A/N: Sorry for the wait, I have no excuses lol I just didn't feel like doing this story. Anyway here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy it! R&R.

Disclaimer: Zoey 101 isn't mine.

Hanging By A Moment

EilayAdnayVolieay

Chapter Five: Think it over

Zoey walked back into her room and lied down on her bed. What was going on with her? For some strange reason, she felt... well, she had feelings she couldn't explain anymore. I was staring at Chase! I was actually thinking about why I SHOULD like him! What's gotten into me? Zoey thought, frustrated. Chase's confession had done a lot more than get the secret off his chest— it had lead to confusion for both of them. Chase, because he was confused about how Zoey was acting and because he didn't know how their friendship could survive. Zoey was confused because she didn't know why Chase could possibly like her, and she was confused because she was starting to think maybe she had feelings of her own for Chase. Wouldn't Nicole love to hear that...

"Wouldn't I love to hear what?" Nicole asked, entering the room. Oops, Zoey thought, I must have thought out loud.

"Oh, nothing important, but I was hanging out with Chase earlier and it wasn't all that awkward." Zoey lied. She lied about what Nicole would love to hear, and she lied that it hadn't been awkward— it was the most awkward moment of her life, and not because of how Chase felt.

"Ok then..." Nicole replied. She grabbed a drink from the mini fridge and sat down on her bed. When she noticed Zoey sitting on her bed looking tired and thoughtful, she moved over and sat next to her. "Zoey..." she started, "What's wrong? You seem... well, you look like you're feeling down or something. Are you sad? Depressed?" Nicole gasped before continuing, "You're not going to kill yourself are you? Oh Zoey there's so many things in life that are worth living for, and—"

"No, I'm not going to kill myself Nicole, what kind of person do you think I am?" Zoey exclaimed. "I... I'm just really confused right now and it's... giving me a headache," Zoey replied finally.

"Why are you confused?" Nicole asked her. Zoey looked down at the ground and suddenly Nicole gasped.

"Aww! That is so cute!" she exclaimed. Zoey's head shot up.

"What is?" she asked, more confused now than before. Nicole jumped up and faced Zoey.

"You like Chase, don't you?" she screamed excitedly.

"What? No, Nicole... that's not it." Zoey told her quickly. Oh no, please let me convince her I don't! She might go say something to Chase, and if she does... all I know is if Chase thinks I like him, and then I find out I don't, and I have to tell him... he'll be devastated. I can't do that to him... Zoey thought. Nicole was still squealing and jumping up and down, so Zoey stood up and covered Nicole's mouth.

"Nicole, listen to me, I... okay, so I might like Chase." Zoey admitted. Regardless of her hand covering Nicole's mouth, her squeals were still loud enough to be heard by half of the girls in the girls dorm building. "But! Wait, Nicole...but... you can't say anything about this, to ANYONE. I'm not sure if I do or not, but if it turns out I don't, and you tell Chase that I do... do you understand what that would do to him?" Zoey asked. Nicole's smile disappeared and she looked suddenly extremely sad.

"Oh." Nicole replied sadly. She sat down on her bed again. "This sucks." She added.

"Yes Nicole, oh. Please, you can't tell him, or anyone else that might." Zoey begged. Nicole smiled.

"Okay Zoey, I won't." Nicole promised. Zoey sighed with relief.

"Thanks, Nicole." she told her. "You have no idea what a relief that is," she added.

—

After hanging out with Zoey, despite his confusion, Chase was as happy as he could be. He had been so sure that confessing his feelings would have ruined their friendship, but Zoey had come to him, not to talk about how he felt, but to just hang out as if he had never said anything. And now our friendship is saved because she knows what that message said! Chase thought happily. When he walked into his room, he saw that Michael was sitting in a chair watching TV. Seeing Chase walk in, Michael sat up and turned the TV down. Chase ignored this, and grabbed a drink from the fridge before sitting next to Michael on another chair. Silence followed until finally Michael got frustrated.

"So..." Michael replied. "What's put you in such a good mood?" he asked. Chase turned and faced him and shrugged.

"Nothing really," he replied casually. You'll have to drag it out of me, Michael. Chase thought. He took a sip of his soda, but spit it out, spraying the TV, when Michael spoke.

"So did Zoey tell you she likes you?" Chase turned and faced him.

"Uh, NO! We just hung out, we didn't even talk about last night. Things are back to normal," Chase added. "And I wouldn't have it any other way." Michael shook his head.

"Come on Chase, talk to her about it! That's great that your friendship survived, but maybe its because she has feelings for you too— and she's respecting your wishes to not talk until your ready. I mean, she might get tired of it eventually but for the moment..." Michael trailed off, smirking.

"Listen Michael, drop it, okay? I'm tired of this, Zoey doesn't like me that way okay? We're just friends, and okay so yeah, I like her as more than that, but she doesn't and I'm not going to push it on her! And even if she does or ever will, she knows how I feel now, so I don't have to go asking her every so often. Are you ever going to just drop it?" Chase asked. Michael was startled at Chase's sudden outburst, but he shrugged.

"Probably not. At least, not until you talk to Zoey about how you feel." Michael added. Chase sighed and glared at him.

"That's what it's going to take, for you to leave me alone?" Chase asked. Michael nodded, grinning. Chase stood up. "Then I guess I have no choice... but to ignore you for the rest of my life!" he exclaimed.

"Oh come on, you'll talk to Zoey, we both know it." Michael teased him. Chase rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah... whatever, Michael." Chase replied, walking out. When he got in the hallway, he decided he was going to go on top of the building to where they always sat and hung out, so that he could think. The worst was over, at least, Zoey knew how he felt. Now he just had to talk to her about it... but it was easier said than done. When Chase got on top of the roof, he was surprised to see Zoey sitting there, staring into space.

"Zoey?" Zoey looked up and smiled faintly.

"Oh, hey Chase..." she replied quietly. She sat up a bit and waited for Chase to sit down. "So, what's up?" she asked him. Chase raised an eyebrow at her suddenly much higher sounding voice.

"Not much, I guess... are you okay?" he asked her, concern evident in his voice.

"Oh, of course," Zoey told him, waving at the air. "Never been better..." she added unconvincingly. Chase sighed and turned so he was facing her entirely.

"Zoey... listen... I... about last night..." Chase stuttered. Great, I talk to her perfectly fine every time other than now, and now when I want to talk about what happened, my voice stops working. That's just great, isn't it? He thought sarcastically. He saw Zoey had sat up in her seat even further.

"Yeah...?" she asked. Chase sighed.

"Well... I guess now's as good of a time as any to, uh, talk about... it." Chase felt like smacking himself in the head. He sounded like such an idiot!

"Oh." Zoey replied. "R-right..." Chase looked up at her. Why does she keep seeming so weird now? Maybe... maybe things aren't the same. Maybe she's finding it really awkward. Chase thought. Zoey turned her head away quickly. Come on Zoey, get it together! She told herself. He's going to think something's up!

"So..." Chase replied finally. "I... I don't really have anything to say... I mean, Zoey— I really care about you a lot, you're a really nice person, but... our friendship comes first." Chase told her. Zoey nodded, understanding entirely what he meant.

"Yeah, right..." she replied. "I get that. I... I still don't understand why you could ever like me, but... I guess sometime's it can't be controlled, huh?" she asked him. Okay, that was lame... she thought.

"Yeah... I mean, no, it can't... you know, be controlled." Chase replied. Zoey tried not to crack a smile at that, and focused on something else. She was about to say something when all of a sudden Chase spoke up again. "Zoey?" he asked. Zoey turned her gaze to him so that she was looking directly into his eyes.

"Yeah?"

"I..." Chase cleared his throat. "Are you okay? I mean, really... you seem nervous." Chase told her. "I... it is awkward, isn't it?" he asked her. "For you, I mean."

"No, its not that... listen Chase, I'm... there's a lot on my mind right now, and I think I might..."

"Zoey... I like you a lot. And... before we can get over this, you need to think over how you feel." Chase replied. He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the cheek before going down the stairs into the building again. Zoey felt her cheek with her hand, and felt her face burning. Think it over. She thought to herself. Chase... I... think I like you.

A/N: Well that was a fairly short chapter but a chapter nevertheless and I figured you guys would want one after so long, so here it is. Hope you enjoyed it. R&R.