Rain fell hard in Dillon. All of the newscasters were warning viewers of a potential tornado. No one cared much if sirens weren't going off. Some people ignored even those.

I was sick of listening to my parents watch the news, so I grabbed my DSLR and a tripod. I took refuge on the front porch.

I could see everything being at a high point in the town. The clouds were moving across the landscape, taking the rain with them. It was the perfect opportunity to practice storm photography. I didn't have much patience for it though. My mind was too busy wondering if my friends were safe. If Tim was safe. If the Taylors were safe with little Gracie.

The air shifted. The rain stopped and the wind picked up at an alarming rate. A siren sounded, causing a chain reaction with the other sirens in the area. With the sky shifting into a strange bluish green, the sirens sounded more ominous than usual. Hail started falling and the tornado touched down in the distance. It was terrifying and beautiful all at once.

A sane person would take cover in the basement, but I delayed and took a few photos of the vortex. I gathered my things up and ran down to the dark room where my parents already were. They scolded me for being stupid standing outside during a tornado. I sat in the corner away from the door and closed my eyes. I prayed no one got hurt in Dillon.

I tore through town the next morning trying to get to Julie's house. It pained me to see the damage from the storm. I was left wondering who got the worst of it. It was hard to know when most phone lines went down during the tornado.

My car was barely in park before I ran up to Julie's front door. I knocked for permission to walk in. A weight lifted off me seeing everyone in one piece.

Shelly – Mrs. Taylor's sister – and Julie were sitting on the couch staring out the back door while Mrs. Taylor scoffed at them.

"Hey, honey," she said as she hugged me. "I'm glad you're okay."

"And I'm glad y'all are safe. I was so worried."

"For us or for Tim?"

"Both."

Julie smiled at me, biting her lip. "Tim saved me during the tornado, Cat."

"Wait, what? Please don't tell me you guys were out durin' that."

Shelly tore her gaze from the back patio. "Tim was so sweet, offerin' to get some formula for Gracie. The tornado came through while he and Julie were at the store."

"He had us hide behind a register and he kept me covered from all the things blowing around." Julie had hearts in her eyes.

I sat between the two and hugged Julie tight. "I'm so happy he protected you." I let her go and watched her and Shelly look back outside. I followed their gaze to see Tim doing sit-ups. He was wearing shorts and one of his sleeveless shirts. His baseball hat was backward on his head. "He's pretty, huh?"

"Don't encourage them," Mrs. Taylor said from the kitchen.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll even go out there and get the man to stop being a distraction for them." I stood and grinned at the pouting women.

"Finally, someone with a brain."

"Honestly, Mrs. T, I gotta keep the women of Dillon aware that Tim Riggins is my boyfriend."

Tami rolled her eyes. Shelly and Julie giggled.

Tim noticed me when I walked onto the patio, but he didn't pause his work out. I sat on the ground by his feet and patiently waited for him to finish. It was a surprise when he sat up and gave me a deeply affectionate kiss. It left me breathless when he pulled away. Shelly and Julie's sounds of appreciation were lost to me while I blushed under his gaze.

"Julie told me what you did yesterday. I hate that both of you were in danger, but I'm so glad you protected her and stayed safe."

He took off his hat and put it on my head. "She's like my little sister."

"Yeah, a little sister who now has a little crush on you." I chuckled, using my hand to wipe the sweat off his cheek before I kissed there. "Shelly does, too."

"Too bad I've got my eyes on only one girl." Tim ruffled his hair with a cheeky grin.

I placed my hand on his knee. "Are you doin' okay here? You look happy."

He nodded, one eye closing for a moment thanks to the glare of the sun. "It's nice here. Coach and Mrs. Taylor are different from most people around here. Thank you, again."

"You're welcome, Tim."

A smile grew on his lips. "You're pretty cute in my hat. You should let me take another picture for my locker."

"Maybe." I gave him a quick kiss. "As fun as it is to be a spectacle for Julie and her aunt, it'd be great if you'd take a shower and come with me to school. I hear Laraby kids have to attend our school for a little while and I know Coach Taylor would like his players there on time."

"Sure." He stood, helping me to my feet. "I'll be done in a few."

Shelly and Julie looked so disappointed when we walked inside. The disappointment was soon replaced with awe when Tim nonchalantly lifted the bottom of his shirt to wipe his face as he headed for the bathroom.

"Babe," I called out, making Tim drop his shirt to look at me. "Maybe don't flash Coach's daughter and her aunt?"

He apologized and disappeared down the hall to the bathroom.

"I don't know how you keep your hands off him," Shelly said, eyes still on the hall.

"It's called boundaries."

Julie smiled. "I think it's sweet how Tim restrains himself with you. I don't think anyone expects it of him."

"I set our ground rules at the start of our relationship and gave him the option to walk away or keep the boundaries in place." I scratched my head through his hat. "He took the big step forward and I can't appreciate him enough for listenin' to me."

"Didn't he kiss you in Mexico?"

Shelly's mouth fell open. "Mexico? Was it romantic?"

"I mean, it was in a sketchy motel. Tim in front of me and a wall behind me. But he did talk a lot about kissin' me." The room was getting warmer.

Julie touched Shelly's arm. "He basically told her how often he wanted to kiss her in a day."

"I didn't know Riggins could be so poetic."

I could hardly stand it anymore. "We really don't have to talk about this anymore."

Julie didn't listen. "Do you think you're gonna do it with him?"

I was disappointed Julie brought it up. "I don't think your mom or dad would want me to talk to you about that after last year. Plus, sex doesn't make up the base of a good relationship. I'd like to know Tim Riggins before I really get to know him."

"Are you nervous? He's got quite the experience." Shelly was far too invested in my love life.

"Please change the subject. I'd like my face to be its normal color before Tim gets out of the shower."

"You're no fun," Shelly said, crossing her arms.

I heard the shower shut off and relaxed. I needed to get away from Shelly and her nosy questions. I couldn't avoid Julie until school finished for the day. Either way, the conversation ended at the sound of the bathroom door opening.

The Laraby kids were a nuisance. Most of Dillon's students couldn't walk through the halls without getting picked on. I tried to stay in the art building for a long as I could to avoid comments from the peanut gallery. They were relentless when they learned I was dating Tim Riggins. Some of the players on the Laraby team made rude assumptions about me and Tim. It was so hard to walk by and ignore them.

Tim found me sitting in the bed of his truck a half hour after practice. He looked pissed.

"What happened?" I reached up to move his hair out of his face. "Why are you still in your practice clothes?"

"One of the Laraby guys pissed on my clothes and left them in my locker. I had to throw them out."

"I wish they'd leave already. I'm sick of them. They won't leave you guys alone."

"Somethin' happen to you, too?"

I sighed. "Yeah. They keep sayin' you're with me 'cause you got me pregnant or that I'm the desperate rich kid tryin' to have a little fun. I'm tired of it."

Tim kissed me and helped me out of the truck. "They're idiots." He hugged me close.

"Yes, they are. They have no clue about us."

"Let's go somewhere."

I nodded.

Tim tossed his bag in the trunk and opened my door for me. He kissed my mouth before shutting the door and climbing in his side. We silently brooded over the day.

A few days later, Tim invited me to come with him to a party. I was surprised to see Julie Taylor in the passenger seat of his truck.

"I'm guessin' your parents don't know where you're going," I said as she got out to let me slid in beside Tim.

"I want to have a little fun."

I looked at Tim.

"I'm gonna keep an eye on her and I was hoping you'd help, too."

"Fine, but you're both limiting drinks."

Julie didn't listen to me. She was smashed, sitting on the couch and talking to some kid who was getting way too friendly with her. I didn't have to ask Tim to take care of it because he was already pulling the boy away from Julie. The punk's eyes were the size of plates when Tim sent him the other way.

"We've gotta get her home," I said.

Tim nodded. "I agree. She should've stayed home or actually gone to her friend's house."

"We know for next time because she's gonna do this again."

Getting her into the truck was a mess and getting her home was no better. She kept cackling when I tried to get her to drink some water. When we had to stop the truck so she could throw up out of the door, I felt more than guilty for letting her come. I was a better role model than that.

The lights at the Taylors' were off except for the front porch. Julie cheered gleefully when she recognized her house.

I looked at Tim. "Do you want me to help you get her inside?"

"Nah. I'll be back in a minute."

Tim coaxed Julie inside, which she was still a giggling mess as they walked up to the door. It looked like she nearly fell over when they got inside.

Tim didn't come out for a few minutes. When he finally did, he had his bag in his hand. His face was identical to when my dad kicked him out of the house. I was worried.

He stared at his steering wheel when he climbed in the seat. "Are your parents still home?"

"Yeah, for another week."

He leaned forward, his forehead pressed against the wheel. "Coach kicked me out."

"What? Why?"

"He thought I was doing something' with Julie. I was just tryin' to get her into her bed. Nothin' was gonna happen. Coach walked in and kicked me out. I couldn't tell him anything because Julie would get in trouble."

I frowned. "I'm so sorry, Tim. Can we find you somewhere else? I'll sneak you into my house. I don't care what my parents say."

"No. I'll take you home and find somewhere. I'll be okay."

I couldn't sleep, unaware of where Tim would rest that night.