Dirty Little Secret

*POV Switch*

“Zack, when?” Johnny asks dumbfounded.

“You’re who she was with in Long Beach!” Pierre exclaims with dawning realization.

“She did go off on a rendezvous…” Jeff says softly.

“No, it wasn’t like that,” I try to explain. “We just happened to be in the same place at the same time.”

“Like we haven’t heard that before,” David mutters. He takes a step towards me. “What were you two thinking having unprotected sex? You both know better! Do you know what you’ve done to her?”

“We were drunk!”

They all stare at me, jaws hanging open. In hindsight, I could have approached that much better... So much better...

“Angel doesn’t drink,” Seb says matter-of-factly.

“Well she did that night and will probably never drink again because of this,” I retort.

“I don’t buy it,” David says gruffly.

“Then ask her yourself. Look, I didn’t even know I’m the father until today and the only reason she told me is because the baby’s eyes are so green.”

They all fall silent and look at me oddly.

“How could you not know?” Johnny asks, looking at me like I’m an idiot. “I mean when we saw her six months ago and realized she was pregnant didn’t it ever dawn on you that the kid was yours?”

“The thought did come to mind, Johnny. But I quickly started to believe that I wasn’t the father because she told me that it was Chuck's.”

“She wouldn’t do that. Angel doesn’t lie like that; she wouldn’t lie like that,” David defends.

“Well she did. She told me that she had slept with Chuck a week or two before she had slept with me and that the kid was his. But it turns out that she’s never even slept with him.”

“And you didn’t realize how transparent that was?”

I glare at David.

“No, I didn’t realize how transparent it was. I thought it was a possibility, especially since we used protection.”

“How drunk were you?” David questions with a raised eyebrow.

“Why do you ask?”

“Because you remember a minute detail like wearing a condom.”

“So?”

“David’s got a point, Zack. I know when I’m wasted I can barely remember what happened the night before. That’s an odd detail to remember,” Johnny butts in.

My jaw clenches. Johnny, why did you have to open your fucking mouth?

“Zack, how drunk were you?” Jimmy asks softly.

“Not as drunk as she was…”

“That doesn’t answer the question,” David replies tersely.

“Fine, I wasn’t all that drunk. I was barely even tipsy. Does that make you feel better? I didn’t drink a lot because I wanted to make sure she would be okay, I was trying to keep her safe!”

“But Zack, how could you take advantage of her like that?” Lacey asks softly.

“Don’t you guys think I realize what I did to her was terrible? I woke up the next morning and had to look at her face when she realized we had slept together; I felt like shit. But I wasn’t thinking with my head that night. I had just had my heart broken, I was with a beautiful girl, and I threw reason and rationality out the damn window.”

“That’s no excuse,” David mutters.

He looks like he’s ready to kill me; prepared to tear me limb from limb. I finally understand what Angel meant when she says that David's like a big brother to her.

“Look, David, I’m sorry! I never imagined any of this happening. We just saw it as a drunken mistake and put it behind us.”

“A drunken mistake that wasn’t so drunk on your part and can’t be put in the past because there’s a child now, Zack!”

I glare at him.

“And you better step up to the plate and take care of this little girl. If you don’t I swear to God--”

“Shut the fuck up, David," I growl. "You know I’ll do the right thing. I’m not as big of a jerk as you think I am. Now stop being pissy, I’m sorry and I feel like shit. Isn’t that enough for you?”

I turn and walk away before he has a chance to reply. I'm thankful that no one bothers to follow me; maybe they're still recovering from shock or maybe they think I'm pissed enough to knock them out. Either way, I'm glad.

I don’t need to put up with this shit! The last thing I would dream of doing is leaving Angel alone with this baby. Even if Chuck’s going to be taking care of her I want to play some part in her life. I’m not as big of a jackass people seem to think I am.