Man of His Word
Title: Man of His Word
Author: crucifictorius
Characters: Tami/Coach Taylor
Timeline: Pre-Series
Summary: She still remembers the first time she laid eyes on him.
She still remembers the first time she laid eyes on him. It was Billy Anderson's 17th birthday party, for the teenagers of Odessa, the social event of the year. The party to end all parties the invitation had proclaimed. Billy Anderson was star quarter back of the Panthers and in a town where high school football meant everything, Billy Anderson may as well have been mayor. A student's entire social future was decided upon whether or not a black and white (team mojo's colors) invitation awaited you in your locker on the first Monday back from spring break.
While other girl's raced to their lockers first thing that Monday morning, breaking into song and dance if their name was on Billy's list, the not so lucky few sprinting down the crowded school corridors, their faces streaming with tears, Tami didn't even bother to look. She knew there would be no little black envelope with the Panthers insignia printed across the front waiting for her to rip apart.
Billy's girlfriend didn't need an invitation, she was the guest of honor.
The party that year had exceeded even Billy's expectations and by four am not a single guest had left and not all guests were still standing. Tami had been sitting on the porch swing, beer in hand as she watched in amusement as Adam 'Rocket' Turner, second string running back, threw up the contents of him stomach into a nearby pot plant.
Sensing a pair of eyes on her, she smiled softly and began to scan the crowd in search of her boyfriend. She paused for a moment as her eyes fell upon an unfamiliar face watching her from across the yard. She couldn't help but feel unnerved by him. There were no unfamiliar faces in Odessa, everyone knew everyone and there certainly were no unfamiliar faces at Billy Anderson's birthday party. The way he was looking at her sent tingles up her spice, the way he stood there so confidently. Grinning at her in spite of her questioning glare.
The smile seemed to remain planted on his face, even as he took a swig of the bottle he held in his hand, Coca-Cola not beer, she noted. As she continued looking at the stranger, watching him watch her, she couldn't hold back the involuntary upturn of the corners of her mouth and she prayed to god that nobody noticed the red flush of her cheeks as she watched him moisten his lips a hint of cherry red tongue.
Tami jumped slightly at the feel of an arm around her shoulder, swallowing the lump in her throat as she turned towards the intruder, preparing herself for an encounter with a jealous and very intoxicated boyfriend who had probably been watching the entire exchange from his position on the patio. A relieved puff of air crept from her mouth as she met the bloodshot eyes of Rocket Turner.
"I need to chuck," he eloquently informed her, the four words slurring together into one.
"Oh honey, you already did," Tami said, wincing slightly at the severe smell of alcohol emanating from the football player before her. "Why don't you go lie down? You'll feel better ok? Trust me."
Rocket looked blankly towards Tami, the words taking a few moments to process in his alcohol drowned mind. He nodded slowly, removing his arm from its embrace around her shoulder and proceeded to drop to the floor at Tami's feet, his head resting on the toes of her knee high leather boots.
She looked down at Rocket, briefly wondering if he was alright before a shiver ran down her spine. She didn't have to turn around to know it was him, that the tall, dark and handsome stranger was the person standing behind her. Standing behind her close enough that she could feel his warm breath on her bare shoulder.
"You ok?" he questioned and she turned her head slightly, the motion forcing her head towards his, their faces merely inches apart. His breath no longer feathering her shoulder, now she felt every puff on her dry lips.
His eyes bore into hers and for the first time in her seventeen years on earth, Tami Gaines was completely speechless. She tried to force the lump, which she suspected was her rampaging heart, back down her throat so she could form some sort of verbal sound. But in the end a slight nod was all she could offer.
The two continued staring at each other in silence for a few moments, neither blinking, neither looking away. Almost as if their eyes were conversing with one another.
"You should know," he began with a certain air of confidence about his tone that left Tami biting her lip in anticipation, waiting for him to continue. "I'm going to marry you one day."
He gave her one last look, a look that she knew was telling her that he was serious and then plucking his keys from his pocket, he turned and began walking towards the back gate. And as she watched him make his way through the crowd, throwing his keys in the air every few steps, she smiled softly; having no doubt that he was a man of his word.