DING!
The elevator doors sprang open revealing the heiress herself. Wearing something stylish and sure as hell, it was made by a 'somebody'.
It was 11: 05 and the Tipton Lobby was quite busy. The telephone on the concierge desk rang continually, getting calls from guests asking for hotel and restaurant reservations. Employees switching shifts to take their lunch breaks. Even the candy counter was beaming with customers.
"Maddie!" London ran up to the blonde.
"One second." Maddie told London while handing a candy bar to an 8-year-old. "Enjoy!" The little boy paid Maddie and ran off. Maddie, now 20, decided to keep her candy counter job during summers. She got a scholarship at Harvard to pursue her dream of becoming a lawyer. So no matter how much she loved working at the Tipton, she'd still go back to school every fall.
"Okay, what is it?"
"Have you seen Zack?" London asked impatiently.
"Whoa. What'd he do? You sound really mad." Maddie replied misinterpreting London's anxiousness.
"I will be if you don't tell me." Putting her hands on her waist.
"Alright, alright. I'm sorry. Last I saw, he was headed to the Ballroom to steal some roses for---"
"I don't steal. It's… it's called…uh – borrowing." Zack came up behind London while cutting Maddie off with an excuse. "London? You wanted to see me?"
"Yeah. You've been on a lot of dates lately right?"
He nodded. Raising his brows proudly. "But I dunno, I can't count."
"Pff. And they say I'm not smarticle." She let out a small laugh while Maddie smirked.
"No. I meant --- ugh, never mind. Your question?"
"Oh, yeah. I was just wondering, what is the most romantic place for a da---"
"Ooh, you have a date?" Maddie cut her off "Who is he? Is he cu---" London smiled and raised her hand up to Maddie's face and said her signature line:
"London's talking."
"A place for a romantic date?" Zack continued their conversation. "Hmm… I dunno, I'm not smarticle." He said sarcastically.
"50 bucks" London dug into her purse and handed it Zack. Cody entered the lobby and overheard Zack and London talking.
"Chéz André." Grabbing the money from London. "Oh, and dinner is the best there. Specially Tuesdays to Fridays."
"How 'bout lunch?
"Sorry. My sched's already filled for the day," Looking at his watch. "But I can squeeze you in for tomorrow. Dinner at eigh---"
"Uh! You are so full of yourself." London said walking away.
Maddie was holding back a laugh as London walked towards Irene (A/N: the concierge person).
"So…" Zack started.
"No, Zack. I'm busy" Maddie protested to what Zack was about to say. "and I suggest you put those roses back before Mr. Moseby---" Maddie was interrupted by her cell phone ringing.
Zack immediately turned around when Maddie mentioned Mr. Moseby's name.
"I was never here." Zack whispered to Maddie and ran off.
Maddie nodded in reply while chatting with someone on the phone. "Hello? Oh, hi Trevor…."
'Trevor? Who's Trevor?' Zack wanted to hear more but she respected Maddie. And clearly, eavesdropping is out of the question. Instead, he focused on the quickest escape route without Mr. Moseby seeing him. 'Elevator? No…it's too exposed and Cody's still waiting, he's been there for like 5 minutes. Stairs? Nah.. he'd catch me.' He looked around and saw the kitchen. 'Got it! Service elevator.'
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Cody waited for the elevator to arrive on the 23rd floor.
DING!
'Why was London paying Zack for a date?' Cody asked himself. He was still confused about what happened at the lobby earlier. He arrived in front of the door of their suite. He searched for the keycard in his pocket and inserted it into the slot. The lock didn't click. 'I could've sworn I locked it before I went out.' He turned the knob and opened the door slightly. The TV was on. 'World's Funniest Truck Collisions?' "Zack?... Are you here?" Zack wasn't on the couch. He checked the bedroom. "I thought Mom told you to never leave the TV on."He still wasn't there. "Zack this isn't funny!"
"Yes it is." Zack came up behind him and Cody jumped in surprise.
Cody glared at his twin. He was laughing. "I told you never to do that anymore! I'm telling Mom!"
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Zack sat back down on the couch and Cody joined him. " I can't help myself." Zack said in between laughs. " I mean, this time I tried not to scream at you, but... you still had the same reaction." Zack continued laughing.
"Ha Ha" Cody laughing sarcastically. "I'm serious Zack. The next time you do that, I'm REALLY telling Mom. You'll be grounded so bad, you'll---" Cody looked at his twin. He was watching the TV with a bored face. "ZACK! Are you even listening to me! Besides, how'd you get here so fast?"
"Service elevator."
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Zack came out of their room all dressed up for another date. He was fixing the collar of his shirt while carrying two more shirts with the other hand in case any "accidents" happen tonight.
"So, how do I look?" Zack asked his brother. Cody was flipping through the channels. He was giving Zack the 'silent treatment'.
"Aw, come on buddy. You still mad at me?" Cody didn't reply
Click! The knob turned. They heard someone talking outside.
"Alright, Mr. Moseby. I'll let him know."
"It's Mom!" Zack's eyes grew wide "Don't tell her I'm here" He whispered to Cody and hid behind the couch.
"Are you kidding me? I won't lie to Mom. I can't---" He replied in a breathy voice.
"Cody, have you seen you're brother?" Carey startled Cody.
"Zack?" Cody sat up straight and replied in panic. Carey just stood there waiting for an answer. "Uhmmm… no?" He nervously looked behind him.
" 'Uhmmm… no?' " Zack stood up from behind the couch, figuring he was already busted and made his way to Cody. "Cody, that's pathetic. I mean, come on---"
"Zack, I don't where to begin!" Carey shouted.
"Well, you could raise my allowance?" Carey gave Zack a glare. "I'm sorry. That was selfish of me… Our allowance?" Zack put an arm around Cody's shoulder.
"Save it! Mr. Moseby told me that he caught you taking flowers from---"
"Wait. Taking? Isn't that a bit harsh? I prefer "borrowing"." Zack made invisible quotation marks in the air.
"Really?" Zack nodded in response. "You see Zack, last time I checked, the word borrowing means taking something with permission from the owner. Now, did you or did you not ask permission from Mr. Moseby when you "borrowed" the flowers?
Zack shook his head. "I didn't, 'cause I knew he wasn't gonna say yes, that's why I "borrowed" them."
"I don't care what reason, just go down there and apologize to Mr. Moseby and tell him that you will replace his flowers tomorrow. When you get back, we will discuss your punishment."
"But Mom---" Zack complained.
"You wanna discuss it now? Fine. You're grounded. That means no TV, no video games, no desserts, no mall, and no dates!
"Well, for how long?" He asked.
"Three weeks.." She looked at Cody "Plus a week for teaching Cody how to lie."
"Aw, come on Mom. Face it… he'll never survive the adult world without knowing how to lie."
"Zack, honey. I know lying is sometimes necessary, but lying for all the wrong reasons is bad." Carey repeated in her head what she just said and added, "Ok, that sounded odd… But, you get what I mean right?" She addressed the question to the both of them and they both nodded. "Good. Your punishment starts tomorrow." She pointed out to Zack.
"Huh?" Zack asked a bit confused.
"You still have four dates lined up for today, right?"
"Yeah, but---"
"Well, I don't want to be the reason why you stood up those girls. And I'm giving you the time to cancel your dates for tomorrow so that those other girls wouldn't think that you just bailed on them the last minute."
"But---- How--- Mom! You read my planner?"
"I… uh… uhmm…. No. I'll be back midnight! Love you!"
"Love you." the boys said in unison.
A/N: Here's Chapter 2… as promised.
I know… I'm bad… I still haven't revealed the "caller" from chapter 1yet. Plus I'm sorry if this chapter is not that good. I'm experiencing a major Writer's block… I'm not sure when chapter 3 will be up though… school starts this Monday so wish me luck.
Hahaha… I'm sure you've got so many unanswered questions…. Like: who's London's date? Who was the caller from last chapter? Why does Zack have so many dates? Why did Trevor call Maddie? Is he the Trevor from Odd Couples?
(sigh) I guess you'll just have to continue reading to find out…
Thanks!
R&R!
-----devilinangel
