Haley Dailey [Suite Life]

Chapter 12 - Finale

"It's about time!"

Haley and Zack walked out onto the Sky Deck the next morning, Saturday, hand-in-hand. Cody was the first to see them and exclaim his opinion. They walked up to the towel counter where he was. "Yeah, tell me about it," Zack said, feeling a whole lot better than he did the day before. In fact, he didn't feel sick at all. The antibiotics really worked, like magic pills.

"Yeah, I know," Haley said. "To think, a guy I liked actually liked me back, and a hot one at that."

Zack brought and arm around her shoulder and gave her that suave smirk. "Right back at you, honey."

"Aw... you guys are so adorable," Cody enthused. "I'm so happy for the both of you. Does Bailey know about this?"

"She does, I texted her," Haley said, and right after she said that, she heard a scream. She and Zack turned to find Bailey running up to them. She bombarded Haley in a hug, which made Zack release his arm and lean against the towel counter.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so happy for you!" Bailey squealed and bounced up and down as she embraced Haley. "It's about time!"

"That's what I said," Cody remarked.

The two girls walked off and started chatting happily, and the guys heard Bailey ask how it all happened. Zack smirked as he watched how happy Haley was. "Well, Zack," Cody said and planted a hand on his shoulder, "I really am happy for you. She's your first actual girlfriend, not some girl you were chasing after. And you love her, which is more than what you've felt for other girls."

Zack turned to face his brother. "Love?"

"Yeah. You totally agreed with me when I said that you were in love with Haley."

"I didn't agree, I disagreed."

"Well, I can tell that you love her. You should tell her."

Zack looked back at Haley happily talking to Bailey, and they looked at him now and then. He smiled. "Yeah... maybe I should. Seal the deal."

"Right. You should take her somewhere secluded and romantic and tell her."

"My room should be fine."

Cody shook his head. "Well, whatever is okay with you, I guess." He shook Zack's shoulder. "Ooo, Zackie finally has a girlfriend that he loves!"

Zack smacked his hand away. "Okay, okay, yes, now will you stop?"

Cody grinned and got back to folding towels. Zack watched Haley again. He never told a girl that he was in love with her, mainly because they were all just wild crushes or vain pursuits. Haley was different. He should make this special. He turned to Cody.

"Cody, what secluded romantic place did you have in mind?"

~ ~ ~

The sea wind whipped her blonde hair as she gazed over the sea with the sun setting over it, casting a golden glow over the sky. Zack wanted her to meet him on the bird tower at six. It was a couple minutes passed, but he wasn't there yet. "Why did he want me to meet him up here, anyway? The highest spot on the ship." She smiled and heat filled her cheeks. The bird tower was high and secluded. No one would see them.

She squealed at the thoughts that entered her mind. She loved her sick kiss with Zack, but kissing him when she wasn't sick? She squealed again at the thought, and she heard footsteps up the latter she had to climb to get up to the tower. She turned and saw Zack climb onto the platform. He looked so breathtaking in nicely-fitted jeans and a stylish green and black plaid shirt that he wasn't wearing earlier. He looked healthy as well, his cheeks flushed.

"I heard squeals, so I figured you were already up here," he said, sounding healthy, too. "Sorry for being late."

"It's okay. So... why did you want to meet me up here?"

Her heart started pounding as he stood up next to her at the railing, and the wind whipped his hair as well. "I wanted to tell you something, and I wanted to tell you it in a place where no one could see or hear us."

"And what's that?"

He smirked, but it was a cute smirk and not the suave one he usually had. He put his hand over hers that was on the railing and met her eyes. "I love you."

Her mouth dropped open. "You... love me?"

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure that I do."

She smiled, and she looked away at the sea since her boyfriend was more captivating. "That's the first time a guy has ever told me that. I never thought I would hear it from anyone other from my parents."

She felt fingers on her cheek and he brought her head back to face him. "Well... things have changed."

"Yeah, they have."

They stared at each other for a moment, and Zack leaned in. Her limbs weakened at the touch of his lips on hers, and he took the back of her neck and deepened the kiss. Her nerves tingled everywhere, and she leaned more into him and kissed him back. She brought her arms around his neck and he in turn wrapped his arms around her back, just like she had seen in the movies.

Only this was real.

She felt his warm mouth move on hers once more and they broke apart. She stared at his hazel eyes which shined in the lowering sun's light. Her heart heavy with affection for him, she confessed, "I love you, too."

He grinned and brought her into his arms, and she noticed that fist-pump again. She had no idea that when she boarded the SS Tipton, she would have a ship-board romance, and with a boy who she fell for at first sight, a boy who loved her for her, with her zits and all, and who had made her confidence in herself rise. Most importantly, though, because of him, the insults stopped.

THE END

Thank you all for taking the time to read my cute little story! I hoped you liked it and will look out for my other stories in the future! Cheers! =D