"What is it?" Addison asked.
"I bet that ol..." he paused a moment, apparently reconsidering his choice in words. "I mean, didn't you hear that?"
"Woody," she reminded him gently. "We've been hearing strange sounds all day." She had of course heard the unusual thumbing, but it had seemed innocuous to her, especially compared to some of the louder crashes she had heard just after the graduation ceremony. "Come on," she coaxed him back toward his cabin. "There's no one here. Just a bunch of people with power tools taking the ship apart. I mean, why not just sell it? That's weird right?" She asked, but she didn't pause long enough for Woody to reply. "I think it's weird. Anyway, we've gotta get out of here before the ceiling caves in or something."
"Alright," Woody replied. Zack listened to their voices fade into the cabin. "Let me just grab the rest of my stuff."
"I'll help," Addison replied, and the door closed behind them. Zack breathed a slow sigh of relief. He hadn't been caught, but he could still feel the surge of adrenaline that had forced him into the empty cabin.
His first instict was to call Cody, but he decided against it. Whatever was going on, Woody didn't want anyone to know about it. That included him.
He sighed, but Cody would know what to do, and this was serious! As impossible as it was for him to believe, his mischievous friend was suicidal! Zack shook his head.
He couldn't imagine wanting to kill himself. Sure he had been depressed plenty of times. Maya entered his mind, but he crushed the thought of her quickly. He didn't have time for that. This was completely different.
He would have to pretend not to know. It was the only way. He had to both keep Woody's friendship and find some way to earn his trust. In the meantime, he would need some way to keep an eye on him.
Zack sighed again. He did not want to do all this. He hated getting wrapped up in emotional problems, that was Cody's thing. This was Woody though. One wrong move, and the guy he'd hung out with all through high school would be dead! Dead! He had heard Addison very clearly say the word suicide. He banged his head against the door, then held his breath a moment hoping they hadn't heard him. He was frustrated! Why would Woody do something like that? It didn't make any sense!
Zack remained silent as Woody and Addison ventured into the hallway. As the voices faded once more, Zack followed quietly. Hearing the echoes of laughter, a last minute plan developed just in time.
As they turned to disembark the ship, Zack run up behind them pretending to be out of breath. "Woody!" He exclaimed. "Thought I'd missed ya man," he took two refreshing deep breaths, not wanting his fake exhaustion to look too exaggerated. Recovering quickly, he continued. "Checked your cabin, you were gone. Oh, hey Addison. You guys hungry? My parents are offering to pay next door," he pointed the a small restaurant near the docks.
"Oh my God, I want to so bad becausw that place has the best french fries and I'm so starving. I remember the last time I ate there, my mom and I stopped there for lunch before I boarded. The food was so good!" She exclaimed, taking a breath before continuing. "But I have to catch a plane that I am actually late for so I need to get on that bus right there before things get really confusing, which they already are really confusing because..."
"Yeah, it's confusing, I get it. The bus is gonna leave before you finish that sentence." Zack turned to Woody, "What about you? Free food."
"I"ll call you," Addison whispered, kissing Woody's cheek. Zack pulled his phone from his pocket, and turned away slightly, faking a text message. Much as he expected, the whispers continued. Zack slipped his phone back into his pocket as Addison waved.
"Hungry?" Zack asked as she fell out of view.
"Starved," he replied.
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AN: Very sick right now. If this chapter is no good, let me know. I will try to rewrite.