The Ivy League

The Ivy League Part 13

I scowled, thoroughly hating my life. Those dumb idiots who wish they had my life can have it - Ellen, play, League and all. The only things that I do because I want to is football and boxing. And even then, my father kind of pressured me into those things, too.

I sighed, irritated. Ellen looked coolly at me. "Can't you relax for one second?" she whispered, then turned back to watching the kid screwing around with the dumb puppets. No, "Nate, are you okay?" or "What's wrong?"

Nope, just "Shut up and be quiet, Nate, and don't interfere with the perfect couple image."

God, I need a shower right now. And to stop wanting to look over across the theater where Courtney's sitting with Jay. Did I mention how much I hate my life?

***

"It was that bad, huh?" Both Grace and Jake were looking apprehensive.

"What on earth makes you say that?" I scowled. Oh right, the scowl on my face.

Grace smiled sympathetically. "Don't worry," she said bracingly, "You've got the whole free weekend ahead of you."

"And back to this on Monday," I muttered, but I felt better. The prospect of a Saturday can do wonders for the irritated soul.

"Do you want to come over to my house?" Grace asked.

"Sure," I agreed, bouncing back to my usual self, ready for anything.

Jake looked tired. "I need to... I've got...I can't."

Grace and I looked at him. "Why not?" I demanded, and Jake winced, looking as though I had asked exactly that which he didn't want to answer.

"I'll tell you later, oh look, gotta go!" he said hastily, giving both of us a one-armed hug and hurrying off. I watched him leave, confused, but then decided not to worry about it. Jake could be mysterious if he wanted to, that's fine with me.

Grace's Lexus pulled up and we got in comfortably. "What are we going to do at your house on Saturday?" Grace asked as the Lexus began to move.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know, my uncle wanted to invite you guys over. I'm still new to this I'm-drowning-in-money kind of thing, remember? I don't know what rich people do when they invite other rich people over."

Now Grace rolled her eyes. "Oh please. We're not that rich."

I gave her driver a pointed stare, patting the leather seats. "I beg to differ," I said. "Compared to what I used to live like, this is like billionaire life!"

Grace turned pink and quickly glanced out her window. My eyes widened.

"No way," I said in a hushed voice. Then, "HOLY WOODEN FIDDLESTICKS, THAT RICH? AND YOU SAID 'NOT THAT RICH!'"

Grace was definitely blushing now. "Daddy's not exactly a billionaire all by himself," she said hesitantly, "I'm pretty sure his business partner owns a few of those billions, too. So I'm not sure exactly how much money our family has."

I still stared at her, my jaw almost brushing those damn cream leather seats.

"Your eyeballs are going to fall out," Grace told me, slapping my jaw up so that it shut on my tongue.

"Outh," I lisped. My tongue hurt. "How can you thay that you're not rith?" I demanded, "When you're thwimming in billionth of dollarth?"

Grace scowled. "Drop it, Courtney. Your uncle is my dad's business partner."

"I think I'm going to thcream."

I did scream, nearly giving the poor driver a cardiac arrest.