The words struck Zack like a blow, his smile faltering as confusion replaced the joy in his eyes. He stared at her, trying to process what she had just said. "What are you talking about?" he asked with a mix of disbelief and fear. "You… don't know me?"
Bella's expression shifted to one of unease, her chest tightening as a faint sense of panic began to creep in. She clearly didn't recognize him. 'What is he acting like we know each other?' she thought, restless.
Zack's face crumpled, a mix of heartbreak and desperation flashing in his eyes. "It's me." He leaned closer as he grasped her shoulders gently but firmly. "Zack. Don't you remember me? How could you forget?"
She shook her head slowly. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered. "I don't remember you."
Her confusion mirrored in her eyes, and she couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that she should know him, but no memory surfaced.
