The Bad Boy's Nerd

(23) "Can We Talk"

A few nights later Bucky was at Lydia's house. Nova hadn't spoken to him since the dinner party. He was quiet at dinner with Lydia's mom and stepdad.

After dinner they were upstairs in her room. Bucky wasn't focused on her riding him. He was worried that Nova was going to cut again. And ever since that conversation with his dad about his "cold cases" as James put it.

It has made him start to re think his future plans. As Lydia was getting off for the third time she realized Bucky wasn't into it like he normally is.

"Seriously? What is with you tonight? I know you better than anyone when it comes to sex. This right here isn't you." She said

"Sorry Im just not in the mood. Im gonna go home." He said as he pushed her off.

"Buck?" She said

"Lydia darlin. Im tired I had football and wrestling practice. And I have alot on my mind." He said as he pulled on shirt.

"Well we can go to sleep. You know my mom doesnt mind when you sleep over." Lydia said

"Lydia I want to go home." He said as he grabbed his keys and left.

When he got to his house he saw Nova's light was on. He walked across the street to her house. Edward let him in and told him she was in her room.

"Nova." He said as he came in.

"Oh..hey." she said as he came over to her desk.

He lifted up her new bracelets and watch. "I havent cut since you all seen them." She said

"Good. Um are you hungry?" He said

"Uh yeah." She said

"Go get pizza with me?" He said

"You had me at pizza." She said as she put her boots back on.

They walked across the street to his house. He pulled out his bike gave her a helmet and put his on. As they were heading towards the exit of the big subdivison. Lydia's house was close to the exit.

"Not to tired for a bike ride...with Nova" Lydia said as she saw them drive by and she saw Nova's boots from earlier at school.

Bucky and Nova pulled up at the pizza parlor. He ordered them two supreme pizzas and two cherry cokes. He joined her at the booth she picked.

"Didnt you have dinner plans with Lydia?" She said

"I did. But I just wanted to leave. I decided to leave in the middle of having sex." He said

"Thats rude." She said

"Well I couldnt focus." He said

"Weird. You never had that problem with me." She said

He smirked. "Oh I had things to focus on when it came to you." He said

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say." She said as the waitress brought their pizzas.

As they were eating their pizzas. He looked at her.

"Can we talk? Like I want your opinion on something?" He said

"Isnt that Lydia's job?" She said

"This the thing I want to talk about. Is something I can't exactly talk to her about." He said

"Okay. Go ahead." She said

"Ive been doing alot of thinking lately about future. You know how I had that fight with my parents the first time I ever brought you to my house." He said

"About the NFL? Yeah I remember thinking you certainly had the big headed persona for the job." She said

"Rude. Anyways..Ive been thinking that maybe I might like to follow the mold of my family." He said

She swallowed the bite of pizza she just ate. "Well..I think that if that is something you want to do. Then you should do it because you want to not because you feel pressured to." She said

"Really?" He said

"Yeah. Why did you want to talk to me about this and not Lydia?" She said

"Well because..um well one of the few things that me and her have always had in common. Is our need to not follow the mold. Her dad is the mayor of their town in Atlanta and her mom is also a family law lawyer." He said

"So you feel like she won't understand that you changed your mind. When did you meet her again?" She said

"At 14. During a family Thanksgiving dinner when she came with my cousin Dylan. While he was sleeping we hooked up. She took my v card after we talked for hours." He said

She looked down. "Well. You can always say in the last 4 years you have grown up." She said

He slid his hand into hers with his other hand he caressed her cheek. "Its more than that. I look at you and I see the pain in your eyes of not being able to put your family's killer behind bars. My dad said that happens alot." He said

She swallowed hard as he rested their foreheads against each other. "I want to do this not just because I want to but for you." He said as he wiped a stray tear off her cheek.

"Ice cream. I want some ice cream" she said

He smirked "ice cream it is darlin." He said as they left the pizza place and headed to get ice cream.

That night as he was laying in bed he tried to figure out a way to tell Lydia. She always supported his NFL dream and he wasn't sure if she would support his new dream.