Don't own TDI. Enjoy.

Courtney's POV

"Maybe he isn't in any of your classes."

"Or maybe he was bluffing. He could have just been visiting someone!"

I look up at my friends. "You think?"

"Totally! Besides, if Duncan is going to school here, we have your back." Becky smiles.

Tara nods. "Yeah, we'll make sure he doesn't come within ten feet of you."

"You guys are awesome." I pull them in for a hug.

"No prob. We know you'd help us if one of our ex's suddenly showed up."

My eyes widen at Tara.

"He's not my ex! We never went out!"

Becky narrows her eyes as if to say nice move.

"Right! Stupid me! You only kissed and stuff, it's not like you actually went out or anything. You didn't even think you'd see him again…"

"Uhhhhh!" I let my head drop onto my desk.

The school bell rings, signaling that class is starting. Becky and Tara take the desks beside me as our classmates file in. Raising my head, I see that Duncan isn't among them.

"Take out your history textbooks." Mrs. Strantford orders, grabbing a piece of chalk and writing something on the board.

Ten minutes into our lesson, I hear the door click open. The class glances over, and my jaw drops.

Becky and Tara look at me with pity.

"Oh, yes. Class, this is Duncan. He's from Toronto. I'm sure you'll make him feel welcome." Mrs. Strantford smiles.

The class stares, trying to figure out where they know him from.

"Hey, weren't you on that reality show?" Someone shouts. A chorus of 'oh yeahs' ripple among the students.

"You were on that show too, weren't you Courtney?" All eyes turn to me, including Duncan's.

The class snickers and whispers as Duncan takes the only empty seat in the classroom- the one behind me.

"What'd I tell you, Princess?" He smirks as he passes by me.

This is going to be a long period.

Ouch. Ouch. OUCH. I feel three sharp pokes in the middle of my back. I whip around.

"What?" I hiss.

Duncan leans in closer to me. "What are we doin'?" He asks.

"Questions one to fourteen. Now shut up and leave me alone." I return to my work.

I hear scratching noises minutes later. Turning around, I see Duncan engraving something into the desk with his pocket knife. I let out a disgusted groan.

"Sumthin' bothering you, Princess?"

I roll my eyes and face the front.

Seconds later "Princess? Princeeeeess? Hey, Princess, turn around for a sec."

"WHAT?!" I growl, drawing the whole class's attention.

Duncan raises an eyebrow. "Can I borrow a pen?"

**

At the end of the period, I bolt out of the class without a word.

Duncan's POV

"You did what?!" Dylan says in disbelief.

"Hey, that's nothing. You should hear what some of the other guys in juvy did." I tell the group, leaning against the brick wall.

"So, what was Total Drama Island like?" A guy with more piercings than me asks.

"It was a living hell." I reply flatly.

"I'm sure not all of it." Another guy grins. "We saw you hook up with Courtney."

I shrug. "Whatever."

The bell rings, and we watch the students that stuck around for the last period race out of the building. We, on the other hand, skipped.

I spot Courtney with her two friends. From what I can see, she's telling them something. They gasp and squeal. Courtney gives a half smile- which disappears when she sees me looking. I wander over. Dylan follows.

"Did I miss something?" I ask.

"Nothing that concerns you." Courtney says coolly. Her friends look me over, and stand by Courtney's side protectively.

I smile. "You know, we go to the same school now. You can't ignore me."

Anger flashes in her eyes. "Watch me try!" She snaps harshly and storms off, Becky and Tara at her heels.

Courtney's POV

I sit on my bed, knees pulled up to my chest, planner in hand. Date with Josh at six thirty I write in the Friday box. I close the book and return it to its spot on my nightstand.

I walk over to my closet and open the doors. Standing on my toes, I stretch to reach a plain blue box on the top shelf and sit back down on my bed. The box is filled with random things- a photo of me in a bathing suit, taken during our trip to Florida four summers ago, a necklace with my name on it that my grandmother got me for my birthday when I was seven, several seashells, an old valentine's day card that says I like you from my third grade crush, a card saying I'd passed level three in violin, and other various objects. In the center of the box, the skull sits. It's the most rugged object, with its sharp edges, and takes up the most room by far. The image of Duncan throwing it to me when I was voted off of Total Drama Island passes through my mind. Why do I still have it? It's just a waste of space. I take the awkward object in my hand and walk over to the trash bin. My hand looms, unwilling to let go of the disturbing piece of craftsmanship.
"Damn it, Courtney. Get rid of it already." I mumble to myself, but my fingers don't budge.
Sighing, I return the skull to its place in my box, once again failing to rid myself of the one piece of Duncan that I possess.

A/N

Me: Awwww, I like that ending.

C: It's cute.

Me: I know the chapter is short, but I needed to get it done cuz its important in the sacred storyline.

D: Since when do you have a 'sacred storyline'?

Me: Since a boooring and long car ride last weekend. Great thinking time! I've got the plot line for the next 4 chapters!

D: Uh, okay.

Me: Do ya wanna hear em?

C: Uh, not really…

Me: Okay, so I was thinking that in the next chapter there could be less DXC interaction, you know?

C&D: *back away slowly*

Me: Like have the first half all about Courtney without Duncan actually being there, and vice versa for the second half cuz I really need to get them on their own and hear their thoughts on things other than the whole DXC thing. But I guess it is a DXC fan fic…

C&D: *hide in closet*

Me: I really want to pump up Duncan's whole 'bad boy' image cuz he's getting to look a little soft, so I guess for his half there can be a fight or something that he's involved in. And for Courtney's I'm definitely going to involve Josh cuz he's really important in the sacred storyline.

C: *whispering* Do you think she noticed we left?

Me: What do think about introducing new characters? Would that be too much? … Guys?

Haha! I'm listening to Operator (Girl like me) by Shiloh. My new fave song!