Disclaimer – You recognise it, I don't own it.
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"Your girl?" Tim spoke softly, "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."
To be honest, Tim had already figured out six different ways to take the bully down without badly breaking cover. But he was curious and wanted to see just how far Eric would go.
How far people would let Eric go.
That and Tim was really confused. He certainly hadn't been bothering any girls. He'd spent the entire service, sitting relatively quietly; alternating between listening and reading the Bible.
"Christina." The name was almost spat into Tim's face.
Tim blinked, as he collected his thoughts.
"A very pretty girl." Tim replied calmly, "I wasn't aware that she belonged to anyone other than herself."
"She's my girlfriend!"
"Then that would make you her boyfriend." Tim returned politely, "You are very lucky that she has chosen you."
Tim wasn't entirely confident in his ability to talk his way out of the situation. He didn't know enough details. He didn't know enough about Eric and didn't have the time to learn.
"And you were hitting on her!"
Not again, Tim mentally sighed. He'd missed someone flirting with him again. And she had been upset. So she'd set her boyfriend on him.
Tim was merely a piece of meat to entertain her.
Casting his eyes past the jock, Tim managed to see her. Standing on the edges, watching with gleeful anticipation. This was Tim's punishment for not flirting back with her.
Judging from her eyes, Tim would have gotten beaten up, no matter what he had done. This was her form of entertainment. This was a game to her.
Tim wondered just how much of Eric's reputation as a bully was down to Christina's meddling. And how much was what had attracted her to him.
"No." Tim stated evenly, "She asked me if I wanted something to drink. I cannot move very easily at the moment, so it was only logical to accept her offer to fetch me something. I apologise if she interpreted my friendliness as flirting. However, I have no interest in her as anything other than a friend at present."
"Are you saying that she's not good enough for you?"
"I currently have a broken leg. Are you so determined to beat someone up that you will target a stranger with a cast and crutches?"
"Are you so pathetic that you'll hide behind them? Either you were hitting on my girl or you don't think she's good enough for you!"
"Or I could be focusing on my healing for the moment. Not just physical, but mental. I don't have the emotional capacity to start a relationship at the present moment. It would not be fair on any would-be significant other to start a relationship where I carry so much unsorted baggage. A friendship would be a far more sensible place to start."
"So you're all screwed up in the head are you? Freak!"
"Possibly, yes. Are you going to hit me? Or are you going to walk away? Trust me, I am so many different kinds of injured right now that an honest to god bruise is going to be a refreshing relief."
That got a reaction. Eric reared back. It seemed that he did have some limits.
"I am currently being held together with sticking plaster and thread. Almost literally." Tim continued, "I have a broken heart and a broken soul. I have so many sharp edges I should come with a warning label. Just leave me alone. I am no threat to your relationship. Although I would ask you to take a good hard look at it. Looks to me like she's manipulating you."
Eric took a step back and then another. Then he clearly seemed to realize the image he was portraying. He turned and stalked away, as if that had always been his intent. As if he had done everything he had intended to do.
Tim's gaze flicked to Christina. She wasn't happy. The momentary scowl on her face was clear to see, before she wiped it away for a fake smile. Tim quickly categorised her as dangerous. She liked violence and she liked to watch. She was the King on her little chessboard and enjoyed watching other people dance to her whims and fight at her command.
And Tim was sure that she had her sights set on him. Her reasons, he wasn't sure about, but he was betting towards him being a stranger and not attracted to her being the top two possibilities.
"I was expecting that to end in violence." An older woman sat down next to Tim.
"I have always had a fast tongue." Tim smiled back at her.
She was old enough to be his mother, if not his grandmother; depending on when she started.
"Are you alright, son?" She asked him gently, "Eric is not known for being kind."
"Kind, no. But I also don't think he has a reputation for being cruel either. I'm Tim."
"Josephine. Eric is known for being tough. A bully, also."
"I'd ascribe more of his actions to Christina. I don't know why she chose me as a target…"
"She was flirting with you. You didn't respond."
"She was… Flirting?"
"You didn't notice?"
"I'm… I'm not good at spotting flirting aimed at me. All of my exs will agree to that."
"All of them?"
"Pretty much, yeah."
"How did you end up dating them, then?"
"You know… I'm still not entirely sure. I think I just drifted into the relationships. I certainly wasn't a good boyfriend. I was inattentive so Ariana cheated on me. And I didn't listen when she tried to tell me. Zoanne… There was a spark… But it died. I could have fought to keep it alive, but I didn't. Steph… She threw a brick at me."
"I hope that was when you broke up."
"Oh, no. That was before we were dating. She thought I was following her. She didn't live in a good part of town. I ended up helping her through her pregnancy."
"Pregnant?"
"Not mine. I wasn't even a suspect, as she put it. But he wasn't going to hang around. So I helped out. She needed someone."
"And yet you still broke up?"
"We were too different. We kept too many secrets from each other. It wasn't a good break-up actually. But we're friends now. Though we'll never date again."
"And you aren't dating anyone now?"
"You're curious, aren't you? I suppose you would be. A stranger in town. Someone new. Got a daughter or a niece you're thinking of setting me up with?"
"Yes."
"You don't know anything about me."
"You're staying with Jon and Martha. They're good people. You'd be the right age to be a friend of Conner. And he's a good kid. So you must be a good kid too."
"You don't want me dating anyone."
"Why not? You didn't resort to violence. You talked your way out of that whole situation."
"Loving me isn't easy. I have sharp edges, I have missing parts." Tim stated bluntly, "I'm not the kind of person you love. I never have been."
"You can't mean that. Everyone is loved by someone."
"Not me. Look Josephine, I appreciate you wanting to make the stranger welcome. But I don't like people meddling in my business. It has never meant anything good for me. People only ever want to use me. I accepted that a long time ago. I'm not staying long. I'm not someone you want your… whatever involved with. Just leave me be. Focus your attention on Eric. He needs more help than anyone in this town."
"Eric's a bully."
"I doubt it is by choice."
"We keep hoping that Christina will redeem him. She's a good girl."
"She has a love of violence and a sadistic streak."
"She's the Vicar's daughter."
"I have often found that the professions of a parent do not dictate the nature of a child. She's dangerous. A vicious mind behind a pretty face."
"You just don't know her. She's a beautiful soul."
"I wonder who you'll blame when she gets someone killed." Tim remarked, "I wish you good day, Josephine. Mind how you go."
He rose to his crutches and made his way out of the Church. He didn't fail to notice the calculating gaze of Christina that was fixated on him for a moment.
"How did you find the service?" Jon asked gently, as joined Tim at the pick-up.
"Confusing." Tim shrugged, "I don't understand enough to understand the reasons."
"The reasons?" Jon frowned.
"Why does a Font have eight sides? Why was the predominant colour today green? I know purple is used. Why does Saint John have an Eagle? Why does Saint Laurence have a grid?"
"Symbology." Jon realized, "You want to know why things are the way they are."
"The more I know, the more I can understand and the more I can use what I know."
"Use?"
"Knowledge is a tool. I enjoy learning for learning's sake. But I enjoy being able to use it just as much. You never know when a little snippet might be relevant."
"You must be hell to play Trivial Pursuits against."
Tim broke into the first honest smile that Jon had seen on his face.
"You know, that's what Conner always says. He always tries to get on my team."
"There's that smile."
"What smile?"
"A real one. Kid, I know I don't have any right to interfere. And I certainly don't want you to take this the wrong way… But I'd rather see a real smile than a fake one. And if it isn't real… Then don't put it on. I like being able to see what you're feeling. Even if that's nothing at all… Even if it's something negative."
"I'm not sure I can do that. No one's ever wanted me to show what I feel… Certainly not the negative stuff."
"I'm not No-one. I've never been to sea. And I'm not all that fond of sheep… Plus my archery is terrible."
"You're a closet Geek, aren't you?" Tim snorted.
"I just liked Mythology as a kid. Thought you'd get the reference."
"Thanks. I think I needed that."
"Kid, you need a lot more than that. You need to laugh more."
"Not been all that in my life to laugh at… By the way, Christina? She's dangerous."
"How dangerous?"
"I don't know yet. But I'm thinking at least low level Sociopath. Possibly Psychopath. I don't know. I'd need to know more. She could be a Sadist or just cruel. But she's dangerous. She's the kind of person to organise violence, stand back to enjoy it, before putting the blame on someone else. She's smart enough and manipulative enough for that. It wouldn't surprise me if she's done it already. Maybe nothing big, but…"
"But there's someone out there who got hurt because of her."
"I believe so… Just… watch yourself. I don't know how far she'll go."
"I understand… Don't tell Martha… She might try to fix things."
"I think I agree with you on that one. She is a bit of a fixer."
"She means well."
"We judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions."
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Please Review.
I write stories because I can't draw. I have all these images in my head that I cannot reproduce. So I try to describe them with words. If anyone else would like to try to translate what I have written into what they think I saw in my head, they have my permission. I only ask that I be notified of it, so that I may look and go "Ooooh!".
Many thanks to my reviewers.