Chapter 16

Holden

       It wasn't often Shaw's kids would spend the night at his house during a school night. Kendra was always the one to take them to school every morning, but she was called into work a lot earlier, so she asked if Shaw could take them to school.

       Well, I would be the one taking them to school since Spruceworth's school was for all ages. There wasn't one of elementary and high school. Just one big school.

       It took a while to get the three of them ready since they always had so much energy. They wouldn't stop running around, no matter how many times Shaw told them to just get their jackets and shoes on.

       Once they were finally ready, the three of us left after they all gave Shaw a hug. Instead of heading to the school first, I told them I had to go pick up my friend first since we always walked to school together.

       We arrived at Jane's house and after I knocked on the door, Avril answered it. "Ah, right on time," she said. "Jane's almost ready." She then noticed Mercy, Lucian, and Castiel all standing near me. "And who are these three?"

       Before I could even answer, Mercy spoke up. "Holden's our step-dad."

       "Not really," I said.

       "Well, that's just rude," Mercy said.

       I chuckled while looking over at Avril. "These are my boyfriends kids."

       "We have names, you know," Mercy said.

       Jane walked to the front door, all ready to go to school. "Bye, Grandma," Jane said. "I'll see you after school."

       "Bye," Avril said before going back in the house and closing the door.

       "Jane, these are Shaw's kids Mercy, Lucian, and Castiel," I said. "They spent the night at our house so they're coming to school with us."

       "Who are you?" Lucian asked Jane. 

       "I'm Jane, Holden's best friend," she said. "And it's nice to finally meet you three. Holden tells me about you all the time. He really loves you three."

       They all smiled brightly. "And we love Holden!" Castiel said. "He's the best!"

       I couldn't help but smile when Castiel said that. I really did love love them a lot. They always made my days brighter, even at times they were a bit of a pain. But then again, which child wasn't?

       We went to the school, and Jane and I took the kids to their classroom first before we went to our lockers. And of course, as soon as we got to English, I tried falling asleep because I was bored and didn't want to listen to class.

       Unfortunately, Jordan wouldn't let me nap. Right as I actually fell asleep, he walked over to my desk and slammed a book down onto it, startling me awake. "No sleeping in class, Holden," he said. "If I catch you one more time, you're going to get a detention."

       I sighed, slumping in my seat as Jordan continued going over the book we had just started reading. Honestly, I didn't have a clue what he was talking about. Parts of if was familiar, but there was always the minor details of a book I could never remember.

       In fact, I would sometimes also forget the major details.

       I was just happy Jordan decided not to be unjust towards me just because I was dating his ex-boyfriend.

       Even though it was clear he hated me. He only didn't show it much because he was my teacher and could probably get fired if he treated me poorly.

       The rest of the school day went slow. As usual. It always consisted of either me trying to listen but not remembering a single thing they were talking about or me being too tired to even attempt to listen.

       I really couldn't wait until I graduated high school. Only two and a half months left of school. That was if I didn't fail any classes.

       When school ended, Jane said I didn't have to walk her home today since I also had to bring the kids back to my place, and that would be too much walking for them to go all the way to her house then back to my and Shaw's.

       I waited outside of the school for Mercy, Lucian, and Castiel before we went home. As soon as we got home, Shaw had just finished making an after school snack. "Alright, who's hungry?" he asked.

       "Me!" all three kids said together in unison.

       "Oh, but you can't let Holden have anything to eat," Mercy said. "He's mean to us."

       "What?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowed. "What did I do?"

       "You told your best friend's grandma that you're not our step-dad," Mercy said. "So we're all mad now."

       "Uh, that's because I'm not technically your step-dad," I said.

       "Do you hear this, Dad?" Lucian asked. "Do you hear how mean he's being to us? And he said he loves us."

       "We all agreed not to talk to him again," Castiel said.

       "That's funny because even after I said I wasn't your step-dad, you said you loved me and that I was the best," I pointed out.

       Castiel crossed his arms and scowled. "Now I'm even more mad you said that."

       He was such an adorable five-year-old when he was mad.

       "Well, sorry to break it to you three, but Holden technically isn't wrong," Shaw said. "He's not really your step-dad. He's just your dad's boyfriend."

       Mercy huffed. "Well then."

       "Can he be our step-dad?" Lucian asked.

       "Holden and I will had to get married first," Shaw said.

       "Then get married," Mercy said. "Boom. Problem solved."

       "It's not that easy, Mercedes," Shaw said. "There's wedding planning, the actual wedding, proposing."

       "Then propose."

       "Just eat your snacks."

       "Alright, fellow siblings," Mercy said, looking at Lucian and Castiel. "We are now no longer at Holden. We're now mad at Dad for not wanting to marry Holden."

       "What?" Shaw asked. "I didn't say that."

       "So you do?" Lucian asked.

       "Seriously, just eat your snacks," Shaw said.

       "He's not denying it," Mercy said while she and her brothers sat down at the table. "Me thinks he does."

       "Well, I am going to go work on my homework upstairs," I said. "I would do it here, but I have a feeling I won't get much done."

       "Do you ever get much done anyway?" Shaw asked.

       "Most of the time," I said. "Sometimes. Okay, only if it's English and I'm writing a paper or response to something. Anything else takes such a long time."

       "Then go, get started," Shaw said. "And we'll all go out later for dinner, yeah?"

       "Us too?" Mercy asked.

       "Well, only if you're no longer mad at me," Shaw said.

       "We're not mad at you," Mercy said.

       "Good."

       "But you should still marry Holden."

       Shaw didn't even answer them this time. I started heading up the stairs so I could have complete concentration on my homework.

       I wasn't able to.

       Because one thing was on my mind now. Marriage.

       Mercy, Lucian, and Castiel really seemed to want Shaw and I to get married so I could be their step-dad. But was I really ready for it?

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lol

i'm probably gonna be spamming this book a lot because i have a lot planned and i'm so excited for all the drama coming up.

BECAUSE DRAMA FTW.

and i have a gif i wanna use so badly ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) i haven't used any in a while, so let's use a random one right now:

i love them so much ahahahaha. they were doing an interview once and ste's actor was getting mad at harry's actor because harry hooked up with someone lol (ste and harry were broken up all the time so it's all good)