The Nerd Introduced to the Jocks Parents (In Editing)

Chapter 67 - Domino Effect

Dedication to @lost-little-girl, for the term Jock-Ass. I love that term!!! Thanks again.
Chapter 67 - Domino Effect

Previously on TNITTJP
"Hey fella! I have great news! You wont believe it, and I have something big to tell you. But face to face, you know the little park out by the woods on my end of town?" he asked over the phone, I felt my heart lurch. This is why Payson didn't want me to go to Tyler's house, she knew he already planned to tell me somewhere else.

"Yea, I know the place. Can't wait! I will be there as soon as I can!" I grinned into the phone, and felt unsure in the stillness on his side of the phone.

"Okay, see you when you get here!" Tyler said cheerfully.

I put the car into drive and smiled. I would go to Tyler's and I would open up about my feelings, if he didn't first. And when we go to prom next Saturday, hopefully it will be as a real couple. It seemed my life was in domino effect, only for the first time. Its everything falling into place.
Now on TNITTJP....

I took a deep breath, I parked next to Tyler's truck and climbed out of my car. I walked into the wooded area, where the picnic tables and such were in the clearing a few feet into the tree line. Tyler was just standing there and turned when a few branches crunched under my feet and grinning, I ran to him and slammed myself into his chest. Don't ask why, something about the giddy excitement inside me made me do it. I grinned up at him and he laughed, stepping back to sit on the picnic table, I sat next to him.

"How was school?" He asked, I almost just blurted out my feelings, but decided it was best just to take the conversation slow. Part of me still scared about the rejection, but then again he said he has something important to tell me, and Payson and everyone was acting strange so it only made since, they knew something about Tyler's feelings that I didn't. And they would of warned me if I was coming her to get bad news. I grinned.

"Pretty boring, everyone acted strange. Payson and Ethan were acting strange all day, even Scarlett and Bud picked up on it at lunch. Not sure what it was all about." I lied. I knew what it was about. "Why did you skip?" I asked, and he grinned.

"Well, I was thinking about a lot of things, a few decisions I have to make. And it wouldn't be the first time I skipped school. Andrew has been home from college for the past few days, not that I noticed. But him and I spent sometime today playing football, not really talking. But communicating in a guy sort of way." He explained, I nodded.

"I think Andrew is an asshole in some ways, but he doesn't seem so bad. Hell, you have him convinced your in love with me." I pretended nonchalance.

"He is defiantly an ass. How did the sleep over thing go?" He asked.

"Really well, Payson ate her weight in food, we watched movies and talked. Nothing to exciting. How did the campus stake out go?" I asked and he tensed up.

"Um, I found the two I am fighting between, but no for sure choice yet. As long as they have a good football team, and good classes, I will be content." He looked out into the woods, falling into silence. It didnt take to long for the silence to become unbearable. I had been building the thing in my head all day, running through different ways it could go.

"Tyl..."

"Fel.." We spoke at the same time, I offered a nervous laugh.

"You go ahead." I said, he looked slightly hopeful.

"No you." I sent him a playful scowl.

"Nope, I said it first." I teased. He didn't laugh, but took a deep breath before giving me a huge grin.

"It worked." He said, I knew immediately what he was talking about.

"Really?" He nodded and I smiled at him. "That is great Tyler! What all happened?"

"Well, when I got home he asked for me to sit down and asked how serious I was about you. I of course said very serious, and he said would I trade you in for him paying for football. I made a big show of wanting to bring you on Wednesday and he all but passed out." He paused to laugh, I presume at the memory.

"Then he cracked and laid out an offer." He said. I looked at him and in the silence, I realized he wasn't going to explain it.

"Well, don't hold back. What was it?" I asked.

"Pretty simple!" He said excitedly. "All I have to do is get my business degree, at whatever college I go to. Then he will pay for it all. Well, and I have to stay with Scarlett for 30days, like a trial period. I figured it won't be to hard, I was with her before and...." He continued to talk in an excited voice,  but I felt my heart sink and crush all at the same time.

'Stay with Scarlett....'

'It wont be to hard'

'Simple... All I have to do.... Pay for it all..." I felt my world fall in just a few sentences. Tears pricked my eyes. He didn't call me down her to tell me how he felt, he did it to call off the bet. Cause he had gotten his victory. Payson.... They knew. They ALL knew. They let me come here with my hopes in the skies. I heard an odd sound, and realized the half laugh, half sob came from me. Tyler gave me an odd look, and put on my mask. Letting the cold, emotionless expression I used to know so well. If I told him how I felt, he might just laugh. Even if he did care back, the only way to get his dream life, was without me in it. But with Scarlett. The whore Harlot. I stood up from the bench and gave Tyler a huge grin, making it as believable as I could.

"You okay?" His eyes were shinning. I couldn't take that from him. I wanted to scream, anything. To pull my hair or cuss him out. But the shitty part, was he did nothing wrong, I did. I fell for the jock. I fell for HER jock. The Jock-Strap... No! Not Jock-Strap. The Jock-Ass!

"Yea, I am fine." I lied through my smiling teeth. "That is so great Tyler! I am glad it all worked out in the end! But I didn't realize how long it was going to take me to get here. I have a doctor appointment." I looked to my wrist, and hoped he didn't notice that there was no watch on it. "In about an hour. I still have to get ready." I said smiling. I tried to focus on the ache in my cheeks, and not the ache in my chest.

"But.." He stood up, and I had to bite my tongue in an effort not to step back. "You had something to say. You know before I interrupted you." He explained, I had to tighten my fists to hide the shaking in my hands. I offered him a nonchalant shrug.

"It was just a new plan had, but since your dad caved no big deal." I laughed and kissed his cheek. "Well, I got to go! Let me know what Scar says about it all!" I gave him a wave, and sped walked away from him, I had barley got in my car by the time the tears were pouring down, and I ripped out of the parking spot before the loud sobs followed.

Ethan must of known as soon as Mr.Peterson talked to Tyler. He told Payson... She told Bud.... Scarlett. She knew to, she rubbed in my face and I all but smiled and thanked her for it. A scream bubbled from my lips. It felt so good to scream, it made my heart felt lighter. So I did it again, and again. I trusted my driving, but did not push my luck. I wiped my tears and focused on where I was going. Auto-Piolet. I was in shock, can you go into emotional shock?

I continued to drive until it began to get dark outside. And then I made my way home. I didn't really think about the path I took. It had been a long time since I walked down this hall, since I opened this door, searching for comfort. I climbed into the empty side of the bed, her eyes fluttered opened and all it took was for he to take a long look at me. She opened her arms and I fell into her embrace and sobbed into her chest as she murmured little nothings. Nana held me tight. I sobbed into her shirt, unable to help it. My throat was raw and my cries were loud.

"He's done." I sobbed, trying tot take deep breaths but just ended up with a hick-up. "He doesn't need me anymore." I forced through my tears. She shushed me and rubbed my hair. I don't know how long I laid there, I just know I fell asleep there. It was the first time since my father died, that I crawled in her bed, unable to be alone in mine. Maybe I wasn't a little girl anymore, but I felt as broken as the little girl who cried in her Nana's arms when she wished her dad was still there.

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