Chase's POV

Her leg was bumping into mine while we were sitting in our chemistry class. It was driving me absolutely insane, and I think she knew it too. She is such a tease. She looked over at me and gave me this look that made me want to reach over and kiss her right there. Michael was making these weird "GO FOR IT!" gestures toward her and I gave him a disgusted look.

He knew that Zoey and I weren't like that. If we ever managed to get some alone time, then that's when I'd want it to happen. Our first kiss that is. I haven't tried anything since that fateful first day back at PCA a week ago. The day after the whole thing happened, Zoey acted like nothing had happened.

I was confused. How could we just go back to being the way we were before that? I didn't want things to be the same. I wanted to be able to love her openly. I didn't want to have to hide my feelings anymore. I elbowed Zoey a little and motioned for her to turn the volume down on her laptop, and she complied. I quickly opened my school instant messenger, which was our first and last name with no spaces and thought of what to say to her.

ChaseMatthews: Hey, can you meet me by that big tree in the center of campus later?

ZoeyBrooks: Yeah, why?

ChaseMatthews: I'll tell you when I see you.

ZoeyBrooks: What time should I meet you?

ChaseMatthews: Around 5-ish?

ZoeyBrooks: Sounds good, see you then.

ZoeyBrooks has signed off at 3:10 P.M.

Suddenly the bell rang and Zoey was gone. I looked at Michael and have him thumbs up. He thrust his fist in the air and started doing this odd dance. Lola came up behind him and laid a hand on his shoulder and he stopped like she'd shot him with a tranquilizer dart. I'd have to remember to ask him about that later.

I walked back to my dorm as fast as I could. I wanted to look decent for my meeting with Zoey. I actually ran a comb through my hair, but it looked stupid so I spent ten minutes trying to get it to regain it's former puffed glory, but it only looked like I'd tried to tie my hair in a knot. I grabbed my towel and made my way down to the bathroom to take a quick shower. I needed one anyway.

Zoey's POV

I was sitting on my bed doing my trig homework when Lola walked in, much like she had the day she interrupted me and Chase. I thought about that moment a lot. What would Chase's lips feel like on mine? Soft? Wet? Chapped? Chase hadn't tried anything since that day a week ago. Maybe he took Lola bursting in as a sign that we shouldn't be together after all? If that's what had happened, I'd have to kill Lola.

"So, what was that IMing thing in chemistry today?" she asked in a not so subtle way.

I looked over at her. "Let's just say that you and everyone should stay away from the big tree in the center of campus at five." I almost growled. Lola looked concerned for her life for just a second, before yelling.

"Zoe, its like, 4:55." She almost shouted in my ear.

I must have blacked out or something, because the next thing I knew, Lola was practically picking me up and throwing me out of our dorm. I glanced at my watch, 4:56. I was wasting precious time. I started running through the hallways, and out onto the grounds. I sprinted around people, and jumped over just about everything without trouble, until my fly luck must have run out because I went to jump over a kid tying his shoes and my foot just hit him lightly in the back, and I went down. I landed on my side, and I could feel the skin on my arm tearing, but I didn't care.

I saw someone try and come over to help me, but I was already up and out of there. I made it to the tree just as Chase was. He took a quick glance around, and spotted me. The side I landed on must not have been very visible at first, but then he came closer and his eyes widened. He grabbed my arm and pointed at it, then looked me in the face.

"I tripped over someone tying their shoes." He shook his head and smiled a little.

"Were you really in that much of a hurry to talk to me?" he looked down at me, that smile still etched across his features. I blushed, I couldn't help myself, that smile made me crumble. He took his finger and put it under my chin, making me look at him. His eyes searched mine, and I melted. He took his finger from under my chin, and took my slightly scraped hand in both of his. He uncurled my fingers away from my palm, and looked me in the eyes as he kissed it.

He quickly dropped my hand and took my face between his hands and kissed me. He tasted just like I'd imagined he would. There was something different about the way he kissed me. There was something extra hidden between layers of excitement and urgency, like I was going to walk away from him forever, or I was a dream. I don't know if I felt it in the way his mouth moved against mine, or the way his thumb brushed gently against my cheek, or the way his other hand fisted in my hair, unwilling to let me go. And later when I was lying in bed, I finally figured it out. It was hundreds of tiny promises. Promises that he would never let anyone hurt me, that he would never let me go, that he would always fight for me, that he would always love me. I fell asleep that night, touching my lips, wondering how many others were waiting for me to uncover.