(present)

Numb.

There was no word better to describe it. My eyes were trained to the other side of the cafeteria and all I felt was... numb.

"You gonna drink that?" Alfie asked, pointing to my milk.

I shook my head in answer. He took the carton of milk from my tray, but then Connie grabbed it from him and drank before he could.

"Hey!"

She shrugged. "Snooze, you lose."

I ignored them and kept my eyes on the basketball team's table. I used to steal secret glances with Snow whenever she was sitting there.

Happiness. Pain. Hatred.

I used to feel something.

Now, nothing.

"Stop staring," Connie told me. "It's pathetic."

Finally, my eyes left that table. I looked at Connie beside me, who dyed her shoulder-length hair silver white just this weekend. She looked badass.

"Is it?" I said quietly. My jaw clenched, then I continued with a hard tone, "Whenever I look at their fucking faces, all I see is fire. I'm only reminding myself why I shouldn't take mercy."

At that, she shut up and looked away. Alfie exhaled, leaning back in his seat.

"Last time we retaliated," he started, "it backfired."

"That's on me," I admitted. "I shouldn't have played with fire." Like you said.

It burned. It burned so fucking bad.

"Ain't your fault, man."

"Alfie's right," Connie agreed, with a frown. "That bitch would've done the same thing regardless. Your only mistake was thinking she had a choice."

"Don't start," I warned.

She rolled her eyes in turn.

I was about to tell her off when my eyes caught on something behind her, something familiar. I studied the person as she took a seat with her friends a few tables away from us. None of them looked familiar besides the girl. Where had I seen her before?

It wasn't until she made a sheepish look at her friend that I realized that it was the sweatpants girl. I almost didn't recognize her with her black hair down. This time, she was wearing a knitted sweater over a dress.

It still puzzled my mind why she helped us last Friday night. She didn't look anything like a trouble-maker. More like a laid back Mary Sue. But then, who was I to talk? I knew better than anyone that looks could be deceiving.

I faintly noticed Frisco join us at the table.

"What are we talking about?" he asked, oblivious to the tension.

"Revenge," I simply replied.

Frisco didn't answer, making me turn to him. He had on a grim face as he stared into space, not even touching his food.

See? Even he was pissed. He who was the usual good guy. He who didn't like holding a grudge against anyone. For him to react like this, you could guess that it was really damn bad. Then again, it wasn't just us. It affected the whole team, too.

Frisco looked at me seriously. "What's the plan?"

The corner of my lips curled up in a small smirk.

"Still figuring it out. We need to be cautious."

"Are you gonna involve the team?"

Alfie threw the empty milk carton at Frisco. "We can't, dumbass. The more we are, the bigger chance of getting caught."

"Besides," I added, "I only trust the rest of them inside the field."

I kept a close circle of friends for a reason. Too many was too much trouble. Sure, the whole team hung out at parties and all. But the people that were usually with me through all the mischievous rendezvous was kept on the down low.

Connie patted my shoulder in mock. "There, there."

A small chuckle escaped my lips, making her grin crookedly.

Crash!

All heads in the room turned to the direction of the noise. Kurt and Jay Lawley were in the middle of the cafeteria, scowling at each other. From the looks of it, the food on Lawley's tray took a detour to his shirt.

Nice. Lunch and a show.

"Watch where you're going!" Lawley spat. He was more sporty than smart. That was why he was on the basketball team. His brain cells could only handle that much.

"Get the hell outta the way, then," Kurt spelled out.

"You don't own this place."

"I don't have to. But I guess you wouldn't understand 'cause you actually have to own this place for the people in it to respect you."

My eyes wandered to Scout Crimson, and I caught him already staring at me from his table. He raised an eyebrow, obviously waiting for me to end the fight.

I snorted. Yeah, like that'll happen.

In response to him, I cocked my head to the side and flashed him a wicked smile. He made a disgusted face, shook his head, and stood up. Then, he headed to the commotion.

Ever the hero.

"Back up Kurt," I told Alfie and Frisco.

They quickly stood up and went.

"What do you know about respect?" Lawley laughed humorlessly.

Scout whispered something to him, probably trying to calm him down. There was no way that was happening because Lawley looked like he was far from finished.

As expected, Lawley ignored his master and took a step closer to Kurt.

Seriously, I didn't know what he was trying to pull. Kurt stood almost a foot taller than him, with wide buff shoulders. He looked like a skinny Hobbit next to the big guy.

"You think they," Lawley gestured to the people in the room, "respect you? They fear you and your asshole friends. Wake the heck up."

I covered my grin with my right hand.

This was proving to be amusing. He was a stupid fucker if he thought we'd be insulted if he called us 'assholes.' Hell, that was a term of endearment for us.

"You're right," Alfie piped up, coming up beside Kurt. "We don't know anything about fear." He nodded sympathetically. "But clearly, you do. Can you be kind enough to show us?"

That right there was one of the reasons why he was my best friend.

Fucking killed it.

"My God, this is hilarious," Connie sniggered, wiping an invisible tear in her eye.

"We don't want a fight," Scout declared, stepping in the middle.

"We're not starting one," Alfie smiled innocently.

"You sure as hell are," Finn McKinley contradicted dutifully, who happened to be Scout Crimson's best friend.

Kurt groaned. "I just wanna eat. Your boy was the one who made a fuss like a sissy."

"Oh, go back to Africa," Lawley snapped.

I stood up, my amusement gone.

No one moved.

All eyes were one me as I walked towards the core of the show. I managed to reign in the rising anger, my eyes on the little shit. I would've laughed at the fact that he was trying not to crap his pants as I stalked closer to them, but I was too damn pissed.

When I stopped in front of them, I stared at the fucktard for a second more before my eyes wandered to Scout.

"Make him apologize," I stated firmly.

Scout sighed. "He didn't mean it."

"Make. The. Dipshit. Apologize."

"They provoked him," Finn defended, frowning. "What did you expect him to do, sit back and watch?"

"I don't give a fuck. He crossed the line."

Scout scoffed. "That's rich, coming from you."

My eyes flashed in rage. With my hands shaking, I grabbed Scout by the collar of his shirt. Finn moved forward, but Alfie blocked him.

"I haven't forgotten what your team did," I growled in his face. "I'm fucking sick of you acting all innocent. Stop being a self-righteous dick. At least, we have the balls to own up for our shit. Can't say the same about you."

I shoved him away hard, causing him to stumble as he tried to catch his balance. Alfie sidestepped in order to dodge Scout, while Finn held him upright. My best friend traipsed back toward Kurt and Frisco, whistling nonchalantly.

"Stop accusing us of something we never did," Scout said, glaring at me.

Yada. Yada. Yada. Fucking coward.

I was done talking to him. I faced Lawley, stopping short when I saw Snow right behind him. I couldn't read her facial expression. And right now, I could care less. I turned back to the dipshit. His mouth was shut tight. I raised my hand and counted down.

Five... four... three... two...

"Sorry," he choked out, scowling deeply.

I glanced back at Kurt. He nodded. When I turned to my front, I looked at Scout.

"Control your bitches, Crimson," I deadpanned.

Last time I really dealt with one of them, I almost ended up in juvie. Almost, because my brother Clyde took care of it. My parents couldn't even take the time off and handle it themselves. They had to send in Clyde to do it for them.

I didn't give Scout or any of them a chance to respond. I turned and left for the door. I didn't stop walking when I made it to the hallway, planning to go straight to the parking lot.

"I'm leaving," I stated, when I heard my friends follow me.

"Oh."

I stopped.

That didn't sound like any of my friends.

Whipping around, I laid my eyes on sweatpants girl.

I blinked.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean..." she trailed off and looked away.

I could only watch as she tried to think of something to say.

Checking her out for the second time in days, I noticed that I was taller than her by a good nine or ten inches which makes her around five foot six. She had a little button nose, while her lips were pink and full.

Studying her up close like this, she was pretty cute.

She returned her eyes to me and holy shit – they were purple. Whoa. This was the first time I'd ever seen eyes in that color. How cool.

When she noticed that I was still staring, she tried to explain, "I was just passing by. I didn't hear anything you said. You can go ahead and leave if you want." Realizing what she said, she squeezed her eyes shut, bit her lip, and bowed her head.

A smile made its way to my lips.

She shook her head, avoiding my eyes.

"Okay, bye."

I watched her walk away, the smile still on my face.

"You waited for us, Oz?" Alfie asked cheerfully from behind me. "That's a first."

"Let's skip for the rest of the day, then just go back for practice later," Kurt proposed, cracking his neck. "Today's a total bust."

Alfie laughed. "Nothing smells like teen spirit."

I ignored them and continued down the hall, not looking away from the girl who was walking not more than fifteen feet in front us.

"I can't." Frisco sighed. "We have a quiz in Trig."

"Boo. You're always skipping out on skipping."

I stopped walking when sweatpants girl turned and disappeared around the corner. She didn't turn back even once. Why the hell did I act like a fucking mute around her?

"Why is there a silly thing on your face?" Connie asked me curiously, scrutinizing my face. Then, she gasped. "Is that a smile? A real one?"

The three boys scrambled to my front to peer at me. I quickly wiped it off my face, making them groan in disappointment. Suckers.

"I have an idea," I announced, changing the subject. "We can't touch them if we attack them all at once." They instantly grew serious, getting what I meant. "So we hit them one by one – starting with Lawley."

They ruined our season last year.

It was our turn to destroy theirs.

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Do you think Oz was too harsh? And holy tacos! What happened between them all? :O