When Alissa Turner the tomboyish niece of the hotel engineer Arwin comes to the Tipton no one expects her to befriend Zack and Cody Martin. The biggest thing happens when Alissa gets a major crush on Zack. But Zack is always obsessing over Maddie Fi...
It's the first time I'll be seeing Zack and Cody since before the summer the last time they saw me I didn't have boobs, and I dressed like a boy.
I was being dropped off by Maddie because my Uncle was always busy and couldn't leave work he had said goodbye to me though.
"No, one will know who I am Maddie," I say.
"Isn't that what you wanted?"
"No, this whole idea was yours to get Zack to notice me!" I say crossing my arms and glaring at her.
"Well, your style isn't the only thing that changed so did your attitude."
I roll my eyes and continue pushing my trolley of clothes with me I had gotten a lot of clothes due to my picks, and London's picks. She even picked out shoes for me.
"Hey, Mr. Moseby!" I call.
"Alissa, is that you? You've certainly grown up I see. I hope the Martin twins have grown up as well."
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"Yes, it's me Mr. Moseby, and I couldn't tell you because I've been traveling with..." I'm cut off by London coming in and shouting,
"I'm here!"
"Anyways I've been traveling with London."
"That's very nice," he says not listening.
Maddie helps me get everything settled in my new room and says, "According to your information it says your roommate's name is Addison."
"Thanks so much for everything Maddie, for all the years of advice and friendship."
"Don't act like we won't see each other again because we can always text, call, or email."
"I know," I say hugging her goodbye and walking out with her.
We get out to the lobby of the boat and I see Zack, Cody, and their mom Carey.
I turn to speak to Maddie but she's already gone and I have a feeling it's so Zack would notice me and not her, I sigh and walk up to everyone.
"Uh, hey guys," I say.
"I'm sorry do we know?" Carey asks me.
"It's me, Alissa Turner!" I say with a laugh.
Zack and Cody both turn to look at me with their mouths hanging open but Cody is the first one to acknowledge me, "It was kind of lame this summer without you hanging out with us, Zack and I had fun but we could've used an extra person."
Zack doesn't say anything to me and Carey says, "How was your summer, Alissa? I'm sorry I didn't recognize you."
"It was awesome! It's like totally fine I didn't expect anyone to know who I am when they first saw me again."
Cody and his mom go out on the deck to say goodbye but Zack stays behind for a few minutes, "You look really...uh...cool. Nice hair!" he says eyeing me up and down.
I smile and blush a little and say, "You...know...I..." I trail off and realize that we're both still eyeing each other up and down.
Suddenly I found myself hugging my best friend and breathing in his cologne and clean smell, he'd changed since I last knew him.
"I missed you, Ali, my brother is awesome in his own way but I missed playing sports with you and having someone as good as me," he whispers in my ear.
My butterflies come and swim around inside as he lets go and smiles at me pulling my hand to the sky deck to say goodbye to his mom.
Cody is visibly upset about his mom saying goodbye, but Zack is trying to play it like he doesn't care, so I take my opportunity to say goodbye to the woman who had been the closest thing I had to a mom.
"Bye Carey, I can't promise to keep Zack and Cody out of trouble but I can promise I won't let Zack fail high school!"
"I'm glad to hear that Alissa, and I know he'll come around to you one day. I just hope it is sooner rather than later. Goodbye, and I will your Uncle Arwin that you arrived safely and send your love."
Carey goes to leave and Zack gets down on the floor crying grabbing her leg, "Mommy, don't go! I'll miss you!"
"See I told you he has a soft side," Cody whispers.
"I know he does, it's just not very often he lets it be known."
As Carey leaves after hugging Zack longer than Cody he comes over and looks at us weirdly.
"What?" he asks pretending like he didn't just refer to Carey as 'mommy'.
"Nothing, that was just really sweet," I say.
"What was?" he asks.
"The thing with Mom," Cody whispers.
"I need to be alone," Zack says and stomps off.
I look at Cody and he shrugs, "I don't know maybe he needs some time for a lot of things Alissa. He is kind of dumb sometimes."
"I know. But I might check on him and see how he's doing."
"I'll help you find his room." Cody offers.
"Thanks."
"Sure."
We find Zack's room and Cody leaves me alone at the door, I knock and wait for him to come open the door.
"Go away Cody, I don't want to see you right now!" he snaps.
"It's not Cody dummy it's Alissa!" I call back.
"I said go away," he says.
"Zack, I know what it's like to say goodbye to someone you love," I say trying to get him to let me help.
He opens the door and lets me come in, I laugh when I see how messy it already is after not even being here for that long.
"What's so funny?"
"Your messy bedroom."
"Yeah, I know but without Cody in here being my maid I don't know how I'll keep it clean." he jokes.
We laugh and then I say, "Zack, there's something I should've told you about myself a long time ago."
"Yeah, what is it?" he asks quietly.
"Well, the reason I came to live at the Tipton was because my parents were both...well my mom was killed in a car crash by a drunk school bus driver who finished his shift. And my dad...I never knew him. So you're very lucky to have a good reason to say goodbye to your mom, and know that she can come visit you, same with your dad."
"I'm sorry," he says.
"Don't be I never really talked about it because I had to go through therapy and everything before my custody was given to my Uncle Arwin. He did his best with my grandma there but she wasn't always coherent after the bowling ball accident."
"So was my mom kind of...your mom too?"
"In a way."
"I'm glad you came and told me that. Wanna jump on the bed and see who can jump the highest?"
"No, I have a better idea, let's go belch loudly and annoy the passengers actually on a cruise and not here for school like us."
