Goals.

Friday Night Lights.

Don Billingsley.

Garrett Hedlund.

fan fiction.

hatericeviolence.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT CLAIM TO OWN FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS OR ANY OF ITS RESPECTIVE CHARACTERS. NOR DO I CLAIM THIS HAPPENED TO THE REAL LIFE CHARACTERS PORTRAYED IN FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS.

3. The huddle

I woke up with a splitting headache, hearing the sounds of yelling. It didn't click. I couldn't remember what happened. I stirred and pulled the sheets up over my head when it hit me. I was naked and the bed side next to me was warm. I pulled the sheets down and looked to where the yelling was. Standing at the end of the bed was Don and an oddly familiar looking guy who was tall with dark hair. I knew him. I met him. What was his name? What was his name…?

Collin.

"What's going on?" I moaned, just wanting the yelling to stop.

Don shoved Collin to the floor before kicking him, literally, out of the door. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked, coming closer to me.

The smell of beer on his breath made me wince as I turned my head away from him and nodded. "I'm fine." I looked back at him and shrugged as I propped myself up. "I think."

"Good, good." He sat down on the bed next to me and let his head hit the headboard. "I was kind of worried. You disappeared last night."

"Last night?" I blurted aloud. Last night? So, it's not Saturday and I'm in a stranger's bed. I looked around the room and quickly realized that there was no way I was at Regina's…unless Regina loves Hockey and Soccer and wears jockstraps. "This isn't Regina's…"

"No, she said you left with Bridgette and Bridgette said she hadn't seen you."

"So, you came to find me?"

"That I did."

"What time is it?"

He glanced over to the other side of the bed nearest to the dresser. "4:15."

"PM?" I sat up quickly, instantly regretting it with the pounding headache.

"No," he said grabbing the sheets and placing them over my shoulders. I realized then that I was still naked and grabbed onto them and cuddled in. "No, it's still AM. The party just started to end maybe twenty minutes ago."

I nodded, leaned forward, and put my head into the sheets. I was embraced. My first party and what happens? I get drunk and pass out with some college guy to just have number twenty-six come to find me and save me. "Awesome," I mumbled as his hand snuck up my back and startled me.

"Come on. Let's get you dressed and get you home." The bed's weight shifted as he got up and searched the room. I watched him with my head still down. Of all the things that could have happened, this happened. Don came to my rescue…but I still had no idea what happened. He looked over to me and made a concernable face.

"What?"

"I don't see your clothes."

"What?" I sat up quickly and let my eyes drift around the room. "What do you mean you don't see my clothes?"

"I mean they are not here," he said slowly while approaching me again. He stood next to me by the bed and took off his shirt and passed it to me. "Put it on and I'll take you home."

"Your shirt? Really? This does not solve my problem. We can go to Regina's. She has my stuff."

He grunted and turned away from me as I slid on his shirt. "I guess. I'll be in the car-"

"Hey, no, I'm coming with you. You're like my knight in shining armor," I whispered, realizing what I said and shaking my head.

He turned around and smiled at me. "You know it's probably the worst time to say this but I-uh, I need to make sure the car is even here."

I stood there for a moment after he walked out of the door and felt like an idiot. Part of me for a minute thought he would say something completely different…but then again, I am naked besides from his shirt and it isn't from his doing. Carina is probably right…Don would never go after someone like me. I shook my head and followed him out of the door and to the car where he was standing with the door open. Pale faced, I got in and sat quietly as he got in and pulled out of the driveway.

"Nothing happened. I would have killed him if anything had," he said lowly with both hands on the wheel and his stare heading forward.

"Thanks, Don."

"Where do you live?"

My eyes rolled towards his direction when it sunk it. There was no way I could go home like this. "All my stuff is at Regina's…"

"Her parents will not be very happy if I show up at this hour." He glanced over to me then nodded quickly. "We will go to my place. As long as you're okay with that."

Was I okay with that? After all of this…was that even a good idea? I mean, was it? It was a lot to take in. A lot to even consider. I reminded myself quickly that I did have his shirt on and had nothing else on. I think I might be okay with hiding out for a little while. "Okay."

Don nodded and drove on with ease. I guess it was nice. I mean, he was worried about me…I think, at least. He wanted me to be safe and not naked. I should be grateful but the half-naked number twenty-six next to me is a little off putting. I couldn't have expected this. I couldn't have dreamed it if I wanted to. He parked outside of the house and walked to the door before stopping. "Be quiet, okay? My dad's probably not feeling well."

I nodded. I heard about his dad. His drinking problems were worst than Don's. I had seen him at the games before. He was violent towards Don, always screaming and yelling. I never really understood why. I followed him in the house and to his room. It wasn't what I expected. It was clean, grayscale, and then there was a bed. It only had a pillow and a blanket. Nothing fancy. Nothing that would have suggested that he had a name for bringing girls in here.

He closed the door behind us and opened up a drawer, pulling out a pair of shorts and handing them to me. "This is all I have but I'm sure it's better than nothing. I can get you another shirt," He walked away from the dresser and to the closet, ripping a shirt off a hanger and throwing it towards me, then waited with his back turned to me.

I took my que and went ahead and changed before sitting down on his bed. And this is where the magic happens, I thought. I regretted thinking it. Part of me suddenly wanted to burn it. Don slowly turned around before exhaling and plopping down on the bed. I looked back at him. He was using his arm as a pillow and leaving the pillow just sitting there. Confused, I laid down, not sure if it was what I was supposed to do.

"You know this wasn't how I wanted to get you in bed," he laughed. My face flattened and he put his hand on my shoulder before shaking me lightly. "I'm just kidding. I wasn't really planning on how to-you know, this was a…memorable night."

"Lucky I don't remember it."

"Nothing at all?"

I shrugged and rolled over to my side, facing him. "A little but not much."

"Do you even remember getting to the party?"

"Yeah, I remember that…" I trailed off. The little details were surfacing in my head. Conditioning, burgers, Regina's, the party, loosing everyone, the staircase… "Hey, Don."

"Hey, Daphne."

"Why aren't you for keeps? You seem like you'd be a really nice guy for someone. I mean, you went searching for me and now are taking care of me. You could be a great keeper."

He shook his head and rolled onto his back before exhaling loudly. "I'm not made for it. There's a difference between caring and giving a damn."

"Explain."

His head faced me for a minute before returning to glare at the ceiling. "Why are you so interested?"

"I guess I'm not-"

Don cut me off by catching me off guard and pulling me closer towards him while he tried to kick the blanket upend over our legs. "I'm kind of surprised Regina hasn't given you the 'back off' order yet. Everyone looks at my mistakes. Regardless of how many times I do something right, the only thing they ever see are the times I didn't do it right. To them, I never will do it right. So I just stopped giving a damn. I can care all day long but I just can't give a damn anymore. The more you do, the more it'll eat you alive."

"I don't judge your mistakes."

"You don't know them."

I propped myself up on my elbows and looked at him. "Maybe I know what you're saying better than you think." Of course I knew them. I wasn't a new student. I went to middle school with these people. I've been around their mistakes for so long. I've heard all about them. I know how Odessa feels about Don. Yeah, maybe he isn't the best person in the world but he tries to be the best him that he can be.

"You'll change your mind."

"I haven't yet."

He moved my arms so I wasn't propped up anymore and scooted me closer. "I like you, Daphne, but I know your impression of me will change."

"I don't think so unless it's for the better." He smiled and kissed my hair, holding onto me until I fell to sleep. I was laying there with Don in the same place when a loud noise tore thru my sleep and caused us both to jolt upright.

His father threw a football towards us and Don slapped it away. "Dad, what the hell."

"Come on, sweetie. He can't catch a damn ball why do you think you can hold on to him?" His words slurred as Don got up and pushed him out of the room.

"Dad, shut up. You're still drunk, Dad, and you need to leave-"

"Don't tell me what to do! You can't catch a ball!" His father slapped him and Don just stepped back, just standing there as his father yelled at him. Something told me this was common. Maybe even why Don acts the way he does. Maybe even the reason why he drinks…and brings girls home. This must be why he says he's not a keeper. He feels worthless. All because of his father. And for what? Because he can't catch a ball? There are more important things in life.

Don shook his head as his father finally gave up and walked out of the room. He looked back at me then back at the door. "Let me take you home." I sat there on the bed for a moment before nodding and walking out with him