"Just where do you think you're going, young man?"

Carey was folding her clothes on the table at the moment when she saw Zack heading to the main door.

"I'm going to meet Bob in the park." he said casually.

Carey looked up to him.

"What for?"

"He's going to return the money that he owes me."

She raised her eyebrow at him.

"He owes you money?"

"Y-Yeah. I asked him to return it before we leave because it's..." he looked around before continuing, "...Cody's money." he whispered.

"What?!"

Carey stared at him for a moment and shrugged.

"Alright. But you better be back before it gets dark. You seriously need to start packing up, you can't rely on Cody all the time, honey."

"Will do, mom! Love you!"

With that, Zack stormed out, and Carey somehow felt that she made the wrong decision.

"Love you too." Carey mouthed and continued her task


"Hey Maddie!" Zack greeted. He looked upbeat, as if nothing transpired awhile ago.

Maddie was re-arranging the candy bars when he found her and she looked surprised upon seeing Zack.

"Oh hey Zack! Looks like you're going somewhere." she replied.

Zack rested his right elbow on the counter before speaking.

"Actually, WE are going somewhere!" he enthusiastically replied and raised his eyebrow twice.

Maddie tilted her head.

"We?"

"Yeah, you will come with me to meet Bob. Mom wouldn't allow me to go alone so I figured, I'd take you."

"Don't know. I'm still working. I'll have to check with Mr. Moseby first, but he's in the kitchen right now."

"I already asked Moseby and he approved, now c'mon let's go, Bob's waiting!" Zack insisted.

Maddie crossed her arms and looked down on him. Why was Moseby extra nice to her today?

"He approved?"

"I'm positive! I just talked to him! We're going to be really quick, I promise!" he said in a very reassuring manner.

She figured, well, he was going to leave in a matter of days and she wouldn't see him for a long time. It was bad enough that she broke the poor boy's heart awhile ago. The least she could do is to give his simple request.

"Okay, I'm going with you!"

Zack's face enlightened and yelled "YES!" with the left-right hand motion that goes with it.

Maddie chuckled.

"But we need to get back immediately!"

"Anything you say, sweet thang!"

Maddie put the "closed" sign on the counter and followed Zack on the way out.


They rode the city bus and sat next to each other.

"Zack, are you okay?" Maddie broke the silence.

Zack looked surprised with the question "Yeah, why?"

"Aren't you mad at me? I mean, because of the "wedding" thing?"

"Of course not! Let's forget about it, I know it's such a ridiculous thing to ask of you."

"I'm glad to hear that. I really don't want us to have conflicts. We're friends. And I like to keep it that way."

"I understand Maddie. I understand…"


"Maddie!!! I just shopped for my gown! It's so pretty, and no one can afford it but me! YAY me!"

London announced as soon as she entered the Lobby, but noticed that Maddie wasn't in her usual spot.

She walked closer and looked behind the counter. "Maddie?" She turned to Moseby, who was in the reception desk, directly across the candy counter. He was busy talking to a guest when London interrupted.

"Moseby, where's Maddie?" she asked him.

"In the Candy Coun—", he cut himself when he didn't see Maddie in the counter.

He politely excused himself from the guest and talked to London.

"Where's my candy counter girl?" he asked, looking totally confused.

"I don't know! Anyway, when you find her, tell her to come to my suite! Can't wait to show her the other stuffs I bought for her 'big day!'", before Moseby can even react, London turned away and walked like a runway model.

Moseby looked pissed. Where could she be? And how long has she been gone? She already took her break, and her shift doesn't end in the next 3 hours.

He decided to contact her house, but her grandma said she wasn't there. He then called the Martins' suite. Just in case.

"Hello Carey, it's Moseby. Is Maddie there?"

"No, she's not. Why?"

"She left the counter without my permission when she's supposed to be here for a couple more hours."

"Oh… that's odd. Did you check London's suite? She might be hanging out there."

"London doesn't know where she is either. I called her house but no luck."

"Oh… Okay… If she ever drops by, I'll let you know at once. She should be just somewhere in the hotel."

"Thanks Carey." Moseby hung up.

Cody came out of his room after cleaning up and organizing some of Zack's things.

"Who was that mom?" Cody plopped the couch and grabbed the remote.

"Mr. Moseby. He was looking for Maddie, he couldn't find her anywhere."

Cody's eyes widened

"Maddie's missing?"

"Yeah sort of."

Zack… he thought. Holy buckets, what did you do again?


"Zack, we've been walking forever and we couldn't find Bob. Are you sure he's going to come?" Maddie looked tired and impatient. The bus dropped them off in a park she hadn't seen before. That was where he was supposed to meet Bob, according to Zack.

"Do you want to rest? We can sit by the bench." he offered and pointed at the bench nearby.

"Yeah, let's rest for a few minutes, and after this we're going home. I don't think Bob will show up anymore."

They sat in one of the benches with a huge tree behind it.

Maddie plopped down lazily and leaned against the tree.

"I'm so tired…" she muttered under her breath and closed her eyes.

Zack felt guilty upon seeing Maddie like that.

"Um, do you want a massage?" He offered.

"I would love to but, nevermind."

"C'mon, I insist! Mom likes it when I massage her!"

"Really?" she sounded interested.

"Yeah, you didn't know that about me huh?!"

Maddie smiled.

"Well.. okay, if you insist!"

Zack began massaging her hand, her arm, her shoulder.

"Wow, you are good!" Maddie complimented.

"Thanks!" he said. "Look, I'm sorry, Maddie…"

"Its okay, Zack. It's not your fault that Bob didn't show up," she replied without opening her eyes.

"No. Actually, I didn't really come here to meet Bob."

Maddie opened her eyes and glared at him

"WHAT?!"


A/N: Thank you so much again for the comments! I know this is not nearly good enough compared to other fanfics, but I'm trying my best to improve my writing. I hope you like it, and I'm going to update soon. :)