The Sweet Suite Life

Chapter 40. Maya: New Girl

꧁༺ 𝓢𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 ༻꧂

•┈┈┈••✦ ♡ ✦••┈┈┈•

"I need 4 Cherry Chillers, 6 Banana Breezers, 9 Tangerine Tickles, and 1 Kumquat Kapow," A girl with long brunette hair asked Zack. I didn't recognize her, but she looked about our age.

"Wow, you're a thirsty girl," Zack joked.

She laughed at Zack's comment. She laughed! Okay, let's not overreact. I mean, it was a funny comment.

"They're not for me. I'm Maya, the new waitress," Maya introduced herself.

Mhh, awfully coincidental. Too coincidental for my liking. But I knew I had to brush this insecure side of me. And I had to keep it to myself. If I told my mom or Eric, Eric would swim if he had to, to beat Zack up and make sure Zack knew how I felt.

"I'm Zack," Zack held out his hand for Maya to shake his hand, "And this is Esme."

I stayed quiet and waved over, but Maya wasn't looking at me. She was looking right at Zack. She smiled at Zack before she started to walk away.

"Hey, Maya," Cody said.

"What's up, Maya?" Marcus greeted Maya as they walked past Maya and to Zack and me.

"How come everybody knows the new girl except for me and Zack?" I asked.

"Oh, she started school yesterday," Cody said, "Of course, you guys would have known that had you two been in school yesterday."

"Well, I'm sorry that I just so happened to sprain my ankle yesterday morning before school and your brother was nice enough to take me to the nurse," I said.

Cody grimaced at the fact, "Oh, sorry, Esme. I didn't know that. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, just dandy," I answered, annoyed by the sudden caring. The only one, aside from Zack, who checked on me yesterday was Ms. Tutweiller. But at least I got to spend the whole day with Zack. He made sure I was okay throughout the entire day, which was so sweet.

"Guys, I have the best news ever!" London came running to the 4 of us, "Bailey went home!"

Cody and I gasped in shock while Zack and Marcus were just quiet.

"Sh-she did?" Cody asked. "I guess she had to quit school because the pain of seeing me every day was just too much for her."

I looked at Cody in disbelief, but it was a plausible choice. But to really make this about himself when this is about Bailey? Unbelievable.

"I know it's too much for me," Zack said, shuddering.

"Oh, Bailey didn't quit school," London said, "She had to go home because a tractor fell on her Uncle Clem."

"Oh, no," I said, "Do we know if he's okay?"

"Oh, he's fine," London brushed it off, "but the tractor's broken so they needed her to pull the plow. Finally, her ox-like shoulders will come in handy."

"And there's the insult. I was beginning to wonder when that was going to come in," I said. I heard the snap of a rubberband and heard a yelp. "Cody?" I asked.

"Sorry for the noise," Cody said before he snapped the rubberband again.

"Explanation?" I asked.

"To help minimize my thinking of Bailey. Every time I do think of her, I snap this rubberband," Cody demonstrated, "so then I associate her name with pain."

"Couldn't you come with something less harmful?" I asked, "I mean, I've used that method before, and yes, it works, but still. Knowing you, you'll welt like there were bees around."

Cody and Marcus walked away.

"Zack," Mr. Moseby came up to me and Zack with a rope that had a hook at the bottom of it. "What is this?"

"Wild guess here: Floss for giants?" I suggested. It was immediately met with a glare from Mr. Moseby and Zack chuckling.

"What I want to know is why I found it hooked to a deck rail." Mr. Moseby stated.

"Mr. Moseby, I know Zack's done a lot of things in the past, but what makes you think this has Zack written all over it? He's been working all morning," I said.

"Because the last time I found a rope hanging over the ship, Cody's leg was attached to the other end!" Mr. Moseby said.

"Maybe Cody wanted to go swimming with the fishes?" I suggest in my best Italian mob voice. Zack and I started laughing.

"I remember that day," Zack said with a smile. "However, Mr. Moseby, this isn't my work," Zack said while shaking his head, "Maybe somebody used it to sneak onto the ship?"

"A stowaway? Inconceivable! This ship is equipped with the finest security system money can buy," Mr. Moseby said, brushing off Zack.

"You mean Kirby?" Zack asked before I could open my mouth.

Mr. Moseby slightly whined before he started to run. My guess was to go get Kirby.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Zack asked before poking my cheek.

"Mh? What do you mean?" I asked, confused by Zack.

"I mean, since we met Maya, you've been in this mood," Zack said, "You can be mad at me all you want, but you've been in this like snappy, bitchy, insecure mood."

I slouched at the words. Zack was right about my mood. I sighed and dipped my head down, not looking at Zack. I felt Zack put his fingers under my chin and lifted my head up, making me look at him. "You're right," I said with a sigh.

"If you think I'm gonna leave you for her, you're wrong," Zack said. He showed the promise ring still on his ring finger, "Remember these?"

I smiled as I looked down at my ring. I nodded and looked back at him, "You're right, Zack. I'm overreacting."

Zack had to go take a break or something. I couldn't remember what he was doing.

"Esme, right?" A voice came up behind me.

I turned around and saw Maya. "Yeah, that's me," I nodded.

"I saw that you and Zack were pretty close," Maya says, slightly swinging on her heels.

"Yeah, in fact, he's -"

"Do you think I have a shot with Zack?" Maya interrupted me.

I just blinked at her a couple of times. I didn't get bothered by many things, but that just sent me flying in my head. I took a deep breath, "As I was saying before being interrupted: Zack and I are actually a couple. And not like we've been dating week. No, no. Like Zack and I have been dating for a year and 2 months."

Maya's eyes widened before she started to walk away.

Zack came back and kissed my cheek. "What was that all about?" Zack asked. "And why are you tense?"

"Because Maya came over to me and asked if she should shoot her shot with you before I could even remotely say that you and I are a couple. So when I finally had a moment to talk, I told her that you and I were in a serious relationship," I said plainly.

"Esme, come on. We're gonna go back to your cabin and I'm gonna give you a massage," Zack said as he picked me up out of the chair and we went back to my cabin.