Chapter 21(5)Side Story

The Last Page of Us

Zach never thought goodbyes would be this quiet.

For the past few weeks, he had slowly learned to live without Lena. It wasn't easy, but it was happening. The weight in his chest wasn't as suffocating as before. The ache was still there, but it no longer controlled him.

Tonight was different. Tonight was closure.

Lena had asked to meet one last time. Not at the café, not at the bookstore, not in any of the places they used to visit. She had chosen the beach—a place that neither of them had any history in, a place untouched by their memories.

Zach arrived just as the sun was beginning to set, its golden light reflecting off the waves. The sky was a mixture of soft pinks, oranges, and a deepening blue that reminded him of a painting—beautiful, fleeting, impossible to capture.

Lena was already there, standing barefoot in the sand, the wind playing with her platinum blonde hair.

He approached her slowly, hands stuffed in his pockets. "Didn't think you'd pick a place like this."

She turned to him with a small smile. "I figured it'd be easier if there were no ghosts here."

Zach let out a quiet chuckle. "Smart."

They stood in silence, watching the waves roll in and out, neither of them rushing to fill the quiet. It was the kind of silence that didn't need breaking, the kind that carried all the words they weren't saying.

Lena was the first to speak. "Do you remember when we first met?"

Zach scoffed. "Of course. You were a nightmare."

She laughed, nudging him lightly. "I was not!"

"You were! You spilled juice all over my notebook and didn't even apologize."

Lena grinned. "I was five! I barely knew what an apology was."

Zach shook his head, smiling at the memory. "Yeah. And somehow, we still became best friends."

She hummed. "It was easy. Being with you always felt easy."

His smile faltered slightly. "Until it wasn't."

Lena's expression softened. "Yeah."

Another pause. Another wave crashing against the shore.

Zach inhaled deeply, trying to find the right words. "I don't hate you, Lena."

"I don't hate you either."

"I think… I just hated the way things ended."

She nodded. "Me too."

They turned to face each other, the wind carrying the unspoken words between them.

Lena took a step closer. "I know we're not meant to be, Zach. But I hope you know that doesn't mean what we had wasn't real."

Zach swallowed, his throat tight. "I know."

She reached out, hesitating for a second before taking his hand. Her fingers were warm, familiar, but not the same as before.

"This is our last page, isn't it?" Zach asked.

Lena smiled, but there was sadness in her eyes. "Yeah. I think it is."

He squeezed her hand once before letting go. "Then let's make it a good one."

Lena took a deep breath, looking at the ocean one last time before turning back to him. "Goodbye, Zach."

Zach felt the finality in her words. But for the first time, it didn't crush him. It didn't break him.

Instead, he smiled. A real, genuine smile.

"Goodbye, Lena."

And just like that, she walked away.

The Echoes of the Past

Zach stayed behind, watching the waves erase their footprints in the sand.

He thought about the years they had spent together—how they had grown up side by side, how their friendship had turned into something more, and how, despite everything, they had unraveled.

The first time he realized he had feelings for Lena was during their high school graduation. They had sneaked out after the ceremony, climbing up to the rooftop of the school just to sit and talk. The sky had been a deep shade of blue, the stars barely visible through the city lights. Lena had been laughing about something—probably one of his dumb jokes—and he remembered thinking that he wanted to keep that moment forever.

But life didn't work that way.

Lena had dreams that took her miles away, and Zach had responsibilities that kept him grounded. They tried to make it work, they really did. But love wasn't always enough.

Somewhere between the late-night calls that became less frequent and the messages that went unanswered, they drifted.

The breakup hadn't been messy. There had been no shouting, no accusations. Just a quiet, mutual understanding that they weren't the same people anymore.

And yet, it had still hurt.

Zach sighed, running a hand through his hair.

It was strange how love worked. How someone could mean everything to you, and then, one day, they became just another memory.

Not a regret. Not a mistake. Just a chapter that had reached its end.

Moving Forward

Zach sat down on the sand, letting the waves reach his feet.

The sun was almost gone now, the sky darkening into deeper shades of blue and purple. The sound of the ocean was calming, steady.

For the first time in a long while, he didn't feel stuck in the past.

Lena had been an important part of his life, but she wasn't his whole story.

There were still new chapters waiting to be written.

A small vibration in his pocket pulled him out of his thoughts. He pulled out his phone and saw a message from Caesar.

Caesar: Are you coming tomorrow? Blythe and I are waiting for your answer.

Zach hesitated for a moment before typing back.

Zach: Yeah. I'll be there.

A few seconds later, another message popped up.

Caesar: Good. Don't be late, idiot.

Zach chuckled, shaking his head.

Maybe the past was behind him. But the future?

The future was waiting.

And for the first time in a long while—he was ready to face it.

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Side Story: Complete.