ROCKY ROAD – CHAPTER 8
Tim had managed to drive himself home, without major incident after beer golf. A kerb may have been mounted on the way to avoid a collision with a parked car but there was no damage to his truck, so it was all good. When Tim staggered into his house he found Billy, strewn out in front of the television. Half sloppy, he'd begged his little brother to join him for a few shots.
An afternoon of beer golf had stretched into a long night of drinking with his brother. A few hours in, Billy rattled off the details of how he was fired. It didn't come as a surprise, it was only a matter of time. Tim couldn't remember a time where Billy managed to hold the same job for 12 months. This time, he'd started sleeping with his boss's wife, not the smartest move if wanted to keep your job.
Around midnight Tim had a vague memory of collapsing onto his bed.
When he left the house this morning, Billy was still passed out on the couch. Tim didn't wake him, it wasn't like he had a job to go to.
On the way to his truck, he noticed Billy's car had been keyed. The word 'PRICK' was etched into the side, nice and large. Tim hoped he could keep his shit together and not get arrested for chasing down whoever did it. Billy had a knack for making enemies, obviously, the ladies husband was the most likely suspect.
Tim sped through the roads of Dillon but arrived late to his first class, resulting in a detention. He blamed his pounding head and cheap alarm clock. The teachers at Dillon High weren't really appreciative of student's taking naps, so he quickly found himself with two detentions under his belt. This day couldn't suck anymore.
His stomach growled as he stood in the cafeteria queue desperate for whatever was being served. The waft of meatloaf drifted by and his stomach churned. The line was barely moving, he needed to line his stomach before he puked. He checked up ahead curious as to why it was taking so long. His view was obstructed by two basketball players, proudly sporting backward baseball caps.
Tim hated waiting in lines, listening to insufferable conversations going on all around him. He considered getting out of the queue but he'd forgotten to grab any money for the vending machine this morning when he rushed out of his house.
"That was a rad party, my man. I woke up naked in my car."
"With a chick, I hope?" Tim recognised Beau, as one of the basketball players in line. They'd had the occasional run in over the years, mostly when Beau was drunk.
"Ha ha, you know it."
Tim watched them pound their knuckles in celebration of each other's awesomeness. 'Cartwright' was the name on the other guy's jersey. The name didn't ring a bell, he must be new.
"I had her moaning with these little babies," Beau said.
"Nice," Cartwright replied. Tim wished he didn't have ears as he tolerated their bragging. He doubted these two idiots ever scored. That was part of the reason why Beau hated him, jealousy. He wished he could play for the Dillon Panthers, not for the love of the game but the notoriety in town and the girls. "How'd your night go with the blonde and that rack?"
"They were even better up close, the perfect size. She was begging to see my room."
"The coaches daughter is so quiet in class." Coach Muller didn't have a daughter. Who were they talking about?
"The quiet ones are always the freaks, trust me," Beau assured his teammate.
"Hasn't she been hanging out with the fullback lately? He gets around." Were they talking about Jules? Tim listened more intently. "Sending her all those texts paid off. You gonna see her again?"
"Nah. I've had better. Plus, she doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut." The pair let out obnoxious laughter.
She had been texting Beau. Tim surged out of line jumping the queue. He jabbed Beau on the shoulder hard enough for him to winch and whirl around. "33!"
"Wanna know what I heard?... I heard you couldn't get it up, so you wanted her to dress in his jersey. That's pretty twisted man, even for you," he spat barely containing his rage.
Beau glanced at his younger acne ridden teammate, then back at Tim. "That's horseshit."
"It's as true as your little tale." Tim took a few steps closer, entering Beau's personal space. "Stop trash talking her or I'll make your life a living hell. You and I both know she wouldn't go anywhere near you... because you're a loser. You always have been."
Tim weaved to avoid Beau's flying fist. He retaliated by landing a clean right hook to Beau's jaw. Tim didn't ease up, he tackled Beau across the cafeteria onto a table, knocking the trays all over the floor. The students seated at the table fled.
Tim held Beau down, as adrenaline coursed through his veins and repeatedly punched his ribs. Just when he was getting a rhythm going, a blow to the back of his head had him staggering off of Beau. He spun around, slightly dazed.
Two basketball players grabbed his arms and restrained him. This allowed Beau to stand up and walk towards him. He grinned at Tim. "I'm gonna enjoy this." He saw Beau's fist come towards his face, a left hook, followed by a right hook. He struggled to break free tasting something familiar, like metal - blood.
He spat his blood on the cafeteria floor between blows. Street was now at the forefront of the gathering crowd. Tim shot him a bittersweet smile. Normally he was by his side, they covered each other's backs. The whole wheelchair situation had thrown a spanner in the works this time.
"Williams!" Street yelled.
Between punches from Beau he saw Smash jog over to Street. "Need a hand?" Smash sarcastically called a few metres away.
"Not from you," Tim yelled back after taking another knock to the face. Physical pain didn't bother him in fact he enjoyed it at times. It made him feel alive.
Smash ignored him and his entourage of teammates began pulling the players off Tim. The fight quickly escalated into a brawl between the football and basketball team as more students joined in.
Tim kept his eyes on the prize amidst the scuffle - Beau. He charged towards him tackling him hard to the floor. Once he had him pinned down, he set atop him and began to wail at his face, ignoring the sting of his split knuckles.
Whistles were being blown seconds later. "Get off" Beau groaned weakly. Teachers were running towards them; Coach Taylor was one of them.
Tim stood up, straightening his shirt. Buttons were missing, seemingly torn off in the action. He wiped his hair away from his sweaty forehead. Coach Taylor separated his players and directed them to the locker room. He specifically eyed Tim and pointed. "My office, NOW!" The little vein in his neck protruding.
The adrenaline was wearing off as Coach Taylor trailed behind him on the way to his office. Tim moved aside and waited for the door to be unlocked then walked inside. He took a seat as the door closed behind him.
Seeing as he was the only one being taken to Coaches office, someone had already snitched that he was the instigator. He kept his gaze on his shoes, not ready to face those intense eyes. Tim's heart was racing more than it had been during the fight. "I thought we were past all this." Tim shrugged and kept looking at his shoes. "Are you going to tell me why you were fighting in the cafeteria?"
Tim couldn't tell him the actual reason. He would be a little proud if he knew the truth.
"How about we work our way down the list of your latest bad decisions." Tim's heart sunk. "First, you get into a fight with your teammate after I let you back on the team against popular opinion, then I find out you skipped class not to mention practice, now you show up late to school - hungover by the smell of you and incite an all-out brawl. Tell me why I shouldn't kick you off the team? Hell, out of this school?"
"That's your decision."
"Is that all you have to say for yourself?" Tim glanced up at Coach Taylor, feeling all the goodwill he'd built up with him slipping away. "Sometimes life doesn't deal you the best hand but you find ways to make it work. You step up and make choices to improve yourself and lives of those around you. You are going to be out in the real world soon and it's time you learnt how to behave like a man."
"Yes, Sir." Silence fell in the room. Tim was ready for interrogation to end, he still hadn't eaten.
"How are things at home? Is your father in town?"
The question caught him off guard. Coach Taylor doesn't know shit about my father, just because he met him once he thinks he knows all about my life. He has no idea. I don't need his pity. Tim reminded himself this was Julie's father he was talking to and a man he respected. Without any anger he calmly answered, "No, he's not in Dillon." Truth be told, Tim had no idea where he was.
"I expected more from you. I know you can do so much better. Be so much better."
"Yes, Sir." Coach let out a large breath.
"You're suspended from the team for a month and forget about helping Santiago. I guess I was wrong to put my faith in you. Anymore behaviour like this and I can't in good conscience let you influence my team. I mean it… no more chances."
Tim wiped the oozing blood from his knuckles on his jeans. He took the punishment without argument, simply nodding in understanding. After Coach remained silent for a while he peered up between the tendrils of his shaggy hair.
"You can go." Tim stood up from his chair and walked over to the door. He turned the handle and opened the door. "Riggins…" He faltered in the doorway keeping his back to Coach. "Stay away from her son." Unwavering Tim strode out of Coaches office.
Authors Note: Posted 3 Chaps in celebration of my little class of 30 followers :D