And I'm back! I had a short holiday away from home, but it was cool. I was at my grandparent's farm! (I know that doesn't sound like fun, but for me it was). Yeah, so here is the next chapter. Thanks for the reviews for chapter 7!

Chapter 8: Secret Meeting

"Madeline, where do you think you are going?" Said Maddie's mother. Maddie turned to face her; she knew what was coming next. "Are you going to meet that man we found in your room last night?" Her mother said, her voice rising. Maddie shook her head quickly.

"No ma, I'm going to my job." Maddie said. This calmed her mother down a bit. "Oh, but I don't want you being around strangers." Maddie nodded once again and left her house. She walked briskly down the lane but slowed down once she was on the dirt road.

Maddie started to hum a song as she walked. It was a song she had made up when she was very small and she would hum it if she was happy. When she entered the Inn, Esteban greeted her. "You look happy today Madeline." He said. Maddie nodded and made her way to the front desk where Mosby sat.

"Madeline, I would like you to just help around today. If there is nothing you can do, then you may leave, but I'll still pay." Mr Mosby said. Maddie frowned. "Why, is there no work to do?"

Mosby nodded and quickly ran off a guest who had just arrived. Maddie took this as an opportunity to visit Zack, but she was stopped by London. "What was your name again?" She asked when she spotted Maddie heading towards the stairs.

"Madeline, but some people call me Maddie." She said. London nodded and looked at Maddie's outfit with distaste. "Why do you wear these rags?" She asked. Maddie looked down at her work dress. "It's a dress. It may not be as extravagant as yours, but I like it." She said and started up the stairs, London following her.

"No really, you should wear something like what I'm wearing now. That is, unless you are a poor working girl." Maddie stopped and turned to face London. "But I am a poor working girl."

London considered this. "Oh, ok then I'll be leaving now." Maddie sighed with relief as London went back down the stairs. She continued up them when she heard a door slam. Maddie stopped and saw Cody come down the stairs muttering something under his breath.

He stopped right in front of Maddie. "Oh, so I guess you going to see my brother again. I wish you luck, he's not in a very talkative mood." He said and carried on down the stairs.

Maddie continued to Zack's room. She knocked softly and heard footsteps inside and soon the door swung open. Zack's expression brightened up when he saw Maddie standing there.

"Are you here to clean our room?" Zack asked. Maddie nodded. Zack looked around the room, which was still clean. "Well, I guess you have no work to do. I have to go find Cody now and then I'll go to the fountain where I'll wait for you."

Maddie nodded and Zack opened the door again for her. She smiled at him and exited the room. They walked down the stairs together and before they parted, Zack took Maddie's hand and kissed her quickly on the cheek. "Good bye Maddie, I'll see you soon."

As she watched Zack leave, Maddie subconsciously touched the spot where he had kissed her. A small smile played upon her lips as she headed for the kitchen. She wasn't watching where she was going and walked into Arwin, another worker at the Inn.

"Oh, sorry Maddie. Have you seen Carrie?" He asked. Maddie shook her head and continued towards the kitchen. She heard Arwin sigh and then run off somewhere. Maddie entered the kitchen and found it deserted.

"Ah Madeline, I found you. You can have today off; there is no work right now for you." Mr Mosby said as he walked in. A man followed him in and he looked like he was the new cook Mr Mosby had hired. "Ok, if you say so."

She ran out of the Inn and walked towards the fountain. Zack wasn't there yet and so she sat on the edge. Maddie looked into the water and saw the two coins that she and Zack had thrown in. She'd have thought that the poorer people would've come and taken them out.

"Hello again Madeline." Zack said coming up behind the fountain. Maddie turned around to fast and lost her balance, causing her to fall into the fountain. Zack came rushing up to her and offered her his hand. She took it and he pulled her up. Maddie then found herself in his arms.

"Sorry about that, I didn't mean to scare you." Zack said and looked into her chocolate brown eyes. They seemed to glow outside in the sun. Maddie laughed a bit. "It's fine Zack."

"Madeline!" Maddie sprang out of Zack's arms and turned to face her mother and grandmother. Her grandmother was trying not to smile, but you could see the corners of her mouth turn upwards. Maddie's mom marched up to her and dragged her down the road towards the dirt road.

"What do you think you are doing? Didn't I say that I never wanted you to see that man again!" Her mother shouted. People stopped what they were doing and watched as a wet Maddie was dragged home.

"But ma, you don't understand!" Maddie said. Her mother shook her head and started muttering something under her breath. Maddie turned and looked at her grandmother who was trying to avoid eye contact.

Finally, Maddie's mother spoke once more to her. "Why did you defy me and go see that man?" They had stopped walking and had a crowd of people standing around them. Maddie knew the answer and she wasn't going to hide it from anyone anymore. "Because I love him."

Yay! Maddie is no longer in denial! Now the real question is, will they admit it to each other? And will I let them do it soon, or later? And will Maddie's mother let them be together? Will I ever stop asking you questions? Ok, I'll stop that! I'm in a really happy mood now coz I have Ashley Tisdale's CD now! Yay! So the next chapter should be up soon, Wednesday or Thursday tops.