Behind The Lies

Confused feelings

Bella and Zack sat across from each other at a crowded table in the cafeteria. The air was alive with the chatter of students and the clatter of trays. Bella, her eyes sparkling with excitement, leaned forward.

"You won't believe who I ran into at the Wright's house yesterday!" she exclaimed, a smile spreading across her face. "Tina, Jesiah, and Peter were all there. It felt just like old times!"

"You went to the Wright's house?" Zack asked, confused about her adventures yesterday.

"Yes!" Bella replied full of excitement, Zack perked up at the mention of their friends, but a shadow crossed his face when she added, "And I couldn't help but think about Hanes. I was expecting to see—"

 Zack's expression darkened instantly. "Bella, you need to let that go. Hanes isn't coming back. He left us a long time ago." His voice was low, each word laced with frustration and sadness.

Bella's enthusiasm faltered as she met his gaze, noticing the hurt behind his anger. "I know, but I just thought—"

"No," Zack interrupted, his jaw tightening. "You need to stop hoping. We've moved on, and you can't keep bringing him up. It's not fair."

Silence hung between them for a moment, heavy with memories of their childhood, the laughter, the adventures, all brightened by Hanes's presence. Zack felt a familiar ache return, a reminder of the best friend who had once been like a brother. He glanced away, swallowing the lump in his throat.

Bella sighed, her heart aching for Zack. "I just thought maybe he's there with them, thought he'd want to see us again," she said softly. "We all miss him, and I'm sure you do too."

Zack went silent for a while, hesitating to admit that he does miss his best friend. 

"Y... Maybe... Maybe I do," Zack admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But missing him doesn't mean we can drag that pain back into our lives. It just hurts too much."

Looking at her, he realized they shared the same sorrow, but the burden of hope weighed heavier on her. As they sat there, surrounded by the noise of the cafeteria, Bella reached across the table, placing her hand over his.

"We'll get to see him soon, don't we?" she suggested, trying to lighten the moment. "Maybe this time you'll understand the reason for that letter, there's a possibility that he did make one for you."

Zack slowly nodded hesitating to agree, feeling the warmth of her hand. And for that fleeting second, they found solace in each other's company, navigating the bittersweet nostalgia together. "Anyways,"

Zack leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the table as he steered the conversation away from the tension of their bittersweet memories. "So, Bella," he began, his tone more casual, "about this contract. I mean, are you truly okay with everything? This isn't just about us, it's also about our families and the business." His eyes searched hers for signs of doubt.

Bella hesitated, her gaze drifting to the ground. "I guess... I didn't have much choice in the matter, did I? It feels more like a duty than an actual decision."

Before Zack could respond, Carlos strolled in, his easy smile breaking the blue atmosphere. "Hey, Bella! Great to see you again!" He then turned to Zack, offering another cheerful greeting. "And hi, I'm Carlos."

Zack couldn't help but feel a twitch of annoyance at his presence. "Yeah, hey," he replied, forcing himself to sound unbothered even as a wave of jealousy washed over him.

"Oh, by the way, may I borrow Bella for a second?" Carlos asks, waiting for Zack to accept his request, Carlos turns and looks at Bella who is staring at Zack, and then he goes to look at Zack again. "I was just going to ask something to her about-"