Falling In Love With The Duck

Lucky Duck

        I slam my bag down on the lunch table. People are talking all around me and a couple of people are playing basketball. My friends look at me, filled with questions, but neither of them say a word. I notice Duckie isn’t here yet and I groan loudly as I take my seat. He’s probably with Andie. I take out my banana and start chomping away angrily.

“He’s not here yet,” Terry says through her black lipstick.

“Thanks, as if I couldn’t tell,” I take another bite of my fruit.

She looks at her apple, shaking her head mocking me silently. “Sorr-ee.”

Kevin grabs Terry’s apple with the hand that’s not groping her side, and takes a bite. “Any progress on the ol’ Duck?”

I groan again. “I told him I love him.”

        The apple hits the dirt as the couple stares at me. Both wide-eyed and waiting. I begin to explain when a familiar hand lands on my shoulder.

“Hey, love, question.” Duckie realizes something just stunned the punk half of our group. “What are we discussing over here?”

“Caroline, confessed her love to someone,” Terry says still in shock.

Duckie slides his circular Elton John sunglasses down his nose. “To who?”

“No one important. What’s your question?” I avoid the blank stares from Terry and Kevin.

“So,” he starts sliding his glasses back into place, not really buying my change of subject. “I just heard that Andie’s not going to the prom with Blaine!”

        I look at him finally and gasp. His hair is a wreck, jacket unbuttoned, and a bruise on his cheek. Duckie is not one to fight. He’s usually the one that gets shoved into toilets and lockers, but never had someone hit him in the face! I reach into my lunch bag and pull out my frozen water bottle. For some reason, they work better than ice packs.

I gently place it on his cheek. “Who did this?”

He takes the bottle to hold it for himself. “Don’t worry, babe. I took care of him.”

I roll my eyes. “Doubtful.”

“They were disrespecting my woman. Whom of which I can now ask to the prom!”

Terry snorts from across the table. Duckie ignores her like usual and waits for my reaction. I force a smile.

“Knowing Andie, she won’t go with you.”

He puts his free hand to his chest. “Ouch! I’m offended.”

“Just go with us,” Kevin suggests, now a little befuddled by the situation unfolding.

“Mmm. Tempting, but Andie’s my gal.”

Terry leans forward. “Why? She’s been nothing but rude to you. She doesn’t appreciate you like Caroline does.”

        My face grows warm as I realize what she’s doing. Duckie takes off his glasses and his forehead scrunches up in confusion. He looks from Terry to Kevin and finally to me.

“What’s she getting at?”

        I bite my lip and reach into my backpack. This morning, I stole my dad’s old blue, western style tuxedo for Duckie. I know it’s his size because I helped Duck buy the tuxedo he wore last year to ask Andie out. That plan failed miserably. My dad never wore it and it’s still in the original box, so I guess it’s not really stealing.

“I’m trying to say,” continued Terry. “You should consider other ladies who appreciate you.”

“Are you saying I should consider Caroline-”

“Here!” I say holding out the box.

Duckie puts his glasses on the table and takes the box. “What’s this?”

I grab my backpack and stand up. “A deal is a deal.”

        I rush towards the doors, pushing past people to get to the school door. The lunchroom filled with richies stare at me as tears begin to run down my face. I run down the hallway and up the stairs to my locker. My mascara is already running down my cheeks, I can feel it. My hands fumble with my lock, but eventually I open the door. Terry is probably telling Duckie about what I really said last night. I look at my reflection in my tiny locker mirror. I wipe my makeup and fix it adequately at best.

        Suddenly, there’s a knock from the other side of my locker door. Judging by the black skinny jeans and yellow and red tube socks emerging from brown laced dress shoes, it’s Duckie.