Zoey Lays Into Eric

Outside, the rest of the group had gathered up for a short minute, JJ checked in with Brian, making sure he remembered how to correctly get to the pond before the jock led Eric and Zoey up the slope for a little while before splitting off and heading up a small trail that would lead them towards the pond. JJ remembered that it was a bit of a hike, and only then realized that having both Eric and Zoey together may not be the best idea. Zoey and Eric were already on bad terms, but with Eric clearly having an issue with something else, JJ feared that he may not be his normal temporal self. Unfortunately, JJ couldn't very well just kick one of them out of the group, so he'd just have to keep the peace.

An hour came and went quickly enough, the trio very silent as they walked only occasionally pointing out something around them, but no personal conversation. This didn't last, however, as Eric tried to be the one to break the silence by talking to Zoey, "So...uh, it's cool you decided to come with us..."

"Yeah," Zoey dryly replied, keeping her head turned and off Eric completely,

"Yeah...yeah," Eric awkwardly agreed while nodding, "Um...so, yeah, it's cool," Zoey rolled her eyes and kept her mouth shut, not wanting to entertain Eric any further. It hadn't occurred to Zoey until they had first left that she was only going to be with Eric and JJ, sure JJ was a nice guy and everything, but she didn't know him. Zoey thought she was being smart, thinking that Kenny would want to join JJ at the very least, that way she could spend some more time with him and learn just how close he had gotten with Anna. Sure, she had already decided that she wasn't going to get involved if Anna and Kenny were falling for one another but...if he wasn't falling for her...

The redhead shook her head; it was pointless to think about now, it didn't happen. Instead, she ended up on a hike with he ex-boyfriend who was becoming more and more like a scumbag with each passing day and the best friend of the guy she wanted to be with. And now, she was going to have to deal with Eric trying to talk to her all day, acting like they were still close friends and nothing had really changed. Normally Zoey would have been diplomatic about this, kept a calm, civil tone with Eric and even try to befriend JJ in the process. However, her tolerance for Eric plummeted this morning when Anna confessed what he did to her, add in her issues with Kenny, and Zoey was on edge...and for the first time ever, she couldn't stand someone.

After another ten minutes of silence, JJ decided he'd give it a shot at breaking the tension, "So, Zoey, you ever been skating before?"

Zoey took in a slow breath through her nose, calming herself as not to give JJ any of her anger, "Yes, I've gone a few times, and liked it. How about you?"

"Oh, yeah, I love it. I'm actually on the hockey team in Greenwall, and I'm definitely gonna be on it in college," JJ smiled back, "If I'm lucky I'll be in the rink for the rest of my life,"

"Really?" Zoey replied with a surprised smile, "That's a very bold thing to take on, JJ, going professional in any sport is hard,"

"I know, but I think I have a good chance," JJ confidently replied, "And it's been my dream forever, so I gotta try for it, there's no way I can't,"

"Oh don't get me wrong, you should absolutely chase your dream," Zoey swiftly agreed, "It's just going to be tough, but I'm sure you know that" JJ nodded back with an easy smile, "Well, at least you're not being foolish thinking it's going to be handed to you,"

"Not at all," JJ chuckled back,

"Yeah, JJ has always worked hard, especially on the hockey team," Eric pipped up causing Zoey's smile to fade away, "We used to practice together on the weekends, and he put me to shame every time,"

"Hey, it was fun, man," JJ chuckled, "And if it wasn't for that extra training, I may not have the chances I have now,"

"I still don't know how I ended up on the team," Eric smirked, "I wasn't built to be a hockey player,"

"You could ski, but play hockey...yeah, not so much," JJ jokingly replied, "You made a decent goalie though,"

"Yeah, except that scared the shit out of me, you fucking used to wing the puck at me, I swear it was gonna take my head off!" Eric exclaimed causing the two men to laugh, "Seriously, Zoey, it was scary shit,"

"Hmmm, I bet," Zoey mumbled back,

The trio went quiet for a moment, Zoey's reaction killing the conversation for a second, but Eric tried to bring it back, "Oh, Zoey, remember how one of the first dates I took you on was to go skiing?" Eric said causing JJ to close his eyes, internally knowing that Eric just crossed the line without realizing it,

"Stop," Zoey abruptly replied,

"What?" Eric asked back in confusion, "I was just saying that we-"

"Just fucking stop, Eric!" Zoey shouted back while JJ slowly shook his head, seeing the pond only a few feet ahead of them,

"So fucking close..." JJ said under his breath, nearly depressed that the peace couldn't be kept at least for the walk up to the pond,

"What?! What'd I do?!" Eric exclaimed with a toss of his hands,

"I don't want to fucking reminisce with you! I don't want to think about the things we used to do, and I don't want to fucking talk to you!" Zoey screamed back, "Just keep your mouth shut for once!" Eric's eyes went wide as he watched Zoey stand, taking deep long breaths, her whole body shaking with anger,

"Zoey...calm down, we don't-" Eric easily tried to say,

"Calm down?! Calm down?!" Zoey spat back, "Fuck you! You're such a piece of shit! You think that everyone is just going to forgive and forget your shitty actions and be your fucking friend?!" Zoey snapped, "You need to fucking get some awareness, Eric, learn that actions have consequences!"

"Look, I said I was sorry about us, what else can I do?" Eric groaned back, his hands lifted and pushing through his hair,

"I don't care about you and me, Eric! I just can't believe you'd leave me for Anna, this girl that you said you fucking loved and then you'd have sex with her best friend!" Zoey growled out, "Anna loved you with all her fucking heart, and you betrayed her!"

"W-Who told you that?" Eric stammered while JJ's eyes went wide,

"Anna did! When I was fucking holding her while she cried in my arms this morning! Me! Of all fucking people, I ended up comforting her because you made her betray her moral code thinking that it was for love when really, you didn't care! You fucked Nicole like it was nothing! Like Anna was nothing!"

"That's not true!" Eric shouted back, "It was a mistake, it was an awful, terrible, mistake that I want to fix but I can't right now because Anna is falling for Kenny's nice guy act just like you did!"

"Act?!" Zoey hissed, "He is not acting, asshole, he is a good guy unlike you! You're the only one acting here Eric!"

"Really, then how come he's fucked every girl here but Anna, and as soon as she's available and vulnerable, he's spending the day alone with her? Huh? How does that work?" Zoey pursed her lips and crossed her arms, "Yeah, tell me! Kenny can fuck every girl here and be the "nice guy" while I'm a complete scumbag?! He had sex with you when you were in tears over me, and boom, just like that he's onto Anna! How is no one else able to see that he's just checking you all off like a list?!"

"Okay, guys, calm down..." JJ lightly interjected,

"No, no, Zoey, fucking tell me! How is Kenny a good guy? Because he hides his motives well? Nicole told me last night that he fucked Mindy when they were both drunk, and Rachel right after they had an argument! He wastes no fucking time in finding a new partner whenever the last girl he was with does something he doesn't like!"

Zoey blinked a few times and lowered her head, not willing to respond, but she couldn't help but think about what Eric was saying. She did tell Kenny she wanted to think about them, but instead of waiting for her response, Kenny started shacking up with Anna after fucking Kailyn. Two girls...Kenny moved onto two girls in the short few hours after she told him she needed to think. Was Eric right? Was Kenny just using the girls here, pretending to be a nice guy who just "ends up" in these situations and uses sympathy and charm to get the next girl he wants? Did she end up falling for a trick in that cave?

"Eric, enough!" JJ's voice boomed out, "We all need to just fucking relax!" Eric let out a sharp exhale and turned away, storming towards the pond. JJ waited for a moment, watching Zoey who continued to stare down at the fluffy white snow at her feet, "Hey...you okay?"