Sk8er Boi: A Duncney Drama

The Beginning of the End

Bridgette sighs.  "I wouldn't be able to explain it if I tried."

~

When Courtney gets home from school, her parents aren't home, no surprise there, and she heads up to her room.  Exhausted and overwhelmed, she throws her bag down on the floor and flops down onto her plush queen size mattress.  Right when her face hits the pillow, her phone buzzes.  Courtney groans and lifts her head up to take a look at her notifications screen.  It's a text.  From Duncan.  She dramatically drops her head back down onto the pillow for a couple minutes in peace when her phone starts excessively buzzing.  He's calling this time.  She angrily answers the phone, "What do you want?"

Woah there, Princess, I'm not gonna bite.  You didn't answer my text and, normally, you're the queen of replying immediately.   What's up?

"None of your business.  B-"

Wait, don't!  I wanted to ask you something. 

Courtney sighs.  "What, Duncan?"

I was wondering if you'd like to hangout tonight.  I could pick up a pizza and come to your place...

"We've talked about this. It isn't a good idea." Courtney sternly replies.

Courtney, please.  He pauses for a moment and Courtney becomes intrigued, waiting on the phone for his next few words.  I mean nothing by it.  It's just the end of high school, and I want to get together with you.  I promise there's no ulterior motive here. 

Courtney is silent for a minute, but then relents.  "Okay, Duncan.  My parents won't be home anyways, so you can come, but don't get any ideas!"

I'll be a true platonic gentleman, I promise.  See you tonight.

"Bye."

~

A couple hours pass and Courtney sits alone in her room.  Since the call, she's tidied everything up and even dressed up a bit more herself.  She couldn't explain why she wanted to look good.  It couldn't have been to impress him, could it?  Either way, she went out of her way, and as the minutes tick by nearing the time of their usual meetings, she feels her heart racing.  Anticipation hangs in the air. 

Ding dong.

He's here.

Courtney races down the stairs and stops in front of the hallway mirror to make sure everything's perfect before answering the door.  There he is, standing in the light of her porch with a pizza box in his hands.  Steam rose from within the pizza box into the air and left the two of them with the delicious lingering scent of the American-made Italian delicacy.

With one hand, the other still holding onto the box, Duncan scratched the back of his neck. "Hey, Princess."

Courtney rolls her eyes, but her smile's genuine. "You know I hate when you call me that."

"Yeah...well, I also know you're a liar." Duncan retorts.

"Shut up and come in already."

"Yes, ma'am." Duncan walks in the door, which Courtney closes behind him. She grabs his free hand and leads him up to her recently cleaned room.

Once inside, Courtney closes the door behind them and leans against it, her hands clasped behind her back. "So, why'd you want to come over?"

Duncan opens up the food and picks out a piece for himself before answering, "You know exactly why, Court."

Courtney lets out the air she's been holding inside. "We don't have a lot of time, D. I'm going to California. You know this."

Duncan's mid-bite, but quickly chews, swallows, and places the slice back in the box. He stands up from her bed. "Yes, I know. You're all leaving me behind. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for you all, but I just don't understand it."

Courtney's eyebrows scrunch together. "What do you mean?" She fidgets with her hands behind her.

Duncan's voice raises in volume. "I don't fucking understand why you couldn't just accept us and now you're leaving the goddamn country!"

She winces at his loud, harsh language. Then, she whispers to herself, "I thought we were gonna have a nice final night..."

Duncan flinches, hearing her mumbled response. "I want that, too, Courtney, but we've barely talked. Our parents don't know; not even our friends know."

"That's what we agreed," she says quietly.

He throws his hands up in the air. "I know that, obviously, I'm not stupid! I'm just fucking in love with you!"

Courtney's eyes widen. They've never said anything like that before. Sure, there's been the post-sex niceties and handholding and future talks, but never like this. She brings her arms forward and wraps them around herself. She turns away from her secret lover. "Duncan..." Tears well up in her big onyx eyes. "I think you should-"

"You think I should what, Court?" Duncan asks defensively.

"I think you should leave," she chokes out, a tear rolling down her dark cheek.

Duncan's aggressive composure falls away entirely and his own eyes well up. "Courtney..."

She doesn't respond, only looks away. She can hear the heavy rise and fall of his chest. All she wants is to reach out and hold him, but she knows she can't. They were never meant to be, and they're both going away. She to California and he to the local police academy per his parents' request, much to his dismay.

Courtney opens the door. Duncan picks up the box of pizza and storms out of the room, down the stairs, and out the front door back into his car and to his own house.

Courtney falls to the lavender carpet and sobs long into the night.  Her phone buzzes and she throws it at the wall.  Luckily the screen doesn't crack, but she won't know that for several hours. 

Duncan slams his palms against his steering wheel, tears streaming out of his eyes as he tries to drive home, but is so emotionally reckless that he almost gets in an accident.  He eventually makes it home in one piece, but completely on edge. 

This is the last time they see each other for ten years...

To be continued...

This story was always kind of an idea of mine in the back of my head, but I never got around to it.  Then, td_weirdo got me inspired, so here it is!