Rain Street
Courtney runs into Duncan again when going to a restaraunt where Allejandro is waiting for her so they can celebrate their anniversary. But when Courtney finds Allejandro with another woman, she leaves and meets up with Duncan again and their love is rekindled.
Courtney sprang onto the sidewalk, her heels clacking delicately on the cement. Her flowing dress volumized with a crinolin skirt caressed her tanned thighs. Those around her couldn't help but glance and admire her looks, sparingly elegant and complimented well by the charcoal colored silk. She looked like a regular fifties pin-up, except that her long hair was straightened and free-flowing.
As she turned onto a side street with less people, she noticed with growing unease the black mustang with the blazing green pinstriping on the hood and sides that- now that she thought about it- had been following her for the last two blocks. But she wasn't prepared for what she heard from it. "Well you sure clean up nice. Any chance of you ditching your date to ride with me?" Courtney turned her head in surprise at the voice.
"Duncan Matthus? Is that you?" Courtney asked as she brushed her hair out of her face.
The punk stuck his head out of car window. "The one and only. How's my princess, I mean, old friend, doing?" He smirked at her, blue eyes twinkling.
The brunette smirked back as she bounced off the curve walked up to the car. "Nice ride. And I'm doing fine. You?" She bent to lean against the open passenger side window. She hadn't seen the trouble maker in a very long time, but she'd heard recently from her friend Zoey that he'd moved to this city after making it big in Los Angelas forbeing a master ink artist. She was surprised when she felt that familiar tingle she used to get whenever she saw Duncan during their time together as reality tv stars.
"Thank you. And same for me." He eyed her dress. "I must say, you are a sight for sore eyes." The onyx-eyed woman felt herself warmed by the man's compliments. His praise always made her smile and feel good about herself. But the moment was lost when he asked, "What's with the fancy duds?"
Courtney swallowed nervously, but mentally rebuked herself. Since when did she feel embarrassed that Allejandro was her boyfriend or care that Duncan had asked? She smoothed her skirt down and said, "Well, it's the four year anniversary of Allejandro and I, so we're going to Halo 21 for dinner." It was the most expensive retaraunt in town. But with Allejandro's wildly successful modelling career, he could afford it.
Duncan quirked his eyebrow. "Pssh. Surely you could've done better, Princess?" He leant back in his seat, black hoodie and dark interior failing to hide his broad chest.
Courtney scowled, feeling insulted and stood up, hands going to her hips. Since when did she care about his opinion? "You mean like you? A 'player'?" She crossed her arms angrily. "Are you really criticizing me when you're the one who cheated on me? Fuck off!"
The punk's jaw dropped. "What? No! But he's a total player! How can you go for a low life like him?"
"Alejandro is a decent man. Not like you'd know anything about that," She spat. Courtney spun on her heels and began to stalk away, steaming.
"Courtney, wait!" She stopped in her tracks, despite her conviction. "At least... At least let me give you a ride to the restaraunt!"
"I'm perfectly capable of making it to the restaraunt by myself," She scoffed over her shoulder before flipping her hair and marching off. "Asshole," She grumbled, feeling as though she couldn't get away fast enough. "We haven't seen each other in years and he criticizes me for dating a player when he is one?" Her face softened and she slowed her walking when she rounded another corner. At least Allejandro would be courteous. At least she still had a beautiful evening to look forward to.
It was with relief that she jogged up the steps to the restaraunt, missing her boyfriend. Going into the elgant mahogany doors, into the red-carpeted interior to the host, giving her name in a soft voice, she felt elegant, beautiful. Allejandro would see it over their scrumptuous dinner and chase away her lonlieness. Who needed Duncan?
"Right this way, Miss. The good sir is in the upstairs section," The host murmured before leading her through the beautiful interior. The aromas were heavenly and the feeling of the plsuh, well groomed carpet beneath her feet only whetted her anticipation. As they ascended the steps to the upper level, Courtney smoothed her skirt one more time, wanting to be perfect for Allejandro. She scanned the room and just when she found him, her smile faded.
Everything else was a blur through the tears as she ran out of the restaraunt, stumbling more than a few times in her delicate black heels.
"Seriously man? You still let her talk to you like that?" Scott asked skeptically as he set out more cleaned mugs to dry. Dawn, in the back, hummed a nonsense song as she strolled back and forth between the front counter in the back, taking stock of their tea supplies.
"Tch. I know, I sound like a huge flake. But damn... She's fiesty." Duncan leant his chin on his open palm, looking out of the teashop's window to the rainy street outside. The lights of the surrounding businesses seemed to bleed out onto the concrete, creating a series of listless watercolors on the pavement.
"Whatever dude. Hey, you gonna pay for that?" Duncan realized that he was on his third cup of chai.
"Sure, whatever." He put down $25 before gazing into the mocha-colored chai, feeling lost in thoughts of Courtney. She looked so beautiful, gorgeous in black... She looked happy too, even with a jerk like Allejandro.
The punk sighed, stiring his drink, feeling a dull, familiar throb of jealousy in his heart. He was surprised that he could still have such feelings for the girl he parted ways with so long ago. He chuckled a little. She must have been the one that stuck in his heart the farthest, like a thorn in his side.
Looking out the window again, he was surprised to see a familiar figure, still dressed in black, slowly wandering the street in the pouring rain. Concerned, he stood up and jogged out of the shop, into the street. "Courtney?" Duncan called, hoping to get her attention. "Courtney, wait up!"
Upon hearing his voice, Courtney hastily yet flawlessly wiped her tears away before she turned to Duncan as he approached her. She tried to smile, tried to mend herself so that she was flawless... "Oh, Duncan," Her smile was tight and so plastic, devoid of any happiness if anyone ever cared to look. "I was so lost in thought, I guess I just wandered down here."
She fell silent as Duncan just stared at her and she knew that she wasn't fooling him. How could she? He probably knew her better than anyone, especially Allejandro. Her bitter mendings of her heart tore again and after looking at the blue-eyed Punk dumbly for a few minutes, her tears started falling anew. "You were right," She sniffed quietly. "He... He... Doesn't want me."
"I-I..." Duncan fumbled over his words, unsure of how to feel. He really wanted to tell her that what he said was out of spite, out of jealousy. But what she told him next sealed Allejandro's fate, in Duncan's mind.
"He was kissing another woman. And not even that, but... She was in his lap, like they were together..." Courtney let a slow, painful sigh out from between her teeth. "I wish you'd be here five years earlier," She tried to comment off-handedly, wiping her eyes again.
"I told you he was a player," He mumbled.
She nodded. "I guess people don't change." The two stood beside each other under the awning of a building for a few moments, mutely watching the rain fall down. Duncan reached into his coat pocket and took out a cigarette. He lit it, and inhaled the vicious gray smoke.
"Mind if I take a drag," She asked softly. Duncan handed the cancer stick over, watching in mild surprise as Courtney seemed to sip at the cigarette like it was a cup of tea. He remembered her hating the habit when they were together.
The dark-haired youth watched the onyx-eyed girl, who was shivering the slightest bit, her soft shoulders trembling from the chill of the rain and the persistent breeze. Feeling protective, Duncan unzipped his jacket and covered the girl, liking how she seemed to rise to meet the fabric. He then ushered her close to his side, rubbing her shoulders. "Thank you. I really appreciate all of this."
"Sure. You feel better now?"
"Yeah. You usually have a soothing effect on me though," Courtney teased, sniffling a bit. Duncan liked that neither he nor Courtney seemed to feel awkward, commenting so. The mocha-skinned girl nodded. "We never really were though," She speculated. "We always argued and kissed and... Y'know, like an old married couple."
"Ha-ha, I suppose we did. We've got some damn pretty chemistry, huh?"
"Yep." Courtney smiled at him, before falling into a comfortable silence once more. They passed the cigarette back and forth for a little while, watching the evolution of the storm as the evening continued to darken. "It's gonna be hell throwing all his shit out of my apartment," Courtney spoke again, looking thoughtfully at the cigarette, watching the smoke waft into the air.
"You need any help with that?"
"That depends. Are you offering?"
"Do you know me to beat around the bush?"
"Ha, you're right. Drive me over to my place? I'll make it worth your while." Courtney winked at him playfully, still looking sexy in her black dress.
Duncan, clasping her around the waist to lead her to his car, chuckled, "You're more worth while than you think, princess."
