No longer welcome to take her usual place at the power cheer table, Zoe scans the cafeteria for a friendly face, spotting Tristan across the lunch room sitting alone. Confused, she searches the room for his usual counterpart and sees Miles eating with Winston and Frankie a few tables over.
Heading towards Tristan's table, she places her tray down and slides into the chair across from the now brunette.
"Hey, why aren't you sitting with Miles? I thought you two were attached at the mouth" she says, only half-joking.
Tristan doesn't look up from his plate, just continues poking at his meatloaf with the fork in his hand. "Obviously not."
Zoe studies his plate noticing he's barely touched his meal, but doesn't bring it up; choosing instead to address his snark. "Hey don't take it out on me because you and boy blue are having a lovers spat."
Tristan responds by throwing Zoe an annoyed glare that virtually screams 'drop it', but she simply shrugs it off in her usual fashion.
"Besides", she continues. "I'm sure whatever it is will blow over and you two will go back to making heart eyes at each other in no time."
"No. We wont." Tristan answers, his cold tone a stark contrast to his usual chipper demeanor.
Zoe just rolls her eyes at his sour mood, knowing Tristan's penchant for dramatics. "Don't be so melodramatic Tris. You're probably just over-"
"We broke up okay!" Tristan practically yells, standing abruptly from his seat.
"Something you would know if you were ever actually around." He adds, grabbing his tray before stalking off and dumping the contents into the garbage with a loud crash.
Shaking off the initial shock of his outburst, Zoe follows suit; dumping her tray as well before rushing after him.
Neither of them notice Miles staring at the exit they'd hurried through.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Zoe finds Tristan in the drama room, sitting on stage with his feet dangling off the edge. She approaches cautiously, taking a seat beside him on the platform.
"I'm sorry I haven't been around much lately. I-"
"It's okay." Tristan tells her.
"It's not you I'm really mad at anyway. It's not even him." He adds, sounding resigned.
"I just-" he starts, gaze focused on his lap where his fingers pick absently at unseen specks of lint.
"I feel so fucking stupid" he says, unable to stop the tears that follow, and Zoe scoots in closer to place a comforting hand on his back.
"Tris, what happened?" she asks, her concern evident.
"What happened is I let myself believe I could actually have something good when I knew better" he says, almost angrily.
"Guys like me don't get guys like them" he continues, mostly to himself.
"Them?" Zoe asks, not quite understanding who else Tristan was referring to.
"Miles... Grant."
"Oh Tris." Zoe replies, sympathetic.
"They both manipulated me, made me think I was special, that we had a connection. And I wanted it to be real. But Grant only wanted to use me for sex. And Miles has wanted to be with Maya this whole time."
"Wait. Miles told you that?" Zoe asked, confused. Miles always looked genuinely happy around Tristan.
"He didn't deny it." Tristan answers, sounding more hurt than angry now.
"Whats wrong with me Zoe? Why is it so hard for people to love me?"
"Hey. I love you Tris, and believe me when I say there is nothing wrong with you. Guys are just... stupid. What happened with Mr. Yates, that- that wasn't your fault. And Miles has... issues. He wouldn't know a good thing if it hit him in the face. You are the easiest person to love, and anyone who knows you and doesn't is an idiot."
Tristan finally looks up at her when she's done, and Zoe smiles softly, wiping at his tear-stained cheeks.
"She's right you know."