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College Years

Chapter 3

Girlfriend?

Maddie stared at Zack in disbelief. She knew they were friends, but boyfriend and girlfriend? They hadn't decided on anything! Sure, they kissed a lot and she liked him an awful lot, but girlfriend? Carey stared at Zack with the same disbelief. She remembered Maddie and the pain she gave Zack perfectly. She remembered when Zack thought that he was Maddie's prom date, and she wasn't. She remembered how heartbroken he had been when she left for college. She was utterly amazed that they were now calling themselves a couple! Zack looked from Maddie to Carey to Maddie to Cody and then back to Maddie.

"Maddie? Aren't you my girlfriend?"

"Well, I don't know Zack…we never really agreed or decided or even talked about that…"

"We're always together and we always go out together and we're always kissing! How can we not be together?"

"I don't know, Zack!"

Zack looked in disbelief and pain at Maddie, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. He turned around and ran up the steps of the hotel and flew to the hotel elevator, pressing up as fast as he could, hoping nobody would follow him and nobody was in the elevator. The door opened and Zack pressed the 23 button as the close door button, thanking God that nobody was in the elevator. He let the tears fall freely. When the door opened on the 23rd floor, he raced to the suite he knew so well.

Maddie stared after Zack as he raced to the elevator. Carey watched him go sadly, torn between getting answers from Maddie, greeting Cody, or comforting Zack. She decided she needs answers right then.

"Maddie? What's going on here?"

"I'm sorry, Carey. I didn't know Zack thought I was his girlfriend."

"How did you all meet anyway?"

"Their dorm is right next to mine. They knocked on my door when they got to Berkeley and I showed them to their dorms and helped them find their classes and I sort of became Zack's friend."

"What's this about you kissing all the time?"

"Well, I give him a kiss when we greet each other, and we have a good-bye kiss."

"How is he not supposed to think that's couple like?"

"I don't know, Carey! I just never thought about it. I have to go talk to him."

Maddie raced inside and took the elevator to floor 23 and went to the familiar suite. She was about to knock on the door when she noticed a blonde guy sitting by the door with his head in his hands. She kneeled down and touched his shoulder.

"Zack…"

He looked up and said, "What do you want?"

"I'm sorry."

Zack scoffed and she continued, "It's not that I don't like you like that. I do like you! I like you a lot, Zack. What you said just surprised me, that's all. I'd never thought about it before, and it's not like we really talked about it."

"Well let's talk about it, then."

Maddie got up off the floor and waited for Zack to open the door.

"We can't go inside."

"Why not?"

"No key."

"Ah."

She sat down beside him and said, "Then we'll just have to talk right here." They sat in silence for a few minutes before Zack said, "Great talk."

"You're not talking either."

"I'm afraid, Maddie." Maddie threw him a puzzled look and he continued, "I don't want to talk about it because I'm afraid that you'll…say you don't like me like that at all…and that you don't want to be my girlfriend…and that I'm never going to see you again…and that if I get too attached to you, I'll be heart-broken when you leave college after next year…I'm afraid, Maddie."

"Zack, I'm scared, too. You're 18. Just barely an adult. I'm 20…well…I'll be 21 in a few weeks…that's not the point. I'm scared to have a relationship because I don't want to get hurt again." She started crying and continued, "I was in a bad relationship when I got to Berkeley…his name was Jake…we went out for 2 years and I thought he loved me. He proposed to me and I accepted, thinking that this was the man I wanted to be with for the rest of my life. A few weeks after he proposed…I found him at the local mall…flirting with some girl…then hugging her…then holding her hand…then kissing her…I went up to him and threw the ring in his face. I don't want to be hurt like that again."

"I'm glad you didn't marry that jerk."

"Why?"

"If you'd married him, I would've never gotten the chance to meet you again. Maddie…I've been hurt, too. Remember the day you left? I remember perfectly. I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. I didn't leave my room for 2 weeks. I felt empty because you weren't there at the candy counter whenever I wanted to see you…I felt numb inside…like someone had taken all the joy and warmth from my life. I hadn't had any contact with you until that day we got to Berkeley. You have no idea what that feels like, do you Maddie? You cannot possibly know what I feel for you now, Maddie. I'm scared to death of everything right now, Maddie! Everyday I wonder if you'll suddenly stop liking me at all and I'll never see you again. Everyday I wonder if you'll just realize that I'm still Zack and you're still Maddie and you'll remember how much I annoyed you when I was 12."

"You didn't annoy me back when you were 12!"

"I didn't?"

"No. I found it quite flattering. Not many guys liked me so to have someone love me felt like I wasn't the ugliest creature on earth."

"You were never ugly, Maddie. Never."

Maddie blushed and Zack decided to take a chance. He said, "Maddie. I'm not like that guy who broke your heart. Please… give me a chance to prove to you that I'm not going to be like that jerk…give me a chance to show you that I'm not just some little boy anymore…give me a chance to prove that I'm different than all the other guys…give me a chance to prove to you that I love you and I always have loved you."

"What…what are you…what are you saying, Zack?"

"Maddie…will you be my…" he gulped and whispered, "will you be my…girlfriend?"

Maddie looked stunned. She didn't know what to say. On one hand, she liked Zack a lot, and she wanted to be with him. She had wondered what it'd be like to actually be with him. On the other hand, she wasn't sure if she was ready for another serious boyfriend. What if she got hurt again? Zack wasn't Jake, but that didn't mean he wouldn't find someone he liked better. I can't handle being hurt again. She didn't want to hurt Zack's feelings and turn him down, but she didn't want to go through the pain of rejection and of having a cheating boyfriend again. You're being so stupid. You like him! Why won't you admit it? Yes, she liked him…but how much did he like her? That's a stupid question. Of course he likes you! You knew he liked you when he was 12! Well, this was it. She knew what she'd say. She just had to say it right.

Carey stared after Maddie running up the stairs of the hotel, then looked back at Cody, stunned and confused. Cody said, "Hi Mom! How's it going?" He laughed weakly as Carey continued to stare at him. Cody stopped laughing and Carey turned and walked slowly into the hotel, still shocked and confused as to what he heard. Mr. Moseby was at the front desk and saw Carey looking confused, so he went to find out what was confusing her. He hoped against hope nothing had been broken.

"Carey?"

"Uh…yeah, Mr. Moseby?"

"Something bothering you?"

"Uh…yeah, Mr. Moseby."

Mr. Moseby waited for a response, and when he didn't get one he said, "Care to explain?"

"Uh…I'm not sure I can, Mr. Moseby."

"Uh…why not?"

"I'm not even sure myself."

"Well what happened? Nothings broken, is it?"

"No, no, no, Mr. Moseby, no, nothing's broken…except maybe one little boy's heart…what am I saying? Little boy? He's 18 now…he's my little man." Carey could feel the tears well up in her eyes.

Mr. Moseby looked at her, confused and said, "Huh?"

"Well, you know that the boys just came back, right?"

"They were due in this afternoon, correct?"

"Yes, and well…well…Zack announced that this girl that was with them was Maddie…you remember Maddie, right? She used to work the candy counter…"

"Of course I do. I never forget an employee. Especially one that worked here for aslong as Maddie did."

"Well, Zack and Maddie met at school, and they hit it off real well, and Zack thought she was his girlfriend but Maddie doesn't know if she wants to be Zack's girlfriend or something like that so Zack ran upstairs upset and Maddie went to go talk to him and Cody's still waiting outside and I think I forgot to greet him properly. Any questions?"

"Uh…no…"

Mr. Moseby turned around and went back to the front desk, twice as confused. Carey went over to the elevator and pressed up, waiting for the elevator. When the doors opened, Esteban stepped out and greeted her with a, "Hello, Miss Martin!"

"Hi, Esteban. The boys are back for the holidays…can you go help Cody with his bags outside, please?"

"Oh! The little blonde peoples are back? How wonderful! I have missed them! It would be my pleasure to assist those little blonde peoples in any way possible."

"Thank you very much, Esteban."

Esteban went outside and Carey stepped into the elevator, pressing the 23 button. The doors close and Carey sighed, leaning her head against the back of the elevator. This is going to be interesting…very…very…interesting…I hope Zack's going to be okay…he better not spend another 2 weeks in his room…

A/N-

Note # 1- IM SO SORRY it took so long to update. I have three running stories, and I had to update one of them, and my Internet died and so yeah.

Note # 2- I didn't do research for anything, so if any info is inaccurate (this applies to all chapters) just let me know, and I'll fix it.

Note # 3- I hope everything flowed. It seemed to…well, to me it did. It sounded like the characters actually talk, and that is what I was going for.

Note # 4- PLEASE oh PLEASE review because I LOVE reading reviews. I have 17 reviews for these 2 chapters. That is the best my story has ever done this early in the game. Thanks guys! You all rock!

Hope to hear from ya soon,

Love,

Dangerous Combonation