6) Competition

"… so when the ball is thrown to you, run as fast as you can to the touchdown line and if you're touched, stop to hand the ball over to another team member. I'll split you into two teams and the captains of these teams are going to be Ty and Kelly," our sport teacher Mr. Anderson yelled over the roaring wind on the grassy oval during second period.

While the wind cheered around us and blew our red and yellow gym shorts and white shirts into and away from our bodies, the two students chosen skipped forward to stand in front of the class.

"Kelly, you pick first," our teacher ordered.

She smiled coyly and pointed to Jacob. I wasn't very thrilled and I clung to his hand enveloping mine fixedly. He got up and dragged me with him.

"If you have me, you have Nessie, too," he warned Kelly.

Her eyes narrowed a bit at me as she flicked her hair back but she agreed. Ty and Kelly continued choosing team members until the teams were fully formed. It was slightly uneven, our team thirteen to twelve so a girl from our squad who said she was sick sat out and kept score.

We lined up on the lines, Jacob and I hogging the right and left wings with our team leader as centre. The game began and Jacob caught the ball as it was thrown to him, dodging all the opposing players as he scooted to the goal and touched the ball the grass.

This method went on for a little while with nobody able to catch Jacob.

That's my wolf, I praised internally.

Halfway through the game, Ty charged me and tackled me from the side, forcing me to the ground and pinning me underneath him before Jacob had raced forward and ripped him off of me. I could have pushed him off me myself, but I was just so shocked; he had no reason to tackle me.

"What the hell was that?" he asked Ty rhetorically.

"Sorry, it was an accident," he replied dully.

"Bull shit it was. Keep your hands off of her. Understand?" he sneered.

"Can't promise anything, but I'll try," he grinned.

I saw Jacob's hand flex out of the corner of my eye and jumped between the boys, laying my hands on Jake's chest and pushing him backwards. I shot Ty a polluted look and murmured convictions to Jake.

"Are you alright?" he asked me tenderly as he lead me to the centre back positions so that he could stay close to me.

"Jake," I laughed, "I'm fine. Did you forget that I'm a half breed mosquito?"

He glared at me, obviously not finding my joke very funny so I changed tactics and wound my arms around his waist.

"I'm fine, not a scratch on me," I sighed.

He rubbed his hands up and down my back and sides for a moment before he pulled away and told me to stay in the centre back position while he took up the centre forward.

And then the game began.

It was obvious, to me anyway, that Jake and Ty were going head to head persistently and I knew why. Though I was the trophy, Jacob didn't like to think of me as one and he certainly didn't want another guy thinking they could win me so he fought back. Jacob wasn't going to be beaten so I wasn't going to worry.

They tackled roughly at one point and I raced forward to push myself between them and jump into Jake's arms so he wouldn't do something stupid to Ty; he'd more than likely kill him if given a split seconds chance. No one knew how much force I had to exert for this, and everyone called me stupid for getting between them. Better me than them, like Jake or Ty could hurt me anyway. Well, Jake could but he never would; he loved me too much.

The teacher yelled at both of them a fair deal and told me off for getting between them. Ty looked a little embarrassed and Jake just looked bored. I just watched the trees sway in the wind and nodded at his reprimand.

"What'd you do that for?" I asked Jacob when we both fell back to the centre-back positions.

"'Cause," was all he replied.

I rolled my eyes and faced away from him. "You know, it's not the greatest idea you've had to initiate brawls with kids—"

"I didn't initiate anything. He started it."

I turned and glared at him, and it must have been evil because he backed up a few steps. "Ness... I don't get it. Why does it matter so much?"

"Because I don't want you thrown out. I enjoy the normality of it all and even though I do enjoy it I'm not going to school, any school, without you Jake. It doesn't help much when you go around arguing with people."

He studied me for a minute before he resigned and muttered "I know, I know. I'm sorry."

"No more fighting, with anyone for anything. Okay?" I asked as I stepped towards him and held out a hand.

"Only 'cause you asked," he replied with a small smile as he reached for my hand and pulled me in for a cuddle.

"Oh, my Jakey," I murmured into his chest.

"What?"

I giggled a little and turned my head upwards until I had brushed his jaw with my nose. I pressed my lips softly to his neck and felt him shiver at the touch.

"Jake, admit it; you would do anything for me."

"Sure, sure."

"RIGHT! LINE UP IN YOUR PLACES, AND KEEP THE GAME AS A GAME! NO SCRAPPING OR I'LL HAVE YOU SUSPENDED!" our dear sweet teacher threatened.

Jacob released me after he met my lips with his briefly and we jogged backwards until we had reached our positions.

"RENESMEE!" Kelly called from behind me.

I turned to look at her and gestured for her to continue.

"Could you take the goals? I want to run around," she said with pleading eyes.

"Yeah, sure," I replied as we traded positions and I stood between the goal posts.

The game continued this time a little more peacefully and I steered all eight kicks aimed at the goals away from them. Jacob, of course, scored all the eleven goals he aimed for.

After the game was called to an end, we went back to the change rooms and cooled down before pulling our usual clothes on.

I listened to the girls while they ran around and chatted lively as I ran water down the back of my neck and over my face.

"I don't know, but did you see that Jacob guy? Damn, he's fine. I don't think they are dating are they?"

"I don't know. Maybe, because he kissed her and he's awfully protective of her; you saw him with Ty after he tackled her right? But if she doesn't jump him soon I will. I know Ty wants to jump her though, and you know him; what he wants he gets. It's only a matter of time."

Now I was alert and so unhappy. Were they talking about my Jacob?

My Jacob?

I got up once I had pulled my second heel on and practically ran past them, all of them stopping to stare at me as I passed, and out of the change room doors.

I focused on evening my breaths as I glanced back and bumped into something solid.

I had spent almost everyday since my birth with Jacob, I knew him well and I could recognize his comforting body anywhere, and it was not his body that I ran into.

My books I had held in my arms dropped from my hands and I met Ty's eyes as I stood back up from retrieving them.

"Sorry," I muttered when I side stepped to try and pass him. He followed my movement and blocked me.

He didn't say anything; he just looked at me and took measured steps in my direction. Being careful to keep the distance identical with each step, I moved backwards until I felt my back lean against the wall.

"What do you want?" I asked him.

"Well, you. I mean you're awfully pretty and… sexy; who wouldn't?"

"Just keep your filthy hands off of me, okay," I retorted.

I took a step forwards to walk around him again and he pushed my shoulder back into the wall.

"You can be mine, you know, baby. I can make all your dreams come true," he sneered as he leant forward enough that his breath swept across my face.

"The only dream of mine you can make come true is to remove your grimy, cunning hands off of me, turn around, walk away and not touch me again," I sneered.

Ty looked a little hurt and taken aback.

Good, I praised myself.

I shoved his hand away from my shoulder and dashed around him, watching him behind me as I trotted away.

I slowed my pace as I rounded the corner and hugged my bag closer to me, watching the ground where my feet would tread.

"You okay, honey?" a familiar husky voice asked from a few feet away.

I looked up into Jake's eyes and nodded at him, smiling a little smile and stopping to stand next to him.

"You're sure? You look upset," he ran his hands up and down my arms and I shivered beneath his touch.

"I'm fine, Jake. I just wish some —" I broke my sentence off abruptly.

I knew that if Jake knew what Ty did it definitely would not stop him knocking him out, so I decided to keep my trap shut to protect Jacob.

That was contradicted when Ty walk past me and slapped my butt.

Shit!

I could hear a low snarl build in Jake's chest as he drew me closer to the side of him when Ty stopped beside me.

"What did you touch her for?"

"Relax, man. It's healthy to have competition," Ty winked at me.

"There is no competition." At no point did I plan on saying anything.

At no point did I plan on swinging my fisted hand forward to connect with his face, either.