Growing Pains

Chapter Nineteen

Duncan

One more week until we were out of this hell hole and free to do whatever we wanted. I was counting down the days to the cabin, ready to get away from an adult supervision. I only had two problems.

My first problem felt just as big as the second, but I knew that it probably wasn't. I had to get gifts for everyone. During our week stay at the cabin, we would always have a gift exchange. It was two weeks away and I hadn't had the slightest clue as to what I was supposed to get anyone.

My second problem was one that I had spent so much time thinking about that it almost felt unreal. Courtney Barlow potentially had feelings for me. I had no idea what I was supposed to do with this information. I knew that it wouldn't change anything, but then again, stranger things have happened.

Another thing about it, was that it terrified me. The potential of her actually having romantic feelings for me scared me so much that I wanted to run away and never look back. I would just drag her down with my criminal record and snappy attitude. She was going to be a lawyer with an amazing future with guys just like Justin all lined up. I was probably going to end up working in a car shop like the rest of the washed-up high schoolers.

It would be better if she didn't like me.

I was currently walking down the halls of the school, not paying any mind to the idiots that parted around me like I was a shark and they were a school of fish. I stopped in front of my locker, spinning the dial to unlock it and get my books out of it. I was actual doing pretty good with the whole 'Don't get in trouble' situation. My grades even went up, which princess was proud of me for. Just the thought of her made me smile, which was something I needed to work on.

"Hey there, hot stuff," a familiar voice teased behind me.

I didn't look away from my books as I pulled them out and responded, "If you want to fool around, I charge sixty dollars an hour."

"You're pretty cheap." I looked over my shoulder to see DJ standing there with a smile.

I shrugged, a smirk finding its way to my mouth, "Never said I wasn't."

He chuckled before letting his smile slip from his face. He looked over his shoulder once, as if he was checking to see if any prying ears were listening, and turned around and said, "Have you given anymore thought to the whole Courtney Situation?"

I slammed my locker shut with enough force to make the kids standing by look over before returning to their conversations. I rolled my shoulders and grumbled, "Does it matter?"

DJ frowned, "Of course it matters, man. This is the girl of your dreams."

I shoved my free hand into my pocket and smirked, "I wouldn't go that far."

He rolled his eyes and muttered, "Typical, Duncan."

I squinted at him, as if I was trying to see the meaning of his words. "What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, slightly irritated.

He glared at me, a very different look from his typical smiles, "You know exactly what I'm saying, dude. She might be into you, and you're acting like you don't give a shit. Its like you want her to make out with Justin."

I scowled, my anger prickling inside me. "You know I don't want that," I retorted, a bit of venom coating my words.

"Then what do you want?"

He had to pick today of all days to have this conversation. It was Thursday morning, almost a week since it all happened. I knew he was bringing up her and Justin because yesterday she showed up to school with a poorly covered hickey on her neck, which was basically screaming at me to go punch the bastard. She was raving about her date with him the night before, saying that he was perfect and cute and blah, blah, blah.

Let's just say, I wanted to vomit.

I cracked my neck, "Look, I don't have time for this. I gotta get to class to, you know, be a good student and all." I walked away, feeling irritated, but I wasn't sure if it was more directed at DJ or myself.

I heard DJ call out behind me, "You can't run from everything!"

"Watch me," I muttered to myself before turning the corner and slipping away from a miserable conversation.