A/N: My sister just left for job core this morning and I'm going to miss her terribly. But I will continue to write until the pain in my haert ceases to ache. (Gee dramatic)

Chapter 3: Rumors

"People like to talk about people. Makes us feel superior. Makes us feel in control. And sometimes, for some people, knowing some things makes them care"

-House M.D

Courtney glanced at the desk behind her and saw no Duncan in sight. She wasn't all that surprised, he had after all said he was going to a party last night so he was probably nursing a hangover. She didn't know why but for whatever reason she kept replaying last night over and over in her head like a bad movie. She truly wanted to shut it out but lately she had been so stressed out that the bad advice he'd given her was almost tempting. But what would people say and think of her if she was to suddenly lose control and hanging out with people like Duncan?

She mentally kicked herself and got back to work. Class went smoothly and lunch was about to start and Courtney was headed towards the cafeteria when someone suddenly called her name. "Courtney wait up!"

Courtney turned around to see Heather and Lindsey walking towards her. Courtney resisted the urge to groan out loud. Heather was no doubt a manipulative person who only had friends like Lindsey because they were too stupid to realize just how two-faced she was.

Everyone had witnessed first hand how mean Heather really was when she published pages of Gwen's diary in the school newspaper. Whatever Heather had to say to Courtney she was not looking forward to.

"Hey girl, I heard Duncan paid you a little visit at your house last night," said Heather in a suspicious voice.

She was going to kill him! Of course he'd go and tell everyone that, he was such a child. "He was just going to some party and he happened to pass by my house, it was all coincidental."

Heather nodded. "Of course, men always over exaggerate their stories, right Lindsey?" asked Heather to her blonde, blue-eyed friend.

"Totally," agreed the beautiful but clueless girl.

Courtney didn't understand where this conversation was going until Heather spoke again. "Well Duncan also mentioned that you might be feeling a little stressed and I just wanted you to know that if you ever need a hook up I'm here for you."

Courtney should've guessed. Heather was a good supplier of things to kill your brain cells. It added to her popularity on top of being a rich bitch. "Um…no thanks Heather I'd rather keep myself clean."

Heather looked at her impressively. "Good idea girl, still the offer stands." With that said Heather waved a little good-bye and so did Lindsey following faithfully behind.

Courtney shook her head disbelievingly and tried to shut the conversation out of her mind, she already had enough to think about and enough to feel regarding Duncan.

If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is a part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us.

-Hermann Hesse

"I just saw Heather and Courtney talking in the hallway," Gwen said to Duncan who was still laying on the grass on the school grounds and rubbing his head.

"Yeah, so?" asked Duncan squinting as the wind shifted the shade from the leaves in the tree causing the sun to shine in his eyes.

Gwen leaned up against the tree and looked at him strangely. "So? I thought you had a big thing for her."

Duncan opened one eye to look at his goth friend. "Who said that?"

"Only everyone in the entire school. C'mon man you're like the school's number one bad boy while she's the class president. Not to mention you guys are have been fighting since the day you met. What's up with that?"

Ah the first day they met. Duncan remembered it well.

3 and a half years ago…

Freshman year

High school was a big deal. It was when the work you did really mattered, it was when you discovered who you were, it was when you became an adult. For Courtney Lawrence it was the years meant to prove yourself and she wasn't about to let herself down.

She looked over her schedule and started heading towards the room. She was 20 minutes early before school even began but she wanted to get the location of her classes memorized so she wouldn't show up late for any of them.

She turned sharply around the corner only to collide with someone thus knocking her down. She had reached out to maintain her balance only to end up dragging the person she collided with down on top of her.

Her eyes shot open to a green Mohawk, pierced up, skull wearing, punk boy. "Well helloooo," said the boy not bothering to move.

She blushed embarrassed. "Um…sorry that was my fault," she said trying to push him off.

"Well lucky me. Guess this means me and you will be getting a lot closer from now on."

Courtney looked at him weird. "I don't think you're my type," she said trying not sound rude.

The young man lowered his face closer to hers. "I'm everyone's type."

"Ewe, get off of me you pervert," said Courtney pushing him off. "You should be heading off to class before you get in trouble."

Duncan now looked at the casually dressed brown haired girl questioningly. She was no doubt beautiful but her attitude was seriously creasing him. "What are you talking about? It's the first day of school and class hasn't even started, I'm going to go spray paint the gym walls," said Duncan taking out a can of spray paint from his baggy pants.

Courtney looked at him in horror. "Are you crazy? You'll get in trouble."

"Trouble's my middle name sweetheart," he said winking at her.

"You do that and I'll have no choice but tell school security," she threatened.

Duncan looked at her surprised. "Are you serious.?"

She nodded. "I can't have you breaking school rules!"

Duncan scoffed at her. Figures she was a preppy, by the book girl. "Stop acting like such a princess and cause a little disorder."

"Stop acting like such a criminal and do what you're told!"

"You can't tell me what to do princess."

"Don't call me princess you ogre."

"Ogre? Is that the best you've got, I've been called worst"

-Present-

Pretty much from that day on they had been at war with each other. He continued calling her princess just to bug her and she continued to try and boss him around. They did nothing but quip and snipe at each other over the years but never got close or personal. Over time she became the school's good girl and honor student. He got sent to juvenile hall and held the record for most detentions.

"We just don't along that great, what can I say/" said Duncan to Gwen.

Gwen rolled her eyes. "I think there's something more than the two of you let on or let happen. There's no way two people can fight that much and not have a good reason."

"I have plenty of good reasons, it's fun, it's funny, and she's easy to annoy," said Duncan proudly.

"Ever stop to think you enjoy it for other reasons?" Gwen pressed on.

"Ever stop to think that maybe you and Trent should go out on a date already?"

Gwen blushed. It was no secret that she and Trent liked each other. That rumor was more evident then Courtney and Duncan supposedly liking each other. "Look man all I'm saying is to beware of Heather talking to Courtney. Who knows how bad that could turn out. I barely even knew the witch for half a day and she printed my diary in the school paper."

Gwen cringed remembering that was how people first figured out she liked Trent.

Duncan sat up and stretched. Heather hanging out with Courtney defiantly wasn't a good idea. He didn't like Heather one bit and suddenly felt the need to make sure princess stayed away from her. He got to his feet and started walking inside the school.

"Where are you going?" asked Gwen.

"To class," he lied.

"Uh-huh, tell Courtney I said hi," Gwen replied smiling at him.

It is not necessary to understand things in order to argue about them

-Pierre Beaumarchais

Sure enough she was just staying behind while everyone else left for home. Miss C.I.T was headed to god only knew what after school club and didn't even notice Duncan approach her.

"What's up princess?"

Courtney jumped and dropped her books in her hand. She glared at Duncan who just smiled innocently at her. She bent down to pick up her things. "What do you want?" she asked aggravated to run into him once again!

He knelt down to help her pick up her things. "Word on the street is you were talking to Heather."

Courtney paused to look at him. "Yeah so what? Word on the street is you told everyone you visited me last night," said Courtney in disapproval.

Duncan honestly couldn't remember much of last night but he wouldn't be surprised if he had bragged to everyone that he had seen her last night. "Everyone seems to think we like each other," he added handing her a book.

She snatched it away from him and stood to better readjust herself ignoring the comment. "Either way I still don't see why it's a big deal if I talked to Heather or not."

"Because Heather is bad news," said Duncan helping her move her books more comfortably in her arms.

Courtney felt a weird rush of electricity shoot though her as Duncan brushed her arms. She pulled away from him defensively. "It takes one to know one," said Courtney walking away.

"All I'm saying is be careful of who you hang around with," Duncan called after her.

"Maybe you should give that advice to Gwen and Geoff ," said Courtney smirking snobbishly at him.

Duncan grinned. The way she pushed him away made him crazy about her in the weirdest way possible. He soon realized this was the same hallway they had first met, talk about a great way to meet someone and a bad first impression. He stood there looking at it stupidly. No wonder people spread rumors about them.

Desire even in its wildest tantrums, can neither persuade me it is love nor stop me from wishing it were.

-W.H. Auden

A/N: So Heather has her sights set on a stressed out and vulnerable Courtney and Duncan is trying to warn her. Will Courtney take the warning? Stay tuned.