We were losing.

I glanced at the scoreboard, sighing and shaking my head in defeat. My eyes wandered to the bleachers and scanned the rows.

Still no sign of Halo.

I lowered my head and stared on the grass.

She didn't show up. Did she really mean what she said yesterday? I couldn't stand the thought of us breaking up. Man, I fucked up so bad this time.

How the fuck do I fix this?

"Dude," called Alfie, nudging me. "It's almost halftime."

I looked at him and nodded.

"Priorities," he reminded me.

Frowning, I nodded again.

Sometimes, it sucked having a best friend who was so damn good at reading me. I didn't even tell him what happened but he seemed to get it. He wasn't stupid. I was pretty sure he noticed that I kept looking at the bleachers and Halo wasn't there.

"Ach," grunted Alfie, waving off Coach's suggestion. "Me no likey."

Coach Watkins flung his arms in frustration from the bench.

"What about a Hail Mary?" offered Parker.

Kurt sighed heavily.

Alfie cocked his head. "Do you see Frisco anywhere, you fucktard?"

Because of the accident, Frisco wouldn't be able to play for the rest of the season. It sucked. But at least, he still had another shot next year. Too bad the rest of us would be in different colleges by then.

My eyes scanned the field briefly, before shaking my head.

"It's too early to do any big plays," I told them. "Let's stick to the basics."

They looked at me and waited.

"All ears, baby," said my best friend.

"Give me the ball," I ordered. "And make sure they all see when you do, then you make a run for it while I stall their asses."

Alfie grinned. "Gotcha." He eyed at the rest of the group. "Ready?"

"Break!"

We disbanded and took our positions. My eyes met Alfie's. We exchanged nods before facing our fronts. I crouched down and braced myself.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, drowning out the noise from the bleachers and focusing on the smell of the grass. I tried to rid my thoughts of a purple-eyed dork and focused on the task at hand.

Win this game first, then go find Halo.

"Hut!"

My eyes opened. And all I could see was the game in front of me.

The moment Alfie got the ball, he whirled around and hurried to me for a hand off. I took a couple of steps back, all my senses alert.

I had nothing to worry, though. The linebackers did a pretty fucking good job blocking those who attempted to shoot the gap while I watched our quarterback make a run for it.

Just a little further, man.

When I thought he was far enough, I made a long pass to Alfie. He raised his arms and reached up, catching the ball easily and running until he scored a touchdown.

I raised my fist in triumph, as the crowd roared in cheers. My eyes went to the clock. Less than five seconds left before halftime. No point in scrimmaging. When it counted down to zero, the buzzer went off.

"That's what I'm talking about!" exclaimed Alfie, coming up to me and putting an arm around my neck in a headlock.

"We didn't win yet."

We were now on the lead, but not by many points.

"Whatever," he snorted. "We're the dynamic duo! We're fucking unstoppable, dude."

I would've laughed if it wasn't for the fact that I couldn't get Halo out of my head. Why didn't she come? How was she doing? Did she hole up in her room with the moon lamp named Bellamy?

Alfie sighed beside me. "Too bad Frisco isn't here."

I looked at him, and saw the genuine sadness there.

"Yeah," I breathed out. "We have to win this game for him."

He flashed me a grin. "Hell yeah."

We followed our team to the locker room and had to endure Coach Watkin's speech about listening to instructions and shit. All the while, I kept glancing at my phone.

No texts. No calls. No nothing.

I rubbed my face with a hand and let out a breath. I had to give her some time to cool off. I had to give her some space to think things through. But I wasn't sure I could last long not knowing how she was doing.

Fuck, this is so messed up.

I wouldn't give up, though. Not on her. Not on us.

My mind suddenly drifted off to that night at the parking lot with Snow. She was about to leave then. But I was curious about something.

"I never asked you," I called after her, right before we parted ways. "Why did you give me a chance? What made you decide that I was worth all the trouble?"

"The truth?" she asked, looking over her shoulder to me. "I wanted to change you. I knew there was something good in you that needed saving. But then I fell in love with you, something I didn't expect to happen so soon. It only strengthened my resolve."

"But I didn't change." My eyes narrowed. "If anything, I became worse."

She smiled sadly and shrugged. "I guess it means I'm not the right one for the job."

The corner of my lips turned up in realization.

"Halo."

Snow nodded, turning around to face me. "Honestly, she's the one who brings out the best in you." Her expression was sad, but there were also senses of peace and acceptance. "I could see it, how you slowly changed without you realizing it."

Pak!

I was brought back to the present when somebody smacked my shoulder. I looked up and saw Kurt looking at me weird.

"You okay, man?"

"Yeah."

He looked skeptical. "It's second half."

I looked around the room, they were already filing out. Alfie and Kurt were the only ones who noticed that I was out of it and stayed behind. I quickly got to my feet and grabbed my helmet. I was about to head out when Alfie blocked my path.

"Brooklyn's waiting outside."

My head whipped to him.

"It doesn't look good," he added seriously.

I frowned at that, before walking out with him and Kurt following behind me. I caught sight of Brooklyn by the end of the tunnel near the bleachers.

"Make it quick," muttered Alfie, as he passed me. "We still have some asses to kick."

Just then, Connie appeared and walked towards us. But I noticed her eyes stayed on Alfie, who kept his face straight as he passed her and headed out to the field. She looked hurt for a second but then Kurt ruffled her hair, making her smile.

"Oz," called Brooklyn urgently.

I turned to her. "What's up? How's Halo?"

She shook her head and looked down. Too late. I already caught the look in her eyes. She was scared and panicked. My body tensed.

"What's going on?" I asked.

She bounced on her feet and shook her hands as if to get rid of the nerves. She closed her eyes for a minute before blurting, "Halo's missing."

I blinked.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't think.

I couldn't even breathe.

"W – What?" I stammered, barely more than a whisper.

I must've heard wrong. Halo couldn't be missing.

"Halo's missing!" repeated Brooklyn, so loud this time that Connie and Kurt stopped goofing around and stared at us.

"What the fuck happened?" I demanded, trying and fucking failing not to freak out.

"Milo and I have been calling her nonstop. She's answering neither of our calls. W – We," she paused to wipe the sweat off her temple with a trembling hand, "We were supposed to meet up at the Diner but she never showed. When we called her house, her grandma said she left for the game hours ago." She shook her head. "We don't know what to do anymore."

Connie immediately came up and put her arms around a shaking Brooklyn.

I felt like the air got sucked out of my lungs. My heart was beating fast, pounding so hard against my chest that for a second I thought it was gonna jump out.

"Milo's on the way to the youth center to check but I don't think she's there either," she added, so close to crying but she still managed to keep herself together. "It doesn't feel right. She's supposed to meet us. I – I don't understand."

I caught Kurt's eye. He had the same conclusion I did.

It couldn't be. No way in fucking hell it could be him.

But I already knew.

Goddamn it, I fucking knew.

Something in my hand suddenly vibrated. I glanced at it, forgetting I was still holding my phone. I hesitated on leaving it in the locker room in case Halo decided to call. Good thing I didn't. Because the caller ID said it was Halo.

Swiping the screen, I answered cautiously, "Hello?"

"Been a while."

I gripped the bars of my helmet as soon as I heard his voice. My blood boiled. I could literally feel my face heating up in anger. But I had to stay calm. I didn't wanna provoke the fucker in doing more damage than he already had.

"Where's Halo?" I asked, with gritted teeth.

Kurt, Connie, and Brooklyn's heads all perked up at the mention of the name.

"You're not gonna like this," the motherfucker laughed. "She's actually right beside me – on the bed."

My jaw clenched hard. "Did you hurt her? Is she okay?"

"Mmm, I guess?" he leered.

"Prove it."

"Hear that? He wants me to prove it. Let me touch that bit and . . ."

I heard a muffled scream and I slammed my helmet on the wall, making the other three jump in surprise.

"What the fuck do you want?!" I snapped.

Taking deep breaths, I squeezed my eyes shut for losing my cool.

I wanted so fucking bad to charge on to wherever the fuck he was and grind his motherfucking face on a spiked cemented floor but I had no clue where to go.

"Simple. I want you to suffer," the dickwad said a-matter-of-factly. "Thing is, you're untouchable with your tough friends and family surrounding you. But as time passes by, it's easy to figure out what your downfall would be."

While I waited for him to finish his fucking speech, I was thinking of ways on how to track this sorry excuse for a human being. I muted my phone and looked at Connie. She stood straight, already knowing I was going to ask her to do something.

"Call Clyde," I ordered. "Ask him to use his connections to track Halo's number. Now."

Connie didn't need to be told twice. She went straight to it.

"You know what your problem is, Oz?" continued the dickface on the phone. "You're too damn loyal. It's sickening. Do you even realize that people just tolerate you?"

I pressed the unmute button.

"Like how I'm tolerating your fucking yapping?"

The cocksucker had the nerve to chuckle, while I was fuming.

"Get. The. Fuck. On. With. It."

"It's great how you try to intimidate me even through a phone call. But I know for a fact that you're miles and miles away from me."

I watched Connie step away as she talked to my brother.

"I'll get Alfie," mouthed Kurt, before taking off.

"Are you fucking done?" I growled to the phone. "I think one of my ears just fell off."

"Ha, cute. But not as cute as your girlfriend. Of course, she's not as beautiful as Snow. Thanks for letting her go, by the way. I can't stand it when you guys were together."

"Build a bridge and get over it."

"But Halo," he began, whistling. "She will be a such a treat tonight."

"Don't you fucking dare touch her," I warned in a low voice.

I seriously wanted to choke the life out of this dick.

"Hearing this side of you is amusing," he sneered. "But see, you ruined what's mine." His voice changed, all humor was gone. "Now, it's my turn to ruin what's yours."

"I'm gonna fucking kill you," I promised, determined to make it happen – one way or another.

"Gotta catch me first," he chuckled.

My hands were white from gripping my helmet too much and pushing it too hard on the wall. I had to close my eyes, afraid that I might lash out and hurt people around me. It took every-fucking-thing in me not to throw my helmet and yell out.

"Well, this was fun. But I got things to do and a girl to bang," he laughed. "No use tracking this phone, by the way. I'll flush it down the toilet as soon as I hang up."

One step ahead of you, fucker.

"Unless you wanna hear your girl moan my name . . ."

I saw fucking red. There was pounding in my ears. I couldn't feel my hands anymore. I couldn't feel anything but deep fucking loathing.

"But wait, don't you still have a game to play? Good luck."

With that, the cocksucker hung up.

"FUCK!" I yelled, almost throwing my phone against the wall but Connie raised her arms to stop me.

"Hold it! Clyde said he'll text you the address. You still need your phone."

That stopped me.

"He managed to track it?"

"Barely," she answered, panting slightly. "What's going on, Oz? Somebody has Halo?" She was trying to keep her cool but she was close to losing it, too.

I nodded and took deep breaths, trying to calm myself. I heard Brooklyn gasp, making me look at her. She was crying. She understood the severity of the situation. Connie held her before she crumbled down to the ground.

I felt like doing that, too.

Shit. I needed to go after Halo. I needed to leave.

Just in time, I got Clyde's text. I didn't waste a second. I was just about to run to the parking lot when I heard a bellow behind me.

"What the fuck are you still doing here?" demanded Alfie when he arrived. He pushed me. "Go, you moron! I'll handle Coach and the team."

'I will never let a girl mess up my game.'

"You sure?" I knew how much this game meant to him.

But Halo isn't just any other girl.

He raised an eyebrow. "Priorities, remember?"

She's my home.

At that moment, I couldn't be more thankful that he was my best friend. He always got my back no matter what.

I looked him in the eye. "Make sure you crush them on the field."

"I will," he started seriously, "if you make sure to rip this motherfucker to pieces."

Without breaking eye contact, I held my fist out and waited for him. He flashed me a smirk, before pounding it with his.

It's a promise.

I lazily saluted him, before turning around to leave.

Finn McKinley couldn't be more stupid. Even though loyalty had the power to be my downfall, it could also be the source of my strength. I didn't know what the fuck his problem was with me. But one thing was for sure, I've had fucking enough of his shit.

Time to end this once and for all.

I hope nobody calls the cops. Because what I'm about to do?

It'll definitely earn me a one-way ticket to jail.

_____________

Anyone who hates Finn or just fed up with everything, raise you middle finger! Lol. No, that's bad. *secretly raises middle finger*