Author's Note: Here's a little New Year treat (: I can't wait for the countdown in just 23 hours in my time zone! Enjoy the last moments of 2009 and embrace the new decade!

Chapter 3

Cody was enjoying his extended morning sleep as his class doesn't start till 9 on Tuesdays, but his beauty sleep was cut short by Zack storming into his room at 7 in the morning.

Zack picked up Woody's pillow and slapped it on Cody's face.

"ZACK! Can't you go annoy someone else today and leave me to enjoy my sleep?" Cody shouted and grumbled.

"Well remember how mum used to say the early bird catches the worm? While you've been sleeping, your girlfriend has been caught by another dude!"

Cody sat up with his eyes wide open, "Bailey's been kidnapped?!"

Zack whacked Cody on the head again with Woody's pillow.

"Oww, why do you keep doing that? I'm already awake!" Cody snapped.

Zack looked around then moved closer to Cody as if telling a secret, "Last night when I totally spaced during your call, I saw something you'll be interested to find out about. I walked past Bailey's room while on the way to pick Taylor for our date and I saw a guy leaving her room! He was totally flirting with her all the way out!"

Zack poked his index finger into the pillow he was holding, "That's the reason she's breaking up with you. She's leaving you for that dude!"

Cody's face looked as though he just ran a marathon, he was turning pale and out of energy as he spoke, "She's... she's cheating on me? My Bailey?"

Zack placed his arm across Cody's shoulder, comforting him, "There, there, let it all out. Go ahead and cry. Who would have known Bailey to be like this?" He added on a second thought,"Hmmm, but that dude was really cool. He wore the most awesome leather jacket and I love what he did with his hair! You're so out of his league!"

"Thanks Zack, I feel so much better with your comforting words," Cody replied sarcastically, feeling all bitter within him.

Zack took Cody's phone and shoved it at him, "If you don't believe me, you can check with Bailey. I would love to hear her explanation."

Cody knew that smirk on Zack's face, one of confidence; also Zack's not someone who'll lie to Cody about Bailey. Cody hates to admit it, but maybe Zack was right. Then again, he didn't want to call Bailey. It would totally break his heart if Bailey confirmed the news and broke up with him on the phone, worse still, his 5 days plan will be wasted.

"No, I'm not going to give up like this. It took me 6 months to win Bailey's heart, I'm not going to let some guy waltz in and take her away from me," Cody was firm from the tone of his voice.

He couldn't help but wonder what Bailey would say to the news Zack told him about. He stared down at his phone, and felt really tempted to call. He pressed the menu button to active the phone but instead he was alerted by a voice message left for him from Bailey.

Cody looks up at Zack, "Bailey left me a voice mail", he said.

"Well, play it!" Zack encouraged him.

With a press of the button, his phone replayed the message Bailey recorded the night before, "Hey Cody, I miss you too. I love your poem and rose, but where have you been? I really need to talk to you soon. Call me 'kay. Love you."

Zack looked at Cody and shrugged his shoulder, unsure of Cody's next move in his complicated love triangle.

---

In Class

Bailey's been looking forward to Geography lesson since the weekends. It was the first lesson of the week that she shared with Cody. She prepared her materials for the lesson by arranging her textbooks and stationary on her desk. She can't help but look around; waiting for Cody's to arrive for the lesson.

The bell rang and Ms Tutweiller entered the class, closing the door behind her. Zack raised his hand, trying to get her attention.

"Cody's not feeling well, so he's not coming for lesson today," Zack told the teacher.

"Oh, hopefully he'll recover soon. I hate losing one of my best students during class," Ms Tutweiller sighed, but began with the lesson.

Throughout the lesson, Bailey kept turning to look at Cody's empty desk. Once a while she'll imagine him sitting there, furiously writing as the teacher spoke, she likes it when his eyebrows furrow when he tries to keep up with the teacher while at the same time raising his hand to ask a few questions. She smiled to herself at the thought of that.

Zack tried to sneak out of Bailey's sight when the class ended, but Bailey got to him before he was out of the door. He turned around and smiled at her, "Hey Bailey, nice to see you here. I would love to stay and chat but I'm rushing off to... to comb my hair! Such good look needs maintaining." He tried to walk away but Bailey's grip on him was firm.

"Erm yea sure, just one second, what happened to Cody?" Bailey asked in a concerned voice.

Wow she's such a great actress, acting all concern about Cody when she was having a great time with that guy last night! Zack thought in his mind. "Oh he's sick. He caught some flu bug when we crossed the Atlantic Ocean last night."

"Oh no, poor Cody! I'll go visit him during my next break," Bailey said.

"No! I meant, you shouldn't visit, because it's contagious! Yea, yea that's it! The nurse said he's quarantined in his cabin for a day. Woody's bunking with me and Marcus tonight," Zack tried to sound as convincing as possible and much to his delight, Bailey totally fell for it.

"I know, I'll make chicken soup for him and place it outside his door!" Bailey beamed and strolled towards her next lesson.

That was a close one, but now I need to find Woody and maybe London as well, Zack thought.

---

Later that morning

"Alright, I have one full day to think of something that will totally sweep Bailey off her feet!" Cody said while tapping his fingers on his desk. "I know! I'll head to the kitchen and bake Bailey some cookies!" With that, Cody left his room, occasionally checking the corridors for Ms Tutweiller and Bailey before heading to the kitchen.

-Ding- "Ah my cookies are done. Now how am I going to get it delivered to Bailey?" Cody said while he squeezed the icing on the cookies, placed them in a nice box and tied it with a purple ribbon. He left it on the table while he went to visit the men's room.

Bailey entered the kitchen and talked to the head chef on board the S.S. Tipton, "Hi, I'm Bailey, a student from Seven Seas High. I was wonder if I can use some of your ingredients to make chicken soup for my boyfriend. He's caught the flu and I think some soup will cheer him up."

The chef pointed at the tiny room at the end of the kitchen, also allowing Bailey entry into the kitchen.

Bailey walked towards the end and came to a table filled with flour. She picked up a piece of cloth and began cleaning the place up before cooking. While cleaning the table, she came across a nicely wrapped box. She couldn't help her curiosity but took a peep at the card attached at the ribbon:

Dear Bailey,

You're always caring and sweet, just like this box of cookies that I've baked specially for you.

With Love, Cody

Cody was just about to step into the last room in the kitchen when he heard movement. He stopped and hid behind the wall while checking to see who it was. Bailey? Why is she here? He thought.

"Wow Cody, you're always full of surprises!" she spoke to herself as she opened the box, revealing 6 chocolate-chip cookies that are arrange in the order of her name spelt by the icing on the cookie. She couldn't help but giggle when she saw the delicious cookies; thinking of the hard work Cody spent to bake it and making it a surprise for her.

I have no idea how she found her way to the cookies but that works well, Cody thought. He stood hidden, while admiring Bailey's brilliant smile as she stared at the cookies. He decided he better leave the kitchen before she spotted him.

---

Later that day

"London, I heard you need a painting for Art Class, and I have just the right one for you. Good enough for a C+, I must add," Zack told London.

"What's the catch?" London queried. She always knew there aren't always good bargains in the world, so good that it's free, well, daddy told her that.

"I want all the information you can get about the guy that's been hanging out with Bailey," Zack replied, hoping that London could be the key for him to know more about the girlfriend-stealing-dude.

"Okay that's easy. He looks just like you, slightly taller, much smarter, oh and he's the ship's towel boy. Now where's my painting?" London demanded.

"Not Cody! I meant the other guy that Bailey's with! And I want to know everything about him, right down to every single freckle on his face." Zack snapped.

"Oh why didn't you say so? Alright, meet me at the railing of the Sky Deck tonight, just before curfew and you'll have all the information you want. Don't forget to bring the painting along and it better be C+ material!" London replied.

It was 10 minutes till curfew. Zack held his latest masterpiece close to him as he strolled to the Sky Deck. He felt like a spy all over again, donning his black shades and looking around suspiciously all the way to the meeting point. He spotted London from afar; he stood behind her and tapped on her shoulder.

"Ahhhh, who are you?" London got a shock as she turned around, putting her hand up as defensive against the 'stranger'.

Zack lowered his sunglasses as it perched on the tip of his nose, "It's me, Zack."

"Wow you look different with the dark glasses," London said. She handed to him a thick brown envelope that had the old-fashion scroll-tying string keeping it sealed. "Here's everything you need."

Zack took the envelope from London and carefully loosen the string, turning it in circles till it was open. He took a glance down in the packet; it had photos, articles and newspaper clippings, just what he needed. He handed to her the painting and she gazed lovingly at her new C+.

"It was nice working with you," Zack said while he shook London's hand. "I look forward to more deals in the future." He readjusted his sunglasses and they walked in opposite directions back to their cabins.

The night was still young for Zack, as he would be up all night getting to know Adam.

Nobody bullies my little bro other than me. It's payback time, Zack smirked.