Chapter 10

I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.

Wait...In this story, I actually created some of them, so I do own them.

Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.

And as for the ones I did create, who they are is up to me, so...

Seattle, Washington

Cody just looked back and forth between Bailey and the basketball players. To say he was taken aback and confused would be a major understatement. He looked again at Bailey, and she had a sad expression on her face. Was it true? Did she and Zack really hate each other? He sighed to himself, and remembering his own first encounter with Zack, he could see how that could be possible. If he hadn't found out that Zack was his twin brother, would he have felt any different about him? He couldn't be sure, but he would worry about that later. At that moment, he found himself in a precarious situation that he had to find a way out of quickly. So doing his best to channel his inner Zack, he came up with a quick idea that he hoped would work. He stepped towards the players and pulled them off to the side.

"What do you knuckleheads think you are doing? You're going to ruin everything!"

One of them just looked at him in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Cody rolled his eyes. "She was assigned to be my summer school tutor. You guys want me to be eligible to play right?"

"Well...yeah."

"Then it won't help me at all if you tick off my tutor..." He grinned. "Besides, I'm also trying to prove to her that I'm not that bad of a guy. If I can get her to lower her defenses, I can pull the mother of all pranks on her later. But I won't be able to do that if you idiots blow my cover. So, if you see me acting a little strange, that's what I'm doing!"

The players all began laughing. "Zack...you are the master! We'll play along. Just let us know if you need any help."

"And let you guys get some of the glory? I don't think so. Just head back into the gym and let me see if I can do damage control..."

They nodded and all headed back into the gym. When they were gone, Cody turned and found Bailey looking at him strangely. He just smiled back at her.

"Lets go somewhere where we can talk without worrying about interruption..."

She nodded, and they headed out of the school. And when they got far enough away from the school, she stopped him.

"Okay, what did you say to them?"

Cody just smiled and told her everything he had told the players. "It gave me a credible reason for 'Zack' and you to be hanging out together as well as an excuse if they think I'm acting funny. But no worries. There will be no prank. If they ask, I'll just tell them that you caught on to what I was up to before I could fully implement it."

Bailey laughed. "Not bad. Not bad at all. You think pretty quickly on your feet."

He nodded and paused. "So...is it true?"

She sighed. "Sort of. Its true Zack and I don't get along, but I wouldn't say I hate him. He's just not someone I'd prefer to spend my time with. He and I have absolutely nothing in common besides Addie..." She paused. "...and now you. Plus, he made my first days of school here a living nightmare..."

"What did he do?"

Bailey proceeded to tell him about the whoopee cushion incident as well as him destroying her science project. "I know I should be the bigger person, but he made me so angry..."

Cody smiled at her. "I think I know how you feel. I mean, I did tell you about the measures I resorted to when I first met him..."

She smiled back. "Trust me. I would have paid to have seen that."

He paused again. "I have to ask though. Will being seen with me cause you problems? Will your friends wonder what is going on? I don't want to put you in an uncomfortable situation..."

She smiled at him again. "I don't care about what other people think. And my one true friend here is Addie, and I think she already knows what's going on. But I appreciate you being worried about that. It says a lot about you."

Cody just shrugged. "Well...I just imagine it can't be easy for you. I mean...you look at me and see someone that you can't really stand to be around."

Bailey shook her head. "No, not at all. When I see you, I see Cody. And while you and Zack may be twins, you two couldn't be more different if you tried." Bailey paused again. "Besides...I like hanging around with you."

"I like hanging around with you two. After what my ex did, I wasn't sure I'd ever be this comfortable around another girl for a long time, but I am."

"I kind of know what you mean. My ex back in Kansas was a complete control freak. He thought of me as property and was always trying to tell me what to do. After I dumped him, I knew I was done dealing with jerks like that for the rest of my life. Its nice to be able to spend time with a guy and be so at ease around him. I feel like I can be myself around you, and its okay..."

Cody smiled. "Same here..." He laughed. "Besides Addison, you are the only one I can be myself with. With everyone else, I have to put on an act..."

Bailey laughed too. "Well, you just fooled Coach Morris and the basketball team. I say you're doing pretty well with that. How about we get back to me showing you around Seattle?"

"I'd love that. Are we near a subway station?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Sorry, we don't really have much of a subway around here. We're taking the bus..."

So, they made their way to the bus stop and caught a bus to downtown Seattle. Bailey showed Cody around everywhere and even took him to the Space Needle. And as they continued walking around and seeing everything, they continued to talk and get to know each other even better. After checking out a few museums, Bailey thought of the perfect place to for them to go. And fifteen minutes, they arrived at the Pacific Science Center, a hands on museum with a planetarium and multiple IMAX theaters. As they walked around, Cody was amazed.

"This place is great! I bet you come here all the time."

"Well, this is one of my favorite places here in Seattle. I love it here. But usually, I come here by myself. I've brought my parents or one of my sisters or Addie here once or twice, but that's usually enough for them..."

Cody just looked around. "I know what you mean. I'd come here at least once a week if I could."

Bailey smiled at him. "Yeah, this place is great, but look at everything you have in Boston. You have both MIT and Harvard both right there plus look at all of the historical sights you have. Boston Harbor, Lexington & Concord, Bunker Hill...I'd love to see all of those places."

He smiled back. "I'd like to return the favor and show them to you sometime. You're right. It would be a lot more fun seeing those places with someone who appreciated them as much as I did."

"I'm going to hold you to that..."

"I hope you do..." He paused and checked his watch. "You know, its actually getting late. My Dad will be in the studio again tonight, so I'll probably end up making dinner again. Would you care to join Addison and I? It would be the least I could do to thank you for today..."

"I'd love to. Addie told me how good what you made last night was."

Cody grinned. "Upping the pressure on me, huh? In that case, I need to stop by the store so I can make something special."

Later than evening, Cody, Bailey and Addison were sitting around the kitchen table after having finished the dinner Cody had made. All three were full and relaxing in their seats. Addison sighed in contentment.

"Okay...I could certainly get used to eating like this..."

Bailey laughed. "So could I. Cody, your cooking is almost as good as my Grammy Pickett's."

He smiled. "Thank you. But the real praise should go to Chef Paulo. He's the one who taught me everything I know."

Addison spoke up again. "So, with you not having to be back to school until Friday, what are your plans for tomorrow?"

Cody paused. "I think I'm going to snoop around Dad's room to see what I can find out. I wonder if he does still love my Mom."

"Well, I'll be here, so I can help if you need it."

Bailey spoke up too. "So will I." She checked her watch. "Unfortunately, I have to be getting home now. I have to help one of my younger sisters with something."

Cody smiled. "Well, if you allow me, I'll walk you home."

Bailey smiled back and accepted as Addison just watched the two of them head out. Thirty minutes later, Cody returned back to the house and began cleaning up from dinner. When he put the last of the dishes in the dishwasher, he turned and saw Addison just grinning at him.

"That certainly took you long enough..."

"Well, I had to scrub some of the pots."

"No...I mean walking Bailey home. It only takes five minutes to walk there. Seems to me there are twenty extra minutes unaccounted for..."

Cody just looked at her. "Oh...ummm..."

Addison laughed. "Its okay, Cody. You can admit you have a major thing for her. Anyone who sees you two together can see that."

Boston, Massachusetts

After getting off the phone with Maya, Zack hit up the shower and actually used deodorant when he was done. Like Cody had done earlier, he returned to Cody's closet and sighed once again at his choices of attire. And like Cody had, he settled in on a polo shirt and cargo shorts. Once he was dressed, he came back out into the suite, and Carey just smiled at him again.

"You look nice. You must be really trying to impress this girl. I really need to meet her now."

Zack shook his head and laughed. "We'll see how it goes."

"By the way, Mr. Moseby stopped by again while you were in the shower. He asked if you could make your specialty for his Mom's birthday. He even left some money for you to go get all the necessary ingredients for it."

He swallowed and let out a small laugh. "Sure. No problem."

"Well, do you want me to fix you some lunch before you head out?"

Zack paused again and remembered Cody telling him about his Mom's cooking. "You know...I'll just grab something on the way over to Maya's place. Besides, we'll probably get popcorn at the movie. I don't want to be too full before I get there."

"Something strange is going on here..."Carey just looked at him and shook her head. "I see what's happening here..."

Zack just looked at her nervously. "You do?"

"Of course." She smiled. "You're nervous about your first real date since you broke up with Barbara..."

He sighed in relief. "You got me..."

"You'll do fine, Honey. Just be yourself..."

Zack mumbled under his breath. "Easier said than done..."

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Just trying to get myself psyched up."

Soon after, Zack headed out of the hotel, but once he stood outside the front door, it suddenly dawned on him that while he had Maya's address, he had no idea where that was exactly. He slapped his forehead. When he was getting show times and directions to the nearest theater, it hadn't dawned on him to look up where Maya's place was. He sighed. He couldn't go back into the hotel and ask someone for directions. So, instead, he walked down the street to a local convenience store called the Paul Revere Minute Mart. He found some guy in there working who had a name tag saying his name was Wayne. So, Zack walked up to him and asked him for directions.

Wayne gave him the directions and then paused. "Don't I know you?"

Zack shook his head. "I don't think so..."

"I could have sworn you dropped off an application to work here earlier this summer..."

Zack laughed and figured why not be honest. "Well, my brother may have, but I didn't...Sorry."

Wayne shrugged. "That was probably it..."

Zack headed out of the convenience store to head off towards Maya's place. But someone had been looking at something along the back wall walked to the front and watched Zack leave from the window.

"My, my...this is getting really interesting now..."

Fortunately for Zack, Wayne's directions were pretty good and he found Maya's apartment relative easily. And from what he could tell, she lived on the other side of the park from the hotel. Once again, he mentally kicked himself for not looking it up. But, he was buzzed in and made his way up to Maya's family's apartment. And when she opened the door, Zack couldn't catch himself from whistling.

She smiled. "Thanks. Not looking too bad yourself."

Zack smiled back. "Thank you too..." And she did look amazing. As hot as she looked in a tshirt and basketball shorts, seeing her in a sundress almost blew his mind. "I think everyone else is going to be jealous of me when they see me getting to walk in with you..."

Maya laughed. "I don't know about all of that."

They continued on to the movie, and both had a good time. Zack ordinarily wasn't bothered by scary movies, but this one caused him to get a little jumpy. But when Maya buried her face into his shoulder at the really scary parts, he wasn't minding it one bit. In fact, he spent so much time looking down at her and enjoying how good she smelled, he really didn't remember much of the film. After the movie, they walked around for a while just talking about anything and everything. And for the first time in his life, Zack wasn't minding doing that one bit. Before, he would ignore a girl when she talked to him, and more than a few times, that had gotten him into trouble. But he was admitting to himself that there was something different about Maya. As the afternoon progressed, he walked her back to her family's apartment so she could change to play basketball later. The plan was for him to head back to the hotel, and she would meet him there. By the time she changed and walked over, he should be done changing as well.

Playing basketball that night went about the same as the night before with Maya and Zack being on the same team all night. And Theo kept getting angrier and angrier that 'Cody' kept beating him. Even worse, he was tired of 'Cody' making him look bad. So Theo tried again with the hard fouls, but Zack saw them coming. In particular, Theo bit on one of Zack's shot fakes, and Zack ducked. Theo proceeded to go flying and landed in some gravel. When he got up, he was scraped up, but more importantly, he had knocked out one of his front teeth.

"I'll get you for this, Martin!"

Zack was about to say something when Maya spoke up first. "For what? You're the one who tried to lunge at him and missed..." She knelt down and glared at him. "And if you do try to do something, everyone will know it was you. Do you really want to be known around school as the world's worst sore loser?"

Theo glared back at her. "Maya, he's not one of us! He's a nerd! A geek!"

She shrugged. "So? At least Cody is comfortable with who he is and isn't trying to be something that he's not..."

Hearing that hit close to home to Zack. All of a sudden, he felt really guilty about lying to her about who he really was. But he was torn. If he told her, odds are she would get really upset and his entire plan could go up in smoke. But for some reason, lying to her made him feel terrible. Once the last game was over, he decided he had to be honest.

"Maya...can I talk to you about something?"

She smiled. "Of course."

Zack paused. "How about we walk over to the hotel and get some ice cream first?"

"Sounds good to me."

The headed back to the hotel and to the ice cream counter and both got a double scoop. They sat down outside on a bench, and Zack built up his courage to say what he needed to say.

"You wanted to talk to me about something?"

Zack looked up at her. "Yeah...there is. You see, Maya..."

To be Continued...