Zack & Khalil: A Love Forbidden - Chapter 2

For Chapter 1 of Zack & Khalil: A Love Forbidden click here.

Chapter 2
Zack Greinke pulled up to Khalil Greene's St. Louis studio four hours later. Khalil had fallen asleep on the phone not long into the drive.
"I'm here." the Royals ace whispered as he knelt down to the shortstop's resting head. "I'm just going to brush my teeth."
"Why did you wake me? I was having the strangest dream. I was still on the Padres, and Brain Giles - do you know Brian Giles?"
"I know of him." replied Zack from the bathroom.
"I was taking batting practice and Brian Giles was just leaning on the cage, watching me. Then he asked me if I ever tried batting lefty. I told him I had never tried, and he kept insisting that I should only bat lefty. It was so weird."
"Mmmhmm." Zack spat out his toothpaste and rinsed.
"That is weird." Zack rolled down his high socks and joined Khalil under the covers.
"Zack, what was my dream about?"
"You and Marcus Giles were taking batting practice."
"It was Brian Giles, Zack. Do you even hear me when I talk to you? Do my thoughts matter to you?" Khalil sat up and lit a cigarettee at the edge of the bed.
"What are you doing? You don't smoke." said Zack, shocked and disturbed.
"I took it up recently. I have nothing to do since I've been on the disabled list with my anxiety disorder. And you're never here. I don't know what you do all day."
"I play baseball. It's my job, you know that."
"What about me, Zack? While you're outside playing all day, I'm stuck inside this lousy apartment not knowing what to do with myself." Khalil stood up and began pacing around the room. Zack was out of ideas, and out of energy.
"Don't you think I miss playing? Two years ago I hit 27 home runs playing half my games in Petco Park. Now look at me!"
Standing in front of Zack was a broken man. Was this the same person who he had been sneaking around with for the last three years? He thought that Khalil's trade to the Cardinals last year would make things easier, but he could tell that Khalil was jealous of his recent success.
"Tony La Russa told me that if I feel like I'm ready to come back, he'll bat me in the 9-hole, after the fucking pitcher!"
"I thought the pitcher often batted eighth in La Russa's lineups." posed Zack.
"Whose side are you on anyway?" snapped Khalil.
"I just think you should try and calm down Khalil. Please come back to bed."
"I think you should leave Zack Greinke. Go on, get out of here!" This wasn't the first time Khalil had thrown him out of his place in the middle of the night, but it would be the last.
"You want me to leave Khalil? Fine. I'm going." Zack got out of bed, put his pants back on and gathered his things. "Don't you dare call me," he added before slamming the door behind him. As Zack continued down the hallway, he thought he heard a faint, "I'm sorry" from the apartment, but it was too late. Hopefully he could make it back to Kansas City before the sun came up.