Chapter 6

"Ok, I say that we write our own song for it instead of using someone else's, since we would have to learn how to play it and Kristi would have to learn the words," Cody said to Zack, Kristi, Max, and Tapeworm.

"Yeah, I agree," Zack said.

"Ok, so Cody, you can write the song, like you did last time, but no fighting you two!" Max said to Zack and Cody.

"Yeah and no more whistles in my pudding," Tapeworm added.

"How about no more pudding?" Max said, sort of yelling at Tapeworm. He just stared at her blankly. "Look, I've got to go, but we should start rehearsing tomorrow," Max stated. "The contest is in a week."

"That's not a lot of time," Kristi said nervously.

"I know, but we'll have to deal," Max said back. "Don't worry, it'll all work out." Then she got up and left with Tapeworm following by her side.

"I better get to work with that song!" Cody said proudly. Then he got up and left the room, too.

"Well, we can't rehearse, since we don't know the song!" Zack said. Kristi giggled. "So, what do you want to do?" he asked her. He smiled as he handed her the video controller.

"How did you know what I was thinking?" she asked him.

"I don't know," he said laughing. Then they played video games for a while.

It was starting to get late and Kristi had to be home. So they put away the video games and Zack walked Kristi to her apartment.

"I think we are going to rehearse tomorrow," Zack said.

"Yeah, I'm still so nervous," Kristi reminded him.

"Don't worry about it! You'll be fine! You are a great singer, and I'm telling you the truth. Everyone is going to love your voice and everyone is going to love you... I do."

"Oh, Zack!" Kristi said. Then she kissed him. "I love you, too," she said as she opened the door to her apartment. She kissed him once more and then closed the door.

Zack walked back down the hall to his apartment. Cody began talking immediately, as soon as Zack walked in.

"What kind of song should it be?" he asked him. He started talking so fast that Zack didn't even know what he was saying!

"Cody! Slow it down!"

"Oh...sorry," Cody said. "How's this?" he asked as he handed Zack a piece of paper.

Zack looked over the paper for a couple of minutes. Then he spoke.

"I think it's great," he told his twin. "Let's show it to everyone tomorrow at practice. But I'm going to show it to Kristi, now, since she's so nervous."

Zack ran down the hall. He knocked on Kristi's door and her mom opened it.

"Hello Zack. Kristi just went down to the lobby to greet her friend. He's coming to here to visit for a few days. She just left, I'm sure you could catch up to her," she told him.

"Ok, thanks. Wait, did you say he?" Zack asked.

"Yes, her best friend Eric from back home," she replied.

"Thanks!" Zack said as he ran towards the elevator. He felt the jealousy bubbling up inside of him. Her best friend from New Jersey was a guy? How come she never told me? Zack wondered to himself.

He got in the elevator and made his way down to the lobby, where he saw Kristi running up to a tall, pretty good-looking guy. She hugged him. Zack felt the jealousy bubble getting bigger inside his stomach. The guy, Eric, as Kristi mother had told him, had medium length brown skater hair. He had a cool color green eyes. He wore jeans and a skateboarding brand t-shirt. And he looked older than them, too. Zack figured that he was around 14/15. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He was so jealous, and he knew it. Then Eric picked up his bags, and Kristi led him towards the elevator. Then she spotted Zack standing there.

"Hey, Zack! Good, I'm glad you're here! This is my best friend, Eric. He's coming here to visit. He's staying with me for a few days!" she told him excitedly. Then Eric held out his hand for Zack to shake it. Zack did. He just kept shaking it. And he stared Eric right in the eyes. I am not letting him get my girl! Zack thought.

"Pretty...tight grip, ya got there, Zack," Eric said.

"And how old are you?" Zack asked.

"I'm 14. How old are you, Zack?" Eric thought this was some kind of game.

"I'm 12, 13 soon," Zack stated.

"Cool."

"Eric, this is my...my...boyfriend," Kristi told Eric shyly. Zack was wondering why she studdered when she said 'boyfriend'.

"Boyfriend? Wow, my little girl is growing up!" Eric said, sort of in a snobby way. At least, Zack took it that way. HIS little girl? Zack thought. HIS? HIS! Zack could feel his face turning hot. Kristi could sense that something was wrong.

"Um, Eric, let me show you your room. I'm sure you'll want to rest...it was a long drive from NJ, and I know you get a little carsick," Kristi said calmly. "Zack, I'll be right back."

Zack watched her and Eric walked to the elevator and the doors close.

"Are you ok?" Cody asked him as he snuck up behind him. "You look like you want to punch somebody!"

"I do," Zack said angrily. "Kristi's best friend is here to stay for a few days," he told him as he gritted his teeth.

"Yeah so? What's so bad about that?" Cody asked.

"He's a 14 year old guy. And they are very close." Zack knew his face was now red. Bright red. Like a tomato. Then Kristi came back.

"Zack, are you ok? You don't look good. I mean...healthy," she said. Cody just shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

"I'm fine," he replied. He was trying to hide his jealousy, but he couldn't help it. It just stuck out like a tall man with green hair.

"Are you sure? You face is really red...like a tomato..." she added in. "Zack, I hope you don't mind that Eric is staying. We can still rehearse for the contest and all. He won't be in the way, I promise."

"No, it's fine," he said. He started to calm down. He trusted Kristi. He knew she wouldn't cheat on him for Eric. Even though she did know him her whole life. "Do you want to go out tonight?" Zack asked her. He figured he'd make plans with her so Eric couldn't.

"Well, tonight is Eric's first night and all...and I don't think it would be fair to leave him out. Do you think he could come out with us?" she asked Zack innocently. Zack was disappointed. He didn't want Eric to go with them. He knew that if Eric went, it wouldn't be as fun for him. He would have to listen to stories about when they were little or something and then he would feel left out.

"You know, you're right. Why don't you hang out with Eric tonight? I'll stay home all by myself," Zack said, sadly. Then he ran out of the lobby, to the elevator, and up to his room. Kristi was dumbfounded. She had no idea what was going on with Zack. So she followed him up to his apartment and walked right in, without knocking or anything. She walked right past Cody and opened the door into the room that Zack and Cody shared. Zack was lying on his bed.

"Zack, what's going on? Why are you acting like this? I've never seen you this way before...," she said to him. She had a little bit of anger in her voice, yet it was filled with concern as well. "Ever since Eric came, you've been...been..." Then Cody came in. He tugged at Kristi's arm, telling her to follow him. They walked just outside Zack's door.

"He's jealous," Cody whispered. "He's jealous of Eric." Kristi hadn't realized that Zack would be jealous of Eric! She just considered Eric as her brother, since the two were so close.

Then she walked back in the room. Cody closed the door behind her. He wasn't in the room, but was listening quietly just beyond the closed door.

"Zack, why didn't you just tell me! I never would have guessed that you would be jealous. I always considered Eric like a brother to me, never like a boyfriend!" She felt saddened for Zack. She knew that he loved her, he even told her so. And he thought he was losing her to Eric? Kristi thought the whole idea was pretty crazy.

"I don't know..." Zack looked down at his feet, which were hanging off the bed.

"Zack, you can tell me anything! You know that. Well, if you didn't, at least you do now! I love you, not Eric. Eric is my best friend. Not my boyfriend. I love you and you only." She lifted his head up and kissed him.

He felt a little better, but he knew that Eric thought otherwise. He could tell that Eric liked Kristi. The gleam in his eyes when he looked at her gave it away. Zack knew Kristi might not be interested in Eric now, but Eric was definitely going to make sure that she was interested in him soon. And it was up to Zack to put a stop to it!

Chapter 7 is on its way! Please review! All of you who love the story is what keeps me going on with it! If no one liked it, there would be no point in writing more! So make sure to review once you read it! hint, hint lol. Email me if you have any suggestions or questions and make sure to check out my other stories as well! Love ya! Love, Boop