"Hey, Wendy?"
   Looking up from her bottle Wendy stared right at him. "What, Zac?"
   He felt the stage vibrating beneath him and thought wistfully about the subway below them. "Feelin' any better?" he asked as he twirled his own bottle between his hands.
   He didn't need to ask; he could still see the pain in her eyes. They were crying out their torment, and there was nothing for him to do now. The words had already been said, and you could never take words back.
   She pursed her lips and shook her head. "It still hurts."
   Zac sighed, "It'll be ok, you know? You're a great girl… we just… we're different. Our lifestyles are so different, Wendy. Everyone's surprised we lasted this long. But you'll find someone else. Someone better than me."
   He heard her sniffle as she gave off a weak watery laugh. "I've always had bad timing, Zac. Maybe if we met later on, we would have worked out."
   Zac nodded slowly, doubting her words but trying to placate her. Hoping to ease some of the pain that even he was feeling. It was getting harder and harder to break up with someone now.
   "I wish you didn't get in, Zac. I really wish you hadn't," Wendy told him tiredly as she took a pull from her bottle. She made a face at the taste, but took another drink anyway and let the tequila burn all the way down.
   Zac sipped at his beer and nodded, "Yeah, I know, Wendy. I know."
   She shook her head as she wiped at her eyes with the backs of her hands. "I hate you. I told you I didn't want you in. I told you I didn't want to be hurt. I knew that you would too. But you said you wouldn't. To just let you in… and you got in. No matter how many doors I closed in your face. You got in…"
   Wincing, Zac nodded. "Yeah, I did. I'm sorry, Wendy. I didn't mean to hurt you like this, but you'll find someone else. Someone better, who'll be around for more than two days at a time."
   Wendy scoffed, "Yeah right. I'm not letting anyone in now. My heart is definitely closed to the public now."
   Sipping more from his drink, Zac watched his boot heels randomly hit the front of the stage. He did this to her. Everything she was saying was true. He forced his way into her life. Wanting so bad to be a part of her… to be one of the pieces that completed her.
   It didn't take long though, he thought bitterly, for him to realize that he didn't fit the puzzle.
   Pushing himself up, Zac stood and held a hand out to her. "C'mon. I'll take you home."
   She shook her head, "No. I'll get a cab."
   She got up shakily, on her own. Refusing to allow him to even help her up. "See you, Zac."
   He nodded, "Yeah. See you, Wendy."
   Wendy watched him for a moment through liquor laced eyes and felt the tears come again as the pain made itself known through the alcohol. She nodded as well and walked away, slightly wavering on her feet.
   "Hey, Zac?" she called out hesitantly at the exit. She didn't even turn around.
   "Yeah?" he asked loudly to be heard.
   "When you see the next girl, and she has a closed sign on her heart…"
   "Yeah?" he asked again.
   "Make sure you read the sign and let her be, ok?" she asked him painfully.
   Biting his lip, Zac nodded. "I will."
   "Good," she called back. "Because I don't think the next one will be able to survive this."
   Wendy stepped outside, letting the heavy metal door clang loudly behind her.
   Zac waited until the echo's faded and slowly walked off the stage as well.