Hi to everyone who's reading this. Huge greetings :) This is my first attempt to write a story about this awesome show. FYI, I've written both Friends and High School Musical, but I had to try this one ;p It's all Zack and Maddie since they're just so cute. And yeah, like this haven't been written before (sarcastic? Yes, I think so!) it's about the promise Maddie gave Zack about the prom. I'm sorry I cant help it, but they're just so damn sweet !

Disclaimer; I don't own the SLoZ&C.

Friendship on Fire

"I'll tell you what; I'll dance with you at your prom, if you dance with me at mine?"

Maddie's promise kept echoing through Zack's brain as he put on his tux that night.

It was three years since Maddie had had her prom, and now it was his turn. It was a big night for him, and yet he wasn't happy.

Maddie had left long ago, leaving him here with his heart broken.

She had probably had no idea that he actually loved her that much. That he actually cared that big a deal. She thought, (along with everyone else) that it was just a stupid crush.

That he would get over it. That he would find someone else. That he would forget all about her after two weeks of not being there.

But of course he hadn't gotten over it. He hadn't found someone else. And he didn't forget about her.

Not after two weeks. Not ever.

Zack sighed sadly and looked at himself in the mirror. He looked pretty great if he had to say so himself. His hair was still a little long, same colour and everything. He had grown a lot. He was much taller now. He had great features, and a great body. It was build good after using the gym some of his friend had recommended.

He had wanted to look good if one day he'd run into Maddie again.

But that had never happened.

Not once had she been back here. Not one single time. Not to visit her family, to visit London, or to visit… him.

He didn't know how it was possible, but he just loved her. After all these years, just thinking about her would get him all weak in the knees.

That was why he hadn't been able to get a steady girlfriend. Or even to ask one to go to the prom.

He was going alone.

Just then his mom popped her head into his room, "You ready, Zack?"

"Yup." Zack said, glancing at himself one last time, "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Oh come on, cheer up!" Carey smiled, enveloping him in a big hug, "What are you so sad about?"

Zack sighed, "Ain't I pathetic?" he questioned, "I have no-one to go to the prom with. I'm all alone. Look at Cody; every girl is head over heels for him."

Carey looked at her son for awhile. The son who used to be the bad one. The one of them who was feared the most. He got all the ideas, he was the devil. But he was nothing like that anymore.

He was sweet, kind, helpful. He studied real hard, working his grades up. He did what he was told, and didn't bother Mr. Moseby that much anymore.

But it seemed like he wasn't happy, and Carey assumed she knew why.

"You still think a lot about her, don't you?" she asked, stroking his hair.

Zack didn't care that he was 15. That he was a big boy. He let his mother hold him and love him like there was no tomorrow, because he really needed it.

"All the time." he admitted, "She made a promise, mom."

"What promise?" Carey asked.

"She promised me to dance with me at my prom if I danced with her at hers." Zack whispered, "And I did. That means she should be here, mom. She should be here with me. I love her."

Carey laughed, tears in her eyes; "You say so all the time, Zack." She whispered, "And I'm starting to believe you. However, Maddie is gone; she's been gone a long time, and I don't think you should expect her back. She wanted many things, Zack."

Zack nodded, "I know..."

"But listen…" Carey begun, "Maybe she's coming home someday? You could believe."

"But she only sees me as a friend." Zack said, "She always have."

"But y'know?" Carey said, taking his hand, "Someone great once told me, that love is friendship on fire." She paused, "Maybe you should just wait for her to come back, and then lit up?"

Zack looked at his mom, a confused look in his eyes.

Carey smiled by his confused face, but didn't want to explain it further. If he was lucky, he would find out himself. Then she stroked his hair and one last time she looked at her very handsome son, "You're gonna have fun tonight, Zack, I can feel it. C'mon?"

Zack brushed the last of his tears away and followed his mother out the room.

ZMZMZMZMZMZMZM

Zack looked around the dance floor, wondering when it was ok for him to leave.

He didn't want to be there anymore. He hated it. He hated starring at all the couples having fun on the dance floor; just enjoying each others company, and being all in love.

He hated seeing people that way, and yet he couldn't help but stare and wish to just get over her.

Why couldn't he just get over her?

He knew that answer.

Because it was real. It was real love, and no-one can stop it. He was just so unlucky to be hit by it in the age of 12., and even more unlucky that his affections for a three years older girl were not returned.

On some level he understood her now.

He couldn't imagine even paying attention if a 12 years old girl came up to him now and started talking to him, asking him out, telling him she loved him. He would brush her off, not caring about her feelings.

At least Maddie had cared about his.

She'd done it gently, kinda. She loved him, and he knew it. It was just not the way that he wanted her to love him.

But he hoped she might have changed her mind if he ever ran into her again. If he saw her again, the three years between them wouldn't be such a big difference anymore. If he saw her now, he would be 15 and she would be 18.

That was no biggie.

He hoped he saw her again, he really did.

Just then Cody approached him with a huge smile on his face; "God! There's hot in here!"

"You think?" Zack just replied, not even looking at him.

"Loosen up, Zack." Cody said, "Have some fun. Check that girl over there!" he pointed at some random girl, and Zack looked at her, briefly, "She's all alone, man! You should ask her to dance and get some action."

"But I don't want to." Zack said, shaking his head.

The thought of just dancing with another girl at his prom was disgusting.

It HAD to be Maddie; it just had to.

Cody shook his head and padded him on the back, "Fine then. I'll catch you later bro."

Zack wasn't even sad when he was left alone again, after Cody went back to his date. It was a nice quiet corner, where he could watch everyone around him.

"You know," a voice told him, "Cody is right. I'll feel bad for the girl if she doesn't get a dance."

Zack turned around, his jaw hitting the floor. It couldn't be true. That voice was so familiar, but it couldn't be. No way. It just couldn't be…

"Maddie!?"

"Hi Zack!" Maddie smiled. She awkwardly looked at him, and then she took a seat beside him at the table, "What's up?"

"What are you doing here?" Zack exclaimed, getting tears in his eyes by the sight of her.

He couldn't believe that she was actually there.

His Maddie was there with him.

"I made you a promise, didn't I?" Maddie whispered.

Zack looked at her, and tried the best to hold back tears. Damn, why was he so emotional?

Maddie giggled a little and leaned in and gave him a warm hug; "I've missed you, Zack."

"Really?" Zack asked.

"Yes." Maddie said, "More than anyone else."

Zack smiled and got that warm feeling inside again. He just couldn't get over the fact that she was actually there. She was there with him, at his prom. She'd come back to keep her promise.

"I thought you weren't going to show up." Zack whispered, looking into her amazing brown eyes.

Maddie smiled and took his hand; "Of course I would show up, Zack. You danced with me at my prom, and now I'm gonna dance with you at yours."

She stood up and pulled him with her.

She paused; "Wow, you've gotten really tall. You're taller than I am now, eh?"

Zack couldn't help but chuckle, "Well, you were always very small, Maddie."

"Oh, really?" she giggled.

"Yeah," Zack said, "But that doesn't bother me."

He took her hand in a firm grip, just like all those years ago, and let her to the dance floor. He could just see Cody a few feet away, and he looked like he'd seen a ghost.

Zack just smiled at him and kept on dancing.

"I'm glad you decided to keep your promise." Zack whispered, "I didn't find anyone else because of it."

"I know." Maddie bit her lip, "You were waiting for me?"

"Yeah…" Zack said, just as Maddie rested her head at his chest, "I was waiting for you."

ZMZMZMZMZMZMZM

"This was fun!" Maddie smiled, just as they stood in front of her door. She'd gotten a suite at the Tipton for the night. She would be leaving again already tomorrow.

"Thank you for coming." Zack said.

"I wouldn't want to miss it." Maddie whispered.

She was leaning against her door, as they chatted. She couldn't believe how much fun they'd had, it had surely been one of the most amazing evenings in her entire life. And Zack! Zack had grown so much, she could hardly recognize him in the first place.

Zack smiled and looked her in the eyes, going his mom's words over and over again.

Someone great once told me, that love is friendship on fire. Maybe you should just wait for her to come back, and then lit up?

As confused as he'd been earlier, he now understood every word of it.

He slowly leaned in and placed a sweet kiss on her lips.

She didn't respond, but she didn't back away either. She just looked confused at him when he pulled back.

"Uh Zack, what are you doing?"

Zack didn't answer, he just leaned in again, and this time, Maddie responded. She let his hands rest on her waist, while her own fingers went through his hair. The kiss was passionate.

Everything Zack had ever dreamed of.

When they pulled back, they just looked at each other.

Then Zack decided to speak; quoting his mother, he said; "Maddie? Someone great once told me that love is friendship on fire. That's the way I feel about you."

Maddie smiled at him, love in her eyes, "Then go ahead." She said, "Come on, lit up!"

Zack leaned in and captured her lips in yet another kiss.

He really did have to admit, if what he had with Maddie was friendship on fire, then he didn't ever want the flame to burn out.

Taa-dah! What do you say? Horrible or not? I cant really decide if I like it or not, so I decided to post it and see what you guys said. Please leave me a review and tell me if you liked this. Maybe I'll write another fic here if this one goes well, I don't know. Sorry if I made any spelling mistakes, or mistakes about the show, but I hope it was ok. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Hugs; Stessa x3