The Nerd and the Jock (1st bk of Nerd Series)

Chapter 16- Bailey

"Ok, what's the matter?" I asked, looking at him. I scowled when he didn't say anything but worked on the project that was due soon. "Did I do something wrong?" My voice was soft when I said that.

Blake furrowed his brows and looked at me. He looked more tired than usual, as if he hadn't been getting enough sleep. He hadn't been paying attention too well in class, but he had been getting good grades, thanks to the study sessions we had. "No..." he said. "Why would you think that?"

I looked down and shrugged my shoulder, focusing on the project and ignoring the scowl that Blake sent my way. "I don't know," I replied. "You kind of are being distant with me, and... it makes me feel like I had done something wrong to create you to be mad at me."

"I'm not," Blake said. "I'm sorry that I had made you feel that way." He hesitated but placed his hand on me. "It has nothing to do with you," he added, but I had a feeling that he was lying. "I am just worried about Trevor, is all."

I bit back a snort and squeezed his hand. "You are lying to me, and I do not like it," I said. "But, with Trevor, I think that you should talk to him about whatever is going on." I bit back a groan when my phone vibrated and sighed.

"Are you going to check that?" Blake asked, and I nodded. He let go of my hand, and I couldn't help but notice this... aching in my heart when he removed it. "What's it about?" he asked, watching as I went to read my messages.

"My lawyer finally just texted me to let me know that he could meet me." I started to pack up my bag and looked at the children sitting at the other table, drawing and doing whatever they wanted to do as we worked on the project. "Can you take them to the football field? I'll ask my uncle to take them home with him. I have no idea how long it's going to take."

"Why? What do you mean?" he asked. "What are you going to talk to him about?" He sat back in his seat, and I could tell that he was very concerned about what I was doing with a lawyer.

"Everything that has happened," I replied. I licked my lips and cleared my throat. "Tomorrow is my birthday, and I am going to see if I can't adopt them. Sara has given me full custody of them, but... I'm going to be making it official."

"I thought it was already official. Child services hadn't taken them away from you, yet, and they do not have any family members that are looking for them." He paused and cocked his head. "Do they?"

I shook my head, no. "They don't. I'm all that they have and known besides their mom. My lawyer wants to go over what my parents had left me and see if it would be enough to support them."

"But... wouldn't it be? I mean, you have your own money, and you have worked since you were..."

"Fourteen or fifteen," I replied. "I've done some stuff when I was younger like babysitting and stuff like that. I used to help this really old lady all the time even though she was a grumpy old fart."

Bake chuckled and nodded his head. "I'm sure you had sassed her out. I would have liked to see that."

I smiled and shrugged my shoulder. "It wasn't that impressive, but it got her to smile a bit." I looked at the kids again and licked my lips. "So, can you bring them to him?" I asked, looking back at him.

Blake nodded his head. "Will you keep me posted?" he asked.

"As long as you talk to Trevor, then I will," I promised. I picked up my packed bag and walked over to the kids, and they stopped talking and looked at me. "I'm going to be going and leaving you here with Blake. Uncle Dalton will be watching you and probably taking you back to his place."

"Is it because you are turning eighteen tomorrow?" Ryan asked, and I nodded.

"Can Blake take us home with Trevor?" Mimi asked. She clutched Sky close to her, and Sky clutched her just as tight. "I want to hang out more with my best friend."

"You hang out with her every day, or at least almost every day," I said. "Aren't you bored with her yet?"

"No!" both of them exclaimed, and I shook my head and sighed.

"Fine, then ask Blake about it," I said. "I have to get going."

"Ask me what?" Blake asked, standing behind me. He didn't move out of my way, trapping me by the table and him. His whole body heat overwhelmed me as well as the scent of his cologne. "What are they supposed to ask me?"

"Can you take us home and stay with us while Bay is talking with people?" Mimi asked, still clutching Sky. "Please? Please? Please?"

"What does Bay have to say about it?"

"She says for you to move out of her damn way or else be moved," I replied. "Also, she doesn't mind as long as they behave, that means, Michael, do not go onto the fridge." I reached into my bag to find my car keys and handed them to him. "Here, you'll probably need to take my car if you are taking all of them. Their boosters are already set up, and there is a space for Sky and her booster."

"Who says that I have a booster?" Sky asked, and I looked at her and gave her a pointed look. She shrugged. "Ya... I got nothing else. I do have a booster, and it's in Blake's car."

"Doesn't Trevor have a couple in his car?" Blake asked, and I nodded. "Then, if he is coming over, why don't we just split them up? I think it's only Sky, Mimi, and Michael that needs it."

I took a deep breath and nodded my head. "They are. Trevor has two in the back of his car. He made sure to have them when he started driving if he ever needed to take them somewhere. That'll work."

"I'll text you when I get them home safely. Do you know what time you'll be back?"

I shook my head, no. "Don't know," I replied. "But, I'll be bringing back some pizza, so you two can stay for dinner if you want to."

Blake smiled and nodded his head. "Great, then it is a date. I'll see you when you get back." He handed me back my car keys and took a step back.

I kept my face emotionless, but my heart was pounding in my chest. I had no idea why I was freaking out when Blake said "date" when it wasn't actually a date. "I will see you then," I said. I looked at the four of them and narrowed my eyes. "Behave, or else this will never happen again. Do you four understand?"

They nodded their heads. "Yes, ma'am," they chorused.

I nodded my head. "Contact me if anything happens," I said, looking at Blake.

"I will," he promised. "Now, go. You don't want to be late, do you?"

I rolled my eyes, scowling. "Very funny," I muttered before starting to make my way to the front door. I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Uncle Dalton and Trevor, telling them what was happening and what the plan was before putting up my phone.

I knew that they wouldn't be too upset with it, but I hoped that Trevor would talk to him. He needed to tell somebody else if he wasn't going to tell his dad yet.

If he didn't, then I knew that it would kill him because Blake was just as much of his friend as I was his.