Fiends of a Friend
Courtney tries for Duncan's sake to get along with his friends, but feels out of place, especially when they treat her cruelly behind Duncan's back. Surely she can show them she's cool enough to hang with the bad kids?
Courtney felt she knew how to be prim and proper and thoughtful. She was confident in her speaking abilities, in her facts, in herself, most importantly. Even at dark times in her life, she tried not to let her self-esteem lower, tried to be positive and insightful and a strong person capable of handling herself in all types of life situations. Really, she was a successful person.
The only downside to these great and positive things? She was socially awkward in a particular way. Anything morally compromising, and it practically gave her a full inner meltdown while shutting off all external stimulation. Basically, she was at a genuine loss as for what to do. She wasn't accustomed to dealing with people who didn't reason, or were rebellious. She was inept at being a normal teenager because the expectations from her parents told her to be an adult. Thus she skipped that crucial development stage; rebellion (Duncan was her largest and only rebellious action so far, but it didn't count anymore because her parents now loved him).
And because she didn't understand the normal mental urges of a teenager from having them repressed, it made her quiet in new groups of people, almost to the point of being shy.
Consequently, she knew that the moment Duncan had suggested that they take a weekend-long camping trip with his friends all delinquents or juveniles in some right, so that they could get to know her, that it would be a disaster. There's was no way she could let Duncan's opinion of her slip if he saw how she handled his friends as she had him the first time: like a total prude.
At first, she thought she could get her parents to say no for her and she could play it off like she really wanted to come and he would be none the wiser. But her mother, armed with fresh material out of the Psychiatric Academic Journal, was determined to make her be social. They were new to this part of Canada; surely it would do her some good to be with Duncan's friends? Surely they were like him; tough on the outside but gentle on the inside? Couldn't she be open to the possibilities just this once? Besides, the fresh air would do her good.
"I'm a raging psychopath and you want to let me run around in the woods with teenagers? Do you ever watch horror movies?" Courtney demanded her mother in horror.
But the matriarch's decision was final and while she packed (she was a CIT, this was nothing new), she wondered what she could do. Three days until the trip, three days in which to prepare. So she began a plan of action which would save her from being deemed uncool or unworthy of Duncan's affections. She needed to avoid that at all costs if she still wanted to graduate in a relationship.
Duncan had taught her a lot about his personal beliefs and style; what it meant to be punk. Maybe she'd learned enough from her own delinquent; surely she could pass as alright. After all, Duncan saw past her prudish ways and to the softcore punkette beneath. Maybe she could be herself?
Courtney face-palmed. Not only was she beginning to sound like an after school special in her own mind, she was actually trying to delude herself that anyone else besides her TDI friends would think that she was even anything close to room temperature. "This is hopeless," She warned herself aloud.
But Duncan was so excited. The way his face had lit up, how the corners of his smile turned up like a child's, it was enough to make her melt. So she finished packing and began making food preparations for the journey. At least she would have good opportunities to learn more about Duncan.
That was the only encouragement she could give herself as she lay down that night for sleep. Two more days. And then hell.
Step One: Panic; Complete.
Dearest Lovely Readers,
I know what you're all thinking:
Why the Duck would you start writing TWO MULTICHAPTERED STORIES AT ONCE? And even if I got that wrong, I'm telling you anyway; Committed will not be more than four to five chapters long, if even that. It was just a cute idea and so I wanted to try it out. But The Set Up is still my main priority.
I promise you another chapter of The Set Up sometime soonish. But don't expect much.
Cheers
~Dragon