A Shot In The Dark

**Zacky’s POV**

I followed Val into her room, irritated with the entire situation. How could she bring someone around that would cause drama. Why didn’t Shiloh just tell me the truth, it would have been better if she had from the beginning. Then we wouldn’t be here. I thought to myself. When I entered Val’s room she shut the door and motioned me to sit down.

I took a seat on her bed, watching her as she towered over me. “What do you want?” I asked coldly.

“What do I want?” She scoffed at me, “Are you dense Vengeance?”

“Val, I’m tired, I’m hungover, I just walked away from someone that I’m happy with,” I shot back at her. “Get on with it.”

Her eyes narrowed and I knew right then that I was in for a world of pain. “Get on with it? Seriously Zachary? You’re leaving her for something that happened a long time ago, almost 7 years ago. You’re judging her based on what Michelle has told Brian about her. You’re not listening to the whole story, you’re listening to what Michelle has drug out over all these years. And to top things off? You’re fucking lying to her by omitting everything with Gina.”

I stood up from the bed, “You know nothing about that Val. You don’t get to judge me on shit when you’re the one who opened up this can of worms by bringing her around. You knew how Michelle felt about it and she’s been with Brian for the last 5 years. She has seniority, I’m outranked.”

Val got up in my face, snarling at me, “Keep it up Zachary, I’d love to kick your ass. You are setting yourself up for heartache. I’d handle Michelle, and they’d be civil. But no, you’d rather never let anyone know who your future ex-wife is.”

“You don’t know shit about what’s going on with Gina, Valary! It’s none of your business when we finalize the divorce and yes I am fucking married. That’s only a technicality until it goes through. I’m separated, I’m leaving the marriage!” I shouted at her.

“You’re still fucking married Zachary! You still should have been honest if you wanted her to be honest with you!” Val stepped closer leaving barely an inch between the two of us.

Both of us were caught up in the moment that we didn’t hear the door open. I looked over towards the door way needing to look away from Val, until I saw her eyes. Her bloodshot eyes filled with betrayal and pain. I felt a sharp pain shoot through my heart; fuck…I caused that.

“You’re married?” she whispered looking at me, not meeting my eyes.

“Shi…I…” I was about to apologize or make an excuse when she cut me off.

“I don’t want to hear it Zacky,” she quickly swiped another tear away from her eyes. “You’re right, we should end this.”

“Shi…” I tried calling after her, but it was too late.

As she walked back to her room, every ounce of my being begged me to reach out and pull her back to me; to wipe away the tears that I’d caused. Instead I stayed cemented in my place. When the door slammed shut, it felt like all the air had been sucked out of my lungs. I felt empty. Alone. Ashamed.

Matt, Val, and I stood there in silence, Shiloh turning up Three Days Grace to drown out the sounds of her pain. “You should have been honest from the beginning Zacky,” Val shook her head and left her room.

“I think you should leave Zack, I’ll take care of her and Val will bring me home later,” Matt told me crossing his arms.

I nodded and looked at Shiloh’s closed door before I walked down the hallway, through the front door, out of her life forever. Usually I’d be calling Brian or Matt, since neither of them are available for this, I called Johnny. Jimmy would be with Brian, I needed guy time. “Yellow?” Johnny said, fuck that son of a bitch never having a hangover.

“I need a beer, maybe a batting cage, interested?” I asked shortly starting my car.

“Mmmm….” He thought about it. “Yeah, okay. Pick me up?”

“Yeah, be there in 10,” I took one last look at the apartment and drove over to Johnny’s.

Three hours later, Johnny and I sat at a picnic table. We had ended up at the Hunting Sports Complex, brown bagging the 40s of beers. I slipped the kid at the stand an extra 100 to allow us to bring in beer. As I gripped the bat, swinging at the 50 MPH baseballs I couldn’t help but think about things with Shiloh. When the ball came up I swung like a champ, hitting the ball across the tented area.

“Wanna talk about it?” Johnny asked as he leaned against the fence.

“I don’t know if there’s really anything to talk about,” I said sadly. SCHWING. CLINK.

“You’re hitting the balls pretty hard for it to be nothing,” Johnny observed sipping his beer.

“Shiloh found out about Gina,” I strained as I hit another.

“From you?” Johnny asked as the machine stopped and we went to switch places.

“Kind of. Val and I were fighting, I had decided to break things off with Shiloh,” I didn’t meet his eyes and took a large gulp of my beer.

“Why would you do that, Z?” Johnny asked incredulously.

“What do you mean?” I raised an eyebrow, surprised that he felt this way.

“Why would you break off something that made you happier than I’ve seen you in years?” He put a token in the meter, taking his stance.

“I was hurt that she didn’t say anything and then the whole thing with Michelle. She’s been with Brian for years, this is brand new.” I stated honestly, “And, we’ve both lied to each other starting out.”

“Well yeah, but you were guilty of that too, and that shit happened back in high school from what I’ve heard,” Johnny stated swinging and missing the ball.

“I was,” I conceded, “but how can I bring her around when everyone hates her?”

“Who hates her?” Johnny turned his head to look at me.

“Hey, keep your eye on the balls flying at your head,” I snapped at him, concerned there’d be a wild pitch.

“Answer the question,” he demanded taking my advice and turning back towards the machine.

“Well, Brian hates her, he called her a whore. Michelle hates her,” I counted.

Johnny shook his head, “and they’re everyone huh?”

“Well no, but-“ I started.

“Zacky, we’re all grownups, if they can’t be civil towards someone they dislike then that’s on them. 90% of us love her, you guys would be good together,” Johnny chastised me.

I took another big gulp before answering, “Well it’s done now. She won’t take me back even if I begged her on my knees.”

Notes

What will happen next?