A/N: I know a lot of you are wondering where the heck I've been. I don't want to hand you any excuses or lame lines, let's just say that since storm season has started my muse has hibernated. What can I say, it has it's season's backwards! Here is chapter four though, and I won't babble too much so you can get to reading!
Special Thanks: To Riggins33, asnowybunny, and Maryilee. I really do appreciate you guys taking the time to read and give me feedback, it makes it that much more worthwhile. Since you take the time to do that, I'll bust my butt to get chapter five out for you!
Timeline: Smack dab in the middle of the season when the lawsuit and all that drama was issued.
Friction: Chapter Four
The evening after practice looked promising. Both Tami and Julie were home, finishing up supper as Coach Taylor walked through the door. He was in a great mood because practice rolled smoothly, especially since he apologized for his actions. The boys seemed to play a lot smoother when everyone was connecting. Walking up behind Tami, he wrapped his arms around her waste, kissing the back of her head.
"Hey hon, it smells great." He pulled away, standing beside her as he watched her do the final touches on their spaghetti.
She smirked. "You look great."
He cocked his head to the side, not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a cut down, but that was Tami and he knew she only meant well. He didn't reply to it, just let those words settle in as he helped Julie set the table.
"How was your day honey?" He asked, hoping his daughter was in a good mood.
"Good, just went to school and dance practice, that's about it."
"That's good to hear."
They all sat down to eat, and pretty much talked about their day. Eric also apologized to them about how he had been acting and smoothed things out with them, promising that things would be different around the house. The stresses of the job of course were not gone, but he was slowly learning to cope with them a little better than before.
That night he and Tami just laid in the darkness of the room, talking and enjoying their time together.
"We probably should be trying to get some sleep seeing as it's after midnight, but getting to talk to you is just as refreshing as sleep." Eric laughed after that comment; almost embarrassed that he said that. "Yeah, that was a bit corny."
Tami ran her hands through his hair. "It was corny, but it's true. I'm glad to see you smile again."
He rolled on to his side, completely facing her. "I want your honest opinion about something."
She nodded, not saying a word as she waited for him to finish.
"What do you think of Dillon?"
She leaned back on her pillow, her brow creasing as she let that question hang heavy over them. "Well hon, that's a very good question." She hated the fact that she hesitated but she honestly couldn't answer this very quickly.
"Well what's your gut reaction?"
She propped her head up on her elbow, still trying to come up with an answer. "Gut reaction is that I have mixed feelings about it." She licked her lips, she never knew this could be such a hard question. "I like this town when the pressures of football are not shadowing over us. I hate this town when it does what it did to you recently."
He nodded, smoothing out the blanket between them. "I was just wondering. I think it's a good town, the right size population wise, there are good people here. I think I'm with you though, but frankly the pressures of football will be in any town we are in here in the state of Texas, we just never felt it like we have because I've never been the head coach."
"That's right. We've just gotta adjust, and I think we are good at that. Nothing can tear us up." She pulled him in for a kiss, pulling the covers over their head as she did.
The next morning looked promising, the sun was out, the humidity was comfortable, and a small breeze could be felt. Coach Taylor loved waking up like he did, beside his wife after a restful and relaxing night with her near him. He almost wanted to call in sick just so they could be together all day, but that wouldn't be wise since they had a game the next day and getting his boys ready was extremely important.
He took his time getting ready, enjoying his shower and slowly drinking a cup of coffee as he glanced over the Dillon newspaper. Julie and Tami went to school earlier than he did usually so he had the house to himself at the moment; the quietness allowed his mind to think about things.
He wondered what all of the fanatics did when football season was over. Did they pressure him even more to have a strict off-season? Did they die down and go quiet for that few months? Or did they carry on as usual? Off-season, something that seemed so far away at the moment, something that shouldn't even be on Eric's mind. He finished his last sip of coffee and folded the newspaper up. It was time to head to work, a big preparation day was before him, Thursday's were always more focused mentally and more resting physically to have stamina for the next day.
Reyes woke up nervous. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, all he knew was something had to be done. He had spent way too many nights lying there in bed, wondering what might have been if he was still on the football team. In his head it was extremely unfair that Coach Taylor had kicked him off. No one had ever done that to him, he always got away with doing the things he did. That's probably where he got the assumption that what he was doing was acceptable, he was a jock for crying out loud. Coach Taylor was a dam in his plans, stopping things up and hurting his future in sports.
Something had to be done.
He couldn't even look his mother in the eye when he went downstairs for breakfast. Things would probably not be the same if he went through with what his plan was. But then again, he should get away with what he wanted, that's what he thought anyway.
"Son, you okay?" His mom could read him like a book and knew he had a lot weighing on his mind. Since the day he was no longer a Dillon Panther it seemed as if a light flickered off inside of him and all he ever did was sit alone and listen to loud rock music all the time.
"Fine, I'm just tired." It took all of his energy just to say that to her. "I'll see you this afternoon." After everything was taken care of with Coach Taylor, after all of the problems were solved….hopefully.
He walked to the garage, pulling out his father's colt revolver from behind his workbench. Dad thought he was hiding it there but his son seemed to always find everything, he had a knack for that. He slid it into his jacket pocket, thankfully it was baggy enough that no one would be able to tell.
'Things are going to be different in about an hour', He thought to himself.
Coach Taylor and Mac were doing what they always do on Thursday mornings, and that's watch game film of there own team as well as their opponent they were meeting up with the next day, if it was available. Eric had watched this exact tape about a million times in the past week but each time he viewed it, it seemed like he caught something new, just like when you watch a movie over and over again.
"Did you see that Mac?"
Grabbing the remote, he rewound to the spot that he caught.
"What?"
"Their boys all give cushion through the middle when we show we are passing. Maybe if we fake a pass and have Smash run it up the middle we can run all over them all night long."
Mac nodded. "Until they catch on."
"Maybe it'll be too late when they do, I guess it's worth a shot."
It was like that every Thursday morning, up until about 10:30 when Mac had his first driver's education class he had to start teaching. That's when Eric would begin making out a practice schedule for the day which usually took him until about lunchtime when he'd meet up with Tami. At the moment though, they just sat and watched for any clue they could use to break open the bracket between themselves and their opponent.
This particular morning he cut it short. He had the sudden urge to go visit his wife at her office. He had been enjoying her company so much that a short break seeing her would be perfect.
"Mac, let's take 15. I need a lil' break."
Mac nodded, pausing the TV. "Okay, meet you back here in a bit."
Reyes's heart pounded as he made his way up the stairs of the front entrance of the school. Everyone was walking around, making their way to first period with no care in the world. He could feel his palms grow cold and clammy and his mouth go dry from the adrenaline that was pumping through his body. He had to do this. Time to stand up and show everyone that you are not one to be pushed around, especially by a first year head coach who couldn't even accomplish and undefeated season.
He nodded towards a couple of his buddies, trying to not lead them on that something was about to happen. He knew Mrs. Taylor's office was around the corner and that was a sudden decision of his. Focus on the people that Coach Taylor cared and loved for the most, his family. Even if he didn't physically hurt the coach himself, hurting one of his family members would be just as painful emotionally.
Her door was open and inside was Julie and herself. Tami noticed the uncertainty in Reyes's body language.
"You need to talk about something, hon?" She asked, motioning for him to come in.
He nodded but was startled when Coach Taylor passed by him, walking into the small office as well.
'This is all too perfect', he thought. His nerves were still very tense though, and now he was second-guessing himself in fear that he'd back out and never go through with it. Swallowing hard, he stepped back, talking himself in to not running away. He couldn't live with himself if he did. He had what he wanted right in front of him, the entire Taylor family standing in that very office he was at.
"You look busy…" He trailed off and quickly pulled the handgun from his pocket, pointing it right at all three of them.
Coach Taylor's first instinct was to stand in front of Tami and Julie, and that's what he did, making sure his body was blocking both of there's. He knew Reyes had a temper but not to the point of pulling a gun in school like this.
"Reyes, son, don't do anything you are going to regret now."
Eric held his hands up in front of himself, trying not to make any sudden movements that would startle the confused teenager. His heart was beating so hard and fast that he swore everyone around them could hear it. Deep down he was hoping someone in offices nearby saw what was playing out and was on the phone to 911 that very moment, but little did he know that everyone was now in their classrooms, beginning the day like they normally did.
"I'm not your son. Don't ever call me son!" Reyes's hand shook as he screamed at them.
Eric was somehow thankful he decided to take that break. He wasn't sure if it was coincidence or what, normally he didn't do this and that made the situation that much more strange.
"What is it that you need?"
Tami's voice could be heard from behind Eric but she remained seated with the same idea in mind that you don't want to move too much around an unstable person. Julie remained quiet; she was way too scared to even think about doing a thing.
"I NEEDED to be on the FOOTBALL TEAM!"
Coach Taylor knew that some negotiating had to begin because nothing was going to happen unless he talked him through this. Sweat began to pour from his brow. Surely someone had heard him yell and knew there was a situation.
"Reyes, we can solve this problem once you put that gun down. I'll sit down and talk to you face to face, man to man." He kept his voice low, trying to stay calm for his family.
Reyes shook his head no. "We can solve the problem by pulling the trigger." Within a split second after those words fell out of his mouth, a loud gunshot could be heard, echoing throughout the halls of Dillon High School, a few screams, and then the eeriest silence anyone had ever heard…
TBC…..I usually hate cliffhangers but I figured this is a good spot to stop for now..I promise a quicker update this time and I understand if a lot of you readers out there do not believe me! I wouldn't believe it either! Hope you are still enjoying!
