Zoey 101: You Must Of Had A Broken Heart ☑

Chapter 18

“Huh, that actually surprises me.” He didn’t say anything more, and I wasn’t about to try to explain the rules of Abby and George’s kitchen.

“Can I ask you something?” I blurted without really thinking through what I was about to say. This was becoming a habit that was causing my heart and head more distress than I could handle. Whenever I was with Chase I found myself revealing, asking, and agreeing to things that were sending my brain into shock.

“Go for it.” Chase stopped what he was doing to lean his back against the counter, still holding the knife in his hand.

“Do you always get what you want?” He looked at me with uncertainty, so I attempted to clarify, “I mean, are you as forward with everyone as you are with me?”

He chuckled, not the answer I was looking for.

Chase paused long enough to make me wish I hadn’t asked the question. He smiled before he replied, “No. Normal girls wouldn’t be able to handle it. They tend to respond better to subtlety and flirting. I know that whatever I say to any other girl would be passed on to her friends and eventually to the rest of the school, so direct doesn’t work in most situations. But this is not most situations, and you are far from any other girl.” He turned to continue his preparation.

His answer left me baffled. If this was direct, then I would hate to be a normal girl, because I had no idea what he meant by half of what he just said. I decided not to even attempt to understand it - fearing it would only make me more confused.

“Okay,” he said, still with his back to me as he dumped the contents of the cutting board in the wok on the stove, “I have a question for you.” Now look what I started - I sighed and braced myself.

“How come you’ve never been on a date?” Chase turned to look at me, anticipating my answer.

“Why would I?” was the first thing that came out of my mouth.

He laughed and went back to tossing the contents of the wok. “I wasn’t expecting that,” he said with a smile. I shrugged, fiddling with a string on my sweater. I had to change the subject, but I was coming up blank.

“Have you ever been kissed?” he asked suddenly. My face flashed with the familiar warmth as my mouth dropped open.

“Well, that was definitely direct,” I accused. “And I don’t think I’m going to answer that question.”

“You have,” he concluded, glancing back at me with a smirk. “Good to know.”

“Let’s change the subject,” I pushed as the heat on my face spread to my ears. “Where was your favorite place to live?”

He didn’t respond.

“Chase?”

“What? Sorry, I didn’t hear the question,” he confessed, absently pushing around the ingredients sizzling in the wok. “I was trying to figure out if I know who the guy is. But if it was someone from school, I’m sure I would have found out by now. Is he in college?” He leaned against the counter to examine me, trying to pluck the answer from the mortified expression on my face.

“You’re forgetting the line,” I reminded him with wide eyes.

“What? This isn’t about you and me,” he defended. “I thought friends shared this kind of stuff. I’ll tell you who my first kiss was if that will make you feel better.”

“No, not really,” I stated emphatically. “I’m not interested, and I’m not going to answer your question about my private experiences. We’re not that good of friends.”