Ty rolled over in bed, gasping when sore muscles protested to move. She threw an arm over her face to ward out the morning sunlight filtering through her blinds and yelped when her forearm landed heavily on her bandaged cheek. Growling a curse, she gave up trying to float in that haze between wakening and slumber, and crawled out of bed and padded to the bathroom. Wordlessly, she started the shower and turned back to the bathroom mirror to where the white of the bandages stood out starkly against her tanned cheek.
The sight of those wretched things reminded her of Mr. Warden playing Florence Nightingale against her will. It still galled her to think that he examined her as if she were no more than a little girl who had skinned her knee. An innocent little girl, immune to those hands…and that voice…and what was she thinking? He had no bloody right to putting his hands on her person at all! Add the fact that he forced his way into her apartment, ALSO against her will. She began to pace as the bathroom filled with hot steamy water, heaven was only a step away, she just needed to tear these things off first, and replace them with fresh, non-Lane-tainted ones. She just needed to reach up, grab the corner of one…wait for it…and….Rriiiippppp…
Alana sat bolt upright in bed when Ty's blood curdling scream/yelp rent the air. "Damnit, Livingston, I'm trying to get some sleep!"
Later that day, Ty sat in the Literature class from Hell, and Bode was furiously writing in their notebook that they used to chat with each other during class. She leaned over and peered at what he wrote.
'So, if you look this terrible, what do the other two look like?'
Ty growled and grabbed her pen and the notebook from Bode's grasp. 'Thanks a lot for the vote of confidence, buddy. If you must know, they both had to go to the clinic to receive treatment.'
Bode took the tablet back from Ty and she read a few minutes later, 'So, they went to the clinic and you got your mentor to 'service' you? Ty, I never knew you had it in you to seduce your mentor just to get through school. That's so cold-blooded.'
Ty's jaw dropped, then she smiled evilly at Bode before writing, 'Well, you know, a person has to do what one can, or should I say who?'
Bode had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. He grabbed the book and wrote, 'You're a hard woman, Ty.'
She responded with, 'That's why you love me, Bode, admit it.'
They both tried to subdue their laughter.
Later, as they walked out of class and down the sidewalk, they were chatting about inconsequential things when Ty heard someone shout her name. She looked over her shoulder, and immediately back again, "Goddamnit…what the hell does he want?"
Bode looked back to where Ty was glaring and saw a tall, rangy man loping towards them. So this was the warden, huh? Unconsciously, Bode moved closer to Ty in a protective gesture.
Lane noted the movement and looked from Bode to Ty. Obviously there were some feelings not being said here, because when looking at Bode, he was hovering over Ty, and throwing off a possessive air. Ty, however, was standing askance and slightly pulling away from Bode. Lane released a breath he didn't know he was holding in the first place. So the friend felt a little more than friends, but Ty wasn't buying. He didn't know why that little piece of information was pleasing to him.
"Uh…hello? You got something to say, or are you just going to stare at me all damn day?" Ty inquired impatiently. She so did NOT need this distraction! She was still trying to puzzle out why those two hooligans had wanted her.
"Ah, yes, Ty. Just letting you know that we are planning to have a bake sale to raise money for the Rodeo Club. And also to remind you that the weekly meeting is tomorrow night, so you wouldn't forget."
Ty remarked dryly, "Heaven forbid I should forget to go." She rolled her eyes, "Come on, Cordell, you know I won't miss it, cuz if I do, I'll be kicked out of college and you know I won't allow that to happen. Now what is the real reason you came truckin all the way out here to pester me with a measly reminder that could have been done over the phone?" Her smile bared more teeth than any real warmth towards its intended recipient.
Lane felt off balance, this girl was harsh! No one in the Rodeo Club was this standoffish, quite the opposite, all the girls were kind, considerate, out going, and willing to cheerfully put in an effort to help the good of the club. This girl was going to rip them a new one!
He glanced from her fiery golden eyes to the gaze of her 'protector'. Boden Christenson was not as tall as Lane, but had raven black hair and ice blue eyes. He was also a bit stockier in build to Lane's rangy form; nevertheless, he glared stonily at Lane as if to act as Ty's bodyguard. Lane wasn't going to get anywhere with Ty with this bloke around. He decided to withdraw for the time being.
"Listen Ty, I'll just talk to you tomorrow okay?" With that he turned on his heel and walked away, wondering all the while, why did he track her down just so he could say what he could have over the phone?
"Dumbass." Ty muttered and turned and strode efficiently to her where her pickup was parked. Bode silently followed, coming to difficult terms that he had a rival when it came to his best friend. He'd always liked her, but settled for friendship when it seemed that was all she was willing to give, but it still galled him to think that she might like this goody-two-shoe over him. "So, Ty, I'll talk to you later, then?"
Ty looked at her friend as she climbed up into her pickup, "Of course, someone has to save me from boredom, right?" She shut the door and immediately the diesel blew black as she growled to life. As Ty drove home she pondered the weird mood that Bode was in, it happened as soon as Lane walked up. Wait a second…he was jealous? Of Lane! He's gotta be off the reservation! She laughed as she shifted into overdrive and felt the turbocharger kick in. God, she loved her truck!
Later a night or two later, she was at home and watching a movie, she felt an odd sensation in her jaw. Absently she rubbed at her lower jaw and ground her teeth a bit. What was with it? It felt like her mouth was too tight for her teeth, and she needed to gnaw on something. What the bloody hell? This couldn't be from the ass kicking; otherwise it would have felt like this from the get-go. She continued to work her jaw as she walked to the bathroom and peered into the mirror. Her face looked the same. Just her jaw was tight and sore and it was getting worse! She headed back to her room and hit re-send on her phone and held it to her ear, expecting to hear Bode's voice, she got Lane's sleepy voice instead. Shit! He was the last person she called because she had needed to tell him of the recipes she was going to submit for the bake sale they were having in a week, and she'd forgotten all about it. Oh well, Bode would just overreact.
"Ty? What's up?" His voice sounded gravely and at the same time warm and comforting. To Ty then, it sounded like heaven.
"Cordell? I hate to ask you this but would you come over? Something's not quite right." She explained calmly, while inwardly she felt the pain increase, and panic started to edge in on her.
"Why, what's wrong? Ty? Hey!" Lane was instantly awake.
"I-I don't know…just come over, please?" Her voice ended on a whimper as she hung up the phone.
