Differences - A Duncney Story

Beginnings Always Start Strong... Or Not.

A/N: Hello!! Author here, I'd just like to clarify that they're about 16, and in their junior year. Heather is Courtney's best friend. Alejandro is Duncan's best friend.

Courtney and Duncan are total enemies, ever since daycare. Courtney was a goody-two-shoes, perfectionist, and a rule-freak. Duncan was the opposite. He was a bad-boy, delinquent, rule-breaker, and the biggest jerk at Ridgemont High. They never got along in the slightest. The perfect plot for an "Enemies to Lovers" trope. But that'd never happen, right? Or so they thought.

Courtney's walking in the halls of Ridgemont High. She's wearing olive green leggings, a cream-colored button-up blouse, and a dark gray sweater-vest. Once again, she was being annoyed by the buzzing and commotion in the hallway. She sighs in frustration, hoping today would be better than it started. To distract herself, she opens her locker, getting her hairbrush. As she brushes, she can smell an odor... a specific odor. "Nicotine...?" she thought. She smelled the air, and sure enough, it was from behind her. She turns around, seeing Duncan across the hall from her. He had his usual black t-shirt with a simple skull on it, navy blue jeans, and red Converse.

"He's smoking?!" she thought to herself. She stomps over to him, hands on her hips. "Duncan!" she yells. "What," he says, obviously annoyed. Once seeing its her, a smug smirk plays at the corner of his lips. It's always been a routine for her and him to argue or yell each school day. "What do you mean, 'what'?! You're smoking on campus! even if you weren't on campus, you shouldn't be doing it, anyway!" she yells. "It's my life, princess," he replies in a nonchalant manner. "Well, have a better life! And stop calling me that, you neanderthal!" she says in a yell. He chuckles at her persistency on getting him to stop doing what he's doing. "Aw, and here I thought you didn't care about me," he says in a mocking and sarcastic tone. "I don't! So stop being such a screw up and do what you're told for once, okay?!" Before he can give her a snarky reply telling her off, she takes his cigarette, swiftly throwing it on the ground and stomping on it. "Hey, princess! What gives?!" he says, starting to get annoyed as the smirk no longer appeared on his face. She walks off without a word, and he leans back on his dingy locker and crosses his arms. He scoffs, still riled up. "What a nerd..."

Class starts a few minutes later. Courtney and Duncan are in the same science class, what good luck... She walks into the class, and plans to sit down next to Heather, as usual. But this time, Alejandro's right next to her. She rolls her eyes, and sits down in an empty seat. She sighs. Today, they had a project worth 60% of their grades. Just great. 

The project was that they had to use wires to connect several light bulbs and one switch. She scoffs. "Easy! What is this, 6th grade? I can easily do this myself." she thought. "This project will be done in pairs," the teacher adds. Courtney groans. She hates group projects as her group mates and partners never help. Duncan walks in with his hands in his pockets. His bag strap is slung on one of his shoulders, his expression bored. "Sorry I'm late, I guess," he blurts out to the teacher. Duncan sits a few seats away from her. "For this, I'll let everyone choose their partners," said the teacher. Courtney looks toward Heather's direction, hoping to pair with her, and sees her with Alejandro. "Looks like she already found her partner. Damn it." She groans.

Meanwhile, Duncan was planning to pair up with Alejandro, his best friend. Turns out he's with Heather this time. "Bummer," he thought. Courtney looks around, seeing seeing everyone but Duncan has a partner. No way she was gonna go with him. She decides to go solo. "Courtney, what are you doing alone?" asked the teacher. "Everyone has a partner already. I figured going alone was the best choice," she replies with a shrug. "Duncan doesn't have a partner, go with him." Before she can reply, the teacher walks off. She just decides to suck it up, and go to Duncan. "Duncan?" She says, approaching him. "What," he replies, looking at her with that same smirk playing at his lips. "Can't believe I'm doing this, but... partner up with me," she commands, with a hint of reluctance to it. Duncan chuckles. "Yeaaaah... What makes you think I'd do that?" he replies with a bit of confusion, but still somehow arrogant and prideful. Since when did she wanna partner up with him? "There's no one else," she says. He looks around.

She was right. "Alright, fine, princess," he snickers. "Quit calling me that, or else you're doing all the work!" she snarls. "Okay. Fine, geez. Don't bite me," he says that last part in a sarcastic tone. Before class ended, she taps his shoulder. "What?" he says, turning around to face her. "Um... can we meet at your house, later? For the project, of course. Don't get any funny ideas." she says. "Trust me, there'll be nothing funny 'bout this." he replies, rolling his eyes in the process. "Good." Courtney says, crossing her arms and turning away.

That night, at 7:23 PM, Courtney arrived at his house quickly. They lived pretty close. She hesitates, then knocks on his door. She has most of the supplies they need, figuring Duncan wouldn't do much.

Knock, knock, knock!

She waits, tapping her foot on the ground repeatedly. Duncan opens the door after a few seconds. "Didn't think you'd even open the door," she says. "Whatever, just get inside, dork," Duncan snarls. She walks in, and sets the things on the table. "You know how these things work, right?" she asks. "Pff, of course I do. I'm not an idiot." Duncan says, crossing his arms. She sits by the table, and Duncan does as well. As they start the project, he takes some glances at her every few minutes. He snaps out of it every time. "What am I thinking?! No way I'm checking out this nerd." After the project, it's about 8:57 PM. "This wasn't as bad as I thought. Thanks." Courtney says, getting up to leave. Duncan stammers, and stops her. "Hey- hold on." As he says this, she turns around. "What?" she asks, raising an eyebrow. "Uh, you could stay for a bit. It ain't that late." he asks nervously. She's a bit taken aback by the sudden request. Didn't he hate her? "Sure, I guess I can..." The scowl on his and her face was no longer in sight. "May I ask why..?" She tilts her head in confusion while asking. "Oh- you know.. we had a somewhat... bad start. plus, I wanna make up for this morning, y'know?" He replies.

She sits back down, talking and chatting with him. However, they were too different. She asked him about his interests. Favorite color, favorite food, everything. But whatever he loved, she hated. Whatever she loved, he hated. This makes things unsurprisingly awkward. It seems as if they just... didn't click. It's about 9:51 PM at this point. She decides to say her goodbyes, and he does as well. After she leaves, he sighs. "Eh... maybe it just isn't right. Whatever," he says to himself, secretly wishing thins went somewhat differently. Meanwhile, Courtney's already home, and she's pretty conflicted about the whole thing. "He really wanted to make up for this morning, huh.. Are we that much of opposites that we can't even agree on a single thing?" she thought as she lay in bed, trying to sleep. Her mind can't help but be clouded with these thoughts.

The next day . . .