Chapter 5

The other guys knew Scott was just trying to change the subject to cover up their mess, so they chimed in right away. "Yeah, Scott, weren't you supposed to be with Katie? What are you doing back here?"

"Scott, how could you ditch Katie and come running back? Just for that girl? Don't tell me you're actually falling for her?"

Scott instinctively retorted, "Are you kidding me? I only love Katie."

"So why'd you come back, huh? Isn't it because you're scared we'll hurt Victoria? Don't forget, everything we're doing is for Katie to get her memory back. What's so wrong about that? And now you're just here messing things up for us. Is this really fair to Katie?"

Just as Scott was about to argue back, his phone rang. Katie was calling right on cue. "Scott, where are you? Why aren't you here yet? I... I feel terrible."

Scott paused for a few seconds, then decided to come clean. "I'm at the hospital."

Katie's tone immediately got more intense. "So you're still with Victoria? I told you I needed you, but you just won't leave the hospital. Is she really more important than me? So what am I to you?"

Scott rushed to explain, "No, that's not it. You're always the most important to me!"

Scott kept trying to talk, but Katie stayed silent. All he could hear was her quiet sobbing through the phone.

Scott's buddy jumped in, "Scott, talking isn't enough. You gotta prove it to Katie with your actions. You ditched her and came running back here, and now she's really upset."

"This is all Victoria's fault. She made Katie so upset, so she's gotta pay! Scott, why don't you leave Victoria on a deserted island for a day? Let her see what it's like to be abandoned."

Scott shot back right away, "No way."

Katie pressed, "Why not? Is it because you still care about her?"

Scott tried to explain, "That island's been untouched since I bought it. Nobody knows what's out there. Victoria just got attacked by a dog, she can barely take care of herself right now. She wouldn't last a day out there."

Katie said, "You're still protecting her! You never used to be like this. Scott, if it weren't for her, I never would've lost my memories of you. We could've been together long ago."

Scott's buddy said, "Scott, I just have a feeling. After this, Katie will remember it all."

Scott was silent for a long time before finally saying, "Alright, I will do as you say."

Victoria listened to Scott, then closed her eyes, feeling a sense of relief wash over her.

'Scott, if you can leave me behind, then I'm letting you go too,' Victoria told herself.

Scott hung up, looking torn as he glanced at Victoria. Then he texted her: [Didn't you always say you wanted to go to the beach for a vacation? How about I take you there to help you relax?]

Victoria didn't say anything. She just took a moment to send Romeo the location of Scott's deserted island, so he'd know where to get her.

After that, she let Scott put her clothes on for her and carry her out to the car.

After a long, winding journey, they finally arrived at the deserted island on a speedboat, right at three in the morning.

Scott video-called Katie. "I've left Victoria on the deserted island."

Katie smiled. "I knew you cared about me the most, Scott. Now that she's there, come back on the boat. It's really dark at home, and I'm kind of scared."

Scott hesitated, wanting to say something, but in the end, he just nodded. "Alright, I'll head back and stay with you."

Scott shot Victoria a quick look, then typed on his phone: [I forgot the fireworks I brought for you. I'll take the speedboat back to get them. I'll be back soon, so be good and wait for me here, okay?]

Scott put his phone down, paused for a few seconds, then left without looking back.

He didn't look at Victoria even once. She knew he was trying to avoid her.

Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Romeo.

Victoria picked up, and Romeo's voice came through, sounding all smug. "Victoria, I ditched a meeting halfway through just for you. How cool am I?"

Off in the distance, she could just make out the lights of a speedboat. She knew it was Romeo coming to get her.

Just then, her phone lit up with a message. It was from Katie.

She said: [Hope you enjoy the present I picked out for you, Victoria.]

Suddenly, Victoria heard howling from somewhere not too far behind her. She instantly recognized the sound. It was wolves.

Turns out Katie had a cruel trick up her sleeve. She never meant for Victoria to leave this place alive.

'Maybe that's for the best,' Victoria thought. 'Let Scott believe I was devoured by the wild out here.'

Victoria pulled out her phone, blocked Scott everywhere, and deleted all his info. She said quietly to herself, "Scott, I'm not waiting for you to come back. This time, I'm really done with you."

'Scott, after this, I never want to see you again,' Victoria told herself.

Romeo had just pulled up to the shore, ready to jump off the boat and chat with Victoria, but the island was so thick with trees it looked totally wild, like nobody had ever tried to develop it.

Romeo got off the yacht and walked over to Victoria, grinning. "Victoria, what are you doing out here all alone in the middle of the night? Playing survivalist on a deserted island?"