The Ivy League

The Ivy League Part 16

JAKE'S POV:

"Let me go!" Courtney struggled.

My friend, Jeremy, grinned. "Sorry, no can do."

"I SAID let me go! I wanna have a go at him!" she shouted, renewing her struggles and Jeremy grinned lazily. But I noticed his muscles were tensed, which meant she was actually making him work hard to keep her at a safe distance from me.

Courtney had been in a foul mood by the end of the practice today. Who was she most pissed off at? Me. So first thing she did was make a beeline for me, looking violent. Grace had caught her, but she was no match for Courtney, who easily overpowered her. Luckily Jeremy was passing by and decided he'd help hold her back.

Jeremy sighed. "Courtney, we've been through this. We don't want any broken bones. Our school happens to have lost to the Stingers last year, and I personally want to see us crush them this year."

"So what does that have to do with this doucheface?" she demanded, glaring at me with hostility.

"Because this doucheface just so happens to be our best defenseman on our football team," Jeremy informed her.

"Gee, thanks man," I called to him sarcastically from where I was leaning against the wall a few feet away, but ready to make a run for it if Courtney escaped.

Courtney thought about that for a moment. "Fine, I'll just go for the nose. That way he can still run."

Jeremy looked like he was considering it and I interrupted. "I just so happen to like my face the way it is, thanks."

"Oh I don't know, broken noses make a guy look dangerous," Jay inserted helpfully from her spot on the sidelines. Grace turned to grin at her.

"Tempting," admitted Jeremy, grinning too. Traitors.

Courtney resumed her struggling. With any other girl, it would have been helpless feminine wriggling, made for show. With Courtney, this was the real thing. I leaned off the wall slightly, preparing to run if I had to. Damn but she was adorable when she was flustered and fighting. Her eyes were burning and bright. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips parted... Quit it, man, I said to myself and came back to the reality of the situation.

"Oi, Courtney, stop!" Jeremy grunted, getting red in the face from the effort of restraining her.

"I want to punch him first!"

"No."

"But it will make me feel better!" she complained.

Everyone chuckled.

Just then, I caught sight of a tired and pissed-off Nate walking by. He and Ellen seemed to be arguing. He glanced in the direction of our little group, who were all chattering and laughing as Courtney finally promised not to punch me and was released by a thankful Jeremy. I scowled at Nate and he looked coolly at me before turning back to his girlfriend to say something to her. She didn't like what he said, whatever it was, and the most miserable couple in the whole school got inside Nate's Mustang.

I turned back to our little group in time to register that Courtney was right in front of me. Next thing I knew, she kneed me in the nuts.

"Oh, for the love of God," I groaned, doubled up. A Mustang drove by in my peripheral vision and I swear I saw Nate grin.

"Son of a mother's lover, Jacob!" Courtney stood above me furiously where I was rolling around on the ground in helpless agony. She sure knows how to pack one.

"God, I know I was a jerk, but I didn't deserve it this bad. I DO want to have kids one day, you know."

I groaned again. It was too painful to think about getting up anytime soon. The corners of Courtney's mouth twitched.