Love Is...

-1-

⚠️TW: This story contains physical and emotional abuse⚠️

**

Heather pulled her long hair up when she felt it sticking to the back of her neck. It was a humid Summer evening in late August, and she and her friends were spending the last weekend of vacation out on the lake.

"Here's to the party boat goin' to college!" Geoff raised a bottle of Coors Light.

"I can't believe he brought alcohol again," Courtney muttered to Duncan. "It was bad enough when we went out on the boat last summer."

"Relax, babe." Her boyfriend wrapped his arm around her. "See any cops out here?"

"Ugh," she rolled her eyes.

"Exactly. And Geoff will be nineteen next Summer anyway."

"Want one, Dunc?" Geoff asked, a second bottle in his hand.

"You know it!"

Courtney lowered at him. "Are you kidding me?!"

"What? It's good shit."

Geoff sat by Bridgette. "Cheers, babe." They clinked their bottles together and drank.

Gwen sat next to Duncan and Courtney. "It feels like I'm literally bathing in the sun."

"You might need it, pasty," Duncan snickered.

"Duncan!" Courtney scolded.

"No, don't worry," Gwen smirked. "We've been friends since kindergarten. I have more dirt on him than you think."

"I love hearing your dirty stories on Duncan."

"...What do you two talk about?"

"Nothing," Courtney giggled.

"Hey!" Duncan pouted.

"I'm sorry, but come on, you have some pretty good stories," Gwen laughed.

"If only he'd tell them to his wonderful girlfriend," Courtney gave him puppy dog eyes.

"I heard something about stories?" Chandler passed by them, carrying a beer back to his spot.

"Funny and humiliating stories about Duncan as a kid," Gwen answered.

"Don't bring him into this!" Duncan groaned.

"Now you feel pressured to tell the whole group."

"You don't have to tell the whole group, babe," Courtney gently reassured him.

"Yeah, we're not trying to make fun of you, man," Chandler said.

"Gwen is."

"Ok, ok! I'll stop. Duncan, tell whoever you want about your—many incidents," she tried not to laugh.

"Gwen, are you drunk?" Courtney asked.

"What? No way! I'm perfectly sober!"

Both she and Duncan looked at each other knowingly. "She's drunk," they said in unison.

Chandler sat next to Heather. "Guess what day it'll be in two weeks," he smiled.