All Too Well ⏤ Tim Shepard | ✓

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Becca is standing in front of the mirror reapplying her lipstick for the third time. She scrutinises the reflection staring back at her, feeling incredibly self-conscious. It's a feeling she hasn't experienced in a long time.

She brushes her sweaty hands against her skirt. Annie had told her once that her legs looked fantastic in them and ⏤ well, Becca is dressing to impress. She has a date with Tim. Their first date.

That day by the river, hidden by the trees, Tim had asked her out. He hadn't said the words directly, but he had asked her, "so when are ya free to go out?" and Becca had supposed that in Tim-speech that meant asking her out on a date.

Becca is thankful her mother is at work when she leaves the apartment. Her father is camped in front of the television, snoring with a half-empty beer bottle in his hand. The news blares on the television screen for nobody to hear. Becca leaves the television on and her father alone as she exits the apartment, carefully closing the door behind her. She doesn't want to wake her father up and have to explain where she's going. Her parents don't know about Tim and Becca wants it to stay that way. At least until she's sure about what she and Tim are.

Sure, they've kissed and confessed their feelings but Becca doesn't know if Tim wants a relationship. Why risk the wrath of her mother when it's not certain anything will eventuate past this evening?

(Although Becca really, really wants to. It scares her, the intensity of her feelings for Tim. This is the first time she's diving headfirst and leaving her heart in a boy's hands, completely vulnerable.)

A car swerves beside the sidewalk. Its engine is spluttering, almost on the verge of collapsing. Scratches litter the sides and there's a dent on the driver's door like somebody had kicked it in. The window opens, revealing Tim behind the steering wheel with a toothpick between his teeth.

"Whaddya waiting for? Hop in," Tim calls out. Becca jolts ⏤ it's not like she expected Tim to do a 360 and turn into Prince Charming overnight.

Once Becca's in the car she is able to get a look at Tim. He's come straight from work, judging by his uniform. The name of his uncle's automobile shop sits proudly on the breast of his unbuttoned shirt. His undershirt is stained with grease and ⏤ endearingly ⏤ there's grease smeared across his cheek. Becca realises this is the first time she's seen Tim wearing something other than his trademark leather jacket.

"You got a little somethin'." Becca licks her thumb and wipes away at the grease.

"Thanks," Tim mumbles and their eyes meet. His eyes that are normally ice cold have some warmth to it, something like fondness. Everybody talks about the Shepard eyes; cold like icy glaciers but when Becca looks at them, she feels like she's dived into the ocean.

Tim clasps Becca's hand and her stomach performs a series of somersaults. Becca wonders if Tim is nervous like she is. If he is, he doesn't show it. His careful veneer of aloofness is not cracked, but Becca supposes when you have been putting walls up ever since you were a kid it takes just as much time to knock them down. But Becca is willing to scale those walls if Tim lets her.

"I asked Ange for ideas for tonight so if you don't have fun I'm blamin' her," Tim says as he puts the car in drive and pulls out into the street without even surveying for other drivers. He admits this so casually, talking to his sister about going out with Becca. Becca's heart clenches at her chest. What she would do to have Tommy with her. She reaches out for her bag on her lap. Tommy's camera is sitting amongst her belongings so it feels like he's with her in some way.

"I'm sure we'll have fun, I trust your sister."

"I don't," Tim snorts. "Curly and I pulled a prank on her last week ⏤ we swapped her shampoo for purple hair dye. Maybe she's gettin' back at us."