~Her Mask~

"Courtney! Courtney!" Duncan shouted again, panic coursing through his body. This couldn't be happening. Not to her. Not to Princess.

He got down on his hands and knees and leaned farther over the cliff side, squinting down and trying to really identify the blurry shape below. Should he go get help? Should he try and get her himself?

"Wow, you really are gullible!"

Duncan spun around so fast he got whip lash. There, standing in all her pride and glory was Courtney.

"W-Wh-" Was all the Punk could get out.

And she actually had the nerve to laugh.

"You should of seen your face! I throw a few pillows down there with some mud and brown leaves on it, and you think I died!" She laughed harder. But it wasn't the cheery, happy-go-lucky laugh Duncan had wanted to hear from her. It was too sinister and cold.

"Don't laugh." Duncan growled out, getting up off the ground.

"Oh come on, it was just a prank. You play your stupid pranks on me all the time." Courtney shrugged.

What surprised them both, was Duncan grabbing onto her shoulders -not tight enough to hurt- and staring her straight in the eyes, no hint of amusement in his face at her practical -or impractical in this case- joke.

"Do you know how worried I was!? Don't you dare laugh! I thought you were really hurt!"

"I-I..." For once, Courtney was without something to say.

"Jeez." He let go of her shoulders and spun around to glare up at the sky, the rain finally coming to a halt.

"Look, Duncan, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you so upset..." Did Courtney actually feel guilty? Wow. There was first. Too bad Duncan could take no feeling of accomplishment for this emotion he'd gotten to shine through.

"Yeah, Yeah. Whatever, Courtney." He turned on his heel and brushed past her, on his way back to Camp. The brunette stood there a moment longer, staring down at her shoes.

"What have I done?"

"Dude. She did not." DJ shook his head.

"She did. And she actually laughed afterwards!" Duncan threw his hands up in the air in complete frustration while re-telling the events of the day.

"Wow, man, that's kinda heavy." Geoff rubbed the back of his neck.

"So, what? You're just never gonna speak to her again?" The guys jumped when they heard Bridgette's voice behind them, and spun around to face the surfer girl who was standing beside the open door of their cabin.

"I don't see why I should." Duncan ran a hand through his mow hawk with an anger twisted expression.

"Okay, so she screwed up. Big time. But come on, Duncan. If you hadn't started it with your stupid stunts then Courtney wouldn't of done this in the first place!" Bridgette took a seat on the wooden steps out front of the cabin, beside Geoff.

"Oh shut it, Malibu." He was in no mood to have her shoving logic and reason in his face. He just wanted to be angry. Let Princess come to him and beg for forgiveness.

"Dude, don't talk to Bridge like that. It's not her fault you pushed Courtney to this." Geoff stuck up for the blond girl next to him. Causing Bridgette to smile.

"I didn't push her to do anything!" Duncan shouted, raising from his spot." She should of been the bigger person! I expected her to just take it, or maybe wail on me a bit!"

Not that she ever seems to do the things I expect her to. Full of surprises that girl is. Duncan thought to himself, holding back a smile and attempting to stay angry.

"Aw, dude. Admit it. You're putty in her hands." DJ poked Duncan in the stomach and he smacked the hand away.

"I am not."

The smiles he got from his friends said they didn't believe him in the slightest.

"Anyway, we aren't talking about that. Courtney just... crossed a line." Duncan sighed and sat back down on the step, slumping forward.

Courtney sat on the end of the Dock Of Shame- How fitting- and staring out at the sky which was gradually turning dark with the coming night fall.

"I've never seen him so angry. Bridgette was right... I shouldn't of dropped to his level!" Courtney didn't realize she was crying till she tasted the salty flavour of a tear as it slid down onto her lips.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen, hm?"

Courtney glared at the person who was now standing beside her.

"Leave me alone, Heather." The Princess turned her face away from the cruel teenager.

"Aw. You're just upset because Duncan used to fallow you around like a little love sick puppy, and now wants nothing to do with you." The raven-haired girl smirked.

Courtney clenched her hands into fists. If she says one more word...

"Besides, it's not like he wanted anything more from you than to just get in your pants."

Courtney blinked away her tears and jumped up, shoved the Queen Bee into the filthy lake, then stormed off the dock. Her former sadness was replaced by a vast amount of anger.

"And then my buddy and I-" Geoff was cut off from his story telling as the 4 Killer Bass members spotted a certain brunette girl walk up to the steps where the others were sitting and stop.

"Courtney..." Bridgette rose up, seeing the tear stains on her friend's cheeks.

"Could you guys move, please? I wanna get into the cabin." Courtney's voice was angry and tight. Like she was gonna start screaming or punching people any second.

They all slid out of the way without hesitation, and none of the teens failed to notice Courtney taking a side glance at Duncan before shutting the cabin door.

"Duncan?" Bridgette shot Duncan a pleading look, silently begging him to comfort her brunette friend and just make up with her, but the aforementioned male just shook his head.

Sorry Malibu. Duncan thought, leaning the back of his head against the stairs railing and shutting his eyes. ...Sorry Princess, really.

Well, he could check guilt and sadness off the list inside his head.

AN: So will Duncan forgive Courtney? Will he ever talk to her again? And will Heather get revenge on Courtney for pushing her into Lake Wawanakwa? ALL THESE QUESTIONS WILL (POSSIBLY) BE ANSWERED NEXT TIME! Review!!