Falling In Love With The Duck

A Quack In the Relationship

“Caroline,” Duckie sings impatiently from the other side of the women’s restroom door. “Please come out.”

        I stay silent and hidden in the stall. How long will he stay out there? I glance at my watch. It’s been a half hour! He knocks for the fifteenth time and pleads again.

“Fine,” his voice sounds defeated, and it hurts to know that I did that to him. “I guess I will see you…around.”

        I wait an extra ten minutes before unlocking the stall and work up the nerve to step outside. I look up and down the hallway and it seems clear. Taking in a deep breath, I make my way towards my next period class. I feel like somewhere, Duckie is waiting to pop out and interrogate me, but I make it to my next class without interruption.

        I peer into the window and see that first period is still going on, so I sit outside the door to think. I shake my head and open up my algebra textbook. I need to study; in three hours I have to take this test! I groan and lean my head back. I hate this class.

        Suddenly, I hear someone coming up the stairs. My heart begins to pound. Not right now, Duckie! I look around for a place to hide, but the only place I can think of is in my bag, and let’s face it. I’m not going to fit in there. The person reaches the top of the staircase and nods at me. I laugh quietly at myself. I don’t even know that kid! I worry myself for no reason!

“That was close, huh?”

I jump and squeak. “Geez!”

Duckie chuckles and sits next to me. “Are you avoiding me?”

        I can barely catch my breath. How did I not hear him coming from the other hall? I hold my open book tightly trying to think of something witty to say. Something clever.

“No.” Bingo.

He tips his head. “Come on. You hid in the bathroom from me. For almost an entire class period. You drove away from me. And just now, you almost had a heart attack because someone was coming up the steps.”

“Listen, Duckie,” I close my book. “I need to focus on this test and I can’t do that if I know you want to talk to me about…things.”

“Then just admit you are avoiding me,” he says smiling.

I put my book into my bag. “I will not admit that.”

“I deserve to know,” he said, obviously not talking about me avoiding him. “Do you…”

“Duckie, people say things sometimes just for conversation sake. So whatever Andie told you, was probably a lie,” I say looking at the wall across the hallway.

“Andie?” He folds his arms. “Tell me. What do you think she said?”

My face gets red. “Well, Terry told me already what Andie told you.”

“And what is that?” I can tell he’s actually in a good mood right now, but I’m still a nervous wreck.

“I don’t know. Terry said Andie told you that I like you or something.”

“Do you?”

“Whoa, now, Duckie.” I can feel my face burning. “Is that what she told you?”

“Yes,” he puts his arm around me. “But she’s not the only one who said that to me.”

I look at my lap thinking of excuses to run off right now, but I’m at a loss for words.

“Terry and Kevin said they’ve known for a long time. In fact, Kevin’s words were ‘She’s got the hots for the Duck.’” He made his voice annoyingly deeper to sound like our punk friend.

“Okay, I’m really not in the mood to talk about this,” I say shrugging off his arm and standing up.

He stands up too, but now I see that he’s no longer in a joking mood. “Why not? Because you are afraid to admit it?”

“Duckie, stop it!” I raise my voice a little bit.

His tone matches mine. “No, I deserve to know if my best friend has actually fallen in love with me!”

“Who said anything about love?” I remember what I said to him out the window a few nights ago.

He throws his hands up. “Everyone has said you do! I want to hear you say it!”

“Say what?” I yell.

“Tell me that you love me!” I’ve never seen Duckie so serious in my life.

“Fine!” I practically scream, not caring that classroom doors are opening and now listening to our fight. “Phil Dale, I love you! And I have for years!”

        I feel the weight of people watching us, watching me pour my heart out. My tears feel cold on my hot cheeks. Duckie’s face seems sad instead of mad or happy, which I would have preferred. Why is this making him sad? I need to stop talking right now. This isn’t who I want to be. Yelling in the halls, causing a commotion, making Duckie upset.

        For some reason, the words keep coming. “Years, Duckie! I have had to watch you pursue Andie! This whole school has seen you chase after her! And every time you try and fail, I have been here to cheer you up! No one sees that! Not even you! What Andie has been doing to you, you have been doing the same to me. So, yes, I love you! But that’s never going to be good enough!”

        I choke out the last words. Please, don’t hate me, Duckie. His mouth opens, and closes, but no words come out. When no more words are able to leave my lips, I turn away from him and head towards the stairs. Everyone is silent, staring after me as I try to ignore them. Some of the faces are cheering me on, and then some are just a reflection of how bad I feel inside.

        Again, I leave school because of Duckie.