Just Listen
By the way, I tried to say, I'd be there, waiting for
You
He looked up at her with those soft eyes that had always left her breathless, but they didn't mean much anymore. They held what used to be, what should have been, what he destroyed. "Look, I'm sorry."
But it's just a lie, just another scramble of words that he shoves at her to ease the guilt. She just keeps crying. And after a while, he's done with it. "Listen, Courtney. I'm sorry for hurting you, but I'm not sorry for being with her. She makes me feel good." She never says a word. She just looks at him like he's trash and licks her lips and wipes her tears. She doesn't say anything to him.
For awhile, that's fine with him. Having Courtney off his tail for the moment is great. But sooner or later, her avoidance is annoying. She used to strive to make him jealous, to get him back- and then one day, she just stopped. It was like one of those things you always had in the corner of you vision, and then all of a sudden, it isn't there anymore, and you feel like something is wrong.
He tried to make her life a living hell. He'll admit it. He was pretty good at it too- and every time, she would give him a death glare, would blink her eyes and let the tears fall fresh and Duncan felt better. But then, again, she made no acknowledgement of him. It made him feel hurt and angry and he wanted to smash something. Never in his life had he ever wanted to hit a girl.
But he would. If it meant getting her attention back, it was fine.
See, he didn't need Courtney to love him, and he didn't need her to hate him. He just needed her to stay there, to always be there, waiting for him. Whether it was to kill him or kiss him, either was good. Because she had always had her attention on him. She had always been his balance that kept things straight, his backup and his bridge.
And now she wasn't even looking at him. He just needed to know that she was there, that she still thought of him, somehow, some way. But her gaze never caught his anymore, and she didn't seem like she was avoiding him.
It was more like she had forgotten him.
It pissed him off to no end and he knew he could never admit it. So he kept trying to tease her, but it didn't matter because she didn't really listen. She had a few other guys and never glanced in his direction. He kept trying to make her angry but it was like she didn't feel anything anymore.
Those times when her gaze would flicker to him, he would truly mean it. "I'm sorry, Princess." He was. Just forgive him, just look at him, just say that it's OK, Duncan, it's OK, I'm still here.
But it's like she can't even hear him. Like she isn't even able to listen. Because to her, everything is just a lie, just a scramble of words that he shoves at her to make her listen. To make her stay. To make her wait.
Authors Notes:
It is an interesting concept. I don't always believe that Duncan required Courtney's love, just her attention and emotion… I don't know. I could always imagine them at least staying friends or becoming friends after the break-up, gradually. Maybe it's just me.
Thanks for reading!
First Draft Finished: 12/5/10
Final Draft Finished: 12/6/10
Published: 12/6/10
Fandom: Total Drama series
Disclaimer: Total Drama Island and all its characters are property of their respective owners.
Song Used: By The Way by Red Hot Chili Peppers
©2010 Cereal-Killa