A Collection of Duncney

Happy Birthday

Small, 12-year old Courtney Taint sat on her living room couch, her eyes darting back and forth between the clock on the wall and the door. It was almost an hour after the time her birthday party was supposed to start, and she was getting anxious. 

She slowly held a small tan up and began playing with the ribbons in her short hair. They were tying her hair back in ponytails. Her Mother insisted she wore her hair like that, it made her look all the more adorable. 

"Mom?" Courtney asked, her young voice squeaky. Her middle-aged Mother slowly turned to face her young daughter on the couch

"Where is everybody?" Courtney asked, her Mother slowly bit her lip, and walked over, sitting next to her daughter on the couch

"Well, sweetie. Maybe everyone was too busy," she said gently. Courtney began tearing up

"Nobody likes me! That's why they aren't here!" she cried, jumping off of the couch and running upstairs. Her Mother sighed and stood up quickly

"No sweetheart! That's not true at all, who wouldn't like you?" she tried, but she heard Courtney's bedroom door slam shut upstairs. Courtney's Mother stood up, and ran an exhausted hand across her forehead. She had been up baking sweets for the kids to take home with their goody bags. But that was obviously not going to happen. 

Oh, poor Courtney. This was supposed to be her first actual birthday party. She had invited everyone from her 6th grade class to come. And not a single one had showed up. She didn't think she'd ever seen her daughter so heartbroken. 

Courtney's Mother slowly lifted her eyes to the phone on the wall, an idea slowly coming to her. She walked over and grabbed the phone, and dialed a number. It rang twice before her neighbor's cheery voice answered

"Hello?" the woman on the other end said

"Hello Pam? It's me, Kristy... I was wondering if you had any plans today? Or.. If you could bring your son over to spend time with my Daughter? Its her 12th birthday and no one showed up to her party. And I see our kids hanging out all the time."

"Oh my gosh, that's just awful! Of course, we will be right over!" Pam said on the other end, and she hung up. Kristy slowly sighed and hung up the phone, hoping this would put a smile on her daughter's face. 

Courtney stared at the door, her eyes huge. As her mortal enemy walked into her house, a small gift wrapped in his hands. 

"Duncan! It's so nice to see you," Kristy said, Duncan shrugged and kicked a little at the ground. 

"My son was so excited to be invited to something. He doesn't get out of the house very often-"

"Ma!" Duncan whined, giving his Mother a pleading look. Pam sighed and looked at Kristy

"He's very happy, can you tell?" Pam giggled and slowly looked down at her son "Alright, now you be nice to Courtney. I know how you can be. It's her birthday,"

Duncan sighed and rolled his eyes, slowly walking over to Courtney. Who kept giving him a dirty look. 

"Come on, let's get out of here before my Ma embarrasses me more," Duncan grumbled, taking Courtney's hand and pulling her away towards the backyard. 

"Ugh," Courtney said, once they got outside. She pulled her hand out of Duncan's "Don't touch me you heathen,"

Duncan raised an eyebrow "What does that even mean?"

Courtney laughed "Oh yeah, I forgot you're an idiot," 

Duncan glared at her "Oh shut up, the only reason I'm here is because my Ma made me." 

Courtney slowly fixed her ribbons again, they were falling out "Oh please, like you weren't excited to be invited to something. You're always alone at recess. I see it," Duncan looked at her once then looked away, crossing his arms 

"It's not like I can't get friends. I just hate most people. You're all annoying!" 

"Ugh, I can't believe our parents actually thought we're friends!" Courtney snapped back. Stomping her foot into the ground. Duncan walked over and got into her face

"Don't flatter yourself. Last time I checked, you're the one who had no one come to her party. They probably all think you're annoying like I do," 

Courtney growled and clenched her fists, and used all her energy to push him to the ground roughly. It didn't take much, because they were small at that age. Duncan glared up at her, as she smirked down at him, slowly crossing her arms in front of her. Duncan got back to his feet and pushed her back, she yelped as she fell back and landed roughly onto her bony butt. Courtney looked up at him, surprised he actually had the guts to push her back. Duncan gave her the same smirk she had given him

"What's wrong?" he mocked "Does the Princess not like to get dirty?" 

Courtney huffed and stood up "Just go! I don't want you here anyways." she said. Duncan stared at her with his teal eyes. 

Courtney slowly brushed herself off "Just go... I know you don't like me just like everyone else. I'm perfectly fine with being alone on my birthday. It's happened before,"

Courtney looked away, but Duncan caught a glimpse of tears in her eyes. She didn't look angry. Or mad that no one had showed up. 

She just looked... Sad. Almost hurt. 

Duncan slowly sighed, and rubbed the back of his head "Look uh... I'm sorry for pushing you."

Courtney slowly looked at him, and she wiped angrily at her eyes to wipe the tears away "It's okay. I'm sorry I pushed you first," 

Duncan slowly walked over and she watched him as he fixed one of the ribbons in her hair, tying it tight. Keeping her waves of brown hair slightly controlled, and she stiffened a little as he wiped away some dirt that was on her cheek 

"Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked him quietly, he looked at her, before blushing and pulling away

"It's just... No one should be sad on their birthday." Duncan mumbled. Courtney slowly felt her hands fall down to her sides again, and a small smile began teasing at her mouth

"Hey, my Mom made a bunch of cookies for the goody bags, but seems how no one is going to be here to eat them... You wanna help me finish them?" she asked. Duncan smiled at her

"Yeah!" he cheered, she giggled and the two raced each other back inside her house.

This became their tradition. Every year, Duncan would come over for her birthday. To make sure she wasn't alone. They'd stuff their faces with sweets until they got sick. 

Even now, as Courtney laughed at her boyfriend of 3 years as he tried to lite all of her candles without burning himself. She was now 18. 

"Alright, I think... That's good," Duncan said, finally lighting the last one, Courtney smiled at him. As he began singing "happy birthday" to her, as she leaned over and blew out her candles. Courtney couldn't keep the huge smile from her face. So happy that Duncan ended up coming to her dreadful 12th birthday party. Happy that he had decided to stay, even when she yelled at him to go. Happy he had spent the rest of the day with her. Making sure she stayed smiling. 

Because no one should be sad on their birthday.