Chapter Text
“How soft your fields so green can whisper tales of gore of how we calmed the tides of war. We are your overlords”
1994
The morning classes that Tara went to after Chemistry were basic. Everyone had heard what happened in Chemistry and her on again/off again boyfriend, David Hale, made sure to talk to her in Algebra. They were never very serious and mostly went to the movies and made out a few times.
He was a sophomore and wasn’t as much of a player so he had the opposite appeal of Jax. All-American, starting quarterback on the JV football team, student council. Captain America. Basically, he was the guy you took home to your parents while you were fucking Jax Teller on the down low.
Everyone knew they hated each other so it was on this note that David made a beeline for Tara in Algebra. “What happened in Chemistry class? I heard Teller beat the shit out of Hobart for hitting on you.” Tara looked at David and laughed. She hadn’t heard a word from him since he started seeing Candy Eglee earlier in the summer.
At one point, Tara really liked Hale. He was not big on committing to be an official couple, even though he tried everything to get in her pants. He never took her around his parents, and when she would ask him he always had an excuse. Finally, she was in gym class and Becky Wilson had on his Letterman’s jacket and class ring.
She smiled at Tara, “Did you really think he would want to hook up with the town drunk’s daughter? Please.” The joke was on her because the minute she gave up the goods he dumped her for Candy Eglee. That’s the prize he was looking for. His dad was a judge and the Eglee’s were one of the oldest, and wealthiest, families in central California right after the Oswald’s. He took the ring and jacket back and acted like his shit came in thirty-one flavors.
Tara’s father was what some would call a functioning alcoholic. After her mom died from cancer, he hit the bottle. He was able to maintain his job at Oswald Lumber but at least twice a year got drunk and disorderly at one of the bars and Unser would have to drop him off with Tara. Bobby helped out by bringing him home a few times. Other than that she just learned to deal with it.
He was a good father and was never abusive to Tara. His benders usually coincided with his wedding anniversary or her mom’s death. Unser knew this so they made sure to keep an extra eye on him around those times. The last thing Tara needed was social services showing up and sending her into foster care.
When David tried questioning her she had to laugh but played it off like she cared what he thought. “Kyle Hobart tried to pop my bra strap and ripped my shirt. I face-planted him with my Chemistry book. I left the room and heard that Jax and Opie laid him out and took him to the principals office.” David gave her a sympathetic look, “Well, you need to stay away from Jax, he’s white trash and you already have enough to deal with your dad. Besides, I miss you, we should hang out again.”
Tara cut him off. “Fuck you David. I’m not going to be your side piece while you’re putting on the ritz with Candy in public. Both Opie and Jax took care of Hobart. That’s more chivalry and class in their middle finger than you and your self-righteous family combined. Don’t ever mention my dad again. In fact, get the fuck out of my face before I plant your face with this textbook too.”
David took off and Tara felt about 100 pounds lighter and finally free from his holier than thou art bullshit. She finished in Algebra and headed to lunch. Tara loved and hated lunch. Nothing reinforces adolescent social hierarchies than a high school cafeteria at lunch time. It’s like Heathers meets one of those PBS shows about animals eating each other alive.
She thought about how Jax could definitely be Christian Slater in Heathers. Of course that did not end well for him and Wynona Ryder so she should probably just stick to getting straight A’s so she can leave the minute she graduates for college and the real life she wants as a doctor.
As she entered the lunch room with her tray, she saw Donna waving at her to come sit with the JV and Varsity cheerleaders. She was relieved that she had found her tribe on the first day, which will make the rest of the year so much easier.
Donna immediately started asking her questions. “So now the gossip is that you cursed out David Hale when he tried to warn you to stay away from Jax. Girl, you are the hot topic and it’s only the first day of school.”
Tara groaned. She hated middle, and now high, school social circles. Donna seems genuine and from what she’s heard from the other JV cheerleaders, she’s not fake and a good person to have on her side while trying to navigate Chemistry this semester.
“David just needs to learn to stay in his lane. He’s a friend but the jock attitude has worn beyond thin.” Donna laughed and she understood exactly how their minds work. “ I dated his friend Mike and he was a complete asshole. Besides the female half of the student population is insanely jealous of the fact that Jax Teller beat up a SAMCRO brother over just popping your bra strap”
Donna paused and started whispering, “I didn’t tell anyone that he had told them not to hit on you. Emily Duncan is the queen of the biker sluts and if she thought you were competition for Jax, all hell would break loose. Word is that Gemma Teller-Morrow is grooming her to be the next SAMCRO Queen.”
Tara was shocked. “Grooming? That’s just creepy and gross. What the hell do they groom them for? That sounds like child predator territory.”
Donna gave her that look that she felt the same way. “Opie’s been hitting on me since seventh grade. I actually like him but my understanding is that if you date a SAMCRO prospect or patch, you have to be ok with them cheating. They do it when they go on those runs to other SoA charters and with the Croweaters that hang out at the clubhouse here. It’s basically their own personal brothel and the Croweaters are the Old Lady equivalent of hang-arounds. They sleep their way up to hopefully being an Old Lady someday. So, if you’re an Old Lady they respect you but if you want them to stay away from your man in-town, you have to fight them. I just can’t do that.”
Tara was absolutely horrified. “Holy shit, that’s barbaric. It’s like you’re some thrall in Viking Scandanavia a thousand years ago.” Now she knew she didn’t want anything to do with Jax Teller. He might be chivalrous for putting Kyle in his place, but that kind of life was just not who she was. Neither David nor Jax were appealing now, so she’ll just focus on school and cheerleading.
After dropping Kyle’s sorry ass off at the principal’s office, Jax took the good deed pass and stepped out to the student smoking area with Opie. Word hadn’t made it around that he laid Kyle out but he knew it would and he hoped the new girl didn’t get dragged into it. He was already going to have to watch Hobart like a hawk because he was such a sleazebag that he would try to get back at her. She was already having to navigate being a freshman but also a freshman in upper classes. Shit, this might be a full time job.
He didn’t understand why he cared so much. Yeah, she was really fucking hot but she was fourteen and just had to be a good girl, with a bad girl side wearing that Dio shirt. Suddenly, the image of her in nothing but the Dio shirt crossed his mind and he had to mentally bitch slap himself for going there.
Opie handed him a cigarette, “So what’s up with you decking Hobart for being an asshole? I’m glad you did but you know Clay is going to give you hell for putting ‘hoes before bros’ or some shit.”
Jax knew this was coming. “Man, I don’t know. I feel bad for the kid having to deal with being a freshman, and being a freshman in the upper classes. She’s definitely hot, but way too young for us and you know she would never be down with the life or being an Old Lady.”
Jax felt a thrill at the thought of her waiting at home for him or greeting him in the lot when they get back from runs. Watching his mom greet his dad was such a great day. That’s another thing, she definitely wouldn’t be down with waiting while they were in prison.
Jax shook himself out of that daydream. “Besides, if he gets in, Kyle’s going to get us all thrown in Stockton for five to ten years with the way he acts like a weasel.”
Just then, Emily Duncan sauntered over in an outfit that couldn’t possibly pass dress code. “Hey Jax, how’s the first day going?”
Jax smirked. This girl had been barking up his tree for at least a year now and he knew she was angling for Old Lady training with Gemma. She was porn star stripper hot and he heard she could suck the barnacles off a boat. Between Candy Eglee’s coochie-cutter shorts and Emily’s oral skills, this was going to be a very good year.