Chapter 2

"Do I look alright?" Julie asked as she looked in Tyra's full length mirror. She was wearing a red dress. It was pretty short but she had dancer legs, and she looked amazing.

"You look hot!" Tyra grinned. "I'm just kind of curious though… What do you want from Tim?"

"I don't really know. I just like talking to him and I like how I feel when he's around…"

"I know you don't want to hear it, but you know Tim and I had a thing… He seems like he's changed some, but sometimes people can be misleading. I will support you with everything, you know that. You're my best friend… just be careful," Tyra smiled at Julie.

"Thanks, Tyra. I appreciate that," Julie hugged her best friend."Come on, lets get going,"

Tyra grabbed her purse from her dresser and the two girls headed towards Tim's. There were a couple cars in the driveway. Not as many as a typical party.

"Knock, knock!" Tyra called out as she opened the door. She and Julie looked around, noticing Street and Lyla talking on the couch and Landry and Matt were playing a video game. Landry stood and came over to greet his girlfriend. Julie scanned the room and didn't see Tim anywhere.

"Where is everyone?" Tyra asked Landry.

"This is it. We're all here. Tim wanted a small thing tonight…" Landry informed her as she took a seat next to him. Julie sat down next to Lyla.

"Hi Julie!" Lyla smiled at Julie. "You look really nice! I love that dress."

"Thanks, you look nice too… This is a really small party," Julie spoke up.

"Yeah, Tim didn't want too many people over," Jason Street told her. "How's your mom and dad?"

"They're fine. Where's Tim?" Julie asked them in a whisper.

"He went outside I think," Street told her.

"Hey Julie," Matt called out from his video game.

"Hey Matt," Julie called back.

"Y-you look really pretty," Matt blushed.

"Thanks, Matt… I'm burning up. Is there anything to drink?" Julie asked Lyla.

"Just beer I think. Help yourself," Lyla replied.

Julie walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. All beer. Big surprise. She took out a bottle and popped it open. She took a quick sip as she glanced out the window. Tim was out there making out with some rally girl. As if noticed someone watching he pulled away and turned around. Julie quickly turned around and chugged the entire beer. Tim noticed her long blonde hair and walked inside. She had popped open another beer already and made her way back to Lyla and Jason. Tyra noticed the short, brunette girl behind Tim and locked eyes with Julie. She motioned towards the door but Julie shook her head.

"Julie, I'm so glad you fit us in your schedule," Tim spoke drunkenly.

"We thought we would stop by for a minute on our way to TU," Tyra snapped.

"What's at TU?" Landry asked.

"My cousin Micah's having a frat party. It's like a whole weekend thing…" Tyra informed the group.

"Who's your friend, Tim?" Julie interrupted, the alcohol setting in.

"I'm Celeste, Tim's girlfriend," the brunette smiled. Julie smiled and chugged the rest of her beer.

"Hey Tim, do you have music, I feel like dancing," Julie stood up a little wobbily.

Tim turned on the radio for Julie.

"Nice dress," Tim whispered in her ear as she started to dance alone.

Tyra and Lyla traded glances. The guys were all in shock. Tim couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Hey Tim, grab me another beer," Julie begged.

Tim handed her his own. Tyra glared at him.

"Hey, Jules, we should get going…"Tyra stood up and started pulling Julie towards the door.

"I'll come too," Lyla stood up to help. Just as she did Julie fell backwards bumping her head.

"Oh, god!" Tyra and Lila screamed.

Matt and Landry stood up as Tim rushed over.

"Julie, wake up!" Tim begged.

"What do we do? What do we do?" Tyra was freaking out.

"She's gotta go to the hospital, some one call 911." Jason Street yelled.

"I'll take her, help me get her in the car," Tyra begged.

Landry jumped in the car with them. Julie was admitted into the hospital that night. She was unconcious from the drinking but when she fell back and hit her head she got a mild concussion. Tyra lied saying they had gone to that frat party and that Julie had drank a few cups of the punch which obviously had been spiked. She didn't want Julie or any of her friends to get in trouble. Julie's parents were able to bring her home the next day as long as they promised to keep her in the bed for a week to fully recover.

Julie opened her eyes and saw her dad sitting in a chair across the room reading a book.

"Dad," Julie called out.

"Hey sweetheart. You feel okay? I don't like leaving you here alone all day…" Eric was at his daughter's bedside. She saw a vase of flowers on her nightstand.

"Who are those from?" Julie asked curiously.

"The football team, actually," Eric smiled proud of his players for being so thoughtful.

There was a knock at the front door. Eric kissed his daughter's forehead before running to answer the door. Tim stood there with a bouquet of purple tulips.

"What brings you here, Riggins?" Coach asked.

"Could I see Julie for a second?" Tim asked.

"You two have seemed awfully close lately. Is there something I should be aware of?" Coach asked.

"No sir. Julie has just been a good friend to me and I wanted to return the favor," Tim told his coach a bit uneasily.

"Go on in. She just woke up from a nap. Tell her I'll be in the living room if she needs me."

Tim knocked softly on her bedroom door before entering. She looked pitiful.

"Hi," Tim smiled at her.

"Are those flowers for me?" Julie asked with a smile.

"No, I brought them for your dad actually."

Julie laughed a bit and motioned for him to sit on the bed. He handed her the flowers.

"So, who told you purple tulips were my favorite?" Julie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Saracen did, actually," Tim grinned.

"Where's your girlfriend?" Julie asked a little more serious.

"I don't have a girlfriend… I don't do girlfriends…" Tim shook his head.

"Oh," Julie said slightly embarrassed about bringing it up.

"I have to get going. I'm supposed to meet Street and Lyla…" Tim stood up uncomfortably.

"Tim? Do you think that maybe you could come back to visit tomorrow? It's kinda nice to talk to people other than mom and dad…" Julie smiled as she readjusted her pillow.

"Sure, Jules… I'll see you tomorrow," Tim smiled as he walked out of her room.

Julie smiled as she took a deep sniff of the tulips.Julie was reading a book when Tim came by the following day.

"What are you reading?" Tim asked.

"It's a biography of Natalie Wood…" Julie smiled as she put her bookmark in and softly closed the book.

"Who is that?" Tim asked taking a seat on her bed.

"My favorite actress. She was in Miracle on 34th Street, West Side Story, Splendor in the Grass…" Julie went on.

"I've never heard of any of those movies…" Tim laughed.

"Maybe we can watch one sometime," Julie suggested.

"Yeah, sure. You look a lot better today," Tim smiled as he looked around her room.

"I feel a lot better today. I'm gonna try and go to school tomorrow," Julie told him.

"That would be great. That freaky girl you sit with at lunch looks awfully lonely lately," Tim teased.

"Lois is a sweet girl," Julie laughed.

"I think your dad is starting to get freaked out about me visiting you," Tim whispered.

"Yeah, just a little…" Julie grinned.

"Listen Jules, we need to talk," Tim started. "I know you have a crush on me. I can tell…"

"I do not," Julie threw a pillow at him.

"Yeah, you do. I'm hot, I admit it… I'm just not sure what all this is. What we're doing…" Tim went on squeezing the pillow.

"I think you're a really nice guy, Tim. I like talking to you," Julie admitted.

"You're Coaches daughter though," Tim frowned. " He's been really good to me and I don't want him to hate me…"

"Why would he hate you?" Julie asked.

"Because I think you're beautiful and I can't help but look at you all the time and I've never been able to just talk to a girl the way we talk…"

"What's the problem?" Julie asked.

"I'm trouble. You know that, everyone knows that…" Tim sighed as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Can we hang out?" Julie asked. " No labels or anything… You don't do girlfriends, remember?"

"So we hang out and then the next thing I know I'm kissing you and you're doing something you've never done before and you get all attatched and then I do something dumb and break your heart and you never speak to me again and Coach kills me… It's a lose, lose." Tim was so nervous his voice was trembling. " I gotta go."

Tim stood up and left Julie there in shock. He admitted he liked her. Through out the idea of being together but crushed every dream and hope she had…

TBC!