Now, this story is even later than usual because I was doing the National Novel Writing Month competition. No, I didn't win (which means getting over 50 000 words). I got around 11 000. BUT I started a couple of days in. And got lazy….. Ah well. I am working on this and will have AT LEAST 3 000 words by the weekend. =)
*OK, it's now Saturday. I haven't been anywhere near a computer for 2 days. So cut me some slack! I think I should just write a diary up here too to make sure you know how much I type! By the way, I only need 700 more words by tomorrow =) YAY!!!
So maybe it'll be out by Thursday, with my editing……
And the next one won't be out for ages! We're going camping, then Christmas, then I'm going to a camp.
Hmm this story already has more reviews than George and Cara! It's really good to see that! But not too good for all those HP readers…
Thanks to everyone for reviewing! =) No really, THANK YOU!
Okay… Thanks!
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I don't own Total Drama Island or its characters. Beige belongs to Cecil Castellucci.
~Chapter 4~
Wait, Courtney, don't think that! You are your own person and most defiantly do not need someone like him around! That slut can have him. Remember what happened to your mum?
I sighed and turned towards the main part of the lounge. Gwen was sitting up on a little stage. Trent sat behind her with an acoustic guitar on his lap.
"Um, hey! We're going to start playing now, so huddle round and put your ear condoms in!" Gwen said. Everyone laughed, but I didn't get the joke.
"Hey Princess!" said Duncan from behind me. I turned. Lip gloss was smeared from one side of his face to the other and it all felt so far away from the beach and the relaxation of us. I glared. And then I kicked him pretty hard in his shin. "OW! What was that for?"
"For not telling me what an ear condom is," I glared again, trying to make it obvious that I DID NOT mean that.
"They're these," he held up a packet of those things that go in your ears to block out sound. I didn't know what they were meant to be called, but an ear condom is pretty good. He passed the 'ear condoms' to me and put some in his own ears. About 2 seconds after I put my own in, there was a horrible noise. Wait, it's called feedback.
Then Trent and Gwen started singing. It was obvious he was better at singing, but was letting her lead of the band. If they were a band. Which I highly doubted. Well, maybe they were. Bella would say they were. I should think more like Bella.
The song was written well but it was over too soon. It only went for about a minute and a half.
"Thanks for being here everyone! We are, of course, Number Nine, and that just there was a new song by us. Please leave your suggestions for its name on our Facebook page!" Gwen whooped, and everyone else did. "And coming up is Us!" everyone whooped again. Trent moved his stool into the light. The song started. Trent sang like…. Well like…. It was a bit hard to explain. He sang well, how about that? And the song he sang! It was beautiful. Written properly and filled with love, and a hint of obsession. Bella's kind of song. It ended well. It wasn't too long and it wasn't short like the other one. I got out my Blackberry and texted her.
I'm at a concert. Look up Us by Number Nine NOW! Duncan is still acting weird, but he can't be interested. He was just pashing another girl. Love you! C.
I felt rather guilty I hadn't texted her earlier. Well, REALLY, REALLY guilty. I sighed.
The song ended and people shouted and whooped.
"Sorry, guys. That's it! But, lucky for you, we have an IPOD!" Gwen laughed and waved around a black iPod. She hooked it up to the speakers and some techno song poured out and washed over us all.
I had a pounding headache and needed fresh air. I walked over the double glass doors and slipped out. The glass was covered by pretty modern curtains and hid the view of Hollywood from those inside.
Outside I leant against the railing and looked over the bright lights and ugly mansions of the rich.
"Whatcha doing, babe?" says a, by now, familiar and annoying voice. I sighed.
"Nothing, Neanderthal," I was in no moods for his games and flirting.
"But there is something… anyway. How do you like the look of the rich and famous' houses?" He walked up the rail and glared down at the big houses.
"What have you got against them?" I said.
"They're overly rich. Just don't worry about my opinion," He sighed and turned his back on the lights. "I'd show you the Hollywood sign, but it's not worth it. You've probably seen it in so many movies," he sounded depressed and I really worried for him.
"What's up?"
"Well, my mom wants me to move back in with the family. I really don't know about it all because The Rat has taught me… more about life and everything than those guys have," I felt taken aback that he had opened up so easily. I wouldn't do that…. I'd only known him for what? Two days at most.
"I don't know what to say. Nonna, Mum and I always lived together and there were never other options. I never thought about it," I wondered about Duncan's past and his present and his future.
"You're lucky," he looked and sounded so jealous of me I wanted to shout at him. Didn't he understand my protected and smothered life?
"No. You're lucky," I sighed. "You have more opportunities to be a kid then you go to grow up,"
"That doesn't really make sense. But maybe we need a half way? I'll meet you halfway any day, Princess," he smiled and I knew he was flirting with me.
"Deal," I put out my hand neatly, like I had been taught. He shook. He really had a sports grip. Don't shake, squeeze. We stood like that for a while, with our hands together. I don't think either of us knew when to let go and I was getting really awkward.
"Um well, yeah," he said, which made no sense. He took his hand out of mine and put it behind his head. "Well I gotta go and get drunk now, so see you round," well he can ruin a moment! He walked inside without even looking back at me.
"Well, miss you, home," I whispered. I slumped before Hollywood, thinking about all I'd learnt in this short time.
~*~
I walked back inside tugging at my short dress and sighing. I found Bridgette slumped over her beer with red puffy eyes.
"What's up Bridgette?" I asked carefully.
"Geoff just said Heather was hotter than me! His girlfriend!" She hugged herself.
"Aw, it's all right!" I hugged her.
"Thanks, Courtney," she obviously felt a bit odd about it all, I guess because I didn't really know her. I saw Duncan playing a drinking game with Trent and Geoff.
"Jeez, I'm so tired!" I laughed and let my head rest on the back of the couch.
"You're at a LA party, Courtney! This is huge for your learning the way of parties!" said Bella in my head. Wait, I was hearing voices now? She'd enjoy this, but I wasn't her. I was jetlagged and confused about life in general. That was me. Ha ha. Well… I was sleepy now…
~*~
When I came to Geoff and Bridgette were making out on the couch next to me. I rolled my eyes and got up. Music was still booming, even though the clock on the wall said it was 2am.
"Hey, babe," said a familiar and some what annoying drawl.
"Hello, Duncan," I yawned and stretched.
"Wanna dance, Princess?" he was obviously drunk, but took my hand and walked steadily out to where everyone was dancing their (ah hem) arses off.
And you know what came on? The song that made me want to do French, but I did Italian because of my family… Parlez Vous Francias by Art Vs Science.
The champs elysees is a busy street Parlez-vous Francais?
We getting down with everyone we meet
If you understand, then listen to me
S'il vous plaît mon chéri aller tomber la chemise
Oui!
Parlez-vous Francais?
Oui!
Si tu peux le parler allez tombez la chemise
"Do you speak French, Princess," he asked.
"Nope," I laughed easily.
"Well I do!" He took of his shirt. Parlez-vous Francais?
Oui!
Parlez-vous Francais?
Oui!
Si tu peux le parler allez tombez la chemise
"What?"
"If you speak 'French, take of your shirt'. That's what it says," he threw his shirt away.
"No, you speak French?" Do it now because you can and I think you should
Do it now because you can and I told you to
Do it now because you can, I'll take mine off too
Do it now because you can, cause you can
"My Mom was French-Canadian," he said. (Bringing in a bit of the book here XD and TDI)
Got people moving up and down like an elevator
I'm keeping it cool like a kelvinator
Got binoculars for my sexy neighbours
They're always in the yard doing cha cha cha
We continued dancing like animals.
Parlez-vous Francais? The champs elysses is a busy street Parlez-vous Francais? Parlez-vous Francais? Parlez-vous Francais? Parlez-vous Francais?
Parlez-vous Francais?
Oui!
Parlez-vous Francais?
Oui!
Si tu peux le parler allez tombez la chemise
Oui!
Parlez-vous Francais?
Oui!
Si tu peux le parler allez tombez la chemise
We getting down with everyone we meet
If you understand, then listen to me
S'il vous plaît mon chéri aller tomber la chemise
Oui!
Parlez-vous Francais?
Oui!
Si tu peux le parler allez tombez la chemise
Oui!
Parlez-vous Francais?
Oui!
Si tu peux le parler allez tombez la chemise
Oui!
Parlez-vous Francais?
Oui!
Si tu peux le parler allez tombez la chemise
Oui!
Parlez-vous Francais?
Oui!
Si tu peux le parler allez tombez la chemise
I fell into a chair, laughing. Duncan slumped down beside me.
"Princess, I don't feel so good," he suddenly turned a sort of pale greeny colour.
"Oh, god," I said and moved away from him. He spewed projectile vomit. "Gross, Duncan!" it had gotten all over the carpet and half on the expensive looking shaggy rug.
"I think you should probably take him home or something," said Gwen, who was throwing a towel (that had materialised out of no where) over the puke.
"Um, ok," I walked over to Geoff, who was obviously fighting with Bridge again. "Hey, Geoff?"
"Mhm?" he looked very much drunk.
"Are you sleeping here?"
"Yes. No way I'd be allowed to drive anywhere!" he laughed.
"Can I …. Please…. Borrow your car?" I felt really bad for asking someone that when I hardly knew him.
"Sure!" he handed me his keys without even thinking twice.
"Um, thanks. I hope you remember this in the morning!" I laughed nervously and walked back to Gwen, who didn't seem to be drinking or drunk, which was a bit odd.
"Hey, got a ride?"
"Yeah, I'm driving Geoff's car home. Can you tell him in the morning?"
"Sure," she smiled at me.
"And where does The Rat exactly live?" she laughed at me.
"Here," she found a pen and wrote it down on my hand. "Geoff's car has a GPS, so it'll be ok. Just type that in and you won't get too lost!"
"Um, will James be angry?" I ask before we leave.
"At Duncan? Yes. He made Duncan swear he wouldn't get drunk or stoned once he moved in," Gwen frowned.
"Christ," I hold my hand out to Gwen and she takes it. "We can be friends, can't we?" I ask. I must seem like I'm in prep, making my first friends, but I really wanted to know.
"You sound so silly saying that, but of course," she smiled and hugged me. I felt more at home than I had in a while. It seems a lot has happened in the last few days. "Well, you guys better go now. He doesn't look too good," Gwen pointed towards Duncan, you looked really pale.
I tucked Duncan under my arm and he leant heavily against me. I almost fell over, but I stumbled out towards the front of the house and began the walk down the many stairs. This view came with a price!
"Please don't fall! I don't know if I'd be able to pick you up!" I said worriedly to Duncan. He grins.
"Princess cares about me," his eyes roll a bit and he leans heavily on me for a second until he stood up straight again. Thankfully, the long length of stairs ended and we stumbled towards Geoff's jeep.
"I'm driving!" I said firmly when Duncan went to the right hand side.
"Silly, this is the passengers side!" he laughed. Oh, damn. I'd be driving on the opposite side. "And anyway, how are you going to drive when you don't know how to?" he demanded.
"My cousin Phil taught me," I sigh. His mates called Phil Philly because he rode the fillies. I really don't want to look into that, but Phil was a nice enough guy and he was always the one baking me up [with muscle] when I got into trouble or boys were chasing me.
"PHIIILLLLL!" he shouted and I ignored it and hopped in. The jeep was so big and I had to scramble to get in. Duncan laughed again. He seemed a lot better now. Well, he wasn't vomiting anyway.
I plugged in James' address into the GPS and hoped I wouldn't get lost.
"So, Princess. You know you're dad's gonna be angry at me," Duncan frowned when he thought about this. He seemed to be thinking hard.
"Turn right in 100 metres," said the mechanical voice.
"Okay," I muttered and followed the directions.
"Why are you talking to the car?" Duncan laughed again, but put the seat back and went to sleep. Amazing. He could just slip of like that. I take 2 hours to get to sleep, with all the worrying I do. Worrying about James, mum, Nonna, school and me. And Bella. Poor Bella with her even-more-mucked-up-than-mine family! Jay and Jackson were alright. Wait, they were more than alright. They were the best. But every girl needs her mum around. Jay can't stand in for everything!
After following the stupid GPS' directions, I came to Garbage Heights. Garbage Heights…….. James and Duncan's home. I laughed softly, trying not to wake Duncan. Then I realised that I was so not CARRING him in.
"Duncan?" I poked him. He moaned and rolled over as good as he could. "Duncan? I can't carry you. Please get up. I don't want James to see you like this," I said louder and he mumbled something about how he wants to sleep. I groaned and got out, practically jumping down and walking to his side of the Jeep.
"Duncan!" I shouted. Someone laughed from behind me. I turned to see a pretty, very tall woman in her early thirties with bright red hair.
"You won't get him out like that. I think we need some cold water or something," she said with an ACTUAL Welsh accent. She turned back to her car and found a bottle of water.
"Thank you," I said.
"You're an Aussie! I once spent some time WWOOFing (A/N: WWOOFing is Willing Workers On Organic Farms) in Australia! It was really good. Everyone was so helping and kind!" she sighed and handed me the water. I took it rather hesitantly. My cousin had an organic farm and when we visited, there was a WWOOFer. He was French and not exactly willing to work. Nonna said they were all hippies and not willing to do anything. So, I was scared. But she had been so nice!
I'll forget what Nonna said and take this lovely Welsh woman into my life. Ah, maybe I need to edit that out of my story when I tell my grandkids everything. …..
"So my name is Courtney. What's yours?" I walked towards Duncan with the freezing bottle of water.
"Lucinda," she smiled and leant back on her car to watch the show.
"My pleasure," I muttered then I grinned and squeezed the water all over Duncan.
"What? I'm up and didn't hear the bell!" he shouted then groaned when he saw Lucinda and me laughing our heads off on the ground. "Argh!" he stomped out and started his way up to The Rat's apartment.
I looked shyly to Lucinda, who was wiping tears from her eyes. "Thanks," I got up and offered her a hand.
"No, THANK YOU! That was the funniest thing I've ever seen!" she laughed and took my hand. "I suppose you live near me!" she laughed and began making her way towards our block swinging my hand around like I was a little kid again. She laughed and seemed to know where I lived, because we were even on the right floor. Two up….
But she stopped in the flat next to …… James. Not me. James. And Duncan.
"Thanks for walking me home!" she laughed again and I wondered if she was drunk. But she didn't smell drunk. Maybe this lovely person was who she was. She put a key in the door and I walked slowly next door. When she opened her flat, I could hear a TV and a baby crying.
A/N:
That's all folks!
I wonder what James will do with Duncan getting drunk and all and who/what has Lucinda got to with it all??
I am really enjoying this story! Amazingly so! Usually I bum out after 2 weeks……
Now, I'm thinking about a songfic of Fast Friends by Paul Dempsey…… About Courtney reflecting on her life and where Duncan fits in. But mostly Courtney/parents.
What do you think about it?
And the chapter!!
Please review, because it only takes a couple of seconds and anonymous reviews are accepted!!!!