Disclaimer: don't own nothing!
I am going to apologize. I know I've changed this like a billion ka-jillion times, but Maddie is now a senior, not a junior. I don't know what I was thinking, making her a junior. She is a senior, and shall forever be! I, Dangerous Combonation, do solemnly swear not to change Maddie's status in college again.
College Years
Chapter 11
Look What It's Doing To Us
Moving day arrived again, and Zack moved from the dorm room he had known for a short period of time and into Maddie's dorm. They decided to keep the single beds, because they didn't want to sleep in the same bed together just yet. They had to re-arrange all of the furniture to fit all of their stuff, and by the time the weekend was over, Zack was successfully moved in with Maddie. Despite her worries and anxiousness, she was really happy. Then on a different hand, she was also really upset. Things were happening too fast for her. Her final exams were coming up, she moved in with her boyfriend of 3 months and she had fallen in love. It seemed unreal.
As the days passed, the realization that Maddie was leaving college became more and more apparent to Zack. They'd be living together for about 4 months, and then what? She'd be leaving college, the dorm, and possibly him. Zack too thought things were happening fast, but from a different perspective. He wanted time to stop for him and Maddie. He didn't want this semester to end. What if it ended badly? What if after she left college she decided that she didn't want to be with Zack anymore?
Cody had moved to Oklahoma with his girlfriend of two months, which told him that living with his girlfriend of three months was okay, but Zack and Cody still missed each other. They talked on the phone at least twice a week, but it wasn't the same as sharing a room, as they had done their entire lives. They'd spent nights away from each other, and even a few weeks when Cody went to math camp and D.C, but there was always that knowledge that he'd return soon. Now, it seemed he was so far away and he'd never come back. Spring Break seemed too far away.
Cody and Sarah had settled in, bought a car with money Sarah's parents had given them, made new friends at school, and started the job-hunting process all in the first few weeks they were there. Cody was really beginning to love Oklahoma. He missed Zack something awful, but he had Sarah, and she was the best outcome. Sarah liked Oklahoma, too. It was really a beautiful place to live, and she had Cody with her, which made everything better.
One night, as Cody was studying in the living room for a big test, Sarah's mom called. She talked for a long time with her mom and when she finally hung up, Sarah came to talk to Cody. She put her arms around his neck from behind a chair and said, "Mom called." Cody got up and turned, picking her up in the process and moved across the room to the couch. He sat down with her in his lap and said, "I noticed. And what did your mom have to say?"
"She invited us over."
"Over? Over where?"
"Over to the new house."
"So we're going over there to see your parents new house?"
"And have dinner."
"Dinner?"
"Well, yeah. Honey, we've been dating for almost three months now, and we're living together, and they've never even met you!"
"So?"
"So I've met your mom, been to your home, eaten with your family and your friends. But you haven't spent any time with my family."
"Again, so?"
"Cody!"
"I'm kidding. When are we going over there?"
"Friday night. 6 o'clock sharp."
"You know how to get there?"
Sarah nodded and Cody let out a big breath. Sarah said, "What?"
"Huh?"
"You just let out one of those big breaths that means you're kind of nervous at something."
"You know me too well."
"True." She got up off his lap and sat next to him on the couch. He put his arm around her and she said, "So what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, really."
"So why are you nervous?"
"Well, like you said, I've never met your parents before, and now I will."
"So?"
"What if they don't like me?"
"So what if they don't? It's not going to change how I feel about you…"
"I know, but they're helping us with rent and all of that for this fantastic apartment, and I'm just worried that they won't like me after they know me and they'll stop helping us."
"They're my parents, and I love them, but if they stop helping us out because they don't like you, then I don't want them helping us in the first place. We can make our own money and support ourselves. Dash my parents!"
Cody laughed sarcastically, "Did you say "our own money?" Are you kidding me? Where is this so-called, "Our money", hm?"
"Well, I've been looking for a job, have you?"
"Of course I have! Any luck?"
"Well, that great coffee house I go to every morning before class is looking for a new waitress. I turned in an application today, and they said I looked "promising." They said they'd definitely be in touch. You?"
"None so far. Waitressing can be easy and hard money, don't you think? Some days you get great tips and it's really busy, but other days there are fewer customers and they get absolutely no tips."
"No tips? Uh huh, not going to happen! I'll always get a tip. If I spill something on somebody, I'll just add the tip to their check. No sweat!" They laughed and Cody said, "Well, like I said, no luck so far. Where do you suggest I look?"
"Well I don't know! What do you like to do?"
"I don't know…"
"Well do you know what you might want to do after college?"
"Well, my original plan was to become a lawyer, then a judge, and then become a member of the Supreme Court."
"And now?"
"Well, I think I'd like to run my own business."
"That sounds good!"
"And what about you? What do you want to do?"
"Me? I'd like to be chef. Or own my own restaurant."
"You're an amazing cook. I should know."
She smiled and said, "Well, you get back to studying, I'll go use my amazing cooking skills and whip us up some dinner." He kissed her and then reluctantly got up and went back over to the desk in the living room to study.
Living together wasn't going nearly as smoothly for Maddie and Zack. They had finals, Maddie was preparing for graduation, and they didn't see each other as often as they thought. They had designated Friday night as "Date Night". They would go out to dinner, go see a movie, or go dancing. When they were tired they'd stay at home and watch a DVD or talk. It was the only alone time they had.
One Friday night, the same night Cody and Sarah were going to Sarah's for dinner, Maddie and Zack were lying on the floor of the dorm, the T.V flickering blue light on them and a bowl on popcorn between them. They were watching "Boogeyman". Maddie covered her eyes and squealed, "Oh…" Zack smiled and put his arm around her. She smiled and leaned into him, still covering her eyes.
"You're scared, Maddie?"
"Yeah! That guy—he—he's going into that closet! Which is stupid because he's afraid of closets and bad things always happen to him when he's around closets! What is he thinking? I can't watch this!"
"Oh come on, Mad, it's just a movie!"
"Maybe to you! But I was scared of the Boogeyman until I was 12! This is no laughing matter, Zachary."
"Oo, you called me Zachary…"
"What's wrong with me calling you Zachary?"
"Well, when my mom was pissed she'd call me Zachary, and it always freaked me out a little. I like Zack. Zachary is way too formal and sophisticated for me."
"Well, you're in college now…"
"So?"
"So it's about time you started acting more like an adult."
"What are you saying, Maddie? Am I not mature enough for you?"
"No, Zack, what I'm saying is that maybe you should start acting your age, instead of 12!"
"So I act 12, huh?"
"Well, yeah!"
"And that's a bad thing?"
"Sometimes, yeah! I mean, I'm 21 now, Zack...it's bad enough that I'm with an 18 year old, but one who acts 12? That's too much."
Zack stared at her for a minute and then said, "I didn't know my age was a problem for you…"
"No, not usually, but when you think about it it's a little weird. I mean, for you it isn't weird because you're with an "older woman" and that's cool. But for me I'm with a "younger man" and it makes me look like a tramp!"
"No, it's not weird for me, but not because I want to be with an "older woman" because that's not it at all! I love you, Maddie, and I've loved you since I was 12. I didn't know age was such a problem for you. Age is just a number!"
"Age isn't just a number anymore, Zachary."
"Don't call me Zachary!"
"Oh, grow up!"
Maddie got up and walked out of the room, angry with Zack. She slammed the dorm room behind her and went out to the parking lot, wearing dark blue plaid pajama bottoms and a light blue cami. She sat on the steps that went from the dorm building to the parking lot and put her head in her hands. We've never had a fight before…She started crying.
A few minutes later Zack came out and put his arm around her and said, "I'm sorry, Maddie."
"Look what living together is doing to us, Zack! We've never fought before, and now we're having a ridiculous argument over movies and names and ages!"
"I know…I'm sorry. You can call me Zachary if you want."
"I don't want to call you Zachary."
Zack gave her a confused expression and said, "Then what was that about?"
"I was just a little ticked off and I called you Zachary. I hate that name."
"So now you hate my name?"
"Of course not! I love the name Zack, and I love the man named Zack, but I cannot stand the name Zachary."
Zack smiled and hugged Maddie.
Meanwhile, at 5:30, Cody and Sarah set out for Sarah's parents house. They drove there in their new/used blue Honda Accord. Cody was excited and nervous at the same time. He had a conversation with himself. (A/N- : D! yet another schizophrenic attack from DC!)
"What if they hate me?"
"How could they? You're adorable!"
"…True. But adorableness doesn't get you too far when it comes to the woman you love's parents…"
"That's true, too…"
"Hey! Aren't you supposed to be the argumentative "Counter-Cody"?"
"Oh right, sorry. Well, you're adorable, as was said before, you're intelligent, funny, dare I say witty? They'll love you! Quit worrying!"
"All true, but say they don't like me? Then they'll stop helping Sarah and me out and we'll end up on the street!"
"Oh you're reading way too much into this. Sarah's parents forced her to move to Oklahoma because they want her near them. They won't abandon her!"
"But say they do…"
"They won't!"
"But—"
"They won't! Now shut up and drive!"
Cody blinked a few times and followed Sarah's careful instructions. A few minutes later, they pulled up in front of the house. Sarah jumped out and waited for Cody to open his door and nervously get out of the car. Cody put his arm around Sarah's waist and they went up towards the beautiful house.
It was an old looking house, with woods all around. It was brown, which blended in with the tall trees surrounded it. The shutters were a dark blue. The front door stood on a porch, which wrapped around the house to the back and had rocking chairs on it. It looked like a classic log cabin in the woods.
They reached the front door and Sarah knocked. A shirt brunette woman wearing a pale yellow long sleeve shirt and jeans opened the door. She cried, "Sarah!" and grabbed her in a bear hug.
"And who is this charming young man?"
"Danny, this is Cody."
"Nice to meet you, Cody. My name's Danielle, but Sarah calls me Danny. I'm her big sister. We've all been dying to meet you."
She stuck out her hand and he shook it saying, "Hi, Danielle. Sarah's told me a lot about you."
"You can call me Danny. Danielle sounds too sophisticated for someone like me!" She laughed and then pulled them inside. Cody thought to himself, She's just like Zack…can't act his own age… They stopped at large open double-doorframe on the right. Cody looked apprehensively at everyone and stood with his hands in his faded blue jeans. Sarah smiled and immediately started talking and hugging the people sitting on the couch or on chairs or standing. Cody watched her make her way around the room and waited for the introductions to start.
A/N- deep breath out MAN! This chapter took me a LONG time. Notes:
Note #1- OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! YES! I DID IT! I REACHED 100 REVIEWS! YES! OMG! OMG! OMFG! (Re-enactment of my reaction) Unfortunately, my 100th reviewer was anonymous and I couldn't send them a huge thank you reply. : (. BUT I AM SO HAPPY THAT I HAVE FINALLY REACHED 100 REVIEWS! YES! My new goal is 150! GET ME THERE! I'd say 200, but there's no way this fic is going to be long enough for that.
Note #2- My story plan: Um, well, I hate to say it, but this story is almost over. tear But HAVE NO FEAR! I have decided to make this story into a SERIES! (dun dun DUN!) Yes, so this one will end at 15 chapters I think, shortly after Maddie's graduation and a BIG SHOCKER! (: O!) I won't tell you ANYTHING about the next story because it will give a whole lot away. : D!
Note #3- Thank you so much reviewers! I honestly can't thank you enough for all of my reviews. They make me so happy. I cannot believe how popular this story is! I honestly think that it is safe to say that this fic is the Most-Read for SLOZC. I'm not even kidding. Wow you guys, much love!
Note #4- As said before, I am REALLY sorry about changing Maddie again! I think the only reason I made her a junior was because I didn't want this story to end. But now I've got the sequels to look forward to writing so I don't have to fear the end of this one. : D! I'm sorry! It won't change again, I promise!
Note #5- Summary of next chapter: Introductions to Sarah's family, Cody finds a job, Maddie and Zack have little fights and try to overcome them. That's pretty much it, I suppose. Unless I think of a twist while writing it! (Mwahahahaha)
Note #6- Please give me time to get the next chapter out. My uncle died yesterday, and it's really a hard time for my family. I finished the end of this chapter quickly and kind of suddenly so that you would have something to go on. Please understand that it's going to be really hard for me to get updates out for a little while.
Note #7- Many of you read, "When you Say Nothing At All" which is listed under this category (SLOZC-info in profile) I just wanted to say that I am changing it to, "Love Songs Collection." Each chapter will have the name-less couple (so the reader can envision any pairing he/she wants) and a good love song (probably country, 'cause I love country) with a story attached. Not sure when it will be out, I hope it's soon. Please check my profile for updates!
That's all I have to say, thank you reviewers and I hope you all review! Thank you!
Love,
DC