AN:This is technically the preface to the story. It begins in Season 4, Episode 1 of Friday Night Lights. The rest of the story will take place at the end of Season 5. Everything that happens in between the two is considered to still happen. This Preface is meant to just be inserted in before Tim Riggins leaves college. After the rest of the story begins in Season 5, the original storyline will change. I like to keep a certain amount of continuity. Let me know if I achieve that to your satisfaction.
Preface: Introducing Andie.
Andie absolutely hated political science. The only thing more boring than your country's politics was another country's politics.
And to top it all off, for the first time in her life, Andie had gone four months with not a single thing to write. She had gone to university, like her parents had always wanted, but her intention had been to gain a legitimate degree while pursuing her dream.
Andie wanted more than anything to be a writer. There was nothing she loved more than writing her books. In her life she had travelled all over the world and had seen so many places, cultures and people who had inspired her and given her ample material for her books. And she loved San Antonio and all it had to offer, but for the first time in her life, she was experiencing writer's block. So her frustration level was through the roof.
So the last thing she needed, on her way to the library to study for her political science test, was to be slammed into by some greasy haired, ignorant, though kind of hunky, jerk with no regard for anyone but himself. It didn't help that he was built like a brick wall. A brick wall that left Andie on her back and her books scattered around her.
"Sorry." He said, picking up her books. With his other arm he lifted her up and sat her on her feet with little to no effort while she was still catching her breath.
She had barely done so when he nodded and began walking away again. It therefore took her a moment before she realized he still had her books. She hurried after him. "Hey!" she called out. "HEY!"
He had no reaction so she picked up her speed. "Hey, impatient idiot!"
That got him to turn his head long enough for him to realize she was chasing him. "Look, little girl, I'm a bit busy. I said sorry. I have a long drive ahead of me."
She grabbed his arm to force him to stop and was a little impressed by the firm muscle under her hand and the warmth radiating from it.
"What?" he asked, exasperated. She must have been involuntarily blushing at her less than proper thoughts about his muscles because he smiled a little. "Is this an attraction thing? Because you're hot and all, but you're a little young for me. Besides, I'm not gonna be around much longer."
Andie wasn't a complete stranger to blatant vulgarity in the form of arrogant, horny men, but that didn't mean she took to it well. Quickly letting go of his arm and crossing hers over her chest, Andie let go of years of propriety training and gave into her quick temper. "Listen, you inbred, southern tool, though it may be a shock to your Texas-sized Ego, I have less than non-existant attraction to you. I can't say as I'm regretful you won't be here long and I wish you steady travel far away from here. However, before you cart your unwashed self to God only knows where, the least you could do for the insult to my physical well-being and self-respect would be to give me my books back."
"Andie?"
Andie looked back to see Olivia, her study partner, looking at her. Andie nodded. "One second." She turned back to the current bane of her existence and he was smiling at her. "My books." She insisted.
He looked down at the books he was holding. "Political Science, huh?" He smiled even more. "I don't know much about politics but hows about we negotiate. I will give you your books back if you meet me at a little bar downtown called Antonio's Tavern around eight tonight."
She opened her mouth to decline and insist he give her books back but closed it when she recognized that she wasn't exactly in the position to make demands. He had what she needed and she was hardly a challenge to his six-foot frame. Instead she said, "I thought you had a long drive to commence."
"Yeah, well, there's always tomorrow."
She stared at him, a little annoyed at the sparkle in his clear hazel eyes. "Why? Why would you want me to meet you there and why should I agree to it?" She knew perfectly well why he would want her to meet him at a bar and the well-mannered daughter her parents had raised told her suddenly kick-started libido that there was no way they were going to that bar.
He shrugged in that way only the truly languid can. "I want to have a good time and you need these books back before your friend over there takes off."
Andie looked back and Olivia was checking her watch. "Fine." She grabbed her books and turned to walk away, but she turned back and he was watching her. "What makes you think I won't stand you up?"
Again, he shrugged. "I get the feeling you're the kind of girl who doesn't find it easy to back out of a deal."
She wanted to deny it and say she had reneged on promises before, but it was true that her parents had raised her better. Not willing to admit that, however, Andie just nodded and walked away.
It had been Tim's intention to leave San Antonio as soon as possible. What his professor had said had made him miss home in a way he hadn't thought possible. He had never thought his home that great but he was beginning to realize that it had been the one place he could always go back to. He didn't belong in college. Lyla and Billy had wanted him to go. Tim just wanted to go home.
And he still did. But home would still be there in a day. He had already lost Lyla, why shouldn't he enjoy himself before heading home? This Andie, she surprised him. Similarly to how Lyla had. They were both over all good girls but they appeared to have a dark side; Lyla, with her rebellious nature and Andie with her sharp words. He couldn't help but be drawn to her.
Especially by the differences between the two girls. Tim had loved Lyla and thought she was great, but she had never been happy with simple. She had always wanted to get out of Dillon, go to University, be important and impressive. She always had to be in perfect, polite, proper order and she had wanted Tim to be too. But what he was beginning to understand was he wasn't cut out for that life. He was simple. Just like Dillon. Tomorrow he would go home to Dillon, where he didn't need to be impressive.
Lyla and Andie might have differences, but when Andie walked into the tavern that night, she sure was impressive. And that might have stopped Tim had he thought her too much like Lyla and likely to expect too much frolm him when he wasn't willing to give any. However, despite her impressive appearance, and despite how she acted earlier seemed to suggest she was a lot more cultured that Time was used to, everything about her seemed simple. Beautiful, but simple.
She was only wearing a pair of jeans and a black shirt, but the shirt showed off her creamy skin and long neck and the way her jeans fit was simply amazing.
Andie came in looking around for him. He couldn't help but smirk at the determined look on her face. What she had on her mind was obvious when she saw him and headed for the table he was at. Her first words confirmed it.
"Okay, Well, I'm here. See, the thing is, I have a test tomorrow so I should really be getting back to my dorm to study."
Tim nodded. "Yeah, I suppose you could pretend like just showing up is what I meant when we agreed to this, if that's the kind of person you want to be. Or you could sit down, have a drink and loosen up a bit."
Andie looked guilty but lifted her chin. "What gives you the idea I need to loosen up?"
Smiling, Tim put his beer down and walked around behind her, rubbing her shoulders. "The tension in your shoulders does."
She remained tense but eventually she relaxed and he sat her down in the chair before returning to his own. "Fine," she said, "What's on the agenda?"
Tim raised a brow as he leaned over his beer. "The agenda?" There was definitely a tone to her voice that had him wondering if maybe he should have let her walk out. She was suspicious of him and though her shoulders had relaxed, her voice was still tense.
"Word on campus is that you are quite well practiced at this, so I'm just wondering if I get something special or am I just another night on the Tim Riggins San Antonio Tour?"
Time froze with his beer half way to his lips. That tone he had heard before, he revised his name for it. It hadn't been the "tense" tone, it was the "I've got your number" tone. He had found her quick wit amusing but when he pushed aside his curiosity at how she had heard so much about him in one day, her words left their mark.
Unfortunately Andie seemed to see this. "I just want to know why me. I'm sure you're a nice guy but I don't know why you have chosen me."
Tim didn't like that she obviously knew she'd hit a sore spot but the sting of that and her earlier comment were a little soothed by her sincere manners and her obvious self preservation. She wasn't making the comment to poke at him, but to protect herself. Tim could understand that. He did it himself on occasion.
Sitting his beer down, Tim leaned in and attempted honesty. "Look, I don't know how you collected your research on me and I won't deny a certain reputation of mine, but I'm not in the habit of making girls do things they don't want to do. You're interesting, and seeing as it's my last night in town, I thought it would be nice to have some fun. Think you can handle that?"
She just stared at him before sighing. "Okay, since I don't believe you understand how arrogant and condescending that sounded, I'm going to overlook it and jump to the end. Why is it your last night in town and why spend it with me, other than the part where you find me interesting? Because I'm pretty sure there are a lot more interesting people and things you could be wasting time with."
Hoping to distract her from the in-depth conversation she was starting, Tim smiled. "Why don't you let me buy you a drink first."
"Answer the questions and I might let you buy me a drink."
He might have cut the evening short then and there but there was a challenging glint in her eyes that gave Tim the impression that is he gave a little bit, it might just pay off."
"I've decided I'm not the college type. That's why it's my last night. Tomorrow I'm packing up my things and heading back home."
"It's only been two months, how could you know it's not for you already?" She saked with real interest on her face.
Tim wasn't used to people actually being interested in what he had to say. There had never been many people who seemed to care what someone like Tim Riggins thought. It was odd having this girl he barely knew sitting there and actually listening to him. She was full-on, leaning in, head tilted, hearing everything he said and interpreting it. He was caught up by the actual interest in those eerily stormy blue eyes. It threw him off and left him too off-kilter to fall into his normal tactic of bailing.
Without know what else to do, Tim found himself answering her and actually being honest without a thought to how to stop himself. "I come from a small town. A big fancy life was never a dream of mine. It wasn't my idea to go off to college. My brother wanted me to go. And my girlfriend at the tim, she was what you might call a go-getter. She's at Vanderbilt now."
"Sounds like you're a little hung up on her still."
Did it now? Tim rolled his eyes and went to scoff and deny it but the actual words wouldn't come out.
Andie nodded. "So, I'm assuming my presence here was in hopes of a distraction from the gaping hole in your chest and the panicked feelings of displacement caused by being so far from home and safety."
He stared at her, not willing to risk thinking about that and whether it was true. He was soon distracted by what he was almost certain was acceptance on her face.
"Okay then." She said, signalling the bartender. "Let's have some fun."
"What can I get you?" the bartender asked.
"Tequila," she said, "And keep it coming."
Surprisingly the next morning Tim's head wasn't all that bad. Of course it could have something to do with all the physical activity last night. He probably worked most of the alcohol out of his system with all the dancing, singing, running around… and of course the mind-blowing sex. Tim had slept with more than his share of the female sex but he had grown to find that despite a few tricks or areas one excelled, sex with most women tended to be the same. Still enjoyable, but the same. Tim didn't know whether it was that Andie seemed to be a little foreign or if it was something else about her but she was definitely in his top three.
"You're awake." His roommate, John, said, coming around the partition that separated their beds. Tim pulled Andie's sleeping form against him so that her chest, which wasn't covered by the sheet, wasn't visable.
"If I wanted to peek, I wouldn't hace made my presence known."
Tim doubted that would have reassured Andie, had she been awake.
"I thought you were leaving. I thought that's what the bags were all about." John motioned to Tim's various packed bags around the room.
"Today." Tim said. "I had plans last night."
"Obviously." John said, looking at Andie. The sheet covered her hips and she was turned against Tim so her chest and face were hidden, but her back and legs were still visable and John's gaze on them irked Tim unexpectedly. John smiled. "Don't worry, Man, I'm just admiring the creamy skin. She's all yours."
Tim didn't know what to say to that. "Don't you have practice to get to?"
"Yeah, I suppose I do. I will give coach your best."
"You do that."
John left and instead of letting Andie go, he admired her sleeping form. She looked so content and peaceful. She laid there, cuddled against his chest with her silky legs splayed out across the bed. He brushed her long dark hair away from her face and she tilted her face up towards him with the slightest smile. She had shown a lot of facial expressions since he had met her but never one so… her.
Not able to resist, Tim leaned down and kissed her gently. She soon began to return the kiss and let her hands explore his chest. Eventually he broke the kiss and let her roll away a little. Slowly her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at the ceiling before looking over at him and giving him a mischievous smirk. It was there, in that glint of mischief, that Tim felt the first sign of attachment to her.
However, when he went to lean in to kiss her again, her face changed to worry. "What time is it?"
"Well, my roommate just left for practice, so probably around seven."
"Shit!" She said, jumping up and beginning to pull her clothes on.
"What? Classes don't start for another hour."
Andie pulled her shirt on and looked around for the rest of her things. "I know that. But as I said last night, I have a Political Science test today and I was out with you all night so I have barely studied. I need to go cram."
Tim had sat up in bed watching her frantic scramble but seeming there was no way she was coming back to bed, he got up and put his boxers on before sitting at the end of the bed and sighing.
After she got her shoes on she stopped and looked at him. Her face calmed and she walked over and gave him a delicious kiss before smiling. "Last night was fun. Thank you for making me loosen up. I enjoyed myself."
She kissed him again before walking to the door. Then she paused and looked back at him. "I hope you find what you're looking for. Drive safe Tim Riggins."
With one last smile she left and despite his sudden reluctance, an hour later, so did Tim.
