A Promise Kept
By Jeune Ecrivain
Rated PG
Genre: Romance/Humor (Zack/Maddie)
Summary: Five years after "A Prom Story," Maddie dances with Zack at his prom as she promised. As a result, the two friends soon discover that the difference between 17 and 20 doesn't mean as much as the difference between 12 and 15.
A/N: A few parts of this chapter were inspired by some scenes from Friends. One is based on a scene from one of the episodes where Monica and Chandler were trying to keep their new relationship a secret, and the other is from an earlier episode where Monica and Richard told her parents that they were dating. Any die-hard Friends fan will probably get an extra chuckle out of this.
Part VI
Two weeks passed, and Zack and Maddie continued to date right under the noses of everyone at the Tipton. Although they had discussed going public a few times, they had agreed to wait a little longer before telling anyone that they were dating. Maddie still wasn't ready to face the uncertainty of what everyone's reactions would be, particularly Zack's mother. Zack understood and admitted to being a little apprehensive himself about his mother's response. Still, neither could deny that they had fun sneaking around, as Zack would sometimes cast a furtive glance at Maddie, who very discretely returned the glance with an impish smirk of her own.
The day after a particularly pleasant evening out with Zack, Maddie found herself at her usual post at the candy counter listening to her friend London talk about her latest outing with Dublin.
"Oh, Madeline!" exclaimed the Tipton. "I almost forgot! Dublin introduced me to his tutor today. I must say, as far as smart people go, he was a real hottie!"
Maddie cocked an eyebrow. "Should you really be checking out another guy with Dublin standing right there with you?"
"Please," scoffed London. "He's cute, but Dublin's rich. Plus, my Dubby doesn't confuse me with big words."
"Ten-dollar words are turn-off for you, huh?" Maddie smirked amusedly.
London's eyes widened. "You mean he actually earns part of his tutoring wages just by opening his mouth!"
"It's just an expression, London," replied Maddie, chuckling to herself.
"Oh," London answered blankly. "Anyway, I meant that he'd be a good match for you!"
"Huh?"
"I told him about you, and I think he wants to meet you. We're going out again tomorrow, so what do you say we make it a double date?"
Maddie suddenly felt cornered. Technically, she and Zack hadn't said anything about being exclusive, but given all that had transpired between the two, she had the feeling it was sort of implied. Plus, as long a Zack was still interested, she had no real desire to meet other guys. She bit her lip, trying to think of a good reason to give London without revealing her and Zack's secret. "I can't. I…uh…just got out of a long-term relationship and I need some closure before I date again."
London looked
confused. "But when you first got her for the summer, you were
complaining about how you haven't found any great guys
yet."
Maddie bit her lip agan. "Well,…uh…about that…"
Seeing the look on Maddie's face, London's eyes widened once more. Her feminine intuition had kicked in. "You're already seeing someone, aren't you?" she squealed.
"No, I'm not," Maddie responded, simultaneously realizing from the look London was giving her that all protest would be futile.
"Madeline, I think it's time you faced the facts," London said, placing a compassionate hand on her shoulder. "You are a terrible liar."
Maddie sighed. "Fine. I am seeing someone, but don't tell anyone, ok?"
"Fine..." London agreed with a grin. "…as long as you give me details!"
As Maddie let out a soft groan, Zack's mother Carey walked up, her curiosity piqued by having overheard London's excitement. "Details about what?" asked the woman who Maddie considered almost a second mother.
"Not what. Who," London corrected her. "Maddie's got a new beau!"
Maddie groaned inwardly as Carey rounded on her. "Oh, do tell!" she said. "What's his name?"
"That's for me to know and you to find out…eventually," Maddie replied.
"What! That is so not fair!"
"Yeah!" Carey concurred. "Why the secrecy, Maddie?"
"We…just want to see where this goes before we announce ourselves," Maddie said cautiously.
"Oh, that is such a load of buckshot!" said London.
"Well, I see the swear-word alternatives I taught my boys are really catching on," Carey observed. "Anyway, London's right, Maddie. You tell us you have a new boyfriend and you expect us to just leave it at that! You know very well that's against the Female Code!"
Maddie sighed. "Alright, fine. I'll throw you a bone because you're my two best friends away from school." She cleared her throat and smiled, unable to resist being somewhat happy to share at least some of what she had experienced over the past couple of weeks This guy, who shall remain nameless, is the best kisser I've ever had."
"Ooh, that was so the wrong bone to throw!" London exclaimed. "'Cause now we just have to know more!"
"Sorry, that's all you're getting out of me for now," Maddie replied matter-of-factly.
"Major Female Code violation!" declared London.
"What 'Female Code'?" asked a male voice.
Maddie looked up to find none other than Zack standing a few feet above her on the raised hotel entrance from which visitors stepped down into the lobby.
London pointed a vindictive finger at Maddie. "Maddie just told us she's got a new boyfriend and she won't tell us who it is!"
At this, Zack's eyebrows arched for a split second as he threw a discrete glance at Maddie. "Is that so?"
"Yeah," answered Carey. "All she'll tell us is that he's the best kisser she's ever had."
Maddie fought the urge to groan loudly. Zack really wasn't s'posed to hear that.
"Oh, really?" Zack drawled, a cocky grin spreading across his face. "Would you care to embellish a little, Madeline?" he teased.
Maddie shot him a glare, but he just smirked back at her. "No," she said coolly. "I'll tell you all when I'm good and ready."
"Have you told him yet?" asked Zack, making little attempt to hide the fact that he was thoroughly enjoying himself.
"As a matter of fact, I haven't," Maddie replied in mock indignance.
"Well, I suppose it's your choice," Zack feigned concession. "But all I know is that if it was me and I found out that I was the best kisser a girl had ever had, I'd be going like this." With that, he jumped straight over the railing (much to Carey's chagrin), landed on the floor in front of the candy shop, and proceeded to execute a rather exaggerated victory dance in the Tipton lobby. Maddie put her hands on her hips and continued to glare at him.
Looking with a skeptical eye at her son's gyrations, Carey turned back to Maddie and cracked a joking smile at her. "Well, I haven't had a good kiss in so long, I don't care about age if he doesn't," she said. "Maybe if this guy's such a good kisser, you'd be willing to share him and he and I could…"
Zack's dance came to an abrupt halt. "Mom," he said quickly, a look of impending horror in his eyes, "if you love me at all, you will NOT finish that sentence!"
"What?" asked Carey innocently. "You may not like to think about it a lot, but I have desires too, you know."
"Mo-om! Please!" He momentarily looked to Maddie for help, but all she gave him was a distinct smirk that clearly said 'Payback's a brat, ain't it?'
