The Suite Life of Zack and Cody

Chapter 7: Cody's Advice

"You know it's your fault, don't you Zack?" Cody asked. The twins were sitting alone in the closet while the others were outside with Jason. Cody asked Zack to follow him for a bit, so Zack did. He didn't like what it turned out to be for though. He crossed his arms defiantly. "Why do you keep quiet?" Cody demanded impatiently. "Can't you say anything? Don't you think what you did was stupid?"

"No," Zack said firmly.

"Yes, you do, but you won't admit it," Cody guessed. Zack groaned. His guess was too close to the truth, so he kept quiet. Sometimes, he thought Cody was too smart for his own good. "Zack, what you did was immature," Cody said seriously. "It was really stupid and you overreacted."

"Cody, where do you get off lecturing me?" Zack challenged. "I mean, who the hell made you king?"

Cody closed his eyes for patience, and then opened them again, "What you're doing has to be dealt with, or you really will end up in prison one day!"

"You've been saying that for over two years!" Zack argued. "Lay off it!"

"No, it's true, and since I'm your twin, there's no way I'm standing by and letting it happen!" Cody shot. "Just listen for once in your life and who knows, you might actually perform a miracle and learn something!"

"Why don't you shut up?" Zack said dirtily. "I'm your older brother, you listen to me."

Cody stood up angrily. Zack thought and hoped he was getting up to leave, but he was disappointed. Cody approached him. "No, you listen, genius! Continue acting the way you are, and you'll end up in confinement and if you do… if you do I'll… I'll never bail you out! LISTEN!"

Cody's loud voice made Zack jump. Also, the way Cody spoke hurt him that day, and he never forgot it. He tried getting up and running out of the room, but Cody forced him back down.

"Listen Zack, I care about you, I want you to listen," Cody said calmly. "Just apologize you Anthony, and then go out and ask Jason for… a basketball game outside, two against four; Jason and you against everyone or something."

Even though Zack didn't show it, Cody knew he was listening. Zack just shrugged, and Cody got up. "I'm going to get Anthony, you stay here."

Zack stayed in the closet as Cody said. He looked around. Was Cody right? Would he end up in prison one day? He never paid much attention to the future. He forgot that possibility for that time and thought instead that the small closet was kind of like confinement. He was to stay in here for a bit, until someone came.

The door opened, pushing everything out of Zack's mind. Cody walked in, followed by Anthony.

"Zack has something he wants to say," Cody said shortly.

Anthony looked at Zack, waiting. Zack hated this, but everyone did, and they still said it, "Sorry for hitting you."

"Look man, if it bothered you that you don't get to spend time with the player you also won, just tell me in a nicer way, and I'd have made for you," Anthony said.

"But he did talk calmly, you insulted him," Cody reminded him.

"Alright, I guess I'll apologize for telling you to stay away from my brother," Anthony admitted. "Heck, he really likes you. He looks to you more than our dad."

Zack felt some pride. He liked little Adam even though he was over five years younger than him. He shook Anthony's hand and they went out together, followed by Cody, who felt proud he actually had some effect on his brother's life.