Jax was sitting on the couch, drinking beer and watching a baseball game when the doorbell rang. He frowned, concerned because he wasn't expecting anyone. He approached the front window at an angle, then carefully pulled back the heavy curtain. He could see a familiar car sitting in the driveway: Julie's tiny clown car with Sadie sitting in the driver's seat and luggage piled up in the backseat.
Jax walked over to the door and pulled it open to find Julie standing with her arms crossed and a sour look on her face, her sunglasses pushed up on top of her head.
"Hi Pixie, this is a pleasant surprise," he said, genuine warmth in his voice. It had been 9 days since they broke up and he had to admit to himself that it was like a physical ache, missing her.
"Jax," she said, her voice wavering. He could see that she was trying mightily not to be affected by him.
"You want to come in?"
"No, I just need my sweater."
"Your sweater?" asked Jax, playing dumb.
"Yeah, my red-and-white striped one. It's my favorite and I must've left it here because it's not at my place."
"Nah, I haven't seen it," lied Jax, leaning casually against the door frame. He wanted to reach out and touch her cheek, so he pushed his hands into his pocket.
"You're sure?" Julie asked doubtfully.
Jax nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure. You're welcome to look for it though."
Julie cast a long look back at Sadie and then glanced at her watch. "I can't, I've got a flight to catch."
"A flight? You going to visit your family or something?"
"No. I'm going to Europe for the summer."
"Oh, one of those summer programs?"
"No," said Julie, her scowl nearly causing Jax to take a step back. "I didn't apply to any of those programs because I didn't want to leave my boyfriend. Which, you know, is kind of funny because he just ended up breaking up with me the second things started to look complicated."
"Julie," sighed Jax, wishing that this whole thing could be easier.
"It's fine, Jax. I'm fine. You might come to your senses one day and realize what a huge jackass you were and regret it, but right now, it looks like we're both just fine."
Julie spun on her heel to stalk back to the car, but Jax caught her arm, pulling her back to him. He brushed her hair back off her face, letting his thumb caress her cheek before resting his hand on her shoulder.
"You're right, Pixie, I probably am going to regret this one day. But I can promise you one thing: you never will. Whatever happens next for you is going to be so much better than what you'd have here. This isn't your place."
Julie looked at him, blinking back tears. She stepped back, his hand falling off her shoulder.
"Take care of yourself, Jax," she said, looking at him like she might never see him again.
"You too, Pixie. You too."
He stuffed his hands back in his pockets and leaned against the doorframe, watching her walk back to the car. She refused to make eye contact with him, refused to even look in his general direction, even while Sadie waved cheerily as she pulled out of the driveway. Jax watched her leave, realizing that the day of regret had arrived much sooner than either of them had expected.
---//---
A week later, Tim approached him as he was parking his bike on the T-M lot. It was earlier and the prospect was looking like he hadn't been sleeping very well.
"What's up? You need something?" Jax asked as he pulled off his helmet and rested it on his bike.
Tim folded his arms, looking a little uncomfortable. "I feel weird asking you, but I've been calling Julie for days and she hasn't been answering. Hasn't been responding to texts either. That's not really like her and I'm getting worried."
Jax nodded and looked down, trying to figure out what it meant that Julie didn't tell Tim where she was going.
"Sorry, man, like I said, I felt weird asking but I figured you might be able to save me a trip to Lodi. And dealing with Sadie. That girl is nuts."
Jax chuckled. "Yeah, she is. Look, man, I don't know how to tell you this, but Julie's gone."
"Gone?" asked Tim. "Like gone back to Texas."
"No, like gone to have adventures in Europe. She left about a week ago."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously. I only know because she stopped by my place on her way to the airport. She couldn't find one of her sweaters or some shit like that."
"Oh... well, thanks," said Tim before he turned and headed back into the garage.
"No problem," mumbled Jax to himself, stepping off his bike. He felt... he paused for a second and looked around the T-M lot. He felt empty and strange. A tiny part of him felt like he should maybe hop on a plane and look for Julie. But the rest of him, the much larger part of him, felt like he belonged here and reminded himself that he'd made the right decision. He shrugged and shook his head, then walked into the garage.
---//---
Tim popped open another beer and leaned back on the couch. His apartment was, for once, quiet and empty, since Emily Duncan had finally left, a little huffy when he told her he wasn't interested in anything except drinking beer and watching television.
In fact, he lied. He wasn't interested in anything except drinking beer and thinking of Julie. He was proud of her, venturing off alone to pursue her dreams. He didn't know the specifics of her break-up with Jax, and he didn't care.
Tim understood the impulse to just blow town without telling anyone, so he wasn't too hurt that she hadn't called him. He knew, though, that she had to have told her parents. He picked up his phone and turned it over in his hands a few times. Finally, he flipped it open, scrolled through his address book, and made the call before he could talk himself out of it.
The phone rang three times before Mrs. Taylor answered, her honey-sweet, warm voice making Tim smile.
"Hi, Mrs. Taylor. It's Tim Riggins," he said, sitting up straight even though she couldn't see him.
"Hi Tim. I'm sorry, but Coach isn't home. He's at some recruiting meeting or something with Buddy Garrity and Big Merri."
"Oh, that's okay, Mrs. Taylor. It's actually you that I was hoping to talk to."
"Is that so?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. Tim could picture the face she was making, her forehead wrinkled and mouth slightly open, as if she was trying to figure out the exact right words to say. It made him inexplicably and unspeakably homesick.
"Yeah, it's about Jules. I was wondering if you knew where she was or how I could get in touch with her."
"Oh Jules," sighed Mrs. Taylor. "I tell you what, she near about shocked us when she just said she was up and going to Europe for the summer."
"Yeah, I can imagine."
"She sends us email every day, letting us know where she's going to be and how she's doing. Hold on a sec and let me find the most recent print out."
Tim waited, his fingers pulling at hole in his jeans, worrying at the threads. It seemed like an interminable wait but soon he'd at least have an idea of where Julie was.
"OK, Tim. She's in Paris this week, then she's going to go to Amsterdam, then to Berlin."
"Do you have like exact dates or places where she's staying?"
"Tim, hun, are you thinking of trying to find her? Because Europe's a big place."
"Yeah... well, sorta. I'd really like to talk to her."
"Yeah, I get that. I'll tell you what, you get email?"
"Yes ma'am, on my phone."
"OK, you give me your address and I'll forward you whatever details I have, as I get them. But I can't make you any promises."
"I understand. Thanks, Mrs. Taylor." Tim gave her his email address and thanked her again before hanging up the phone. Now, he just had a few more calls and plans to make. At least he felt like he was doing something for a change.