"Are you really going on a date with Opie Winston?" Tara asks Donna as they walk out of school together. Donna blushes, hoisting her backpack up higher and shrugging.
"I mean, I don't see why not." She says carefully and Tara raises an eyebrow, both of them headed for the bus.
"Because he's one of those motorcycle riding jerks who think they own this town?" She points out and Donna frowns.
"Things bad with your dad again?" She asks lowly and Tara tightens her grip on her backpack.
"No." She says resolutely then crumbles slightly. "It's just, his drinking is getting really bad again. I thought it was getting better." She says quietly and Donna leans her head on top of Tara's shorter frame.
"It's ok. It'll get better." She promises and Tara doesn't try to argue with her but slides into the seat next to her and scrunches her knees up tightly to her chest, brooding.
At Donna's stop she scoots out of the seat and gives a sympathetic smile to Tara before disappearing down the steps. Tara watches listlessly as the houses become smaller and less well maintained, before arriving at her stop. She walks off the bus, breathing in the still crisp April air. The day is warm enough for her to contemplate opening the windows.
"Tara." She turns at the sound of Opie's voice, startled. He and Jax are across the road, sitting in a beaten up pickup truck. Jax is reclining lazily, feet on the dashboard, casting her a confident grin.
"Hey Opie." She says carefully, tearing her eyes off Jax and watching as Opie crosses the narrow street. "What's up?"
"I, uh, need your help." He admits, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. She raises her eyebrows.
"About Donna." She states.
"How'd you know?" He asks skeptically and she rolls her eyes, leading him towards her house and picking up the key from under a fake rock.
"Your best friend asks a girl out for you, that means you're not confident enough to do it yourself, which means you have absolutely no clue how to handle things." She says simply, unlocking the door and ushering him in.
"Well, Jax, he has his own way of doing things." He admits ruefully, glancing over his shoulder, chuckling as Jax scrambles out of the truck and dashes for the house, catching the door before it slams shut.
"What'd I miss?" He asks breathlessly.
"Us establishing you're a jackass." Tara says nonchalantly and Jax looks offended, but recovers.
"So, any ideas?" He asks, flopping down on the couch.
"Up." Tara orders, leading them through the kitchen and towards the patio behind the house. Opie takes in the empty bottles on the table and the overflowing recycling bins but wisely keeps his mouth shut. "Sit." She says, pointing to the well-worn chairs circling a table.
"Lady likes to be in charge." Jax says admiringly and Tara shoots him a look so cold his mouth snaps shut.
"Do you actually like Donna or are you just trying to get laid?" Tara interrogates, staring down Opie. Jax opens his mouth and in one fluid movement, Opie manages to cover Jax's mouth and force his head to his knees.
"I actually like her." He says smoothly and Tara watches Jax wriggle, trying to escape Opie for a moment before smiling thinly.
"Good. Then I have a couple ideas for you." She says.
"Like what?" Jax asks, popping up and Tara looks at him, exasperated.
"Can you control your puppy?" She asks Opie, who shakes his head wearily and Jax looks between the two of them with narrowed eyes.
"I don't like that you two are bonding against me." He states.
"I don't like you." Tara says flatly, sitting down. Jax opens his mouth, but before more charm can come out, Tara looks back to Opie. "Do you know anything about Donna?"
"Sorta." He admits, squirming uncomfortably and Tara looks at him steadfastly while Jax's head swivels between the two of them. "She's uh, a year younger than me, she went to um, Adams Elementary School, I met her in middle school…" He trails off, looking at Jax desperately and Tara buries her head in her hands while Jax snorts with laughter.
"You're an asshole." Tara says coolly to Jax.
"I thought he knew more!" He protests. "He's been obsessed with her since middle school!"
"Opie, how many words have you said to Donna?" Tara asks him pointedly and he hangs his head.
"None." He confesses quietly and when Jax roars with laughter, Tara is ready and smacks him in the arm.
"Kick him out." She orders.
"Gladly." Opie grumbles, tipping Jax's chair so he falls onto the cement.
"Hey!" He objects. "I wanna know what's happening! This was my idea!"
"We'll keep you posted." Tara promises without conviction and Jax stares openmouthed at Opie. He shoos him away with a wave of his hand and Jax sulks off, scowling.
"What do I do?" Opie asks, the instant Jax is out of range.
"You really should pick her up at the diner." Tara says and when Opie's forehead crinkles, she sighs and draws her knees to her chest. "Her dad is a religion nut. I'm talking crosses in every room, bible study every night. The only reason Donna doesn't have to leave the house in full-length skirts is because he's usually gone. He's a salesmen." She explains and Opie looks at her with wide eyes.
"So he's not gonna like her on the back of my bike?" He guesses.
"No, he's going to hate her on the back of your bike." Tara corrects and he winches. "She's not a total romantic, but a little something wouldn't hurt. I'm not talking a dozen red roses, but I'm saying shower, brush your hair, that stuff." She says and he looks at her, insulted.
"I can take care of myself." He maintains.
"Sorry, never lived with a male who could." Tara says evenly. "You'll wanna take her somewhere for a ride, then go eat and afterwards do something that could be considered romantic."
"Like what?" He asks, the desperation creeping back into his voice.
"Get ice cream and go for a walk." She says calmly and Opie starts breathing again. "Drive her to Stockton and walk the waterfront."
"Tara, you're a genius." He breathes and she sits back, grinning.
"She likes mint chocolate chip." She says and he looks at her like he's going to kiss her. "Go get your sad little sidekick." She says, nodding towards the door to the garage that Jax had disappeared through.
"Don't say that to Jax, he likes to think I'm the sidekick." He tells her with a chuckle and she raises an eyebrow.
"I don't care if I make him angry." She says indifferently and Opie stops, turning around to look at her with a frown.
"What do you have against Jax?" He asks, mostly curious, somewhat defensive. Tara stares at him balefully.
"Rebecca Carrey." She says and when Opie doesn't show recognition, she sighs. "A girl Jax dated this year. Before his dad died. She was in love with him. I sit at her lunch table, I know. Before his dad died, he told her that he loved her, that she was the one for him, everything. Then when his dad died, he left her and told her every last second of it was a lie."
"Listen, Jax is having a really hard time," Opie starts but Tara holds up a hand, shaking her head.
"I get what it's like to lose a parent, Op. You know that. I don't care what Jackson Teller does with girls. I care that he's a liar and he uses people when it's convenient for him." She says and Opie looks at her for a long moment then nods.
"Thanks for all the help with Donna. I really appreciate it." He says and she nods back. Jax is still moping in the truck when he pulls the door handle open and climbs in.
"How'd it go?" Jax asks eagerly.
"Well, now I have a date idea, no thanks to you." Opie says, driving down the road, staring straight ahead.
"I'm the reason you have a date. And I suggested that you go see Tara, so how is it not thanks to me?" Jax points out.
"You got me the date to embarrass me and you suggested Tara so you could flirt with her." Opie corrects him.
"She didn't seem to really flirt back." Jax broods.
"Rebecca Carrey." Opie pronounces and Jax looks at him in puzzlement.
"Who?" He asks.
"You dated her this fall." Opie tells him and Jax looks thoughtful, wracking his brains. "Before your dad." He says hesitantly and Jax shuts down.
"What about her?" He asks tonelessly.
"Tara knows her apparently. And she didn't like the way you handled things, so I think you burned the bridge on her my friend." Opie says and Jax stares out the window until they're almost home.
"If anyone should know what it's like after losing a parent, it's her!" He bursts suddenly.
"That wasn't the issue." Opie says, parking in his driveway.
"What was it then?" Jax demands.
"She thinks you're a liar and manipulative." Opie says then hops out of the truck, leaving Jax fuming.
"I'm not a liar!" He says hotly, storming into the house. Opie keeps making his sandwich, unperturbed by his best friend. "I don't lie, I'm as honest as they come! She just thinks that. She's got to have something against the club. I hate when people judge the club. She doesn't know anything. And I'm manipulative? Has she ever said more than 5 words to me? She thinks she's so mighty, looks down her nose at everyone. Thinks she's smart because she skipped a grade. Like that's a big deal." He rants.
"I mean, it kind of is." Opie interjects and Jax ignores him.
"What even makes her so special? She doesn't have a mom? A lot of people lose their parents. It doesn't make them liars or bad people. God, I thought she was different." He says furiously. "Didn't you?"
"I mean, she is the first girl who has ever made you this mad, so I would say she is different." He says logically. "I'm content to watch the Jax and Tara show. It's been spectacular so far." He says, casually taking a bite of the completed sandwich while Jax gapes at him. "Oh, this needs more mustard."
AN: Yay, finally getting somewhere with this story! Please, please, please let me know what you think in reviews, I love hearing about it!