Nicole smiled.

"Really?" Jem brightened. "But I thought you liked Chase!"

Wrong, thought Nicole. I like Ty.

bReAk

"So what's the surprise?" Charlotte squealed when they got to Logan's dorm. Chase was with Alyssa and Michael was practicing his lay-up shots, so they were all alone.

"This is," Logan answered with a low whisper. Before she could reply, he lightly touched her lips with his. When she didn't pull away he kissed her harder. And harder. Soon he was kissing her so hard that she was wriggling her blue and white Adidas track jacket off, revealing only a thin lingerie-looking pink tank top with a border of orange lace.

In her fourteen years of life, Charlotte had never kissed like that. The closest she'd come was with her ex-boyfriend Sean, who had gone to her old school. Well, ex-boyfriend wasn't quite the right word for it. They had never officially broken up. Sean had been extremely cute, he had messy light brown hair, freckles, and was the best shortstop anyone had ever seen…

No, she couldn't think about Sean right now. She had to think about Logan. Logan. Logan who she didn't know much about, only that he was hot and seemed to like her. A lot. Charlotte was used to guys liking her, but Logan made her feel special, like she was the only one he cared about.

Yeah, right.

bReAk

When Zoey went to bed that night she felt happy and content. Not only had she had a great day with Nate, star of PCA's basketball team, but tomorrow night she would be having a romantic dinner with Ty Martin. For most girls that was only a dream, but for Zoey Brookes it was a reality.

bReAk

Charlotte slept peacefully. That is, until the heavy metal contraption on her head that Quinn made her wear starting beeping wildly. Cursing under her breath, Charlotte tried to find a way to make it turn off. As soon she did a noise came from outside the door.

Charlotte froze.

It was no more than just a shuffle, but shuffles didn't come from no where. There had to be a person. Suddenly, a note was slipped under her door and quick footsteps echoed through the hallway. Curious, Charlotte read the note.

Charlotte, I love you. Will you be mine?

Even though it was only early October, a candy BE MINE heart was taped to the note. Charlotte first thought was:

Aw, how sweet!

Her second thought was:

Who sent this?

And she knew how to find the answer.

Without giving a thought to the fact that she was in short blue Paul Frank boxers and a loose, long-sleeved white cotton V-neck tee Charlotte flung open the door and sprinted down the hallway, intent on catching her mystery admirer. Soon a figure came into her vision.

"Hey!" she called.

The person turned around in surprise. Charlotte's breath caught in her throat when she realized that her admirer was…