My mind had a million things on it as I suited up for the game. And none of it was about the actual game. I hadn't heard from Gabby or Alex all day and I was getting a bad feeling that got worse and worse as the night went on. I tried her cell twenty times, but I haven't heard anything. It took everything I had not to go to her dad's house and make sure they were okay. But it could make things way worse. And I didn't want that for them.

"Hayden."

I turned when I heard my dad's voice. He was walking up to me in the locker room. I wasn't surprised he was here. He's getting what he wanted. "Hey, Dad."

"Looking good, son. How's the leg?"

My leg was tight and started to hurt the more I practiced. I had the feeling tonight was going to be it. The last game I played. But, I wasn't going to tell him that. "Feels good."

He clapped me on the shoulder. "That's what I like to hear. I'm going to sit up in the stands with your mother. Give 'em hell."

As my dad left, Brad pulled me over towards the showers. "Any word?"

"Nothing. I have a bad feeling."

Brad glanced both ways before whispering, "Keep your phone on you, Hayden. Take the fucking thing out on the field. I don't give a damn what coach says. If something is wrong and you get a call, leave. They are both more important than this game."

"I swear I'm going to make it up to you."

He smiled as he pulled away. "Just promise me that you'll leave this game in one peace, and we're even. Oh, and lasagna. More lasagna."

I could literally feel his mouth watering as he mentioned his favorite meal. I laughed at my best friend. "Such a girl."

At the sound of coach yelling for everyone to get ready, he made his normal "we need to win" speech before we ran out of the locker room and onto the field. I immediately looked around the bleachers for Alex or Gabby. The only familiar faces were my mom and dad. Fuck. Something was wrong.

After we won the coin toss, we got into position on the field. I called out the play and as soon as the ball was snapped to me, something inside me knew the truth. Tonight, something horrible was going to happen.

***

We walked to the locker room at half time. We were ahead 7 and that apparently wasn't acceptable to the coach. Or my dad. I could see him getting up from the stands and I knew he was going to come to the locker room. My knee was killing me, and it took everything I had not to limp on it. Brad stayed close to me on the field, keeping my tackles to a minimum.

I took out my phone as I entered the locker room. No missed calls or texts. "Dammit."

"Dammit is right."

I turned to my dad and he had that look on his face. "Dad, we're winning."

"By a touchdown. We should be smashing them. You need to be playing your best out there."

"Yeah, Hayden. No more sneaking off to Bonfire Pointe to meet with that loner. Time to get real."

I looked to my right and saw Roy standing there. "What did you just say?"

Roy shrugged as if he didn't have a care in the world. "I figured she would have been here tonight, so I asked a favor. We needed your concentration."

I dropped my helmet and grabbed him, shoving him against the lockers. "What the fuck did you do?"

Roy glared at me. "You've obviously been sneaking around with that girl. You need to realize what's important. So, when I saw you guys last night at the park, I asked for a favor."

Even though I knew the answer, I had to ask. "What favor? Who did you tell?"

He looked away guiltily and I banged him against the lockers again. "Tell me!"

"I suggested to her dad that he keep her home tonight."

I felt the blood leave my face and I stood frozen for a minute.

"Dude, you look like you're going to hurl."

"Roy, you don't know what the fuck you just did. You have no fucking idea!"

Before I could help myself, I punched him across the face and let him fall unconscious to the floor.

I took out my cell phone with shaking hands as I barely heard my dad. "Hayden, is this true? I thought you said you weren't with that girl anymore. You trying to mess this up? It's your dream, dammit!"

Before I could answer I got a call from an unknown number. "Gabby?"

"Hayden, its Alex." His voice was barely a whisper.

"What's happening? Are you guys okay?"

"She told me not to call you but...it's bad, Hayden. You need to get here. Now."

"I'm on my way."

I grabbed my keys from my locker and didn't bother to change. As I ran out of the locker room, my dad grabbed my arm to stop me.

"You run after that girl, Hayden Price, and you are not the son I thought you were. What about your dream?"

As much as I wanted to make him proud, I couldn't deny the truth any longer. "It's your dream, Dad. Not mine."

I ran to my car as fast as my bad knee would let me. I got in and turned on the ignition when I heard the passenger side open. Brad slid in, also still in uniform, and said, "Let's go."

We sped off in the direction to Gabby's house. I tried calling Alex but since it was a private number I couldn't. Her house was about fifteen minutes away and after driving for five my phone rang.

"Alex?"

"Where are you?"

I heard a loud crash from the background before a muffled, "Who the hell are you calling?"

"Alex, I'm almost the-."

When the line went dead, I handed my phone to Brad. "Call the police. Tell them there is a domestic disturbance at Gabby's address and to get there ASAP. And tell them...tell them to send an ambulance."

I gripped the wheel as I pushed harder on the gas. Countless scenarios were running through my head about what may have happened to Gabby. I didn't pay any attention to Brad as he spoke to the police. It took less time than I thought to get to her house. When I opened my door, I heard a gunshot.

I cursed as I grabbed my bat from the backseat and ran to the door. The front door wasn't locked, so we cautiously went inside. I saw Gabby unconscious by the stairs and went to check on her. Please be breathing...

I felt for her pulse and it was there. I looked to Brad. "Stay with her."

I ran in the other rooms of the house and when I didn't see Alex or his dad, I ran upstairs and froze in the doorway. Alex's dad was lying motionless on the floor and Alex was standing across the room. His eyes were wide as he looked at his dad. His hands were shaking in front of him as he held the gun.

I entered the room slowly and his head turned toward me. I held my hands up in front of me and stop walking forward. "Alex, its Hayden."

The poor kid's face was bloody and he looked like he was traumatized. He dropped the gun and looked from his dad to me. "He was going to kill her, Hayden. He found out about you guys and he lost it. He said she didn't listen to him and she had to pay for it. He beat her up."

He ran his hands through his hair before he continued, "Oh, God. He beat her so bad. Then he pushed her down the staira...I lost it. I ran in his room and grabbed his gun he kept in the closet. I didn't mean to. It just happened."

I walked up to him and pulled him to me in a hug. I heard the sirens and tried to soothe him. "It's going to be okay, Alex. It was self-defense. You were protecting your sister."

I looked at his dad laying there and pulled Alex to the door. "Let's go check on Gabby." The cops can deal with this piece of shit.

We hurried down the stairs and Brad looked up at us, his face grim. "She's breathing, but it's bad, Hayden."

"Thank you."

I knelt next to her and kept myself from touching her too much. God knew what was broken and I didn't want to make it worse. The cops came rushing in and immediately pointed their guns at Brad and me. "Step away from the female! Now! Hands where we can see them!"

Brad and I stood immediately, hands raised. "We called you. We didn't do this."

The cops looked to Alex. "You know these guys, kid?"

"Yeah, they came to help. I called them."

The cops looked at us skeptically and lowered their weapons. "I want to keep you boys where I can see you. Stand here with my partner. And don't move."

The police officer looked to Alex. "Who did this to you?"

"My...my father."

"Where is he now?"

Alex looked to me and I nodded at him to tell the truth. "He's upstairs. He lost it and was beating me ,and my sister and he pushed her down the stairs. I thought he was going to kill her. I went in his room and I..."

The police officer knelt before Alex. "What, son? It's okay. You can tell us."

"I grabbed his gun. I didn't mean to, but I thought he was going to kill Gabby. I called Hayden and asked him to come here and help. He's my sister's boyfriend."

The police officers shared a look before looking back at Alex. "I'm going to go upstairs. You stay here with my partner okay?"

Alex nodded and the officer went upstairs.

The ambulance pulled up outside and two EMTs came rushing in. "What happened?"

I answered immediately. "She was beaten and then pushed down the stairs. Is she going to be okay?"

"Get the stretcher and neck brace," the EMT said to his partner.

"Well?" I needed to know she was okay.

The EMT looked at me before checking Gabby's pulse. "We won't know until we get her to the hospital. And you need to be looked at too, son."

Alex nodded and after the EMT brought the stretcher, the officer who stayed downstairs gestured to me and Brad. "I need you two to come with me."

"I'm not leaving her." No way in fucking hell, Officer Friendly.

The officer came and stood in front of me. "You need to come to the station with me. Now. I need to take statements."

I looked at Gabby as they gently put her on the stretcher and roller her to the ambulance. "With all due respect, Officer, I'm going to the hospital. I can't leave her. If you need my statement, you can get it there."

The officer reached to his walkie and called for another squad car to come to the scene.

The second EMT came back and looked at Alex. "Come with us. We need to look you over at the hospital."

Alex looked to me and I tried to make my expression as calm as I could. "Go, Alex. We'll be right behind you."

He hesitated before following the EMT into the ambulance. As I watched it drive off, I sighed with a little relief. At least she was alive. Thank God.

"Son, I called for backup and when it gets here, I'm going to drive you boys to the hospital. I'll take your statements there. Are you both eighteen or older?"

"Yeah. We are."

My phone went off and I saw it was my mom's number. "Mom?"

"Hayden, it's about your father. He's had a heart attack."