Disclaimer: i only own the plot and my OCs. Well i'm sorry for the break between the this chapter and the last chapter. i've just been really busy. and i had to rewrite this chapter, the ending was a little...to weird...lets just put it that way. lol. so i hope you enjoy.

Chapter 11

"Hey sweet thang." Zack leans against the candy counter.

Maddie looks up from her script.

"Hey Zack, look I'm kind of busy here. Could you make it quick?" Maddie asks, going back to her script.

"Why are you so worried? You'd make the perfect Belle." Zack smiles alluringly.

Maddie doesn't look up.

"There are a lot of really talented people out there. I just really want this part." She snaps her head up. "And it's not like I don't have three call backs, so why shouldn't I be worried about making the cut?"

"Ok I get it, you're stressed." Zack holds up his hands. "Why don't you practice with me?"

"I'm working" Maddie snaps.

"But…"

"No Zack. I have to be perfect. I can't have any distractions."

Zack walks away, dragging his feet and his head lowered. Maddie never seems to have time for him anymore. Ever since that Danny came along, that's what her attentions been fixed on.

Zack watches Cody and Kate walk out of the Tipton together. It's silly. It's so obvious that the two like each other, but they won't admit it themselves.

Zack sighs, as he waits for the elevator to come. If only Maddie would pay attention to him. There was a time in his short life, when he had given up hope. But when she had gone away with her family, he had realized that he could never love anyone else but her.

Zack walks into the elevator and pushes the 23rd button.

"Maybe if I hadn't of given up hope, she would like me now." Zack whispers, a tear running down his cheek.

He walks out of the elevator and into the suite. His mom is in the kitchen, wearing more of the food than there is in the pan.

"Hi honey. I'm making cookies," Carey says, as Zack walks past her and into his room. "If you want any…just let me know."

Carey shakes her head. She had always just assumed that her son's affection for Maddie would disappear after a few years if rejection, but it grew. She just wishes that she could shield her son from the pain he's going through. And seeing his twin brother, the more reserved of the two, having fun with a girl must be hard for him.

Carey sighs again and crosses through her bedroom/living room and knocks on her sons' door.

"Honey? Do you want to talk?"

"No." Zack says through the door, his voice unexpressive.

"Well, if you do just let me know."

Carrey knows that if you push Zack to much he won't come when he wants to. She walks back to the kitchen. Although she no longer has the inspiration to continue cooking, she grabs the pan of cookie dough and shoves it into the oven.

Zack flops down onto his bed, his face pressing into his pillow. He rolls over on his side and notices the pictures on his bedside table. He sits up and holds the pictures' frame.

It's a picture of Maddie and him. They have an arm around each other and Maddie has given him "bunny ears". They both are smiling widely into the camera. Beside it is a picture of Maddie and him on Maddie's prom night.

Zack smiles as he remembers that night. He remembers dancing with her, and thinking about how right that felt. He remembers her promise to dance with him at his own prom.

Zack traces his finger lightly down the side of Maddie's face. If only he could make Maddie see that they were meant to be. But while Danny was here, it was impossible. She followed that guy around like a puppy.

Kind of like you did. A voice says in his mind. He leaves his finger on Maddie's face, imaging what would happen if he had the courage to caress her real face.

She'd probably just push your hand away and run after Danny. The voice in his head says.

"Shut up." Zack screams, forgetting for a moment that no one's really talking to him.

"Zack, honey, are you okay?" Carey sticks her head in the room. Zack stares at her, his eyes expressionless now.

"Yes." He stares pointedly at her.

"Well ok," Carey says, catching his hint. "I'm going to go back into the kitchen now."

Zack shrugs. Carey sighs, closes his door, and walks back to the kitchen.

Face it. The voice in Zack's head says. You'll never be good enough for her.

Zack clenches his hand around the picture frame. His depression about Maddie and his anger at the unspoken words grow. His knuckles begin turn white, as his anger grows. He takes his hand off of the picture of Maddie's face. He stares down at it.

Suddenly, he flings it across the room. He grins when he hears the cracking of the glass against his wall. He moves to look at the broken frame. His grin falls off his face as he sees the broken frame and glass.

"What have I done?" He whispers.

He runs over the frame and kneels beside it. He scoops it up carefully, and as if carrying a baby he brings it back to his bedside table. He gently places it on the table, and sinks down onto his bed.

Please review! Constructive critism would be nice too. don't worry about being mean. i just would like to know what you guys and gals think of this. And im sorry if Zack doesn't seem like himself in this chapter. i just dont know how a boy would react. im not sure if they'd want to curl up into a ball and cry (like in my first version) or throw a temper tantrum or sulk or wat!