Hello everybody, so how was everyone's Christmas? I had a good one (: I just wanted to let y'all know that I'm sorry my last chapters had been so boring so I put a little drama into this one for everybody ;) Let me know what you think by reviewing! I know I said I'd update after five reviews but I couldn't wait. I only got one... Argh. But thank you, that one who reviewed (: So please let me know what you think! Thanks (:

-Madi.

Chapter Five.

Eric Taylor gawked at Tim Riggins across the table while all the girls were getting ready. He studied Riggins carefully. Was he ready for tonight's game? Something was on this kids mind and it was bugging him. Being his football coach, he would ask about it but he had a feeling he knew it was Riggins' living situation that was bugging him. He admired the fact that Tim didn't drink around his dear daughter, Julie, or even drank at all for that matter. He appreciated that Riggins was able to abide the rules that the coach had expected to follow.

Eric knew that he couldn't let Riggins stay forever. He had to leave at some point but Coach knew things were not going good at home. Being his coach, he had to help in every way possible. Eric Taylor certainly did not want him getting too close to his daughter either. God forbid he let that happen. When he offered to let Tim Riggins stay at his house for the time being, he expected Riggins to know what he was stepping into. He was grateful to have Tim as a taxi and that he was always able to go to the grocery store or take Julie somewhere but he couldn't let it happen for too much longer. He didn't want any kind of spark happening between Riggins and his daughter.

Riggins, looking down at the keys in his hands on the table, glanced up once in a while feeling awkward. He liked living with the Taylor's but whenever he was around the coach he felt intimidated by him. Coach Taylor overpowered Tim and he wasn't used to living like that. He was never bossed around by Billy and that's exactly what he was beginning to miss. He had adjusted to the Taylor's household rules and he liked to be somewhat apart of a family – hence the somewhat.

Riggins came to the realization that he needed to try harder if he wanted to get Julie to accept his apology. He was tired of the whole ignoring him bullshit that she was doing and he wanted to change that. The least he was asking for was for her to not be mad at him. He just wanted to talk to her normally and to be able to look at each other with no eye rolling or mean glares. He just wanted things to be normal again so they could be friends.

"You ready for the game tonight, Riggins?" Coach asked, still watching him closely.

Tim sighed and sat up straight in his chair, looking at his coach. "More than ready, sir." Eric Taylor and Riggins made eye contact but they didn't smile. Rarely did they ever show emotion towards each other, but Riggins had known his coach long enough that he knew when he was happy.

"Well," Riggins raised his head up to Julie's familiar voice. "I'm ready for school." She was looking nice today – her blonde hair was curled and she was wearing makeup. Riggins wondered what the occasion was. He stood up from his chair and walked over to the front of the door.

"See you guys later." Coach Taylor said as they walked out the door.

Julie started walking fast to the passenger side of the truck once the front door was shut. Tim just groaned and followed her to her side. He walked closer to her and she shot him a defiant stare as his hand moved forward. But he reached for the trucks door handle and opened it for Julie. Julie's breath slowed down and she climbed in rolling her eyes. As Tim shut the door for her, he chuckled quietly to himself knowing that she thought he would do something else.

The ride to school was silent and when they got there, Julie stormed out of the car leaving Tim by himself. The bell had already rung and Riggins wasn't in the mood to get another tardy in first period. So he stayed in his car for the whole period to catch up on his sleep.

An hour later, Tim heard the bell ringing in the distance waking him up. He jumped in his seat and he checked the time on the clock in his car. He had missed three periods from sleeping and at the moment, it was break so he had some time to walk into the school. He grabbed his books from the glove compartment and got out of his truck and headed towards the school.

He entered through the front and saw a big crowd of people leaning against their lockers, all having conversations with one another. Riggins rolled his eyes and felt himself being suffocated by the crowd so he ran over to an area where he was able to breathe. He relaxed and found himself standing in the quad at school. He looked around him and watched for people he knew. When all the sudden he saw two familiar faces round the corner – Rylie and Julie.

Rylie was the guy from the party that got Julie extremely drunk. Rylie was guy that was the one who was actually trying to get into her pants. Rylie was the guy with the dorky haircut that Tim pulled aside from talking to Julie. Rylie was the guy that Riggins threatened if he ever went near Julie again. Rylie was probably even the reason why Julie got all dress up today.

Tim Riggins walked out of the kitchen and heard Julie's drunken voice. She was giggling and the boy next to her seemed to be getting a kick out of it. He was all up on her, touching her legs, arms, and laughing on her shoulder. Riggins sighed rolling his eyes to the back of his head. He walked up to the two of them wondering to himself, "What would happen to her if I wasn't here to save her from this creep trying to sleep with her?"

With a beer in his hand, Tim walked up. "Hey Jules, I think it's time we go."

"I-I don't want to go," she mumbled slowly.

Tim kept his eyes on Julie, but from the corner of his eyes he could see Rylie leisurely trying to get away. But before he could, Tim caught his eye, "Hey, why don't I grab you a beer?"

Rylie sighed deeply and looked at Julie then back at Tim. "Sure," he nodded.

"You guys are getting beers?" Julie asked with a smile on her face.

"Yeah, you want one?" Tim asked raising his eyebrows. He checked Rylie's face that had a cheesy grin plastered on it thinking he was actually going to get laid tonight.

"Can I have one?" Julie giggled.

Tim led him over to the kitchen thinking what a bastard this 'Rylie' kid really was trying to have sex with the coach's daughter. Unbelievable, Tim thought. "How you doin'?" Riggins asked once they were by the kitchen.

"Good," Rylie nodded, grinning like an idiot.

"Yeah?" Tim raised his eyebrow with a smirk. "And how's that goin'?" They looked back at Julie who was still lying on the couch. She was thrusting herself up using her head as support. Oh Lord, Tim thought, she's so drunk.

"Good, um, I'm maybe one beer away from gettin laid tonight." He bit his lip as he looked at her. Tim looked at Julie in his act, nodding as he listened to Rylie's words.

"No kidding? Nice," He took a sip of his beer trying not to laugh at this fool. "That's great." Then another sip as he watched him watch Julie giggle probably imagining this second what he was going to do to her in bed. She was cracking up on that couch and he had another smirk on his lips checking her out. "Hey," Riggins glared. Rylie didn't listen because he was still watching Julie. "Hey," Tim called again. Rylie turned his head, the smile on his face whipped away by the death stare of Tim Riggins. He started slowly, "If you ever look at her – even tonight, again, or at school… or anytime of that matter – I swear to God I'll end you."

He lowered his head clearing his throat and looking anywhere but at Tim Riggins. "Alright, man," he replied awkwardly nodding his head. He was intimidated big time, wondering if anyone around him had heard the conversation.

"We cool?" Riggins asked, even though they both knew they never would be.

"Yeah," he swallowed his spit. "Absolutely."

He tried to get away by going back to Julie but Riggins grabbed him with force. "No, seriously, that way," he said as he pushed him into the kitchen. He walked back to Julie rolling his eyes. What a douchebag, Riggins thought. "Hey," he called out to Julie. "Yeah, it's time." He reached out his hand for her to take.

She looked at his empty hand biting her lip. "Huh, what? Where's my beer?" He reached for her hand and ignored her, taking her out to the truck.

Riggins checked again by maybe closing his eyes thinking he may be imagining this. "Is this kid for real," Tim thought. He shook his head storming up to the both of them. Julie noticed Tim heading their way and she tried to move Rylie away but even she knew that wouldn't be enough.

Tim wrapped his arm around Rylie's shoulder and walked forward ahead of Julie. "Hey man, how you doing?" Tim asked with a chuckle looking around the hallway. Rylie was tense and couldn't speak. His mouth was open trying to say something but nothing managed to come out. When they came to the large hallway Riggins grabbed Rylie by the collar and shoved him against the locker. Tim walked up closer and got into his face where Rylie could literally feel Riggins breathing on him. "What did I tell you?" Tim asked, scaring him. He still wasn't speaking so Tim raised his voice grasping the collar of his shirt with both hands. "I said, what did I tell you?"

Rylie breathed deeply. "That you'll end me."

"If you did what…?" Riggins raised an eyebrow. There were a few people standing around them watching, wondering what was going on.

"If I looked at her," he mumbled.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"You said that if I looked at Julie, that you'll end me." He said out loud and fast.

Rylie shoved him off and they both stood there breathing heavily glaring at each other. Tim spoke, "I'm not gonna to do anything, but I swear to God, if you do anything of the slightest bit, it will be the end of you."

Riggins turned his back to him and started to walk away until Rylie spoke out loud again, clearly asking for a fight. "You're just mad because she would have fucked me more than she would have wanted to fuck you."

That was all it took. Riggins threw a punch right into the mid part of his nose, making it bleed almost instantly. Rylie punch him back right in the face so Tim shoved him down to the ground. Riggins was about to go down and throw a couple more punches but a pair of arms pulled him back. He looked back and saw Smash holding him back from beating him more. "Not with that haircut, buddy." He made it out of Smash's grip and stood over Rylie, spitting next to him, "Consider yourself lucky."

Riggins left with Williams following right behind him. "Yo Riggins, what was that all about?" Smash asked.

"The kid just got what he deserved," he replied wiping the little bit of blood that was on the side of his lip. Tim found Julie sitting on one of the planters in the quad alone.

Williams stopped him and faced him, "Look, Coach is gonna find out about this. You're one of our star players, man; we need you in this game."

"You know I wasn't going to do anything but until he said that…" He was interrupted.

"I know what he said, I was there. Just let it go," Smash told him.

Tim looked at Julie who looked mad as hell. "I'll take my consequences," he ended the conversation and continued walking to Julie. He walked up to her and stood there quietly. She looked up at him and he breathed in deep. "Yeah, uh, we need to talk."