"Hey Maddie!" Travis exclaimed from the other end of the hallway. It'd been three days since Travis and Aly had gone out and he hadn't talked to Maddie in some time.

"Oh. Hey Travis." Maddie said. She didn't seem too happy to see him.

"I haven't talked to you in a while. What's up?" Travis started to walk alongside Maddie.

"Nothing really. You?" She already knew (through gossip at the Tipton) that he and Aly were going out.

"Nothing really." Travis said, shrugging his shoulders. He already knew that she knew he was going out with Alyson (wow confusing).

"Listen." He now stood face to face with Maddie. "I was wondering if you'd like to hang out today. After work. I mean, we also haven't spent a lot time together. So-"

"Sorry. I wish I could, but I have a date with Gavin. He asked me out yesterday. You understand."

"Yeah. Yeah, I do. Hey maybe we can double date tomorrow. You know, for my birthday."

"Yeah that'd be fun. Well, I'll see you in English class."

"Yeah. Of course." Travis was really confused. Why was he so miserable? It wasn't that big a deal. It was Maddie. His friend, who he sort of liked, but they were only friends. Ah, great. To top it all off he now had a headache. His feelings were so… just out of control. He had no idea what he would feel next.

"Yo what's up!" called a voice behind Travis.

"Oh hey man." Travis said, turning to find Darryl.

" Yo, you missed the bus. What happened?" Darryl said.

"Alyson gave me a ride."

"Why don't you ever use your car? I mean. It's a nice car."

"I'm sort of afraid the cops will think I'm a street racer. You know how I like to speed." The two boys laughed.

"So, you never told me what happened when you went to the movies with Aly and AJ." Darryl said. Travis told him part of the story before class and then finished it before he left school.

"You and Aly! You guys are going out?" Darryl whispered.

"Yes. Is that so hard to believe?"

"In a word, yes." The two laughed and Travis punched Darryl in his arm.

"Look I gotta get to work or else Moseby's gonna fire my butt. See ya later."

"Alright fine! Be that way! Just leave me here!" Darryl yelled to Travis.

"Shut up and go home!" Travis yelled back.

Travis ran from the parking lot at high speed. He was a minute away from being late.

"Three. Two-" Something fell on Mr. Moseby's feet.

"Safe!" Maddie shouted doing the baseball hand motions to go with it.

"I'm on time Mr. Moseby." Travis said between pants as he stood up.

"Don't let this happen again." Mr. Moseby said, he then walked off. Travis walked to the candy counter.

"Nice landing." Maddie said sarcastically.

"You know. I get the feeling your mad at me." Travis said also in a sarcastic voice, only he was serious. Maddie gave a fake chuckle. "Seriously, what's up with you? I mean. It was like you were giving me the cold shoulder this morning. Did I make you mad somehow?"

"No!"

"OK, then. What's your beef?" Travis said. He hated having to argue with Maddie. Especially when he didn't know what the argument was about.

"Nothing!"

"Fine. Then, let's do our jobs." Travis said. They didn't say a thing for several moments. Travis couldn't take the silence between the two of them. He sighed deeply and looked at Maddie. "Look. I'm sorry. I really don't want to argue, Maddie. We're best friends. And I hate fighting with you."

"OK." Maddie said.

"So, we're still on for tomorrow right?"

"Yeah." They were silent for some time. Then…

"Wouldn't it be more fun if you invited more people? I mean the more the merrier." Travis thought about this. There had been some tension between him and Maddie. Enough to cut with a knife. Having Darryl, AJ, or London or possibly all of them would probably decrease the tension.

"Alright. That'd be cool. I'll invite Darryl, AJ, and London."

"Invite me where?" London said. Maddie and Travis both jumped. She just appeared out of no where and joined the conversation.

"My birthday… Well, I guess you'd call it a birthday dinner." Travis said his eyes looking up at the ceiling.

"Where?"

"At the hotel. It'll be me, Gavin, Maddie, AJ, my friend Darryl, you possibly, and Aly." He said Gavin's name in disgust. He didn't dislike all Gavins, just this one. He'd taken his best friend away from him. He and Maddie had been so close. Now they were as far apart as the North and South Pole. Total opposites. They used to hang out all the time. Now the only time they really talked to each other was at school, in which she basically avoided him and they couldn't talk to each other during class. And also at work, in which Maddie also avoided him there. Travis just wished she would talk to him without there being negative energy.

"Hey Gavin." Maddie said. Travis looked up from the magazine he was reading. His depressed faced turned into an angry, frustrated one. This was the guy who was taking Maddie away from him. There was definitely no competition between them. Travis would totally win. He had the looks, personality, everything. Yet, Maddie still avoided him. Then, Travis realized. He was jealous. He could've had the same relationship with Maddie right now. But she refused it. But then again, why did he take no for an answer. That was unlike Travis. Wait. Why would I be jealous when I have Aly, he thought. This was interfering with his thoughts, his emotions, his everything. He felt nauseous. He wanted to leave. He didn't want to feel this way. It was Maddie. He was feeling the same way he'd felt for her when he first started working at the Tipton.

"Hey Maddie." Gavin said, walking up toward the candy counter.

"Uh-oh. They're about to start there smarty-pants silent talk." London whispered to Travis. He had no idea what she was talking about until he looked at the couple. They weren't saying a thing. At least with their mouths. They said it with their eyes. Travis understood now. He thought he'd feel happy for them. Well, he was wrong. He felt more jealousy than ever now. He felt like he was going to be sick. He had to look away. The pain was causing his eyes to well up with tears. But, he couldn't let anyone see him cry. He was too tough for this. He turned away from the three of them and wiped his eyes. Come on. You gotta get through this. Even if inside this tough exterior is a pretty sensitive guy.

"Hey Travis." Travis turned to find his own girlfriend.

"Hey Aly." Aly walked over to him and kissed him. "I thought you were at rehearsal?"

"Well I'm taking a five minute break. Why are your eyes red?"

"What? Oh. Um, I had something in my eye and I kept rubbing it, so, yeah, you get the picture." Travis lied. He couldn't let her know he was crying. She'd just ask why and he didn't want to lie again.

"So you're Travis? I've heard a lot about you." Gavin said. He held out his hand. Travis looked down at Gavin's hand and looked back up at Gavin.

"Same." Travis lied again. He really hadn't heard anything about him. But he still hated him. Maddie glared at him. He glared back.

"So, Maddie tells me you've invited us to dinner tomorrow." Gavin said, putting his hand on the counter.

"Yeah. Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about, Aly. We're having dinner tomorrow and I was wondering if you and Amanda wanted to come."

"Of course." Aly responded.

"Hey Travis!" someone called.

"Hey Amanda." Travis said.

"How's it goin'?"

"It's cool." Travis joked. "You?"

"Same. Aly, we have to get back to rehearsal."

"OK." Aly said. She kissed Travis again and whispered good-bye. She and AJ walked away, leaving Travis, Maddie, London, and Gavin to chat. Even if Travis didn't want to.

Travis woke up to a knock on the door. He got up and wiped his eyes. He opened the door to find Carey, Zack, and Cody.

"Happy Birthday!" they shouted.

"Thanks guys." Travis said tiredly.

"Travis, can you do me a favor?" Carey asked.

"Yeah. What?"

"Take care of Zack and Cody."

"Now?" Travis said totally appalled.

"Please Travis." Carey begged.

"OK. When will you be back?" Travis asked.

"In a couple of hours." Carey answered.

"Alright. Come on guys."

"Bye." Carey said, as she left.

"Bye." The three brothers said. Travis closed the door and sat on the couch.

"Alright. Spill." Zack said, as he and Cody sat around Travis.

"What are you talking about?" Travis asked, looking from twin to twin.

"It's all around the hotel that you have a girlfriend." Zack said.

"So who is it?" Cody asked.

"Does mom know?" Travis asked, not paying attention to Cody's question.

"No. The staff is keeping it from your family via us. But we have our ways of finding out." Zack answered.

"Then how come you don't know who I'm going out with?" Travis asked.

"Hey, we're the ones asking the questions. Now who is it?" Cody said aggressively. It scared Zack and Travis.

"Promise to keep it a secret?" The twins nodded. "Alyson Michalka."

"You mean the cutie on Phil of the Future?" Cody said.

"Man, she's got it going on. And Cody. She's not cute." Travis and Cody stared at Zack. "She's hot."

"Oh. I thought I was gonna have to give you a CAT scan or somethin'." Travis said.

"When did you guys start going out?" Cody asked.

"Two days ago." Travis said.

"Great! That leaves Maddie to me." Zack said, lying back in his seat. Cody scoffed.

"Sorry little bro. She already has a boyfriend." Zack sat up quickly.

"Who!" Zack questioned.

"This dude named Gavin." Once again Travis said Gavin's name in disgust.

"He's a cool guy. One of London's friends." Cody said. Travis and Zack glared at Cody. Travis finally said something.

"You'd never think he'd be friends with her." Travis said. The three laughs. The three brothers spent the rest of their time watching TV and playing video games.

"Thanks for watching the boys. I would've had Maddie watch them, but she's not here and she didn't answer her phone."

"Don't worry about it. We had fun, right guys?"

"Right!" the twins said simultaneously.

"Great. Come on boys. Oh, Travis. Why don't you come over tonight for cake."

"OK. After nine, though. Me and some friends are going out to dinner."

"OK. We'll see you then." Carey said.

"Alright. See ya later." Travis said. Carey and the twins waved good-bye. When they turned the corner, Travis closed the door.

Travis knocked on the door. A few seconds later, the door opened and Travis found himself looking at AJ.

"Hey Amanda. Where's Alyson?"

"Right here." Alyson had walked up to the door.

"Well. I guess the question is are you ready?" Travis asked. Alyson kissed him and walked past him. AJ closed the door and followed her sister.

"I'll take that as a yes." Travis said. He ran to catch up to the two girls.

The others were downstairs, except for Darryl, who was on his way.

"Hey guys." Travis said.

"Hey Travis." London answered. "I got the best seats in the restaurant."

"Excellent. We just have to wait for-"

"Hey guys!" called a voice.

"Well, let's go eat." Travis said as he turned to find Darryl walking their way. The seven teens talked on their way to the restaurant. Until they saw Patrick.

"Hey Patrick." Maddie said to the maitre d'.

"Well if it isn't the frizzy hair freak and donkey in a sauna. How've you been?" Patrick said.

"Fine. And we don't appreciate those insults." Gavin said. Travis found them quite funny. But he withheld his laughter.

"We have reservations." London said.

"Yes Miss Tipton. Right away." Patrick grabbed the menus and showed the seven to their table. "I'll be back to take your orders." He then walked off.

"So what do you want for your birthday?" Maddie asked.

"Today's your birthday?" Aly said.

"Yeah. I'm seventeen. And to answer Maddie's question, this is what I want. I've basically got everything. So why not hang out with my friends and girlfriend." Travis answered. He gave Aly a kiss and then turned back to continue their conversation with everyone. Everyone except Maddie. She felt sick. It hurt her to think about what she was doing. This Gavin plan wasn't working. She felt envious. At first she was OK with Travis dating Aly, then she became more envious everyday. Her anger picked at her. She didn't want to see Travis some days. That was one reason she'd been mean to him the day before. But she tried not to let her emotions show.

"Maddie. Maddie! What are you getting?" Travis asked.

"Um. Water and a Mediterranean Medley Salad, please." Maddie felt if she ate something with meat, she'd throw-up.

"What dressing would you like?" Patrick asked.

"None."

"OK. I'll be back with your drinks." Patrick said as he picked up the menus.

"So anyway. I'm just sayin' it's cool your turning 17 on the seventeenth." Darryl said. He was sitting next to London and AJ. He felt like the luckiest guy in the world.

"You're insane." Travis said.

"Whatever, man."

The seven teens were in the elevator talking about how they were going to hang-out tomorrow. Travis stood in a corner with Aly and AJ. Aly was leaning on Travis with his arms around her. In another corner, was London and Darryl. And in another was Maddie and Gavin.

"So what's next on our agenda?" Aly asked.

"Well. Maddie, London, and I have to go to my mom's suite."

"We should all go." Maddie said. Travis's stomach did a backflip. He gave Maddie a frightened, yet angry look.

"Yeah. I've only met your brothers." Aly said.

"Yeah. What is your family like?" AJ asked.

"Please don't tempt me tell the truth." Travis joked. They all laughed. "No. Really though. They're not that bad. At least my mom and my brothers are. I haven't met my dad."

"Why not?" Gavin asked.

"I've only known my mom for three months. Although, he was supposed to come at Christmas, but he was busy." Travis said. He told them the story of how he met Carey, Zack, and Cody until they reached the 23rd floor. They walked towards the door in silence. When they arrived, Travis knocked on the door. Cody was the one to open it.

"What's up?" Travis asked. Travis and Cody did their handshake (it was a Martin brother thing that the twins taught Travis). After the last part (you know where they ululate), they walked in to find some of the employees of the hotel, including Mr. Moseby. At the sight of Travis, they all started to sing Happy Birthday.

"Thanks everyone." Travis said after they finished. Carey brought out the cake and lit the candles.

"Wait. Did you bake this?" Travis asked before blowing out the candles.

"No. It's store bought." Carey said.

"Alright." Travis blew out the candles.

"Whew. Yes! Let's eat!" Zack said. Carey cut and distributed the cake. Travis put on some music and then walked over to his friends. A few moments later, Carey walked over and his friends walked away. Everyone except Aly. The others knew Carey didn't know he had a girlfriend.

"Hey mom." Travis said nervously.

"Hey sweetheart." Carey said. "Hey, you're Alyson Michalka. What are you doing here?"

"Mom. Aly's my girl- She's my frien-"

"I'm his girlfriend."

"Really?" Carey asked, her eyes were saying 'Do you know who you're dating?'.

"Yeah. Aly's my girlfriend." Travis said.

"Ooh. I need to talk to AJ. I'll be back." Aly said. Travis kissed her on the cheek (wouldn't you if your mom was there) and Aly walked off.

"When were you going to tell me you had a girlfriend?" Carey asked.

"Later. You know, when I graduated high school." Travis muttered the last sentence.

"You know you can tell me anything. Just like Zack and Cody can."

"Can what?" Zack and Cody had just popped up and joined the conversation just as London had done the day before.

"Hate when people do that." Travis muttered under his breath.

"You guys tell me everything, don't you?" Carey asked.

"Everything?" Cody asked.

"Everything." Carey said. The boys then started babbling about something, but Travis and Carey couldn't understand them.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. One at a time." Carey said.

"Travis has a girlfriend-" Zack said.

"And it's Alyson Michalka. Now we've told you everything." Cody said continuing Zack's sentence.

"You two knew about this!" Carey said.

"Only since this morning." Zack said.

"Actually, we've known he's had a girlfriend since yesterday. We found out who it was this morning." Cody said. Zack elbowed him in his arm.

"Gee thanks." Travis said. "You're not mad are you?"

"No. I'm happy for you. But please tell me next time." Carey said.

"OK." Travis said. He then walked over to the couch and sat down. All he cared about was that Carey accepted the fact that he had a girlfriend.