Back to Good

Okay, so we all know the sheer amount of high-school DXC fics where they get together, so being me, I decided to the opposite; their breakup. Inspiration comes from the incredibly moving song Back 2 Good by Matchbox 20, I'd recommend listening to it while reading. Oh, yeah, it's blatantly obvious what I don't own.

Courtney glided through the halls towards Duncan. She reached his locker, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, despite school rules against virtually all forms of affection.

"Hey princess," Duncan said, distracted with putting his books in his locker. His voice seemed flatter, almost emotionless, his face lacking that infamous smirk. Courtney didn't seem as enraptured in him as she used to be, but hey, it was just the mature stage of a relationship, right? Or so they thought.

"Boring Court, you know that."

"Eh, figured I'd ask."

This was how all their conversations went. No offers from Duncan to do something against school rules, or Courtney's morals like he used to. No somehow willing Courtney. For now, they guessed this was how it should be, quiet, content, inoffensive. And so they continued like that, as they always had. And yet that night, Courtney seemed to remember everything that once seemed to be daily, usual; long kisses, tight embraces, weird out-of-character moments where they tried to impress each other or their parents, had all seemed to go away. Neither of the two noticing anybody else in that huge world that according to everybody else, was so cold, leaving it against them. Courtney didn't know where it all went, or why it went away, and spent the rest of the night lying awake, wondering if maybe she was convincing herself that she still really did love Duncan. That same night, Duncan did the same thing, and remembered every little thing. That meeting on that wretched island, the teasing, the food theft, Courtney's rigged elimination, those few happy days at Playa Del Losers, the crazy days of Total Drama Action and Total Drama the Musical, and finally, all the campers placed here, in this ordinary high school. He wondered what the point of everything was now. They had changed so drastically after Chris finally disposed of them for the time being; he'd focused more on school, she had loosened up, but it seemed like they were such different people now. Mere shadows of their former selves, lured to a superficially pleasing mediocrity and balance. He sighed, turned over on his stomach, and closed his eyes. That next day, he brought himself to bring back that signature smirk, the lack of cares, and went over to Courtney's locker.

"Hey Princess!" he greeted enthusiastically. The cheeriness was a little much for Courtney, her eyes widened in confusion. Duncan continued, "Hey, I have a bit of an idea; we get out of this town, and both become exchange students at the same place, like Bridgette and Zeke managed to do a month ago. I may or may not have found two exchange spots in the south of France, you said you always wanted to go there, we'll rekindle things…," he offered. Courtney bit her lip and looked down.

"I…I don't know Duncan. I suppose it would be best here. Besides, France was a pipe dream, an implausible fantasy. Besides, I know about zero French, just 'bonjour' and 'merci'. We're probably no better off there anyway, it's not solely the atmosphere you know. Anyways, we have friends and parents we don't want to leave behind, right?

"No… I guess not Princess. Still, if you change your mind…" Courtney interrupted Duncan by slamming her locker dor closed, and she walked off without a word. Duncan simply walked in the other direction, no longer interested in last period physics, headed out the door when the teacher isn't looking, grabbed his keys and he drove off in his old Acura. His parents don't come home for three hours, and that's just a fifteen minute break; he won't be seen much. He locked himself in his room when he got home, blared his punk rock, and tried to forget his situation. After his parents come and go, his cell phone vibrated, and the 'New Text Message' screen came up. He flipped it open, to find a message from Courtney. '''Sry for shrugging u off. Want 2 get ice-cream l8r?''' Duncan contemplated the bluntness of the message. Then again, it was a text, and Courtney was a blunt person so he replied, Ok, see u in 10 min at DQ.

Sure enough, the two met at the local Dairy Queen ten minutes later. They liked coming here; the place had a few good memories. The ice-cream fight held on that bench outside, Courtney and Heather's dare for Duncan to eat three sundaes in under ten minutes, not to mention the fact it was the only place near their homes that sold soft serve ice cream. Duncan sat down across from Courtney, who was already slowly eating a hot fudge sundae with that look on her face that screamed to the world that something was the matter. Duncan silently got up, bought ice cream of his own, and sat back down.

"Hey, Court. What's the matter?"

"Nothing's the matter Duncan. I'm totally fine," Duncan used to think Courtney was seriously hot when she was in denial, but now she just looked pathetic.

"Really Courtney, we both know each other well. I've seen that look, what's on your mind?"

Courtney bit her lip and looked even further down at her sundae, "I… I'm not quite sure. It's like I'm only content, and I'm surrounded by happy people, and that makes me sad I guess…"

"But what's making you only content Princess?" Duncan said, his smirk returning.

"Um… I'm not quite sure, maybe I have to think about it a little," Courtney replied. The two didn't talk the rest of the time.

That next day, Courtney noticed all the other couples around school, and her own relations with Duncan seem to be reflected back at her. However, it seemed like they made a feeble attempt to be happy, unlike her, who just moped through school, and just couldn't pay attention like she used to. The quiz in English seems to confirm that, after getting an incredibly low for her score of 77. That in itself made her feel worse, just forming a vicious emotional circle. Duncan just felt confused, Courtney and himself seemed to have such a close relationship Or… they used to. Now, it seemed like everybody hated each other for being the same, especially among the former Total Drama cast. Duncan didn't quite think they were ready for normalcy again, they were just to used to fighting each other for the money to ever seriously co-exist peacefully. He could say that out loud, but it wasn't as if he wanted to. No reason for anything like that. So he just sat there. Sat there quietly with Courtney, attempting to come up with things to say. Duncan just felt tired; of school, of this town Chris got all their families to move to so that he could just maybe do a reality show in actual reality. And maybe, maybe, he might just be tired of Courtney… No, he couldn't think that! Almost everybody he knew, and a heck of a lot people who didn't said he and Courtney were meant for each other and all gushy crap. No, he loved Courtney, he really did, he did, he did… did he?

Courtney figured all serious relationships went like hers, until Trent and Gwen broke up. The whole event didn't go smoothly. Gwen had felt the same feelings as Courtney, and ended the relationship. Trent didn't want that to happen, and one last argument broke out between them. Nobody knew what they said, but they most certainly saw Gwen dump her lunch tray on Trent and storm out, not to be seen for the rest of the day. The school put it out of their minds, except Courtney. Nobody knew it, but to Courtney, something like that seemed inevitable in her mind.

Duncan felt a twinge of guilt. Heather loved looking at the stars, despite it being way out of his character. The same thing applied to Courtney, being Heather's friend. So here he was, laid out on a fleece blanket in a field in the middle of nowhere with somebody of the opposing gender besides Courtney, and he was seriously enjoying himself. Heather stirred next to him, pulling Duncan towards her,

"Duncan, something the matter?" she said drowsily. It was midnight, and both of them were tired.

"Uh… no, I'm fine. Great night…" he replied, trying to change the subject. Heather caught on.

"Oh, just forget about Courtney, that little fling of yours is over. But yeah, this is a good night."

"Yeah, I guess I'll feel better tomorrow or something."

"You will, remember, Courtney is the past."

"Yeah, I know."

At the same time, Courtney found herself in a very similar situation, and slowly nibbled on another piece of pizza.

"Courtney, is something wrong? You seem unnerved." Trent replied between his own mouthfuls.

Courtney let an awkward silence take hold, then finally spoke out, "I feel horrible, I mean, this counts as cheating. I mean it isn't an official date, but you gave me those flowers so… yeah, this is a date and…"

"Look Courtney, you said it yourself, you're miserable with Duncan. Just officially break up with him, and it'll all be okay."

"Yeah, I guess you're right Trent. Anyways, on a different note, I can't believe your favorite movie when you were six was The Parent Trap!"

Trent sighed, "Yeah, I just knew we shouldn't have said all that stuff about ourselves. Besides, didn't you say you idolized all Power Rangers teams until 2000!"

"I love you and hate you at the same time."

"Well, you told that to me…"

The net morning, the happiness from their illegitimate others had faded away like the stars Duncan had been looking at last night, and now Courtney kept her eyes off Duncan, and Duncan could barely manage to look at her himself. The two didn't do much, just sat there in silence and pretended nothing was wrong while Trent and Heather seemed to hang around them now, worsening their mood. School got out, and Duncan began to drive Courtney home. As soon as he pulled into Courtney's driveway, Courtney didn't immediately leave as usual, instead, she locked both of the car doors.

"Duncan," she began, "I know what's going on. Izzy was supposedly waiting for the aliens to land and saw you and Heather. She told me during homeroom."

"I know this line's a cliché, but seriously, I can explain!"

"Really?"

"Okay, actually, I can't explain, and I'm sorry. It's not going to happen again, I swear!"

"Can it Duncan…. As the same thing's going on with me. I went on an unofficial date with Trent. And I enjoyed myself, a lot."

"And I liked being with Heather."

"I suppose we were both cheating on each other, were we?" Courtney asked, her voice laden with sadness.

"Yup, we're now 'unfaithful'" Duncan confirmed, some of his sarcasm returning.

"Which is why maybe… maybe why we should call it quits with this relationship, there's nothing left to it anymore. I…I…I I'm sorry Duncan," Courtney said, on the verge of sobbing.

"Yeah, Princess, we may be breaking up, but please don't cry. We all thought you were stronger than that." Duncan replied, still wanting the last good line.

Courtney breathed in, and calmed down. Well, I guess this is the end. I guess I should feel miserable, but I don't for some reason."

Duncan's voice sobered, "Maybe we're helping each other out by doing this. Enjoy Trent."

"Enjoy Heather. See ya' around school Duncan." Courtney concluded. She got out of the car, and slowly walked up the path towards her house. She felt both miserable and happy; she was free to be happy again, as was Duncan, but she couldn't help but feel she was hurting him… not that he'd admit it. But he was the first guy who had ever really bothered to like her, and now there he was, starting his car again and headed down the street. And at the same time, Duncan knew that he wanted Courtney still, he really did. She was the first who lasted more than a month, and there she was walking away, for the last time. But then again, maybe they just really weren't meant for a true relationship. The Bad Boy/Good Girl Fall In Love thing was the quintessential summer fling, according to his sister's sappy movies. But still, he knew that something great had fallen out of his grasp, and there was no picking up the pieces now...



There you have it, my first serious short story I actually like. And please, no "OMG, DXC IS TEH GREATEST PAREING EVAH, MAKE THEM GET BAC 2GETHER NOW!!!!!!! flames please. They'll do absolutely nothing. Well, I hoped you enjoyed this, and for my one actual story, The Penthouse, I'll be revising the chapters and reposting them here, expect the first one around Wednesday.

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