Her Zackie was just so cute, she could gobble him up! As they grew up, the twins had always wreaked havoc wherever they went, and Zack was the more troublesome of the two. He was cocky and flirted with almost every girl he saw... but now, he was different. He was sweet and liked her for her and not for her money like a lot of other guys did. There had been a few who didn't care that she was rich, but she only knew them for a short time. She knew Zack for five years, and he knew very well how she was and liked her for it. That just made her so happy and forced her to kiss him right there outside of the classroom in from of his brother and everyone else. Even the teacher!
London pulled out her phone as she walked on to her next class. She was sad that she didn't have it with Zack. Boy, did she like him! She pulled up his text messages and texted him a cute note: "Can't wat to see ya again sweety!" she said as she typed.
She knew that she couldn't spell, but he would get the message. Ha, literally! Maybe he thought that her inability to not spell correctly was cute, too.
She sent the message and continued to look at her phone until she literally ran into a wall. "Ow!" she yelped and rubbed her forehead. She never was this distracted by a guy before... and it was Zack! She still couldn't believe that she was dating the guy.
Two classes later, she walked into her math class and saw kids in a group around Zack. She saw him through everyone, and, like the class she had with him earlier, they all turned and looked at her. She smiled and waved at them, then wiggled her fingers at Zack, but he didn't do that cute point-and-wink thing. He sat there, arms folded, and frowning. Her chest pricked with hurt. What? Why wouldn't he be happy to see her? Didn't he get her text?
She sat down, and all she could think about and feel was Zack's foul mood. He sat two desks behind her, and she could really feel his stare. She didn't understand the term until now - it was like something was poking into her back. Class went on, and she still felt that poking feeling. At the end, she heard a guy say to his friend, "Yeah, he's definitely dating her because she's hot and rich. There's not much else going on, especially if she was willing to date Zack."
The center of her chest hurt at that comment, and she noticed Zack come up to the guy and grab him by the shoulder and turn him around. "Hey, how about you say that again, huh?" he said in an agitated tone. London noted the fire in his eyes.
"Uh, nothing," said the guy and he walked off. Zack looked around at the other kids.
"Anything else you all want to say about me or London?" he demanded. "Huh?"
The kids left hastily, and soon, it was just him, London and the teacher in the room. The middle-aged woman was turned facing the white board, erasing it.
"Seriously, I want to punch them all," Zack muttered.
"What? Why?" London asked, shocked that he was this angry.
"Why do you think? All day so far, I've been having to hear crap like how you're dumb and I started dating you because you're rich, and how you're dating me because you don't know what you're doing. I just... I'm sick of hearing it."
She stood up out of her seat and faced him. "Is that why you looked mad before class?"
"Yeah. They all just wouldn't stop."
She smiled gratefully and wrapped him in a hug. He smelled nicer than he usually did—some sort of cheap men's cologne. It was nice on him. "Thanks, sweetie, for telling them off. You know, they're just jealous."
He wrapped his arms around her, and she loved how strong they were. "Yeah, maybe. If I hear any more of it, I swear..."
"You know, this makes me think that you're pretty serious about all this."
He pulled her back and gave her a serious, yet sweet look. "I am. I'm serious about you."
Oh, how she loved hearing that! "I'm serious about you, too. Even if you're poor and are wearing cheap cologne."
He snickered and held onto her. They heard someone clear their throat. They parted and looked over at their teacher giving them a look. "Take it outside, you two lovebirds, for heaven's sake. I'm feeling my breakfast come up."
"You know, my daddy's in charge of your pay," London quipped.
"I don't care. Get on to your next class, the both of you."
"Way to ruin the moment," Zack muttered, and he and London went outside the classroom as students passed by. He faced her. "So... see ya."
"Did you get my text?"
"No." He checked his phone, and he smirked. "Now I have. Well, you've seen me."
"And I can't wait to see you again."
"But we have the next class together.
"Exactly. That means I can keep on seeing you."
He put his arm around her shoulders, and she smiled as he did so. She loved the feeling of having him near her. They walked and passing people eyed them and whispered. "If anyone insults you or says anything about the two of us, tell me," Zack said, "I'll put them in their place."
"And if anyone does the same, and I hear it, I'll put them in their place also. Or I can just throw them off the ship. Because of Daddy, I have that power."
"I like your thinking. That's my girl."
She smiled and pointed at her cheek. He got the message and planted a kiss there, and she felt tingles from where his lips touched her skin. She hadn't felt that with any other guy before. In fact, she had never felt this happy with any other guy before...
Oh my gosh, I think I'm falling in love with him!
~ ~ ~
Two weeks passed, and the new couple spent as much time as they could together. They finished both of their reports, but that didn't stop Zack from stopping by London's room to hang out, even if it was against the rules to do so. In fact, they broke the rules by just having Zack in her room those times. Zack was still Zack, after all.
"I'm surprised that you two have lasted this long," Cody commented as they walked to class on Monday morning and neared the school's entrance on the deck and the sea wind caught their blonde hair. "Before, you could barely hold onto a girl for a day, let alone fourteen."
"Well, London and I are just that great, and she adores me." He popped his black shirt collar, as he had done before.
"It's still shocking that I can agree with that, considering how much she hangs off of you. It's easy to see that you adore her, too."
"You bet I do. She's probably the best thing that's ever happened to me." Cody snickered at that, and Zack figured he thought he exaggerated, but London had made him a better person and not wreak havoc constantly on the ship. He spotted his beauty. "And speaking of which, there's my honey now."
London was walking towards them, but she was looking down at her phone, busy texting. Zack walked up to her. "Hey, sweet thang," he greeted her, and she looked up as he put an arm around her. Oh, how he loved that perfume! A beaming smile crossed her face.
"Hey, Zackie!"
"Have I mentioned that I love it when you call me that?" he asked her and kissed her cheek and she giggled. Cody left them, still snickering. Zack knew that his brother was happy for him.
"So, want to skip class and lounge near the pool all day?" she asked as they started walking and people passed them. Everyone had gotten used to seeing them together. In fact, they were the most talked about couple on the ship. At London's question, Zack felt his heart jumped at the thought of seeing London in a bikini. He still had yet to see it.
"Heck yeah, I would."
"Then let's play hooky today."
"Fine by me."
Okay, so maybe where school was concerned, he hadn't changed a bit. They walked on and London's phone rang and she answered it. "Oh, hi, Daddy." She eyed Zack. "Yes, I'm on my way to class." Silence. "Yes, okay... okay. Bye, Daddy."
She folded her silver phone and put it back in her purse. "What was that about?" Zack asked.
"Daddy said that he contacted all my teachers and asked them to make sure that I'm in class today, and he said bribing them won't work this time."
Zack huffed. "So... no pool?"
"No..."
Seeing London in a bikini would have to wait, then. "Well, there are plenty other days when we can play hooky."
"Daddy said that he's going to check with the teachers every day."
They walked into the main hallway to Seven Seas High and kids bustled about. Zack and London stopped at Zack's locker, and he leaned against it. He stared at her pretty face and wavy dark hair. "Well, can't say that we didn't try. So, does your dad know that you're dating me yet?"
"No. He just knows that I'm dating someone." She leaned close to him and snuggled into his side, and he loved the feeling of it. "Someone that I'm crazy about. And when he asks for details, I just say that I have to go."
"So... he doesn't know it's specifically me?"
"Nope. Unless he was told by someone we know here, and he just hasn't said anything."
"Knowing how popular we have become around here, someone has definitely said something. I wonder why he hasn't bothered to ask about it yet."
"Maybe he's fine with it."
Zack smirked, and cooed, "Well, of course he would be after knowing how well we get along and how much I adore you."
She hugged him right there in front of everyone. "Aw, I adore you, too, Zackie!"
I held onto her, loving the feeling of holding her to him. He figured that it would never get old. As he held her, that three-word phrase pushed at his lips, but they stayed there. Cody nagged him about telling London how he really felt, he just hadn't found the right time to say it. And this was after Cody bragged that he already told Bailey that he loves her.
"Hey, get a room you two!"
They undid themselves from each other and saw Woody there, along with Cody and Bailey. Zack brought his arm around London. "You're just jealous that I have a hot, beautiful girlfriend, Woody."
"I think you two are absolutely adorable," Bailey said. "Just like Cody and me." She put her arm around Cody, and he did so back.
"No, we're more adorable," London contradicted. "You two are just... cute."
"That's a lot coming from London," Cody said. "But the cutest part of this relationship is Bailey."
"Awhaha..." Bailey gushed as she had done before whenever Cody said something sweet about her.
"And the most adorable part of this relationship is London," Zack said, pulling London closer to him by her waist.
"And he's the most good-looking," she said, ruffling his hair.
"And so is Cody in ours," said Bailey, leaning into Cody.
"Okay, okay, I'm going to barf if you guys get any more mushy," Woody remarked and left them.
"You know, if he'd just ask Addison out, they would be the same way," Zack said. "They've been crushing on each other since we arrived on this ship."
"Oh, she's in love with Woody," Bailey said. "I heard her talking on the phone about it with someone."
"And Woody's in love with her," Cody said. "He talks about her more than food, which is really saying something."
The bell rang and the two couples went to their first class, which they all shared. Throughout the school day, Zack remained next to London's side. They did that all the time, but today, it was different. He really, really wanted to tell London how he felt. Where could they go? When would he even do it?
As they were walking hand-in-hand near the railing on the way to the Sky Deck so Zack could start his shift at the smoothie counter, he looked up. "That's it," he muttered.
"What's it?" London asked, swinging their entwined hands.
"Nothing, nothing." He faced her. "London, how would you like to go on a little date with me tonight after my shift?"
She gave him a look like he was crazy. "Why the heck wouldn't I want to?"
"Great, so... I was thinking we could get away and head up to the highest spot on the ship so no one can bother us. I have something to tell you."
She bounced up and down. "Oooo, what do you want to tell me? Is it a secret?"
There was her dim-wittedness coming out again. He smirked at how cute it was. "It's a surprise."
"Okay. Meet me at my room when you're done working."
"Okay." They reached the smoothie counter. "See ya then, sweet thang."
They leaned in, and they shared a sweet kiss, and she was off, saying that she needed to choose an outfit for that night. Zack got to work, thinking about how he would confess to London. He had never told a girl that he loves her, so this was very new to him. He had to get it right. Also, Cody would stop nagging him about it and that nervous swirl in his stomach would go away.
"I love you, London," he muttered, practicing, and as he put his work apron on. He smiled, loving how that rolled off his lips. "I love you, London," he said again, then grinned.
This would be a piece of cake.