"Well, what?" Chase began to get impatient.

"It was a... a... CONDOM, OK, A CONDOM!" I yell. My eyes must have gotten wide and I turn around to look at everyone.

"Ms. Brooks, is there something you have to tell the class?" Mr. Windel didn't sound very happy.

I feel my face turn beet red, "No, Mr. Windel. I was just talking to Chase about... about how to protect himself when he decides to..."

"OK! Ms. Brooks, that is enough!" Mr. Windel shrieked.

"But..." Chase began.

"NO, Mr. Matthews! This conversation is over!" Mr. Windel ended and abruptly turned to another student.

"Zoey! What..." Chase silently yelled.

"Sorry, Chase. I... I... didn't know what else to say..." I begin to explain.

"So... what are you doing tonight?" Chase changed the subject.

"Chase! Don't try to change the subject! There was a condom in MY closet, next to MY clothes, and YOU want to change the subject!" My voice rose.

"Ohh, yeah, sorry. Well, what do you want me to say? 'That is gross!' or 'Eww, did you throw it away?'?" Chase imitated a girl's voice.

"Do you think it was Dana?" I ask.

Chase freezes. "Dana andwho?" He says a little cautiously.

"Dana and Logan, silly. Who else?" I joke.

He shrugs. "No one, I guess."

"What were you thinking Dana and Michael?" I laugh.

"Huh? What? Oh, no. Never mind." He laughs, "that WOULD be funny, though."

As the bell rings, I grab Nicole. "We have to do something."

"About what?" She asks confused.

"About the little problem this morning." I roll my eyes.

"Oh, right. Well, what are we gonna say? 'Hey, Dana. We have to talk. No more sex for you!'? I don't think she will go for that."

She had a point. What were we gonna say? Hmm... Maybe we could just tell her to clean up after herself or just to not do it in OUR room. I'll have to think a little longer about this before we go against the bull.

"OK, Nicole. We need a brainstorming session. How about 7:30 tonight, k?"

"Oo, no can do. I have a date."

"With who?" This was a little new.

"The TV and some popcorn. You're welcome to join." Typical Nicole.

"Uhh, no. I'll pass." I had to think, with or without Nicole.

Later on at 7:00 I come home from walking on the beach and find Nicole plopped in front of the TV with her popcorn. She doesn't even acknowledge me.

There's a knock at the door. "Oh, don't worry, Nicole, don't get up. I'll get it." I roll my eyes.

"Thanks, Zo." Dead beet.

I open the door, "Chase, hey. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just came to see if you wanted to go to a movie on campus. So...?" What a sweetie.

"Sure, Chase. That would be great! Let me get a jacket and I'll meet you in the lounge, OK?" Chase is awesome. He always comes at a great time. ... I've never thought of Chase like this. It's probably nothing... I hope.

"OK. See ya in a sec." He grins... BIG.

I grab my jacket, "Bye, Nicole. I'm going to the movies with Chase!"

No answer.

"Nicole?"

"Yeah, OK. Bye." I barely hear her.

I run down the stairs and outside. It's chilly almost freezing. Maybe I need more than a jacket. There's Chase. Oh, I can wait it out.

"Chase! You ready?"

"Yeah, are you?" He looks me up and down.

I just happen to be wearing a light jacket, flip flops, and a skirt. Lucky me.

"Do you want my coat?" Chase says sweetly.

"Oh, no, Chase. You need it, too."

"Not as much as you. Here." He gives me his coat.

"Thank you. Chase, have I ever told you your great?"

"No, but thanks." He says with a little more joy in his voice than before.

"OK, so what are we gonna watch? Aww, how about a chick flick?" I giggle.

"If that is what you want." I don't hear any sarcasm or discomfort, but he hates chick flicks...

"Chase, I was joking."

"Oh, OK. Scary movie?" There was that joy again.

"Uh, sure. Scary, fun." Scary movies are good.

"Two. Thanks." Chase gets the tickets. "OK, so, let's go."

"Oh my gosh!" I grab Chase's arm. He grins.

"It's OK, Zoey. It's just a movie."

"Speak for yourself." I scream, loud.

Chase pulls me in close, "It's OK."

Wow, I've never felt like this before. Am I falling for Chase or just... nah. I can't be, I mean me and Chase are just friends... aren't we?

"So, what did you think about the movie, Zo?" Chase asks.

"It was scary! God, I don't know if I can sleep tonight." Did I just say that?

"Aww, I'm sorry, Zo. Maybe, I... never mind." He blushes.

"No, what? What were you gonna say?"

"It was nothing." He notices my glare. "I was just gonna say that, well, maybe I could stay with you... and help you sleep."

"Maybe." I'm such a tease.

"Zoey, there is something I wanna ask you. Do you... feel anything?" He isn't very specific.

"Well, yeah, the rain." It had just began to sprinkle.

"That isn't what I meant. I mean, do you feel anything for... me?" He isn't looking me in the face.

Silence.

"Truthfully, I think I do. But I..." It began to pour. "Let's get inside, OK." I grab his hand and run for the nearest building. The boys' dorm, ironic.

"Zo, do you wanna, maybe, go out sometime... as more than friends?" No eye contact.

"Chase, I..." Why don't I say something? Come on, you know you want to. Just say it! Say it! I open my mouth but no words.

"Zo..."

Is it just me or are we getting closer? I look into his eyes, they're sparkling. It's kinda cute. His eyes are brown with a hint of green, I've never noticed that before(A.N.- I don't really know what his eye color is but I'm sure it's brown so I just added the green part myself, LOL. It makes it a bit more romantic, I think.).

"Hey, Chase, is that you?" Logan yells down the hall. He comes in the room.

We break apart.

"Huh? What? Uh, yeah." He stutters.

Logan stops and looks at Chase and then me and back again. "What was that? What were you guys just doing?"

"Nothing." I look at Chase and he looks at me. We grin. We had never talked together like that before.

"Hmph. Well, whatever. Have you seen Dana?" Logan obviously doesn't care that Chase and I just kissed.

"No, why would I have seen Dana? I'm not with her 24/7!" Chase says defensively.

"Chase, what is up with you? I know you aren't but I thought maybe you had seen her. Calm down, boy!" Wow, Logan telling someone to calm down? That's a first.

"Uh, Chase, how about we go to the girls' dorm?" Maybe we can have some privacy there.

"Yeah, sure."

"Bye, Logan. If we see Dana we'll tell her you were looking for her." I doubt we'll see her though.

"Thanks, Zoey. And be careful with him, he has been acting weird lately." Logan laughs.

I push Chase out the door and into the rain. He puts his arm around my shoulder to keep me warm. I wrap his coat closer around my body.