It was just another school day and another day in Psychology class where the teacher had stepped out for a few minutes giving his students instructions to study for the upcoming test. Naturally almost no one listened to the teacher, and naturally there was one goody-goody who did everything the teacher said.

“So just remember a fixed ratio schedule is an intermittent schedule of reinforcement in which reinforcement occurs only after a fixed number of responses.” Courtney looked over to Bridgette only to see her staring aimlessly at the ceiling. Courtney cleared her throat loudly to get her friends attention.

“Huh?” asked Bridgette finally coming back to reality.

Courtney sighed. Some days it was such a burden to be the smartest one in your class. People constantly ask for your advice, but seem incapable of taking it. “Bridgette are you even listening?” she asked her already knowing the answer.

Bridgette looked at her friend apologetically. “Sorry Court, I’m just thinking about this weekend. A lot of people are going down to the beach and I’m really hoping to catch some waves.”

Courtney should’ve figured that Bridgette would have nothing but sports on her mind. Not that Bridgette wasn’t an amazing athlete and an expert surfer, but physical talents can only get you so far. Courtney knew it was important to exercise the mind as much as the body.

“We really should focus on the test this Friday,” said Courtney trying to get Bridgette back to studying. “I mean honestly this stuff isn’t that hard.”

“Yeah, for a geek,” Courtney heard someone mutter behind her.

She ignored it and continued to talk to Bridgette. “You just need to better arrange your goals and put work before play.”

“And be a total loser.”

Courtney turned around to the one person she knew would dare tease her. The pierced up, green haired, loud mouth, punk and juvenile delinquent. “Excuse me Duncan but I think the gel in your mohawk is seeping into whatever’s left of your brain.”

Duncan looked up at the overachieving prep and smiled devilishly. It was about time she got to bitching and whining and he further antagonize her. It was part of their daily ritual. He insulted her, she insulted him, he’d tease her, she’d tease him, he’d spread rumors that she was working as a stripper, she’d kick him in the balls. They were very close.

“I think that pole is moving further up your butt,” Duncan said looking her up and down.

Courtney sneered at him but decided to at least try to be civil. “I think some people are actually trying to study,” she said as politely as possible.

“I think you mean person,” said Duncan saying she was the only doing what the teacher asked them to do.

Courtney just smiled. She didn’t mind if she was the only one. Better to be the only genius in a crowd of idiots than just another idiot. “Yes I’m the only person studying, that must be why I have the highest grade in the class,” bragged Courtney proud of her accomplishments.

Duncan however wasn’t impressed, he merely scoffed before replying, “And the tightest ass.”

Courtney finally lost her cool. “I think someone deserves a good kick in their ass,” she threatened.

It was Duncan’s turn to get fired up. “I think someone is going to have me up in their face, and they are not going to like it!”

By now they were yelling at each other and everyone was watching. The event of Psychology class was to see who was going to cut out who’s throat first, the punk or the prep.

“I’m not scared of you,” said Courtney meaning it. She didn’t care if he had been to juvenile hall or was the biggest bad-ass in the world. He was just an ass to her. “All you criminals are the same: weak and pathetic.”

Duncan faked a humorous laugh before giving her a dangerous look. “We’ll see how pathetic I really am when you’re the one running scared.”

“Bring it on asshole!”

Courtney’s confidence drained as soon as the teacher entered the room. “Courtney! I will not tolerate cursing in my classroom young lady.”

She tried to put on an innocent face. “He was threatening me!” she whined pointing at Duncan.

Duncan didn’t even flinch. Instead he turned confidently to Mr. Grants with an even more convincing look of innocence on his face. “Mr. Grants I was just trying to study, when Courtney here, started talking to me and I politely asked her to let me study.”

Courtney’s mouth dropped. ‘Are you kidding me?’

“I think it would be better if she’d learn to better arrange her goals and put work before play.”

“WHAT!”

Mr. Grants nodded his head and smiled approvingly at Duncan. “Fine idea Duncan, perhaps you can learn something from Duncan Courtney.”

Courtney continued to sit there completely in shock. She looked at Duncan disbelievingly who only smiled smugly at her. “You hear that Courtney? Maybe you can learn something from me.” He wriggled his eyebrows mischievously at her.

Courtney gave him a disgusted look before replying, “Drop dead.”
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“What is it with you two?” asked Bridgette trying to keep up with Courtney in the hallway.

“What do you mean?” snapped Courtney stomping towards her locker.

“You and Duncan, the two of you always seem ready to kill each other,” explained Bridgette.

Courtney finally reached he locker and began to fiddle with the combination lock. “He’s an immature poser who gets his kicks out of demeaning people.”

Bridgette raised an eyebrow. “Yeah but he’s only really like that with you, you know.”

Courtney realized she messed up her code and started over again. “What are you talking about? He’s mean to Harold all the time.”

“Yeah but almost everyone teases Harold. What I’m saying is Duncan may come off as a little tough but he has decent friends and doesn’t act like that towards other girls other than you.”

“That’s because other girls want to jump into bed with him,” said Courtney in disgust. “The fact that I actually challenge him and stand up for myself and have respect for myself is why he doesn’t like me.” Courtney finally got her combination correct but the lock wouldn’t unlock.

“Maybe it’s not that he doesn’t like you, maybe you just confuse him because you do react differently to him than other girls and that’s what bothers him.” Bridgette cringed as Courtney began banging on her locker with her fist. For being a girl Courtney was a lot stronger than she looked, just ask the dents on her locker.

Courtney continued to beat on her locker until Bridgette pushed her aside to unlock her locker for her. “Whatever his problem is it’s making me want to murder him more and more every day.”

Bridgette opened Courtney’s locker and moved to let her get her things. “Maybe you two aren’t so different. He’s really good friends with Geoff,” said Bridgette referring to her boyfriend. “Maybe you two could be friends.”

Courtney made a face at Bridgette. “Duncan and me? As if.”
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“You like her.”

Duncan snorted at Geoff’s comment. “She’s a princess man, a prep, she’s on the other side of the world.”

“Then why are you always fighting with her?” asked Geoff sitting on the school bench while Duncan leaned against a tree.

Duncan shrugged and pulled out his lighter and a cigarette. “I like a good fight and with her I know I can always get a challenge.” He stuck the cigarette in his mouth a brought the flame from his lighter to it.

“Is that why you like her? You like a challenge?”

Duncan inhaled deeply before rolling his eyes. “I said I liked fighting with her I never said I liked her liked her.”

Geoff rolled his eyes. “Oh sorry I forgot you like chicks like Heather.”

Duncan scoffed and gave Geoff a nasty look. “I hate chicks like Heather. Sure they have the sex appeal, but I’m not willing to get involved with a bitch.”

Geoff chuckled before replying, “What about Gwen? You two get along really well.”

Duncan shrugged. “I like Gwen but only as a friend, she’s cool but we have too much in common, at best I see her like a sister. Besides she’s in love with Trent and Trent’s a pretty decent guy. He’d be a good boyfriend for her.”

Geoff sighed. “So what are you saying dude? You like no one right now?”

Duncan suddenly thought of Courtney, though he had no idea why. “I’m not saying I don’t like any one right now, I’m just…not sure.”

Geoff’s face suddenly lit up. “Not sure? Hold on you never said you didn’t like Courtney you just listed reasons why you shouldn’t like her, which means you totally do like her, you just don’t want to admit it!”

Duncan stopped mid-hale and thought about the possibility for a split second before blocking out the idea all together. “What are you some kind of love couch? Stop worrying about my love life and worry about yours. Courtney is friends with Bridgette and for all you know Courtney could be saying all kinds of bad things about you just because you’re friends with me.”

Geoff shook his head. “Nah dude, Bridgette says Courtney’s cool she just tends to be abrasive, whatevert that means. The only bad things Courtney really says about anyone is you man.”

Duncan looked at Geoff completely surprised. “Really? She talks about me outside of class?”

Geoff didn’t seem to understand what the big deal was. “You talk about her outside of class.”

Duncan realized he was right. “You brought her up first,” accused Duncan trying to take the attention away from himself.

“Yeah, but you brought her up yesterday and the day before that and so on.”

‘Do I really talk about her that much?’ He didn’t think so, but obviously he was wrong if Geoff was saying he did. He was still a little shocked to hear Courtney talked about him. He didn’t know he got under her skin that bad. It was kind of cool he could piss her off that much considering she tended to have the same effect on him.

“Look man say whatever you want, but I think you two could possibly have something in the future,” said Geoff.

Stop fighting with princess, acting like an ass, and getting her mad to start a real, serious, and mature relationship with her?

Duncan scoffed before taking another drag and replying, “Courtney and me? As if.”
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All the parts of this story are by mende5525 on fanfiction.net