The Triple Date Disaster

Chapter 19: Splitting Up... Again

"You have got to be kidding me!"  Aaron yelled at Ash as she stood there smug, acting as if she did something impressive by giving them one of the hardest choices of their lives.

"No, I'm not kidding.." Ash said it like she was telling a toddler to give up his new toy to his sister.  However on the bright side, we all know how that usually goes down... not well.

"There is no possible way we can make that decision!"  Travis interjected.

While Aaron and Travis were desperately trying to get Ash to change the deal, Zane had to take some time to think for himself.

Kawaii~Chan, or literally everyone else they know?  It should be an easy decision, but felt merely impossible.  Yes, going back to the resort would save everyone; except the love of his life.

Zane could hear Aaron, Travis, and Ash yelling in the background.  After a little while he heard Aaron going back and forth with her:

"Three minutes left!"

"That is not fair! You can not expect us to-"

"Two and a half!"

"We can't just leave Kawaii~Chan!"

"Two!"

"Ash!  Please!"

"One and a half minutes!"

Zane, unlike what was to be expected, was calm.  Even with Ash counting down the minutes, he felt a serenity and knew what exactly he needed to do.  Kawaii~Chan was more important to him then anyone else at Starlight, the decision was clear.

"One minute!" he heard Ash call.

Zane interrupted, "Go back to Starlight".

"What?" Aaron, Travis, and Ash all asked in unison.  Really?  Zane wanted to go back to Starlight with Kawaii~Chan still in the woods?

"Zane..."  Aaron began to argue but couldn't finish the sentence.  He was speechless.

Zane continued, "You guys go back to Starlight, I'm going to stay here and look for Kawaii~Chan".

Aaron and Travis were shocked, but Ash just had a smile of pure deceit.  Almost like she was planning... no, counting on him to make that decision.  Like she knew he was gonna want to stay back.

Travis spoke first, "Zane... you already got lost once in these woods!  I don't exactly think.."

Aaron interrupted, "Travis is right!  We'll all stay back and look for Kawaii~Chan!"

Zane was touched at what Aaron said, that he would stay back even when he knew Aphmau was back at Starlight.  He couldn't help but ask, "What about Aphmau?"

"She's... safe at Starlight!  Zane, if we leave you you may never make it back to Starlight!  We don't know where it is!  If we're all together we have a better chance of finding Starlight later on".

"Aaron, I'm staying.  You need to go find Aphmau!  I care about her too, so you really think I want her with my brother?  Gross!"

"But what if you get stuck here forever?  What will Aphmau say when she finds out?  What about your mom?  What about-"

"Tell them, at least I have Kawaii~Chan"

"Zane no-"

Just then Ash started the count down again, "Come on!  I'm already here three minutes more than I agreed!  I'm leaving!  Come on you two!  Are we taking Katelyn?"

Travis protested, "No way!  Zane is basically our brother, we can't just leave him here!  We've all been through so much!"

Zane spoke to Ash, "Yes take Katelyn, everyone but me"

Ash answered, "Works for me!"

As Travis, Aaron, and Katelyn began to get surrounded in Ash's pink smoke, Zane called out, "Go rescue your girlfriends, I'll rescue mine!"

"No!"

Then Zane began to fade away as the three were being teleported back to Starlight..

"Zane!"

But just like that, he was gone.  Again.  Gosh the readers are gonna hate me for this...

*****

Aaron and Travis were now standing in the middle of the Starlight resort, with Katelyn a few feet away.  Ash was no where to be seen.  Probably because she valued her life and she knew Travis and Aaron were ready to kill her right about now.

"I can't not believe that stupid. fat. little. nugget!" Travis said with his fists in the air.

Aaron tried to calm Travis down, "Travis, I'm upset too.  But the reality is Zane did a very noble thing, and I don't think that was the last time we'll see him.  Or Kawaii~Chan.  Aphmau wouldn't stand for that."

"You're right..." Travis said with a laugh.

"Besides, we need to worry about the girls right now.  We just need to trust Zane knows what he's doing or else it will just hold us back."

"When did you get so wise?"

"When I met Aphmau.  She brought the best out of me.  Before her I was isolated, a loner, and afraid of who I was.  I need to get her back."

Travis simply nodded his head as if in respect and understanding, he had similar feeling toward Katelyn.  She brought the best out of him to.  Sure, he wasn't imprisoned before he met her, but one thing changed.  Before Katelyn Travis was a total player, couldn't stick with any girl.  But since they started hanging out, he isn't all over everyone else.  

Sure, he'll jokingly flirt with a waitress just to get Katelyn all riled up, but deep down he knew Katelyn was the right one for him.  That no other girl would make him feel the same way as Katelyn did.

Travis grabbed Katelyn's hand and began to lead her as Aaron lead them back to the apartment.

Once they got inside it looked so empty, deserted even.  They searched all the rooms, but couldn't find anyone.

Seriously?!?!?  For all they knew while Ash was bringing them here she teleported everyone to the wood... wouldn't put it past her to be honest.

Just then they noticed a bright green light, and turned to notice that Katelyn's eyes were lighting up.  Travis walked over to her, "Katelyn?  Are you okay?  Do you know why your eyes are glowing?"

She looked like she was in a trance, almost like she was listening to something... that's same way she looked in their room a few days ago.  Except this time her eyes were glowing green.

She nodded, then ran upstairs, and Aaron and Travis followed.  She entered Aaron and Aphmau's room, and walked to the window.  She looked out at the resort, as if looking for something?

"Katelyn?" Travis eased.

She abruptly turned toward him and the green left her eyes, waited about five seconds, and returned.  They needed to find Lucinda, they were running out of time.

She spoke, "I know where they are."

"Lead the way!"  Aaron urged.

She jumped out the window.

WHAT!?

Then Travis jumped.

DO THEY REALIZE THEY'RE 10 STORIES HIGH!?

What the heck... Aaron jumped too.

Instead of landing on the cold unforgiving pavement, they grabbed onto a way to convenient rope and landed safely on the grass.  Why was that even there?

She walked to the back of the building and began knocking on a medal door, no, pounding!

"Katelyn, don't hurt yourself!  It's just a basement, or at least that's what it looks like." Travis said.

Right after that the door was answered by... APHMAU!

Aaron was so relieved and happy he could of jumped up and down, but instead he ran up to her and gave her a big hug.  

Aphmau pushed him away almost immediately and asked, "I'm sorry... who are you?"