Sorry

"Oh, c'mon Bridgette, stop."

Bridgette flashed Courtney a sly grin, and shoved Courtney closer to the boy standing in the corner, about 10 meters away. "Just go talk to him!  He's cute, Courtney, what else do you need?!"

Courtney took another look at the boy as she tried to resist being pushed too close to him by Bridgette.  He wasn't exactly what she considered cute, and the fact that he was standing alone in the corner, isolated from the rest of the party, was a clue that he might not be much of a talker.

"No, Bridgette.  This is supposed to be a cast party, I don't even know why he's here."

Bridgette sighed, and stopped pushing her forward.  "Probably a friend of someone here.  But, fine, if you want to be that way,  don't come crying to me when you go home alone!"

Courtney laughed, raising an eyebrow as Bridgette began scoping the room for some new boys. "Hey, what about Geoff?"

This made Bridgette stiffen, and her eyes wandered to the side of the large room where Geoff was chatting loudly with a few friends. "Courtney, you can't seriously expect me to forgive him after he didn't invite me to his football final."

"And yet, you expect me to forgive Duncan after he said on national television that the only reason he likes me is because I'm hot.  Somehow, Bridge, this doesn't compute." Courtney counter-acted slyly, smiling with sucess at Bridgette, who was hot-faced.

Bridgette pushed a few stands of hair behind her ear.  "I really should go talk to him, shouldn't I?"  As she looked at Geoff, who hadn't seen Courtney or Bridgette at the party yet, Bridgette smoothed her top, as if preparing to talk t him.

Courtney raised an eyebrow, with a you-know-the-answer-to-that look written over her face.  Bridgette sighed, still looking at Geoff.

"Here.  Let's make a deal.  I talk to Geoff, you talk to Duncan, we all make up, go home happy."

"Um, no Bridgette, my situation is more complicated then yours-"

"Oh, damnit Courtney, he saw us..." Bridgette interrupted frantically as Geoff glanced around the room, spotted Bridgette, and began walking over with a smile.  "Promise me you two will make up?"

Courtney looked around, as if someone might have the answer painted on their faces.  She sighed.  "Yeah, ok, Bridge."  This made Bridgette smile, and it appeared to give her a boost of happiness and confidence.  As Geoff approaced, greeted Courtney, and walked off with Bridgette, she looked over her shoulder at Courtney.

"Thanks, Courtney.  Good luck!"

As Bridgette and Geoff walked off, Courtney sighed, looking around. He isn't even here yet.  No problem, a guy like him won't even show up.  As she scoped the room, bustling with chatting membetrs of the Total Drama Island cast, she saw familiar faces: Beth, who smiled at Courtney and said a wheezly, "Hi!"; Cody, trying to hit it off with Gwen; and DJ, carrying around his beloved Bunny and chatting with Lindsay.  In a corner sat Harold, all alone.  Courtney decided there was no harm in talking to him, besides, she had forgiven him for switching the votes.

As Courtney walked over to Harold, he spotted her, his eyes widening and body quivering.  She neared him, and he gave a squeak.

"It's ok, Harold, I'm over what you did," smiled Courtney, sitting beside Harold, still nervose.  He sniffed and looked at her.

"Why?"

Courtney began, but then paused.  "It's just... I dunno.  You kinda saved me."  This made Harold laugh.

"Saved you, huh?  You aren't even a bit mad that I personally blew your chances of winning a hundred thousand dollars?"

Courtney looked at the ground, her arms crossed.  "Surprizingly, Harold, no.  You know what, I'll just come out and say it." She sighed. "I'm just glad that I didn't get more involved with Duncan then I already had."

"Ooooh." Harold said, a look of comprehension on his face.  He looked forward lazily, starting at nothing in particular, his elbows resting on his knees and his back tilted forward.  "I thought you two liked eachother.."

This made Courtney close her eyes, her head tilted down.  "I did.. I thought I did.  But, then..." she chuckled nervously.  "Well, when he pretty much said that he liked me only because I was hot...."

Harold smiled, his goofy teeth showing.  "I get it, but you are pretty hot, Courtney."

With a laugh, Courtney clapped a hand on Harold's skinny shoulder.  "That sounds so much better coming from your mouth and not Duncan's."  Courtney got up, and looked at Harold.  "Nice talking, Harold.  You're sweet."

It was time for Courtney to head home.  She wasn't feeling very well anyways, and this was a way to avoid Duncan.  When Courtney looked at Bridgette, talking at laughing with Geoff, she left a pang of guilt.  Oh, I'll just call her tomorrow and say that I was sick. Courtney decided, in an attempt to clear her consience.  Courtney exited through the door, picking up her jacket from the coatstand on the way.

As she stepped outside into the frosy night air and slipped on her coat, Courtney fumbled through her pocket for her car keys.  Digging in the depths of the warm pocket, she felt the oddly shaped figure against her fingertips, and Courtney paused.  It had stayed in her pocket - with her - since last year, when she had received it, and feeling it made a tear well up in Courtney's eyes.  She sniffed, trying to ignore the item, and reached for her keys.  She found them, but as she began walking over to her slick red car, a blue and beat up one drove up in the parking lot, it's lights teatring through the thick night air.  Courtney shaded her eyes from the bright light as the car parked, and a man walked out of it.  It was Duncan.

He got out of the car, wearing his typical outfit, but wearing a slick leather jacket.  As he walked up to the house, he realized it was Courtney standing outside the door to the house.

"Hey, Princess." he smirked, approaching her.  Duncan went in for a kiss, but Courtney turned her head diagonally down, closing her eyes and rubbing the back of her neck with her hand.

"I have to go." Courtney said, as she walked off to her car.  Duncan stood, confused, then walked after her.

"But I just got here," Duncan replied, a bit confused. "Don't you wanna... you know..." he grinned.

Courtney, who was now beside her car and inserting the keys into the door, paused.  She looked up at Duncan, and slowly took the keys out of the car door, grasping them in her hand tightly.  Courtney faced Dncan, a sombre look upon her red face.

"No, Duncan, I don't." Courtney said, anger mounting in her voice.  "Haven't you ever wondered why I haven't called you in three months?"  She didn't wait for Duncan to respond before she walked close to him and stared him in the face.  "I thought you liked me.  But I guess I was wrong.  You just think I'm  hot."

"But.. you are."

"DUNCAN!  Dont you think you have to put more THOUGHT into who you like?  I expected better even from YOU." Courtney spat, her anger raging.  Duncan stood, staring at her, he too, mad.  Finally, he sighed and sat down on the roadside curb, reaching in his pocket for something.

"So you don't have anything to say?" asked Courtney, walking over to Duncan and looking down at him.  He looked up at her as he pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, and reached for one from the box.

"You don't understand." shrugged Duncan, lighting the cigarette.  Courtney scowled at him, but she sat down beside him anyways, her arms tightly crossed.

"Still not a gentleman, are you?" Courtney hissed as Duncan put the cigarette pack back in hhis pocket.  Duncan looked at her, and chuckled.

"I'm smoking, Princess, if you don't like it, leave."

With a roll of her eyes, Courtney replied, "No, I meant you should offer the lady one too."

"Excuse me?!"

"I want a cigarette."

Duncan began laughing, mixed with coughing from the cigarette fumes. "No, Princess."

Courtney looked with narrowed eyes at Duncan, her arms still crossed.  Finally, she reached over him, went into his pocket and grabbed the pack.  She opened it and carefully pulled out a long cigarette, looking at it closely.

"How do I light this?" she asked, putting the closed pack in Duncan's lap and turning the cigarette in her fingers.

"Here." Duncan said.  He turned toward her and went close to her face, letting the flame on the end of his cigarette, flaming dully, lick the end of Courtney's until it caught a spark.  He held his hand up at the side of the two cigarettes so that the flame wouldn't get over-aired and go out.  Duncan first watched the two cigarettes, then slowly his eyes wandered up to Courtney.  She was watching the flame intently, trying not to focus on Duncan's warm body, or his heartbeat close to hers.  Finally, Courtney's cigarette had flamed, and she backed away, taking the lit cigarette out of her mouth, examining it.

"It goes in your mouth, darling."

"I know, Duncan." She put the tip of the cigarette in her mouth, between her lips, and breathed in.  Suddenly, she began a fit of coughing from the smoke, and the cigarette flew out of her mouth and onto the pavement where the flame delicatly sizzled out.

"Oh, that's disgusting..." ourtney coughed, her eyes watering slightly.

Duncan laughed at her, taking a puff from his own.  He sighed, puffed again, then took the cigarette out of his mouth, threw it on the ground, and crushed it in the gravel.  He stood up and slumped his hands in his leather jacket pockets.

Courtney looked up at him, the tears from the smoke still clinging onto her eyelashes.  "You don't care, do you, Duncan?"

He looked down at Courtney, still sitting, and let out a hand to help her up.  She accepted it, still looking at Duncan with a furrowed brow.  Duncan looked at her.

"I do care, you just don't get it."

"Oh, and hows that?  Is saying that the only reason you like me is because I'm hot caring in your book?"

"No, it's just-"

"Or what about letting another girl cuddle up to you, huh?  Remember the Heather incident?  Well, what can I expect, she's just another hot girl too."

"Courtney, stop-"

"I really expected better from you Duncan, but I guess you're just another guy who likes a hot girl and nothing else.  Well, sorry, because that's not the type of guy I want."

"Wait, Princess-"

"DON'T call me Princess!"

"Just shut u-!"

"I admit it, Duncan, I did like you... alot.  And I THOUGHT you liked me back."

Duncan didn't wait to be interrupted again.  He took a breath, then pulled Courtney in for a kiss.  Their lips touched, and Courtney melted in, remembering how great it felt on the island, and how good it felt to fall in to Duncan's arms.  But she forced herself to pull away, and she looked to the ground as a tear slid down her cheek.

Courtney foraged in her pocket for the item she had came across before, looking for her keys.  She found it, and pulled it out delicatly.  In her hands was the skull carving that Duncan had given Courtney as she was tugged away on the Boat of Losers.  Courtney looked down at the carving, and then at Duncan.  He was focused on the carving, probably amazed at how she had kept it.. how much sh really HAD cared.  And Duncan had cared just as much.. he just didn't know how to show it - he didn't want to show it.

Courtney looked again at the small carving, cradled in her hands.  Then, she put it in Duncan's hand, looking up at him with more tears.

"Bye." she managed to say before she walked away, the skull now in Duncan's palm.  Courtney got in her car and drove off, Duncan left to hold the carving and wonder.