Chapter Three; I Like You Liking Me

"Duncan!" Gwen called out, jogging across the teachers' carpark toward the lone figure of Duncan. He'd already made friends with the burn-outs, sharing a laugh about something or another… Gwen didn't really want to know. She cast a pleading gaze at him, trying to show she didn't really want to stand and chat nearby a bunch of losers.

"Mhh Spooky?" Duncan drew out, smoke escaping his lips.

"Spooky?"

"You look like you're out of a scary movie…" Duncan explained, his head tilting slightly to the side, "I remember when you used to have pink shirts and curly brown hair out to here," he emphasized this point with his hands about two feet away from his head either side. The boys around him started laughing, smoke pervading the air with each labored huff.

"Don't." Gwen just pouted, her hands resting in front of her as she waited for him to get the message. After a moment, he seemed to click and waved a momentary farewell to the guys standing around smoking. Gwen ignored the packet Duncan tucked into his pocket, deciding there were bigger and better things to be discussing.

"So?" Gwen huffed, her hands on her sides now. They were standing just behind the school gym, leaning inside the indented doorway. She had no idea why they were standing in such a secretive place… It didn't make much sense.

"So."

"Why are you back? You left," Gwen began, her arms crossed neatly in front of her.

"No Spooky," Duncan corrected, "my family moved away."

Gwen sighed heavily through her nose, her hands now settled on her face. Gwen stood for a moment in thought before she felt Duncan step well into her personal space. She was fairly sure he was hugging her, but with her hands over her face, she wasn't entirely sure. She stood silently, allowing him to hug her. "Seriously Duncan. You went to juvie?"

Duncan just nodded, "Uh. Yeah… I guess a lot changes in five years, right?" The truth of this statement hit her suddenly. In the past, he'd never smelt like Axe. He'd never had such buff arms. And he really never had that stupidly cute twinkle in his eye when he laughed. They used to play fight, and make mud pies and do stupid kids stuff.

Gwen dislodged herself, her hand fiddling with her fringe once again. "Okay. Well. You're a punk now… And you have piercings."

"Oh, we're playing that game, are we?" Duncan asked with a roll of his shoulders, his hands now tucked in his pockets, "Well okay. You lost weight, rolled around in Hot Topic for a while... And you got boobs. Oh, and a hot dye job," he flicked her fringe for her, laughing as she glared daggers at him, "seriously, why'd you goth it up, Sunshine?"

Gwen spent the entire time scowling at him, her eyes narrowed to mere slits. "Because I made friends with the goth kids. They defended me after all the girls realized you'd left!" Gwen defended, her arms flying up for emphasis.

"What?"

Gwen sighed, "Another day, okay? You have to tell me why you never replied to my letters…" Gwen pointed out, her arms now crossed lowly across her front.

"You sent letters?"

"Yeah, till about summer last year…" she admitted with a blush crossing her cheeks. It wasn't like she sent letters daily… Just every couple of months she'd send a letter to Duncan's family at their new address. Since he was at juvie… maybe his dad hadn't bothered to pass them on. Gwen frowned; she really didn't like Duncan's dad at the best of times.

"Riiiight, you're just saying that to make me seem like the one who ditched you," he argued, tilting his head back in an appraising manner. He seemed to dismiss this argument, unsure why he was spending so much time being hostile with a girl he considered his best friend… "Anyway, so, that dude in Hollister getup was your – butler?"

"Boyfriend."

"No fucking way," Duncan scoffed, his eyes lighting up in the same stupid way.

"Yes! He's really sweet – hey, you do not get to come back after five years and start making fun of my boyfriend!" Gwen snapped angrily, her cheeks glowing red. They shared a moment of eye contact before Duncan shrugged and turned away slightly, as if surveying the area around them. They shared another thoughtful look before Duncan tugged out his cigarettes once more.

"Listen sweetheart…" he dismissed, lighting one and taking a drag before turning his attention back to her, "as far as I'm concerned, any Hollister poser who tries to get into your gothic skirt can kiss my ass."

Gwen's face curled up into an expression of annoyance and confusion. Her mind trailed back for a moment, her eyes averting to the ground.

…

"Duncan! Stop hitting Cody!" Gwen cried, tugging Duncan away from the boy who was curled up on the ground in fear. She frowned a little as Duncan refused to calm down, his hands still fisted up in front of him.

"He was the idiot who kept hassling you to kiss him, wasn't he!" Duncan raged, eyes livid.

"Yes! But," Gwen chewed her lip, "I think he just likes me… so… I don't think you need to hurt him for liking me," Gwen added softly, punctuating her point with a scowl. They glared at one another long enough for Cody to scamper away and hide in the library.

"I like you! You don't need other guys liking you too," he resolutely growled, calming down with each passing second.

"I know you like me, but I would like a boyfriend one day," Gwen laughed, missing the point entirely. They passed the rest of the school day discussing stupid, meaningless things that Gwen couldn't even recall. She just kept thinking over and over…

…

Gwen debated for a moment what to say. She sighed resolutely, outstretching her hand to Duncan. He instinctually handed her the half-burned cigarette. She proceeded to drop it to the ground and stomp it out, "Smoking kills… And I'm not letting you leave me again," she pointed out, the first genuine smile she'd had for a long while emerging across her features.

"I don't intend to leave again," Duncan admitted with a wry smile.

They had a lot to discuss, yes, but Gwen decided that, that could come some other time… Once she'd worked out how she'd managed to miss calls from Trent, and not hear the two messages from Pixie Corpse.

A/N: Yes, it's all a little vague, but it'll become clearer as the story progresses.

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