I rose up from my space at the table in silence. I didn't make eye contact with anyone. I grabbed my book bag and took the keys from the front. I walked out of the door and down my drive. Just as I was about to unlock my car, a piercing honk made my mind come back to reality. I looked up to see Duncan sitting in his car. I squinted my eyes at him and I saw his face was full of sorrow. When my eyes made contact with his I forgot about the past few weeks that we hadn't spoke, and happily climbed into his car.
"Princess." He began, sighing as he said my unwanted nickname. "Courtney, look." He gave another sigh, and I think my ears were in shock form hearing my actual name coming from his lips. "I'm not that good at apology's, so-" I stopped him in mid-sentence by placing my finger over his lips.
"It's okay, I forgive you." I smiled at him. He didn't smile back, not even a smirk.
"It's not okay. These past few weeks I have been nothing but a jerk. I haven't said anything to you because...because." Duncan closed his eyes and turned his head behind him, to face the window. "Because I'm not sure what to do anymore." I gave him a puzzled look, even though he couldn't see it.
"What do you mean you don't know what to do?" I asked, curiously.
"Did you hear the court case has moved?" He said, turning the key in the ignition.
"Yeah." I replied, slumping back in my seat. "But there's no need to change the subject." Duncan was silent for a moment, before finally answering.
"When we get to school everyone's going to be questioning you, and maybe me. I don't know what to do about it." I didn't know whether he was lying or not, but I dropped it either way. Why would Duncan lie to me?
I sat in study hall, all eyes on me. I continued to face the front where our teacher was discussing the importance of school safety (in study hall? Only because two student ran into each other in the hallway right outside class), boring, I know, but it distracted me from turning to face everyone's hawk like eyes. Why did that stupid teacher have to place me right at the front of the class? And Duncan is, yet again, sitting directly behind me.
Every now and then I heard whispering, and within those whispers my name. It was annoying not knowing what people were making of what I had gone through during the summer. The only reason they knew was because someone tipped off the paper's, who tipped off the new's, which EVERYONE watches. So, in conclusion, next summer just stay home.
The lunch break bell rang and I closed my eyes tightly as the rest of the class dashed for the door. I sat, unnoticed for once, in my seat. I wanted to just blend into the background once again, back before everything had happened, back when I was invisible. Ha, me invisible? Hard to believe, right? But there was a time when no one knew who I was, no one knew I was there, and I hated it back then, but it wasn't all bad at all.
"Courtney?" I heard Mrs. Phillips call my name. I open my eyes, blinking back a small tear.
"Yes." I ask sweetly.
"If you need to talk, I am here for you." She placed a kind hand on my shoulder and I faked a smile.
"Thank you." I said, looking back down at my desk and collecting up my books. "But I'd rather not talk about it for now."
"Okay, but I am always here for you." She replied.
"Thank you." I repeated as I left the room and headed off to my locker.
Duncan was waiting for me there, I saw a few passing people give him an uneasy look, before scurrying past as he turned to them with a scowl. He moved out the way as I approached and opened the metal door. I arranged the books into a random order just to slow myself down. Going to the Cafeteria was going to be agony, to be honest I wasn't even that hungry. I was more than happy to wait till I went home to eat food, but Duncan wanted me to face up to everything.
Sometimes I wonder, were they really whispering about the summer? Or was it the fact that I, Courtney Baker, the goody-two-shoes, was dating Duncan Lewis, the school bad boy. I hadn't realized that's what people might have been whispering about until Stevie mentioned it to me.
I walked into the cafeteria, hand-in-hand with Duncan, and tried my hardest to ignore the sideways stares I received. The two of us headed for the back table in the large room and sat down. I sat quietly, staring down at the white, graffitied table. I could now feel Duncan's eyes on me too, but after having everyone else staring, it didn't bother me.
I was taken away from my daydream by my younger sister slamming her lunch tray down on the table.
"I hate you!" She hissed quietly. "Everyone is staring at me! If I want the whole school to stare at me it won't be because of something you have done." I raised an eyebrow at her.
"What do you mean something I've done?" I questioned.
"You and Duncan I should say, now you two are dating people are always asking me if I'm jealous of you, since most girls in my year are!"
"They're staring because of Duncan and me?"
"DUH! What else-" Stevie stopped herself. "Never mind." She mumbled, picking up her spoon and stabbing at her chocolate pudding.
The rest of the school day was just as hard. Everyone was still staring, and still whispering, it annoyed me so much that it didn't bother me, did that make sense? Either way, it's true. I was infuriated by the point people had no lives of their own, so they had to talk about mind, but because I had been hearing it all day I was tired of it.
At long last, the final school bell rang for the day. I hurried out of the English classroom and ran into the parking lot. Only to remember Duncan had brought me to school. I had to wait for him to catch up with me. I sighed, slightly angry, slightly upset. I leaned against the wall lining the car park and stared up at the sky, in hope of a miracle.
"Look what we have here." I groaned under my breath at the sound of that voice. "She thinks she's so 'it', now she's got a hot boyfriend." I heard a few other girls giggle at Heather's comment. "And she so thinks she's popular because she's been through hell and back." At that point I whipped my head round to face the whore. The first thing I noticed was her hair. It wasn't her hair. It was some cheap wig, I couldn't help but laugh.
"What did you do to your hair? Style yourself?" I laughed harder.
"At least I don't have to fake a kidnapping to get on t.v.!" She snapped back.
"Fake? IT WASN'T FAKE!" I roared. "I really did get kidnapped, I really did get held hostage, I did really almost die!"
"Yeah right." Heather snickered, walking off with her clan. I was about to retaliate when I felt two pair of muscly arms hold me back. I tensed at the feel of such strongness. It reminded me of...Trent, and how he used to just grab me and throw me around like an unwanted rag doll.
My whole body flopped like I had no bones, but I fell into Duncan's arms.
"I hate her!" I screamed into his chest, but it came out muffled.
"I think everyone does." A second voice chipped in. I knew that voice too. I backed away from Duncan and saw Bridgette and her blond haired boyfriend standing there.
"Hey." She smiled weakly at me.
"What are you two doing here?" I asked.
"We go to school here." The cowboy like boy answered casually.
"Have you met Geoff?" Duncan inquired.
"Seen, not met." I smiled. The four of us shared a quick laugh.
"I'm thinking I should get you home before your parents start to worry."
"Good idea." I agreed. "I'll see you tomorrow." I waved to my new blond friends as I climbed into Duncan's car, and they walked off to another vehicle.
A/N: HEY HEY! Do you like the new name? Baker's Dozen 2: After the Horror. All thanks to Holly =] She gave me the WICKED NAME! I did like the other one too, but I prefer this one personally!
ANYWAY! Yet again people, any idea's ou have go for it...I HAVE A SMALL IMAGINATION THESE DAYS! School drains you of all free-will to think...by the end of the year I will have nothing.. HE HE kidding! Aprat form the help part, I do need idea's. I like reading what you guys would like in here, it makes me laugh...weird? I KNOW I AM! =]
Thanks for reading, PLEASE REVIEW!
Love, ChloeRhiannonX