four wishes - duncney (REWRITTEN) | ✔️

Chapter 8

The cops arrived at the scene within five minutes. It was crazy to see how fast they arrived this time compared to when the coffee shop incident happened. Crowds were gathering outside the library to see what was happening. And they saw Courtney tangled up in all of it. She felt embarrassed by the people watching. She felt embarrassed by the fact that she was with the cops. She felt embarrassed with herself for choosing not to study. She was most of all embarrassed for underestimating Duncan.

Alas, Duncan didn't seem to be the best person - or genie, for that matter. His reputation seemed to be permanently tarnished. Why was Courtney involved with such a delinquent? Yet she felt ashamed of herself for not listening to him. He tried to warn her. She should have known he was right. She shouldn't have done the thing that Duncan attempted to warn her about. She shouldn't have chosen that she wanted to be with Scott again. Tonight, Scott once again proved his true colors to her.

After tiredly explaining everything to the cops, and of course leaving everything out about genies, she and Duncan silently walked back to the dorm together. They'd both been given a physical examination - Courtney was fine other than a sore cheek, but she was worried about Duncan. But they said he was unharmed. Did Duncan even have intestines or bones or anything? He was still such a mystery to her in so many ways.

They made it back to Courtney's dorm building and got into the elevator. Courtney unwillingly pressed the button. She just wanted to be alone in this moment to process all of her feelings and everything going on in her life. But she knew that Duncan had to be with her. She still had to give him her last wish before he returned to his bottle. She determined that she would figure out what she wanted the wish to be before the night ended. She was still having a hard time trying to decide what she wanted to use it for.

Should she wish for her finals to go okay? Tonight was another failed study session. Should she just wish to finish school altogether so she never had to have another study session again, especially a failed one? No, that seemed wrong.

Part of Courtney wanted to do something for Duncan. After his outburst and her final realization of just how bad she had been to him, she wanted to make up for it somehow. The kiss wasn't a good way. She wasn't expecting it. She didn't want it. And it just made Courtney feel like she was the reason that he was breaking more rules - and she was.

As they stood in the elevator together, Courtney peered to the side at Duncan. He looked exhausted. His eyes were closed and his lips were in a deep frown. He had dark circles under his eyes. His green mohawk was all over the place. And he didn't even have a coat on. He must have been freezing. Courtney silently admired him for going out of his way to get her purse and walk back to the dorm building with her. He must not own a coat. What did Duncan even own? Did he have any personal belongings he could keep to himself? Courtney would be lost if she didn't have the few items she held onto since she was a child.

The elevator finally opened. Courtney led the way to the room. She stuck the key in the lock, praying that Heather wasn't there. When she opened the door, she peered inside, to be relieved that Heather was missing.

Duncan followed behind her and immediately grabbed the genie bottle off of Courtney's desk. He sat down on Heather's bed, and Courtney sat across from him on her own. She knew what he wanted her to do.

They just sat there and stared at each other for a few minutes. Courtney could not stop thinking about how tired he looked. She noticed little things, like the stubble forming on his cheeks and chin. His piercings - they were the same color as his eyes. His crooked nose. His dark pink lips.

Duncan took in Courtney too. He stared into her beautiful onyx eyes. He admired the dark green beanie that she wore that had melting snowflakes on it. He noted her brown hair that was abnormally messy. The freckles that covered her cheeks and nose. Duncan thought that she was truly beautiful. But the inside of her was a different story to be read. And Duncan did not want to read any further.