Chapter 4 Need a talk

Zane sat in the dimly lit studio, staring blankly at the screen in front of him. The glow of the computer screen was the only light illuminating the room, casting long shadows against the walls. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, but his mind was elsewhere-far away, lost in memories he couldn't escape.

The music in the background faded into nothingness as his thoughts drifted back, slipping through the cracks of time.

Flashback: High School

The buzzing of a crowded high school hallway was deafening, the sounds of lockers slamming and students rushing to class filling the air. It was like any other day, or so Zane thought. He was walking with Carter, laughing about something ridiculous that had happened earlier. The two of them had been inseparable for months. Everyone in school knew about their relationship, and despite all the whispers and rumors, Zane had never cared. He had Carter, and that was enough.

But then everything changed.

They had just passed the lockers when Carter suddenly stopped walking. Zane, who had been talking about something trivial, bumped into him. "Carter?" Zane called, his voice laced with confusion.

Carter turned to face him, his eyes colder than Zane had ever seen. Zane couldn't quite place it. The warmth that used to radiate from Carter was gone. There was only a sharpness, an emptiness that made Zane's stomach twist.

"I don't want to do this anymore, Zane," Carter said, his voice flat and cold. "I'm done."

Zane's breath caught in his throat. He blinked, unable to comprehend what Carter had just said. "What do you mean? We've been-"

"No," Carter interrupted, cutting him off. "We're not doing this anymore. It was a mistake."

Zane's heart dropped into his stomach. "A mistake? Carter, what the hell are you talking about?"

"I don't want to be with you," Carter spat, his words sharp like daggers. "It was just a dare, Zane. You were never anything more than that."

Zane's chest tightened, his breathing becoming shallow. "A dare?" he whispered, the words sinking in. "What are you talking about?"

But Carter's expression didn't change. He stood there, arms crossed, cold and distant. He wasn't the Carter Zane knew, the Carter he had fallen in love with. This was someone else, someone who had manipulated him, used him as a pawn in a cruel game.

"Yeah, it was a dare," Carter repeated, his voice loud enough for everyone around to hear. "And I'm done now."

Before Zane could say anything more, Carter slapped him-hard. The force of it sent a stinging pain across Zane's cheek, and he staggered back, his heart racing. The students around them had stopped, all eyes on them as the scene unfolded. Zane's cheek burned, not just from the slap, but from the weight of the betrayal crashing down on him.

Tears blurred his vision, but he refused to let them fall. Not in front of Carter. Not in front of anyone.

Carter didn't wait for a response. Without another word, he turned, walking to another guy standing by the lockers-one Zane had never seen before. The guy was smirking, an air of arrogance about him. Carter leaned in, kissing the guy right in front of Zane, lips pressing together in a way that made Zane's heart shatter into a thousand pieces.

"You see, Zane?" Carter's voice was loud and clear, the words meant for everyone to hear. "I never cared about you. This was all just a dare. You were never worth anything more than that."

And with that, Carter turned, walking away with the guy-laughing like it was all a game.

Zane stood frozen, his entire body numb as the world around him spun out of control. The students, his classmates, had already started to gossip and laugh, whispering behind their hands. But Zane couldn't move. He couldn't process what had just happened. His body felt like it was stuck in place, glued to the ground by the weight of Carter's words.

Back in the present, Zane's fingers clenched into fists as the memory played out in his mind like a never-ending loop. He could still feel the sting of that slap, the humiliation, the betrayal. It felt like it happened just yesterday, and yet here he was-years later, still unable to forget it. Still unable to escape it.

He had been so in love with Carter. But Carter had crushed that love with one slap, one cruel word, and one kiss that had burned Zane's heart beyond repair. Zane hadn't wanted to let go. He hadn't wanted to believe the truth. But Carter had shown him that love was just a game, something to be used for amusement, a bet to be won.

And yet, here they were again.

Zane's phone buzzed on the desk, pulling him from his thoughts. He glanced at it without picking it up. It was from his mom, no doubt checking in about the progress of his "future" with Carter, pushing him to make something happen after that night in the hospital.

Zane didn't want to think about that. He didn't want to think about Carter's words, his agreement to marry Zane after his mother's request. But no matter how hard he tried to push it away, it lingered in the back of his mind, like an unfinished symphony waiting to be played.

Could he really marry Carter?

Zane let out a long, shaky breath, his gaze falling on the screen again. He couldn't escape it. The pain. The memories. Carter.

He wasn't sure what the future held. But one thing was clear-his past with Carter was far from over.

And maybe, just maybe, it was time to confront it once and for all.

The next day, the grand hall of Zane's house felt unusually heavy. The large windows let in the morning sunlight, but the atmosphere inside was anything but warm. Everyone had gathered-Zane's family, Carter's family, Ethan and Noah-but there was one person who held the attention of them all.

Zane sat at the head of the table, his fingers tapping nervously on the armrest of the chair. He could feel the weight of everyone's gaze on him, waiting for him to say something. It was the moment that everyone had been waiting for, the moment that would decide the future of not just his relationship with Carter, but also the future of both families.

Zane took a deep breath, pushing the unsettling thoughts to the back of his mind. His mother, sitting beside him, gave him a small encouraging smile. But Zane knew it was more out of hope than genuine confidence. She wanted him to be the one to make the next move, to take control, to do what was "right."

His thoughts immediately went back to Carter, to the memory of that slap, the words that had crushed him. Could he really marry the man who had caused him so much pain? The man who had hurt him so deeply all those years ago? And yet, despite everything, there was still something-something that kept him tethered to Carter, even after all this time. He didn't understand it. He couldn't explain it. But it was there.

The silence in the room stretched on, thick and suffocating. Every pair of eyes was fixed on him.

His heart pounded, and the seconds felt like hours. Zane opened his mouth, his voice hoarse as he finally spoke.

"I..." He swallowed hard, fighting the lump in his throat. "I'm ready to marry Carter," he said slowly, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside him.

A collective sigh seemed to release from everyone in the room.

But Zane wasn't finished.

"But," he added, his voice strong, cutting through the silence, "I want to talk to Carter alone first. Before anything is finalized.