Dirty Little Secret

*POV Switch*

I glance at my phone; Brian’s calling for the seventh time in the last hour. I’d answer but I’m pretty sure I know what he’s calling about.

He’s going to tell me that I need to be there with everyone else, ready to welcome Angel’s baby into the world. I don’t understand why it’s so important to everyone else that I’m there. It’s not my baby.

Besides, Angel and I haven’t even talked to each other in six months, half a year, that’s a long time to go with no contact and I’m supposed to drop everything because she’s giving birth to Chuck’s bastard child? I don’t think so.

I pull into my driveway and sigh. Driving around didn’t do shit. Of course it probably didn’t help that Bri and the guys were taking turns calling me the whole time. I wonder if they’d give up if I answered the fucking phone.

I walk into the house and Icky comes running over to me. I smile at him; he’s the cutest ball of fuzz I’ve ever seen in my life. I pick him up and carry him over to the couch where I plop down and watch some TV.

I begin to flip through channels, attempting to find something to watch.

My phone rings. Again.

“Damn it! What the fuck do they want now?” I mutter, picking up the phone. “Hello?”

“Zack, you finally picked up the Goddamn phone!” Johnny’s voice comes from the other end.

“Hey, Johnny. What’s up?”

“Oh, not much. I’m just wondering why the fuck you aren’t down here!”

“Like I told Val, I’m busy today.”

“Look, I get it. I know you’re pissed that she broke your heart and all that shit, but she’s your friend and she really needs you here.”

Did Brian go around telling the whole damn world that she broke my heart? Seriously, where the fuck did Johnny get that information?

“She doesn’t need me there. She’s got Val and Myla. I’d say she’s set. And then there’s you, Matt, Bri, Jimmy, Myla’s Brian, Lacey, Michelle, and Leana. Not to mention the guys in Simple Plan. I don’t think she needs anymore people there.”

“Why do you have to be so fucking stubborn, man? I swear Angel’s stubbornness rubbed off on you last time you saw each other.”

I clench my jaw, I’m not fucking stubborn.

“Listen, the next time you guys call me she better be dying or that baby is born. I don’t want to hear anymore of you guys trying to convince me that I need to be there when you all know very well that I don’t!”

I quickly hang up the phone before he has a chance to answer.

I know that I’m being an asshole right now. But I guess that’s me; I’m just an asshole. And I can’t change the way I am.

The sound of crying brings me back to reality. I look at the TV in disgust. It’s one of those damn shows they play on TLC where women let cameras film them as they give birth.

I quickly change the channel. Why are there so many fucking baby shows on TV? Honestly? Are they trying to tell me that there are actually people out there who like to watch total strangers give birth on TV? There’s no point.

I turn off the TV and let out a sigh.

I hate to admit it, but I kinda want to be there with them. I want to see Angel… It’s been too long since we’ve seen each other… But I don’t want to see her with Chuck. Nor do I want to see her with Chuck and their baby.

Ichabod jumps up onto my lap and I scratch behind his ears.

“What do you wanna do, Icky?” I ask the small dog, wishing that the damn day would be over with already.