Thanks to all who read and reviewed the first chapter, i would like to thank DarkElements10 and steffer22893 for their comments
and to my Literary Consultant who kept my grammer and spelling on track.
Chapter 2: New Friends
The next day
Matt rose from his bed feeling rested and looked around his room seeing all the still packed boxes. Still so much work to do, he let out a sigh and got dressed.
As he walked out and smelled breakfast cooking and saw the table already set, his mother was making pancakes, and by the smell they were chocolate chip. Jen turned around to see her son walking out of his room, she put down the hot frying pan and walked to the table.
"Morning sleepy head" Jen said with a smile on her face "did you sleep ok?"
Jen was dressed in a nice outfit, one she did not wear very often, and if she did it was for a special occasion. She was happy and full of spirit, but Matt could sense something in her. He could tell she was a little nervous.
"Yeah, that bed is really comfortable" Matt said, "so is today your first day at the new restaurant?"
"Yes it is and I am hoping to make a good first impression." Jen said starting to eat her breakfast while Matt also began on his stack of pancakes which were wonderful.
"So what does my little man have planned for the day?" Jen asked as she finished her small stack, taking the plates over to the sink. "I hope that someday you decide to finish unpacking that room of yours."
"Don't worry, I will get to it" Matt said still working on his pancakes, "I was going down to the lobby first to meet Zack and Cody."
Matt finished his pancakes and brought his dishes to his mother at the sink and looking very happy, there was a twinkle in his eyes Jen had not seen in a very long time, and seeing him so full of life and energy gave her a great feeling.
"Well I am glad you have made new friends so quickly" Jen said finishing the dishes and getting ready to go to work "I am sure those two will make good friends and be very supportive" She walked over to the door and opened it "alright I have to get going see you in a few hours, love you."
"Love you too mom," Matt said as his mom left and he went back to his room to get his wallet. As he walked back to his room and opened the door he began to feel dizzy for some reason. He sat on his bed and let his head settle down then got going again. That was weird I hope it doesn't happen again, he thought to himself.
As he got in the elevator and hit the button for the lobby Matt thought of all the good times he was going to have with his new friends.
As the doors opened he saw all the life in the main lobby of the Tipton hotel, the people checking in, the bellhops carrying bags and pushing carts and all the other people walking around going somewhere.
He walked out of the elevator and saw Zack and Cody by the candy counter talking to a girl with long blonde hair.
"So what's the new candy selection today, sweet thang" Zack said as he flirted with Maddie as always, "I think your looking better than ever today," he continued as his brother rolled his eyes.
"Anymore candy and that sweet tooth of yours is going to implode" Maddie said in response looking over at Matt as he came down the small stairs to the candy counter.
"Hey guys what's going on?" Matt asked as he approached the twins.
"Hey Matt" Zack and Cody said in unison, the turned to Maddie who looked a bit confused, "oh Maddie this is Matt, his mom and him just moved into the Tipton yesterday and she is working here" Cody said intruding Matt and Maddie, "Matt this is our friend Maddie she works the candy counter."
"Hi Matt, welcome and I hope you have a good time living here," Maddie said cheerfully shacking Matt's hand.
"Thanks I am sure it will be an interesting experience" Matt replied shacking back and smiling at Maddie.
Then the elevator opened and a well dressed girl ran out, down the steps and up to the candy counter past the boys.
"Maddie, I have a very important question for you," she said, sounding desperate.
"London what is the problem" Maddie answered, leaning over the candy counter.
"Well" London said, putting her hands on the counter, "Well daddy called and told me that I have to be at the opening of the new restaurant today."
"Ok London, so what's the big issue?" Maddie said, sounding uncaring as London spoke.
"Well I can't go alone, that would look bad for me, so I need a friend to come with and was wondering if you would like to go."
Maddie's eyes suddenly light up and widened as London asked her. She could not pass up this opportunity.
"Well if you insist, I would love to go. What's the restaurant is called?" Maddie said, not wanting to sound to accepting and needy.
"I think it is called the…" London said then, stopped to think and a blank expression appeared on her face.
"It's called The Tip" Matt said interrupting London's thinking processes, she looked down at him.
"Yeah that's it. Who are you" London asked with her usual happy cheery voice.
"Names Matt, my moms the head chef at the new restaurant" Matt said sounding proud of his mom's position "We moved into the Tipton like the Martins, actually we live next door to them."
"That's cool, so you're the new family my daddy told me about" London said "will you be at the grand opening?"
"Of course, but I know it will go well, my mom is the best chef I have ever known" Matt answered with a smirk on his face.
"Well then I hope for the meal to be perfect" London said as she walked away.
"Who was that" Matt asked looking around.
"That was London Tipton, her father owns the hotel" Maddie said, seeming uninterested, "she is kind of an airhead sometimes but she is alright."
"You may be right about that" Matt said as he watched London skip out of the lobby. "So Zack, Cody, I was wondering if you guys could look at something I have been working on."
"Ok, what is it?" Cody says with a helpful smile stretching across his face.
"It's some computer graphics I have been working on," Matt said looking at both of the twins "they look good but I would like a second opinion."
"Sure, sounds like fun" Zack as they turned around to follow Matt back to the elevator.
"So what are these graphics for?" Cody asked.
"I have a website and I was going to put them on and see if they are liked, then people can buy them from me" Matt said with a smile on his face.
"Wow, that's an easy way to make some cash" Zack said with a greedy expression appearing on his face.
Cody looked at him and sighed, he knew what Zack was thinking and he knew it was stupid and would fail like so many others had. They followed Matt to the elevator, after getting to the top they followed him to his mom's and his suite and then to his room.
When they entered his room, Zack and Cody where amazed at the computer setup he had, it was the most advanced systems they had seen, and some of the most expensive.
"I know what you are thinking" Matt said walking over to his computer "you are wondering how my mom and I could afford this setup right."
That was exactly what they were thinking and all they could do was nod in agreement.
"Well, my mom helped a lot with all the jobs we have been doing and places we have been, we just bought the basic computer and software and I helped out when I first began making the website and art" Matt said as he sat down at his computer "we just bought upgrades and new parts over time."
"Wow, this whole thing must have cost a fortune" Zack said looking over the computers "I bet you could hack into any computer in the world from here."
"My system might be powerful but it is not that powerful" Matt said as the computer started up and his art began appearing on the page, many different abstract, surreal and photo manipulations of different landscapes and people flood the screen. Zack and Cody were overwhelmed with the amount before them.
"Well what do you guys think" Matt said moving away from the screen to allow maximum view for he twins "if you guys approve they will be on my site and for sale by tomorrow morning."
Both Zack and Cody were amazed at the level of detail in the computerized art and how many, but it didn't take them long to go over the whole of them and give Matt their opinions.
"I think they are amazing" Cody said "the level of detail and the originality of the work is awesome."
"Yeah, they are pretty cool" Zack said, thinking of more to add "I like the use of color and the different things you can see if you let your eyes blur."
Matt took these at very positive reviews, and after he sat back down and closed the screen they walked out of his room back to the living room.
"Thanks for your help guys, its always good to have a second opinion on things like this" Matt said as they walked out the door to the suit, and locked it behind them.
"No problem," Zack said, as they walked to the elevator "anything to help a friend." As they entered the elevator, a sense of accomplishment filled Matt; it had been so long since he had some friends like Zack and Cody.