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Road Trip, Chapter One
Disclaimer: SPN and FNL are copyright their respective copyright holders. I don't own anything here and am just doing this for fun.
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Chapter One
Julie was proud that she'd managed to remain relatively calm during the actual conversation. She'd limited herself to a few questions, and then stolen a neutral statement right out of the Tami Taylor playbook. Something like “Well, if that's what you feel like you have to do.”
She did not say that she understood or that it was okay, because she didn't and it wasn't. She did manage a cool goodbye before she let the veneer of manners slip.
“Unbelievable,” Julie muttered as she slammed the receiver back into the cradle. She rubbed her face and tried to compose herself. She was not going to cry. She had to think about this logically. Come up with a new plan.
Because she spent the last several months working three jobs, planning this trip and imagining how great it was going to be. She was damned if Lois’ bailing was going to derail her dreams. No way.
Julie took a deep breath and looked around the dim interior of Riggins' Rigs. As a summer job went, it hadn't been too bad. It was Monday-Friday, during the day, which let her pick up the evening shifts at Applebee’s and weekend shifts at the swimming pool. Although Billy paid less than Applebee's, but she never had to worry about any of the customers getting handsy. And she got to hang out with Tim all day, which made the time go much faster.
“Damn, Taylor. If I didn't know better, I'd say you just got dumped,” said Tim as walked up to the front desk.
“I was. Lois dumped me...”
“You and Lois, huh? I had no idea,” said Tim, with a smirk that made Julie want to hit him.
“Very funny,” said Julie, rolling her eyes. She gestured to the map and guidebooks spread out over the table. “She bailed on our trip. You know, the one that's supposed to start tomorrow?”
Tim stuffed his hands in his pockets and hunched his shoulders. “Seriously? Why?”
“Because of her stupid boyfriend who decided he just couldn't live without her for a month....not when she's going away to college straight after.... And she loves him, so she's sure I'll understand.” Her cheeks were turning red and she was struggling to keep herself together.
“I'm sorry, Taylor. That sucks. Does this mean you're not going now?” asked Tim as he leaned against the desk.
Julie thought she heard some hopefulness in his question, but she knew that was just because Tim was dreading working alone with Billy again. The brothers were having some problems, since Billy still hadn't forgiven Tim for dropping out of college after one semester.
“I don't know....I'm trying to think of a new plan. I know there's no way my parents will let me go by myself, but I'm not sure who I can find to go with me on such short notice.”
“What about Tyra?” asked Tim.
“No, she can't take the time off and, honestly, I'm not sure I could spend a month in a car with her.”
“Landry?”
“He's still not talking to me.”
“Because of Seven? Still? Damn, the guy broke up with you and what business is it of Landry's anyway?”
“That's just Landry being Landry,” said Julie with a shrug and dismissive wave.
She quickly ran down a list of her other friends, testing each one out before thinking of reasons why they wouldn't be able to go. She sighed and folded up the map. “I think I'm pretty much out of options here.”
“I'll go with you,” said Tim.
Julie looked up at him in surprise. “You'd really want to spend a month doing a literature-based road trip?”
Tim shrugged. “Sure, why not?”
“You're not going to be bored, touring the Hemingway house or Rowan Oaks or the Tara Plantation?”
“I'm not going to lie to you, Taylor. I’ll probably be bored, a lot, but it'll be a hell of a lot better than sitting here for a month, listening to you whine about not going on the trip.”
“I do not whine,” said Julie.
“Kinda, a little bit, sometimes, you do. Besides, I need to get away from here for awhile.”
“But Billy-”
“Don't worry about it. I'll take care of that.”
Julie looked down at the desk, still covered in guidebooks and pages printed from web sites. Even though the map was folded up, she could picture the route in her head, could trace it out on the desk. For months, she'd lived and breathed nothing but the planning of this great adventure.
“You're sure you really want to do this? You understand what you're getting yourself into?” asked Julie, giving him a chance to back out.
“Yes, I understand. Are you sure you want me to go with you?”
Julie nodded. “Yeah. It'll be fun.”
“Great, so what time should I pick you up tomorrow?”
“Oh no, we're driving my car. That's non-negotiable. This is going to be hard enough to sell to my parents without giving them your death-trap of a truck to worry about.”
“She's not a death-trap, Taylor. You just hurt my feelings,” said Tim, the half-smile on his face clearly saying otherwise.
“I'm sorry, Tim. She's not a death trap. She's an unreliable rust bucket.”
“OK, fine, so you'll pick me up tomorrow?”
“No...well, see, Lois was sleeping over tonight. And I'm thinking this will go a lot better if you're there.”
“Your parents aren't going to like this.”
“No, but there's not much they can do about it,” Julie said, her mouth set in a thin determined line while she mentally rehearsed her arguments. This could work. She knew this could work.
“All right then,” said Tim, looking at the clock. It was quarter to five and all of the cars that were ready for the day had already been collected. “Give me a few minutes to talk to Billy and then we can swing by my place so I can pack a bag.”
Julie smiled and nodded, then watched him walk away. It would be a different trip with Tim along, but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.
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This will be quite ... interesting.
OTOH, by taking Julie's itsybitsy car, Julie can point out there will be no getting preggers in the back seat. They'll have to rent a hotel room for that.
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(psst! Applebees)
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And thanks for the catch.
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“I'm sorry, Tim. She's not a death trap. She's an unreliable rust bucket.”
=)!
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Oh, that sounds like Tim.
I love the possibility in this story. Can't wait to see how Tim responds.
And Tim along? Not such a bad thing at all. :)
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