CHAPTER 8
"Class. We have a new student!"
Santana, who had been threatening to doze off in the middle of her morning Spanish class, looked up with a start at the words from the quite awful Spanish teacher. A small smirk graced her lips at the statement. New student? More like fresh meat. Someone unadapted to the ways of McKinley High, and was undoubtedly in for a rude awakening.
However, Santana's grin instantaneously fell, and was replaced by a look of sheer shock and disbelief as she saw who had just walked into the room. It took her a second and a half to recognize him, but when she had, there was no mistaking who it was. It was the person she had had a none-so-polite introduction with the previous night on the streets of Lima Ohio. It was the person who she had very kindly saved from having the daylights kicked out of him by Karofsky and his posse, but had been incredibly ungrateful to her in return. She assumed he was a random homeless man - there was no shortage of those in Lima. But a teenager her age?! Seriously?!
Her eyes were definitely not deceiving her, as she initially thought. There was no mistaking the shaggy, unruly chestnut hair, covered by a ratty baseball cap. There was no mistaking the scarred, marked up face that was capped with hauntingly dark eyes. There was no mistaking his large, muscular frame, that stuck out like a sore thumb amongst his peers in McKinley. And if that wasn't enough, he trudged into the room with a slight limp, a reminder of his ordeal from the night before. For a brief moment, Santana thought to herself that the boy was actually pretty hot, though she forced that thought out of her head as she remembered what an ass he had been to her less than 24 hours ago. Besides, Santana already had her eyes very much on someone else, the exact opposite to the boy at the front of the room.
Theo wore an apologetic look on his face as he greeted Mr. Schuester, their Spanish teacher.
"Class, this is Theo Martin." Mr. Schue addressed the class. "Some of you might have met him. He's new to the school, joining us all the way from central Texas. Please, all of you, make him feel welcome."
"Sorry I'm late sir." Theo murmured to Mr. Schuester.
"Don't worry. It's your first day. You have a free pass. Just for today though! If it happens again, I'm going to have to have you doing some extra work for me." Mr. Schue scolded him, though his cheerful tone implied that he was kidding. "Please take a seat. There's one free over there."
As Mr. Schue pointed across the room, Theo followed his gaze and internally groaned when he saw what the teacher was pointing at. There was only one empty desk in the entire room, and that just so happened to be in front of someone he recognized immediately. Even his inebriated state hadn't been enough to erase his memory of the previous night, and the fact that the raven-haired girl sitting there was one of the most beautiful people he had ever seen didn't do it any favours.
Theo walked over to take his seat, not daring to look Santana in the eye as he moved to sit in front of her. The class quickly resumed and so Theo was able to slink into the shadows, extremely understated in the corner of the classroom, pulling his baseball cap over his eyes and instantly tuning out of whatever was being taught.
However, he wasn't able to do that for long, as it was soon after that he began to feel a prickling sensation on the back of his neck. Theo's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What the hell? He scratched his neck a few times, but despite his efforts, it didn't go away.
"Hey! Dumbass!" A hiss behind him caused Theo to turn around, finding himself face to face with Santana, whose hands were filled with tiny balls of paper that she had spent the past minute flicking at the back of his head, trying to get his attention.
"What?" Theo grumbled, annoyed by this disturbance.
"I just wanted to say I'm really happy to see you again." Santana told him. Theo raised an eyebrow, slightly guarded, waiting for whatever the impending punchline was. "It means that I can tell you to your face that you're the most ungrateful little shit I've ever met in my life."
Theo sighed, looking down as he recalled the events of the previous night. Sure Santana had stopped the bullies from beating the crap out of him the night before. But the truth was, he didn't want her to. He didn't want the bullies to stop what they were doing. He was relishing in every blow, every punch, every kick. And all Santana had done was put an end to his deserved beatdown.
"I'm not ungrateful. I just didn't need your help." He murmured quietly. Santana raised an eyebrow, and then proceeded to reach out and poke him right on his severely bruised cheek. She cackled loudly as he hissed in pain, the rest of the class oblivious to their encounter.
"Agree to disagree." She shot back, her smile only growing at the sight of his discomfort.
Theo did not say anything to respond to this. He wasn't about to admit to anyone that he had wanted wholeheartedly to take the beatdown. And he certainly wasn't going to admit it to Santana, who was quite possibly the least friendly person he had met so far in Lima. Even Karofsky and his gang had given him the welcome Theo desired.
So instead, Theo remained silent. Santana, on the other hand, wasn't done talking. Her shit-eating grin did not falter. If anything, it grew even larger as she continued to regard him.
"It looks like you had it handled this morning too, huh? What is that, strawberry?" Santana remarked, as her eyes locked onto something on his jacket. Reaching out, Santana pulled away a piece of still frozen slushie from his morning welcome from the bullies, and she slurped it up greedily before smirking at him. "Yup… strawberry. My favourite! I'm glad you got such a warm welcome to McKinley."
Theo remained quiet and didn't say anything to this either. He wasn't really interested in continuing the conversation, and wanted nothing more than to slink back into his shell and continue his hibernation. Santana wasn't done yet though.
"So who was it who threw it?" She asked. Yet again, she was met with complete and total silence from the boy opposite her. She could feel her frustration beginning to rise with each passing second, thoroughly unamused by his coldness and quiet demeanour. "You know, I'm trying to be nice here!"
"Santana! I'm trying to teach a class here! Quiet down and focus!" Santana hadn't realised that her voice had risen in anger, to the point where she was disrupting the ongoing class, so Mr. Schue didn't hesitate to reprimand her. Blushing with embarrassment, Santana noticed Theo smirking faintly at her, and so her loathing of the teenager opposite her only grew further. She scowled daggers at him.
"You're a dick, you know that?!" She snapped bluntly. Theo raised an eyebrow at this, and responded in the most sarcastic, mock-indignant voice he could put on, speaking for the first time in minutes as he did so.
"But I… I didn't say anything!"
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"Quiet!"
And just like that… silence. Dead silence. No one out of the nearly one hundred guys in the locker room dared say a word when Coach Beiste called for quiet. They couldn't afford to, as each and every one of them was aware that one wrong move was all it took to get cut and have their dreams of playing McKinley High Football that year completely quashed.
It was later in the afternoon that very same day, and it was time for football tryouts. It was a day long awaited by almost every guy in McKinley High. It was the culmination of a whole summer break's worth of hard work, all for the slim chance of being picked to compete on the prestigious Varsity Football Team that year.
Football was massive in McKinley High. It always had been, even when the football team struggled to score a single touchdown in a game. However, now that they had achieved massive success under Coach Beiste and had won the State Championship the previous year, the football team had ascended even further within the McKinley ranks. They had become royalty, and so every single guy in the school was willing to kill to earn a spot on the team, in their bid to win back to back State titles for the first time in McKinley High's humble history.
Many of the usual suspects were sitting amongst those waiting to try out: Finn, Puck, Sam, Mike, Azimio, Karofsky were some of the veterans of the team, and so were a lot less nervous about the impending tryouts. However, the vast majority of the room had never played football for McKinley High before, and that was largely because most of the championship winning team had graduated at the end of last year. There were only a few veteran players left, which meant that it was going to be an almost entirely new team for this year. There were many spots that needed to be filled, and even more people who were aspiring to fill them.
Amongst the plethora of teenagers in the locker room was Theo. Throughout the course of the day, he had incessantly been debating whether or not to show up. It had been a hellish first day of school, largely because for the first time in years, he wasn't spending it with the person he loved, so a large part of him didn't want to spend a second longer in McKinley High than he was required to. A part of him still wanted to walk out of the locker room right then and there and retreat back to the shelter of his trailer. That part of him especially had no interest in playing football ever again, as it was at a football party where everything had gone so horribly wrong 8 months ago. However, he forced himself to stay. He needed to stay. And for only one reason:
He wasn't here at McKinley High solely for a diploma at the end of the year. That was only a small part of it. He was here to redeem himself in the eyes of whoever was watching above, and prove that he deserved a place in heaven, he deserved to be reunited with her, after he died. To do that, he needed to do more than just bullshit his way through senior year, earn a useless diploma and wind up homeless within a year of graduating. He needed to wrestle his old life back - the one he had lost 8 months ago. Less than a year ago, he had the world at his feet. He had his pick of colleges all over the country, and so had a legitimate way to make something of himself. He needed that back, and the only way he was going to get that was through football. Quite frankly, it was the only thing he was good at. It was the only thing he truly excelled at. And so he was here, ready to fight for a spot on the team just like everyone else.
Theo wasn't the only notable person in the room. Finn, Puck, Sam and Mike - the four Glee guys on the team, as Artie had officially been banned from playing by the High School Association - were all delighted to be back. Football meant so much to all of them, and now that they were in their senior year, it only meant even more! Apart from Mike, who played simply because he loved playing, the three other boys knew that Football was their best chance at getting a college scholarship. It was their ticket to a better future for them and their families, which is something all of them had vowed would come to fruition. But not only that… they were all now Football State Champions, and were eager to go back to back and cement their names in McKinley High's history books. They were at the top of the mountain, and that in itself was a celebration.
"Afternoon, fellas." Beiste said. "Hope you boys all worked hard over the summer, because you're going to have your asses kicked today."
The boys all stared at her, rapt at attention, clinging to her every word.
"As I'm sure all of you know, we're the State champs. Many of the people in this room are already proven winners with this team." She stated. "But… as none of you will know as this is only my second year here, I don't give a rat's ass about that! Every year's a new year! For all I care, we lost every game last year! It's a total reset, boys, for everyone. Which leads me to my first order of business… as of right now, for those of you who have already played last year, you're all cut from the team."
Murmurs of shock echoed around the locker room, eyes wide and jaws slack with shock. The starters, many of whom had been key players since their sophomore year, looked at Beiste like she had grown a third arm right in front of their very eyes.
"You can still earn your spots on the team back. But you all start at 0." Beiste told them. "You're all cut. I don't care if you're the star quarterback. Or the star receiver. Or the star lineman or linebacker. I don't freaking care if you scored the game winning touchdown and were the MVP in the State Championship game last year!"
Beiste briefly locked eyes with Finn as she said this. Although Finn was her captain and was the most experienced member of the team, if she was being extremely honest with herself, she wanted more from the quarterback. She knew that Finn had it in him too. But given the severe lack of quality of the other quarterbacks on the team, especially when she had moved Sam into a different position, it meant that there was no one really challenging Finn for his spot. He was able to rest on his laurels and not live up to the high potential she knew the team's former talisman had. Beiste desperately hoped one of her recruits would be able to challenge him and rejuvenate him to fight for his spot on the team, rather than allowing him to rest on his laurels for another year.
"As I'm sure you all can see, there are more guys in this locker room than ever." Beiste pointed out. That was definitely true, as the boys were packed like sardines in the small locker room. There was surely close to 100 boys present for the tryouts. "Today, we're going to a play a bunch of mini-games, so I can assess exactly where each and every one of you is as a football player. And yes, there will be cuts made throughout the course of today. However, I've already decided that I will be taking more guys onto the team than I've ever taken before. We're going to play this season with some extra players, some of whom might not even see the field for the entire season. But do you know what that means? It means that more and more people are going to be fighting for each spot, every game! Show me today why I should pick you!"
With that, Beiste pulled out a clipboard.
"Before we start, I'm going to take attendance to make sure I have all of your names down here. I'll be doing attendance by position, so if I have the wrong position for you, let me know."
Beiste then proceeded to go through each and every name on her achingly long list. First went everyone on the special teams. Then went everyone else on the defense. Then finally… the attack. It was an extremely long list, but a few minutes later, Beiste had reached the final position: Quarterbacks.
"Sam Evans?"
"Here." The blonde in the corner of the locker room called out in reply.
"Finn Hudson?"
"Here." The tall, gangly brunette responded. Pretty much the entire locker room thought that was that. They figured the attendance was done, as Finn and Sam were the two known Quarterbacks within the school. However, much to everyone's surprise, there was one more name to be read on the list.
"Theo Martin?"
For a brief second, there was silence that accompanied everyone's heads whipping around the locker room. Nobody knew who that was, until a voice from the far corner of the locker room called out.
"Here."
Immediately, Theo felt every eye in the room on him, regarding him curiously, as if he was a foreign creature in a wild habitat. Not many of them had met him yet, so he was new to almost all of them. But they didn't have long to ponder this as Beiste swiftly took over.
"Good. Alright, everyone, get your pads on, and you have 5 minutes to get out onto the field! Move!"
The locker room sprung into action the moment Beiste stepped outside onto the field, with all of the teenagers hustling to get ready in time. Many guys zipped out as quickly as possible, but Theo was one of the last people to emerge from it. He took a while to put on his pads, trying to calm himself as best as he could and ready his mind for what he was about to do next.
Theo had vehemently sworn to himself after Marley's death that he would never play football again. Sure the two events weren't directly correlated, but for Theo, they might as well have been, and not just because of the night Marley had passed away. Even long before then, Marley had saved him when he was at his lowest, and she had done so through football. Football then was as much heaven to him as it was hell to him directly before that. Any good memories he had playing football was because of her. Any success he achieved, both team and individual, was because of her. She had been his guardian angel, his personal cheerleader, his good-luck talisman. It had all happened because of her introducing him to the sport in the first place. But playing now… without her… it just felt wrong.
Theo had little time to dwell on that fact though, as just when he was about to leave the locker room and step onto the field, he felt himself encircled by a group of people, and he didn't even need to look up to know who it was. Karofsky, Azimio and their group of bullies surrounded Theo like hyenas.
"What a surprise to see you here." Karofsky remarked as he scowled daggers at Theo. "Didn't think football was also a ladies' sport now."
Theo didn't respond, not even making eye contact with the bully. He simply took the abuse, and that allowed it to continue.
"I can't believe this kid really thinks he can play with the big boys," Karofsky jeered, his tone dripping with condescension. All he knew Theo as was the little bitch who they had managed to successfully strike twice in the past 48 hours.
Azimio chuckled, adding his own layer of mockery. "You really think you stand a chance? This ain't some fairy tale where you get to be the hero, newbie."
Theo's grip on his gear tightened, his knuckles whitening as he resisted the urge to react. Part of him desperately wanted to swing right now, and the bullies could tell. He was holding back his anger successfully so far, but there was only so heavy of a load those chains could take before they snapped.
"Look at him, pretending he's tough. He wants to hit us!" one of the lackeys chimed in, eliciting laughter from the group.
"Come on, new boy. I'll give you a free shot. Right here." Karofsky stepped closer, pointing to his cheek, trying to goad Theo into an impossible fight. Because it certainly was impossible. Even if Theo was able to take 1, being able to beat up all 5 of them would be way too much for him, and they all knew it. "That's right. You'll do nothing. Little bitch."
"Back off, Karofsky." All of a sudden, another voice interrupted all of them, and the bullies turned around to see none other than Mike Chang, who had been watching the encounter unfold and decided to take a stand before things got ugly.
"Walk away, Chang. Unless you want us on you too." Karofsky snapped at him. However, Mike didn't back down, instead walking over and standing directly between Theo and Karofsky, facing the bully.
"Just save it for the field." Mike told them. Shockingly, Karofsky and his bully gang backed away, mainly because they knew they didn't have much time before Beiste began wondering where they were.
"You're right. We'll save it all for the field." Karofsky said, looking Theo right in the eye as he did. "You better watch yourself out there."
Karofsky and his friends walked out of the locker room, leaving just Theo and Mike inside. Once they were gone, Theo turned to Mike.
"Thank you. I appreciate it." Theo said to him. Mike shrugged off the thanks.
"No problem." He replied. "I know how intimidating this place can be, especially on your first day. I'm really shy myself, so it was all a bit overwhelming at the beginning, and guys like Karofsky don't help at all."
"No kidding." Theo remarked, agreeing with him.
"Just show them all up. Be better than all of them." Mike encouraged him. Theo nodded, a faint, genuine smile on his face.
"Thank you." Theo showed his gratitude to him, before holding out a hand. "I'm Theo by the way."
"Mike." He replied. The two boys briefly looked around the room and realized they were the last two left in the locker room. "Well, we should probably hit the field. Beiste HATES it when anyone's late. Could be enough to cut us right then and there if we are."
"You go ahead. I'll meet you out there. I've just got to finish getting ready." Theo told him.
Mike left shortly after, allowing Theo the entire locker room to himself. After Theo put on his pads for what felt like the millionth time in his short lifetime, Theo reached into his duffel bag once more, this time pulling out the picture of Marley. He lifted it to his face and gently kissed it, feeling himself pulled into a flashback from many years ago as he did…
4 years earlier…
"I don't know about this, Marley." A fourteen year old Theo murmured quietly to her as Marley pulled him into the park that Saturday afternoon. Theo had been living with the Roses for a few weeks now, and although him and Marley weren't together yet, Theo already knew he would do almost anything for her. This, however, he had hesitations about.
Anyone else would've laughed if they heard what he was so nervous about. An afternoon of football in the park? In Texas no less? And he was declining?! They'd all call him crazy. But if only they knew the whole story…
So to say he was nervous, was an understatement. He was almost trembling with unease at the mere thought of playing football again. Marley knew that. Turning to the boy standing next to her, she grasped his shoulders with her arms as she calmly reassured him.
"Relax. It's okay. There's nothing to be nervous about. It's just a friendly afternoon of football with some of my friends."
"I know. But you know how I feel about football after…"
"I know. I know. And if you want to, we can blow this off and do something else." Marley gently comforted him. "I just thought this could be a fun way for you to meet people around here. After all, you are a long way from home and you'll probably be with us for the near future. It could be good for you to meet some friends."
Theo nodded, sucking in a deep breath to try and steady himself. He could do this. He knew she was right. If this was going to be his new home, he needed to make it as such. He couldn't let his past bleed into what was effectively the best second chance he was ever going to get.
And he hadn't. He had summoned all of the strength he had, and successfully managed to turn over a new leaf. And four years later, Theo found himself in exactly the same situation as that day. Only this time, he didn't have Marley to help him through it. Now, he was all alone…
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"15 MINUTES LATE! 15 MINUTES! I OUGHT TO CUT YOUR ASS RIGHT NOW!" Beiste bellowed, spittle flying from her mouth and showering Theo like shrapnel from an explosion. Theo listened to her scream and shout for what felt like an eternity, not saying a word in response. Not saying a word to defend himself. He wasn't one for excuses, no matter whether or not he felt they were valid. He had let his flashback take control of him, and it had led to him being pretty late to the field, and now it was on him to bear the consequences of that.
Beiste was tempted to cut him right then and there. And if he played any other position on the field, she probably would have. But a Quarterback was someone she was in dire need of. Sam was a decent backup in case Finn ever got injured, but he wasn't on a level that would truly challenge for the starting position. And on the off-chance that this kid might be, Beiste decided to refrain from cutting him. For now.
"Well you're 15 minutes late! That means 15 laps of the field! Get going!"
Theo nodded and began to set off without saying a word. As he did, he felt the hair at the back of his neck beginning to prickle, as if there were eyes on him from behind. Sure enough, there were…
Finn and Puck had been two of the first people on the field, wasting no time in warming up together, doing a whole bunch of practice throws and routes. With Beiste's words, Finn was really feeling the pressure. He was his own worst enemy, he was in his head the most, and he knew full-well that his spot as the star QB was at risk. Beiste had said about as much in the locker room. And he NEEDED to keep his spot on the team, for more reasons than just pride too, like it had been in previous years. Football, he knew, was his best chance at getting a scholarship and a chance to go to college, so he needed to perform well. Although they won State last year, with all of the chaos that went on during the final, he didn't manage to catch the attention of any scouts, which he needed more than anything to do this year.
As Finn and Puck continued to throw the ball between them, Finn's eyes followed Theo as he began to run laps around the field. Just seeing the boy made Finn uneasy, and made him feel more and more like his spot was at risk. He knew Coach Beiste well by now, and he knew that she would have had no problem cutting Theo right then and there if she was confident she had enough quality as a replacement. But she hadn't cut him, which led him to believe that Quarterback was going to be a hotly contested position throughout the course of the tryout. Over the summer, Finn had never really figured his spot on the team was in genuine jeopardy. He did now though.
"Relax." Puck told him, reading the expression on his friend's face. "You have nothing to worry about. You won the State Championship as captain, and were the Finals MVP last year. I know Beiste says that shit doesn't matter, but it really does. Besides, that kid's probably not even that good. I spoke to him in class a few times. He only started playing a few years ago, and hasn't played in a while. You've been preparing for this your whole life."
"He's from Texas. Football's really big down there." Finn remarked. "He's probably really good."
"Doesn't mean shit." Puck shook his head vehemently. "You're better than him, I'm sure." Puck reassured him. "You'll have your spot sealed as starting Quarterback before you know it."
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By the time Theo was done with his laps, he had missed the rest of the warmup, and so the tryouts were about to begin. Beiste had decided to switch things up this year in this regard too. While normally, she would have them doing drills for the majority of practice and games at the end, today they were going to go directly into games. Drills did not display personalities in the same way that games did, and right now, Beiste desperately needed big personalities from her team. They had lost so many at the end of last year upon graduation, so it was up to her now to fill the necessary gaps.
Beiste split all of the teenagers into teams, eager to see each of them in action, and as it turned out, it was Theo who was first up in the Quarterback role. The attack and defense set up, both teams eager to begin. Well, all but one person…
The harsh sun beating down on the field, Theo's mind was still far from dialled in as the tryout started. It was weird: while once upon a time, playing football had been second nature to him, now the ball felt completely foreign in his hands. It was like it was a whole other person who had played, and it had happened a lifetime ago. Why am I doing this? Theo asked himself over and over again as he lined up and prepared to receive the ball for the first play of the game. And for the life of him, at that moment, he couldn't remember the answer. All he could think about was Marley.
Theo scanned the two teams, and his eyes briefly locked onto one of the members of the defence, who was practically licking his lips in anticipation and bloodthirst. Theo inwardly groaned. While he wasn't at all afraid of taking a big hit, the fact that it was none other than Karofsky opposite him did nothing to reassure him.
"D-down… s-set… h-h-hut!"
Many football fans believed that it was the Quarterback who dictated the entire success of a play, even before he received the ball. His commanding voice before the snap was supposed to be a gunshot, setting a cadence for his teammates and affirmatively letting them know that the play was starting.
That's not at all what Theo sounded like though. His stammering, stuttering tone was a mere reflection of the broken mental state he was in, and was a reminder of how much he probably should be on a therapist's couch rather than on a football field right now. And that practically doomed his team from the word go. Theo had barely just received the ball when Karofsky had already blown past the guard and was bearing down on Theo like a rhinoceros. It was all the Quarterback could do to release the ball, but it ended up bouncing harmlessly out the side of the field. And it didn't stop Karofsky from barrelling through him, sending him crashing to the ground with a large SMASH!
It was a heavy hit, and it knocked the wind out of Theo. All he could do was lie flat on his back, wheezing for a while, trying to regain his bearings after being absolutely clobbered by Karofsky. In the corner of his eye, he noticed Karofsky get up, stand over him and celebrate, and Theo closed his eyes. He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be here.
When Theo finally opened them, he saw a different person standing over him, this time a teammate: Mike. The asian boy held out a hand and pulled Theo up to his feet, Theo groaning lightly in pain as he did.
"You okay?" Mike asked him, concerned. Despite being the receiver Theo was meant to pass to, Mike didn't look at all annoyed at the failed play, but instead looked more concerned than anything else.
"Yeah, I'm alright. Fuck, I'm sorry, man." Theo mumbled. As he felt Mike look him up and down, he could tell that Mike knew something was up. The two had met less than half an hour ago, but it didn't take a genius to read Theo's face. After all, the Texan looked like he had seen a ghost.
"O-okay." Mike nodded. "Just remember, one foot, one throw, one play at a time. You've got this."
Mike's encouraging words immediately sparked yet another memory of a few years ago, the very same day that he had been reintroduced to football by Marley.
"You can do this." Marley had reassured him before that first time he played football again in the park, four years ago. "Forget everything that happened in the past and focus on right here, right now. One throw at a time. And I guarantee that before you know it, you fall back in love with the sport."
Hearing Marley's words so clearly in his head, even if they were 4 years old, rejuvenated Theo. Rather than breaking him down further at the thought that she wasn't there, instead it provided him with the strength he needed to bite down harder on his gumshield and force himself to focus up.
The tryouts continued shortly after, and much to Finn's dismay, Theo had made a complete 180 turnaround after that poor first play. The former Texas High School State Champion was good. He was very, very good. There was definitely an argument to be made that he was one of the best players McKinley had seen in recent years. Although it took Theo a little while to adjust to playing Football again, once he had, there was no stopping him. Playing at Quarterback, he was making throws that the rest of the team couldn't even dream about making. He possessed a rocket of an arm, one that an entire lifetime of heavy training had refined into a laser with nearly perfect accuracy. Theo had added a new skill to his arsenal since he had last played football: an element of rogue chaos that took shape every time he ran with a ball. He might not have had the same level of digilance to the game plan as Finn, because he played in the exact opposite way. He was reckless, and more often than not, he ran rogue with the ball. He ran like a man with nothing to lose, completely unafraid of getting hurt, almost embracing it. Needless to say, Beiste was secretly over the moon with her new recruit. He had the makings of a very, very good football player indeed.
But Finn wasn't going to be outdone easily. The game switched from offense to defense so Finn's team was playing offense and Theo's was playing defense, which meant that Finn had the opportunity to show off his own skills. And boy, did he need to, because Theo had put on a clinic, and Finn could feel his certainty of a spot as starting Quarterback slipping from his grasp.
The two teams lined up, having switched sides, and who did Finn see lining up for the other team? Of course it was Theo. Of course it was. The boy played both offense and defense in his old school, his large, built frame allowing him to play on the defensive line.
Theo was up against Karofsky, who was playing on the offensive line now, and the bully wasted no time making fun of him, mocking everything about him as they waited for the play to start. Theo didn't say anything back to him though. He simply gritted his teeth and clenched his jaw, preparing to pounce.
As soon as the whistle blew, in the blink of an eye, Karofsky was flat on his back. Just like that. 250+ pounds had been dumped aside at the hands of Theo. Technique beat power every time, and the boy now had a straight shot towards the Quarterback. Taking advantage, Theo sacked Finn HARD, slamming him to the ground.
Finn groaned in pain as he went down with a CRASH, wincing so tightly that his eyes closed for a moment. When he opened them, he saw Theo standing over him, holding a hand to help him up. Anger began to swirl inside Finn's stomach and he dragged himself to his feet, ignoring Theo's hand, more desperate than ever to make a big play.
Unfortunately, Finn found himself dumped onto his ass several more times throughout the tryout, unable to really do too much with the ball. By the end, it was clear that Finn was no longer the best player on the team. There was a new top dog in town, both on the offense and the defense…
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At the end of the tryout, unsurprisingly Theo was on the team. Coach Beiste is VERY impressed, both by his throwing and by his killer instinct on defense. Finn was still captain, however, as he was a veteran of the team and was an amazing captain. Captaincy was the last thing on Theo's mind though.
Despite the great tryout, Theo was not satisfied at all. The small hint of hope, optimism and happiness that he had felt about his life before the tryout had now been crushed. He felt like utter shit as he sat in the locker room afterwards, missing Marley more than he ever had before. He didn't feel a shred of the satisfaction he used to feel about playing football. In fact, he felt devoid of any joy or emotion. No matter how well he did on the football field, that meant nothing in the slightest. The bottom was that he was still alone. She wasn't here anymore. And she never would be.
"Martin!" As Theo sat on the bench beneath his locker, a sharp fist knocking on his locker, and the bark of his surname caused Theo to look up. He found himself staring at Karofsky and Azimio, who almost looked… apologetic. "You're a hell of a football player. We had no idea you were that good. No hard feelings about… you know?"
Of course, Theo thought to himself. Of course now they try to make a peace offering with him, now that he had a use to them as a teammate. Of course now they were suddenly remorseful. Theo wasn't interested in what they had to say, and he didn't say a word in reply, looking down away from them. Eventually, the bullies got the message and turned around, leaving Theo alone with his thoughts. At least for a while, before another voice broke the silence.
"Hey, Theo." Theo was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of Mike's voice. "Great job today, man."
"Thanks. You too." Theo murmured back.
"Do you want to hang out or something?" Mike asked. Him and Theo had made a great team with Theo throwing the ball to him throughout the tryout and Mike using his rapid speed to tirelessly beat his defender and catch it, so it was unsurprising they had both passed with flying colors.
"Oh, uh… I'm sorry, man. I should probably be getting home. Next time though." Theo replied. That was a lie. He had absolutely nowhere to be right now. But more than anything, he needed to be alone right now. He was done with the entire world right now.
"No problem. Next time for sure." Mike replied cheerfully. "Okay. Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning for Glee rehearsal."
Theo nodded and the boy left shortly after. Once he was gone, the locker room fell completely silent as Theo was the last person left inside. He sat by his locker and pulled something out of his bag: a photo of Marley. It was a candid photo he had taken of her during one of their dates together, and the sheer joy and happiness on her face was enough to cause an agony to rip through her entire body. She had no idea what was about to become of her. What Theo would end up doing.
All of Theo's emotions finally caught up with him after a whirlwind of a first day in McKinley. As they did, his pain returned one hundred fold, tears beginning to splash down onto the photograph of Marley as Theo cradled it to his chest.
"Oh, Marley. I miss you so much."