Victoria makes her decision

“I need to talk to him. Can you give me a minute?” Victoria asked Dustin. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Zack exit the cabin. Feeling that she owed both him and Dustin nothing but honesty, she stood and excused herself from her ex then headed outside.

“Zack,” Victoria called out to the boy starring out into the woods.

“Hey,” he responded, somewhat coldly.

“Can we talk?” she asked, fully expecting that reception.

“Okay,” he answered.

“I’m sorry I’ve ignored you since we got here,” she apologized.

“That’s okay. It’s my fault. I’m the one who convinced you to come,” Zack moaned.

“Listen, it’s important to me that we talk about this. I don’t want there to be bad feelings between us. Ever!” Victoria worried.

“Why would there be?” he assured her, even though he knew what she was about to say.

“Be…because I want to get back with Dustin,” Victoria admitted.

“And I’m okay with that. I may not like the decision, but I have to live with it. I just want you to be happy. That’s all I care about,” Zack smiled, his heart breaking in his chest.

“Thank you, Zack. For the record, I think you and Heather make a great couple. Now get in there and talk to her,” she smiled at him.

“I can’t. It’s not fair to her. I’d feel like I’d be treating her as a consolation prize, and she’s had too many guys do that to her already. So I think I’m just going to head back to our cabin,” the brunette boy told her.

“Aww, Zack, don’t be like that. Heather would never think you were taking her as a consolation. She looks at you the same way I look at Dustin,” Victoria tried to assure him.

“She may not think that way, but it is how I’d feel. I vowed after I did that to Lisa that I’d never make a woman feel like that again. Now, go inside and have some fun for me. I wish you and Dustin luck,” Zack told her before heading down the steps.

“Thank you, Zack,” Victoria said as he walked away from her. He waved as he moved to let her know that he heard her.