Duncan woke up in a fog surprised to see Courtney standing in his doorway holding a glass of water and smiling at him. He knew why she was there and what had happened last night, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t have a little fun.

“Princess? What are you doing here?”

He watched in amusement as her face went worried. “You don’t remember what happened last night?”

“Not a thing,” said Duncan trying to keep a straight face, he just loved getting under her skin.

“Duncan!”

Yep he got her. He laughed loudly as she looked at him slightly hurt. “I’m kidding! Of course I remember. You’d have to shoot me in the head to make me forget that.”

“That sounds like a good idea right now,” she mumbled angrily.

Duncan rolled his eyes as she continued to pout. He scooted closer to her and grabbed her arm and pulled her into him for a hug. At first she fought a little like he expected but eventually she relaxed in his arms and held him securely. “You were saying?”

“Shut up,” she said pushing herself off him but smiling at the same time. She couldn’t believe everything had come to this. Not too long ago she never would’ve even believed she would’ve fallen in love with Duncan. The same Duncan who called her names, who annoyed her, who frustrated her.

Duncan looked at her strangely when she started giggling for no apparent reason. It was amazing how after all these years she never ceased to surprise him. “Did you forget to take your medication this morning?”

She slapped his arm playfully before replying, “No it’s just…crazy.”

“What do you mean?” he asked truly curious.

Courtney sighed and scratched the back of her neck uncomfortably, trying to find the right way to word her thoughts. “It’s just… ever since I’ve known you I’ve always seen the negative side. Anything you did wrong or inappropriate or annoying… I can’t believe I didn’t see this other you.”

Duncan couldn’t stop the smile that spread out on his face. “Are you going soft on me princess?”

Courtney blushed and shoved a glass of water in his hand. “Just drink your water.”

Duncan didn’t argue as sipped down the water slowly. His head hurt and his stomach ached but it was nothing he couldn’t handle. What was proving to be difficult for him was to act cool around her. He felt that at any moment he could mess it all up, not to mention with the way his feelings were going into overdrive now that he told her he loved her. The entire thing was so new to him and he wasn’t sure what to do next. Wait a minute!

“I kind of made you something,” he said shyly.

Courtney perked up surprised and curious. “Really? Where is it?”

“Um…it’s in the top drawer,” he stuttered pointing to his dresser.

Courtney jumped up excitedly and opened the drawer frantically looking for her gift. It didn’t take her long to find it. Sitting there in the middle of his clothes was a little wooden skull. Courtney picked it up carefully in her hands with a sparkling smile that made Duncan’s stomach do flips.

“You made this?”

Duncan nodded, his eyes wandering all over the place. “Yeah…I made it especially for you.”

Courtney didn’t know how to describe her emotions. She moved her hands over the wooden skull trying to soak it all in. “You’re giving me this because I’m your girl now? You always said you’d make a wooden skull for your girl.”

Duncan rubbed his arm and looked at her seriously. “Actually I never planned on giving it to another girl unless it was you.” when he noticed her expression he added, “You don’t believe me? Flip it over.”

Courtney did as told and giggled a bubbly laugh when she saw the word ‘princess’ carved in the wooden skull. “When did you make this?” she asked sitting next to him.

Duncan groaned uneasily as he admitted, “Right after I decided we should be friends.”

Courtney burst out laughing and buried her head in his shoulder while Duncan’s face went red with embarrassment. Courtney wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, “I always suspected you had ulterior motives.”

Duncan grinned as he wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her in his lap. “If you knew then why’d you let me suffer?”

Courtney shrugged carelessly. “Guess I enjoy torturing you, what can I say?”

“You can say I love you again,” suggested Duncan now rubbing her back slowly.

Courtney began to rub the back of his neck eagerly and said, “Or you can say it.”

Duncan chuckled and shook his head. “Must you always have control over everything?”

She shrugged and looked at him innocently. “Would you have it any other way?”

Duncan wanted to kiss her, he really did. But his head was still hurting, his stomach was still queasy and he could only imagine what his breath smelled like. He wasn’t going to belittle their first kiss when he wasn’t in his best shape. He wanted it to be the right moment at the right time, because she was the right girl.

He opted for kissing her hand tenderly before saying, “No…I wouldn’t have you any other way.”
____________________________________________________________________
“So does this mean you guys are boyfriend and girlfriend now?” asked Bridgette still in awe in what Courtney had just told her.

Courtney smiled but furrowed her brow. “I guess we are boyfriend and girlfriend now. We didn’t officially say it but I think saying the 3 words means we’re together.”

Bridgette huffed out some air and went, “Wow.” Just yesterday it seemed completely over for the both of them and then overnight it seemed to vanish and now they were together! “I just don’t understand how this all happened so fast.”

Courtney decided not to tell Bridgette about Duncan’s little drunken night. He hadn’t told anybody about the night she was high so she wasn’t about to disrespect him by telling everybody the details of their relationship. Besides that was something special between the two of them.

“Sometimes the unexpected just happens,” said Courtney simply.
____________________________________________________________________
“Dude seriously!” Geoff hooted excitedly. “You and Courtney are finally together?”

Duncan couldn’t stop smiling, but it was true. Courtney was finally with him, just when he believed it would never happen it was actually the reality. He loved her and she loved him. He couldn’t think of better moment in his life when things came together so perfectly. Well there was that one time he robbed that place…Ah screw that! This was much better.

“Man I’m so happy for you,” said Trent giving him a high-five.

Duncan smiled smugly and placed his hands behind his head. “That’s right gentlemen. Duncan Malone is officially taken. And any asshole who puts his hands on Courtney will be seriously damaged.”

“Oh boy, you really are in love. You’re already getting all overprotective,” mocked Trent.

“Hey I’m not overprotective, I just don’t want some punk making the moves on her, unless that punk is me of course.”

“So have you guys even kissed yet?” asked Geoff.

Duncan had had that on his mind all morning. “Not yet, I want it to be…well you know.” Duncan didn’t want to come off sounding all cheesy and romantic in front of the guys but it was too late for that.

“Awe you want it to be special,” said Trent in a sweet baby voice. Geoff followed right behind him.

“He wants it to be romantic and perfect,” added Geoff making kissing noises.

Duncan scoffed at them but smiled anyway because they were right. The only question was how the hell was he going to make his kiss with Courtney the perfect one?
____________________________________________________________________
“Wait you guys haven’t kissed yet?” gasped Bridgette. She figured that they’d be all over each other buy now, anyone could cut the sexual tension between them with a knife.

“The moment just hasn’t come along yet,” said Courtney eating her apple. Courtney had been planning on spending lunch with Duncan but they both knew that was impossible once everyone heard they were together. Even during Psychology Duncan and Courtney hadn’t gotten the chance to speak with each other because everyone was too busy hounding them with questions. Courtney had been glad Adam was home sick today, if he had said anything to Duncan about her Duncan would most likely beat the crap out of him.

“You must be looking forward to it,” hinted Bridgette.

Courtney gushed and said, “Well, yeah.”

“If I were you I’d be dreading it.” Courtney recognized Heather’s voice without having to turn around.

“Why don’t you go put lotion on your head Heather,” snapped Courtney. “I’m sure it’s flaking by now.

Bridgette giggled giving Courtney a high -five.

“Oh you think you’re so funny. Well I don’t think you’ll be laughing when Duncan finds out you’re a bad kisser,” said Heather with an evil smile.

“What are you talking about?” asked Courtney wanting to kick her ass the more and more she talked.

“Well c’mon Courtney. You’re not exactly known for your experience with boys. Duncan on the other hand…I’m sure he’s pretty experienced in the field of kissing. It’d just be sad to know that he broke up with you just because you couldn’t meet his standards.”

By now even cool-tempered Bridgette had lost her nerve and snapped at Heather, “Fuck off.”

Heather was a little surprised to hear such language from Bridgette, but she left feeling satisfied anyway.

Bridgette turned back to Courtney who had a sick look on her face. “Don’t listen to her Courtney. She’s just trying to freak you out.”

Courtney nodded knowingly but Heather had indeed succeeded in freaking her out.
____________________________________________________________________
Courtney tried to be calm but she couldn’t. She had hoped her parents would tell her she couldn’t go out on a date with Duncan when she told them they were going to start seeing each other romantically. But surprisingly enough her parents had actually been supportive, her mom even helped her pick out an outfit! Of all the time for her parents to be cool, why did it have to be now?

“You OK princess?” asked Duncan once he turned off his motorcycle and got off.

Courtney continued to sit there dumbly with her helmet on worrying that the moment was coming soon. “Uh yeah. Sorry my mind was somewhere else.”

“Well c’mon,” he urged pulling her hand.

The were currently at lake Wawanakwa and Courtney new a kiss had to be coming. Why else would Duncan go through all this trouble? While the fact that Duncan had planned all this was sweet, Courtney was still terrified that she was going to turn out to be a bad kisser.

They walked all the way out on the edge of the dock when Duncan sat down and motioned her to sit next to him. Courtney sat down nervously which did not go unseen by Duncan.

“Alright I have no idea what’s going on in that head of yours but you seriously need to chill princess. We’re all alone, out by the lake and I haven’t said anything that can be considered rude all night. So what bites? I’d thought you’d be happy with all this,” he said getting upset by her negative vibe.

Courtney smiled weakly at Duncan and intertwined her fingers with his. “It’s not that I’m not happy Duncan, it’s just…well…” He waited for her to go on. “Duncan I’ve never really been with a guy before, not like this and I’m worried that maybe I might not be very good at it.”

She had said it all so fast that Duncan had barely made out what she said at all. “Who the hell put that idea in your head?” he asked confused as to who could make her doubt herself so much.

“Heather,” she admitted shamefully.

“Heather! You took Heathers advice on relationships,” he asked starting to laugh at her.

“Don’t laugh! This is hard for me to admit. Beside she had a point, you’ve kissed many girls,” she said making a face. “While I’ve barely kissed anybody and what if I am bad at it and you don’t want to be with me anymore?”

Duncan calmed his laughing fit and squeezed her hand. “Princess you need to give yourself, and me, more credit than that. First of all you’ve given me pecks that felt way better than a full blown kiss so there’s no way you’re bad at it. Second of all even if you were bad it there’s no way in hell I’m breaking up with you. It would just mean we’d have to practice, a lot.”

Courtney smiled but still shook her head worriedly. “I’m still nervous.”

“You told me you loved me and now you’re scared of a kiss?”

“A kiss says it all,” she said seriously.

Duncan scooted so close to her that there noses touched, he placed his hand behind her neck and barely grazed his lips against hers. This one little action caused Courtney to close her eyes and enjoy what he was making her feel.

“You don’t need to be afraid. I know I want you and I know you want me.” He moved his fingertips over her lips lightly. “Course, who wouldn’t want me?” he added jokingly.

Courtney slapped his arm but kept her face close to his as he continued to brush his finger tips over her lips.

Duncan kept teasing her until she couldn’t stand it anymore. Courtney placed her hands on his face and went for it. Lips met lips and for a while all Courtney could feel was his arms around her and his lips moving with hers. Even though they were opposites their lips worked in perfect sync with each other. She was on fire and on cloud nine as she continued to roam his mouth with hers. It wasn’t long before Duncan started to explore her mouth with his tongue, which Courtney happily allowed and even answered back to.

It felt like an eternity had gone by when the two finally separated for air and looked at each other in awe. “You might be the best damn kisser ever,” said Duncan breathlessly.

Courtney giggled and tried to find her voice. “Guess that means we don’t have to practice.”

Duncan suddenly panicked. “Wait did I say best kisser? I meant worst kisser.”

Courtney gasped at him before pushing him so hard he fell right into the lake. She was so busy laughing she didn’t even see Duncan snatch her ankle and bring her in the water with him.

She came back up spitting out water and glaring at a laughing Duncan. “Duncan you’re such a jerk.”

“And yet you still love me,” he said smugly.

She rolled her eyes and felt her body numb over when he started taking off his shirt, shoes and socks. “What are you doing?”

“Relax, my pants are still on. I figure as long as we’re in here we might as well take a swim.”

“But we’re not suppose to,” argued Courtney.

Duncan merely scoffed at her. “Well then you shouldn’t have pushed me in! C’mon I won’t look.” He promised and turned around obviously waiting for her to undress enough to swim around with him.

After getting past her giddiness Courtney removed her shirt, pants, shoes, and socks and swam up behind Duncan and kissed his neck. Duncan let out a soft moan to which she only giggled at. “Am I killing you?” she asked in a teasing voice.

“You have no idea,” he said grabbing her and bringing her in front of him.

For a while they just looked at each other until Duncan laughed again. “What?” whined Courtney knowing all too well he was laughing at her.

“I can’t believe you listened to Heather.”

Courtney placed a hand over his mouth and brought herself closer to him. “Just shut up and kiss me already.”