Zoey 101: All Or Nothing ☑

Chapter 14

Zoey POV Continued

"Oh, right, you two are together. See, I keep forgetting that, since she’s always with him.” He pointed to a clearly annoyed Chase.

“Logan, this is Rebecca” Chase gestured in her direction.

For whatever reason, Logan laughed. “Okay, I get it, I get it.” He reached down in a cooler and pulled out some cans of pop. “I’d say go long, Chase, but I don’t think my mom would appreciate getting pop on the carpet.” He laughed again. We all remained stone-faced.

We each took a can and made our way over to the corner of the kitchen.

“Don’t let him get to you,” I said to Chase.

“But he’s right. I can’t catch anything … except grief.” He shook his head.

I turned my back to Rebecca and Ian. I knew how embarrassed Chase got about his lack of catching skills. “You’re getting much better. The other day, Darryl was telling me you caught a ball nearly all the way down the block.”

“I guess.” His voice was faint. “But it’s so humiliating sitting on that bench every single game.”

“I thought you only wanted to play football to make some friends and fit in.”

He shrugged. “But it doesn’t mean I don’t want to play.”

“I know, but look around. You’re at a party and Logan invited you.”

“He invited everybody.”

“But at least you’re here. And he’s ribbing you. Isn’t that the bro way of being friendly?”

“The bro way.” He laughed.

“You know, how guys show affection. Or mark their turf. Kind of like how dogs pee on something to let you know it’s theirs.”

“Do you have any idea of what you’re talking about?”

“Of course not,” I admitted. “But does it at least make you feel a little better?”

“Yeah, just a little.”

I elbowed him playfully. “Well, that will not do. Clearly my job here is not done. Let me count the ways that you’re a stud.”

“Wait, wait.” Chase pulled out his phone. “I need to record this. I may even make it my ringtone.”

I grabbed his phone and spoke directly into the mic. “I, Zoey Brooks, do hereby swear that Chase Matthews is a total manly man, the ultimate bro. Reason number one, he does a mean British accent. Reason number two, he knows to always compliment a lady’s cooking skills. Um, reason number three. Um …”

“Nice.” He grabbed his phone back. “You can’t even come up with three reasons?”

“See, there are just so many reasons, my poor brain is on overload.”

“Good save.”

“Phew!” I wiped my brow dramatically.

“Hey!” Quinn approached us. “I didn’t see you guys come in. But then I saw your dates outside and figured you were doing that thing you do.”

Quinn could read the nonverbal exchange Chase and I shared. “Let me guess. You didn’t realize your dates left.”

I grimaced.

She shook her head. “You guys are too much.”

“Clearly,” Chase and I said in unison.

“Well, may I suggest that you take your party outside and keep your dates company?”