A/N: Bet you didn't think you'd see another update this soon did you?!
Thank you to everyone who took the time to review the last chapter, it really means a lot to here that you are enjoying the storyline and the characters are in character!
Massive thank you to Brophy, without her you wouldn't have this chapter posted so quickly!
You may or may not have noticed that the rating has changed, without trying to give to much away, this chapter contains excessive swearing and adult situations, if you don't like it, go away now! If you'd rather read a watered down version, let me know :)
Enjoy!
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Chapter 9
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As speedily and as unobtrusively as possible, Julie made her way through the halls of Dillon High.
She'd caught a ride in with Tim once again that morning, but they'd both headed in different directions when the bell had rung, signaling their first class of the day. She hadn't seen him since.
The atmosphere was tense, and as much as she tried to ignore it, she couldn't help but feel the weight of the multiple stares of speculation burning into her back.
If the Dillon Panthers hadn't been curious about her relationship with Tim when he'd lent her his hoodie, they certainly were now and she was forced to notice the close scrutiny she was under.
Obviously she was now a whole new mystery to them.
But, while she hadn't been successful in avoiding them, she reminded herself, she had been successful in avoiding Lois, Tyra, Lyla and Matt. The latter of whom she'd spotted heading her way on more than one occasion the minute he'd caught sight of her.
Not too difficult today either, with everyone of the Panthers tracking her every move.
Ducking out of his sight line once again before he could notice her, Julie darted round the corridor corner, chancing it and glancing back over her shoulder to be sure that she didn't need to hide in one of the various girls bathrooms until the next bell rang.
"Oh, sorry." She said automatically as her shoulder collided with another person.
Without a second thought she tried to continue onwards, eager to put as much space between her and Matt as possible when she spotted Tyra heading towards her from the opposite direction.
Shit! She was trapped.
"Wait," A voice said, startling her. A hand grasped her upper arm and pulled her to the side of hallway out of the way of the main rush of students as they headed to lunch.
She froze immediately recognizing the person holding her.
"Let go of me!" She demanded with a venomous hiss, roughly yanking her arm out of Justin's grip.
"Hold up Taylor."
"No you hold up! Stay the hell away from me!" Glaring at him as her eyes flashed, Julie tried to step away from him but didn't get very far as he blocked her in against the wall.
"I just wanted to apologize!" The football player said a little desperately. "That's all I swear! About last night-"
"I know exactly what you're trying to apologize about and I don't care." Julie spat bluntly. "Stay away from me."
"Look, I'm sorry alright?" He said in a rush. "It was a stupid idea! I-I was also wondering if you were planning on telling Riggins?" He mumbled.
"Why?" Julie sneered. "What, you don't want a wrench put through you car's window or you face smashed in by his fist? I'm telling you now," she growled leaning in a little closer to Justin to make sure that he heard every word, "if you don't get away from me in the next two seconds I won't hesitate telling him that you were in on it and did nothing to help me even when you bottled out! That you stood aside and watched!"
"Everything alright here?" Tyra drawled, interrupting the stare down between Julie and Justin.
"Yeah." Justin replied. "Everything's cool. Thanks Taylor." With a nod of acknowledgement to Julie he departed into the crowd as quickly as he'd approached her, quickly moving into the swirling throng of students.
Releasing the breath that she didn't know she was hiding, Julie didn't turn to face Tyra until she'd watched the football player disappear out of sight.
"Ok…" Tyra began slowly. "What was all that about?"
Shaking her head, Julie attempted to brush it off. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it. Unless you think I'm lying again." She couldn't refrain from remarking. Snide and immature, maybe, but she couldn't help it.
Tyra scowled at her moodily. "Look I already told you I'm sorry alright?"
"What?"
"Your phone? Last night? When I text you?"
"My phone?" Julie parroted realization sinking in with growing horror.
"Not my fault if you didn't check it." Tyra growled. "Listen, it's up to you if you want to continue with this whole, 'Tim Riggins' phase that your going through. As your best friend though, I'm going on record now and stating that it's a bad idea and I reserve the right to say 'I told you so' when it explodes in your face, okay?"
Julie nodded absently, her mind still transfixed on her phone despite her valiant attempt to keep up with what Tyra was saying. "Okay."
"Okay." Tyra echoed.
They stood there silently for a minute, Julie's mind racing over her missing phone, while Tyra contemplated her next move, her mind whirling at Julie's quietness.
It was out of character for the chatty blonde.
"Hey."
The pair of them turned round to see who'd spoken to the, coming face to face with Matt Saracen.
"Matt." Julie mumbled in greeting, really not feeling up to whatever drama was going to arise next.
Tyra gave him a brief nod. "Saracen." She said coolly. This was, after all, the boy that had battered her best friends heart by carrying on with his Grandmothers nurse with no thought to his recent ex.
The QB1, wonder boy of the Dillon Panthers licked his lips nervously and shuffled in his feet.
"I, uh, j-just wanted to check that you were alright… After last night…" He announced awkwardly.
"I'm fine." Julie replied quickly, brushing aside his concern. She snuck a glance over at Tyra and cursed mentally as she saw the look on her face.
She'd stop at nothing now until she'd gotten the whole story.
"I just wanted to let you know that I had no idea what they were planning, that if I had even thought they were going to try what they did-"
"It's fine Matt. Leave it alone."
"What's he talking about Julie?" Tyra asked quietly, a fire in her eye.
"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Julie said trying her best to assure Tyra that everything truly was fine. And it was. She was telling the truth.
"N-no!" Matt burst out. "It's not fine. I mean, I know we're not like, together anymore," he said awkwardly fiddling with his bag straps, "but you know that I'd have said something if I'd known."
Julie rolled her eyes, fast losing patience with her ex boyfriend who was refusing to take the hint and leave it be. His stuttering and stumbling apology was only serving to attract the attention of the masses and inflame Tyra's curiosity.
Neither one of those two things were of the good.
"Yeah? What would you have done Matt?" She asked knowing full well Matt's temperament. He definitely wasn't one for confrontation. "Politely asked them not to do it? Explained why it wasn't a good idea? Threatened to go to my Dad?" She shook her head. "No doubt you know what happened, I'd say that's a pretty good indication that they wouldn't have listened to you."
"I-I…" His lips thinning in his frustration to express himself, Matt rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Deciding to put him out of his misery, Julie didn't wait for his answer. "Look Matt, it doesn't matter. It was taken care of. I," she emphasized, "was taken care of. I'm not your responsibility anymore."
"Yeah I heard all about that." Matt sneered bitterly, his temper getting the best of him.
"Sorry for being concerned."
Without bothering to say goodbye he turned and disappeared down the hall.
"What was all that about?" Tyra asked. "Justin… Matt… What exactly is going on Julie?"
Fidgeting with her hair, Julie's eyes dropped away from Tyra for a brief moment. Her eyes scanned the halls and she caught sight of Tim appearing from around the corner and stopping off by his locker. Almost immediately a Rally Girl appeared, brown paper bag in hand.
"What are you doing tonight?" Julie asked. "After the game?"
Tyra shrugged. "Nothing much. Thought we might be headed to the after party since you're not grounded any longer."
"Why don't we do a girly night instead? We'll get some movies, junk food and veg out and I'll tell you everything then. Trust me," Julie sighed. "It's a long story."
"Cool. Listen, I need to speak to my English teacher about one of the assignments they set, I'll catch up with you later right?"
"Right." Julie promised.
Frowning to herself once she was left alone, Julie bit down on her thumb nail as she considered what she needed to do next.
Tim currently had a Rally Girl wrapped around him, wishing him luck for the game, or perhaps making certain promises of what would happen after; he probably wouldn't be too happy if she interrupted.
Besides, he'd done enough for her last night. She could hardly ask for his help again could she?
He'd already taken a verbal lashing from her Dad because of her, not to mention the fact that she was acting like a baby and sleepwalking into bed with him.
The only redeeming factor about that was that she wasn't awake when she did it and had no memories of it at all.
Pushing herself off the locker she'd been leaning on, Julie turned and started walking down the hall aimlessly. She didn't feel like lunch and she didn't have anywhere in particular that she needed to be or anything that she needed to be doing.
Continuing to chew on her thumb nail, a nervous habit she still hadn't been able to break, she let her head bow and fastened her eyes to her shoes as she walked. Her brow crease in thought as she contemplated the situation.
"Jules." Hearing her name called being called out, Julie turned around.
"Hey Tim." She said with a small smile before immediately chewing on her thumb again.
He studied her for a moment. "Later." He said to the Rally Girl clinging to him as he detached himself from her grasp.
The brunette pouted at him but didn't say anything. Instead she sauntered away, sending what could only be described as a smirking sneer in Julie's direction as she brushed by.
"What's the matter?" Tim asked quietly as soon as the girl he'd been hanging out with was out of hearing range and stepped closer.
"Bradley's got my phone."
Seeing the confusion on Tim's face, after all, he knew that she'd had her bag with her, she explained.
"He took it out and put it in the dashboard when I tried to sneak it out of my bag to use it. I'd forgotten that I didn't get it back until Tyra remarked that I didn't reply to a text that she sent."
"C'mon." Catching hold of her hand, Tim tugged her along behind him out of the school building and over to his truck.
The same way he'd done the night before he lead her over to the driver side and boosted her in and waited until she'd slid across to the middle seat before getting in after her.
"Where are we going?" She asked.
"To get your phone back."
They pulled out of the car parking lot, ignoring the curious stares from their peers.
"Sorry about earlier." Julie said referring to his previous preoccupation with the Rally Girl.
"Don't worry about it. At the risk of sounding like a chauvinistic pig, there's plenty more where she came from."
"You totally would," Julie told him, "if it wasn't such a sad fact. What was it today?" She enquired teasingly. "Cupcakes or cookies?"
Tim shot her a stern look, but Julie wasn't fooled. She'd caught the twitch of his lips at her comment.
He shrugged. "Well whatever it is, do you want one?"
Wrinkling her nose in distaste Julie shook her head. "Nah, she might have put some freaky love spell ingredient into them or something. It could be her new ploy, lure you to her with cupcakes, cookies and red velvet cake."
Catching Tim's doubtful look she remarked, "Stranger things have happened. Women have been known to poison men with arsenic, no reason why she won't try something slightly more organic."
He shot her an amused look from the corner of his eye, lips curled into a smirk as he chuckled. "You are one of kind Julie Taylor. One of a kind."
Julie laughed too, tilting her head back against the back of the seat and closed her eyes. Until she and Tim had become friends (after all, should hardly say they weren't after he'd rescued her from Bradley and she'd stood up for him to her Dad) she'd never truly appreciated silence.
With Matt it had always felt uncomfortable, and she'd rambled on, talking about nothing in particular. Failing that there had always been the TV on, or some kind of music in the background.
Hanging out with Tyra, there had never been a need for silence; there was always plenty to talk and laugh about.
If she happened to be hanging out with Lois, well, the brunette talked enough for the both of them.
But with Tim, although they weren't speaking, the silence, in it's own way spoke for them.
Feeling sleep creeping upon her, Julie forced her eyes open before she could fall asleep. It had been late before she'd actually fallen asleep the previous night, tossing and turning for over an hour before nodding off into a restless sleep.
She was jerked out of her thoughts as Tim's truck came to a halt as he pulled up outside Bradley's house.
His car was sitting in the drive way, a plastic bag tapped over the empty drivers window which Tim had smashed the night before.
Tim got out of the truck, and she jumped out following him, anxious to retrieve the one item that could cause a whole lot more trouble.
He closed the door behind them, and reached over into the bed of the truck for the wrench.
Julie's face creased in confusion. "What do you need that for?" She asked. "The drivers window is still broken."
Tim shrugged as he walked round to the passenger side. "I'm still a little pissed." He announced a second before smashing in the undamaged passenger window.
A broken window and a bloody nose wasn't punishment enough for what the boy had put Julie through.
"Hey!" Bradley yelled as he came barreling through his front door. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"
Scowling at him, Tim reached inside and grabbed Julie's phone out of the dashboard compartment and tossed it to her.
"Thanks." She said, catching it and promptly switching it on before sliding it into the pocket of her jeans.
"Welcome." Tim replied.
"What, one window wasn't enough for you?" Bradley spat. "Do you know how much that's going to fucking well cost? It was just a joke Riggs! If it wasn't for this reformed act that you're putting on you wouldn't give a shit! Or is just because you want to get into Julie Taylor's pants that your making such a big deal out of it?"
"Tim!" Julie yelped darting forward between the pair of them and snatching the wrench out of his hand as he made a move towards his team mate. "Let it go." She pleaded softly. "He's just trying to provoke you."
Tim shook his head, his face taunt with rage. "Jules, get out of my way."
"No." She said catching sight of the police vehicle pulling up in front of Tim's truck with Deputy Sheriff Logan behind the wheel. "Shit." She cursed under her breath.
Twisting his head around to see what Julie was worked up about, Tim sighed as he caught sight of the Deputy. Well this was just great.
"Now you're in for it." Bradley sneered.
"What's going on here?" Deputy Logan asked as he approached the three teens, a malicious smirk on his face as he eyed Riggins. "You been causing trouble again boy?"
Locking his jaw, Tim attempted to keep his face free of all emotion. "No Sir." He replied clearly.
"You lying to me boy?"
"No Sir." He repeated.
Deputy Logan's eyes darted over to the smashed vehicle window and then back towards Tim. "You smash that window?"
"Is he the one holding the wrench?" Julie asked sarcastically before Tim could reply. She cocked her hip and made a point to swing the wrench idly in her hand.
Deputy Logan's attention snapped to her, obviously taking note of her presence for the first time. "This is the second time that I've seen you with Riggins Miss Taylor. You ought to be careful, hanging around with a bad crowd…" Tutting he said, "They'll only drag you down. I'm sure Ms Garrity can tell you that."
"I might be with a 'bad crowd' at this very moment," Julie agreed. "But Tim sure ain't one of them."
"He's got you lying for him ain't he?" The Deputy crooned, "Got you sayin' that you were the one that smashed that window in when we all know that it was him that did it."
"I find it very offensive, Deputy Logan, that you persist in being so sexist. I realize back in your day, a man was expected to act in such a way, but times are changing. You ought to be careful, someone might slap with you with a harassment suit." Julie eyed him closely, conscious of Tim standing next to her while Bradley hovered up on his porch veranda outside his front door.
"And you ought to be careful Missy, that someone doesn't report you for perverting the course of justice." He sneered back.
"Did you see Tim smash the window? Did you catch sight of him holding the wrench before you approached? I am the one with the weapon. I was the one that decided to break the passenger side window."
The Deputy laughed, lifted his hat from his head and ran his hand through his hair. "Well, that's just the funniest damn thing I've heard all day. Itty-bitty thing like you smashing that window."
Scowling, her body taunt with anger, Julie's better sense deserted her. "Let's put that theory to the test shall we?" She stepped up to the back side window and raised the wrench, ready to bring it down into contact with the glass.
She really didn't want to think about how her parents were going to react when they found out.
Dumfound, Tim stood there, unable to make sense of what was happening in front of his very eyes.
"STOP!" Bradley shouted from his position on the porch, his hands held out in front of himself, palms showing. "Stop alright! I don't want another broken window just so you can prove your point. Riggins didn't do it!" Bradley announced. "Julie was lying, but she was lying for me. She didn't smash the window. I did." Licking his lips, Bradley cast an anxious look over at the blonde.
Deputy Logan raised a patronizing eyebrow. "Now why would you do that Son?"
"I-I don't want to talk about it." Bradley stuttered, unable to come up with an excuse. "My car, I can do what I want."
"You don't have to worry about getting the pair of them into trouble." Deputy Logan assured Bradley. "Hell, we don't even have to write it up as an official report…course, Coach Taylor would have to be informed," he continued. "That's the responsible thing to do, especially since it's his daughter that's admitted to vandalism and I don't doubt for one second that she has been dragged down that route by Riggins. Apple never falls very far from the tree." He drawled. The Deputy turned to Tim, an ugly look on his face as he asked, "You gonna knock her up at seventeen, boy? Just like your Daddy did to your Momma?"
It took Julie a moment for the words to sink in and then she reacted before anyone saw it coming, even herself.
The palm of her hand collided with the side of Deputy Logan's face, a loud smack ringing out as his face whipped to the side, the imprint of Julie's hand coloring instantly.
Her hand stung, but it felt numb at the same time, every inch of her felt numb despite the fact that she was actually shaking with some kind of emotion.
She was still trying to take in what had just happened, what she had just done when she realized that Tim was manhandling her into the truck. "Spiteful man." She hissed, glancing back over her shoulder to lock eyes with the older man who was in turn glaring back at her.
"I'll be speaking with your parents!" The Deputy shouted after them.
"You do that!" Julie shot back an instant before Tim slammed the truck door shut.
The engine roared to life and Tim quickly guided the truck away from the curb where it had been parked back out onto the road.
"Fuck Jules." He cursed while raking a hand through his hair and shaking his head. "What the fuck do you think your doing?" He asked, unable to wait another second before he got an answer out of her.
"What the hell do you mean?" Julie asked, fired up and ready to go after her confrontation with Deputy Logan. "Who the fuck is he to speak to you like that? What right does he have?"
Exhaling, Tim shot Julie another look out of the corner of his eye.
"Well?"
"Be quiet." Tim told her suddenly changing his mind. "Just be quiet for a minute. I can't have this conversation with you while I'm driving." The mood he was in they were liable to crash otherwise.
Within a couple of minutes they'd hit the outskirts of the town. The roads were fairly free of traffic with the majority of people either in school or at work.
He didn't start to slow down though until they were out on the cliffs that he frequented on a regular basis. Whether or not it was to relax, have a few beers and knock the empty cans over the ledge or to think and get away from the pressures of life in the small town.
He'd never taken anyone out here before.
Tyra knew where it was. Knew she could find him out there if he wasn't anywhere else, but he'd never taken the time to invite her along with him at any point.
Jason did too, Lyla as well, but they'd all generally avoided the area, preferring their own hangout's closer to town.
It was also known that when he was out over the cliffs he was generally in a volatile mood.
It seemed ironic that he was now taking Julie out to the cliffs to talk when the last time a girl had been out there with him was Tyra.
Tyra, who funnily enough, had wanted to talk as well, but he simply hadn't been interested, and instead he'd blown her off.
Jesus…that had been a sight he'd never thought to see in a million years; Julie Taylor bitch slapping Deputy Logan.
So caught up in his thoughts, he missed the turn and ended up having to slam the breaks on before changing gears and reversing back.
Turning down the correct road, he kept the truck steady at a slow pace as he pulled into his usual place.
The horizon spread out before them, the sky blue and free from clouds as the warm sun beat down on them.
"Do you have any idea what you have just done?" Tim asked Julie, unable, at that very minute to look at her as he spoke. "Do you?"
"He's not going to report the fact that he was slapped by a sixteen year old girl." Julie assured him. "And if he decided to tell my parents? Big whoop! They aren't going to be interested in anything he has to say once I've explained it to them."
"You think that's what I'm worried about?" Tim asked, turning to look at her in disbelief. "That he's going to put in a report or tell Coach? Jules, Logan has it out for me. Always has. Billy, too. You have just put yourself smack bang in the middle between myself and his personal vendetta against me. That is what I'm worried about."
"What's he going to do?" Julie retorted flipping her hair back over her shoulder.
"Make a few snide comments? I don't care! How has he been able to get away with treating you like that?"
"Because he's the fucking Deputy Sheriff! That's how! And me? I'm Walt Riggins' son! That is everything you need to know to understand the situation right there!" He barked bitterly.
"What does it matter who your father is?!" Julie asked incredulously. "What does that have anything to do with it?"
"'Cause he fucked his wife didn't he!" Tim snarled crudely. "My Daddy screwed Deputy Logan's wife! Don't help matters either that I am the sole reason his son isn't the starting fullback for the Panthers. Are you beginning to understand what you've done? What you've put yourself in the middle of?"
"I don't care about that!" Julie told him brushing the subject aside. "What I want to know is how he's managed to get away treating you like that for so long?"
"Who's going to step in? Huh Jules? Who? As far as this fucking town is concerned I'm only useful to them until I'm eighteen! After that, who cares? Cause I'm too old to play for the Panthers then! Just like Billy is now! Too old to play football and so tainted by my last fucking name that I'm no good for anything else."
"Well you're wrong! Just like they are! The world doesn't stop when you finish High School Tim!" Julie exclaimed passionately as she gestured with her hands. "You get out of Dillon. You go to college. You give yourself a future!"
"College?" Tim snorted. "Have you seen my grades?"
"Well then we'll work on them. We'll study together and I'll review your tests with you and help with college applications and scholarships. Your not stupid Tim. I caught sight of your calculus test the other day. And I damn well know you didn't have a Rally Girl do it for you cause it was a pop quiz done in class. Tyra had the same one and you got a better score than she did despite the fact that she spent the entire week studying for it. You've just got to apply yourself to it. I know English isn't your best subject, but we'll work on it."
"I'm not going to be your fucking pet project Taylor!"
"No." Julie agreed, knowing how serious he was by his use of her last name. She didn't think he'd ever called her anything but Jules. "I'm going to be your friend. And as your friend Tim? I'm going to bitch slap Deputy Logan if I want to for talking to you like he does. I'm going to nag about schoolwork and grades and skipping class. I'm also going to be someone you can talk to. And ask for help from."
"Jules you don't want to get on the bad side of Logan. Trust me." Tim said desperately to her. His hands came up to cup the side of her face as he leant towards her. "I don't want you getting into trouble because of me."
"It's what friends do." Julie whispered back to him, her hands returning the gesture as she shuffled closer to him. "They stick up for each other regardless of whether or not its to a bunch of stupid seventeen year old jocks on the side of a deserted road or it's to a pathetic forty year old man."
Their eyes were locked in a battle of wills and it was Tim who broke first; Julie pulling on every little bit of stubborn will and grit that she possessed in her body that she'd inherited from her father.
"Oh god Jules." He said on a sigh. Hauling her closer to him, his arms wrapped about her smaller frame in a tight hug. "You're gonna be the death of me."
The feel of his body around hers was overwhelming, and Julie shut her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder, fighting to remember every second of it so she could replay it over and over as she wanted later on.
Tim's grip on her was tight, his arms squeezing down on sore flesh that was already bruised from her run in with Bradley the night before.
It was difficult to breath, but the lack of oxygen was well worth the feeling of safety and protection he provided.
As stuck in the moment as Julie was, she couldn't help but compare the embrace to those that she'd shared with Matt, despite the fact that the situations and the relationships that she had with the pair of them were completely different.
Matt's frame was lean with sleek muscles and he'd always smelt faintly of his Grandma's cornbread when he'd hugged her no matter the amount of cologne he'd worn.
Tim was instrumental in the Panthers offensive on the field, and his body reflected that. Hard lines of muscles, his large frame surrounded her, encouraged her to burrow into it and it would have given her cause for concern if it was anyone but him.
This was it. This was why there had been no need for words the night before when she'd carefully tended his hand once her Mom had retrieved Gracie.
Their eyes and body language said enough for both of them.
It said why he'd gone out of his way to rescue her from Bradley and the other Jocks.
Just the same as it explained why she'd been unable to listen to Deputy Logan bad mouth Tim for another second when she'd snapped.
Breathing in the scent of coconuts and the peace that Julie seemed to surround him with at moments likes these, Tim let out a uncomplaining sigh and gave Julie one last squeeze before reluctantly releasing her.
"C'mon." He said, opening the truck door and jumping out. He held his hand out for Julie and she grasped it as soon as her feet were on the ground, wondering what exactly it was that he had planned.
She closed the door shut and allowed Tim to lead her over to the edge of the cliff. If he hadn't guided her down the little pathway she'd have missed it.
It lead out onto a little alcove tucked away on the cliff face a few yards down.
Settling down next to Tim, Julie stretched her legs out in front of her and leant back on her arms.
Closing her eyes she tilted her face up towards the sky and soaked up the sun.
Tim was silent beside her, his body in a similar pose but his eyes were facing out onto the horizon.
For a few minutes they both enjoyed the silence, allowed it to wash over them as they both digested the outcome of their run in with Deputy Logan and the following talk.
Surprisingly enough it was Tim who broke the silence first. "What did Saracen want?"
Turning her head to face him and opening her eyes, Julie shrugged. "Wanted to talk about last night, how he didn't know anything and would have said something, would have done something if he had."
Catching sight of Tim's dubious expression, Julie grinned and let out a short laugh.
"Yeah, my thoughts exactly. He got shitty with me when I told him that it was taken care of. That I was taken care of."
"And Justin?"
Julie shifted uncomfortably on the ground, not wanting to lie to Tim but unwilling to escalate the situation once again. "He wanted to apologize."
"He was there wasn't he?"
Julie's eyes widened as she swung back to look Tim in the eye. "How…?"
"He's Bradley's bitch, for lack of a better word." The fullback explained.
"You're not going to do anything are you?" Julie asked fearfully, wanting to put the whole episode behind herself as much as possible and forget about it.
Understanding Julie's feelings on the subject, Tim squelched his anger and simply resolved to keep a closer eye on Justin in future, despite the fact that it went against every feeling in his body. But Julie was the one who had the biggest reason for a grudge because of the whole thing and she simply wanted to let it go. "Nah. Not if you don't want me too."
Giving him a relieved smile, Julie relaxed, her heart no long feeling as though it was about to jump out of her chest.
The contented silence stretched between them, broken for the second time that day by Tim.
"My Mom was seventeen when she got pregnant with Billy." He mumbled, eyes fixed on the ground in front of him. His fingers plucked at various shreds of grass, tearing them to smaller bits before allowing the light breeze to take them away. "She lived over Blacklake way, had come out to visit a school friend who'd graduated the year before and met my Dad. He was twenty-four, s'pose he figured he'd found his meal ticket in her. Parents belonged to some fancy country club and everything. Well, he got her pregnant, 'course her parents weren't too happy about the entire thing. Made sure they had a shotgun wedding and then cut her out of their lives. Never met them or anything."
Not having heard much about his parentage except for what a bastard his father was, or the fact that his Momma had run off years back, Julie kept quiet on the subject, instinctively knowing that it would be a long time before it was brought up again.
She moved closer to him, sitting slightly behind him as she wrapped an arm about his waist and rested her cheek against his back.
He tensed against her for a minute, and then, realizing that she wasn't going to do anything else, relaxed and carried on.
"She had Billy; seven years later she had me. I was nine when she left, Billy was sixteen. Just up and went. Said she was going grocery shopping and never came back. Not surprising really, looking back." He commented, his fingers still plucking away at the grass. "They was always arguing, shouting and screaming at each other. He was always screwing other people, and he'd hit her on occasion to make her shut up. Well, Dad, he hung around for a year or so after that, but he was soon away for longer periods of time and by then Billy was on the football team and provided that he played well on the field we were left alone. No sense in rocking the boat. Boosters were helping out with mortgage payments and such, and then when Billy left school…it was up to us then. When I saw Dad last year, it was the first time in six years. No postcards, no calls. Nothing."
Running her hand up and down his back, Julie twisted her head and pressed a kiss to his shoulder before laying her head back down again.
It sounded… Terrible.
Yet perversely, she wondered how she hadn't heard about it before, but then, she reasoned, to the people of Dillon it was old news.
And considering the ongoing scandals that Tim frequently managed to be involved in, it wasn't really any surprise that some were forgotten or got pushed to the way side.
They sat there in silence, long past the bell which would have signaled that lunch was over and the next class had commenced.
The time drifted by quickly despite the lack of conversation; they both had plenty on their minds.
"You gonna be in trouble for skipping?" Tim asked, turning his face towards Julie, careful not to dislodge the arm still wrapped about his waist.
"Not if we get back soon. I have a couple of study periods after lunch on a Friday. You?" She asked.
"Nah. I usually take the Friday afternoon off before the game. Helps get my head into gear."
"You'll do great tonight," Julie informed him with a little squeeze of assurance. "Arnett Meade won't know what hit them."
Tim smirked at her, not saying a word as he reluctantly got to his feet.
Holding a hand out to Julie, he helped her up and together they made their way back to the truck.
Switching the radio on, the cab was immediately filled with the usual pre game run up information as Slammin' Sammy listed stats and discussed players performance in the year so far and compared Dillon's season to that of Arnett Meade.
After a few minutes, Julie switched it off, the babbling noise intruding on the tranquil silence that they had found out on the cliffs.
Before she knew it they had arrived back outside Dillon High, and Tim pulled into the parking spot that they had vacated earlier.
Following Tim's lead, Julie hopped out the truck and together they slowly made their way back inside the building, each of them dragging their feet.
The hallways were unsurprisingly empty, although, as Julie glanced at the clock on the far wall, she realized it wouldn't be long until the deserted surrounding area was flooded with fellow students.
The bell rang quicker than anticipated, proving that the clock was more than a few minutes late and should be reported to the janitor.
She turned to face Tim, knowing that this was where they would separate for the rest of the day.
She tilted her head back to look at him as she spoke, but before she could get a word in edge ways, Tim wrapped an arm about her shoulders and tugged her to him.
"Saracen gives you anymore trouble," he said quietly in her ear, "you come and get me."
"But-"
"Hey," He cut in. "You get to bitch slap Logan, I get to chase off Saracen. Fair's fair, right?"
An amused chuckle escaped Julie as she rolled her eyes. "Right." She confirmed. "We got each others backs, you and me, right?"
"You and me." Tim whispered back before dropping his arm and ruffling her hair.
"Tim!" Julie squealed in protest, ducking out of the way and smoothing the blonde locks of hair. "I've got to go otherwise I'm going to be late for my next class. Good luck for the game, I know you'll do great."
He could help his grin as he watched Julie bounce off down the hallway.
"Tim!" Tyra snapped appearing from behind him. "I don't care what games you are playing with Julie, and I don't care why, but they stop." She growled, eyes flashing furiously as she glared at him. "Now."
If looks could kill, he'd be stone cold and six feet under.
Without waiting for any acknowledgement following her demand, his ex-girlfriend stalked past him, her hips swinging and her body full of attitude.
----------------
Closing the door behind him, the noise from the party downstairs immediately reduced and Tim breathed a sigh of release, dropping down onto the bed and rolling over onto his back.
One arm came up to rest across his eyes, while the other stretched back above him.
The Panthers had won their game against Arnett Meade, but they'd fought tooth and nail for it throughout the entire game.
Evidently, more than one player on the opposing team were unhappy about the prank some of the Panthers had continued with once his showdown with Bradley had finished.
Beer was flowing, music playing and the girls were fawning, but right now, he needed a minute to get his head together and have a short time out.
He could have not bothered with the party, gone straight home with the Taylors to celebrate instead, but he'd never been one to refuse free beer. Besides, it was expected that Thirty-Three showed up to the after party.
He'd thought it would help him unwind from the game, but it wasn't having the effect that he'd anticipated.
The door cracked open and then shut again.
Blearily, he lifted his arm away from his face a few inches and then dropped it back into place as he recognized the Rally Girl that had been wrapped around him in the hallway earlier that afternoon before he'd skipped classes with Julie for a few hours.
The bed dipped as she climbed on, straddling him with a giggle.
"Hey Thirty-Three," she purred leaning forward to whisper her greeting into his ear. "You sure put those Arnett Meade boys into their place tonight."
He didn't bother to reply, settling for a grunt of some kind as he absently focused on the pair of lips sucking on the side of his neck and realized that if she carried on for much longer that he'd be left with a hickey.
One of her hands slipped down his body over the front of his jeans while the other stretched up and placed a small foil packet into the palm of his hand.
Twisting his neck away from her before she could leave any kind of mark, Tim lifted his arm draped across his face, immediately the girl tried to attach herself to his mouth but he couldn't be bothered with that this evening.
Detaching their lips, he pushed down on the top of her head until she got the hint.
With a giggle, and a coy look that he wasn't paying attention too, the Rally Girl whose name he was sure began with 'R' unfastened his jeans and slipped a hand beneath his boxers, her hand wrapping around the length of his half hard shaft and stroking him.
A moment later and she pushed the fabric aside, the wet warmth of her mouth replacing her hand. Her hand cupped his balls confidently, and he couldn't help but wonder for a moment what such an act would be like with someone who wasn't so experienced.
Brushing the thought aside, after all that definitely wasn't the case here, Tim relaxed and allowed his body to enjoy the feeling of her mouth wrapped around his cock.
After a few minutes though, it became clear that his body wasn't in any rush for sexual relief that evening.
But he was in a rush. He could probably do with another beer and then perhaps he'd make his way back to the Taylors and raid the fridge for the leftover lasagne.
Pushing the girl off of him, he opened the condom packet and slid it over his erection.
She made to climb back on to straddle him, but must have caught the look on his face cause she stopped.
Standing up, her drew the girl towards him and then directed her forward so the was bend over the bed.
He didn't feel in the mood for a lot of bodily contact that evening, which made this position prefect.
She giggled. "This feels so naughty!" She remarked saucily.
Considering she'd just had his cock in her mouth, it shouldn't really, Tim figured.
His hands reached up beneath the short skirt of her uniform and quickly divested her of the panties she was wearing, dropping the small scrap of fabric onto the bed next to her as he spread her legs.
Without any other attention being paid to her, or thought to returning the favor she'd lavished on him, Tim thrust into her body.
She groaned beneath him, and he still for a moment, taking the time to push her top up beneath her chin so he hand access to her breasts if he wanted it.
One hand remained on her hip, holding her in place as he started a steady pace while the other fondled her breast, pinching and pulling at the nipple as he felt like it.
She cried out with encouragement each time he entered her body, and he found the noise more annoying than exciting; at least when she'd gone down on him she hadn't been able to talk.
Fuck. Tim thought, countering each word that ran through his head with a thrust. Would. She. Just. Shut. Up.
Wishing that she'd muffle the exaggerated cries of encouragement in the blankets, and finding the issue becoming more and more distracting, he dropped his hand from her breast to between her legs. Quickly, he searched out her clit and began rubbing it in to counteract his thrusts.
Almost immediately the pitch of her cries changed, her body moving back against his as he impaled her. She started to clench about him, her body climaxing, the sensations prolonged as he rode her through it.
Fighting to catch her breath, the room was silent then with the exception of their heavy breathing, the occasional grunt of satisfaction as he buried himself particularly deep within her and the rhythmic slapping of flesh meeting flesh.
Each time he entered her body, he got a little closer to the orgasm that was just out of reach.
With his hands on her hips, he held her steady as he picked up his tempo, thrusting into her with more force in an attempt to quicken his climax.
It remained out of reach though, to the point where he clenched his eyes shut and threw his head back, bringing to mind every porn magazine he'd seen, the women he'd watched dance and The Landing Strip, and as many girls he remembered sleeping with as possible.
Unbidden, an image of Julie flashed to mind, the way she'd smile up at him in the hallway earlier that afternoon as he'd ruffled her hair.
With a shocked shout, he came, his body straining as his erection pulsed within the tight grip of the girls inner walls he'd buried himself deep into, seed spurting into the condom he was wearing.
Shuddering, he made no immediate attempt to withdraw from the warm cocoon of her body straight away, instead allowing his breathing to begin to regulate.
The hum of satisfaction, and the sight of the girl twisting her head around to face him, brought Tim back to earth and he avoided catching her eyes as he withdrew from her body and removed the condom, wrapping it up in a tissue from the beside table before pulling his boxers and trousers back up to fasten them.
Heading into the small en-suite he dropped the used condom into the trash bin and turned on the cold water tap at the sink.
Rinsing his hands beneath the freezing water, he splashed some onto his face before switching it off.
Entering the bedroom once again, he found the Rally Girl still sprawled out on top of the bed.
"I hope that trip was in search of more condoms," she commented with a pout. "Not to freshen yourself before you leave."
"You should get dressed." Tim advised her, speaking for the first time since she'd entered the room.
"Don't be like that, Thirty-Three!" She teased, running her fingers across the breast that he'd abused. "There's plenty more fun we can have yet…"
The rest of her entreaty was lost to him as he exited the room, making sure to pull the door shut.
Julie Taylor.
Julie. Taylor.
It was mildly disturbing that she'd come to mind at such a time.
He hadn't ever thought of her in such a way. Not once. She was Coach Taylor's daughter. Saracen's ex-girlfriend.
His friend.
That was it. He decided, settling the matter. It was just a result of their conversation earlier that afternoon. A remnant. It was sticking inside his head, that was all. Didn't mean anything.
It was to be expected after such a hard afternoon, and difficult conversation.
Hell, he didn't talk about his parents with anyone.
Yeah. That was it. That was it exactly.
Picking up an ice cold bottle of beer, he pushed the thought firmly out of his head.
That was it exactly.
--
A/N: Okay...yeah...that's going to provoke a few reactions isn't it?