An unexpected event

As Zack assessed the situation, he contemplated the options he had: did he dare break his best friend's secret to Heather? Should he ask Heather for some help with a makeshift story and risk her stumbling on Gavin in the woods, driving him out of his mind (probably). Would Heather even talk to him after what had just happened between them?

As he was deep in thought, Chloe started sobbing quietly again in his arms. Zack rushed his decision so as to spare his friend from crying and blaming herself again. They needed Heather. However they put it, even if it meant betraying Gavin's big secret, if she knew about the situation, only she would be able to talk some sense into him.

He went to get up and tell Chloe about his decision but just then he heard a sound coming from the front of the cabin. It was Kurt's car, he and Vicky coming back from town with the groceries Vicky had needed for lunch. He looked at his watch and noticed it was already early afternoon, slightly late to start making lunch, and he wondered what had taken them so long: he hadn't thought of it with all that had happened in the morning.

When he got up, Chloe heard the familiar noise of a car engine and got up to follow him too. As they made their way through the cabin to the front, Vicky opened the front door rather violently and entered the cabin with a determined pace, her arms filled with grocery bags. She didn't even acknowledge either of them and went straight for the kitchen where she started emptying her bags and setting up for a late lunch.

A few moments later, Kurt entered the cabin slowly, looking miserable, his head tilted down and he was holding a bag of ice on him left eye. When he nearly bumped into Zack, he looked up and his hands shot forward, bracing for impact, for Zack was quick enough to balance him on his feet without any accidents. That was when Zack and Chloe noticed Kurt had a black eye.

Kurt shot a deadly look at Zack, then at Vicky in the kitchen before putting the ice bag back on his eye and turning to go to the room he shared with Chloe, obviously ashamed and enraged. Zack looked at Vicky who had been watching them and she had a smug smile of satisfaction on her face. When their eyes met, Vicky smiled lovingly at him, then showed him the back of her right hand, which had a slight bruise on the two large knuckles, giving him one of those innocent "oops, sorry" smiles, then she started giggling.

Evidently, Kurt had tried something on her, and she ended up punching him. Zack smiled a victorious smile at the situation. He had won his bet with Kurt without even trying. The idiot had gotten himself punched for his lack of manners.