Courtney walked in and sat at the table. With Duncan next to her.
"It's so nice to have you here, I definitely would love to have you again Courtney." Duncan's mom said kindly putting the plates down on the table.
Duncan's dad came out setting the bread rolls and the appetizers on the table. "Definitely. Tell me about yourself, Courtney." He said before sitting down.
Everyone turned to Courtney. "Well, what would you like to know exactly sir." She said trying to refrain from eating everything on her plate. She was hungry, she ate something small at the mall so it wouldn't make her full.
"We'll tell us about your academics and your goals for after high school." He said before grabbing a roll.
"Well I have a 4.5 GPA, and I'm in the debate, chess, stem, cooking, art history, foreign language, and photography club. I am also doing art and music appreciation to keep me well-rounded. I'm in tennis, volleyball, soccer, I run track, I cheerlead and lastly, I play the saxophone, violin, and piano." Courtney said proudly but maintained her humility.
The whole group looked in shock including Duncan. He knew she did half of those things but jeez.
Courtney continued not letting them comment before she was finished. "Lastly. I do want to go to a prestigious college. Like Harvard, Stanford, Yale, brown university, and Princeton. I have high hopes of doing so, I've maintained above a 4.0 GPA since middle school and have a lot of clubs/volunteering experience."
Once again the table was silent processing it all.
"Wow," Samuel said stunned. Not even he was that academically involved and he was considered the most academically involved in the family since who knows.
"Wow, that's so amazing for someone your age to be so focused on your future. Just...make sure you don't burn out." The uncle said to her with a look of pride across his face.
Courtney was so tired of hearing. 'Don't burn yourself out'. She's been hearing that phrase since sixth grade. She preferred to stay productive. It helped keep her mind busy.
"Don't worry I have a lot of time management skills," Courtney replied reassuringly.
"Can you pass some of that ambitious work habits to Duncan?" His dad joked.
Everyone let out a faint laugh in respect while Courtney and Duncan didn't. Especially Duncan.
"Oops dropped my fork, I'll get it and rinse it," Elena said before getting down to get it.
Nobody cared and went back to talking to Courtney.
"So do you know what career you want? I know a lot of people are still trying to figure it out. I know Duncan is figuring things out since he won't follow the family tradition and work in the law enforcement field, unless?" His mom said before sending a hopeful look to Duncan.
"No," Duncan said bluntly Eating his food. His mom huffed while the dad didn't look surprised.
"I'm going to be a lawyer," Courtney answered to relieve the tension.
The adults nodded approvingly.
"Ha, good one for you huh, Duncan? She can get you out of jail when you go back" His dad said snarkily and it made Courtney feel annoyed.
His wife glared at him.
"Duncan has been staying out of trouble for me so I don't think that'll be a problem," Courtney said politely. In the corner of her eye, she saw Duncan smile at her.
"Glad you're getting yourself together." He replied but directed it to Duncan.
" I bet you are," Duncan replied flatly.
"So Duncan would you join a club with Courtney? Maybe it'll do you good if you get involved." His mom prompted before her husband and her son started to argue at the table.
Duncan scoffed. "Yeah, I'll think about it.
Courtney looked over to see the other twin now back in her seat. The girl saw the teenage girl looking at her and smiled widely at Courtney. She suddenly felt unease all the sudden.
"So Courtney..." his aunt began the next conversation. The rest of the table laughed and talk throughout the dinner not knowing what was going to happen next.
"Thank you for joining us Courtney it was truly wonderful to see you again. Please come bye anytime!" Duncan's mom exclaimed as she grabbed everyone's empty plates.
Duncan's dad stood up along with Duncan's uncle "Yes we won't be in town for long but our family is looking forward to seeing you again." His uncle said while pulling out the chair for his wife.
The twins and Samuel stood up so Courtney took that as a cue to stand up.
Duncan's mom walked back into the room where everyone was at. She was happy that nothing bad happened. No bad accidents, no arguing. She looked at the Twins to ask them something, since they've been pretty silent at the table tonight. When she looked over she saw the twins smiling mischievously. Before she could think about what the Twins were up to, it was too late.
Courtney and Duncan scooted back the chairs and stood up and started to walk away. Courtney suddenly slipped and fell and unfortunately, the tablecloth got yanked down and with her too dropping all the food and drinks all over her.
Everyone gasped or yelped while Courtney finally realized what just happened. Food and drinks everywhere. She looked down and see the tablecloth got closed and pinned to the edge of her shirt and some of her arms were covered with some type of oil.
Courtney felt her eyes water at the embarrassment she felt but held in her tears. She couldn't look weak in front of Duncan let alone his family. She quickly blinked them away.
"Courtney are you okay!?" Duncan asked quickly getting down to Courtney's level and being careful of the oil so he wouldntbfall and make things worse.
"Yes, I'm fine." She said calmly and took off the clothespin that was on her shirt that was attached to the tablecloth.
Duncan looked at the twins who had matching smiles and was in shock. He couldn't believe they'd go this low. His mom saw his face and looked at the twins and saw what Duncan was seeing.
"I cannot believe you two." His mom said scoldingly and angrily.
This time the twin's mom, who looked very very mortified marched over to the twins and grabbed both of them by their ears. "You guys are in big trouble! non posso credere che le faresti questo! questo è così imbarazzante..." their mom said nearly squawking like while pulling them by their ears ranting sounding mortified and angry.
"Courtney I'm so sorry about my kids, they've never done something this severe-" the twin's dad began explaining apologetically when her wife took the kids out of the room and Courtney stood up.
"It's fine. Um, I was just leaving anyway. Thank you all for the dinner. It was nice meeting you all." Courtney said mustering all the politeness she could before promptly walking out the door feeling a lot of emotions at once. Embarrassment, anger, sadness, and disgust thanks to all the food/oil on her.
Duncan huffed peeved at the outcome of tonight's dinner. It was going so well.
"She's just embarrassed. I'll just take her home. Great freaking way to end the night." Duncan coldly said before walking outside after Courtney.
"Hey, pri-" Duncan tried to console her when he approached her.
"Just take me home." She said bluntly in a hollow way that freaked Duncan out. He unlocked the doors and got inside and waited for Courtney to do the same before wordlessly driving off into a long uncomfortable silence.
Little do they know that Duncan's mom and his uncle watched from the window.
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Courtney couldn't wait for the ride to be over. It was horrible and uncomfortable. When they arrived home Courtney immediately got out of the truck and unlocked the door. "Courtney wait! Can we talk for a second!" Duncan called out from behind Courtney."
Courtney sighed and turned around. "All I want to do is get this food off me and get in the shower, and quite frankly I don't want to talk." She snapped before slamming the door in his face and locking it.
She hurried into the bathroom and took her clothes off and immediately started to shower.
Tears fell down her eyes as the overwhelming negativity crashed down on her.
Her family always told her that you never look weak in front of anyone. Never let your guard down and never put yourself in a position to make yourself look bad. Now look at her. She was currently washing gravy out of her hair.
All the looks she has gotten. The pity and shock were stuck in her brain. Duncan's family probably thinks she's weak and vulnerable. His cousins probably think she's a pushover. What was she thinking going to that dinner?
When she finally got all the food and oil off of her she washed her face before getting out of the shower.
Wrapping the towel around her curvy frame she looked in the mirror and try to give herself some positive affirmations to make her feel better, but they weren't connecting as they usually would. In fact, it wasn't working at all. Instead it felt like all the overwhelming feelings were breaking through.
Courtney sighed before getting dressed and walked into her room. She was wearing her purple pajama set
She sat on her bed and started to wonder where her phone was when she heard it vibrate. She found it on the floor next to her bed. It must've fallen when she tossed it in her bed earlier.
Picking it up she looked to see 15 text messages from Duncan.
She didn't even bother to open them, the humiliation still was stinging her mind.
Right when she started to put it down it started to ring. Thinking it was Duncan calling her, she prepared to push the decline button only to see it was her parents.
She huffed before answering it.
"Courtney, hey we're calling to let you know we won't be back till the night of the dinner to pick you up and take you." Her mom said immediately getting to the point.
Courtney mentally rolled her eyes. They've been gone for days already.
"Why?"
"We got another case they added us onto but we know you're probably looking for someone to bring to the dinner and we found someone for you to bring."
Courtney furrowed her eyebrows. "You did? who?"
Duncan sighed at the door Courtney slammed in his face. He debated on knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell but swiftly shot the thought down. What's the point? she's not gonna open the door.
So the teenage boy walked back to his truck and sent her a text. Of course no reply.
He started his car and started driving home. Duncan was so livid at his cousins. He hoped when he got home that they were being yelled at or something.
Soon he parked in the driveway and on the way to the door, he texted Courtney before going inside.
He saw his cousins scrubbing the floorboards.
Duncan didn't say anything to them instead he just walked past. knowing if he did open his mouth, a lot of cussing was going to be coming out of his mouth
"Duncan oh thank god you're home. It was driving me crazy. How is she? Does she hate us?" His mom asked him before running up to him with a worried look on her face.
Duncan's aunt saw his nephew was back and was worried that her evil-minded spawns ruined Duncan's love life. Not to mention the girl he was dating was the best girl he ever brought home and dated. She didn't like Gwen very much.
"Is she okay? You guys are still dating right?" She asked fretfully.
"Yeah, we're still dating and I don't know she wasn't very talkative going home," Duncan answered with his arms folded.
"I'm so sorry Duncan, they're in such big trouble-" his aunt tried to apologize but Duncan just shook his head
"I know. Just punish them." Duncan said. He really wanted his aunt and uncle to throw them outside or something.
"She's really a wonderful girl. She's a keeper." His aunt said patting his arm. Duncan nodded. He already knew she'd be a good girlfriend, which is why he didn't understand why Justin fumbled her so badly. "But I'm gonna go to my room." He said before turning around promptly not waiting for a reply and went to his room.
After a while of calling and texting Courtney, he got fed up and got dressed. Putting up black sweats and a t-shirt he grabbed his phone. Heading out the door with his keys he quietly left. He noted everyone was asleep. so he hoped he wouldn't piss off the person he was going to see.
He pulled up into a parking lot after searching for '24 hour sushi stores." Surprisingly he found one and made his way there. He walked inside hoping he can remember the type of sushi she got the one time he saw her.
He knew the sushi he liked though but still. He stood in line and remembered how his ex-girlfriend Gwen didn't want to even try sushi when they were together. No matter how much he begged, bargained, or annoyed he was she refused to try it.
There were a lot of things now he's thinking about that she wouldn't try a lot of things he liked. And when they finally did she dumped him.
But don't get him wrong though, they had a lot of things in common. A lot in common matter of fact.
Duncan now was waiting for the order he successfully remembered.
"Duncan? What are you doing here?" A voice asked behind him.
Duncan turned around to see Gwen.
"The real question is what are you doing here? Last time I checked doll face you didn't like sushi?" Duncan asked confused.
"Well...Trent is asking me to step outside my comfort zone, so I'm started with sushi and I love it." Gwen shrugged.
Duncan rolled his eyes. "I told you that a long time ago." He deadpanned.
Gwen just shrugged. "I guess I just wanted us to have things to ourselves."
"What do you mean?"
The goth girl scoffed like it was obvious, "Come on Duncan. You and I like scary movies, trucks, motorcycles, video games, and art. I wanted us to have some sort of individuality cause we have a lot in common. Maybe...too much in common." Gwen said rubbing up and down her left shoulder and her arm with her right hand.
Duncan took a second to absorb that, but before Duncan could reply to her a voice called out.
"Order 117"
"That's me. Get home safe." Gwen says before walking off to get Trent from the bathroom and her order.
Duncan stood there thinking about what she said. There were very few they had that were uncommon. Their relationship felt somewhat repetitive but they could've fixed that. Duncan thought in denial as he watched her and Trent walk out the door.
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Courtney felt relieved that her mom found her a date. Now she didn't have to take Duncan and have to deal with her harsh parent's words. Especially Duncan, he didn't know how bad they could be and the last thing she wanted to do is hurt his feelings. Not to mention her parents would be angry.
"So do I get to meet Austin in person then? Beforehand?" Courtney asked with her back facing the balcony in her room.
"I guess...I'll text you his number after we get off the call. But look Courtney this is a serious dinner!" Her mom said with a tone that made her uncomfortable. She didn't want to fail her.
Courtney unexpectedly heard a soft thud behind her. Courtney instantly turned around and saw Duncan on her balcony.
Courtney didn't want him to make any sound that would have her mom on alert so she went and opened the door while her mom babbled on.
She held a finger up to her lips gesturing him to be silent. Thankfully Duncan nodded and stood there with a bag in his hand.
"Understand Courtney?" her mom said.
"Yes, mother. I have to go now, I wanna do some more studying. bye!" she said before hanging up on her mom. Now that she was off the phone, her attention was fixated on Duncan. she gave him a huge glare.
"Before you kick my ass...I brought sushi." Duncan said holding it out to her.
Courtney sighed and took the bag. "Thanks. But what do you want? I thought I made it pretty clear that I did not want to be bothered before you broke into my house." she said sending him a light glare.
"First it's not breaking in if you let me inside. Second I just wanted to talk to you and apologize for my-"
"Duncan I don't want to think about what happened at the dinner okay? I've been humiliated enough." Courtney said rolling her eyes.
"I know but I just wanted-"
"I don't want your pity okay? My pride is hurt enough." She snapped without thinking.
Duncan's lips went into a thin line now getting upset.
Courtney took a breath and sighed. "Look I'm sorry. I just don't want to talk about it. But I really appreciate your efforts to make me feel better about the calamity."
Duncan understood how she felt and just dropped it as she asked.
"Well. Just know now you gotta share the sushi now as a truce." The teenage boy joked sitting on her bed.
Courtney smiled and sat on the bed while putting the sushi out for them both to share.
"So I was just on the phone with my mom...and I was gonna have you go to the dinner with me. My parents are both having a business dinner and they wanted me to bring someone and since you were the only last resort I was gonna bring you. But instead, my mom called about finding someone for me. So now you don't have to. you'll repay your debt in another way." She shrugged.
Duncan let out a sigh of relief. "I'd rather go shopping than go to that dinner. Thank you universe for getting her a date." Duncan said before eating a fork full of sushi.
"It wouldn't have been that bad," Courtney said but even she didn't sound convinced.
"Sweetheart your mom and dad are like stiff like a dead person. They're too uptight, they make you look like you're fun." Duncan deadpanned.
"First of all new and I am not uptight! I just... have expectations I have to live up to. No matter how people think of me." Courtney answered pointedly before eating a fork for of sushi.
Duncan realized that she just wanted to impress her parents and feel good enough. She wanted to feel included in their perfect life. He knew cause he dealt with that pressure before.
All his family were officers and his cousins were scholars. He was very smart but he felt pressured which overwhelmed him which is why he made his parents have low expectations for him so he wouldn't feel that need to feel good enough.
"I know how you feel-" Duncan started.
"Not to sound rude but how? You literally went to juvie a few times and get in trouble practically 24/7. And I'm a student that excels in school." Courtney doubted with her right eyebrow raised.
Duncan just smirked. " well my family are all either scholars or police officers." He said getting more sushi.
"Oh. Right. So did you crack under the pressure or something?" she asked wondering why he was a troublemaker when his family was very well off.
"Nah. I just felt the pressure in elementary and middle school. So I acted out so they'd stop having high expectations for me, so I can have room to do my own thing. Not having to follow their footsteps." Duncan explained hoping how he said it made sense to her.
Courtney nodded before chuckling. "I guess I'm too deep now huh."
"No of course not. Just control things that you can change. Like how you spend your time. Or people you talk to. People aren't going to approve but it's your life not theirs. You know take the extra class extra activity." Duncan said shrugging before realizing it was Courtney who he was talking to. The girl who's practically in every club.
"We'll in your case drop a class and a activity..." Duncan said knowing she puts a lot of pressure on herself.
Courtney this time rolled her eyes. "I'm just fine in all my activities. If anything I should do more, I won't get into the top colleges without a little more. Besides I have to go full throttle. It's senior year and I'm valedictorian." Courtney said very sure of herself while Duncan looked at her worriedly.
Courtney saw his face and changed the subject. She didn't want to hear any doubtful thoughts. "Since you're prying into my life. I wanna know why you and your dad don't get along." She said before eating some of the sushi.
"I don't know. I guess we don't really have anything in common. We never see eye to eye with things. Just too different I guess." Duncan said shrugging. The more he got in trouble the more distant it seems his father became.
"When was the last time you spent quality time together?" Courtney questioned.
"Hmmm I can't even remember the last time." Duncan answered blankly.
"Oh." Courtney said looking down at the bed not knowing what to say.
"How about you? When's the last time you spent this so called 'quality time' with your parents." Duncan asked.
"Not since I was in elementary. I've joined to many clubs to have any time for them. Plus they're busy anyway." Courtney said while ignoring the hollowness she felt thinking about how absent her parents have been in her life.
Duncan frowned at that and felt bad for her.
"I don't need your pity. I found ways to be around other people." She said referring to the relationship she made.
"Yeah but you're searching for some of them in the wrong places. You brought Justin home. not just cause he's attractive but cause your parents would approve and you'll have some type of attention for them besides academics. I'll also guess that's why you put up with him till he broke up with you. Not cause you like him so much, but you knew that once he's gone, so is your parents extra attention." Duncan said to her reading her for the first time like a book.
Courtney stayed quiet. Not even Heather and Bridgette understood or seen what Duncan figured out and he's been around for what a few weeks.
"It's okay. We both have things to work on." Duncan sighed thinking about his crazy decisions he's made with Gwen.
"Like what?" Courtney asked questioningly.
"The morning Gwen broke up with me, she said that I wasn't sensitive." Duncan said before flexing his jaw in annoyance.
He hated that he wasn't enough for her to stay and work out with him. Instead of just leaving him for another guy.
"Maybe you're looking for things in the wrong places too." Courtney said looking at him.
"Huh? what do you mean by that?" He asked confused.
"Well for one you were looking for people to use to make Gwen jealous." Courtney said like it was obvious.
"Maybe so. But we can look out for eachother right and help eachother. Why not be friends." Duncan preposed.
"Friends?" Courtney said doubtfully.
"Yeah. I mean we might as well be right? We're pretty deep in this together anyway." Duncan said shrugging Before eating more sushi.
Courtney mulled over it before sighing. "I guess."
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A/N: this lame chapter is out next one will be better.