Title: Someone Like You
AN: Thanks bunches to those of you that reviewed the last chapter. I love to hear what you ladies think about each chapter. I may not be able to update again for a week or so. I'm going to the beach tomorrow for a much needed vacation! I may or may not have time to write/post the next chapter until I get home. So, enjoy this one and I'll be sure and drink a margarita (or two!) for all you ladies :D As Tim would say, Cheers!
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Julie groans loudly, an incessant ringing bringing her out of her deep sleep.
She rolls over, and attempts to open her eyes, the light from the window quickly causing her to groan again.
"Julie, answer your phone already." Liza mumbles from her bed across the room.
Julie reaches for her purse lying on the floor, pulling her phone out.
It was probably her mother. It had become Tami's ritual to call on Sunday's to check in.
"Hello." Julie mumbles, laying her head back down on her pillow and closing her eyes.
"Mornin' Grapefruit." Tim drawls, a hint of a smile in his voice. "Rise and shine."
"Tim." Julie says quietly, surprised to hear his cheery voice – too damn cheery for her.
He chuckles. "What's wrong Taylor? You sound a little out of it."
"It's early. Too early for you to be calling."
"It's almost 1:00 Taylor. You've slept the day away." He says.
Julie turns her head to look at the clock. Damn, he was right.
"I don't really feel like hearing any jokes about me not being able to hold my alcohol right now Tim." She says.
She really didn't feel like doing anything but lying in bed, perfectly still with her eyes closed.
"I'll save 'em for later then." Tim says. "I actually called, well other than to make sure you were still breathing, to call in a favor."
Julie runs her hand over her face. "Favor?"
"Yeah. Remember all the times I've saved your ass, including last night?"
No. Julie didn't remember much of anything from last night to be honest.
"What do you want?" She asks quietly.
"I've got a five page paper due tomorrow, and I've done everything I can – used a bigger font, changed the margins – everything, and mine's only three pages. I need you to help make it longer." He says quickly.
"Tim, do you have any idea how bad my head is hurting? I don't think I can open my eyes, much less help you write a paper."
He chuckles. "I'm a master of hangovers Taylor. Look on your table there and take three Tylenol and drink some water."
Julie glances over to see a bottle of Tylenol and a glass of water sitting there. Tim had obviously placed them there last night.
Oh shit. Julie quickly throws back her blanket, thankfully seeing that she still has her clothes on.
Thank God. It was one thing to have Tim tuck her in, but it would have been down right embarrassing if he had undressed her too.
"Hello…are you listenin' to me Taylor?"
"Huh?" Julie says. "Yeah. Yeah. Tylenol and water."
"Right. Then drag yourself into the shower for a good ten, fifteen minutes. Then eat something - a granola bar, crackers - whatever you got in your room."
"I don't think I can eat." She grimaces. "I don't think I can make it to the shower either."
Tim chuckles quietly. "Yes you can. I promise."
"Don't make promises you can't keep." She says quickly.
"I don't." He says simply. "So get your ass up, do what I said, and I'll meet you at the campus library at 3:00."
"Yes master." She says sarcastically.
"There's the smartass I know and love." He says with a laugh. "Get movin'. See yah later."
He disconnects before she can say anything else.
She closes the phone and lays there for a moment, a small smile on her face.
She knew he didn't mean anything by using the 'L' word, but she couldn't help but feel a little happy.
Groaning, she sits up in bed and takes the medicine like Tim had instructed, before moving very slowly toward the bathroom.
If anyone knew a thing or two about hangovers, it was definitely Tim Riggins, she thinks with a grin.
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As Julie slowly made her way up the library steps, she was beginning to feel like she might actually live.
Her head was still hurting, but the queasiness had subsided and she felt tons better than she had felt just a few hours ago.
Now that she knew she was going to live, she was busy trying to remember what the hell happened the night before.
She was praying that she hadn't done or said anything embarrassing. She knows if she did, Tim would never let her hear the end of it.
She remembered the party, and bits and pieces of riding in Tim's truck. She's pretty sure she remembers lying on her bed, but it's all kind of hazy.
Julie knew that Tim helped her into her room, and he had even gone so far as to have the meds and water waiting for her when she woke up.
It was really a sweet gesture when she thought about it – which she was trying not to do.
She didn't want to think of the words 'sweet' and 'Tim' in the same sentence. It would just make him a little more appealing, and she didn't need that.
As she walks into the large library she sees him sitting at a table near the back, his head bent over a textbook, fiddling with a pencil resting behind his ear.
Julie couldn't help but smile at the sight. Tim Riggins in a library was not something she was used to seeing.
She doubted he had ever stepped foot in Dillon High's library, well other than sneaking in between bookshelves making out with rally girls. Julie was pretty sure he had never checked out a book.
As she makes her way toward him, he looks up and gives her his best Tim Riggins smile. The man was really too gorgeous for his own good.
"Taylor." He says as she slides into the seat across from him. "You look a little green, but not too bad."
"Haha." Julie says quickly. "I don't ever recall making fun of you and your drunkenness before. And God knows I've had plenty of chances."
Tim smirks. "You okay?"
"My head still hurts, but not nearly as bad as it was. I think I may live."
"That's good." Tim says with another smirk. "I'd hate to have to call someone else to help with this paper."
Julie snorts. "Glad to know that's the only reason you'd hate for me to kill over."
Tim shrugs, a grin on his face.
"Look, I've gotta ask you something, and I want you to be honest with me." Julie says. "No bullshit okay?"
Tim nods.
"I don't remember all that much from last night, especially the latter part of the party. I didn't do anything embarrassing did I?" Julie asks, biting her lip.
Tim looks down at his textbook, quiet for a few seconds before looking back up at her.
"Well, you did tell me that I had the body of a god." He says with a smirk.
Julie rolls her eyes. "Tim, seriously. Did I do anything embarrassing for real?"
He laughs. "Nah. No worries."
Julie sighs. That was good to hear, she thinks, giving him a smile.
Tim was giving her a look that she really couldn't read. He was looking at her intently, with this little half smile on his lips. Almost like he knew something that she didn't.
"What?" She asks quickly.
"Nothing." He says, sitting up and passing her his paper. "This is what I got so far."
Julie takes the paper, taking a few minutes to read over it.
"Tim, this is pretty good." Julie says, giving him a smile. "Are you sure you didn't track down a rally girl to do this?"
He smirks. "I tried. Not too many rally girls in Austin."
"Seriously though, it's good. We just need to expand on some of these main points, add a few paragraphs, and it'll be perfect."
Tim sighs loudly. "Good. It's my first big paper in this class and I don't want to start off failing already."
"Not gonna happen. Let me see that pen." Julie says. "Lucky for you, you've got me to help yah out."
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As Tim lounged on his couch later that evening, he couldn't help but think of Julie's words.
'Lucky for you, you've got me' – how true that was. Although he was pretty damn sure Julie didn't mean it the same way he did.
He had been worried about things being awkward when she showed up because of the kiss.
But she hadn't remembered, and he couldn't make up his mind whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. Whether he should feel relieved or pissed off.
He had started to tell her, but what the hell did he say? And she probably wouldn't have believed him anyways. She hadn't believed the comment about his body.
Tim looks up to see Josh coming into the apartment, a pizza box in his hand.
"Curly." Tim says in greeting.
"Hey Riggs. Grabbed us a pizza on the way back. Thought we'd catch that Cowboys game on tonight."
Tim nods. "Pregame's on."
Tim walks to the kitchen and grabs a couple of beers for the both of them and heads back to the couch.
"Thanks man." Josh says, taking a slice of the pizza for himself, as Tim does the same.
The two eat in silence for a few minutes, watching the pre-game show.
"So, did you get Julie to help you with that paper like you said?" Josh asks, grabbing another slice of pizza.
"Yeah." Tim says. "She managed to make it five pages, so I'm good to go."
Josh nods. "Uh, did she say anything about Liza or anything?"
Tim grins. Josh was trying to be all nonchalant about it, but Tim could tell he was dying to know if anything was said about him.
"Yeah. She said Liza told her that y'all fucked like rabbits last night and you were the best she's ever had."
Josh laughs. "I wish man."
"Nah. She said that Liza was asking about you, but Julie didn't have much to tell her other than you're my roommate." Tim says with a shrug.
"Well, if she's askin' about me, that's obviously a good thing, right?" Josh says. "I mean, that shows she's interested."
Tim grins. "You interested?"
"Hell yeah man." Josh says quickly. "She's cute. She's funny too. I don't know. I had fun with her last night."
Tim nods. "Well call her. Ask her out."
"Yeah maybe." Josh says, pausing. "How 'bout we double date. Me and Liza, you and Julie."
Tim almost chokes on his beer. "I don't think so." He says, shaking his head.
"Why not? It would be fun."
"Me and Taylor are friends. That's it." Tim says with a shrug.
Josh grins. "Me thinks you protest too much."
Tim shakes his head, taking a drink from his bottle of beer.
"Seriously Riggs, it's obvious you two like each other. All that flirting." Josh says, nodding his head at Tim's incredulous look. "Hey, she's hot. Why not go for it?"
Tim sits there for a second, staring at the television but not seeing it at all.
Why not go for it? He'd been asking himself that question all damn day. Ever since she'd kissed his lips.
"You don't understand, Curly. She's Julie Taylor." Tim says simply.
"And you're Tim Riggins."
Tim grins. "Exactly."
"I wasn't agreeing with you man." Josh says with a short laugh.
"She's the Coach's daughter."
"You gotta have a better excuse than that. You ain't in Dillon no more Riggs." Josh says with a forced twang in his voice.
"Well how 'bout the fact that she's just out of my league. Plain and simple." Tim says, leaning his head back on the couch.
"Tim, you could have your choice of women. They practically throw themselves at you man. I've seen it happen – it's like a force of nature or something. And you could have Julie too if you'd try."
Tim shakes his head. "I don't know."
"I do." Josh says, propping his feet on the table. "You should go for it. Definitely worth thinking about."
Tim nods. He knew it was worth thinking about. He just wasn't sure it was worth acting on.
The two sit quietly for a few moments, Tim lost in thought.
"So...how 'bout you tell me me everything you know about Liza." Josh says slyly.
"Well..." Tim drawls. "She don't like crazy Austin drivers." He says, grinning at the confused look on Josh's face.