A/N: To ZELINIA, I would like to thank you for your input, I downloaded both songs and have checked them out and they do fit Abbey and Tim shockingly well and I will keep them in mind for the future. Thanks! And I hope everyone enjoys the next chapter.

Chapter Fourteen

"Well I think you did well," Jacks said stopping and turning to face Abbey at the side of his car.

"Yeah, well I think there is always room for improvement," She said smiling at him crossing her arms.

They had just had their first rehearsal in her garage and the guys thought it had gone perfectly. Abbey though it could be better. At least the vocal part could be better.

"You're too hard on your self ya know that right." Jacks said smiling at her.

"Yeah well it keeps me grounded," She said smiling back at him. "You better get home I have to go shower before escorting my miserable little brother to the Panthers roast."

"Ha!" Jacks laughed, "And I thought it was bad going to a game,"

"Get outta here," Abbey said shoving him teasingly.

"Will do ma'am," He got in his car and pulled out of the driveway.

Abbey sat down heavily and the table beside Matt. He looked at her pleadingly.

"Look," She snapped, "I don't want to be here any more then you do, so stop looking at me like-

She stopped dead as did her ability to breath. Tim had just wandered into the Roast with Tyra beside him. Abbey couldn't help but stare at the two of them thinking…well…nothing. The only thing she was completely aware of was the pain quickly constricting in her chest.

"Like what?" Matt asked sounding very morose and angst ridden.

"Oh shut up!" Abbey snapped.

The worst part of the night was how happy Tim looked. She wanted to run over there and kick Tyra in the shins for making Tim so happy. Well after Abbey let him off the hook with her she should really have predicted his bee line back to Tyra, but…

What was going on with Tim and the infamous woman next door? He certainly hadn't talk to Abbey about it. 'Mind you he probably has more fun talking to Tyra.' She thought scathingly. Abbey leaned back slouching in her chair and glaring at everyone for the rest of the evening.

Abbey stood in her driveway waving bye to the guys as they drove down the street. They were coming along nicely she was finding her stride in her singing finally.

She walked back up the driveway and stood in the door way of the garage and looked at Nate's drum set. He had set it up a couple of nights ago and now it was a permanent change to the old garage.

She reached up and grabbed the handle and slowly drew the door closed. She could hear a car pull up behind her and she looked over to see Jack's El Camino but instead saw Tim's truck. He raised his hand off the steering wheel and waved at her briefly. She smiled slightly letting the door slam shut the rest of the way.

She ran a hand self consciously over her hair. It was in two braids that ran over her shoulders and she also had on a head band. Wearing an old Clash t-shirt and a pair of heavily patched jeans she wasn't exactly looking her best but then she was supposed to be getting over him.

"Hey," Tim said getting out of the truck and walking over to her to stand in front of her.

"Hey yourself," She said putting on a bright tone of voice that sounded quite fake. If Tim picked up on it he didn't let on.

"Uh can we talk?" She looked at him trying to gauge his mood.

"Tim," She crossed her arms, "If this is about your neighbour I really, really don't want to hear about it."

He looked at her. He was wearing his letterman and was looking very good, "It kinda is and it kinda isn't, this is about you and me."

Abbey's mouth fell open but she closed it quickly, "Uh sure, you wanna sit in the back?"

"Yeah, that's fine," He said shrugging and following her into the back yard.

"So," Abbey said after they had both sat on the picnic table in the back. Abbey was sitting on the table with her legs crossed. Tim was sitting on the edge with his feet resting on the bench. "What do you wanna discuss, Mr. Riggins?" She said jokingly trying to make the situation more jovial but Tim looked at her making her clear her voice and blush, "Sorry, you were saying…."

Tim looked at the yard, "I've stopped sleeping with her," Abbey didn't need to be told who.

"Oh," She said trying her best to sound nonchalant.

"Yeah, was just like Billy said, State would come and she would go."

"Billy said that to you?" She asked raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah," Tim said still not looking at her.

"Not very supportive of him," Abbey said slightly under her breath. Tim looked at her with a penetrating gaze.

"He was right though,"

"Yeah well, I have been right about a lot of stuff in my little brother's life but I didn't go telling him that Santa Claus wasn't real." She said crossing her arms again. Tim looked at her again. "Well," Abbey shrugged, "Not till he was eight and I knew he could take it." Tim continued to stare, "Well actually he cried for nearly the whole day but-

Tim was gazing at her, "Sorry, not what we are talking about go on…"

Tim shrugged, "That's it,"

"You aren't like, I dunno sad or anything," Abbey said raising her eyebrows at him.

"If I was would you want to hear about it?"

"Well you didn't seem to mind telling me about when you were sleeping with her." Abbey said looking at the yard herself.

"I thought we were going back to being friends?" He asked Abbey looked at him and wanted to scream how could he possibly be so smart when it came to football, yet so dumb when it came to this. She wanted to yell that she didn't want to be his friend anymore then she wanted to be friends with Voodoo Tatum… 'But that doesn't matter'.

"Ya know what? It really doesn't matter." Abbey said turning to let her legs hang over the other side of the table and rested her ankles on the back of the bench. She was facing the opposite way then Tim.

"Why did you say we should be friends again?" Tim asked not looking at her.

Abbey opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. When she stayed silent Tim looked at her. When she saw the way he was looking at her she knew she would have to give an answer.

"Because Tim, my little brother made state and he is sixteen, because my grandmother doesn't know if it is today or if it is fifteen years ago some day's. Because I can't do that anymore…'cause it ain't fair to you," She said looking at her feet suddenly finding her Nike's extremely interesting. "How can I demand you not cheat on me, when I don't have time to be there…?" She trailed off.

"You were there a hell of a lot," Tim said not taking his eyes off her.

"Yeah but….I mean I really wish I hadn't gone on that little rant." She said blushing.

"It sounded fair at the time." Tim said looking back at the yard.

"Yeah well…" Abbey looked at the sky and noticed the sun set.

"Abbey," Abbey looked at Tim, "You are the first real person, aside from Street, to actually seem to care about more then my football skills. I mean you drove with me nearly across Texas to find my dad…you listened to me when I wasn't making any sense…you drove me home when I was drunk."

Abbey snorted at the memory, "Yeah you totally thought I was crazy that first night."

"Yeah pretty much," Tim looked back at the yard as if he had run his emotion gamut for the night.

Abbey looked at Tim, "What are you saying?" She asked quietly.

Tim shook his head and his hair fell in his eyes, "I dunno…" He got off the bench and walked over to his truck but stopped and turned to look at her. She was watching him over her shoulder. "You coming to State?" He asked walking backwards.

"'Course…wouldn't miss it for the world!" She said brightly smiling at him.

"Good, I'll see you there Saracen."

"Sure ya will."

He got in his truck and drove away making Abbey feel even more confused then she did before his little visit.

A/N: well I guess the only thing left to say is… "STATE ANYONE!?"