The Ivy League

The Ivy League Part 34

[Re-cap]

“Courtney,” he said in such a low, quiet voice that it sent shivers down my spine. I shuddered at the panic and even fear I could see in his blazing green eyes.

           “We need to talk.”

*** 

           I narrowed my eyes at him. In my experience, those four words never meant anything good.

           I crossed my arms, tilting my chin up and ignoring Jake and Hell-en. “All right then,” I said, “talk.”

           Nate looked at Ellen, now anger blazing in his eyes. Ellen merely arched one eyebrow coolly.

           “Not here, Courtney.”

           “No, you heard her,” Ellen interrupted, her lips turning up into a smirk, “Talk.”

           All three of us, me, Jake and It turned to look at Nate, expectant. Nate stiffly turned his back on the other two, unleashing the full force of his emerald green eyes at me. They still had the power to take my breath away, and suddenly, I wasn’t nervous. I just smiled up at him, waiting for him to get whatever it was out of his system so we could just leave.

           Except there was no answering, easy flash of smile that I had come to love from Nate. There was only the hard, serious manner, and it was freaking me out.

           “Nate, just say it,” I said impatiently.

           Nate took a deep breath, and for the briefest second I saw that flash of panic mixed with fear in his eyes, but the next moment it was gone.

           “Courtney,” he said in a low voice.

           “That’s me,” I agreed edgily.

           He ignored that. “Listen, there’s something you need to know.”

           “We established that already, and I’m listening,” I replied, starting to get annoyed. Ellen looked bored, and began inspecting her nails. But she wasn’t moving, either. That little piece of manure.

           “I—” Nate began, then stopped and nervously cleared his throat. “I…” Frustrated, he brought one hand up to run it through his shaggy hair, his jaw clenching. I admired him for a moment, then looked into the green eyes that were looking at me, as though memorizing each detail.

           “First, I need to tell you something. Courtney,” he whispered, stepping close to me, and wrapping one arm around my waist, “I love you.”

           The three most beautiful words ever said were whispered into my ear, and the next moment, Nate’s lips were on mine and I was kissing him back, completely bewildered, but a deep well of pure joy bubbling up inside of me. I kissed him back for all I was worth, and I could feel how hard he was trying not to lose control but I didn’t care, because all I knew was happiness.

           Was he that nervous because he wanted to tell me that he loved me? He loved me! I couldn’t believe it; whatever I had expected, it hadn’t been this.

           But the next instant, Nate was suddenly gone, ripped apart from me by a livid Ellen. Behind her, I could see Jake, looking in concern at me. He glanced away from me and at Nate with a distrustful expression. I turned my attention back at the gray-eyed girl who was standing in front of me, fists clenched and her entire slender body trembling with fury.