Something Worth Living For (Watty Awards 2011)

(Chapter 21)Something Worth Living For

Chapter 21

Eric swung the bat, hitting the ball a little harder each time. It wasn’t that hard to hit a baseball being flung at you at a high speed, when you had the right motivation and Jared Martin’s face was definitely the right motivation. It had been five days since he’d seen Ally, since she’d run out on him.

Another ball was flung his way and yet again Eric hit it with all the force his angered body would allow. He’d been in turmoil for the past few days, obsessing about Allison and Jared together. It had been hard for him to comprehend that he’d lost her. And the worst part about losing her this time was that he knew it was for real. There were no more rounds left. Jared had won her fair and square.

Eric’s hand gripped the bat even tighter as he tried to supress the memories of Allison in his arms that Friday night. He’d been so sure he could have won her over, convinced her that he loved her. He’d seen the look in her eyes, felt the way she responded to him. Her passion, her love had matched his.

He’d considered going after her, or calling her over the last several days, but every time her dialled her number he just hung up. What was he supposed to say to her? He knew at some point he’d have to talk to her, they did share a daughter after all.

Chloe…

This was going to be so hard for her. It was obvious that whatever civil relationship he and Ally shared before was obliterated and that things would be strained. Being friends with Ally had been beneficial for Chloe. Eric couldn’t help but wonder what a strained relationship between her parents would do to Chloe. She was so young. They took things differently at her age.

He knew he had to make things right with Allison, someday. He’d bow to failure and take one for the team. Chloe’s happiness was always on his mind, so for her sake he’d do whatever it took to make things right. He’d even be civil to Jared.

The sound of the baseball clinging off the gated fence that surrounded the batting area, echoed through the almost deserted playing area, as he took another hit. He remembered when he’d brought Ally here when they’d been dating. She’d squealed like a girl when the baseball was shot from the machine, making Eric breakout in laughter.

“It’s not funny.” She’d whined as she hit the protective fence with the bat, where he’d stood watching her. “That machine could kill you.”

“Ally, the speed is at its lowest it can go. Look over there.” He pointed to a girl in another batting cage; she couldn’t have been more than fourteen years old. “She’s younger than you and she can do it.”

“Yeah well, she’s probably been doing this since she could hold a bat. And, I bet, she’s not sport illiterate like me.” She stated with a fling of the bat, which had almost hit her in the face.

“Wow, watch out.”

“You see? I can’t even hold a bat. Why did you bring me here?”

Eric walked inside the cage. “Because you wanted to do something I liked.”

“I did? I must have been crazy.” She shook her head. “No you must be crazy for liking balls being flung at your face.”

Eric looked at her with humour in his eyes. “You do realise what you just said right?”

Allison took a moment to think, before she burst into fits of laughter. “Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to come out like that.”

“Sure you didn’t.”

She gave him her sweetest smile, bright enough to blind any man. “Why do you even like doing this?”

“When I was younger I was an angry kid. Sports was something I always admired and coming here, hitting a few rounds. It really helped relieve some of the tension.” He admitted.