Saving The Nerd *SLOW UPDATES*

Chapter 6

As I'm driving, I pull out my phone and dial Corey's number. It rings three times before he picks it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Corey," I speak into the phone. "I'm on my way to pick you up. Is that ok?"

"Yea, that's ok, I just need to find my book-" his voice is cut off by a loud bang in the background.

"Corey, everything ok?" I ask him with worry in my voice.

"Yea don't worry, I'll see you soon." And he hangs up on me. I dramatically scoff out loud.

"Rude much," I say to myself in a sassy tone. After several more minutes, I arrive in front of his house. I pull out my phone to send him a text, letting him know I'm here. Before I could even send it, I hear a frantic tapping on my window. I turn my head to see Corey standing outside in just a t-shirt. I unlock the doors and he rips the door open and flings himself inside, then slams the door shut.

"Corey are-" 

"Just drive!" He yells. I step on the gas and the car goes flying as I speed up the street.

"Corey what is going on?! You aren't even wearing a jacket!"

"I'll explain when we get back to your house." He responds, shivering.

"There's a blanket in the back." I point, keeping my one hand on the steering wheel. As I continue to drive he warms up and stops shivering. We arrive at my house five minutes later. We both exit the car and head inside the warm home.

As soon as we step inside, I hear him breathe a sigh of relief.

"It's so much warmer inside your house." He comments, still hugging himself.

"Dad! I'm home!"

"Hey darling- Oh, this must be Corey." My dad then walks over to Corey, extending his hand. "I'm Mr.Hamilton."

"It's nice to meet you sir," Corey responds emotionless, the same way he responded to me the first day we talked.

"Henry I'm almost finished-" I hear my mom entering the kitchen, trying to put her other earring in before she notices Corey. "Who's this?" She asks in a snappy tone and I see Corey flinch at her tone.

"Mom, this is Corey. He's my partner for a project I'm doing in English." I explain to her. She gives me a look and I knew what that look meant.

"Sherri, let's head out, you know we have a reservation."

"Right right, my apologies. Let's go!" She bellows out, grabbing her purse then storming out the door without waiting for my dad. He looks at both of us and shakes his head.

"Corey I'm so sorry for her-"

"It's alright Mr.Hamilton," Corey cuts off my dad, hearing the sincerity in his voice. My dad nods his head in gratitude and grabs the keys, quickly leaving the house. As soon as the door closes, I let out  a breath of embarrassment.

"Should we head up to my room to practice?"

"Yea, let's go." I start to walk towards the stairs and Corey follows behind me closely. As we enter my room, I fall on to my bed, while Corey stands rigid, looking very awkward.

"Corey, what happened earlier?"

"What do you mean?" He doesn't meet my eyes.

"I heard a crash when we were on the phone, then you ran out of your house without a jacket on and yelled at me to drive back here." He looks very nervous, but looks at me.

"My parents were getting into a fight, a worse one than normal. I almost got involved but I was able to get out in time." I feel my chest tighten as he tells what happened. I stand up and walk over to him, wrapping my arms around him. He tenses immediately, then relaxes a moment later.

"Why don't we practice to take your mind off of it?" He nods his head in response and opens his book. I grab mine as well, then we both begin to practice our scene again.

"And so Lysander grabs Hermia's hand..." he reads, reaching for my hand and grabbing it more comfortably then last time.

"And Hermia leans in to kiss Lysander." I put my book down, and turn to him. I then start to lean in slowly, our eyes not breaking contact. Our lips almost meet, before he jerks his head away from me and ripping his hand from mine. "Corey, are you alright?"

"I, I can't do it," his voice cracks. "I'm sorry, I'm just really uncomfortable. I haven't had my first kiss yet." I nod my head in understanding.

"It's ok Corey, but the question is, will you be able to do it when the time comes?" 

"I don't know," he says with defeat. Before I can say something to him, his phone starts to ring. He pulls it out of his pocket, then looking at it. "It's my mom." He tells me.

"Well pick it up!"

"Alright!" He presses the 'accept' button and holds the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Don't come home," I hear from the phone.

"Dad is that you?"

"I said don't fucking come home! You are worthless to me," I hear again, also hearing the slur in his dad's voice. 

"Bill what the hell are you doing?!" I hear from the line again.

"You shut up!" I then hear a scream and smash of glass. Corey's eyes start to tear up and I feel myself feeling very upset.

"Corey don't come ho-" and the line goes dead. He looks at his phone and puts it back into his pocket, his face staring at the floor.

"Corey?"

"I don't know what I'm going to do," he says out loud. "I don't have anywhere to go. I-I should go back and check up on my mom." He starts to walk toward my door before I grab his arm.

"Corey, you can stay here." I reassure him.

"Would I even be allowed?"

"I'll make sure they will let you, but I will explain the current situation in order for that to happen." He gives me an uncertain look.

"Alright, you can tell them." He says, breathing out in anxiety. "But what about my mom?" 

"Do you want to go check on her?" He bites his bottom lip, but I can see almost a determination in his eyes.

"Yea, let's go."

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Wow this has been a long chapter! Thank you all of being patient with my very infrequent updates. I'm sorry for the crappy ending, the chapter was getting too long. Also, picture of Oliver on the side. Only Noel Kahn came to mind. I hope to update soon! Happy holidays to everyone! Love~

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