"What the hell, man?"

My best friend looked at me in disbelief.

"And you didn't think to tell me all this shit before?"

I shrugged. "Thought I'd deal with it myself."

"Sure." He looked at me skeptically. "Ignoring it is dealing with it."

He shook his head and let out a deep sigh, turning his attention around the room.

"Aw, don't pout," I told him. "People might think I'm breaking up with you."

The corner of his mouth twitched, daring a smile. But he got distracted when a family of five walked in. They looked like the kind of family Oz had, cold and snooty. To be fair, though, his siblings cared – in their own fucked up way.

"Why did you choose this place again?" he asked, facing me. "Didn't think this was your style."

We were in some fancy ass restaurant in a hotel in Boston. Hanging out with the circle made me see and appreciate the finer things in life, like dining in a five-star place (hey, the food is fucking awesome).

I used to not give a shit since I grew up in a small town, where luxury-living was on the down low. Hell, I think there were only about five houses in my gated neighborhood in total.

"I like the food," I replied, right before taking a chewable size of medium rare steak inside my mouth. Fuck me, it was as if it was melting.

I haven't had steak in weeks. I tried to only eat Filipino food while Arisa and I were in the Philippines. I fucking loved Filipino food. Serve me a fried-style oily adobo and I'd eat it everyday. But man, eating this delicious steak really hit me in all my soft spots.

Oz crossed his arms as he stared at me from across the table. "Did you talk to them?"

I nodded. Swallowing my food, before answering, "The sick fuck went after them first."

Turned out, one of my former brothers had his other phone on him. The fucking dumbass took videos and photos from that night. He managed to delete the videos but forgot the photos. Yeah, an idiot.

When the anonymous avenger went after him, he gave those up to stop the torment. I didn't think he had it in him, since he was the one who hired the lawyer and played hardball in the court.

I guess the guilt ate him up eventually.

"So you're the last target," Oz said.

A crooked smile creeped up my lips, but it didn't reach my eyes. "Guess he saved the best for last."

I stopped and blinked in realization.

"Dude, if this is the final stage, then I'm the boss."

Oz looked at me like he didn't know whether to laugh or facepalm so hard that his palm was embedded on his face.

"Can you ask Clyde to look into Mauri's family?"

This couldn't be a random person who just decided to go all fucking Carrie on some former fraternity members. This had motive. This had purpose.

This had revenge written all over it.

"I already did. His P.I. didn't find anything unusual – raised by a single mom, good grades, great kid, has the athletic gift. So he reached out to the alum who recommended Mauri for the scholarship."

"What for?"

"He wanted to be thorough. Good thing, too. Your boy wasn't a random recruit. The alum was forced to recommend him."

I frowned. "Forced, by who?"

"The alum won't say. That's what the P.I. is looking into now. His guess, it's a politician or a business mogul – someone powerful enough to pull strings."

My eyes narrowed. "You don't think...?"

He met my stare. "Yeah."

"Fuck."

I didn't even wanna think about the possibilities of who or how powerful my enemy was. If Oz and I were right about our hunch, then all the more reason for me to believe this wouldn't end anytime soon. Not until my cold body was in the morgue.

"Did you hear anything from those goons you hired?" Oz asked.

"Nope."

It was like they fell off the face of the earth. I never heard from them again after that night. They didn't even send the number or any of the messages they exchanged with the fucker who was after me.

Oz chuckled.

"What?" I asked.

"Still can't believe you let them beat you up."

"It was a strategy to let their guard down, you dick."

"If that's your excuse."

"It's an explanation."

He didn't look like he believed me.

"Enough about my shitty situation," I said. "Let's talk about something fun – like when are you gonna find your balls to propose to the love of your life? I mean, seriously, dude." I paused to look and shakelook shake my head at him in disappointment. "Scout fucking Crimson lavaliered Connie two years ago. It's only a matter of time before he pops the question."

He snorted. "Lavaliere is for pussies who aren't man enough to actually go to the next level."

Lavaliering (an old fraternity tradition) was basically giving your girlfriend your fraternity letters, usually through a necklace. It was a symbol of a promise to make a promise of marriage someday, like a promise ring but more binding since the dude would be risking his whole brotherhood for the girl. Plus, he'd have to go through some serious shit before his brothers would give him permission to give his letters to his girlfriend.

"But you know, you're no different if you can't ask your girlfriend something you've been dying to ask her since what, that day when you were making out in the rain more than five years ago?"

"Nah, I'm just waiting for her to graduate."

I barked a laugh. "Real noble."

"I promised Coach Buckley I'd wait until Halo gets a degree. I'm respecting that."

"Wow, how very Scout Crimson of you."

A grin stretched across my best friend's face. "He still gets on your nerves, doesn't he?"

I looked away and pretended to think about it, trying to keep a serious face. But when I caught Oz's eye, I broke into a smile and chuckled.

"Little bit," I admitted. "But only because I just love to give him shit, especially when Frisco's no fun anymore ever since he learned to clapback."

"And it's not because of Connie at all."

I winced. "Dude, that's ancient history. Pretty much like you and Snow – you know, your first love."

He shrugged and put up his hands in surrender.

"Ask me about what's in my future instead."

"What's in your future, Alf?"

"Three words." I smirked. "Arisa Emilia O'neal."

Oz didn't look surprised. "You know what that means, right?"

"What?"

He grinned. "Three words. Alfie gets domesticated."

I rolled my eyes. "Three words. Go fuck yourself."

"Two words. You wish."

"One word. Duh."

At that, my best friend laughed. "Missed you, man."

"Yeah, it must suck not having my awesome self around twenty-four seven."

"More than you know."

I chuckled. "Can't believe we're talking about marriages and shit. Next thing you know, we're talking about babies."

He let out a deep breath. "I can't wait to have a mini Halo running around."

I groaned. "I'm done here."

I pulled out my wallet, grabbed a few hundred bills, and put it on the table. Getting to my feet, I looked at Oz who was standing up as well.

"Let's go, man. I'm taking you to Crown Oak."

"Byron gonna be there?"

"Yeah, but he won't stay long." I didn't add that he had some Ordo business he had to take care of.

Oz and I headed to the parking lot. When I saw my car, I brought out the keys and unlocked it.

"Arisa's gonna meet us there," I told him. "She's just grabbing her laptop she left at my place."

"How'd you to get a smart girl like that again?"

"With my wit and charm, always works."

"She can't be that smart if she fell for that."

"Maybe I'm just too irresistible. Ever think of that?"

"Who, you?" He laughed. "Sure."

"You're just too fucking whipped to see it."

"Uh-huh."

I grinned, and was about to climb in when my phone rang. It was Byron.

"Hey—"

"Come home. Now."

"What's wrong?" I demanded, getting into the car with Oz looking at me funny at my change of mood.

"Someone broke into the apartment."

I put my phone on speaker and started the engine as I listened to Byron, driving out of the parking lot in record time.

"Arisa was attacked."

_____________

This is unrevised. I'm going to upload the unrevised chapters for now because revising them is slowing me down from actually finishing it. Revised version can wait. Me and y'all can't. I wanna share my progress with you. After all, that's how it is in Wattpad. We grow together.