In the story, Zach is anxious about taking his driver's exam because he believes he needs to pass it to keep his girlfriend, Melissa, happy. Despite the high difficulty level of the test, he decides to cheat by creating a cheat sheet instead of studying. He initially feels confident after completing the written exam but is caught by his proctor during the driving test when he demonstrates a lack of knowledge and skill. 

As a result, he fails the driving test and gets caught cheating on the written portion, leading to the loss of his license and the breakup with Melissa, who reveals she was only interested in him for his ability to drive her around. Zach reflects on his mistakes and acknowledges the consequences of his actions, learning that taking shortcuts is not the right path. His friend offers to study with him for the next attempt, and they decide to grab a bite to eat instead of driving, finding a silver lining in their situation.