Ember Part One

Ember Part One


"Courtney?! You'd better be awake!" A firm voice rang out from the first story of the Fowler's household, and Courtney sighed irritably.

"I know Mom! And I'm awake!" She yelled back as she stuffed books and other assorted papers into her book bag. Grabbing the bag, and a hard leather case, she made her way out of the room she called her own and down the staircase leading her to the first story hallway.

"See you Mom, I got to get to school early today." She called out as she opened the front door of 537 Georgia street. Without waiting for any response, she walked through the wooden doorway and into the warm spring light that greeted her happily. Her high school was two blocks away, and even though she could drive, she decided against it since it was early enough as it was. Early morning joggers waved as she headed off in the direction of her school, and she nodded in reply. Houses passed, and a few cars, and she was soon walking down the hallway of East Brooke High. She opened the doors to the music room and set her bag and hard case on it's carpeted floors. Taking the case and setting it gently on a table on one side of the room, Courtney opened it's silver buckles and revealed a gleaming violin, one that had replaced her old one that she remembered being smashed to pieces the summer before. 'It's almost been an entire year. I wonder how Owen's making out after his great victory that I should have had' She thought and grim memories returned to her. Being scammed on live television, being wrongly accused, kissing people.. Courtney's eyes flew open after remembering the one boy on the island that had stolen her interests among the other things that had sent him to juvenile hall, and she picked up the six stringed intrument and placed it's base firmly against her chin. Preparing the bow and placing her fingers on the correct strings, she slowly began to glide the horse hair along the metal strings of the violin, producing a low waning sound that she almost began to hum to. She knew she had to practise hard if she wanted to be prepared for the recital that would be taking place in one week, but she couldn't concentrate. His words echoed in her mind as clear as day, and she tried hard to concentrate on the sound she was making. It was no use; he was taking over again. 'But I'm in the fish cabin with you, aren't I?' She set down her violing and sat on one of the music chairs with a scowl.

"Damn it Duncan."

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Courtney's first bell rang forty minutes later, and Courtney headed off to her homeroom after setting her violin on one of the shelves full of instruments. She had her biology homework resting securely in her arms as she walked down the halls now full of students, and she took a seat in her homeroom seconds later.

"Good morning class." Mr. Roberts voice boomed over the classroom after all of his students had taken their seats. Courtney took out her homework and began re-reading her answers as Mr. Roberts spoke. 'So I was wrong there! I knew it!' Courtney took out a pencil and erased what she had wrote, replacing her answer with a new set of words. After writing, she looked up from her homework as if she would see Mr. Roberts' cheerful face as she always did. But instead, his face seemed to have been replaced with that of a very familiar one, and this time the words in her head that normally played went into overdrive until-

"Hey Princess."

The two words spoken by the boy who was wearing the same smug grin, with the same cold eyes, with the same hands that had carved the one thing that she still held in her possesion from her trip to Camp Wawanakwa the past summer. He walked past her and took a seat in the very back of the room where everyone was sending him curious, shifty, or flirty looks. Courtney sat frozen in her seat until the bell rang for her to go to her biology class, and she gathered her books with her shaky hands. She could feel him standing behind her; his presence marked with a scent she had remembered for so long. She could picture him smirking, waiting for her to turn around so that she could bump into him where he'd make up a witty remark to shoot at her that he called flirting. She turned around and bumped into him, something she forgot to watch out for. Except in real life, she could feel herself losing her balance, and falling backwards wasn't something she was keen on doing so early in the morning. Instead of letting her fall though, Duncan caught her, and she guessed it was an excuse to steal a kiss from her.

"Watch where you decide to turn Princess. You might end up in the wrong hands." He remarked and she could feel his breath lick her cheeks as he spoke.

"I thought you didn't like school."

"I don't."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because I was forced to. Parents drove me to school, and even walked be to the office while threatening me with handcuffs."

"Isn't that where you like to be? In handcuffs?"

"No, the fun part is not getting caught. Remember?" He asked as he leaned a tad closer to her face. Courtney remembered all right. The stealing-food-from-Chef operation was a grand success, granting food for themselves and everyone else at camp. She knew it was exciting, and since then she wondered what it'd be like to try something like it again.

"Possibly."

"How could you forget? I thought you like the bad side."

"Maybe I still do."

"Then prove it." He challenged her as he leaned closer to her still, and Courtney finally felt unfrozen enough to realize he had his hands placed on her spine, and that his face was less than an inch away from his face. She lowered her head and tried to step away from him but he had already caught his fish.

"Please don't." She pleaded as his body language told her he wanted a kiss.

"Why? I thought you said you like the bad side."

"I said maybe, and I've got to get to class."

"What do you have?"

"Biology."

"Me too." He remarked as he let go of her. She began to walk off down the hall of her school, people giving her confused looks as she passed. Duncan was walking next to her, hands in her pockets, giving warning glares to any male teenagers passing them, and Courtney enjoyed the protection.

"We're not ging out you know." She whispered to him as a freshman stared at her then quickly looked away after meeting Duncan's eyes.

"Yet." He replied smugly as he death glared a group of sophomore boys. Courtney could hear the grin in his voice, despite his angry eyes. They arrived in the biology classroom right before the class started, and they both took the counter in the back of the room, seeing as it was the last one there.

"Courtney! Looks like you have a lab partner now!" Mr. Helding exclaimed as he caught sight of her with Duncan.

"Oh, bu-"

"And who are you?" He asked Duncan skeptically, taking note of his green mohawk and numerous facial piercings.

"Duncan." The owner drawled as he narrowed his eyes at the teacher.

"Alright, and where are you in the curriculum?"

"I think I'm behind. aybe I need a tutor," He glanced at Courtney with a grin. "to help me out."

"I think I that would be the best way to go. Courtney, since you're his partner, I think you should help this young.. man out okay?"

Courtney nodded unenthusiastically and Duncan grinned.

"Looks like we'll be spending more time together than you wanted huh Princess."

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After school that day, Courtney entered the music room cautiously, and looked around to see if anyone else was there. Nobody. She nodded as she lifted her violin off the shelf.

"Heard you got a new boyfriend or something?" A voice said behind her, and she recognized the voice immediatly.

"He's not my boyfriend." She replied as she turned around to see Brad Conners leaning against the door frame casually.

"Really? So what was with the glare he sent me when I waved to you at lunch today?" He asked with a joking smile.

"I really don't know. He's being very protective around me; I don't know why."

"Well, you did kiss on TV. If that's not having guts, I don't know what is." He commented as he walked over to grab his cello that sat a few feet away from Courtney.

"I guess." She replied uncertainly as he began to walk out of the room.

"See you Courtney."

"Bye." She waved as he left. She closed her eyes for a moment as she sorted out her thoughts, but when she opened them, a boy with cold pale eyes that searched hers stood in the doorway of the music room.

It was Duncan.


End of Part One