(present)

Damn it.

I rolled back my arm, shooting a glare across the field. The dipshit hit me pretty hard. He'd been out to get me all fucking night.

"You alright, man?" asked Alfie, when we huddled.

"Yeah," I nodded, with a slight frown.

"Forty-four's riding you hard," commented Kurt.

"Tell me the fuck about it."

Alfie glanced at the scoreboard.

14 - 19

The Grizzlies were in the lead, with seven seconds left to the clock. We were playing offense, and we didn't have time for anything but one play. Alfie knew that.

"We'll have to risk a hail mary," he decided, looking at Frisco and pointing to him. "Go as fucking deep as you can."

"Got it," nodded Frisco.

He could do it. We knew he could. He'd done it twice already. Granted, the other one wasn't really in an official game. But it wasn't called a Hail Mary for nothing.

"They got their eyes on Oz. Forty-four's most definitely gonna try to shoot the gap, so watch out for him."

"Naw," I breathed out, waving a hand. "Let him pass."

"But I need you to run interference."

"I'll handle him."

"Every second counts, dude."

"I know."

"Ya heard him," Kurt piped up. "Let him teach that shit a lesson."

"Don't sweat," I assured Alfie. "I'll catch up with Frisco."

He narrowed his eyes at me. I stared right back with a determined expression, letting him know I could do this. After about a minute, he sighed and nodded.

"Fine, your call." He faced Parker, the fullback in the team, and grabbed his facemask. "While Superman here does his thing, you cover Frisco in the meantime."

I turned to Frisco, and saw him fidgeting. "Don't fumble. We got your back," I added, slapping the back of his helmet.

He flashed me a grin.

"Alright, 'chargers' on three," I called. "One - two - three -"

"CHARGERS!"

"Bomb?" I asked Alfie, as we got into position. It was code for a long ass pass, which could only be done with quarterbacks who had a hell of an arm.

"You betcha," sneered my best friend.

I shook my head once, smiling crookedly.

Alfie called out the play while my eyes stayed on number 44 from the other side of the defensive line, keeping my peripheral vision alert. He spit on the ground, not looking away from me. Well, that was just nasty.

"Hut!"

Alfie feinted a handoff, and I watched as 44 came after me.

Fucking idiot.

I waited until the last second before I went real low, grabbed his legs, and pushed up - flipping him over. I didn't wait to check on him, I just made a run for it. I easily caught up to Frisco, breaking tackles on the way. He caught the football just as he stepped foot in the end zone, making an eighty-yard touchdown.

Hell yeah!

I jumped and put an arm around Frisco's head, yelling in triumph.

The crowd roared in celebration. Cheerleaders jumped and did their flips, the coaches shook hands, and the school band started playing.

Our teammates ran over and lifted Frisco to carry on their shoulders. Here moved his helmet and laughed. We all raised our fists as we headed to the center of the field.

We were dirty, beat, and fucking sore.

I looked up at the night sky, taking a breath. Then, I scanned the field. The lights, the crowd, the smell of grass mixed with sweat - everything.

This was my life. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

* * *

With a grin on my face, I took off my helmet and walked behind the team on the way to the locker room. People called out to me. I only raised a hand, too beat to do anything else. But then I caught sight of Halo on the side of the tunnel entrance, causing me to halt.

"Hey," I greeted, stepping towards her.

"Hey!" she beamed. "Congrats on your win."

"Thanks," I nodded, adjusting my hold on my helmet against my hip. "You coming to the party later?"

She glanced to her friends (who was with Connie, by the way) only twenty feet from us, then faced me with a warm smile.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Good."

I watched her look down and play with the strap of her overall, her black hair was loose and unruly around her shoulders. But it was too late. I already caught her blush.

"Um, how are your cheeks?"

Damn, she's cute.

"Oz?" she asked, looking up at me when I didn't answer.

She asked you a question, doofus.

"Fully recovered," I replied automatically, without missing a beat. "Didn't even feel it through all those tackles."

She laughed. "I saw."

"Yeah," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Just fucking sore, though."

She made a face, making me chuckle at her worried face.

"It's nothing new. I'll survive."

I stared at her for a moment, getting lost in those purple orbs of hers. She gazed back curiously, as if she was trying to figure out what was on my mind. Ha, tough luck. I took a deep breath and flashed her a smirk.

"So."

"So," she mimicked, fighting back a smile.

"Did you finally realize which is the better sport?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't get to focus on the game. This running back kept distracting me."

I chuckled. "Damn that running back," I murmured, shaking my head.

"I know, right?" she countered seriously, playing along. "He's just too hot." She blinked when she realized what she said. "I mean, taut."

A grin slowly made its way to my lips, while her jaw dropped.

"Oh, no. That's not - I didn't mean taut, as in . . . you know? I just mean, um." Her eyes squeezed shut and she shook her head. "I forgot what I was saying."

I cleared my throat, trying not to laugh.

"You were saying you keep getting distracted by this hot - oh, my bad - taut running back. That's why you didn't get to focus on the game."

"Right," she nodded, pressing her lips.

I shrugged. "I bet if he knew he had all your attention, he would've tried to impress you by playing better in the field."

Her eyes opened and met mine. The corner of her lips turned up in a small smile.

"No need. I'm more than impressed already."

She didn't back down on my stare, which was fine by me because I liked looking into those adorkable eyes of hers. I also liked how we always seemed to find ourselves locked in a staring battle, stuck in our own little world.

It's weird as shit, but a part of me gets it.

"Oz!"

I turned my head to the direction of the voice. Alfie emerged from the shadows in the tunnel and walked up to us.

"Did you get lost or something? We're all waiting for you. Coach is about to hand over the game ball." He paused and his eyes wandered to the girl in front of me. Then, he whooped and slapped his knee. "Ha! I knew it! He got lost in your eyes again, didn't he?"

I hung my head and looked up to the sky, asking God why he gave me such a jackass of a best friend. I knew I needed some humor in my life, but come fucking on. I was making a move on a girl here.

When I saw Halo shyly look away, I shoved my helmet to Alfie.

"Go," I ordered, nodding him to go away. "I'll follow soon."

He grabbed my helmet and flashed me a leer, before heading back down where he came from and disappearing behind the doors.

"I gotta go," I told Halo, turning to leave. "You got a ride to the party?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I have my car."

"The blue mustang."

"How did you - That night at the store," she added in understanding.

I only smirked, and started to back away.

"See you later, dork."

With that, I turned my back on her.

"Later, Grinch."

I shot her an are-you-serious look over my shoulder, but she only laughed. I stopped walking and watched her lean her head back in a hearty laugh while her hand was on her stomach. Her cheeks flushed. She looked so damn radiant right now.

My hands turned into fists, trying to stop myself from the sudden urge to go over to her and do something she wasn't ready for.

Her beautiful eyes landed on me in that second. She tilted her head and covered her mouth with a hand, while still giggling.

Fuck it.

I walked over to her, stopping until I was right in front of her. My heartbeat paced up as I gently placed my hand on her neck, leaned down, and kissed her on the cheek.

Her laughter instantly stopped. She looked up at me, eyes as wide as saucers.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, pulling a stray hair behind her ear. "I couldn't resist."

She blinked and nodded, at a loss for words. Her cheeks reddened now, and her eyes lit up as if they were twinkling.

"Bye," I grinned, taking my time as I pulled away.

I walked backwards, leaving for real this time because I knew for a fact that Coach would hunt my ass if I was a second later. But I still didn't take my eyes off of Halo.

Dazed, she slowly raised a hand to wave goodbye.

I looked down to hide my broadening grin, and turned around. I felt so light. I haven't even showered yet but I suddenly felt refreshed. I didn't even feel the soreness anymore.

She made me feel like I didn't know what the hell I was doing. Everything was so new with her. I liked it. Hell, I loved it. And I'd let myself finally admit it straight on.

"So?" asked Alfie expectantly, meeting me by the door.

"I like her."

"That's old news," he snorted, as he let me pass.

I stopped walking and sighed, scratching the back of my head.

"I want her, man."

"Okay," he dragged, processing what I just said. "What're you gonna do about it?"

I looked him straight in the eye.

"I gotta make her mine."

_____________

Too fast?