Rust Buckets and Rivalries
Chapter 21
Tim looked at the girl who was currently throwing herself at him and thought why shouldn't I? Why shouldn't he take what this girl was offering him on a shiny, big platter of hoochiness? Daphne stood there draped over the door frame in a way she thought he would find attractive and all he could do was look at her blonde hair and think it was the wrong shade. It was too harsh, too blonde and lacked the honeyed colour that he loved. Her eyes were blue, not the coffee coloured kind that could draw him in with single glance. They were rimmed with a considerable amount of makeup, darkened everywhere – nothing like the natural look of his ex-girlfriend. He shrugged, 'ex' had a final sound about it. Sort of like an axe whistling through the air to plant itself into a tree stump. Maybe this would be a good way to forget to push the memories aside.
Daphne leaned into him, taking his silence and stillness as acceptance of her presence. She aggressively grabbed his neck and pulled her into him. He let her do it, he was beyond caring. She ground her lips into him, he could taste her. She tasted minty, not bad but not Jules. He tried to pull back but she kept her hands firmly secured to his hair. He put his hands out to pry her away and she took it as his being more into it. Daphne made a deep groaning sound in the back of her throat and he was instantly repelled, she wasn't Jules and his thoughts of her weren't going to be diminished by this girl.
"Um Daphne, I need to duck out for a moment. I'll be back." He was running away, he walked quickly down the corridor and outside. Sitting on the bench outside his building he stilled himself. He took deep breaths weighing his possibilities. The entire time he had been with Julie he had never once considered cheating on her, never finding another girl to be more desirable or convenient to be with. Why now after a day of separation was he considering this? Why? With a girl he didn't like and who had ties with his friend? If he were to reject her it would be due to the guy code – he couldn't do it to Jeff. But the thought of lashing out at Julie, showing himself that he could move on that he had options has its attractions. He was being a bonehead. He sighed, what happened to Rigs the guy that wouldn't care about repercussions, who would screw any girl who would offer herself? He was the new and improved model and in this moment he didn't like the new him.
Tim stood and walked calmly back to his room. As he entered the room he heard Daphne speaking "...but Timmy's busy just about now. Try calling later when I am done with him." He felt the chills of foreboding that something had broken irreparably. He yanked the door open and looked at the girl draped across his bed with his phone in her hand. She had a self-satisfied smile plastered across her face.
"Who was that?" his voice broke her contemplation. The smile immediately dropped.
"Oh it was just one of the team." He stood staring at her disbelievingly. His arms rose to cross his chest and his gaze pinned her to the spot.
"Tell me." It was an order and she looked helplessly at the door and his frustration with her doubled. If he had spoken to Julie like this she would have kicked him in the shins or slapped him with a verbal stinger. This girl had no substance and more importantly, she wasn't Jules.
"It was that Jewel girl," she looked sheepishly at him.
"Jewel, I don't know a Jewel. Was it Julie?" He was getting more and more forceful in his approach and she was beginning to quake in her stilettos. She nodded slowly refusing to give him eye contact, "You need to leave now Daphne," she slunk out of the room and he laid back on the bed contemplating the mess his life had become and how he was going to remedy the situation. He resisted the urge to call her, he was guessing that she would be pretty mad with him and talking to an angry, possibly irrational ex wasn't something he thought he could deal with in this moment. His arms flopped over his forehead and he groaned out loud, resurrecting his relationship with Jules had just gotten a hell of a lot harder.
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With a fresh perspective in the morning Tim decided on a plan. Jules wouldn't have called without having a reason, especially if she had been out on a date. He was guessing the date hadn't gone well and that she might be re-thinking the break. So he had decided that his approach would be stealthy but he did have the problem of Jules thinking he was having a 'thing' with Daphne. He had to do some reconnaissance, he needed someone on the inside. He needed someone to gather some information. He knew of someone who would be perfect.
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"Hey Brett-buddy how are ya? Rigs here." Tim tried to sound as friendly and as un-Riggings-like as possible.
He heard Brett take a huge gulp and stammer out his words "Heeee-y Rigs, how are you?" the confusion was evident in his voice.
"Just ringing to say well done for the weekend. Pity you didn't get to play dude."
"Yeah I guess." The confusion continued and Tim couldn't blame him. They hadn't spoken in well over two years.
"Look I wanted to say thanks for watching Jules' back. It's great that you were able to do that and I wanted to say thanks."
"O-kay no problems. You played an awesome game man." Brett's voice become awed.
"Thanks. Look I was hoping you could do me a favour?" Tim brushed right by the compliment.
"Yeah sure man, anything for you?"
"Could you find Julie and ask her about what she was doing Sunday night?" Tim was using his most wheedling tone.
"Rigs, look I'd do anything for you but she'd tear me a new one. I can't do that." Tim sighed he was hitting a brick wall called Brett.
"How about seeing if she's mad at me?" One last ditch.
"Rigs are you serious?" Okay he was officially done.
"Okay don't worry then." Tim gave up. "I guess I will see you around then?"
"Yeah maybe next time we're home. Sorry I couldn't help. Maybe you could try Street though, I think I saw her with him the other night." Tim breathed a sigh of relief, finally something!
"Thanks dude. Next time we are in Dillon we'll have to have a drink."
"You bet Rigs. Later." Brett hung up and Tim knew Street would be his next call. What was he up to? Why hadn't he told him that he'd met up with Jules?
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"Hey Street, seriously dude this is like the fourth call I have left and you are still not calling me back. I know you caught up with Jules on Sunday night and I am beginning to worry about what happened? Seriously man you need to give me a call." Tim was beginning to sound desperate and weird random thoughts were beginning to slither into his brain. After hearing that he was "busy" with Daphne had she done something stupid? Had Street used this as an opportunity to get some revenge for a long ago indiscretion? His paranoia was overwhelming, he was beginning to doubt the loyalty of his best friend and the motivations of the girl he loved most in the world. The silence was killing him.
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After a further five days of silence Tim was a mess. He didn't know if he was coming or going or if the sky was blue. His ability to reason had diminished to a speck and his paranoia had blossomed. He had a beard now, so much had his facial hair grown out. His teammates were referring to him as Sasquatch and his hygiene had taken a huge hit. He really didn't care anymore. So when the phone rang that afternoon he was equal parts doubtful and optimistic that it would be Street or better Jules.
Tim raced to pick up the phone-
"Tim speaking."
"Hell-o Tim," her soft feminine voice floated down the phone speaker and into his ear. He sighed, the sound of her felt like a caress.
"Yeah." He didn't know what to say so he kept with the bare minimum.
"I know I said I wanted space and I do. But you said you weren't going to give up and you have. I want the space and I am glad you have given it to me. I miss you. But there is something that I need to tell you and I want to be honest, to not keep things from you. I didn't mean for it to happen but it just did..." she trailed off and Tim's heart plummeted. A buzzing started in his ears and all he could think was payback's a bitch!
AN – I don't mean to leave things on a cliff hanger but it is after midnight and I wanted to have posted something today. Keep the reviews coming, I have a 3 day weekend and I might be compelled to speed up my production. Love to you all mwah (and I might see you on the chat – directions on my profile)!