Chapter 28:

Rebecca placed third. Not too bad for having a heart so heavy it felt as if it could fall through the floor.

Zack was back in school on Monday. Everyone seemed pretty happy about that, except him.

Their final days as seventh graders were drawing near, which meant the annual seventh and eighth grade "End of Year Dance" was drawing near as well.

Cody was putting his books away when Raine ran up to him. It was Tuesday, four days before the dance.

"Hey, Cody!"

"Hi…" He said a little dully as he grabbed his Science book out of his locker and closed the door with a slight bang.

"Are you going to the dance on Friday?" She blurted out, hardly stopping to think.

"No." He watched as her face fell.

"But…but I thought we were all gunna go together!"

"Zack's not going." She stared at him. What did Zack have to do with anything?

"So?"

"So I'm not going." Raine couldn't believe this. She placed her hands on her hips.

"Just because Zack's not going doesn't mean you can't."

There was a silent pause, both just staring at each other then,

"Why should I go? Give me one good reason." He folded his arms across his chest, clearly challenging her.

She thought about her answer for a moment.

"I want you their. With me. And I don't care if Zack's not there." He dropped his arms from there position and almost dropped his book as well. Raine blushed and quickly turned away. He struggled to find his voice which was somewhat buried now. He cleared his throat,

"Ok…" He said as she turned again to face him. "I'll go." Raine couldn't help but let out a small squeal of delight. She smiled and ran off in the direction she'd come. Cody stood staring after her, a bit shocked.

"Cody…Cody!...CODY!" Cody snapped out of his trance and realized Zack was standing in front of him, waving his hand like crazy in front of his face.

"What!" He asked, moving Zack's hand away.

"What were you staring at?" Zack asks curiously, giving Cody a strange look.

Cody grabs Zack's shoulders firmly and shakes him. "You HAVE to come to the dance!" Zack shrugs his brother's hands away.

"Why?" He didn't particularly want to talk about the dance, he'd just found out Rebecca was going with someone else.

"Raine just asked me to go with her!" Cody honestly expected his brother to be pleased and was disappointed when his brother simply stared at him.

"And?"

"And…I need you there! For back-up, ya know?"

"I told you I'm not going." Zack said forcefully with a light shake of his head.

"Please! I'd do it for you!" Cody pleads.

Zack looked down at the floor and then back up at Cody, thinking things through.

"Alright! I'll go!" He finally said. Cody let out a long sigh of relief. Zack still frowned however,

"I just wish…" He sighed, "I wish Rebecca was going with me instead of Josh Michaels. He looked away sadly.

"She's going with Josh?" Cody asked him softly. Zack nodded.

"She's probably just trying to make you jealous." He tried to reassure his brother.

"Doubt it…" Zack mumbled.

"You'll think of something…I know you will." Cody said and walked away to Science.

Zack shrugs and watches his brother leave, thinking intently about what to do with no ideas coming. But, as he's walking down the hall later, the perfect idea hits him. Now all he had to do was pull it off.

Kind of short. Would've updated yesterday but it wouldn't let me upload the chapter for some perverse reason. 2 more chapters left! Then sequel time...which reminds me I need to start typing that...

Review please:)

Fig