A/N: Basically just another little oneshot that I had floating around in my brain and no place for it to go, doesn't really fit into anything Tulie that I've got on the go at the moment! But what can I say, I like the idea of it, so I thought I'd post it for you to read as well! Mostly Tulie friendship, although you could possibly look at it as a Landing Strip Fantasies sequel!
Enjoy and let me know what you think!
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Want A Ride?
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"Hey Tyra, sorry I'm late." Julie apologised slipping into the booth that the blonde and her boyfriend Landry were sitting in.
Tyra gave a weak smile and then scowled at Landry. Turning back to Julie she said, "Matt's here."
Julie glanced around the crowed diner but didn't spot her ex. She gave a shrug, trying to play down the situation. "He has as much right to be here as everyone else."
"No, I mean he's here. With his latest ho, somebody," She stressed shooting another scowl in Landry's direction, "Invited them along."
"I didn't know you'd already invited Julie!" Landry protested in his defence. "You didn't tell me until after I told you that Matt was coming."
Julie shifted awkwardly in her seat, nails digging into her denim clad thigh at the thought of being stuck in a booth with Matt and his latest girl on a date, along with Tyra and Landry.
Just because she and Matt was over didn't mean that she didn't feel a pang in her heart each time she saw him out with someone else.
It was getting better though.
She didn't have anyone to blame but herself after that mistake with the Swede and she'd accepted that and was in the process of moving on.
Unfortunately she didn't happen to be moving on as fast as Matt.
"It's not your fault." She assured Tyra in her best consoling manner. "I'll be fine." Lie, lie, lie! Her mind screamed. "It'll be fine." It was going to be so awkward!
No sooner than the words were out of her mouth than Matt appeared, a tall, slender, impeccably dressed brunette clinging to his hand.
He paused visibly seeing Julie sitting with Tyra and Landry before continuing on his way.
"Hey Matt! Tyra invited Julie along, you don't mind do you?" Landry asked.
"N-no." Matt replied and looking anxiously between his date and ex-girlfriend. He swallowed hard and sat down, shifting along the booth seat and pulling the brunette with him to he was stuck in the middle of the two girls.
"This is Vicky." He said, introducing the rally girl to the table. "Landry, Tyra and J-Julie." He said as if Vicky didn't know who each of them was. Who didn't know Tim Riggins infamous ex, his old girlfriend or his best friend at least by sight.
Silence stretched across the table, broken when the waitress appeared to take their orders, and then resumed as she left.
Julie's stomach rolled, and she sucked in a deep breath wondering how she was going to force down the burger and fries she ordered because she couldn't think of what else they sold and the words on the menu she'd been clutching didn't make sense.
"So…" Julie started looking for something to say, "How are you getting on with that English project?" She asked addressing Tyra.
Tyra shrugged and rolled her eyes, but gave evidence that she was a good friend by launching into a detailed explanation of the project she'd been assigned and the downfalls and stupidity of the teacher.
Julie nodded, making the odd comment and tried to pay attention, conscious of the attention they were attracting. Her eyes flickered out scanning a few of the other tables before returning to Tyra for another 'uh huh' and then drifting away again.
Tyra's rant was brought to an end though by the appearance of Tim Riggins.
Vicky sat a little straighter and smiled flirtatiously at the Fullback as he approached, "Hey Tim!"
On his part Tim merely glanced at her briefly before his attention turned to the other people at the table. "QB, Lando, Tyra." He drawled and then shot a little smile in her direction. "Hey Jules."
He didn't bother to acknowledge the rally girl, and though it was rude, Julie couldn't stop of the warmth of satisfaction running through her body. She could have kissed him. "Hey Tim." She chirped feeling in a better mood
His eyes darted over to Matt and then back to her, and he raised his eye brows in question.
Julie's lifted of their own accord and she glanced over at Tyra pointedly before looking back at him.
He nodded in understanding. "Have you got your cell phone with you Lando?" Tim asked, tearing his attention away from Julie.
Landry pulled his cell out of his pocket and handed it over. "If I find there are any sex line numbers on the bill; I'm coming after you Riggs." He threatened.
Tim smirked at him with a devil may care attitude, amused at the comment.
Matt cracked at smile and Julie chuckled lightly while Tyra scowled at Vicky who was giggling like it was the funniest thing she'd ever heard.
"Just cause you don't want to get busted Landry, don't blame me." Tim shot back, "Jules." He said in parting before turning away and heading back to his own table.
"Since when have you and Tim been so buddy buddy?" Tyra hissed at Julie as soon as the Fullback was out of ear shot. "Don't think I missed that silent conversation between the two of you!"
"Tyra!" Julie hissed not wanting to get chewed out in front of Matt and Vicky, "Relax. He's just being friendly, probably trying to wind you up." She told the blonde.
Tyra frowned but dropped the subject aware that Matt was sitting stiffly while his date listened on with unconcealed interest.
Her phone buzzed from it's place in her bag, and Julie jumped not expecting it.
Digging through the various bits and pieces that she always kept in it she located her cell and flipped it open. 1 Message, the screen read. Flicking through to open the message, Julie brow creased in confusion as Landry's name appeared. But Landry didn't have his cell…her head shot up, but Julie forced herself to look back down at her phone before she gave herself away by looking over at Tim. Having fun?
She snorted quietly to herself as she replied, I think you know the answer to that, and sent the message.
"Sorry," she apologised, snapping the phone shut and slipping it back into her bag.
"How was practice?" Tyra asked Matt and Landry out of sheer desperation of something to say.
"Oh, g-good." Matt said, "Today we-"
His voice was cut off by the sound of Julie's phone buzzing once again. "Carry on," Julie instructed him, blocking out the rest of his speech as she flipped open her phone once again and quickly opened the text message.
Want a ride?
Yes! Julie's mind shrieked. Biting her lip she replied, When?
Closing her cell, she kept hold of it in her hand, daringly allowing her eyes to flicker across to Tim. Holding her breath in expectation she glanced back down at her cell, turning the phone over in her hand in impatience for his answer.
Drumming her fingers on the table, Julie jumped as she looked up only to be faced with everyone staring at her.
"Sorry." She said apologetically with a grin.
"Everything alright?" Matt asked without stuttering once for the first time he'd spoken that evening.
"Uh…Yes!" Julie exclaimed. "Just sorting out my ride."
Matt and Landry both opened their mouths to say something but were cut off by the arrival of their waitress carrying their orders.
As the woman placed Julie's food in front of her, her cell went off again.
Now, the message read. Outside, my truck.
Do U want my burger?
Almost instantly she had a reply message. Yes.
Julie smirked in disbelief wondering if Tim really did have hollow legs.
"What do you want now Tim?" Tyra growled at him as he approached with Landry's phone in his hand.
He held it up in response to her question and then passed it back over to Landry. "Thanks." A quick nod of goodbye and he was gone again.
"I've got to go." Julie announced fumbling in her bag for her wallet and pulling out a couple of bills and tossing them onto the table to cover her part of the bill.
"What?" Tyra exclaimed. "Why?"
"Uh…I'll tell you later?" Julie half said, half asked. She grabbed at the onion rings placed at the side of her plate and lifted off the top of her burger bun and shoved them on top of the salad. She reached across for the mustard and slathered it across the onion rings.
"Julie what are you doing?" Matt asked in confusion as she applied a liberal amount of mustard.
Slamming the top of the bread roll down, Julie pushed at Matt's shoulder and he obediently shuffled out of the booth forcing Vicky to do the same so Julie could get out. "What?" She asked impatiently.
"You don't like mustard." Matt explained.
"Yes I do." Julie retorted surprised that he remembered that she didn't like mustard.
Matt looked at her doubtfully, his body blocking her exit from the booth. "Since when?"
"Recently!" Julie snapped pushing him out of the way so she could stand up. Obstinately she took a bite of the mustard covered burger and pasted a smile to her face as she swallowed the mouthful. "See?"
With that parting shot to prove Matt wrong she flounced off, exiting Applebee's as quickly as possible.
The moment she was out of sight she screwed her face up in distaste, she hated mustard!
Tim was sitting in his truck ready to go, the engine already running. Climbing in she shoved the burger at him and turned her attention to her bag. Digging down to the bottom of her bag she pulled out packet of mints and stuck a couple of them into her mouth, sucking on them voraciously to rid her mouth of the taste of mustard.
Tim laughed, shifting the truck into gear and leaving the parking lot before he took his first bite. "It's good." He told her.
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Tyra sat in silence, deep in thought as she watched Julie high tail it out of the diner.
The way she'd made up that burger…she frowned, trying to think of where she'd seen that done before…it was so familiar…but the knowledge drifted on the outskirts of her brain just out of reach.
Matt was right when he said Julie didn't like mustard.
And she'd never seen Julie eat a burger like that either…
In fact…there was only one person she knew that ate a burger like that…
She wouldn't…
He wouldn't…
"Landry, give me your phone!" Tyra demanded with a fierce scowl as she turned to her boyfriend.
"What?" He asked confused by her sudden demand.
"Phone. Now." Tyra repeated snatching the cell phone out of his grasp and flipping it open. Frantically she navigated through to the outbox and scanned at the recent text messages sent.
"What?" Landry asked. "What is it?"
"Son of a bitch!" She cursed slapping her hands down on the table making the contents on the table rattle.
Her outburst had caught the attention of the other patrons, but Tyra didn't pay it any attention. Jumping up out the booth she ignored her companions, the frequent questions from Landry and the stuttering from Matt.
Darting in and out of the people milling about Tyra shoved the occasional person out of her way and rushed towards the door.
Thrusting open the door, she pounded out onto the side walk in time to catch sigh of the rear tail lights of Tim's truck as he left the parking lot.
Obviously they would.
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