Falling In Love With The Duck

Bird's Eye View

We all get into Kevin's small car with me sitting in the back with Duckie. I fume in silence looking out my window. Terry keeps trying to start conversations with us, but I'm not having any of it. Duckie on the other hand seems super excited about the whole thing. He keeps talking about how Andie is going to look perfect. I clench my fists until my knuckles are paper white.

"We are here!" sings Terry as we pull up to the venue.

It's gorgeous. The hotel looks like a mansion or a castle compared to anything I've seen. I'm so consumed by it that I didn't realize we parked until Duckie opens my door for me. I silently scold myself and thank him quickly. As Terry takes Kevin's arm and start to dash for the party, I turn to Duckie.

"Can we talk?" I say quietly.

He looks at the party and then back to me. "Sure, Doll Face."

We sit on a bench outside the hotel in a small garden. There's so much to say, and so many answers that I am afraid of. I look at Duckie as he takes his sunglasses off. His eyes look distant and hesitant. He's nervous.

"Duckie, I'm sorry," I begin. "I shouldn't have said any of that to you."

"Which parts?"

I look at his bolo tie. "All of it. It was stupid and wrong."

"I didn't realize loving me would be so stupid," he says watching my eyes.

I glance back up at him. "It's not. I do love you, but I shouldn't have mentioned it to you."

"So, you're saying it's better for you to lie to me?"

"In this case, yes, Duckie," I can feel the tears. "I know how you feel towards Andie. But I want to know how you feel towards me."

"I...I wasn't expecting that..." he looks away from me to the tree above us. "Andie is coming here alone. I have to be here for her."

I stand up. "Okay, that's all I need to know."

He stands up too. "She's going to need me."

"Yeah, I know," I say wiping my first tears away. "Can we please go in now?"

He takes my arm gently, testing me if I will let him lead me inside. I force a smile to him and let him guide me. As we walk inside, the music cascades down the giant staircase into the lobby. We catch up with Kevin and Terry at the top. Duckie is already planning out how to make an entrance for Andie. I sit in a chair placed against the wall. Terry sits beside me.

"What now?"

"He's here for her," I say not caring if Kevin and Duckie hear me anymore. "Hey Duckie," I say finally ready to tell him.

He turns to face me. "Yes?"

"When she turns you down again tonight, know that there's a chance I won't be here for you."

He nods slowly and puts his glasses on. He turns away and walks to the top of the stairs. He freezes and smiles looking down the stairs, at who I assume is Andie. He walks down the steps and meets her at the bottom. I get up and rush to the balcony to see them. She hugs him and laughs and smiles. He hugs her back, loving the fact that she hasn't rejected him yet. My chest begins to hurt as I see him lead her up the steps right past me into the ballroom.

I sit back down and weep. And I mean weep. He loves her, not me. Terry pats my back and Kevin gets me tissues. How can he just do this to me? I thought...did he try to kiss me? Was that in my mind? Why did he want me to admit I love him?

"You guys go on," I motion towards the ballroom. "I am going to walk home."

"Are you sure?" Terry keeps rubbing my back.

"I don't want to ruin prom for you two," I wipe my eyes with a tissue.

They thank me and run into the party holding hands. I grab a couple more tissues and stand up. My head is pounding from crying so much. I stumble down the steps and I get a few giggles from people going towards the prom. Suddenly, I see Blaine running past me towards the lobby. What's his problem? I get to the platform between the stairs going up and down and take a break. My ankles hurt from these stupid shoes.

"Blaine!" I hear Andie's voice.

She is chasing after Blaine? That means...she left Duckie...again. I sit against the wall and take my shoes off. She's so rude! I cannot stand her. How could she just leave him again? I start crying again. I knew this would happen. She was going to leave him for someone else. I pull my legs to my chest and cry on my knees. I will walk home when my feet stop hurting.

"Excuse me, miss," the jokingly happy voice says next to me. "But I think you are way too pretty to be crying outside your prom."