A/N: Update! Isn't this a nice way to start off the weekend!
Let me know what you think!
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"Invite me to dinner."
Julie jumped as her friend appeared from out of nowhere and spun round to face the brunette. "What?" She asked.
"Invite me to dinner." Lois told her.
Frowning, Julie turned round and slammed her locker shut before facing Lois once again. "Why?"
"Uh, hello? Tim Riggins is staying at your house." Lois snorted looking at Julie as though she was stupid.
"So?"
"So, I want to come to dinner."
"You said you didn't like him," Julie pointed out to her friend refering to previous multiple conversations that they'd had where Lois had gone off on rant about the Dillon Panther football players and football in general.
Lois snorted once again, "Yeah, that was like, before he was living at your house. He'll like, totally have to speak to me now."
Holding back her own snort Julie rolled her eyes. Just because Tim happened to be living with her family didn't mean that he was suddenly going to get chatty with her friends. He might speak to her, but he could hardly ignore her could he?
"Just because he's living with us doesn't mean he's any different than before." Julie said. "I'm not inviting you to dinner because you want to sit and gawk at Tim. It's not happening Lois. He's not a zoo attraction." She said defensively.
Shifting her stance slightly, Lois narrowed her eyes at Julie. "It's not like he'll care," she pointed out. "I bet he won't even notice, girls are always eyeballin' the guy at school. Look at how every single one of them is slobberin' over him at the moment after that stunt he pulled with Gracie." She snorted once again. "As if Tim Riggins likes babies!"
Feeling her hackles rising, Julie took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Picking up her backpack from where she'd dropped it by her feet, Julie slung it over her shoulder. "Look Lois, I'm not inviting you over for dinner so you can sit and stare at Tim, alright? It's not happening so just drop it."
"No, I won't drop it!" Lois hissed back. "You're just being selfish and trying to keep him all to yourself. That's like, totally lame Julie! Just because he like, ate lunch with you once at football practice and let you borrow his hoodie doesn't mean he likes you or anything! He was totally making out with Stephanie Pemberton earlier at lunch."
Julie rolled her eyes, "Whatever Lois." She sighed. "I don't have time for this." She walked past her friend and started heading towards her history class.
She stopped abruptly as Lois pulled on her shoulder and she turned round to face her friend.
"The only reason that he's hanging around with you Julie, and being nice, is to get on Coach Taylor's good side." She hissed spitefully. "It's not 'cause he likes you or that you're fun to hang out with. It's pathetic."
Julie swallowed, unable to believe that her friend was throwing the talk of the school in her face.
Because that was what everyone had been whispering behind her back all day, what other reason could there be for Julie Taylor and Tim Riggins hanging out?
It hurt, even though she knew it wasn't true.
Why couldn't people just leave them be?
It wasn't as though they were hurting anyone.
"Whatever Lois." Julie spat. "When you've grown up and decided that being a bitch doesn't suit you, give me a call."
Without another word, Julie stalked down the hallway and tried to calm herself down.
As she turned the corner she saw Tim leaning against the lockers, a rally girl standing in front of him and talking about something animatedly, her hands flitting about and her ponytail bouncing as she rocked back and forth on her heels.
He looked up and caught her eye as she walked past, and Julie shot him an amused smirk and rolled her eyes as she moved past the pair of them with a small wave of her hand.
Heading down the stair well, she didn't hear her name being called.
"Julie!"
A hand grabbed hold of her upper arm and hauled her down the stairs, through a set of doors and into an empty classroom.
"Jeez Tyra!" Julie exclaimed rubbing at her arm. "What was all that about?"
"'What was all that about?'" Tyra echoed in disbelief, closing the door behind them. "What do you think it's about?!"
Sighing mentally, Julie had a good idea of the reason for her friends agitated state.
"Were you not planning on calling me and telling what's going on between you and Tim?" Tyra continued without pausing for breath. "Trust me Julie, you do not want to go there. He might be a good kisser, but apart from his blocking on the football field that's the only good thing about him."
Knowing that Tyra's rant was because her friend was looking out for her decreased the amount of annoyance that Julie would have otherwise felt, but it still didn't lessen all of her anger.
"Tyra, there is nothing going on between me and Tim." Julie said slowly hoping that the words would sink in.
"Everyone's talking about Saturday Julie! Something's definitely going on!"
"There is not!" Julie shot back instantly. "He was totally making out with Stephanie Pemberton during lunch!"
Tyra scowled at her. "Like he never did that when he was dating me!" She growled sarcastically. "Besides everyone knows that she's a total tramp."
"Regardless of whether she is a tramp or not, it doesn't make any difference. There is nothing going on between Tim and myself."
Tyra remained silent, but still glared doubtfully at Julie.
"You sound like my Mom Tyra," Julie told her. "I'm going to tell you the same thing that I told her when she freaked out over me borrowing his hoodie, there is nothing going on between us. He does not think of me in that way. He is not leading me on. He is not hanging out with me to get onto my Dad's good side as Lois so kindly informed me. We have watched TV together a few times at my house, I have been to the grocery store with him, I happened to watch football practice and eat lunch with him during his break. That's pretty much it." She said, except of course her sleepwalking incidents, but there was no way that she was going to mention that. Not even to Tyra, that was just asking for trouble. Especially given her friends mentality at the moment.
Julie scratched at the bridge of her nose. "I know he's not a saint. I know he's way out of my league. Why does everyone think that one day I'm going to wake up and decide that I'm madly in love with him!"
"Because he's Tim Riggins! Girls do that! I've seen it happen! I've done it! You get sucked into the whole bad boy, rebel persona and then you think that you begin to see past that image and into the real Tim Riggins. This hurting, sensitive, misunderstood boy and before you know it he's worked his way beneath your skin and bam! That's it! Your caught up and it's too late and it hurts like hell when you try and drag yourself out of it. I don't want that for you Julie."
"That's great! That's fine! Because nothing is going on between us!" Julie stressed repeating what she'd been saying throughout their conversation. "What the hell do you want me to say to make you believe it?"
"Y'know what? This, this is making me not believe you! Because you're being defensive!"
"Of course I'm defensive!" Julie shot back. "Your pissing me off!" She ran her hands through her hair. "Y'know what? Believe me, don't believe me; it doesn't change the fact that I'm telling you the truth. You're my best friend, you're supposed to trust me." Julie finished quietly. "I'll see you later," she muttered as the bell rang. "I'm late for History."
Stepping out into the heaving corridor, Julie fought against the surrounding crowd as she headed in the opposite direction as opposed to the majority of the other students.
"Julie!"
Spinning around Julie allowed herself to be guided to one side of the bustling hallway.
"Lyla." She said tiredly in greeting already knowing what the brunette was about to try and talk to her about.
"Is everything ok with you?" Lyla asked. "I mean, I know we're not the best of friends, but I'd hope that if there was anything that you needed to talk about, to get off your chest, you'd feel comfortable coming and speaking about it with me. Or if not with me, then to the local church. It has helped me so much, and I don't want to see you make the same mistakes I did. Tim isn't good for you Julie, I should know."
"Your right Lyla," Julie cut in before the girl in front of her could continue. "We're not really friends. As such, thank you for your concern, but it really isn't needed."
"Tim-"
"No. I don't want to hear it. I don't care. What happened between you and Tim is exactly that. Between you and Tim. I'll make it as clear as possible for you; there is nothing going on between Tim and I. Nothing. And even if there were, which there isn't, it still wouldn't be any of your business. Now, excuse me, I'm late for class." Julie announced as the late bell rang and she hurried off for class.
What a day.
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Sliding into the car, Julie let her head drop back against the headrest as the door slammed shut and for a brief moment silence surrounded her.
It was the first snippet of peace that she'd had all day.
It didn't last for long though as her Mom jumped into the drivers side.
"So, did you have a good day at school Honey?"
With a grunt of disgust, Julie let her head roll to the side so it was pressed against the passenger window. "Fine, I'll admit it. You were right." She grumbled.
Tami pursed her lips knowing exactly what Julie was referring to. She made a noise of agreement and took the turning out of the school parking lot and towards home.
"I was expecting it from the kids at school, they don't me. The majority of them don't know Tim, at least in a non-sexual way when it comes to the girls. I knew that there was going to be some talk. But I didn't expect it from my friends, I mean they know me!"
"It's easy for talk to get out of hand Julie," Tami said gently. "I'm sure that once things calm down they'll come around."
"Yeah, but y'know what? I'm not sure I want them to!" Julie replied emotionally, her voice cracking. "How can they be my friends if their acting like that have been? How can I know them? How can I trust them? Lois has been once of my best friends since we moved to Dillon, and today she demanded, she actually demanded that I invite her to dinner! She was actually willing to use me to get closer to Tim. Friends don't do that to friends! I mean, yeah, ok," she continued rubbing at her eyes, "I could understand that she'd be a bit jealous, what normal girl wouldn't be! But just because Tim is Dillions very own playboy doesn't mean that he isn't a real person! He's not some zoo attraction! So I told her no, and then she got all funny with me and said that I was trying to keep him to myself, which is completely untrue, and that the only reason that he was hanging out with me was to get on Dad's good side, and then, then she had the audacity to say that I was the pathetic one!"
"Oh Julie," Tami said with a sigh. She reached out and grasped Julie's hand, squeezing it briefly before releasing her and setting her hand back on the steering wheel.
"I can't believe how she acted. Then Tyra freaked out, and then, to top it all off, I had Lyla Garrity of all people lecturing me! It's got nothing to do with her!"
Tami raised her eyebrows hearing Julie's latter comment. She hadn't seen that one coming.
"Why do people have to take something and twist it around until it's not even recognisable of what it once was, or what it is? Why do they manipulate it into being something it isn't? What do they get out of it?" Julie burst out. "I…I just don't understand why they do it." She admitted quietly before falling quiet. "I don't understand."
Silence stretched out the entire ride home.
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"Hey."
Stacking a newly washed plate on the draining board, Julie glanced over her shoulder at Tim. "Hey" She replied quietly before turning round and continuing with the clean up from dinner.
Silently he walked up next to her and began drying the dishes. Between the two of them it wasn't long before they were finished and the crockery was put away.
"Thanks." Julie said emptying the washing up bowl of water. Drying her hands she turned to leave the kitchen.
She didn't feel much like talking or hanging out with anyone. After the day she'd had at school and the outburst in the car on the way home, she needed time to relax and unwind before facing another day at school tomorrow.
"Jules," Tim said, capturing her attention and putting a momentary stop to her plan of leaving the kitchen and locking herself away in her room before Matt arrived to review game plans with her Dad.
"Y'know…what people are saying…" He said awkwardly, leaning back against the kitchen counter, his hands braced either side of his body. "It's not true Jules."
"What's not true?" She asked tiredly, her mind not with her. Slowly she made her way next to him, and leant back against the counter, unconsciously mimicking his position.
"That's I'm being nice you 'cause of your Dad and stuff…" He said trailing off.
Julie offered him a small smile in reassurance. "I know."
"You do?" He asked, surprise colouring his voice, a doubtful expression etched upon his face. "'Cause you were real quiet at dinner an' all."
"It's just been one of those days. And Matt's going to be here in a bit and stuff."
Tim nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I heard Tyra and Lyla cornered you. Sorry about that."
"Don't be." Julie told him. "Tyra's one of my best friends, she has a right to be worried. Lyla, on the other hand, needs to learn to butt out of something when it isn't any of her business."
"But you know it's not like that, right?" He checked, green eyes looking a t her searchingly.
"I know." Julie said while reaching out and placing her hand on top of his hand giving it a soft squeeze before letting go. "You're too straight talking," she explained. She frowned and reconsidered what she'd just said. "We'll, not straight talking exactly, since Tyra said trying to get you to talk at times is like tying to get blood out of a rock, but straight thinking, maybe." She said reflectively.
She twisted round slightly to face him. "I reckon there's a whole lot that goes on up inside here," Julie told him tapping at his temple, "That you don't particularly verbalise. But just 'cause you don't say it, doesn't mean you don't think it. You ain't exactly one for all of that manipulative bullshit Tim."
A heart beat of silence passed between them, and then the connection was broken as Shelley bustled into the kitchen. "Tami says to get some fruit juice for breakfast as well, we're nearly out." She told him as she helped herself to a soda out of the fridge and then left them alone again.
The moment had passed, and whatever he'd been about to say had left his mind.
Then suddenly, on spur of the moment he spoke. "You wanna come with me to the store?"
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"Smash, Saracen," Coach Taylor said greeting his players at the door, "Come on in and get set up on the couch, lots of things to go over tonight." He told them as he stepped back from the front door to allow them into the house.
He'd gathered his three captains together to discuss the upcoming game against Arnett Meade and what he expected from them.
"Can I get you boys a drink before we start?"
"I'm fine thanks Coach." Matt replied, his head involuntarily twisting to the side to look down the hall towards Julie's bedroom as they walked towards the living room.
"I'm fine too Coach." Smash said seating himself.
"Good," Eric nodded, "There's drinks on the counter, so if you want anything just help yourself. Tim's just gone to the store to grab a few bits for Mrs Taylor but he'll be back in a minute."
The phone rang, and Eric picked it up. "Hello…Hi Lois, Julie's not in at the moment, she tagged along with Tim to the grocery store…ok then…bye." He placed the phone back in it's cradle and took a seat at one end of the couch, picking up the remote as he did so, game tape in the video recorder loaded and ready to go.
"Have either of you seen Arnett Meade play so far this season?" He asked.
"I've seen bits," Smash admitted while Matt nodded in agreement, "But not a whole game."
"Right, well so far this season…"
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"Look," Julie said jumping out of Tim's truck and slamming the door shut behind her, "I get what you're saying, and yeah, some of his stuff is kinda funny, but some of it," she gave a little shudder, "'The Worlds Largest Margarita?'" She asked doubtfully. "Tim, it's just icky and I have no doubt that some where, some time, someone has actually done that. It's just gross."
Tim grinned at her as he walked round the side of the truck and picked up the groceries from the back. "Don't be like that Jules, there's nothing wrong with Larry the Cable Guy."
"I know there's nothing wrong with him! His name is funny, along with some of his stuff, but he's just not my favourite out of all of them."
Following Julie up the path, Tim shrugged.
Mischievously Julie cast a sneaky look over her shoulder back at Tim. "None of the Blue Collar Comedy guys compare to what happened in the store though!" She laughed opening the front door but not entering straight away.
She giggled before taking a brief moment to compose herself.
Her voice dropped to a slow, seductive, breathy drawl as she imitated the girl that had approached Tim in the grocery store. "Oh Tim," she purred locking eyes with him, "If I had known how much you like children I would have asked my parents to have you help baby-sit my little brother. I still can." Reaching up she ran her hand over his bicep and squeezed at the firm muscle, "You can show him how you put those muscles to use on the football field, and once he's in bed," she continued, her hand sliding over to his chest and running down his torso, her fingers tracing the lines of muscle that made up his six pack, "I'll show you how a proper first string Rally Girl treats the Panthers starting Fullback." She finished, giving the waist band of his jeans a playful tug as she winked at him in exactly the same manner that the unknown Rally girl had.
Tim stared down at Julie with narrowed eyes, an expression on his face that inspired fear within the general population of Dillon High School.
It had the opposite effect on Julie though as she burst into laughter.
"Funny Jules, real funny." Tim drawled, the southern twang in his words more pronounced.
"So just how does a first string Rally Girl treat the Panthers starting Fullback?" Julie laughed.
Tim's eyes narrowed even further as he assessed her. "Oh you think you're so funny don't you?" He sneered before shoving the grocery bag into Julie hands and reaching for her.
Reading his intent, Julie gave a shriek another of laughter, stumbling thought the door into the hallway almost dropping the groceries as she tried to evade his hands.
It was no good though, and despite how she ducked and dived and tried to squirm out of his grasp Tim didn't let go, easily taking hold of her as he wrapped an arm about her waist and pulled her back against him while his other hand started tickling her.
"No! Stop it!" Julie yelped as she tried to catch her breath between her bouts of laughter. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Tim paused and his hand stilled as he asked, "You're sorry?"
"Sorry no one else was there to see it!" She tittered before bursting into laughter once again. She jerked out of Tim's hold, but she'd not even gone two steps before he had hold of her again, this time lifting her up off her feet with the arm wrapped about her waist as the other hand started tickling her once again.
"No! Let go! I'm going to drop the groceries!" She protested despite the laughter still escaping her. Then a thought occurred to her, "Maybe it's not so much you who has a way with the ladies, so much as the ladies want to have their way with you!"
"Right that's it Jules!"
Too caught up in her laughter, Julie couldn't even say anything in protest as her stomach muscles ached and she fought to catch her breath.
The sound of a throat being cleared had the pair of them looking up.
The un-amused eyes of her father helped Julie compose herself, but didn't she couldn't completely stop giggling. Tim had frozen behind her, his arm clenching almost painfully around her waist as he held her in mid air tight against his body.
"Are you two done roughhousing now? Maybe we could get started on reviewing the last few Arnett Meade games, y'know, the reason Saracen and Smash were coming by? The reason they're in the living room waiting for you now?" Sarcasm dipped thick from Eric's words as he motioned over his shoulder at the two football players sat on the couch.
The sight of Matt sat on the couch stopped Julie's laughter instantly and her body tensed nervously as she caught his eye and saw the kicked puppy look in them. Licking her lips agitatedly her eyes darted away from him. Cringing as she felt the heat rising in her face, Julie decided redirected her gaze to focus on her dad as she stared unseeingly at him.
She must have walked straight past his car and not even noticed because she had been so caught up in her conversation with Tim.
She hated the way Matt was making her feel! Absolutely hated it! As if she was in the wrong for joking around with Tim. He was her…well he was Tim and she owed nothing to Matt, nothing. He was the one that was carrying on with his Grandma's nurse, like that was actually going to last!
She was the one that had to put up with the whispers at school. The knowledge that the boy she was in love with was moving on with someone else, that he was exploring things in that relationship that they should have been exploring together and that it was her fault because her head had been turned by some stupid jock!
But that didn't give him the right to look at her like that, like she was betraying him for having fun, for smiling again.
"Let's get started, and Julie, you have some homework that needs doing, right?" Eric remarked as he turned back his attention to the tv and started rewinding the tape back to the section he wanted.
"Right." Julie uttered.
Distantly she noticed Tim setting her down on the floor and his arm loosening from about her waist. Unconsciously seeking comfort she leant back into him and felt his grip tighten on her once again.
"He's pig sick with jealousy," Tim murmured against her ear. "You could get him back without too much trouble if you wanted to."
Caught by surprise at the comment, Julie twisted her head round to look at Tim bringing their faces into closer proximity than she'd anticipated when Tim didn't pull back. "I don't want to." She whispered quietly. "It's all spoilt now." Julie told him simply.
She missed their relationship, but even if they got back together again, too much had passed for them to ever recapture what had once been.
"Guys?" Coach Taylor snapped, "You going to stand there whispering to each other for the rest of the evening?"
"No Sir." Tim replied instantly. "Don't let him make you feel uncomfortable," Tim told Julie quietly. "This is your home, not his."
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A/N: Well, hope you enjoyed that. Now, before any of you start thinking about how, maybe, Coach Taylor's reaction was perhaps, somewhat out of character, stop, go back and read it again. Hopefully you won't need too, and I don't really like explaining parts of the chapter out in an authors note at the end of the update because to me, if I have to explain and clarify it to you, that means that I haven't done a very good job as an author. However, hopefully (and I'm sure you will have) you'll have caught the hints I was throwing out to you! But just to be sure, let me that that you got them!