The Bad Boy's Nanny

Ch. 27 - Un-Ivy-ish

"Hey, hey," Elliott calms me down, his fingers stroking my hair as I cry against his chest. "You'll be okay."

We went into the car after the call from my mom, and I told Elliott everything that happened. I told him about my mom, Jett and Nora, the money. I told him every last detail. I cried, and he held me in his arms, protecting me from any more hurt.

"I don't know what to do," I say, sniffling and wiping my running nose. "I saved all that money for so long, Li. I gave up having a life for that money. And-and she just took it!"

"We'll figure something out, baby," he promises, his hands rubbing my back gently, calmingly. "You can get a loan from the bank to help pay for your first semester. I can talk to my mom about raising your wage. I'll help you as much as I can, okay? You're not doing this alone."

"It sucks so bad," I say, starting my crying fit all over again.

Elliott sits with me as I cry, just there for the support. I appreciate having a shoulder to cry on, someone to be there for me. After years of being alone, of keeping everything inside, to myself, this is exactly what I've been waiting for. I have it here with Elliott. I'm so in love with him.

"Want to hear something funny?" he asks after I have subdued to a quiet cry. "Flynn and I used to talk about how one day we'd grow up and marry sisters and our houses would be right next to each other's and our kids would be cousins as well as best friends. Well, now we're dating sisters so..."

I force a smile, knowing that he is trying his best to cheer me up.

"So, what do you want to do? I can drive you to your mom's house where you can slap her numerous times. We can go to Nora and Jett's house. Um...is there a special place you and your dad used to go? We could-"

"Elliott," I stop him, taking his hand in mine, "I'm okay. You should stay here." I sniffle. "You have to support Jonas."

"Promise you're okay?" he asks.

I nod. "Yeah, I'll just go back to the house and mourn the loss of my future quietly in the last room I'll be living in before I'm a homeless person who lives in a cardboard box."

"I hear cardboard boxes can be pretty comfortable," he jokes, leaning forward to kiss the top of my head.

I smile before pulling the car keys out of my bag and wiping under my eyes one last time. "Call me if he finds out whether he made it or not, okay?"

"Yeah." Elliott steps out of the car, standing at the rolled-down window with his hands against the car. "We'll be home as soon as this thing ends. By then, I'll have those minions turned into your personal slaves."

I shake my head and roll up the window. Elliott motions for me to roll it back down almost immediately. "Yeah?"

"Don't do anything stupid without me."

~~

I can't remember exactly how or why, but two hours later I ended up sitting on Brianna Holden's top bunk while drinking wine with Jake Acker.

"And that's why I think my parents are Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston."

I nod, taking his Jake's interesting theory. "I totally see that."