bReally/b?” Wendy asked eagerly. “I want to go to Silverridge first. The scenery at Lake Kessler is breathtaking this t

Something about that name sounded oddly familiar.

Oh

Charlotte had mentioned it before.

She had talked about wanting to travel there during the October holiday.

And what had he said back then?

“What’s so great babout /btraveling when the crowds are insane?”

is time of year,”

Now, during the same October holiday, Wendy suggested it, and his first instinct was to say no. his mind.

the thought of Charlotte made him change

“Alright, let’s go to Silvertidge.”

They sat and watched TV for a while, but Zac couldn’t shake the irritation simmering inside him.

“You just got out of the hospital. Stay home and rest. I need to go out for ba /bbit.b” /b

Wendy was smart enough not to ask where he was going

Now that Charlotte had just broken up with him, it was only natural that Zac wasn’t used to it yet. He needed to vent, and Wendy knew better than to push him too hard.

She smiled graciously “Alright, go ahead. I’ll be here when you get back.”

As soon as he stepped boutside/b, Zac pulled out his phone and called Eugene,

“Eugene, let’s grab a drink Call Ethan and the others too.”

Zac bheaded /bstraight to one of his usual upscale lounges.

Pushing open the door bto /ba private room, he found his friends already inside, waiting for him.

“Zad!” Ethan greeted him with a bgrin/b. “What, you came alone? Where’s Wendy?

Zac shot him ba /bconfused look. “Why would she be with me?”

“Uh…” Ethan was caughtpletely off guard by that response.

He hadn’t even figured out how to answer when Zac dropped another bombshell

“My girlfriend is Charlotte. Why are byou /basking about Wendy?”

Ethan was stunned. “Walt, what? Since Wendy came back, hasn’t she been the one you always bring along? Charlotte? Didn’t you say she was boring and no fun?”

Zac’s bexpression /bshiftedb. /bIt was subtle, but noticeable.

Because, for once, he had noeback.

Sensing the awkwardness, Eugene quickly changed the subject.

“Dude, we haven’t seen you out in days. What have you been up to?”

are you suddenly bringing up

Zar walked over, slumped onto the couch, and it a cigarette. “Wendy got hurt. She was in the hospital for a few daysb, /bbso /bI stayed with her.”

Eugene gave bilen a weird look. “Didn’t you just bsay /bCharlotte was your girlfriend? You spent all that time in the hospital with Wendy, band /bCharlotte didn’t lose it on you?”

Zac’s expression darkened.

bLose /bIt? She did more the thatb. /bShe dumped him.

H

b1/2 /b

b+25 /bBonus

Taking a slow drag from his cigarette, he exhaled. “Yeah. She wants to break up.”

silence.

The guys exchanged nces, like they had just stepped on andmine.

Ethan was the first to recover. He scoffed. “Charlotte? Break up with you? Please. You’re probably the best guy she’ll ever get. I’ll bet shees crawling back in ten days.”

“Exactly! She’s been obsessed with you for three years. There’s no way she can live without you. I give it eight days.”

“No shot she actually wants to break up. She’s just throwing a tantrum, waiting for you to coax her bback/b. I say two weeks–she’ll be begging to get back togetherb./b”

Hearing their words, Zac finally rxedb, /bhis tightly furrowed brows casing.

He took a slow sip of his drink, leaning backzily. “Coax her? Not happening,‘

But then Eugene hesitated for a moment before asking cautiously, “Uh but what if she doesn’te back?”

Zac froze

What if Charlotte really didn’te back?

The thought had never even crossed his mind,