Julie had to admit that being compared to her baby sister and being labelled with the 'sister' tag was damaging to her ego. In fact she may have even physically recoiled when he said that. Two baby sisters? It was a fate worse than death. Sisters are definitely a no go zone, unless you are from some weird cult or something. Tim did however notice the recoil.

"But you know, I am not part of your family," Tim stuttered. She then realised he thought she was repulsed by the thought that he could be part of her family.

"Well you are at the moment. You're doing chores and looking after Gracie. You are acting like a son and brother, an extremely well behaved, helpful one. But to be honest, you are not acting like a brother to me," he looked simultaneously pleased and shocked by her statement.

"Aren't I supposed to ignore you?" Tim offered, "Isn't that what big brothers do?" Julie was officially confused.

"What big brothers are supposed to do...?" it stuttered out of her mouth like Matt on a good day. Was this role playing for him?

"Yeah well I thought I was doing okay," Tim stated.

"Tim, you are not and never will be my big brother. I am totally flattered that you were willing to give it a go but this isn't a long term arrangement." she waved her hands around the house "eventually you will be living elsewhere. I would love it if we could be friends but we are not related, no matter how much you'd like my dad to adopt you".

Her last statement hung out there like a circus performer waiting to be received on the trapeze. Gracie wriggled in Tim's arms, forgotten by both of them. His face showed no emotion at all. She felt like a royal bitch, truthfully she was one in that moment.

"I'm sorry Tim that was really unfair of me. I'm probably feeling a little frustrated. Your playing ping-pong with my dad, helping my mom out, my sister likes you more than me and you act like I don't exist. I've had enough of that in this house. It would be great if someone could see me for once" it all flowed out of her in a breathless rush. She grabbed Gracie from Tim, went bright red and shuffled off to her room. That was not what she had planned. She was completely and utterly humiliated.


The school day was torturous. It seemed like the moment she decided she could go without seeing Tim for a long while, she saw him everywhere. On the way to class she would see him in the halls and he would make a big song and dance by throwing out a

"Hey Jules," loudly across the hallway. She would duck her head and keep walking in a tight legged, very straight walk.

At lunch she sat with Lois. Of course Lois was flinging her head wildly around trying to find Tim in the cafeteria. Lois' infatuation with Tim was really off putting and made her think of her own behaviour and plotting. She really was pathetic.

To make her day considerably worse, Matt wandered through the cafeteria with the new cheer-slut. Her day just seemed to be improving. Guys didn't want the smart, decent looking, coach's daughter. They wanted the footloose and fancy free mole. Fine.


At dinner Tim attempted to make conversation with her. Julie wasn't sure who was surprised more; herself or her parents.


"So uh Julie what are you reading at the moment?" Julie looked up quickly at him surprised.


"A book, I'm sure that you're not that interested Tim," she snarked. Too little, too late buster.


"Uh okay," Tim looked a little perplexed. After having Julie ask him many questions and seeking conversation from him the past month, this was proving to be more difficult than anticipated. The Coach and Tami looked at the daughter and were unsure of where this was going too.


The next morning Julie raced to the shower early to avoid the whole Tim saga. She was over the machinations and diabolical plotting. She was the sister, ewww. After getting out of the shower, drying off and swathing the towel around her she opened the door and stepped out.


Straight into the most muscle bound chest she'd ever had the pleasure to see. Except that she bounced straight off of it and it wasn't all that painless. Embarrassed, Julie turned the shade of beets and stammered


"Oh my god Tim, I am so sorry. I can be such a klutz. So sorry. I don't know what I was thinking, So-sorry," she had a Case of the Matts again. It was then she realised that she has two very strong hands holding her upper arms to keep her steady. The tables had turned. She was now the somewhat naked individual. Even more interesting was that Tim closed his eyes and took a great big intake of air. Surely he wasn't ... smelling her. Julie was much more comfortable when it was her doing the smelling. Thanks goodness she used her strawberry body wash.


"You smell like fruit salad." Tim offered offhandedly.


"Uh thanks, I think," she accepted.


"I just want you to know that I thought about what you said and you were right. I wasn't really trying with you like with the others," it was possibly the most she had ever heard come out of Tim's mouth.


"O-kay," Julie stammered again, trying to move around the mountain of Tim directly in her path. This is what he had probably felt like when she had done this to him. Poor guy. She kept looking at her pink painted toe nails. Scrunching her toes against the carpet, doing everything not to give eye contact.


"I think I know why," at that her head snapped up and caught Tim on the chin. A crack reverberated in the hallway and Tim hollered. This was not good. Blood was poring out of his chin; apparently her head was harder than she thought. She had injured one of her father's best players. Worse, she had ruined any chance of getting some Tim of her own.