Growing Pains

Chapter Thirty-Four

Duncan

"What?" I spit out as I stared across the lake. I wasn't all too sure who was behind me, but I wasn't having it. All I wanted was some piece and quiet, so I could relish in my own misery.

"Sorry, man, I can go." It was Geoff's surfer voice that piped up. I listened to the crackle of his footsteps against the snowy path as I looked out.

"You can stay," I said after a beat. The footsteps stopped, then returned, growing louder with every step as he came back.

I shoved my cold fingers into my pocket as I thought through dinner. I shouldn't have said those things. I shouldn't have pushed her. I knew better than that, but I couldn't help it.

"It got pretty rough in there, dude," Geoff spoke after a couple moments of silence passed with the whistling wind. I didn't responded. I looked down at my shoe kicking the dirty snow. "You and Court looked like you were gonna kill each other for a sec there." He laughed, but there was no humor behind it. It was hollow.

"That's princess for you," I finally said.

More silence encompassed us. I kept looking at the lake, remembering the first time we came to the cabin.

"You're up early." I looked over my shoulder to see Courtney walking over to me. I was standing on the patio, watching the sun's golden light spread across the half frozen lake. The smell of pine now mingled with her cup of coffee. She had an extra cup, which she handed to me.

I dipped my head in thank you before returning to my stare. She leaned against the wooden banister watching with me for a moment before saying, "I didn't take you for an early bird."

I shrugged, smirking at her briefly, "There's a lot you don't know about me, princess."

She rolled her eyes, "I wish you would stop calling me that."

"But its so fitting," I teased. I lifted the cup to my lips taking a careful sip. It was black, my kind of cup.

"I didn't know how you take it," she gestured to the coffee. If I didn't know any better, I would say she looked a little nervous. She fiddled with the sleeve of her gray sweater, not meeting my eyes.

"Its perfect," I responded with small smile. Her eyes caught it and smiled back, lingering briefly on my mouth. She cleared her throat and looked away, her arm brushing my own.

I felt light headed and yet completely sober all at once. I knew I'd always been attracted to Courtney, but this was different. I hadn't felt this way about anyone.

"Do you like watching the sunrise?" She asked me. She didn't look at my face, so I took the opportunity to admire hers. She had a perfect nose with a smattering of freckles on it. I hadn't really noticed them before, and my hand was itching to touch them.

She looked at me, sucking in a sharp breath as she noticed me staring. I leaned forward, encouraged by her reaction. Her eyes flickered down to my lips as she bit her own.

I wanted to kiss her. I was going to kiss her.

And then, she jumped back, almost in shock, and cleared her throat. "I'm glad that you and Gwen are still friends after everything," she said, completely changing the energy that buzzed in the air moments before. She laughed, which was too high and awkward to be natural, "I mean, it would suck if your relationship like ruined the friend group."

I got the hint. I looked away, trying to not be hurt by the small rejection. "Yeah, it would suck."

"You love her, don't you?" Geoff asked, pulling me out of my bittersweet memories. I wasn't sure how long we stood there in silence as I replayed that morning with Courtney, but his question jolted me out of it.