Chapter 9
"One... two... three," Julie uttered studying the blossoming freckles atop the bridge of her nose in the bathroom mirror. Her body and mind were blissfully relaxed out on the lake earlier today. Time had flown by. Lois had been trying to lift her spirits after her conversation with Tim. She hadn't been foolish enough to ignore the bright star above them remembering to reapply her sunscreen.
Earlier in the week, late at night, Julie had overheard her father informing her mother that Tim Riggins was the instigator of a cafeteria brawl. The alleged facts didn't make sense. She figured someone was trying to get themselves out of trouble by blaming Tim. It wasn't until the next day at school when she saw Beau's battered and swollen face that she found Tim's motive.
When Beau saw her, he cocked his head and picked up his pace in a self-assured manner. Julie looked for an escape, an empty classroom, sensing he was looking to cause a scene. They hadn't spoken since his party. She edged towards the lady's bathroom. Pressing the door open with Beau only a few metres away. She ducked inside prepared to wait it out until classes were back in session.
Drifting on an inflatable ring at the lake helped her forget what a piece of work he was.
A loud knock nearby startled Julie from her thoughts. She picked up her mascara, twisting open the lid while listening for movement outside the bathroom. The sound of footsteps grew in volume. A shadow passed under the bathroom door.
Seconds later, she heard the familiar creak of the front door opening. Julie surmised Jason Street had arrived for dinner and started applying her mascara.
"Come on inside Hun. Here, let me help you," Her mother's southern hospitality was always on display for company.
"I can manage Mrs. Taylor but thank you for the offer. These are for you."
"Ah sweetie, you didn't have to. They're lovely, I'll put them in some water."
In the mirror, Julie's eyes caught their shadows passing under the bathroom door. Julie tipped her head downward and gathered her hair into a ponytail, tying the elastic around. It had been a while since anyone had joined them for a family dinner.
"Jason!" Her father affectionately welcomed their new arrival.
Julie hung her towel on the railing to dry and exited the bathroom. She strolled down the hallway to join her family, knowing the sooner it began, the sooner it would be over.
As she entered the living room, Jason and her father were seated at the dining room table discussing last night's game. Jason's wheelchair was tucked out of the way by the wall. He wore pressed slacks and a crisp white, long-sleeved button-up shirt. His hair was neatly combed back and the smell of cologne was in the air.
Julie pulled out a chair and sat down. Her mother placed a vase of fresh flowers on the table, smiling at Jason. He knew how to impress her parents.
"Hey, Julie. You look nice," Jason said, acknowledging her arrival when her dad gave him a chance.
"Thanks, you too." She lowered her eyes, self-consciously taking in her white cheesecloth sundress. Maybe she was trying too hard to appear perfect, in the hopes, it would get back to Tim.
"I do my best, being stuck in that wheelchair doesn't make it easy," Jason said with a wink and disarmingly bright smile.
"Dinner is nearly ready," her mother announced from the kitchen. "Can I get you something to drink?"
"I'll have a light beer," Julie's father immediately replied.
"Cold water for me," Julie added, touching each of her cheeks with the back of her hand. The cool touch felt good on her developing sunburn.
"Where have y'all manners gone? I was asking Jason, our guest." Julie's father jerked his head and torso toward his wife in the kitchen. Her mother was standing with her hands in the air, aghast by her family's behaviour.
Jason's laughter alleviated the tension entering the room. "A light beer sounds good Mrs. T... but I'll have a water."
Neither of her parents seemed phased by his admission of underage drinking. One day she'd find out his secret. Perhaps it was a magic dust he'd sprinkled around to charm all the adults in Dillon. Julie's father spun around and affectionately patted Jason's shoulder the way boys did.
"You're in for a real treat tonight. My gorgeous wife has made Casserole. It should be world famous, award-winning! The way the sauces mix with the meat. You can smell it, can't you?"
Jason grinned and his eyes locked with Julie's as her father grovelled to get back into her mother's good graces. "It smells great Mrs. T."
The chipped ceramic rooster, her grandmother had passed down to them, rang out on the kitchen counter. Dinner was ready.
"Julie, put out the plates please." Julie stood up from the table and walked into the kitchen as her mother instructed. She opened the kitchen cupboard containing the plates and pulled out four placing them on the counter top. From the cutlery draw, she retrieved knives and forks while her mother turned off the stove and stirred the casserole.
Julie carried the dinnerware over to the dining table and placed a plate and knife and fork on each place-mat. Jason slipped her a curious glance when she set down his plate.
"Do you want me to check on Gracie?" She blurted out to her parents. Jason's shoulders sagged and his brows knitted together, she felt guilty. It wasn't his fault that his presence reminded her of Tim.
"That's thoughtful, she should be awake," her mother said, carrying side dishes over to the dining table. Jason and her father struck up a conversation about professional football as she left the room.
Julie meandered down the hallway and entered Gracie's room. She was fast asleep in her cot. Julie spun the purple mobile which hung above her little sister's head, watching until all the butterflies stopped spinning.
She walked over to the bookshelf and picked up her favourite picture book as a child. She sat down on the rocking chair beside the cot and read about the elves and the shoemaker.
Gracie was still asleep when she finished the story, her chest rising and falling with each breath she took. It was hard to be annoyed with her when she was sleeping. She looked so peaceful and innocent.
Julie wondered if Lois had managed to escape being grounded by her parents for getting home late.
She skipped across the hallway and into her bedroom, jumping onto her bed. A flickering light radiated from her bedside table where her phone sat. The same unknown number that had been calling her for the last few days was at it again.
"Julie?" Her mother beckoned from the dining room. She declined the call and begrudgingly traipsed back into the dining room.
Her mother looked her hard in the eye upon her return. "She's asleep," Julie offered as a way of explanation for her lengthy absence.
Her mother gave her a sceptical look and tapped the table beside her. "Let your sister sleep for now and come say, Grace."
Julie knew better than to bicker in front of company so she took her place at the table. She held Jason's hand while they all shared in a prayer. Her casserole was eaten in silence thinking about school on Monday.
After she finished eating, she glazed over in a vacant stare at the wall. "You're quiet tonight?" Julie felt a tap on her arm and turned towards her mother.
"Am I?" Her mother's eyes darted heavenward and she exhaled a long breath. "I'm tired, the sun has sucked all the life out of me."
Her mother's demeanour softened and she reached forward to touch Julie's forehead with the back of her hand. "You look flushed, it's a good idea to drink a big glass of water. You were at the lake for a long time. We hardly see you anymore."
Julie picked up the glass of water her mother had set on the table earlier and took a big gulp. "Already on it."
"The book Ritchie Walls wrote, the one I was telling you about the other day has to be in the garage," Julie's father said to Jason as he stood up from the table. "It helped me look at the game differently when I was your age. I'll find it." With that, he left the room.
"Eric, your dinner's going cold!" Her mother's words went on deaf ears. He was already out of earshot.
"Don't worry Mrs. T, my dad doesn't listen either." His kind words made her mother smile.
Julie ate the last mouthful of potatoes from her fork. She could sense Jason's gaze had fallen on her following her mother's departure into the kitchen. Unease tightened in her chest. Gracie's cries began in the nick of time. "She's awake. I'll go check on her."
"Your sister will be due for a diaper change. I know how much you hate doing that. Sit and keep Jason company. I'm sure you could talk about school," her mother said.
"I don't mind Mum." Julie slid her chair out from under the table.
"If I have to listen to you whine one more time…." She sighed and slowly pulled her chair back in. This was the one time her mother decided to let her off the hook. She left the kitchen and hurried down the hallway to her little sister's bedroom leaving Julie alone with Jason.
"Call me crazy but I get the feeling you're trying to avoid me?"
"You're crazy," Julie remarked and then sipped on her water hoping her father would return soon.
"You've hardly said two words to me tonight."
She met Jason's gaze in an attempt to appease his concern. "I'm not avoiding you. I'm here, you're here. See, no avoiding." A range of emotions she couldn't quite place flitted across his face and then they were gone.
"I can leave if you want me to? Make up an excuse?"
He was so polite, even when she was giving him the cold shoulder. Julie was reminded of all the times he had been sweet to her, most recently when she broke up with Matt. "I'm making this awkward, aren't I?" She had no idea what Tim had told his friend about her. "My dad will be in a huff for the rest of the weekend if you leave because of me. Stay."
Silence sat between them for a moment as Gracie's cries abruptly stopped. Julie wondered if her apology was too half-hearted. She was about to break the silence but Jason beat her to it. "What did he do?"
Julie squirmed in her chair, uncomfortable with where this was going. "Huh?"
"Tim…" Her eyes shot open wide. "What did he do?"
"Keep your voice down!" She whispered, leaning on the table and glancing around to check her parents were out of sight. "What did he tell you?"
Jason rested his arms on the table closing the distance between them. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I know he's been trying to call you."
Julie remembered the missed calls from an unknown number. She thought it was just a telemarketer. "All of those calls were from Tim?" Jason nodded. "How did he get my number?" Her tone now accusatory.
"How should I know? He's resourceful when he wants to be."
Julie leant back on her chair. She ran her hands along the outside of her glass and quickly tapped the palms of her hands on both cheeks. The condensation was so refreshing.
"Have you spoken to him since he was suspended?" Jason asked.
"Tim's suspended!?" He had the tendency to spiral when life wasn't going his way.
"He started a fight involving half the team at school. What did you think would happen to him?"
"He's a Dillon Panther, normal rules don't apply."
Jason picked at the cut vegetable platter in the centre of the table. "I'm surprised you didn't notice he wasn't at school this past week."
"Oh, I was avoiding him. At least, I thought I was." They both chuckled at the absurdity of the situation.
"He's off the team for a month and school for two weeks. You should call him."
The suggestion caught her off guard. "Maybe I don't want to." She shrugged, not wanting to explain herself any further. "Did he ask you to talk to me?"
"No, Tim doesn't ask for help even when he needs it, that's a Riggins family trait. He probably wants to apologise for whatever he said or did. He makes a lot of mistakes out of fear and impulsiveness."
"You said the two of us hanging out and eating lunch together was a bad idea."
"I don't know if he's the right guy for you but he's not a bad guy, that's all I'm trying to say. A bit of advice though, don't ignore him forever or he'll show up on your doorstep."
"He wouldn't be that stupid," she challenged and Jason smirked.
"Wanna make a bet? This is the same guy who once jumped off a moving truck because Billy said he was chicken shit. Somehow, he managed to only walk away with a sprained wrist. Me, I fall the wrong way and end up in a wheelchair, figures."
She reached out across the table and placed her hand on Jason's. He shot her a solemn gaze and took hold of her hand. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. My parents and I know that nothing can stop you from making your dreams come true. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help."
"Thanks, Julie. Your family has always been great to me. Some days, I really need it."
Julie's father walked back into the dining room with a book in his hand. Jason quickly let go of her and she stood up from the table.
"Here it is, Son." Jason took the book her father was holding and flipped through the pages.
Her father looked between the pair. "Did I interrupt something?"
"No, I was just saying goodbye to Jason. I have some reading to do for school so I'll be in my bedroom."
"You're looking a little red in the face. Grab another glass of water." Her father pulled her close and placed a kiss on her hair. Julie smiled at Jason embarrassed by her father's display of affection.
"I'll see you at school." Jason mimed a phone call with his hand as she said her goodbye. Julie was glad Tim had someone like Jason in his life.
She pushed her chair in under the table and walked into the kitchen with her empty glass. She filled it with cold water and headed to her bedroom. Her mother was changing her sister's clothes as she closed her bedroom door behind her.
Julie turned on the television and sat on the edge of her bed drinking another glass of water in her hand. The unknown number, she now knew to be Tim flashed on her phone. She declined the call and set her glass down on the dresser.
From her backpack, she pulled out the book she'd been reading for English. She carried it back to her bed and laid down, resting her head on her pillow.
Three chapters in, she heard a car pull into the driveway. Her heart began to race, fearing Tim was the culprit. She tossed her book aside and peered through her blinds to see who it was.
Thankfully it wasn't Tim in her driveway. Jason's parents had arrived to pick him up. Julie exhaled a sigh of relief and reopened her book. She'd forgotten to mark her page, now she was flipping through the novel trying to find where she was up to.
What if it had been Tim in her driveway? She shuddered to think of her parent's reactions. She closed her book and picked up her phone. She stared at the unknown number listed, contemplating one short call. She watched shadows pass by the gap under her bedroom door.
What would Tim say to her? She spontaneously picked up her phone and hit call. As the line rang, she was struck with a sense of panic. She hadn't thought about what she was going to say to him.
"Hello."
A female voice answered and she froze.
"HELLO? I'm going to hang up if you don't speak."
Julie wracked her brain for a simple explanation as to why a female would be answering the Riggins home phone. It could be a neighbour, a relative, Billy's girlfriend, something perfectly innocent.
There was something familiar about the voice though.
"Real funny kid, I'm hanging up now. You picked the wrong house to prank call."
It clicked, the voice it was… Lyla Garrity. Tim had Lyla freakin Garrity at his house on a Saturday night.
Julie hung up without a word and flung her phone onto the mattress beside her. Tim was messing around with Lyla again. "Unbelievable." She had been duped for the second time, so had Jason apparently.