The Ivy League

The Ivy League Part 26

“Courtney!” my uncle’s voice wafted up to me from downstairs. “It’s for you!”

I sigh and get out from under my bed, taking a while to wiggle out from the narrow stuffy exit that I was wedged in.

“Courtney?” my uncle’s muffled voice called again when I didn’t answer. “You alive up there, hon?”

“Coming!” I shout back in a strangled voice, “I’ll be there in a minute!”

I hear the murmur of voices downstairs as I finally wriggle free, and stand up, taking a moment to indulge in a few heart-felt sighs, gratefully sucking in dust-free air.

“COURTNEY!” my uncle finally bellows. “Do I even want to know what you’re doing up there?”

“Relax,” I say peevishly, already halfway down the stairs. I stop when I see who my uncle is standing at the door with.

“What is he doing here?”

“Hey, Courtney,” Jake greets me. For once his smile is absent, leaving his face in a distinctly-un-Jacob-like expression.

“Why are you here?” I demand warily, narrowing my eyes at him. My uncle frowns and plucks a dust bunny from my hair.

“Been having a chat with the dust bunny clan?” my uncle asks me, now untangling a long strand of dust from my hair.

“I saved them from Rebecca,” I say solemnly, taking the fluff from my uncle’s hands and stroking it gently. “I won’t let Rebecca get you, Puffy,” I whisper to it.

“You named a piece of dust?” my uncle asks in bewilderment. “Courtney, are you feeling okay?”

To my extreme surprise, I feel tears prick my eyes. I sniff and roughly swipe my arm across my face.

“I’m fine,” I mutter and both Jake and my uncle look concerned and unconvinced. Okay, so I give everyone the impression of being tough and uncaring. But give me a break! A girl can miss her family, too.

“What do you want?” I mutter gruffly to Jake, and my uncle discreetly disappears, leaving just Jake and me standing in the front entrance of my house.

Jake clears his throat, looking down at his feet. “I need to talk to you, Courtney. I want you to understand some things about me. I’m tired of looking up to say something to you or to laugh or something, only to see the judgment and distrust in your eyes.” He holds up one finger, smiling wryly when I open my mouth to protest. “Please hear me out. I know I’ve deserved it. But I want you to understand that you’re one of my best friends. And that always comes before any other feelings. So I’m sorry if I’ve been pushing you into something you don’t feel ready for.” He pauses and I stare at him, dumbfounded. I hadn’t been expecting that.

Jake gives the first real grin then, and takes advantage of my momentary loss for words. “I mean, obviously I don’t regret kissing you those two times. But I was thinking this week, and I’ve just realized I need to talk to you about—” and here Jake looked uncomfortable, “about Leah and Ellen,” he finishes with a sigh. My eyebrows rise.

“Go on,” I say dryly and Jake licks his lips nervously.

“Okay, well you already know what kind of a person Ellen is,” Jake begins, shifting his eyes quickly up at me, and then looks down at the ground. He seems surprised that I don’t immediately pour forth sarcasm and curse words.

Instead, I grin at him. “Jeez, Jake, I’m not going to physically harm you or anything. Calm down.”

At that, Jake relaxes and flashes a conspirational grin at me. Gracious, it’s so difficult staying mad at this boy.