Zoey 101: All Or Nothing ☑

Chapter 15

Zoey POV Continued

We decided it was best to call Chase’s mom for the ride. Dad and Uncle Darryl were very protective of me, so I didn’t think they would take it lightly that I’d been essentially abandoned at a party. Although I was with Chase, which would’ve made them feel a little bit better. They both really liked Ian, so I knew they’d be disappointed to hear it was over.

Over. It was so strange to think about it.

Chase and I sat on the curb while we waited for his mom.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Not really.” He wrapped his arms around his legs. “I don’t know, I’m wondering if there’s something wrong with me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” I assured him.

“But why do girls keep cheating on me?”

“You’ve had one girl cheat on you and one girl make a poor decision.”

He sighed. “Maybe I’m a bad kisser.”

“I’m sure it’s not that.”

“How would you know?” He got me there. “Let’s think about it. My first girlfriend here was away from me for ten days and started sucking face with some other guy the second she was alone with him. Tonight my girlfriend was away from me for like two seconds and she was going to make out with another guy. It clearly has to be me.”

“You’re being silly.”

“I don’t think I am.” Then Chase was the opposite of quiet. He spent the next five minutes going on and on about how it must be that he was a horrible kisser and that he would never have a girlfriend because he’s lousy. How he was never going to date another girl because he couldn’t trust them. How pathetic he must be that EVERY girl jumped at the chance to be with someone the second his back was turned.

It was getting extremely annoying.

Chase was usually pretty laid back about things, so I wasn’t used to his being so hard on himself over a girl. And being so overdramatic.

I kept trying to tell him it wasn’t about him. It was about how Lola liked to flirt and wasn’t really “girlfriend material” because she preferred to date and play the field. And who knew about Rebbeca? She was young. She’d made a mistake.

But that wasn’t enough. I was getting so frustrated with Chase. Part of me wanted to smack him, but I knew that wouldn’t shut him up.

“Nope, that’s it. I’m a horrible kisser. And it’s going to spread around school and then no girl will ever give me a chance.”

“For the love, Chase!” I shouted at him.

And before I really knew what I was doing, I grabbed his cheeks and pulled him in for a kiss. He was tense, probably from shock, for the first couple seconds. Then his arms were around me and he eased into it.

I pulled away and Chase struggled for breath. “Wh-wh-what …” he stammered.

“You’re fine. You are not a bad kisser. It has been verified. Moving on.”

His eyes were wide, his mouth speechless.

I loved that he was so flustered.

We saw his mom’s car approaching. I stood up and he remained on the curb. I reached out my hand to help him up. It took him a second to process it. He got up on his feet, still completely stunned.

“So that’s one thing I have over your friends in California and your bros here,” I said to him.

He returned a blank stare.