A/N: This starts on the Eve of Tara's accident from Opie's POV starting from CH43 of Uncharming & the Prince.
FYI: Shout out to Newfiegirl and Summerd123. All of the flashbacks I included in this came to me when I read about your interest in seeing more of how Donna and Opie started out. I already showed you how they met in my EXTRASODE "Donatella". How about a tiny glimpse into their first date? This is for you guys.
**Hope you Enjoy!
P.S: You can thank the crazy snow day I had for this update lol. I finally got around to editing through it. (Thanks to my insomnia for that)
- Veritable Old Lady Crow
I don't like the way she's looking at you,
I'm starting to think you want her, too.
Am I crazy? Have I lost ya?
Even though I know you love me I can't help it...
- V-crow's [Jealous by Nick Jonas] remix
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"Hey, handsome…..you come here often?"
Opie Winston looked up from the menu in his hand, smiling at the teasing look in the young waitress's eyes.
"Hey, Kendra," Opie said, smirking. "How's college?"
"I'll be happy when the semester is over," Kendra admitted. "School full time and working is really kicking my ass. I'm still hoping to get that internship with that firm I was telling you about."
Hoping? We both know you're gonna get it.
You give Tara a run for her money.
"Thanks," he said, picking up the glass of Pepsi she'd placed in front of him to take a sip. "Finals coming up soon, huh?"
Kendra groaned, sitting down across from him. "Don't remind me."
"I can see how stressed out you are," Opie teased. He leaned sideways to peer at her legs from around the table. "Looks like you put on the freshman fifteen already."
Kendra giggled, snatching the menu in his hand to hit him in the face with it.
"You know I'm just kidding," Opie said. "You look great. I probably miss your cheerleading uniform more than you do."
Definitely, not probably.
"Careful there, Opie," Kendra warned. The stern expression she cast him may have been more convincing if the smile she'd tried to swallow hadn't made its way to the surface. "We wouldn't want your girlfriend getting the wrong idea about us now would we?"
Opie snickered. "I'm pretty sure your girlfriend set her straight."
No pun intended.
"We still laugh about that every now and then," Kendra admitted. She looked up towards the Diner's front entrance. "Where is Donna anyway?"
Opie rolled his eyes. "Late….as usual."
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"What's wrong Opie?" Natasha Torric asked.
Jax pulled his lips away from her neck just long enough to smirk at the warning glare his best friend was shooting him from across the table.
"Opie needs to learn to listen to his brother when he tells him something," Jax announced, smirking. "I told you that girl was a waste of time. You should have never even asked her out. Now you look stupid."
"Aren't you two supposed to be on a date?" Opie glared. "How about going back to your own damn booth?"
"You never heard of a double date?" Jax teased. Then he looked at the empty space next to Opie. "Looks like Donatellla doesn't know what a date is at all."
Natasha turned towards the handsome, blue-eyed boy nibbling on her earlobe. "What happened? Who'd he ask out?"
"There's this new chick that just moved here," Jax explained. "Her name is Donatella—"
"Oh! The girl that turned you down?" Natasha intejercted. It was Opie's turn to laugh when Jax glared at the bottle-blonde sitting next to him. "I ran into her at Scoops. Stacey invited her to her Pool party. She seems cool…..of course she's crazy to turn you down."
Opie watched as his best friend's cocky smile returned, spreading across his face as he gripped Natasha's chin rewarding her complimentary words with a kiss. Drinking in the unabashed attraction and admiration in her eyes, Jax pointed a thumb at his best friend.
"I tried to tell him that," Jax explained. "She's obviously one of the crazy ones. Or the high maintenance one's."
Opie scoffed. "Because she's not into your arrogant ass?"
Both teenagers sitting across the table ignored him.
"High maintenance. What the Hell is that supposed to mean?" Natasha asked, cocking her eyebrow.
"How about I tell you what it's not?" Jax drawled. "It's not you Darlin'. You're a cool chick. You'd never do something foul like stand me up when I ask you out for dinner and a movie would you?"
"She didn't stand me up," Opie argued, scowling. He peered over at the clock on the wall. "She's probably running late."
"An hour late?" Jax challenged.
Natasha winced. "Ouch. Sounds like she played you, Ope."
"How are we doing over here?"
All three teenagers looked up at the sudden reappearance of their waitress.
Opie laughed under his breath when he saw Natasha's eyes narrow as Jax took way longer than necessary to read the nameplate clipped onto the scarcely buttoned V-neck uniform shirt Kendra Thompson was wearing.
"Hey, Darlin," Jax drawled, smiling up at her. Ice chinked against the glass as he raised it towards her, winking. "Any chance I can get a refill?"
Kendra rolled her eyes, turning towards Opie. "What's going on, Champ? You been staring at the clock since you got here."
Jax chuckled. "Cinderella decided she didn't want to meet him at the ball after all."
Natasha slapped his arm. "Stop it, Jax! You're being mean."
Opie hated the sympathy in Kendra's eyes even more than the triumphant smile on Jax's face as he rubbed in the fact that the girl who had turned him down for Opie ended up flaking out on their first date.
"I tell you what, sweetheart," Kendra said, walking away without the glass Jax held out to her. "Apple pie's on me tonight. I'll even throw in an extra scoop of vanilla."
"I hope your date gets the same treatment."
Opie spun around so quickly he missed the way Jax's blue eyes ballooned at the sight of her.
The emerald blouse she wore hung off her shoulders, the ruffled ends of the green top stopping just shy of the earring piercing through her navel. The shredded ends of her high-waist denim shorts hung mid-thigh—the strings of the strappy black sandals on her feet twistingd up her toned, sun-kissed calves, creating the illusion of longer legs than physically possible on someone her height. Her dark hair was an abundance of bouncy, thick curls that had clearly taken just as much time and care as the flawless make up brightening the greens and blues of her eyes.
Donnatella Lewis looked goregeous. So beautiful that even Jax—the King of being a smart ass—had no comment.
And that fact alone was more than enough to make Opie forget how annoyed (and embarrassed) he was when they'd all thought she stood him up.
Holy shit.
"Sorry I'm late," Donna said, coming to a stop in front of the table. "My Stepfather is an asshole. If he had his way I wouldn't even be here at all."
"Wow." Jax wolf-whistled, grinning sheepishly at his date when she elbowed him in his side.
Much like the first time they met, Donna ignored him completely, turning to cock an eyebrow at Opie, nodding her head towards the couple sitting across from him. "You didn't tell me it was a double date."
Jax was too busy admiring her legs to catch the look his best friend cast him. So Opie moved on to Plan B—kicking the shit out of him underneath the table.
"It's not," Jax spoke up, sliding out of the booth. Natasha immediately stood up next to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "We were just keeping him company until you showed up."
"Appreciate it," Donna said, winking at him. Then she turned the playful twinkle in her eyes on Opie, fluttering her fingers towards him. "Mind sliding over?"
Opie moved in, making room for her to sit down next to him.
His eyes never left hers.
Not even when he spied his best friend sneaking his girl of the week Natasha Torric into the Men's restroom.
Not even when he saw his next door neighbor Tara Knowles enter the diner, walking past their table just as the Men's bathroom door slammed shut.
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"Even you thought she stood me up," Opie accused, mock-glaring at her. "You offered me free dessert because you felt sorry for me."
"I don't remember," Kendra said, pressing a finger to her chin. "Did I ever give you your free slice?"
"You did," Donna answered behind her. Opie looked up at his pint-sized girlfriend as she narrowed her eyes at the two of them suspiciously. "He split it with me. I even got my own scoop of ice cream…so how are things with you and Megan? Or are you into guys now?"
Opie groaned, slapping himself on the forehead. "Donna…."
Kendra stood up, patting the wrinkles out of the apron tied around her waist. "And that's my cue," she said, smirking as she walked away. "Good seeing you, Donna…I swear I never thought I'd meet someone more jealous than my sister's husband."
"I had this dream the other night," Opie said as she sat her purse down on the table. "You and me were married and I came up from work one night….and you were sitting on our porch with a shotgun asking what took me so long."
"You must have been really late then," Donna commented, sifting through her bag.
"Or really stupid for marrying your crazy ass," Opie teased. "I should probably skip town while I have the chance."
"Even if you transferred to another charter I'd still find you," Donna joked, looking up to smile at him.
"I wish I could find the asshole you went out with before me," Opie huffed.
Donna's eyes brightened as she found what she was looking for, pulling a purple wallet from her bag. "You need someone to trade horror stories with?"
I wanna kick his ass for making you so damn paranoid.
I stand in the post office too long you'll think I'm cheating with the mailman.
"You planning on sitting down to eat with me?" Opie asked, changing the subject.
"We don't have time," Donna answered, walking off towards the take-out counter.
Whose fault is that? Opie thought. He stood up, following after her as she placed her order.
"What's the rush?" Opie asked.
Donna turned, eyesbrows rising. "Don't you want to go check on Jax? He probably went straight back to the hospital as soon as you dropped him off at his mother's. Tara had to work right?"
"Yeah." Opie nodded. "I stayed with him the rest of the night so she could go home."
"When my daddy was in the hospital I was crawling up the walls sitting in his room by myself while my mom planned her wedding," Donna said, glaring at a spot behind him in disgust. "I didn't even have my best friend there to keep me company because she had rehearsal and SAT prep and a whole bunch of bullshit that translated into her fuckin my boyfriend when he was supposed to be too busy running his Old man's hardware store."
One of these days me and Jax are gonna take a trip to your hometown.
"I can't really say I'm sorry, Donna." Opie kissed her neck as she stood behind her, his hands splayed against her stomach. "If that asshole hadn't fucked up we wouldn't be together."
"Seriously, sweetheart," Kendra said, her eyebrows rising as she smiled at the contentment in Opie's eyes as he held her. "Why do you even worry about this one?"
"It's not him I'm worried about," Donna admitted, handing her the cash in her hand. "It's the Amber's of the world…..and the Sarah's."
Jesus Christ.
"What'd you order me?" Opie asked, staring at the brown paper bag the cook dropped on the counter next to Kendra minutes later.
"Nothing," Donna answered. "This is for my next-door neighbor Mrs. Donaldson's grandson. I bring him lunch so he doesn't have to eat the rabbit food his wife packs for him and he calls to give me a heads up when my stepfather leaves work early so I can be back in the house grounded like I'm supposed to be."
Opie smirked, shaking his head. "Why does your mom even let him put you on punishment if she's not gonna enforce it?"
Donna rolled her eyes. "You never heard of knuckling under?"
Are you kidding me? I do that with you all the time.
"Right." Opie opened the door for her, taking her purse, the takeout bag and the large "GET WELL SOON" Teddy bear in her hand from her as they made their way towards his truck. "So what time did your mom say I have to get you back by?"
Donna winked at him from the passenger side. "He's working a double. We got at least until midnight."
"As soon as Tara gets there we're going to the movies," Opie declared, driving onto the parkway headed towards St. Thomas hospital.
Donna smirked. "How much you wanna bet she's already there?"
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"Can I ask you something?"
When Opie nodded, Donna pointed the French fry in her hand at the brunette sitting in the corner several booths away from where they sat. Her hair was a messy mop pinned atop her head, flyaway strands sticking out every which way as she leaned over the table full of papers and textbook in front of her—tapping the pen in her hand against the page she was reading. "Is that chick over there your ex-girlfriend or something?"
Tara?
"No." Opie blinked. "Why would you even ask that?"
"You keep looking over there," Donna said. "And every now and then she glances up at you…..like she wants to come over here or something."
Opie smirked. "Nothing gets past you huh?"
Donna blushed. "I'm just very aware of my surroundings I guess."
"That could come in handy in a town like this," Opie advised. "It's not as charming as you think."
Opie glanced over in Tara's direction just in time to see Jax step out of the bathroom, Natasha running into him when he stopped short.
Tara was in her own world—or the world of Psychology at least, as Jax stared at her.
Opie watched them both, amusement upturning the corners of his mouth as he watched his best friend stand there looking like a deer caught in the headlights of a MAC-Truck. Natasha pulled on Jax's arm, scowling as she fought for his attention. Jax finally snapped his head towards her—guiding her towards the stools at the diner's front counter mere seconds before Tara happened to glance up, conflicting emotions flitting in and out of her green eyes as she stared after his retreating back.
Then Opie frowned briefly as something occurred to him.
Tara rarely showed her face around town.
If she wasn't picking her father up off a bar floor, buying groceries or taking his car for a tune up she mostly stayed at home or at the library studying with her lab partner Leonard Hamilton.
Shit must have been really bad with Arthur tonight if you're at the diner studying.
"Okay one more question," Donna said, cutting into his thoughts of walking over there to check on her. ".…is she your bonehead friend's ex-girlfriend?"
Not exactly…
"Observant and intuitive," Opie said, chuckling lightly.
"She is?" Donna smiled with pride. "Wow. I'm two for two."
"What gave it away?" Opie asked smiling as he watched his best friends struggling not to turn his head too much as he watched Tara through the corner of his eye. He had a pretty good idea but he liked the blunt way Donna seemed to put things.
"When he first walked out of the bathroom, he damn near shoved that Natasha chick who came out behind him back inside when he saw her," Donna said, giggling. Then as she tilted her head studying him she added, "And he looks like he….well I won't say he looks like he's about to cry…he just looks like someone kicked him in the nuts."
"They have a history," Opie said, chuckling at her assessment.
Donna was spot on.
Jax looked like he'd been kicked more than once as he forced himself to focus on the babbling blonde sitting at the counter next to him.
"Couldn't have been much of one," Donna commented, dipping the chicken tender in her hand into the honey mustard. "I've known your best friend for about ten minutes and I can already see he's no better than my ex. He probably burned her. That's why she's glaring at him like she wants to kick him in the nuts."
Opie was pretty sure Tara was glaring at Natasha but he saw no reason to correct her.
Opie cleared his throat awkwardly, staring down at the tray of food between them, "He's too much of a pussy to admit it…..and I'm gonna sound like one for even saying this…."
Donna paused mid-dunk as the chicken in her hand hovered over the sauce dish. "What?"
For a moment Opie hesitated, debating whether or not he should say what he was thinking out loud. He was sure Jax wouldn't appreciate it.
But really who didn't know?
Everyone in Charming that they'd grown up with—Hell, even the adults could see how Jax felt about her.
How they felt about each other.
Donna was here for five minutes and even she'd somewhat caught on.
Really, what was the harm in stating the obvious?
"I swear to God he's in love with her," Opie admitted, stuffing fries in his mouth in hopes that it would save him from elaborating any further.
Donna's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Why would that make you sound like a pussy?"
"I'm a guy." Opie shrugged. "We don't talk about love and shit like that."
Donna rolled her eyes. "You do if you're not a five year old boy that still thinks girls have cooties," she replied, shaking her head at him. "I think it's sweet when guys say what's on their mind...what's really on their mind instead of holding back because they're scared it'll make them...look like a pussy."
Opie grinned at her sheepishly. "Yeah?"
Donna nodded. "What were you thinking the first time you met me?"
"I thought you were Hot," Opie confessed, smiling in triumph when she blushed, somehow managing to adorn the light bronzer brushed into her cheeks. "….and….and well….I was also a little confused."
Donna sat the glass she'd been sipping from down. "Why?"
Donna wasn't the only one blushing as he began stammering, one word tripping over the other the next as he ignored the voice in his head telling him to play it cool instead of trying his hand at being honest with her….without sounding like a moron (or a loser.)
"I'm not saying I look like E.T or anything," Opie spluttered. "I'm handsome….or what not and I got some height on me so girls love that shit. They love guys that are tall and then there's the whole me being the son of one of SAMCRO's First Nine…but then you just moved here so I doubt that even mattered to you at the time…and also he's the President's son so that would just—"
"Opie." Donna smiled when he stopped mid-sentenced, finally noticing the good-natured blend of mirth and confusion swirling in her eyes. "I've been lost ever since you said E.T. What the heck are you talking about?"
Opie shrugged, picking a crispy tender out of the basket between them. "Girls don't usually pass over the Prince to hang with me...so it kinda caught me off guard when you shut him down like that. Don't get me wrong. It was funny as Hell. It just surprised me I guess…."
"Prince," Donna repeated. "Prince Charming….Ugh...does he really answer when people call him that?"
Opie snickered. He nodded towards the brunette scribbling away in the corner booth next to the hallway where the restrooms were. "Tara's actually the one that called him that first. When he took it as a compliment instead of the insult she meant it to be she started calling him Prince Smarm-ing instead but that one never really caught on."
"Tara sounds like the kind of girl I would hang out with," Donna said, giggling. "Provided she knows how to keep her hands off of other people's boyfriends."
I can see your ex-boyfriend and your ex-best friend are gonna make this hard for me…..in the bad way.
"Maybe."
Donna nodded over at her. "Are you and her still close?"
"I look out for her," Opie admitted, watching her as a group of girls in Blue and orange cheerleading uniforms walked past, stopping at the booth next to hers.
When she lets me.
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Opie was already flexing his fingers, preparing them for them for the balled up fists they'd be in momentarily as he sprinted behind him, barely keeping up with Jax even with the slight height (and therefore longer legs) advantage he had.
He cocked an eyebrow in question, hazel eyes flitting back and forth between the enraged expression on his best friend's face and the look of apology beaming at Tara from the face of the young guy Jax was glaring at.
Oh this is great.
She sits in your lap for a few hours and you're ready to kill the next guy that talks to her.
You two, man.
"He was," Jax growled, steeling his blue eyes on the startled guy standing in between the five of them. "I saw him all the way from the food court. He ran into you on purpose. Charged at you actually….like a fuckin bull."
Looking over at the three young women shaking their heads at Jax, Opie knew he wasn't the only one who thought what he said sounded ridiculous.
But as he peered over at the threatening gleam in Jax's eyes he couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't him flipping out over Tara talking with another guy.
Opie knew what jealous rage was when he saw it—it was staring back at him every time a girl smiled at him in front of Donna.
Especially girls named Sarah Hale.
This wasn't about jealousy.
"Opie saw that shit, too. Right Ope?"
Wrong.
He hadn't seen shit but he couldn't bring himself to disagree with Jax. Instead he continued staring at the accused standing in the middle of them, eyeing him suspiciously until he heard Donna's sly comment about his "Should I or Should I not lie face".
Opie was shocked when the young guy was able to walk away bruise free. Especially after the way Donna and Diane deliberately stirred the pot—picking with Jax despite him already being mad.
He couldn't even keep the reproachful expression on his face straight as he walked off—arm in arm with Donna, leaving Diane to deal with the two teenagers glaring at each other as they stood in front her.
"You're a troublemaker," Opie scolded, smirking at the wide-eyed innocent look Donna gave him.
"I was just trying to diffuse the situation," she lied, giggling under her breath. "Jax needs to take a chill pill. Tara would be fighting every second of the day if she flipped out on every chick that stopped to talk to him. Half the cheerleading squad showed up at the hospital and you know all the cookies and fruit in those baskets ain't the only treats they were offering either. If we were back in my hometown they'd probably string her up in a cornfield. I swear, if jealousy is a sickness those bitches are overdue for a trip to the doctor."
And they clearly aren't the only ones that skipped their vaccinations, Opie thought thinking back on all the times Donna flipped out.
Emily Duncan.
Kendra Thompson.
Sarah Hale.
There were too many to count one hand—and mentioning any one of them was a sure way to ruin any chances of him getting laid before her "curfew" came calling.
Opie shrugged. "You're probably right."
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The diner was jam packed—and noisy as Hell.
But then it was always crowded when Charming High's cheer squad and the other Varsity teams got back from their summer tournaments.
Dipping his spoon into the ice cream on the plate of apple pie between them, Opie was happy they were almost finished eating. He could only hope the crowd would stay here instead of heading over to the movie theatre he planned on taking Donna for the midnight showing of that new horror flick he'd been itching to see.
Jax had taken Stephanie Eglee to see it the weekend before.
Opie couldn't stop laughing when Jax admitted Stephanie was too shy to do anything more than hold his hand during the really scare parts. But as he raised his hand, signaling for the check he hoped a crowded theatre wouldn't make Donna shy.
He'd been wanting to kiss her ever since she sat down.
And he'd nearly pulled a muscle as he struggle not to stare down at the cleavage peeking out of her shirt.
Kendra was handing him the check when he saw the football zoom across the room, knocking the glass of soda on her table all over Tara's open textbook—splashing her face. Glaring over at the jocks laughing at her from the crowded table several booths away, Tara stood up, dabbing at the soaked pages before closing several napkins inside of it as she hastily gathered up her things.
Tara was busying herself with fastening the clasps on her messenger bag when Maize O'Keefe, Imalya Lee and several other cheerleaders crept up behind her. Opie watched, scowling as Maize bumped her hard into the table as soon she turned around. A chorus of laughter—both the cheerleaders and the jocks—seemed to echo off the walls as the strap of her bag slid down off her shoulder, all the books and papers she'd just finished putting away scattering across the diner floor.
"Oops!" Opie heard Maize say. "Looks like someone's having a little trouble with balance."
"Might be the liquor," Ima sneered. "You know her and her old man are drinking buddies. They sleep it off on the bar floor together."
"Yeah. When she's not crying to the judge begging him not to lock her daddy up for crashing into my father's dry cleaners," Lauren "Sage" Vidal said snidely.
Opie gently nudged Donna's side until she slid out of the booth. He took several steps towards them when he saw Jax weaving through the crowd—his date Natasha hot on his heels as he walked towards the frustrated brunette on the floor, struggling to get all her things as people either stepped on them or kicked them out of her reach.
Jax had almost made his way through when Pierce Reynolds shoved his way through the crowd of his peers.
"Enough, guys!" Pierce barked, scowling at his teammates and the cheerleaders standing around him. "What the Hell is wrong with y'all?"
Pierce pushed everyone in the way aside, backing them up with long, beefy arms—bending down to quickly gather up all the pens and papers Tara hadn't already picked up.
Tara mumbled something that may have been a begrudging "Thank you," before storming past him, half-sprinting out of the diner, a yellow post-it sticking to the back of her sneaker.
The crowd of his jocks and their pep squad went back to their conversations about basketball and football and backhand springs as if they'd never been tormenting a fifteen year old girl who'd only wanted to study in peace.
Opie didn't know what was worse to Tara—having a football or plates and empty liquor bottles thrown at her. But looking through the window at her as she stood on the sidewalk, he noted that either scenario ended with the same result.
Her back was towards them but neither him or Donna needed to see the tears she was swiping at with the sleeve of her sweater to know that Tara was crying.
Once again, Opie had only taken a few steps before Jax's frozen stature came into view. Confliction shined in his blue eyes as he watched her through the plate-glass—completely oblivious to the angry blonde storming away from him side as he struggled with whether or not he should walk out to speak to her.
"You sure he's in love with her?" Donna questioned from beside Opie. "If he is he has a funny way of showing it."
"Y'upp." Deciding that Jax was going to punk out yet again, Opie resumed his stroll towards the diner's exit door, pausing with his fingers curled around the handle when Tara had her second face-to-face collision of the night as she quickly spun around when she felt David Hale's hand on her shoulder.
Opie didn't even know where he'd come from.
The Charming Tiger sewn into the back of the letterman he wore was in full view as he leaned over to pick up the bag he'd knocked off Tara's shoulder.
Opie couldn't hear their conversation but whatever David said to her had made Tara's laugh—mirth shining in her greens eyes as she swiped her sleeve at the moisture still pooling in the corners of them.
"Your friend looks like he's ready to do twenty-five to life," Donna joked. Opie followed her eyes to where Jax stood watching them through the window.
Watching as David shrugged the strap to Tara's bag onto his shoulder, lightly touching her arm as he walked her towards her father's car. Taking her bag from him, Tara tossed it into the backseat of the Cutlass. Standing behind the open driver's door, admiration shining in his hazel eyes as he smiled at her—whatever final words David said to her earned him a quick peck on the cheek before Tara slid into the car, driving off.
Staring over at his best friend he could see it in Jax's eyes. Cursing under his breath, he wondered why Wendy Case's mom had to go off on a bender the weekend he finally found a girl to go out with that hadn't already been acquainted with what was inside Jackson Teller's boxers. Wendy's stand in Natasha Torric was clearly fed up with being ignored. She'd walked out, looking back only to growl in frustration when Jax hadn't even noticed her abrupt absence.
Jax wasn't paying attention to booth full of cheerleaders eyeing him appreciatively either. He was too busy glaring a hole into the asphalt where the Cutlass had been parked minutes before.
Goddamn it.
It was gonna be one of those nights.
"I'm sorry, Donna," Opie said, sighing. "My brother the bonehead likes to get shitfaced and pick fights when he doesn't have a girl to sneak in through his bedroom window and—"
"You need to make sure nobody messes up that pretty face of his too much," Donna finished. "You're a good friend, Opie. I hope he appreciates that more than he does all those airheads batting their eyelashes at him over there. Go tuck the little Prince in…..you still owe me a movie night though. Let's call it date number two."
A-K-A, the date before I get laid…..I'M IN!
Opie pretended to scowl at her. "So you think he's pretty, Huh?"
Donna giggled. "He's very pretty," Donna admitted, tugging gently on Opie's beard. "…thing is….I'm more for the ruggedly handsome."
Opie rolled his eyes. "Is that what I am?"
"Uh-huh." Donna nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I guess I can live with that."
"Good," Donna whispered against his lips. "Because I'm ready for you kiss me goodnight."
"What makes you think I want to?" Opie teased, pulling back every time their mouths drew closer.
"The way you've been staring at my lips all night."
"I guess you noticed that, too."
Losing patience, Donna tugged on the strands of his hair, pulling his face down—crushing her lips to his before he could jump back again.
The passion was almost too much for a first kiss.
But damn it if Opie wasn't rooted to the spot where he stood.
Opie was loving the heat.
A real fire couldn't chase him out the kitchen.
Pulling back, Donna winked at him—nipping at his lips one more time before walking back towards their booth where Kendra stood smiling, grabbing her sweater and clutch off the table.
"I notice everything," Donna said, kissing his cheek as she brushed past him to head out to her car. "Good luck with Prince Charming."
I notice everything, Donna had told him.
And unbeknownst to Opie Winston, truer words had never been spoken.
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"Shit!" Donna hissed, eyes widening as she flinched at his sudden appearance.
Opie snickered as he threw his other leg over—climbing in through her window.
"It's only been ten minutes," Opie said, laughing when she held a finger to her mouth, gesturing towards her closed bedroom door with the other one. Lowering his voice he continued. "How the Hell did I scare you when you knew I was coming in?"
"My nerves are bad," Donna said, walking towards him as he kicked off his boots.
Opie chuckled. "I'm surprised I have any nerves left," he teased. "You're always aggravating the Hell out of them. I should get a reward for putting up with how crazy you are."
"Keep talking shit," Donna dared. "You won't be getting the reward I had planned for you tonight."
Opie widened his eyes. "You mean I'm not just here to help you study?"
"Asshole." Donna smirked. "You're lucky I love you."
"I love you, too…..unfortunately." Opie laughed when she slapped him over his head, confirming that she'd heard the last word he mumbled under his breath.
Opie sat at the edge of her bed, turning to glance at the digital clock on the nightstand. "It's twelve-thirty."
Donna shrugged, smiling at him as she climbed in his lap, thighs spread wide—her knees gripping his waist as he reached around to palm her ass. "We just have to be really quiet then," she whispered against his mouth.
Opie smirked, whispering back, "You say that to me like I'm the noisy one."
"You're lucky is what you are," Donna said, tugging at the hem of his T-shirt—yanking it over his head.
Whatever smart reply he'd been about to make never made it past his lips as she kissed him—straddling his hips as she pushed him back against her bed. Opie's hand tangled in her hair, his other one sliding up and down her body—groping every curve he'd come to know and love as she rocked against him. Raking her nails down his chest, her fingers made their way to his belt, unclasping the buckle. She lifted off him, shimmying his jeans down as he sat up, pushing her blouse up to pepper wet kisses along her stomach—trailing up to breasts spilling out of the demi-cups of her bra.
Opie was feeling very lucky as he flipped her onto her back, her legs wrapping tightly around his waist—pulling him in closer as he slid the straps of her bra off her shoulders, sucking her nipples through the dampening fabric.
He'd felt like a jackpot winner indeed when he slid her jeans down from around her ankles—easing his way back between the warm, softness of her thighs as he slipped his hand inside her panties, stroking her slowly until she was writhing underneath his touch, moaning into his mouth.
Opie Winston had definitely won the lottery when she gently pushed against his chest until he was kneeling in the bed, his knees on either side of her waist. Donna sat up on her elbows, kissing along the trail of fine hairs from his belly button to V of his groin as she slid his boxers down over his hips. He was shutting his eyes in anticipation when someone knocked on her bedroom door.
It was until that moment that Opie truly appreciated how pissed off Jax was when he'd interrupted him and Tara the night he'd caught them about to hook up in his bedroom.
All he could do was keep his eyes closed, praying whoever stood outside her door would go the fuck away.
"DONATELLA!"
"WHAT?" Donna answered, scowling at her mother through the door blocking her from view.
The doorknob twisted. "I thought we agreed you wouldn't lock your door."
"When you said I was lucky I think you forgot to tack on the Un in front of it," Opie whispered. He snickered when she reached for her pillow, holding over his mouth as she kneed him off of her.
"That's what you and Reginald agreed," Donna said. "What do you want, Mom?"
"What's your boyfriend's name again?"
"Opie." Donna rolled her eyes. "Why?"
"Opie….right. Well first things first I don't appreciate your blatant disregard for the fact that you're on punishment or your disrespect towards Reggie and I," Her mother said. "You know you're not allowed to have boys over. Especially in your bedroom with the door"—they watched as the doorknob jingled again—"closed. Hurry up and get dressed, Opie. Both of you actually. Then you can open this door that isn't supposed to be locked!"
"Sounds like your stepfather is home," Opie whispered, snickering when she rolled her eyes at him. "He's probably standing right next to her."
"How the Hell else would he pull her strings?" Donna grumbled.
"What's that you said?" Alyssa Lewis asked through the door.
"Opie's not here," Donna lied. "And I'm already dressed for bed. I have a headache and there's school tomorrow. I'm going to sleep mom. Goodnight."
"You know she's lying," they heard a man in the hallway with her hiss. "This is what I'm talking about. She needs boundaries. Her father spoiled her rotten and now she thinks she can—"
"Learn how to whisper, Jackass!" Donna yelled. "It's funny how you can't remember my father until you're trying to be him! If I want to screw the entire football team on the living room couch that would be his business seeing as his alimony is paying for this house!"
"Shhhh." Opie laughed against her mouth as he kissed her. "Don't make it worse. We want them to leave not kick the door down."
Please leave.
Please leave.
I've been horny since I watched you trying on all those clothes at the mall.
"What the fuck is taking him so long?"
Opie froze as his father's voice rang out through the door, his eyes widening with Donna's.
"Oh sorry," Alyssa said. "I almost forgot—"
"Your father's here Dopey!" Reginald Morgan interrupted. "Come on out! Ain't no use breaking your neck trying to sneak out through her window. I spotted your truck parked up the block!"
Cock-blocker.
And my name is Opie asshole.
"OPIE!" Piney yelled through the door, banging against it hard enough to break it off the hinges. "Move your ass! Tara got into a car accident. She was driving from—"
Opie was already prying Donna's bedroom door open before he finished his statement—T-shirt and boots in his hands as he pulled his jeans on, zipping them up. Rushing out into the hallway with him, Donna was too distracted by Piney's brash announcement to be embarrassed at her barely-dressed state or make it clear she didn't give a shit when her stepfather glanced over at his fiancée as if to say, "See what I mean?"
"I thought he wasn't here," Reginald accused.
Donna waved him off. "What happened?" she asked as Opie pulled his shirt on, shoving his feet into his boots—tucking the laces inside.
"Sounds like the Hale's daughter crashed into her," Piney answered.
Opie paused, looking up from his belt buckle. "Sarah?"
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Donna was still arguing with her mother and stepfather, trying to convince them to let her go with him to the hospital when they left.
Opie quickly kissed her forehead, running behind his father—too anxious to stick around for the final verdict. SAMCRO had nearly suffered another member laying down their Harley on the highway when Opie almost clipped Piney's bike as he drove in the pickup truck behind him, racing towards the hospital.
Piney and Opie Winston pushed past the people leaving—stepping into St. Thomas' Emergency Room just in time for all Hell to break loose.
"WHO THE FUCK GAVE YOU A MEDICAL LICENSE?" Jax screamed, lunging towards the rattled intern adjusting the IV in Tara's arm. "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO KNOW HER ALLERGIES!"
"Jackson, sweetie," Diane said, pulling him back. "They didn't know—"
"THAT'S MY POINT!" Jax snapped. "She's here for help and these assholes are trying to kill her!"
Opie rushed over, frowning as Tara wheezed into the Oxygen mask over her mouth—red splotches peppering along what little of her skin that was visible in between all the bloodstained gauze, the white casting wrapped around her hand and arm, the splints on her fingers, the brace on her neck—the purpling scrapes and bruised on her cast-free hand, littering her swollen face.
"What the Hell is going on?" Piney barked, eyes flitting back and forth between the brunette laying back between them and the angry teenage boy glaring at the doctors tending to her.
"She had an adverse reaction to the morphine," Diane explained, frowning when Jax shrugged off the assuring hand she'd placed on his shoulder. "Morphine is a very rare allergy to have. She's gonna be fine. They caught in in time—"
"Because Tara suggested it," Jax snapped. "She's the patient! Why the Hell is she figuring out her own diagnosis?"
Opie stepped forward, gripping Jax's shoulder. "It's all good, Bro," he said. "The same thing happened to Pop. There's no way of them knowing until they see you break out in hives and shit."
"Or stop breathing," Jax added, glowering at the intern pressing a stethoscope against Tara's chest.
"She never stopped breathing," Diane corrected. Jax ignored her, reaching for Tara's hand—lacing his fingers in hers as he leaned over her, staring at the labored rise and fall of her chest as if he'd feared she'd stop at any moment and he couldn't trust the physicians around them to notice in time. "Oh good."
Opie turned around to see what had caught Diane's attention.
Gemma stalked towards them. "Jackson," she urged. "They're trying to help her and you're interfering. You gotta let them work on her. She's gonna be okay, Baby."
Jax spun around, glaring at her. "Like you give a shit!"
"She might need surgery for her arm," Diane explained, moving to stand beside Gemma in an odd statement of solidarity. "But your mom's right. Tara's gonna be fine."
"That's the same shit they told me when Tommy came here."
Jax had spoken so low, Opie was sure he'd been the only one to hear it.
"We need to take her down to X-RAY," the young doctor announced.
Diane nodded. "I'm coming with you."
"I'm coming, too!" Jax declared, moving to follow after them as they wheeled her out towards the double doors on the other end of the room.
"Get the Hell off of me!"
"Calm down, Son," Piney urged. "You gotta let the doctor's do their job."
"I said get off!"
Both Opie and his father had to restrain him—and it wasn't easy as Jax fought against the grip they had on his arms the further they pushed Tara away from where they all stood.
"GRACIE!"
Diane spun around, staring wide-eyed.
Opie and Piney both spun around, releasing their grip on Jax—who immediately rushed past Diane, with his mother trailing behind him as he pushed the double doors that had closed just as Tara disappeared behind them.
"Where are they….where they," Arthur Knowles slurred, barely standing on his own two feet as the man standing beside him held him up by his shoulders. "….where they…where they taking my baby girl? What….what happ—to her? What happened—"
"Jesus Christ, Art," Diane groaned, glaring at her brother's drinking buddy as she smacked his hands away, guiding Arthur towards a nearby bed.
"You're welcome," the agitated bartender mumbled, glaring as he walked away without the 'thank you' he was due.
"Where's she?" Arthur urged. "Where's Gracie? Unser said—"
"She's gonna be fine," Diane promised. "They're taking her to X-ray…excuse me!" Diane snapped her fingers at the Nurse pretending not to be watching them from behind the clipboard in her hand. "Think you can set him up with a banana bag?"
"No problem," the Nurse answered, hopping off her stool to scurry over towards the supply closet.
"I'll be right back," Diane told her brother. "I'm going to make sure everything—"
"I'm going with ya," Arthur declared, stumbling as he slid off the bed.
"No." Diane shook her head as she helped him up. "I'll come back down once they've set her up in her room. Then you can—"
Arthur shoved her aside, tripping over his own two feet in the process. "No."
"Listen to your sister," Piney suggested. Opie could see his father's struggle to keep the disgust he felt out of his expression. "Tara wouldn't want—"
"WHAT MY DAUGHTER WANTS IS NONE OF YOUR GODDAMN BUSINESS!" Arthur bellowed.
"Clean yourself up, asshole," Piney barked, glaring at him. "It's bad enough she's banged up. You really want to embarrass her by throwing up on her doctor?"
Arthur swung at him—his fist punching air as Piney stepped back, sneering at him when he fell to the floor.
Piney kicked him in his side.
"PINEY!" Diane screamed, kneeling to the ground to help her brother up.
"Worthless piece of shit!" Piney grunted. He pointed towards the doors Tara had disappeared behind moments before. "Everything that little girl is—anything she makes of herself will be in spite of you! And you call yourself a father. How dare you—SON OF A BITCH!"
Opie and Jax both slid back, noses wrinkling in disgust as Arthur Knowles threw up—vomit splashing all over Piney's boots when he didn't move back in time.
Opie didn't know how he did it—or at least that's what he told himself.
But somehow throughout all the chaos he'd noticed the four of them walking through the ER, heading out of the automatic sliding doors.
Rushing out behind them, he called out to one most likely to answer him.
"David!"
David Hale turned around to glare at him. "What the Hell do you want?" he asked as his parents and older brother continued walking.
"Where's Sarah?" Opie asked. "Is she okay?"
David smirked. "Still got a hard-on for my sister, Huh?"
"Is she still here?" Opie questioned, ignoring his snide remark. "Did y'all have to check her in? Is she—"
"Sarah's fine," David announced. The bite in his voice suggested he wasn't nearly as happy about his sister being okay as he should have been. "She's probably gonna have one hell of a headache when the high from all that coke she snorted wears off though."
"Sarah was high?" Opie blew out a heavy breath, raking his hands through his hair—noticing only then that he'd forgotten the beanie he usually wore in Donna's bedroom. "Jesus Christ."
David stepped closer to him, his voice a near-whisper as he asked, "Is Tara okay?"
Opie nodded. "How long is Sarah staying? Are you coming back for her or does—"
"My folks are headed back home to finish packing her bags," David said, smirking. "As soon as the doctor gives her the clear their shipping her right back to boarding school. Too bad they didn't send her back before she almost killed my...before she almost killed Tara."
Any other time Opie would have taken a moment to tease him about almost referring to Tara as his girlfriend.
But at the moment he was more concerned with the dark-haired girl walking through the parking lot towards the spot where they stood.
"I want to see her," Opie whispered. "Think you can sneak me in before she leaves?"
"Visiting hours are over," David answered. "I'm the one that has to drive her to the airport though so if you're at my house by at least seven-thirty tomorrow you can kiss her goodbye then…" David scratched his head. "Is….umm….is Tara's aunt sneaking Jax in to stay with her?"
It wasn't until then that Opie remembered the green scrubs Diane had been wearing.
Diane works here?
"I'll be there at twelve," Opie answered quickly, smiling at Donna as she made her way towards him. "….and I'll tell Tara you asked about her."
David nodded, walking backwards. "Cool."
"Is Tara okay?" Donna asked, hugging him. "I hope that bitch Sarah survived. I want a chance to hit her with my car. See how she likes it."
"Tara's fine." Opie kissed the top of her head.
I hope Sarah is, too.
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"Where the Hell are you?"
"Shit," Opie hissed into the phone. "I'm sorry, Baby. I forgot to tell you. I'm not going to school today. Your mother snuck you your keys back didn't she?"
"Why are you cutting?" Donna questioned. He could hear as she fumbled in her book bag, bracelets jangling as she searched for the car keys in question. "If you wanted to skip to go keep Tara company you should have said so. I'll meet you there."
"I thought you had a project due today," Opie commented, as he turned onto the street.
"I can hand it in a day late," Donna said. "It's only minus five points. A ninety-five is good enough for me. Should I stop by the diner to get breakfast or do you think Jax got her some? My God, those poor nurses. I bet he snuck out as soon as Gemma went to sleep and bullied his way into Tara's room. Are you bringing her anything?"
Opie sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. "I'm not going to visit Tara."
He heard her pull her car door closed. "Then where the heck are you going? Or better yet where are you?"
Opie peered out through the window at the mansion up the hill, half-hidden between the plethora of trees and the Iron Gate lining the property. Staring at the gilded |HALE MANOR| sign welded to the front entrance gate, he did the only thing he knew would help in this situation he found himself in.
It was the first time he'd ever done it.
And as the words slipped past his lips, he promised himself it would be the last time.
"I'm hanging with Lowell for the day," Opie lied, recalling when Jax had mentioned LJ's mother making him stay home when they were eating on the food court in the mall.
"Y'all should come to school," Donna scolded gently. "Classwork is boring but that'll take his mind off things too."
"It might."
Donna sighed in his ear. "Alright," she said. "I guess I'll see you later then. Love you."
"I love you," Opie replied, pressing the end button on the phone, placing it on the dashboard.
David appeared suddenly, pressing the button—opening the gates to let him drive in. Turning the truck on, he drove inside—the doors clanging shut behind him as Sarah walked up behind her brother.
Opie winced, frowning as he observed the patch of gauze covering her forehead as she walked around David, reaching for the handle to the passenger side door of the truck.
Sliding inside the truck, Sarah angled her body towards him—worry swirling in the grays of her eyes as she studied his face. "Is Tara okay?"
Jesus Christ.
Opie reached towards her, lightly brushing the honey-blonde curls out of her face.
"She's fine," Opie answered. "….Are you?"
Please say Yes.
Then I won't feel guilty for telling you what a fuckin idiot you are.
"Even after all of this," Sarah said, looking down in her lap. "Even after all the shit I did…..all the shit I did to you…..you still show up here."
"Someone's got to," Opie snapped. "Clearly it's not just everyone around you. You act like you don't give a shit about yourself either. What the Hell is wrong with you, Sarah? Why do you keep doing this shit?"
"I might be a selfish bitch," Sarah admitted. "But that doesn't mean I don't care. Being jealous of her never stopped me from loving her..." Sarah looked up at him, a hint of a smile playing at her lips. "I cared about you, too you know. Just not as much as you wanted me to."
"If you cared about me at all you wouldn't do shit like this," Opie argued. "To Tara either. I don't care how many punches she throws at you. She wouldn't want you laid out somewhere dead because you O.D'd…just like last time."
David tapped against the hood of the car.
Opie looked up to see him gesturing towards the imaginary watch around his wrist.
"I can't miss my flight," Sarah commented. "My father will probably make me take the train if I do. I am not riding with a bunch of hobos for three days. Thanks for stopping by, Harry. I'm glad I at least got to say goodbye to you. Tell Tara I'm sorry, Okay? And can you tell Jax—"
"Stop worrying about Jax," Opie snapped. "Believe me, he doesn't give a shit about you!"
I do.
"But you do?" Sarah challenged. "Even after I almost killed your sister?"
Opie rolled his eyes.
Enough with the Big brother Opie bullshit already.
"Listen to me," Opie urged, grabbing her hand—enfolding it in the warmth of his own. "I love Donna. I love her the way Jax is too chicken-shit to admit he loves Tara. The way we both know he's always loved her. So despite what you, Tara, Jax and my crazy girlfriend thinks you were never a threat to her—to us. I want to be with her…..but that doesn't mean I don't still care about you. And it doesn't mean it won't kill me if something happens to you because you can't stop this self-destructing bullshit you always pull every time Jax reminds you of what you already know. He's never gonna to feel the same way you do. I went through the same shit with you and I never got high and crashed my car into my best friend!"
Sarah shook her head, smiling as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Jackson loves Tara," she said. "David loves Tara…..You love Tara….my mother loves Tara…if my real mom was around she'd probably love her, too. And I don't blame y'all because I love her, too. I just want someone to pick me for once. Put me first. Love me."
Opie rolled his eyes. "You're not baiting me into to stating the obvious, Sarah. I can't help feeling it but I'll be damned if I ever say it to you again. It doesn't mean anything to you anyway. Not enough at least. I just don't want you—Jesus Christ. Stop being a train wreck okay? You're not...Tara still cares about you too. And in his own selfish—twisted way, Jax would too if he could see past all the times you tried to come between them….and the fact that he almost lost her for the second time because of you. You're the reason she stopped talking to him for years..."
Sarah looked up at him, her eyes widening a little. "I didn't know that. When I came back they seemed—"
"You would have known if you asked her," Opie scolded, glaring at her. "If you treated her like the girl you used to protect from her father instead of like your competition….in a game you already knew you'd never win to begin with."
"I'm sorry," Sarah said, crying.
"I'll tell her you said that," Opie promised. "You should go. I don't want you to miss your flight. And I might have to kick your brother's ass if he bangs a dent in my father's truck. Take care of yourself, Sarah." He leaned over towards her, lightly pressing his lips to her cheek. "Please."
"Harry….I have to tell you something," Sarah said, staring down at his hand as brushed his thumb across her palm. "It's about Tara—"
Opie pulled away from her frowning. "Is that really how you want to leave things?" he snapped.
Sarah shook her head, holding a hand up. "It's not like that, Harr—"
"I tell you I care about you," Opie grumbled. "I lied to my girlfriend to come see you off and your response is start trouble? You are un-fuckin—"
"She's your sister, Harry," Sarah said.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Big brother Opie—"
"—I'm serious—"
"—you're never serious! About anything! Maybe that's why you and Jax never worked. Opposites attract. I love my brother to death but I swear to God sometimes I can't tell who's more selfish. Him or my ex-girlfriend who fucked him behind my back!"
"PINEY IS TARA'S FATHER!"
Opie blinked hard—twice.
Staring through the open window at the open-mouthed expression on David's face confirmed that he'd heard her right.
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
David took the words straight out of his mouth.
"This has nothing to do with you, Davey," Sarah hissed. "Go get my bags. I'll be there in five minutes."
"You just couldn't leave on a good note," David said, shaking his head as he stalked off. "You just have to light a match before you go. Don't pay her any mind, Opie. She wouldn't know the truth if it smacked her in the face."
Staring at her, Opie's glare could sear a frozen steak. "What the Hell are you trying to pull now, Sarah?"
"I know you'll think I'm just saying this to stir up shit with you guys but I'm not," Sarah said. "It's the truth."
Opie shook his head. "What? Why would you—how could he—you're full of shit."
That makes no sense.
"SARAH LYNETTE HALE!" Jacob Hale yelled as he charged down the driveway. "I PAID TWO GRAND FOR THAT FIRST CLASS TICKET! GET YOUR ASS OUT OF THAT TRUCK AND IN THE CAR WITH DAVID RIGHT NOW!"
"That's just great, Jake," Gloria Hale hissed, running up behind him. "Shout our business out for everyone to hear! Let the neighbors know we're carting your bastard child off to Connecticut again!"
Sarah's father turned to glare the woman standing at the end of the road in her slippers—a glass of wine in one hand while her other one held her robe closed.
"What neighbors?"
"I gotta go," Sarah said, reaching to pull her door open. Leaning over, she kissed him, her lips grazing his too swiftly for him to pull back—whether that would have been his response or not. "Talk to Jax," she advised him as she slammed the truck door shut. "He knows everything I know. He'll tell you...tell Tara I'm sorry okay? I wanted to tell her. Jax didn't want her to get hurt."
Thoughts? [10,000 Words]
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