Falling In Love With The Duck

Like A Duck Taking to Water

        The quiet whisper of my name began to stir my mind from the quickly fading dream. My eyes are too heavy to open and I can practically feel the warmth of his hand on mine. His dark curls falling sweetly above his deep hazel eyes as they search mine. He leans down and wraps his other arm around my back as we dance upon the beach.

"Caroline," sings his sweet voice as he leans his head closer to mine.

"Mmm, Duckie," I mumble turning over on my bed.

Suddenly, I'm being shaken from my lovely dream. "Hey, Caroline!"

        I sit up quickly, accidentally slapping the person who dared to disturb me. It takes a minute for my sleepy eyes to adjust to the darkness of my room. The person who just felt the pain of my wicked slap props himself by his elbows on the edge of my bed, holding his cheek in pain. Oh no.

"Duckie, I'm so sorry!" I wrap my arms around his neck and hug his head.

"It's okay, Doll Face. Is this a bad time?"

        His voice was straining to be his usual cheerful, joking self, but, tonight, there was something guarded in his tone. I glance at my tiny alarm clock on the nightstand. 4:20 in the morning!

"Hey, Duck, how'd you get in here?"

        He pulls away from my embrace and sighs. Now becoming more awake, I realize he's soaking wet. He must have been literally sitting in the rain. Then it hits me; she upset him again. Duckie moves to sit on my bed with me making me shift closer to the side. Twin beds aren't meant for two, but this is Duckie. I grab his dripping fedora, shake it off, and place it on my head. He chuckles softly at me and I nudge him with my elbow.

"Caroline, baby," he puts his soaked arm around me. "If I told you how I got up into your bedroom, you'd have that tree chopped down and you'd start locking your window at night."

I laugh and he hushes me. "Don't wake your parents up now."

        I lean my head on him, not caring that my hair will get damp. Duckie has been my friend since elementary school. A part of me feels like he hasn't changed since then, but another part of me sees how much he really has. His childhood poof of frizzy hair has now calmed down into his cute, tamed curly hairdo I have named The Duck. A hairdo of which is never phased by hats. His braces helped his buck teeth, but somehow his teeth still look a little goofy. But goofy is cute to me.

        He sighs and disturbs me from my staring at him. There's this girl he's been chasing for years named Andie. He's completely...dedicated, but she always tosses him aside. And I've always been here to catch him. Even when we didn't speak for almost two years because he was so consumed by her.

"Alright, what happened?" I yawn.

He sighs again. "She brought him to Cats tonight."

"The bar?"

"No the play," he bops my head. "Yes, the bar."

        I bite my tongue. Andie has started seeing a richie named Blaine. I only remember his name because Duckie told me a joke earlier this week about Andie dating an appliance. Even though I don't think Blaine is a name of an appliance, I thought I should laugh to make him feel better. Wait, how'd Duckie even get into the club? The bouncer never lets him inside, so he's left to mope and make small talk for hours until Andie comes back out.

"Of all the places, she brings him to our club. Does she not realize that place is now tainted?"

"Duckie, it's not 'your' club. You aren't together."

"Not yet," his enthusiasm baffles me. "But what are the odds she brings him straight to me?"

I take his hand and begin to play with his fingers. "Obviously, very good odds. But can we not talk about Andie?"

He's quiet for a moment, which starts to worry me. "I kissed someone tonight."