AN: Thank you to everyone who left a review, favourited or followed on the last chapter. Over 50 followers now :D

I've split this chapter into 3 parts so it's easier to read. Enjoy something new if you're in lock down, though my audience demo is mainly Americans and I don't think you guys are all in lock down only certain states. Any who... on with the story.

CHAPTER 16 - PART 1

Tim rolled up the long sleeves of his navy-blue button up shirt, bundling them at his elbows. The crisp morning breeze wasn't strong enough to offset the awakening sun's rays.

"RIG..."

Tim fought back another yawn as he walked through the school grounds. It sucked getting out of bed this early. Taylor was partly to blame for his lack of energy. He'd spent a couple of hours sitting by the telephone last night, waiting for her to call.

"YO RIG!" An obnoxiously familiar voice bellowed from the crowd behind him. Smash and his friends were stood by the manicured hedge's when Tim passed. He didn't make direct eye contact but it seemed they had noticed him.

Street and Taylor were the only two people Tim was interested in seeing this morning. Tim had become accustomed to talking to Taylor about her day. Their conversations flowed easily and he was particularly amused last night by another Coach T dinner table football rant. Each time she figuratively allowed him to peer through a window into the Taylor household, his insides twisted.

She was living the life of a brady bunch family member and it was becoming increasingly apparent that he couldn't relate at all.

He had hoped her relationship with her parents would improve, despite struggling with the persistent sense of loss and anger regarding his own family.

The chance of her parents catching her talking to him was a concern she held, so much so her voice had been barely audible through the receiver. He'd suggested it would be a lot easier to stop speaking to him at night. The disappointment in her voice and vehement disapproval made Tim feel as though he could conquer the world.

Although he appeared unaffected by others opinions, hearing she needed to talk to him as much as he needed her in his life bolstered his confidence.

When the phone calls ended, he wanted to see her, to touch her, to kiss her goodnight. He was fast becoming a grade A sap. The type of guy he used to rag on in the locker room. He bet she was feeling like the walking dead this morning.

A burst of pain shot through his shoulder as another body sharply made contact with his. "Didn't you hear me?"

"I heard you," Tim sighed as the sting on his shoulder faded. Smash matched Tim's strides, oblivious that his presence wasn't welcome. His ego was ever growing, probably couldn't fathom someone not wanting to speak to him.

"We missed you at Peterson's house party." Tim shrugged wishing he was somewhere else. "You could've swung by. No one cares that you're not on the team."

"Thanks for the permission," Tim uttered dryly forcing himself to hold interest in the conversation. He had been to Peterson's house party's countless times. They were boring, always the same crowd.

"Why are you bothered, bro?"

"I'm not your bro." They played on the same team but didn't hang out socially. Tim wasn't as gracious as Street; he was never moving past the fact that Smash snuck around with Tyra when Tim was dating her.

"So, what were your big plans? You passed up free beer, that's not your MO."

"Anything's better than spending the night with you!" The party would've been a suck fest without a certain blonde.

"Are you holding out on me player?" Tim planned to keep the details of his first date with Taylor to himself.

The spark that danced between them, when he saw her standing in her friend's doorway, was private. The feeling of her soft warm body huddled perfectly next to his, on the couch, was private. The consuming lust he'd been filled with, as her smooth toned legs were tightly wrapped around his body, in the kitchen, was private. Tim tightly pressed his lips together to keep from smiling, forgetting all about his present company.

"You think I don't see you. You've got that glint in your eye. I've seen it before. There's a new hottie in the picture. A college girl?... A MILF?" A flurry of protectiveness coursed through Tim's veins. He opened his mouth to unleash upon Smash, then reconsidered. "You don't have a long list of friends. Street was at Peterson's party. Who is she, the girl you're banging?"

Tim loosened up his posture and plastered on a false smile. Controlling his voice and tone, he taunted, "What about your sister? We're real good friends." Smash's eyes went wide and his nostrils flared. Pushing the running backs buttons was a cheap thrill. If only Street was around to see it.

Smash entered Tim's personal space, forcefully positioning a hand on his chest. "Hold up! You're not stupid enough to say you were chilling with my sweet lil sis?"

"Latesha was all too eager to show me her skills," Tim blurted out ducking and weaving as Smash lunged at him. Tim whirled around shaking off Smash's hold on his backpack and took off down the hallway.

"Get yo ass back here, fool!" Smash ordered hot on his tail, shoes squeaking against the polished floor in haste. Tim chuckled as he sprinted through the crowds.

When Tim could no longer hear Smash yelling, he checked the path was clear behind him and ran into a nearby classroom. He found a vantage point near a tall bookcase where he wouldn't be seen to wait him out.

It wasn't long until Smash poked his head into the classroom, huffing and puffing. Tim remained out of sight, trying to control his breathing, until his former teammate left empty handed.

Tim ran a hand through his hair and exited the room with a small victory skip to his step.

The chase had certainly woken him up.

Last night, Billy had warned Tim to go to bed when he was waiting for Taylor to call. Tim instead remained on the couch watching a football replay. Billy had started running his mouth as a result of Tim's defiant behaviour. If he didn't need to be near the phone, he would have gone to his bedroom so he didn't have to listen to him.

This morning Tim expected more of the same from his brother. He wasn't anywhere to be found in the Riggins household which was nice.

Tim slid his backpack off one shoulder letting it rest on his stomach. He unzipped it and pulled out an apple. Strolling past the science block, he took a bite out of the apple and spotted Taylor through a window. He did a double take to make sure it was her. She was sitting alone behind a Bunsen burner as students filed inside. If Tim wasn't in the year above her, they'd be sharing classes right now, he mused wistfully.

Tim paused and stared at her straight blonde hair cascading over her long-sleeved black v neck top. A medium build guy with blonde hair blocked his view of her. Tim was mentally kicking himself that they hadn't made any plans last night to meet up during school hours.

She was soon back in sight and the blonde guy was taking a seat beside her. Tim's eyes were drawn to the closeness of the pair. His upper arm brushed against hers and she smiled at whatever he said. There was a burning sensation in Tim's chest and he took a step forward with a fist inadvertently clenched by his side. He fantasised about marching into that classroom and ripping him away from her by the scruff of his neck.

The no name snake beside her, began to use her textbook. Tim let out a strained breath at the lack of tact being used to win over her affections. It was the oldest trick in the book. Tim tore his eyes away from them and took another bite from his apple. She'd invited him to her friend's house on a date, not this loser, he reminded himself.

All he had to do was get through the next six and a half hours. They'd made plans to go back to his house after school today.

It didn't matter who she sat next to in class. It wasn't healthy to keep tabs on her if he was going to let his emotions get the best of him. Tim pushed the mental images of people who had broken his trust to the back of his mind.

The school bell rang as Tim walked away from the science block.

Strolling past the English building he entered a bend and collided with a hard surface. The collision knocked his apple onto the ground. He pulled back to apologize, biting his tongue the moment he saw who he had bumped into.

"Tyra," he greeted cordially. He'd skilfully avoided his ex since the bonfire by the lake. The daggers she shot him that night made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"I was hoping to see you today," her eyes darting to his dirt covered apple as she spoke.

"Lucky me," he uttered wanting to run in the opposite direction.

"You're late for class."

"So are you. Don't let me hold you up." Tim stepped sideways and walked around her. Her grip on his upper arm made him pause.

"Wait… I want to say thank you." It was rare for Tyra to shell out praise. He turned around releasing any tension and cocking his head. "You rescued Julie at the lake and I railed on you for it, I'm sorry. I should have been watching her. I overreacted when you were trying to help. She told me that you didn't make any moves on her at your house."

Tim nodded silently, processing her last sentence. Taylor had not only lied to her parents, her friend too. While he didn't maul her like Tyra implied that night, he was definitely making moves.

"You and I aren't bad people… but she's not like us. Julie comes from a good home and her life's going places… big places. What I'm trying to say is, you did the right thing backing off."

He assumed he was numb to her attacks yet her offhand assessment of his moral fibre cut like glass, lacerating his skin.

When was he going to be good enough?

Was Taylor embarrassed by him?

Tim remained stoic, inhaling deeply. He'd made some bad decisions in his life, who hadn't. He'd owned up to his wrongdoings and yet it felt like he couldn't catch a break in this town. He was powerless over the present because he was haunted by his past.

"Did you know your brother and my sister were hooking up?"

Any insecurities about the validity of Julie Taylor's feelings evaporated. "For real, Billy and Mindy?" Tyra shuddered at the mere mention of the couple.

The excuses Billy had been using lately to frequently leave the house made a hell of a lot more sense. How many times could you possibly need to visit a financial advisor? If there was no money, there was no money.

His supposed job interviews were often out of town or late at night. Of course, he was lying, no one was clambering to hire Billy Riggins.

"I heard what I thought was a scream followed by a crash and then the next thing I know I'm looking at your brother's bare ass on the dining room table where I eat! When I swung a baseball bat at him the idiot tried to run away with his pants still around his ankles." Tim laughed at the visual she created in his head. "This isn't funny," Tyra scolded, hand on her hip.

"It is pretty funny. Did you hit a home run?" He probed keeping a straight face. He liked the idea of Billy's karma being served with a baseball bat. She sent him a dirty look. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Make him stop! How is it possible you've gotten more clueless since we split?" Tim shook his head, letting Tyra's insult roll off his back.

"I can't control Billy. He does whatever he wants and apparently that's your sister."

"Ugh." Tyra sucker punched Tim in the arm and stormed away, her bad attitude trailing behind. He was relieved it was no longer his job to appease her.

"Tell your boyfriend I have a history paper due soon," Tim yelled.

Tyra glared at him over her shoulder. "He's not at your beck and call Tim!"

"Mrs T. would disagree," Tim muttered to himself, well and truly late for class.