I growled as I flicked through radio stations in Bridgette's car as she drove me to her house. She had picked me up this morning, not wanting to waste any time to catch up. 

"I hope you like our place, I've spent hours decorating it since we moved in. Its so cute!" she said. I gave up on the radio and sat back in my chair. 

"Bridge, I'm sure I'm gonna love it. Don't stress." I said, looking at my nails, she smirked

"No offence Court, but you're hard to impress." she giggled. I rolled my eyes 

"I am not!" I argued. Crossing my arms being stubborn. I dropped them when I realized my Mother often did the very same thing when she was arguing a point. 

"Courtney, I could give you a diamond, and all you'd notice would be the scratches in it." she said.

"Why would you even buy a diamond with scratches in it? Besides, I'm more of a pearl girl," I said matter-of-factly. She gave me an annoyed look 

"You do this all the time. You tend to only notice the things that are wrong with something. I remember when I gave you a hand written birthday card and the first thing you said about it was that I forgot to add a few commas in a few places." she said. I shrunk down in my seat

"Your grammar is terrible. I'm sorry!" I said. 

As she pulled into her driveway she turned off her car and looked at me

"I have to pee," I said before she could say anything. I opened the door quickly and closed it before starting up her front steps. Before I could open the front door she rushed up to me

"Wait! Courtney, there's something I have to tell you-"

"Can't it wait until my bladder isn't screaming at me?" I asked, my hand gripping the screen door's handle. She opened her mouth to say something but I rolled my eyes and opened the door. Stepping inside and walking down her hall

"Courtney wait-" Bridgette's voice was pleading, but I didn't listen as I turned the corner and saw Geoff in the kitchen. I smiled and walked towards him

"Hey-" I started. But suddenly it was as though my voice was sucked from my body. Turning into a noise I wasn't proud of. My body turned to ice, my legs freezing like water on a windshield in the middle of December. My head was spinning like a carnival ride.

As I walked into the kitchen to talk to Geoff, another figure stepped forward. One I hoped I'd never have to see again. One with teal eyes, and black hair I've ran my fingers through so many times before 

Duncan.

"Courtney.." Bridgette said, finally catching up to me. She slowly stepped forward and put a hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off and quickly left the kitchen. I ran was more like it. I pushed opened the screen door and scrambled down the steps. I tried to open Bridgette's car door, but it was locked. I let out a frustrated shriek and slumped up against it. 

No. No no no. He wasn't supposed to be here. He was supposed to be thousands of miles away. He wasn't supposed to be in the only fucking place I could escape to. 

This was my Heaven. And Duncan was no angel.  He simply didn't belong here.

I angrily ran my fingers through my hair. And tried to catch my breath as I placed my hands on my forehead. I was actually sweating. Ugh. 

I was not prepared for this. Hell, would I ever be prepared to see him again? No. Probably not. I never wanted to see him again... Right?

No, Courtney. You don't. He broke your heart, no- he shattered it. Then picked up the pieces and threw them away like he threw away your love. You hate him. You despise him! He's nothing to you, he's worthless! You do not need him. You're a strong independent woman who doesn't let a little broken heart stand in the way of her future. 

But God, he looked good. 

I sighed to myself. He really did, those teal eyes were still as piercing as ever. And his arms looked much more full, from under the black shirt he had on. He had gotten rid of the mo hawk, replaced by jet black hair that was jelled back. Making him look much more mature. He even shaved off that stupid goatee I hated.  I snapped my head around when I heard the screen door open and slam shut. I slowly relaxed when I saw it was only Bridgette. But soon my relaxation turned to anger.

Pure. Anger. 

"You didn't think to tell me he was here!?" I screamed at her. My face doing that annoying thing it always did when I got pissed. Turn red and my freckles stood out more.

"I didn't tell you because I was scared of the way you'd react," Bridgette said. I growled and my hands turned to fists. I felt my nails dig deeply into my palms

"You knew I never wanted to see him again! You knew what this place is to me, and now he's contaminated it! Ugh! I'm so mad at you!" I yelled. She whimpered and looked down

"I'm sorry. If it helps I didn't even know he was here until right before I picked you up this morning. Geoff didn't tell me. Apparently Duncan has been going through a lot and needed-"

"I don't give a shit what he's been going through! He's here! Not 2 thousand miles away like I wished he was! This was supposed to be the best summer ever. Now it's officially the worst!" I cried. Bridge looked back up at me

"Don't be so dramatic," she said. Sounding exactly like my mother. I stiffened and slowly stood up straight. Bridgette's eyes widened, realizing what she said

"Court-" she started but I held up a hand

"Don't," I snapped. Turning away from her "I'm so fucking done with everyone thinking I'm being over dramatic. When no one knows about the nights I deprived myself from sleeping thinking about what I had done wrong. About all those times I sat alone in my bathroom, or even in the girls locker room at school, covering my mouth so no one would hear me sobbing. About how I starved myself because I didn't think I deserved to live. I'm not being dramatic. I'm hurt. I'm fucking hurt so bad. And I think that I'm allowed to be hurt." I said. Bridgette swallowed hard

"I know Court, but just remember. This was the man you loved once," she said. I looked at her, my eyes glassy

"No, Bridgette," I whispered "He was the man I hated to love. And I was the girl he loved to hate,"