Chapter 10: The Geek, the Princess and John Hughes.
Friday
"Are you sure he's not brain damaged from that concussion?"
Tyra looks at Julie seriously, as Julie rolls her eyes walking down the hall.
"It's sweet."
"What's sweet?"
Lyla walks in on the conversation as the three girls enter the bathroom.
"Tim's playing gentleman, he's keeping everything above the belt with Julie."
Lyla smiles as Tyra checks herself in the mirror, turning on the facet.
"That's cute."
Tyra shrugs.
"Cute? Tim and I did it all the time. He's up to something."
Julie winces at the thought of Tyra and Tim sleeping together. Her friend catches Julie's face and smiles trying to lessen the awkwardness.
"You know what I mean?"
Julie nods trying to shake the comment from her mind.
"Y-yeah got it."
Tyra walks into a stall as Lyla shrugs.
"Why does he have to be up to something? Can't he just be changing, turning over a new leaf maybe?"
Tyra laughs as the toilet flushes and she emerges to wash her hands again.
"All guys are up to something. I'm not saying he's not sincere or anything it's just…it's Tim."
Lyla nods at her two friends, as Julie shakes her head.
"How about you and Jason?"
Lyla looks up surprised as they leave the bathroom.
"There is no me and Jason, we're just…"
Tyra looks at Julie nodding.
"Yeah right, you two are practically destined for one another. No stupid injury is going to stop that."
Lyla blushes as Julie nods, they part ways once in the hall leaving Lyla confused and lost in thought.
"Of course it's going to be hard. You have a prize-winning bass on the line. You can't just yank her in and try reeling as hard as you can. You have to be slow, let her think she's coming to you while you gently hook her on the line."
Tim looks confused as Jason laughs. Herc raises the volume on ESPN bass fishing competition as Tim perks an eyebrow.
"He's been obsessed with fishing."
"QB one here says you guys have a boat."
Tim leans on the side of the wall as he sips his beer. Jason shakes his head laughing.
"I'm not carrying your fat asses onto a boat, not after Street went overboard last time."
Herc laughs, as Jason shrugs.
"This one over here threw his catch back and is now reeling her in again."
Tim looks over at Jason who takes a sip from his bottle.
"Lyla?"
Jason nods.
"She broke up with Chris."
Herc looks from one friend to the other.
"Blah, blah, let's hold hands while I throw up. It's Friday night ladies what are we doing tonight?"
"Are you even going to take your turn?"
Landry sits on the couch in front of Matt's TV as he plays Guitar Hero. Matt is absorbed with the laptop on the table, as he ignores his friend.
"What are you doing?"
Landry pauses the game, as he leans over staring at the screen.
"Is that Julie's myspace page?"
Matt looks over at Landry shrugging.
"Y-yeah, she put up some pictures from the concert, I'm just looking at them."
Landry laughs shaking his head.
"Cyber stalking, it's a new low Matty."
Matt closes the laptop as he gives his best friend a glare.
"It's not stalking. There was this girl who asked for my number, I was just trying to see her."
Landry frowns before smiling.
"You really are that guy aren't you?"
Matt rolls his eyes, as he picks up the guitar from the game.
"What guy?"
Landry opens the laptop snooping as Matt finishes his round.
"The guy that's always there for her, the friend. I've been there before Matt, it sucks."
Matt laughs re-pausing the game.
"You've dated like one girl in high school and you're giving me advice?"
Matt chuckles as he turns the game back on looking at the screen. Landry thinks for a minute before closing the laptop.
"You think I shouldn't call myself a geek?"
Matt shrugs.
"You are a geek, who cares, why?"
Landry shrugs sitting back as he watches Matt play.
"You really suck at this."
Matt smirks as he continues.
"Speaking of Tyra, how come you're here tonight and not out with her?"
Landry sighs.
"Girls night out."
"No, we are not talking about boys."
Julie laughs as Lyla nods smiling.
"We're not?"
Tyra shakes her head as they slide into a booth at Applebees.
"I thought you hate eating at this place?"
Lyla sits next to Julie as they smile at Tyra.
"I do, but the manager has a thing for me, we can free appetizers so I thought we'd eat here."
Julie laughs as they lean back enjoying the atmosphere.
"So, what are we doing after this?"
Tyra shrugs as she gives Julie an odd look.
"We just got here."
Lyla sighs playing with her water, as a waiter comes over with their appetizers.
"Manny just wanted me to bring these over for you guys."
Tyra raises her left eyebrow as her friends giggle.
"Well you can thank Manny for me."
They laugh, as she pushes the plates to the center of the table.
"We could go bowling?"
"Bowling Matt? Are you serious? Why go out when we can have perfectly good and free fun right here. Plus who's going to watch your Grandma?"
Matt shrugs as he hands Landry the controller.
"We could take her with us, she likes bowling."
Matt laughs at the thought as Landry turns to him dryly shaking his head.
"Hey isn't that Tyra's truck?"
Tim looks over as Herc jerks the wheel towards the Applebees parking lot. He still had a thing for Tyra and with a screech turns the truck into the lot. Tim holds the side of the truck as Jason smiles slapping the outside of the passenger side door.
"I don't know, she may be working."
Herc looks in the back as Tim, still nursing his second beer of the night shrugs at his friend.
"So?"
Tim pushes the hair from his face.
"So, Julie mentioned something about girls' night out tonight… I just."
Herc laughs as he and Jason maneuver their way out of the cars. Tim hops out the back window getting their wheelchairs ready for them.
"You're telling me Julie and Tyra are in there right now?"
Tim nods as he tosses the empty beer bottle in the back of Jason's truck.
"Yeah and probably Lyla too."
Jason smiles widely as he pushes off towards the front doors of the restaurant.
"You have got to be kidding me!"
Julie smiles as Lyla blushes looking towards the three guys walking towards them.
"What?"
Julie turns looking towards the front with confusion.
"Did you tell them where we were going?"
Julie shrugs as Tim smirks, they take a booth across from the girls winking as a waitress gives them silverware and menus. Jason smiles at Lyla, as she looks away trying not to laugh at Tyra's grimace.
"What are ya'll doing here?"
Tim slides into the booth grinning at Julie as Herc wheels towards Tyra smirking.
"Well, I just had a hankering for fried green beans so…"
Tyra laughs shaking her head.
"You're full of shit."
Herc smiles flirting, as she turns back to her friends.
"We could do bowling."
Julie nods smiling as she sips her soda silently flirting with Tim across the way.
"We should just finish this round and then go."
Matt laughs as he throws his ball down the lane.
"Go Matty, that's my Grandson."
Landry shakes his head as he sips his soda. Matt's Grandmother hoops and hollers as Matt laughs while his pins crash down.
"Yes Mrs. Saracen."
"It's your turn Grandma."
Lorraine Saracen gets up as her Grandson helps pick her bowling ball for her.
"Lorraine!"
Tyra laughs as she comes running down the small set of stairs holding her used bowling shoes in her hand. Mrs. Saracen drops the ball back in the stall as she beams at Tyra.
"Tyra Collette!"
Tyra laughs as Landry jumps up elated at the sight of his girlfriend. Matt turns as he sees Julie and Lyla paying for their shoes. He can't turn away as Julie locks eyes with him smiling shyly as they approach the group.
"You guys bowling with us?"
Lorraine leans in towards Tyra.
"You bring any booze?"
Tyra shakes her head as Loraine shrugs, grabbing her ball again and lobbing it down the lane.
Julie looks down as she sits putting her bowling shoes on.
"Hey, uh, what's up?"
Matt sits down next to her, as Lyla smiles at the young pair while she puts on her shoes.
"Nothing, just wanted to go bowling."
Matt laughs nodding, as he looks up at his Grandmother who throws her second try at knocking the pins down.
"Yeah, s-so I got to look at those pictures from the concert."
Julie nods as she finishes tying her shoes.
"Oh, yeah?"
Matt nods as Julie blushes, she stands up as Tyra starts the lane next to the boy's lane and begins their game.
"Tyra? Where's Tyra?"
Tyra rolls her eyes as she lets go of Landry's hand.
"Whatever happened to girl's night out?"
Tim grins, exchanging glances with Julie as he talks with the attendant.
"Now we don't have to rent shoes do we? You know, on account we're cripple?"
Jason laughs as Tim sweeps his hair back blushing at Julie.
"We'll just play pool."
The attendant nods, as Tim walks away leaving Herc tapping the counter.
"You need to add more handicap parking spaces too!"
Jason smiles as he catches Lyla rolling her eyes at Herc.
"Tyra baby if you want to watch a man's sport we'll be over there."
Landry laughs shaking his head as he picks up his bowling ball.
"I think she'll be fine thanks."
Herc stops, ogling Tyra before he looks up at Landry.
"You say something Ginger?"
Landry laughs as he turns from Herc, bowling a strike before turning back around.
"I just thought my girlfriend would be fine playing this manly and womanly sport."
Herc laughs, looking over at Jason and Tim, who are chalking their pool cues.
"Yeah I used to thinks so too, until I notices beer bellies and plumber cracks dominated the sport."
Landry laughs walking closer to Herc as Tyra and the girls ignore them. Matt tries to engage in conversation as Julie and Tim continue to flirt from across the alley.
"So what, is pool more manly?"
Herc laughs stealing a glance at Tyra.
"No, I just need legs to bowl you moron."
Landry laughs as Herc smirks.
"You wanna break?"
Landry looks at Matt who shakes his head.
"I'm staying with my Grandma, gonna finish out this game."
Tim who had been dying to talk to Julie gives Landry his cue.
"I'll bowl for ya eighty-five."
Landry nods as Tim grins patting him on the back as he jogs over towards the group.
"This isn't exactly how I imagined Friday night did you?"
Lyla smiles as she tries to feed the dollar into the soda machine.
"No, girls night in my mind didn't include Herc."
"Or me?"
Lyla bites her lips as the dollar bill comes back towards her. Jason smiles holding out his hand for the bill.
"Let me."
She smirks handing him the dollar, grinning he wheels up to the counter exchanging the paper money for its coin equivalent. He returns triumphant to the smiling brunette.
"Thanks."
Jason nods.
"No, problem, just one of my many talents."
She laughs as the soda falls. Opening it, she turns to Jason before taking a sip.
"What are you doing tomorrow night?"
Lyla pauses, her Mom wanted her to help pick out her wedding dress. She had the entire day planned. It was an event that made Lyla's heart drop into her stomach. She was dreading it all week.
"I don't know maybe."
Jason smiles.
"Maybe I could pick you up around seven?"
She laughs looking over at Herc playing pool with Landry. Tyra, picking on Tim as he bowled was having fun despite the extra company. Matt's Grandmother was looking twenty years younger as she sips her beer laughing at Tyra's jokes.
Monday
"I am that guy aren't I?"
Landry looks up as Matt shakes his head in disbelief."
"I'm that friend, who stands by and watches the girl…"
Landry laughs.
"You're Ducky."
His best friend frowns, not getting the movie reference.
"Ducky?"
Landry rolls his eyes.
"Movie night this weekend, 'Pretty in Pink.' You have to see it, you're Ducky. She's Molly Ringwald and he's that guy from 'Mannequin'."
Matt shakes his head.
"Who?"
Landry leans in.
"You have two choices; you can either sit on the sidelines and be the guy she now holds hands with until her Jake Ryan comes along or…"
"Wait, who's Jack Ryan?"
Landry stops, putting down his soda before answering.
"'Sixteen Candles'? Long Duck Dong? Do you watch any movies?"
Matt shakes his head shrugging.
"Look I read, I draw, I play football."
Landry rolls his eyes, as announcer interrupts lunch over the loud speaker.
"On behalf of Principal Walker, we'd like to congratulate our very own Fullback, number thirty-three Tim Riggins. For receiving a full scholarship to Texas A&M, give up to him ya'll."
A few players are shocked as all attention goes to Tim who is sitting quietly with Julie. Some people get up to congratulate him as Julie searches the café, embarrassed. She locks eyes with Matt who is staring at her in shock. Awkwardly she shrugs, smiling as Smash drops his tray down on the table. The noise still does not break the voices as Brian sits down annoyed.
"Riggins comes to practices drunk seventy-five percent of his high school career and A&M gives him a full ride?"
Matt looks away from Julie at Smash.
"Didn't you say no to A&M?"
Brian nods as he opens his power drink.
"Yeah, but that's not the point. I made some stupid mistake and hit some rich boy and now Tim is going to college."
"Tim's going to A&M and you're going to Whitmore it's like some alternate universe."
Matt shakes his head.
"Exactly."
"Well at least you're good enough to get noticed."
He looks longingly over at Julie who throws away her lunch bag waving to Tim as she leaves him with the crowd.
"What's his problem?"
Landry laughs.
"He's Ducky."
"Ooh… Julie problems?"
Matt looks up frowning.
"Has everyone seen that movie?"
Brian nods as he takes a bite of his hamburger.
"'Sixteen Candles', 'Pretty in Pink', 'Breakfast Club'…? Either you're hitting a John Hughes moment in High School, or are you have a thing for Molly Ringwald."
The clerk laughs as Matt blushes. Nervously he turns as the door opens with a ring as Julie smiles dropping off a stack of movies.
"Matt, hi, hey w-what's up?"
The clerk lifts 'Pretty and Pink' showing Julie as she grins.
"He's having a John Hughes marathon."
She continues to bag the movies as Matt embarrassed, pays for his rentals.
"I love 'Pretty and Pink'."
Matt nods, as he takes his change in one hand and his bag in another.
"Y-yeah, everyone's been talking about these movies lately so…"
Julie nods, smiling as she notices, 'Sixteen Candles' is also in the bag.
"Oh 'Sixteen Candles' is my favorite, you have to watch that last, even though it's one of Hughes' first movies."
"She bites her lip noticing Matt was staring at her smirking."
"S-so, you've never seen those movies?"
Matt shakes his head laughing.
"N-no, I just thought when I had some time…"
Julie smiles, looking at the car as her Mother watches.
"Well enjoy…"
Matt nods waving as he watches her walking away.
When Julie closes the door, she smiles to herself before buckling her seatbelt.
"What are you grinning about?"
Julie lost in thought looks up.
"N-nothing."
Tami shrugs as she pulls out of the parking lot.
Tuesday
"So did you get to 'Sixteen Candles' yet?"
Matt turns blushing as Julie smiles leaning on the adjacent locker.
"N-no, I got through 'Breakfast Club' though. It's really weird dreaming about football practice in detention."
Julie laughs as she follows him down the hall.
"S-so are you going to the roast?"
Julie nods biting her lip.
"Y-yeah, I'm going with Tim."
She smiles looking down as Matt shuffles his feet. Tim walks out of his class smirking as he sees Julie.
"Hey."
He leans downs kissing her before turning to Matt.
"You ready for practice Seven?"
Matt nods as Julie turns away from him.
"Well, I'm heading over to the gym."
She smiles at Tim before turning to Matt.
"Let me know when you get to 'Sixteen Candles.'"
She laughs waving to the two boys as Matt leaves Tim confused.
"You're okay with Julie and me right?"
Tim asks as he pulls a clean shirt over his head. A few other guys look to Matt awaiting his response. Matt dumbfounded looks to Landry before answering.
"Uh, y-yeah, we're friends, so."
Tim narrows his gaze as Matt packs his dirty clothes into his bag.
"Look at Riggins. Last year he'd have come to practice drunk and be making out with some cheerleader behind the bleachers by now."
A few of the players laugh as Smash steps closer to Matt smirking at him.
"Now look at him, dating the coach's daughter and going to A&M on a full ride."
Smash laughs as Matt closes his locker leaving the room. A few guys watch him go as Brian looks around at the changed atmosphere.
"What? No-one can talk about the elephant in the room?"
Some people laugh, while most continue to pack their clothes and leave.
"Look I'm sorry man; I didn't mean to throw the Julie thing in your face."
Brian tries to apologize while they wipe down the counters at the Tasty Freeze.
"Nah, it's okay, I'm the idiot. She was standing right here, apologizing to me, asking for things to go back to normal. I was too angry and stupid to forgive her. I would give anything to go back to that moment."
Smash stops wiping down the ice machine, as he looks to his friend.
"You can't keep living in the past."
Matt rolls his eyes.
"I know, but it's like what you always say, 'we should forgive.'"
Brian smiles at his own words before adding his two cents.
"Yeah but beating yourself up over this isn't going to help make anything better."
Matt smirks as he looks over at Brian.
"Being with other girls didn't work."
Smash nods thinking.
"Yeah, but it didn't hurt right? I mean take me and Waverly, I haven't exactly been the best friend and I wasn't that great of a boyfriend. But, I can only promise to do better."
Matt shrugs as he begins picking the chairs and stacking them on the tables.
"So I think she's been dropping hints that she wants to watch this movie with me."
Brian frowns, looking up at his friend.
"What movie?"
"'Sixteen Candles.'"
"But she's with Tim now."
Matt shrugs as he flips a chair upside down.
"So-it's just a movie and we're friends."
Brian laughs as he rinses out a towel.
"Yeah, but you want it to be more than friends. And 'Sixteen Candles' is a chick movie and that would be bordering on date."
Wednesday
Tim leans in kissing Julie as she blushes to his slight touch on her back.
"That was the late bell; I'm going to be late for Calculus."
"So, just tell them your Mom held you up."
Tim smirks as he leans in again engulfing Julie's lips with his own as he holds her tightly to him.
"I have to go; if my parents catch me skipping I'll be dead."
"You're so hot you know that?"
Julie smirks as he kisses her neck for a moment.
"Yeah and you can't afford to skip any classes."
Tim pulls away thinking.
"It's Wednesday, I used to skip Wednesday."
He leans towards Julie trying to kiss her again, she stops him with her finger as he grins down at her.
"That was before."
She gives him a quick kiss before walking away.
"Don't miss class."
He smirks enjoying her retreating form.
"Alright Taylor."
Smiling he rubs his lips before picking up his books and following Julie out of the Eraser room.
Thursday
"She's going with Tim?"
Erick looks up at Tami shaking his head.
"Doesn't that scare you?"
Tami smiles.
"What?"
"Our little girl dating Tim Riggins going to the Roast with him, now they're an item? That doesn't keep you up at night?"
Tami laughs shrugging.
"No more than how the Panthers will do at states."
Eric laughs kissing Tami as Julie walks into the kitchen.
"What are we talking about?"
"States"
"Tim Riggins."
Julie nods pouting as she grabs a bowl for cereal.
"What about States and Tim."
Julie pours her cereal into the bowl as her parents exchange glances.
"We were just wondering how things are coming along between you two."
Julie shrugs as she smiles at her little sister next to her in the high chair.
"Fine, I mean we're fine you know."
She looks at her parents who have frozen awaiting her response.
"So he's not acting like, himself?"
Julie frowns as she spoons some cereal and milk into her mouth, making them await her response.
"Meaning, things are progressing slowly?"
"Slowly?"
Eric asks as he bites the inside of his lip.
"Glacier pace."
Eric smirks, looking at Tami who just raises her eyebrows.
"Glacier speed, you hear that?"
"I heard it."
Eric nods winking at his daughter.
"Let's go Riggins, you're going at a glacier pace come on. You got a few more concussions to go Son, let's pick up the pace."
Tim picks up speed as he makes the tackle, before getting back in line.
"You do something wrong?"
Tim shrugs as he looks up in the stands at Julie doing her homework. His teammate follows his gaze laughing.
"Oh I thought so."
"Damn Riggins, did I give you permission to Gossip? You think Westerly is going to wait while you two have a tea party over there?"
"No Coach."
"Hey Julie."
Julie smiles as Matt walks out of the locker room.
"M-Matt hey what's up?"
He shrugs, "I finished 'Pretty in Pink.'"
She nods smiling, looking down.
"So I figured I'll watch 'Sixteen Candles' tomorrow."
"So you are saving it for last?"
Matt smiles nodding as he shifts his bag.
"Yeah, well I just thought you know…so I mean say no if you want but you wanna hang out on Friday maybe watch 'Sixteen Candles?' I mean, I just thought since it's your favorite so…?"
He winces at the awkwardness of the invitation.
"Uh-y-yeah that sounds like fun."
Matt scratches his ear as he blushes.
"Y-yeah?"
She nods smiling.
"O-oh okay cool. Well, see you tonight."
She smirks waving as he walks away.
"Julie baby!"
Julie turns to see her parents approach their cars.
She walks backwards as Tim exits the locker room staring at her.
"What time am I picking you up?"
Julie beams thinking.
"Six?"
He nods as she bites her lip before waving and turning from him.
"I knew it."
Julie blushes as Tyra erupts before looking around the hall. People were mingling talking to one another. She turns blushing at her friend.
"I knew Matt was going to do this as soon as you moved on he was going to regret it."
Julie winces frowning.
"He doesn't still like me, he's just asking me over to see a movie. I practically invited myself."
Tyra stops looking over at the junior shocked.
"Did you want him to invite you?"
Julie shrugs, "It is my favorite movie."
Tyra rolls her eyes.
"Oh please this has nothing to do with that stupid movie. It's about you still having unresolved feelings for Matt."
Julie shrugs.
"Unresolved? You're taking Psych 101 way too seriously."
Tyra laughs shrugging, as she turns serious again.
"Don't try to tell me no, look I know how it is. Part of you is trying to move on the other part is hanging on to Matt for dear life."
"Hey."
Lyla sits down with her friends as Tyra looks at her quickly.
"Why are you glowing?"
Lyla looks up shrugging.
"What? I'm not glowing."
Tyra looks around, as she sees Jason talking with some football players and her father.
"You're not engaged again are you?"
She asks in disgust as Julie laughs sipping her soda.
"No, we're getting to know each other, you know, who we are now."
Tyra a rolls her eyes.
"Well you two are hopeless, you're making googly eyes at Jason again and Julie's trying to have her cake and eat it too."
Lyla frowns as she looks at Julie.
"What, you and Matt?"
Julie shrugs.
"It's just a movie."
"What movie?"
"'Sixteen Candles."
Lyla laughs shaking her head.
"How do you know it's just a movie to him?"
Julie bites her lip as she looks up at Matt and Tim talking with Jason.
"Did you have fun tonight?"
Tim nods chuckling as he leans over kissing her. She laughs as he moves to her neck, then leaning towards her hair smiling as he pulls away staring into her eyes. He holds Julie's hand as he searches her gaze intently.
"You should probably go inside; I don't want your Dad to worry."
She laughs leaning towards him teasingly.
"You mean you want to start on Saturday."
He laughs as she smirks tilting her head. He pushes a loose strand of her hair, wanting to pull her towards him.
"So, I'm going to be hanging out with Matt tomorrow."
She says it so plainly looking to see how Tim would react.
"Yeah, I think I'm hanging out with Jason and Herc after work."
She nods a little disappointed as he squeezes her hand gently.
"Well I should get in."
He shrugs smiling as she beams opening the door. She looks back at him before disappearing into the house. When she is out of sight he frowns.
Friday
"No."
Tim nods as he takes a sip of his beer.
"Yeah she said her filter was on the fritz. When I got outside she pointed towards the pool. I turned around told her it was empty and she dropped her robe; and said 'She's been having a dry spell.'"
Jason laughs as Herc hits him on the shoulder.
"And, you just left?"
Tim nods taking another sip.
"What's her number? Where does she live? I'll be her damn pool boy."
"Oh it's Julie, Mathew, Julie's here Matty your girlfriend!"
Matt rushes out of his room as Julie blushes. He grimaces shaking his head at his Grams.
"Sh-she's not my girlfriend Grandma, we're just friends."
Lorraine shrugs waving him away as Matt lets Julie in the house.
"S-sorry about that."
Julie laughs shrugging.
"It's okay."
"Well she's a girl, and your friend."
Matt turns towards his Grandmother.
"Y-yeah, I-I know Grandma but.."
"Well Julie knew what I meant, alright Mathew be good, I'm going to bed."
Matt nods as he walks his Grandmother to her room.
"Wait, woah. She's with her ex watching some movie?"
Tim nods as Jason looks back and forth between his two friends.
"Why the hell are you here with us and not with that young philly?"
Tim tilts his head as Jason beams.
"You're serious?"
Tim smirks as Jason laughs.
"You son of a bitch, you're in love with her."
Herc looks clueless at his two friends, before grimacing.
"Oh, no, come on man. First, you're all upstanding and now love? Well that don't explain why you're letting her watch some movie at her ex's house."
Jason laughs before answering him.
"Sure, it shows how he trusts her."
Herc shrugs as Tim nods feeling justified.
"Or it shows her you don't care; you never know what a girl's thinking."
"What is she thinking?"
Tami shrugs as she tries to spoon some baby food into the baby's mouth.
"She's trying to be friends with Matt."
Eric continues to pace the living room floor as his wife rolls her eyes.
"She's gonna pit two of my best players against each other."
Tami frowns turning to her husband.
"That is not what's gonna happen. Matt and Julie are just friends now. And Tim has been real good to her. I think Julie can handle this Hun."
Eric shakes his head at his wife as she continues to smile at the laughing baby.
As the two characters lean towards each other lifting their bodies slightly off the table they lean in for a kiss. Above the glowing candles of the birthday cake, the scene begins to fade as the credits roll. Matt stares at Julie. She is smiling, completely satisfied with the ending.
Feeling his gaze on her she turns to him blushing.
"So, did you like it?"
Matt nods, tearing his eyes away as he looks to the screen. The music fills the living room as he smiles thinking.
He notices how close she was to him on the couch. The comfort level was the same as when they were dating. She became aware of the close proximity as he did, moving slightly away from him to the end of the couch.
"S-so you liked it though right?"
"Yeah, I mean Long Duck Dong was funny, and her Grandparents…well I can relate."
She grins shaking her head tucking her feet under her thighs.
"No, I mean what about, the whole finding each other at the end?"
Matt laughs shrugging.
"It was the prefect ending, everyone ended up with someone. And Jake and Sam together, he gets the perfect genuine girl."
She notices Matt was staring at her as she spoke. Blushing deep crimson, her eyes go to his lips as an urge to kiss him surfaces. She wanted to lean in towards him and notices he was thinking the same thing. Laughing she catches herself, springing, to her feet.
"Sorry."
She shakes her head.
"N-no I'm sorry this movie always gets to me. It must be some John Hughes thing or something."
He nods standing up as she puts on her coat.
"Well a long weekend ahead."
He nods noticing the awkward tension building in the room.
"Look I'm sorry about, um whatever that just was."
Julie nods as she grabs onto the kitchen doorknob.
"Y-yeah, no, nothing happened. Just two friends getting caught up in a movie."
Matt smiles as he rubs the back of his neck embarrassed.
"W-well see you tomorrow."
Matt waves as Julie smiles while leaving the house.
"I'm a changed man, ladies. I have repented my ways, I'm a one woman man now and it's Julie Taylor."
Tim laughs as Herc boos.
"Here's to Texas forever."
Tim raises his slowly emptying beer bottle repeating the saying.
"And here's to this one getting us some A&M tickets, in the handicapped section… preferably on the 40 yard line, sidelines."
Jason laughs as Tim nods before tilting the bottle to his lips.
End of Chapter 10
Preview of Chapter 11
"Hey baby."
Julie quickly closes the door as she notices her parents on the couch waiting up for her.
"How was the movie?"
Julie hesitates biting her lip as she begins walking towards her room.
"Uh….y-yeah it was alright. Goodnight guys."
She looks longingly at her Mother, as she leaves the room.
Tami's leg begins to bounce, as she looks to her husband.
"I think I need to talk to her."
"Alright."
She kisses Eric before going into her daughter's room, closing the door.
Julie was expecting her Mother as she lays face down on her bed feeling horrible.
"Jules."
"I'm a horrible person."
Tami sits on the bed as Julie turns towards her.
"I almost kissed Matt."
Tami takes a deep breath.
"Okay and that makes you a bad person?"
Julie winces.
"N-no, what makes me a bad person is I kinda wish I had kissed him."
She covers her face with her pillow as Tami listens smiling.
"Well you two had a long relationship and being friends after that is hard. Separating those feelings…"
"But Tim is being so sweet, and I really like him. He makes me feel this way which, I-I've never felt before. I'm so confused."
Tami sighs as her daughter tries to sift through her emotions.
TBC