"When's your birthday? I wanna read your horoscope!" Lindsay flipped through Seventeen magazine's latest June issue. She'd read it approximately twelve times but never with Courtney or Bridgette. "Come on, Court! Don't you wanna find out if love's in your future?"

They sat in the old bass girls' cabin, all three cooped up in Bridgette's old bed. Bridgette and Courtney sat against the back wall, their shoulders and legs pressed together, and Lindsay sat against the pillows. Her legs were stretched out in front of her, her thighs resting in Courtney's lap and her feet in Bridgette's.

It was day two of the three-day cycle, the first after a challenge, and they were excited not to have to worry about the game for a while. This was always the best day of the three. Challenge days were draining, and the day before held too much dread.

Today was especially exciting for Lindsay. Her and Tyler's double date with Courtney and Duncan was that night, and it was going to be so much fun. In an effort not to spend the whole day in eager anticipation, she had demanded that Courtney and Bridgette have a girls' morning with her.

Courtney glanced at Lindsay, "September nineteenth. But, Lindsay, you know that stuff is all bullshit, right?"

"Who cares if it's real? It's fun!" Lindsay exclaimed as she found the right page. She searched for Courtney's star sign. "Virgo… Where are you? Hmm. Okay, there!" After skimming it, she smiled at her friend. "Ready? It's a good one! Love is totally in your future!"

"Well then, I guess I have to know," Courtney laughed, rubbing Lindsay's shins.

Lindsay cheered before reading the passage, "'a charming and handsome stranger is about to walk into your life. You won't be expecting him, but he'll sweep you off your feet. Be on the look-out!' Court! It's totally talking about Duncan! Does he sweep you off your feet?"

Courtney rolled her eyes, "no, nor do I want him to. I wouldn't call him charming, either. I will say he was unexpected, but it doesn't matter. Astrology isn't real."

"It's real if you want it to be real," Lindsay said before shifting her attention to the third girl. "Bridge! Your turn! When's your birthday?"

"What?" Bridgette's eyes drifted to Lindsay. She had been focusing on a stain on the floor in an attempt not hear about all the love in Courtney's future. It hadn't worked. "My birthday? I'm a Pisces, March eleventh, but you don't have to read mine."

"You're a Pisces," Lindsay repeated. "Duh! I should have guessed that! You're totally an empath! And don't be silly. Of course, I'm going to read yours." She located the Pisces horoscope and read it over. When she finished, her eyes widened, and she set the magazine in her lap. "Okay, this one isn't so nice. Maybe I shouldn't read it."

Bridgette sighed, "oh, don't worry. I already know love isn't in my future. Go ahead and read it."

"It's not like it has any effect on her life as it is," Courtney added. "Horoscopes don't mean anything. You read mine, so you have to read hers, too."

Picking up the magazine, Lindsay scanned it again. She offered Bridgette a reassuring smile. "I guess it's not that bad. It could be a lot worse! Ready?"

Shrugging, Bridgette let out a light giggle, "as ready as I'll ever be. Go for it."

Lindsay nodded, "here we go: 'Oh no! Confusing times are ahead. Sometimes it's best to take a step back and assess the situation. You don't want to rush into things.' That was it. Not totally depressing, right?"

"Right," Bridgette agreed, thinking over what her horoscope had said. While she didn't necessarily believe they were right 100% of the time, this one held true for her. Confusing times were ahead, indeed. Though she didn't want to, she nudged Courtney in the shoulder and said, "not all of us can have love in our future like you do."

"Shut up." Despite her words, Courtney's face lit up in an easy smile. "Don't give credit to whatever astrology 'expert' Seventeen has writing for them. I did that myself. Well, not completely myself, Duncan helped, but I'm not in love because the stars or whatever said I would be." She shook her head and turned to Lindsay, whose mouth was hanging open. "I can't believe I'm entertaining this further, but what does yours say?"

Instead of answering Courtney's question, Lindsay dropped the magazine and sat up on her knees. She grabbed Courtney by the shoulders. "You're in love? Court! Since when?"

Courtney bit her lip, "well… yes. Now give me the magazine so I can read yours."

"Who cares what my horoscope says? I've already read it, like, a hundred times, and you're in love!" Lindsay bumped her forehead against Courtney's. "You have to tell me absolutely everything. How long have you loved him? Have you told him? Does he love you, too? I bet he totally does!" She turned to Bridgette. "Did you know?"

"There's nothing really to tell," Courtney said as she gently pushed Lindsay away while Bridgette mumbled, "yes."

"That can't be true. You're in love!" Lindsay sat next Courtney. "This is the most exciting and romantic thing that has happened all summer! When did you realize you love him? Why did you tell Bridge and not me?"

Courtney sighed, "the answer to the first question is complicated. I wasn't planning on telling anyone except him, but she brought it up yesterday, and I didn't want to lie. Was I supposed to tell you? It's not like it's big news."

"It's big news to me," Lindsay whined as she crossed her arms over her stomach. Courtney had to laugh at the pout on her face. "My friend's in love! Can you please tell me all about it now? Please?"

"What do you want to know?" Courtney asked. She had the feeling Lindsay wouldn't let this go until she answered at least a few of her questions and honestly? Girl talk was fun. She didn't mind telling her about it.

Lindsay's eyes lit up and she clapped her hands. "I want to know everything! All of it, Court. You said the first time you realized you love him is complicated. All that means is that you realized it, like, a really long time ago but tried to pretend that you didn't. When did you first think that you loved him?"

Peering at Bridgette, Courtney giggled. Lindsay had hit it right on the head. It would be scary if she wasn't so amused by it. She failed to notice how tense Bridgette was before turning back to the other blonde.

"You could say that. The first time I thought it… you're going to think this is so pathetic, but on the second night of Chef's challenge. He had stolen some food for me because I hadn't eaten, and, as we were eating, I thought maybe I loved him. It was a whole five days into our relationship. He wasn't even officially my boyfriend yet. I pushed the thought out of my head and kissed him instead."

"Okay, why didn't I know about this? That's so romantic!" Lindsay sighed dreamily. "And that's not pathetic. It's beautiful! Some people meet the person they're going to spend the rest of their lives with early, and that's, like, totally you and Duncan. You have to love him. It's fate."

Exhaling slowly, Courtney carefully looked Lindsay in the eyes. Though they hadn't talked about it much, she had thought about her future with Duncan more than once. She couldn't picture herself ever breaking up with him or her future without him in it, and she gathered he was on the same page. But still, "don't you think it's a little soon to be think about the rest of my life with him? We haven't known each other that long."

Lindsay shook her head, "noooo. I don't think it's soon at all! Court, when you know, you know, and you definitely know." She looked around Courtney to Bridgette. "Don't you think so, Bridge?"

Bridgette tore her eyes away from that spot on the floor and looked at Lindsay. Her green eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Courtney already knows what I think." She hastily stood up. "I need to use the bathroom."

"Oh my God, Bridge. Are you okay?" Lindsay scooted up and sat at the edge of the bed while Courtney knitted her eyebrows together, "why are you crying?"

"Yes. I'm fine. I just need to pee." Bridgette turned to Courtney. "I'm not crying. There's just something in my eye. I'll check it out after I use the bathroom." She pushed the door open with her shoulder. "I'll be right back. You don't have to wait for me to finish the conversation. I'm not really part of it." Then, she turned and walked out of the cabin.

Scooting back to the wall, Lindsay frowned. "Did that seem, I dunno, kinda weird? She sounded kinda… annoyed when she said you know what she thinks. What does she think? Is she mad at us? It kinda sounded like she was. I wasn't trying to leave her out of the conversation!"

Courtney shrugged, "I don't think she's mad at us. I think she just needs to pee. And I don't know, she was a little skeptical yesterday when we talked about it, especially when I mentioned I thought he felt the same way."

"Does that bother you? That she's skeptical about it? Do you think she doesn't approve?" Lindsay placed one hand over her heart and the other on Courtney's shoulder. "Is everything okay between you two?"

"What… Lindsay, yes. Everything is fine between us. How I feel about Duncan doesn't concern her. I think she was more shocked than anything." Courtney shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Can we just continue our previous conversation? I think I can answer a few more of your questions."

"How many is a few? Because I have so many!" Lindsay promptly forgot about the strangeness with Bridgette and dove headfirst into her interrogation. She couldn't help it. Love was the best thing on the planet. "Tell me every single time you thought you loved him. When did you stop pretending and finally accept it? Did you tell him? What did he say when you told him?"

In the bathroom, Bridgette gripped the rim of the sink and tried to stop crying. She didn't know what had come over her, but she knew that couldn't sit there and listen to Courtney talk about Duncan for any longer. Like yesterday, all it brought was bitterness. Learning that the first time she ever thought she loved him was a whopping five days into their relationship? That only made the confusing pain in her chest worse.

The tears wouldn't stop. Courtney loved Duncan, and he definitely loved her back. The thought made her want to curl up and hide from everyone. Bridgette knew she should be happy for her like Lindsay was. Courtney was her best friend in the world, and she wanted her to be happy, but the fact that it was with Duncan felt all wrong. She couldn't understand why she felt this way, but she did.

Turning on the faucet, Bridgette cupped water in her hands. Washing her face would make her feel better. However, before she could, the door opened. She dropped the water, stood up straight, and furiously tried to wipe her tears away. Hopefully, whomever it was would just ignore her. She couldn't explain what was wrong.

Heather, prepared for a shower, walked into the bathroom, and Bridgette thanked the universe that it wasn't Lindsay or Courtney. Heather wouldn't care why she was crying.

Walking right past Bridgette, Heather had to stop and do a double take. After ascertaining that she was, indeed, crying, Heather groaned. She wore an uncomfortable expression. "Are you… am I supposed to comfort you?"

"No," Bridgette humorlessly laughed as she shoved her hands in her hoodie pocket.

"Oh, thank God. It's not that I don't care, it's just that I… no, that's right. I don't care." Heather set her shower bag down on a bench and walked closer to Bridgette. "Do you want me to get Lindsay or Courtney or someone? Like, are you going to be okay? I don't want to hear you crying the whole time I'm trying to take a shower. That sounds kinda really depressing."

"No!" Bridgette turned to Heather, who was taken aback by the severity of the answer. Bridgette winced. "I mean, no. It's okay. I don't want to bother anyone with this. Especially not… no." She wiped another tear away. "Go on and shower. I'll be out a minute, promise. I just want to wash my face."

Heather nodded, "alright then." She picked up her bag. "Good luck or whatever," she said before disappearing into the shower.

Bridgette turned back to the sink, which was still running, and splashed water on her face. It felt good, but it didn't make her feel better. The water didn't stop Courtney from being in love with Duncan. The water didn't make Courtney hers again.

Washing her face for a minute longer, Bridgette shut off the faucet and grabbed a fistful of paper towels. She didn't know why she was so bothered by Duncan and Courtney, so she didn't know how to stop being bothered by it. She just dried her face and hoped the ritual would help her stop crying.

A few minutes later, she finally got the tears to stop. She knew there was nothing she could do about the puffiness in her face, so she just wiped her nose one last time and left for the cabin. When she made it, she plastered a smile onto her face and opened the door.

"Hey, I'm back. Sorry about that," Bridgette greeted, interrupting whatever Courtney and Lindsay were talking about. She hoped it wasn't still Duncan. Her friends regarded her curiously.

"Are you okay?" Lindsay asked, pushing herself out of the bed. "You were gone for, like, a lot longer than five minutes, and you left kinda suddenly." She grabbed Bridgette's hands. "Are you mad at us?"

Bridgette shook her head, "I'm not mad. Sorry I was gone for so long. I guess I just needed some fresh air. But don't worry, I'm fine." She took her hands back from Lindsay and started walking towards the bed. "I promise."

"Sure." Lindsay reluctantly followed Bridgette. She hadn't sounded fine and didn't look fine. Lindsay reclaimed her spot next to Courtney and sent Bridgette a meaningful glance. "So, uhm… we were just talking about how much we missed chocolate, but we can talk about something different if you want? We don't mind."

"No, that's fine," Bridgette said, and Lindsay visibly deflated. Noticing this and not wanting her to ask if she was okay again, Bridgette rushed through her next words. "I miss chocolate a lot, too. I think it's going to be the first thing I eat when I get off this island."

"Oh, me too! Tyler said that we get to eat whatever we want when we get voted off!" Lindsay sighed. "Sometimes I want to get voted off just so I don't have to be here anymore. I'm tired of everything."

Patting Lindsay's knee, Courtney laughed, "you're not tired of us or Tyler."

Lindsay smiled, "yeah. I'm not. But I'm tired of everything else! Let's see, I'm tired of the food, the bugs, the uncomfortable beds, the gross bathrooms, the communal showers, the flies, Heather, Gwen, Heather and Gwen fighting all the time, the spiders, Chris, Chef, the challenges, and the roaches." She ticked each item off on a finger as she said them. "Did I mention the bugs?"

"Yes, you mentioned the bugs several times," Courtney giggled. "I think we're all tired of the bugs."

"They're so gross! Like, I just want to kill all of them." Lindsay sent Bridgette an apologetic look. "I know you love all living things, but I just really hate bugs."

Bridgette waved a hand, "don't worry about it. They really are everywhere. It's a little too much for me sometimes. And there are a lot of things I'm tired of right now, too. I think it's that point in the summer."

"I think it's been that point in the summer since we got here. I'm not even tired of things anymore. I'm just used to them." Courtney tilted her head back and groaned. "I want this summer to be over already, but I also kinda… don't? Don't get me wrong: I hate it here, but some of the people are nice."

"Yeah," Bridgette agreed, finding Courtney's hand and holding it. Her voice was soft. "I think the people are the only thing I'm going to miss. Everything else sucks. At least it beats doing nothing at home."

"I wouldn't be doing nothing at home." Courtney looked at Bridgette. "I'd be working and practicing violin and keeping in soccer shape and doing tons of other things that are more productive than this." She squeezed Bridgette's hand and found Lindsay's with her other. "But I wouldn't trade knowing either of you for that."

Moving in front of Courtney and Bridgette, Lindsay completed the circle by grabbing Bridgette's hand. "I wouldn't either! I mean, I could have gone to Marseille with my parents and sisters, but then I wouldn't know you guys! Or Tyler. I already know my family."

Courtney and Bridgette shared an amused look before erupting into a fit of giggles. "I don't even know where mar-say is," Bridgette said between giggles.

"It's in France!" Lindsay joined Courtney and Bridgette in their laughter. The sound was infectious.

"You chose to come here instead of France?!" Bridgette asked, her mouth slightly agape. "Linds! Why? That's such a cool opportunity."

Lindsay shrugged, "yeah, but I've already been to France! I've never been here before. And, like, I wanna be on TV. Going to France doesn't get you on TV, Bridge."

"Right, what was I thinking? This is totally be–"

Then, the door opened, interrupting Bridgette. All three girls quieted their laughter as Duncan entered the cabin. Not noticing them, he walked towards the dresser and shed his shirt. Lindsay started quietly giggling again, letting go of Courtney and Bridgette's hands and sitting next to Courtney again. Bridgette also let go of Courtney's hand and tensed up slightly. Courtney pushed herself forward and sat at the end of the bed.

"Gross, put a shirt on!" Courtney called, earning Duncan's attention. Stopping, he turned and hurled the shirt at her. He still didn't notice Bridgette or Lindsay on either side of her. She caught the shirt, set it in her lap, and rolled her eyes. "Nice arm."

"My arms are pretty nice. Thanks, babe." Duncan jokingly flexed them as he walked towards her. "You love 'em."

Courtney rolled her eyes again, "seriously though, put a shirt on. I know you have trouble focusing on anyone who isn't me, but we aren't alone. What are you even doing here?"

Blinking, Duncan looked around and found Bridgette and Lindsay sitting on the same bed as his girlfriend. How had he missed them? He turned back to his original target. "Sorry. I wanted to change and grab my pocket knife." Digging around in his drawer, he found an acceptable shirt, pulled it over his head, and turned to Courtney. He leaned against the dresser. "When are you going to be done here?"

Courtney glanced at Bridgette, who was once again staring at her trusty floor stain, then at Lindsay, who was completely engrossed, before turning back to Duncan. She shrugged. "Lunch probably. Do I even want to know why you want your pocket knife?"

"Uhm…" Duncan paused. "No, probably not. 'M just bored." He picked up his knife and slipped it into his pocket. "I'm not gonna do anything sketchy, though. Promise."

"I'll take your word for it. Now come here." Courtney's fingers curled around the edge of the bed as she leaned forward, and Duncan smirked. Someone wanted a kiss.

"You come here, babe," Duncan said, though he was already walking towards her. "You wanna kiss, you can come get one."

Standing up, Courtney didn't take one step towards him. "Duncan."

He grabbed her shoulder. "Court." He brushed his lips against hers, fully aware of their audience, before lacing their fingers together. "Walk me to the door."

Courtney obliged, letting herself be pulled away from the bed. As that happened, Lindsay scooted closer to Bridgette and wrapped her arms around her. Young love was beautiful. Right away, she felt Bridgette's tenseness. She shot her a curious look, but the other blonde just stared at the floor. That was weird. Could it be Duncan? He was here now, and they were talking about him before. Did he put her on edge?

Filing that away for later, Lindsay shifted her attention back to the couple. They stood in front of the door, and Duncan was whispering something into Courtney's ear. His hand was low on her hip, and she leaned into him. Then, he kissed her again and left. Courtney turned back to them with less composure than before.

"Are you okay?" Lindsay whispered to Bridgette as Courtney returned to the bed. "You're super tense."

Bridgette's eyes snapped to Lindsay's. "Uh… yeah, I'm fine."

Lindsay nodded and gave her a soft smile before turning to Courtney, who had sat down next to her. "You two are so cute together! What did he tell you? It looked spicy!"

"Thanks. I happen to think so, too." Courtney grinned a Duncan-esque grin. "And all I'm going to say about that is we aren't making it to lunch."

"Ooooh!" Lindsay sent Courtney a knowing look and tried to ignore Bridgette tensing up even harder. Lunch was soon, and they would talk about it then. "Gonna have some alone time instead? Go Court!"

Clearing her throat, Courtney carefully folded her hands in her lap. "Something like that," she mumbled. "Enough about this. You're certainly not interested in how Duncan and I spend our free time." Lindsay opened her mouth, intent on telling her that she absolutely was, but Courtney stopped her. "Let me rephrase: I'm not interested in you knowing how Duncan and I spend our free time."

Lindsay giggled, "it's okay. I think I have a pretty good idea. But I guess we can talk about something different now if you want."

Courtney gave her a grateful smile, and she felt Bridgette relax a bit beside her. Yeah, a different topic was a good idea. They chatted about random things until it was time for lunch. Then, Courtney said her goodbyes to Lindsay and Bridgette, and Lindsay resolved to find out what was going on with Bridgette.

Left alone, Courtney moved to her own bed and waited. If she knew Duncan, which she did, it wouldn't take long for him to join her. Sure enough, he came in two minutes after Lindsay and Bridgette left. He turned off the light, kicked off his shoes, and dropped his pocket knife onto the dresser before lying down next to Courtney.

"Have a nice morning?" Duncan asked, snaking an arm under her back.

"Yeah." Courtney propped herself up on her elbow and placed her hand on his stomach under his shirt. "I enjoyed hanging out with them. How was your morning?"

Duncan covered her hand with his. "Probably not nearly as fun as yours. Deej and Geoff are okay, but I would have rather been with you. You're better than everyone else."

"Thanks. I feel the same way about you right now." Courtney caught his eyes with hers. "Duncan, I… you…" She let out a frustrated sigh. "I think I just want to stay with you forever. You're my favorite person here and… and anywhere else."

"I know the feeling." Duncan rubbed her back. "You okay, baby? What're you thinking about?"

Courtney's head fell to his shoulder. "What's going to happen when we go home? I don't want us to break up. I don't think I could break up with you. How's that going to work?"

Moving his hand to her shoulder, Duncan sighed. "Fuck. Court, we're not going to break up. I don't know what's going to happen, but we're not fucking breaking up. I…" He pushed her onto her back and rolled on top of her, nudging her legs apart with his knees. "I don't want to think about that right now."

Courtney's hand on his stomach migrated to his back, and she placed the other on the back of his neck. "What do you want to think about instead?" she asked. "I mean, what are you thinking about?" He was avoiding the topic, but she found that she didn't care. Hearing him say they weren't breaking up was enough, and he was on top of her. She didn't want to think about it much, either.

"You," he whispered, pressing his lips against hers for a long moment. "How much I like you." He kissed her again before pulling away and sitting between her knees. She gave him a questioning look until he pulled his shirt off, tossing it to the floor. "Baby, I want to do something for you. Is that okay?"

A muffled sound coming from the back of her throat, Courtney nodded. Duncan grinned and lied back down, grabbing the hem of her shirt. She lifted her arms as he pulled it over her head. Then, his hands slipped under her shoulders and found her bra clasp. "Can I?" he asked, and she nodded again.

Once he got her bra off, Duncan propped himself up on one hand. "You're beautiful." He brushed the hair from her face and really looked at her. "I'm never going to break up with you, okay?"

Courtney nodded, not finding his profession nearly as outrageous as she should. It didn't matter how long they had known each other or that they were in a compromising position. She believed him. "Okay. I won't either."

Duncan smiled at her, "fucking ace." Then, he lowered himself and kissed her hard. Slipping his tongue into her mouth, he hoped she could feel how much he loved her. He knew he absolutely did, but he didn't know how to say it. Promises of forever and physical gestures were all he had.

They messed around for the next hour or so, pushing their relationship further than ever before. Eventually, it wore them out, and they were in need of a nap. Slipping Duncan's shirt over her head, Courtney set an alarm for three PM. That would give her plenty of time to get ready for the double date with Lindsay. She settled back into bed with her boyfriend and fell asleep.

The next few hours passed, and, before long, the alarm rang. Courtney mumbled her complaint into Duncan's chest as he turned it off for her.

"Babe." Duncan stroked her arm. "Alarm."

"I know," Courtney groaned, forcing her eyes open. "I don't want to get up yet."

Duncan chuckled, "then don't. We can stay here all afternoon. Hell, we don't have to get out of bed for the rest of the day if you don't want to. I'm not gonna complain about this."

"No, we can't. I told Lindsay I'd meet her at four, and I need to take a shower." Courtney grudgingly flipped onto her back and slowly sat up.

"You need an entire hour to take a shower?" Duncan also sat up, his eyebrow raised. "Bullshit, Court. I know it doesn't take you that long. You need, like, fifteen minutes at most."

Rolling her eyes, Courtney got out of bed and put on her shorts and bra. "I don't want to rush a shower because I loafed around with you for too long." She gathered her towel and clothes. "Besides, I'm actually going to dry my hair for once, and that will take at least another ten minutes." She turned to him, a hand on her hip. "Maybe you should take a shower, too. Just so you don't have to do it after."

Duncan returned her eyeroll, "sure. That's the reason." He laughed, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. "Yeah, okay, Princess. I can shower. For you."

Courtney smiled, "shut up. I'm going now." She grabbed his shoulder and kissed his forehead. "I'll see you tonight. Bye." Then, she left for the communal baths. He did the same a few minutes later.

After showering and drying her hair, Courtney dropped off her stuff before going to the girls' cabin. She let herself in and found Lindsay and Bridgette lying in the latter's bed.

"Hey, Lindsay. You still want to get ready together?" Courtney asked, leaning against the bedpost. "It's not quite four, so I can wait if you're not ready."

"No, no, no, I'm totally ready!" Lindsay jumped out of bed. "I just need to get my clothes and makeup and all my hair stuff and then we can go! I've had outfits picked out since yesterday, and I can't decide. You have to help me. Oh, this going to be so much fun!" She turned to Bridgette. "Do you mind that I'm leaving a little early? And you're, like, totally invited to hang out with us if you want!"

Bridgette shook her head, a small smile on her face. "I don't mind. And I don't think I should. You two should have fun getting ready for your date and not have to worry about me. I wanted to talk to DJ anyway." She stood up. "Bye Lindsay, bye Courtney. I'll see you two later."

"Bye! Have fun! Tell DJ 'hi' for me!" Lindsay waved with both of her hands while Courtney nodded, "see you."

"I will," Bridgette giggled. Then, she waved one last time and left the cabin.

The door closed behind her, Bridgette let out a sigh of relief. As much as she loved Courtney and Lindsay, which was a whole lot, she couldn't listen to them gush about their boyfriends as they prepared for a date. Especially not Courtney, which Lindsay had some theories about. Apparently, the other blonde had picked up on her distress earlier and was now convinced she had something against Duncan. She didn't want to think about it.

Bridgette walked up the porch steps and knocked on the door. Forty seconds later, Geoff opened it. She was prepared for this as he was usually the one who opened the door, so she just smiled. "Hey, Geoff. Is DJ around?"

Geoff grimaced, and Bridgette knew the answer before he said, "no. Sorry, Bridge. Dunc grabbed him and bailed, like, ten minutes ago. Don't know where they are or I'd tell you."

Bridgette hadn't been prepared for this. Of course DJ was with Duncan. Of course the one time Duncan wasn't with Courtney he was with the other person she wanted to see. She sighed and made her way to leave. "Okay, thanks. Sorry for bothering you."

"Wait, no!" Geoff's voice stopped her and she turned back around. "You don't have to go. I'm not doin' anything. You're not doin' anything. We could hang out if you want. We used to do that a lot."

Bridgette smiled. Yet another thing she wasn't prepared for, but this one was better. "Yeah, I'd really like that."

Stepping onto the porch, Geoff held out a hand for a high five. "Alright! Let's do this!" Bridgette accepted the high five, and he grinned. "You wanna accompany me to the arts 'n crafts tent? Or do you wanna do somethin' different? I don't care. I'm open to anything!"

Bridgette was caught between wanting to laugh and wanting to cry. She'd missed him so much. "I'm good with the arts and crafts tent."

"Cool. I was hopin' you were." Geoff started walking towards the arts and crafts tent, Bridgette at his side. "I think it's my favorite place here. Isn't that lame? I'm not even good at art!"

"I don't think that's lame at all. It's nice that you're able to enjoy something here." Bridgette's shoulder bumped his arm. "And, as someone who has been the recipient of many of your pieces, I have to disagree. You're quite talented."

Geoff snickered, "yeah right. I suck, but I enjoy doin' it. Makin' art just kinda makes me forget about everything else, y'know? It's… uh… I don't know the word for it."

"No, I understand. Like it's kinda therapeutic?" Bridgette asked, and Geoff nodded. "I'm glad you have a creative outlet. I probably need one, too. Things have been weird recently."

"That sucks. Sorry, dudette. Anything I can do to help?" Geoff opened the door to the arts and crafts tent and let Bridgette enter first.

Sitting down, Bridgette waited for Geoff to get his supplies before answering. Was this an appropriate conversation to be having with him? She didn't know. They weren't exes, but it felt like they were. Could they really have a conversation like this and not be awkward about it? It wasn't awkward now, and it was surprisingly easy to fall back into old patterns with him, but that could change so quickly.

Geoff set the box down on the table and gave Bridgette an expectant look. She decided it wasn't worth it and that she was crazy for even considering telling him about it. Never mind the fact that this was the first time she actually wanted to talk about it, and it had everything to do with Geoff's ability to make anyone feel comfortable.

Bridgette shook her head, "no. I don't think so. Just a personal thing I'm dealing with." She flashed him a wide smile before changing the subject. "So, why aren't you hanging out with DJ and Duncan?"

"Dude's kinda pissed at me. Apparently I said somethin' bout Court he didn't like. What-fucking-ever. I just miss him." Geoff rolled his eyes as he took the supplies out of the box. "Dunc, I mean. Not Deej. But, like, Deej basically said the same thing I did! Don't know why he's pissed at me 'n not him."

"I can think of a few reasons," Bridgette laughed, and Geoff sent her a look that was both confused and offended. She laughed even more. "Ba… Geoff, it was probably the way you said it. Your word choice isn't always great."

"Dammit, I know. But I wasn't tryin' to piss him off!" Geoff threw himself into a seat and groaned. "I put my dumb foot in my dumb mouth like I always do. I didn't mean to insult Court!"

Pressing her hand to her forehead, Bridgette closed her eyes and gave herself a few seconds. Then, she looked at him. "What did you say, exactly?

Geoff mumbled his answer, and Bridgette crossed her arms over her chest as a warning, something she had picked up from Courtney. It worked, and he spilled. "I told him that I thought it was cool he was hangin' out with us and that I hoped Court wouldn't miss him too much. Usually I can kinda see why he's mad but not this time."

"Okay… okay. It's not that bad," Bridgette reassured. "All you did was imply Courtney didn't have anything to do except wait around for him, which isn't true. It might sound like you think she's boring or needy or doesn't have any other friends. Does that make sense?"

Geoff wore a genuinely hangdog expression. "Shit. I didn't mean to, like, basically call her a loser. Cos I don't think she is! She's super cool! I was just tryin' to make a joke cos they're always together! I feel bad now."

Bridgette half-smiled, "I don't think you need to feel bad. I'm sure he'll get over it soon. And it's not like you were wrong. They are always together." She shook her head. "We shouldn't talk about them when they're not here. They're our friends."

"Yeaaaah, you're right." Geoff picked up a blue marker, uncapped it and started drawing. "I'm glad we're hangin' out, though. Bridge, I think I've missed you. No, I have missed you."

"Hmmm?" Bridgette hummed, smiling at him. He returned it. "I've missed you, too. I've missed hanging out with you. The past few days have been weird."

"Weird cos me? Because things have been a lil' weird between us, and I'm sorry about that." Geoff set down his marker. "We're great as friends, and I kinda forgot that. I was bummed when you weren't gonna be girlfriend and maybe I didn't take it well, but I'd rather be your friend than nothing."

Looking Geoff in the eyes, Bridgette covered one of his hands with her own. "A little weird because of you, because I've missed you, but I've also just been really lonely. But it's okay. I can't really blame you for how you reacted. It was pretty reasonable."

"Lonely cos Court?" Geoff asked, though he knew the answer was yes. They'd talked about it a little before the merge, and it was worse now. Bridgette nodded. "And because of me. Sorry, Bridge. I shouldn't have expected us to get together. Everyone else was, so I thought we would too, but I'm happy to be your friend."

"Even though you don't need to apologize, it means a lot that you are. I know I've told you this, but you really are a great guy."

Unlike the last time Geoff heard those words, he smiled. "Thanks. I try to be."

"Well, you do a good job," Bridgette whispered, squeezing his hand. As they talked, she found herself remembering why exactly she had thought she liked him for so long, and she was starting to think that maybe she had made a mistake the other day. He truly was a great guy, and he liked her. "Geoff, I –"

The door banged open, and the moment was over. They broke eye contact and found Gwen staring at them with wide eyes. Bridgette snatched her hand away from Geoff's as he stood up. "Gwen! What up?"

Gwen opened her mouth, then closed it. She started backing towards the door. "Uh, nothing. I actually think I'm gonna go. I don't want to interrupt your date or anything."

"This isn't a date!" Bridgette cried while Geoff walked around the table, "nah, it's not like that! You should stay."

"Are you, uh, sure?" Gwen rubbed the back of her neck. "Because I really don't want to interrupt anything. I can come back later. I don't mind, really."

"'Course I'm sure!" Geoff clapped Gwen on the shoulder. "Come on, sit down. You're not interrupting anything."

As Geoff convinced Gwen to stay, Bridgette took a moment to breathe. The goth couldn't have come at a better time because she had been about five seconds away from telling Geoff things might work out between them after all. That would have made things so much worse. Everything was already confusing; she didn't need to add this.

Grabbing the clay, Gwen took a seat across from Bridgette, an uneasy expression on her face. It was probably because she was still convinced there was something going on here.

"Hi, Gwen," Bridgette smiled, hoping to alleviate some of the tension. "How are you? What are you making?"

"I'm fine." Gwen looked at her glob of clay. "I don't know yet. I was hoping something would come to me." She looked up at Bridgette. "I really am sorry for interrupting your date. I didn't mean to do that."

Bridgette shook her head, "you're not. This really isn't a date, I promise. Things…" she glanced at Geoff, who was looking around for a pair of scissors, "…didn't quite work out for us, but we're okay. We're still friends."

Gwen covered her mouth with a hand. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, like, make things weird, then. Was it bad?"

Waving a hand, Bridgette repeated, "we're okay. We're still friends. It wasn't the end of the world, and I was the one who broke things off." She grabbed a piece of paper Geoff had brought over earlier and a yellow colored pencil just for something to do with her hands. "I'm sorry we voted off Trent and Leshawna. That must suck for you."

"It's, uh, it does suck," Gwen said as Geoff sat back down next to Bridgette. "But I'll be gone next, so it's not that big of a deal. I won't have to spend too much time without them."

Bridgette frowned, "you don't know that. Anything could still happen."

Sighing, Gwen started aggressively working the clay. "I hope I'm gone next. I don't want to be here anymore. All my friends are gone and I'm stuck with Heather and Izzy and everyone else I don't like. It sucks." She sighed again. "You two are the only cool people left, and we're not even that good of friends."

"Dudette! You can't give up! There's still a lot of game left." Geoff stood up again, his arms gesturing widely. "And you should totally hang out with us more! All our friends ditched us, too! Well, I guess yours were kinda forced to, and Deej is mostly still around, but the four of us can hang! You can replace Court and Dunc." He glanced at Bridgette. "Not that they're replaceable!"

"What Geoff is trying to say is that you're more than welcome to spend more time with us if you want," Bridgette laughed, grabbing his arm and forcing him to sit back down. "I know what it's like to feel alone, and I don't want anyone else to feel that either."

Gwen scoffed, "you? Alone? I don't know if I can believe that. You're friends with everyone! And I doubt that's any different at home! You're so likable. Even I like you, and I don't like that many people."

"Thanks, Gwen. I like you, too." Bridgette traded her yellow colored pencil for a pink one. "But it doesn't matter how likable I am, nothing can get in the way of young love. Not even friends."

"Young love?" Gwen dropped the clay, furrowing her eyebrows together. "Are you talking about Lindsay and Tyler? Because yeah, they're on top of each other all the time, but that's not love, just two lusty teenagers. I don't know if I'd want to get in the way of that. It's gross."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Bridgette's lips. Geoff just laughed. "That's not who I was talking about."

Gwen's confusion transformed into shock as she asked, "wait? Do you mean Duncan and Courtney?" Bridgette nodded, and Gwen's mouth fell open. "No! Really? You're messing with me, right? Aren't they just hooking up?"

Bridgette shook her head, "no. I'm not messing with you, and I don't even think they are hooking up. But no, they really like each other. And I know she might be feeling more than that."

Just as Gwen was about to express her disbelief further, Geoff let out an excited gasp. "I knew it! He does, too. I mean, he won't tell me, but he also doesn't tell me to shut up when I say it anymore! Our friends are in love with each other! Bridge, we did that. We're part of it."

"How are we part of this? Don't answer, I don't want to hear it," Bridgette sighed while Gwen nervously laughed, "they're in love? But… they're sixteen. They're so different. I'm convinced this is a joke."

"Not a joke." Geoff crossed his heart with a finger. "We're bein' completely sincere. They love each other!"

Her eye's flicking to Bridgette's, Gwen received confirmation that they were, in fact, not joking. The blonde's eyes were jaded, as if she'd had multiple conversations about this. She probably had. "Wow. Okay. You're not joking. I didn't even know they actually liked each other."

Bridgette incessantly drummed the table. "They do. They're together all the time, even at night. You don't do that with someone you barely tolerate. You have to be at least a little in love to get to that point."

"I'm going to be honest, I just thought they were sleeping together. As in… you know…" Gwen tapped her index fingers together, and Bridgette nodded. Geoff tried hard not to look interested.

"They aren't, just so you know. Not that it's any of our business at all." Bridgette forced her hands to lay flat. "And they're not just… doing other stuff either. They like each other, they're committed to each other, they spend all their time with each other."

"Huh. Okay. I guess I was wrong." Gwen slowly began separating the clay into different piles. She had no artistic vision, but she felt the need to do something. "But all of their time together? Isn't that kinda unhealthy?"

Looking at her hands, Bridgette shook her head, "no. Not yet. Their relationship is still technically new, even if it doesn't feel like it is. It's normal for them to want all that time together. They just haven't learned to balance their time between each other and other things yet. They'll get the hang of it."

"I guess that's fair. Still, it's weird that they're apparently so… in love with each other considering I just learned they actually like each other. Like, Trent and I were convinced that Courtney was a robot who didn't understand human emotions." Gwen chuckled. "I mean, we knew she wasn't, but she's not someone I'd expect to be in love at sixteen! He isn't either. What do they even talk about? They're so different."

"They're not that different. Maybe it would seem like that to someone who doesn't know either of them, but they share a lot of similarities. They just present themselves differently." Bridgette ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "I know you haven't spent time with them, but they're… it's not surprising they love each other."

Gwen bobbed her head, "I'll take your word for it. I still haven't actually ever had a conversation with him, and you were on a team with both of them. I just wouldn't expect them to have that much in common, but I guess they do. I can't imagine what it is, though. I've never had a positive experience with Courtney, and he's just cool."

Bridgette didn't trust herself to speak. Despite all the bitterness surrounding Duncan and Courtney, she felt the need to defend her friend and their relationship. However, she didn't want to think about or explain all the reasons they worked well together either. It was a catch-22.

Thankfully, Geoff filled the silence. "Court's just like that. Don't take it personally. It takes her a while to come around to people. And dude's not that cool. Like, yeah, he's badass and all, but now all he cares about is Court."

"He cares about her a whole lot," Bridgette added once she felt confident no anger or sadness would bubble over. "I don't blame him. She's special, and he knows it. I know she can be a little harsh sometimes, but so can he. They soften each other. All you have to do is mention the other's name, and it's game over." She glanced at Geoff. "As long as they like what you're saying."

"It's not like I try to make him mad," Geoff grumbled. "But yeah, the lil' smile on his face when he sees her is so cute! He'll be all glaring at you, and then he'll see her, and you don't even exist anymore. Just her."

"It sounds like they really like each other. It even sounds cute." Gwen absently formed a chunk of clay into a heart. Sometimes life was the best inspiration. "I've always kinda wondered about them, so thanks. She always seemed like the odd one out compared to everyone else in your friend group, but she must be special if a guy like Duncan is that affected by her."

Stretching her arms across the table, Bridgette nodded, "she's so special, the best person I know. It's… she's so different than anyone I've ever met. Truly spectacular. Maybe she's not the kindest person here, but it doesn't matter. She's so determined and smart and… and beautiful." She sighed, closing her eyes. "She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She's my best friend, and I love her. It's hard not to."

"Woah!" Geoff exclaimed, and Bridgette's eyes snapped open. His expression was unreadable, but he was almost inspecting her. Gwen just looked uncomfortable. "Maybe I was right!"

Shit. Nothing good could come from Geoff thinking he was right. His theories were suspect at best, and Bridgette didn't want to think about what this one could be. "Right about what?"

Geoff grinned widely, and Bridgette knew it was about to be bad. "Okay, so I had this theory a while ago, like before the merge and everything, that you and Court were secretly in love with each other!"

Bridgette's stomach dropped. Geoff's theory was ridiculous. It had to be. She couldn't be in love with Courtney, and Courtney certainly wasn't in love with her. So, why did she suddenly feel so out in the open? She couldn't speak. It was completely wrong, but there was a tiny voice inside her head that said it was right.

Assuming Bridgette was trying to find the right way to ridicule him and that's why she was silent, Geoff laughed. "I know! How dumb is that? It was before you turned me down, and I was tryin' to figure out why we weren't together yet! For some reason my brain jumped to y'all two bein' in love.

"I even told Dunc once!" Geoff said, and Bridgette flinched. He told Duncan she was in love with his girlfriend? Even if it was just a theory, he would be able to see the truth. He knew what loving Courtney looked like. But she didn't, right? Like the silence, Geoff misread the flinch. "Yeah, that was dumb of me. He was super pissed. Even told me I should be worried about it! Deej told me it was valid, though. And not to listen to Duncan.

"Don't worry. I know y'all aren't actually in love with each other. Just the way you were talkin' about her just now was really somethin'. And it did prove one part of my theory! It kinda had a lot of parts."

"What other parts were there?" Bridgette asked, finally finding her voice. She wanted to run far away, but somehow Geoff had managed to see through her and discover a secret she didn't even know she was keeping. One that felt more true than false. She needed to know what else he had found.

Geoff shrugged, "just that you liked her better than you like me. That part has to be true! Y'all are best friends! And that you'd always pick her over me! Also probably true. The first part, not so much."

Relaxing slightly, Bridgette managed a giggle. Somehow, her reaction hadn't already clued them into something being off, and she had to keep it that way. And the last two parts of his theory were unarguably right. She did like Courtney more than she liked Geoff (anyone) and would always pick her over him.

Still, she had to get out of there. Something had clicked inside of her when Geoff vocalized his theory, and Bridgette needed to figure out what it was. She wasn't in love with Courtney. She wasn't. But, if she was, a lot of the past day and a half would make sense.

"I'll have to agree with you there. You have to understand, she's my best friend. Of course I like her better than everyone." Bridgette stood up, casually patting Geoff's shoulder on the way up. "I have to go to the bathroom. Be right back."

Geoff waved, "we'll be here! Don't get lost on the way!"

Bridgette couldn't help but laugh as she returned his wave. "I won't." She turned to Gwen. "I hope this hasn't scared you away from hanging out with us. It's not usually like this, I promise. When I come back we'll talk about something more relevant to our lives."

"Are you kidding? This is the most interesting conversation I've had in at least five days!" Gwen said. "You guys can talk about whatever you want. I'm not going anywhere."

"That's good to know. Bye." With one final wave, Bridgette escaped to the bathroom for the second time that day.

Compared to earlier, Bridgette had a much easier time calming down. It probably had something to do with the fact that it didn't feel like her heart was breaking this time. No, she was just confused. She had never considered that she might like Courtney romantically. She had never considered that she might like girls.

Did she like girls? Bridgette had never had a crush on one before, but this thing with Courtney definitely felt like a crush. No, it felt like a lot more than a crush. She knew she loved her. Could it be a romantic love instead of a platonic one? The more she thought about it, the less sure she became. It was the Geoff thing all over again, only this time it was what if she did like someone. Someone who was a girl.

Bridgette needed a lot more than quick trip to the bathroom to figure this out, so she managed to put the thought at the back of her head. Geoff and Gwen were waiting, and she didn't want them to become concerned. Taking a deep breath, she headed back to the arts and crafts tent.

The rest of the afternoon passed much smoother than the beginning of her day. The conversation after she returned was light, and it didn't turn back to their castmates. They cracked jokes, made art, and shared stories until it was time for dinner.

While everyone else was at the dining hall, Lindsay and Courtney were finishing getting ready for the double date. Normal dinner was at 5:30, but theirs wouldn't be until 7:30. It gave enough time for Chef to cook a quality meal and for the interns to set up a table on the dock.

"Are you, like, super set on wearing that sweater?" Lindsay sat on Courtney's bed, her legs splayed out in front of her, and looked the CIT up and down. "Cos that outfit would be totally hot without it."

"I'm sure, Linds. It gets a little chilly in the evenings, and I don't want to get cold. I'm sure this outfit is fine with it on. I like it." Courtney stood in the middle of the room, an arm across her stomach.

Lindsay pulled a strand of her hair as she chewed her lip. "Hmm. I guess it can get kinda cold, but you have a boyfriend! Duncan's supposed to keep you warm. And yeah, you always look fantastic, but I don't love the sweater. I dunno, I just don't think it works with the skirt."

"Well, I'm going to wear something. I'd rather not have to depend on Duncan for warmth." Courtney looked down at her outfit and tried to think of a way to make it better. She was wearing a black skirt of Lindsay's with a red tank top and grey cardigan. "What do you suggest I wear instead?"

"Do you have any long sleeve shirts you can wear? Or, like, a regular sweater?" Lindsay got up and walked to Courtney, holding her shoulders. "I think I don't like the way it layers."

"Uhm, yeah. I have a few." Courtney shrugged Lindsay's hands off and walked to her dresser. Opening the right drawer, she pulled out a few options and laid them on the bed. "Do any of these work?"

Looking at the selection, Lindsay's eyes were automatically drawn to a gold peasant top. It would go perfectly with the black skirt! She grabbed the shirt and handed it to Courtney. "Try this."

Courtney nodded and quickly changed before holding her arms out so that Lindsay could properly judge it.

"Yes! Court! It's perfect!'" Lindsay gushed, clutching her heart. The flowiness of the top complimented the tightness of the skirt, and gold was definitely Courtney's color. "You have to wear this. You look gorgeous! Okay, shoes. Show me what you have."

Courtney motioned to a pair black Mary Janes with a block heel. "These. I haven't had a chance to wear them all summer. They match, right?"

Lindsay smiled, "yeah, they match so well! Your legs are gonna look so much longer than they already do!" She sat back down as Courtney put away the unchosen shirts. "We both look great. Ugh, I'm so excited! I wish it was already time, but we still have, like, an hour. I can't wait."

"Are you ready?" Courtney asked, resting a knee on her bed and grabbing the bunk above it.

"I don't know, maybe? Why?" Lindsay's face scrunched up in confusion as she looked at Courtney. "I wanna check my hair and make-up before we leave, but it's not time yet."

"It could be time," Courtney shrugged. "I mean, what's stopping us from hanging with our boyfriends as we wait for dinner? I'm ready. I sure they're ready. You only need a few minutes. Check yourself in the mirror, and we can go."

Lindsay clapped, standing up and practically skipping over to the mirror. "Yay! Court, that's such a good idea!" She fluffed her hair several times and beamed when it fell into place just how she liked it. "Put your shoes on and come here! Let's look together!"

Rolling her eyes, Courtney slipped her shoes on before joining Lindsay at the mirror. They stood in silence for about ten second, just looking at themselves, before Courtney broke it. "So, are we just supposed to stand here? What's the point of this? You look beautiful. I'm happy with my appearance. Can we go?"

"Thanks! You look so pretty, too!" Lindsay turned to Courtney and grabbed her hands. "This is going to be so much fun. Are you so excited? I am!"

Courtney squeezed Lindsay's hands. "I really am. Thank you again for inviting us on this double date. I've never been on one before. So, are you ready?"

Letting go of Courtney's hands, Lindsay nodded, "yeah. Let's go!" They started walking towards the door. "And you're welcome! Sometimes hanging out with other couples is easier than hanging out with your boyfriend and friends. This way everyone has someone."

"I can see that. I wouldn't want to spend time with a couple without Duncan, and I would never subject anyone to spending time with us alone." Courtney turned off the light and held open the door. "You want to knock?"

"Yes!" Lindsay stopped in front of the door and gave it two solid knocks before taking a step back. Her smile looked physically painful. "Court, you're so smart for saying we should come early. I literally couldn't wait any longer. Now I don't have to!"

Somehow, Lindsay's smile grew larger as Tyler answered the door. She bounced up to him. "Tyler! We came early! Please tell me you and Duncan are ready."

Tyler adopted a similar expression to his girlfriend's and grabbed her hand. "Heck yeah, Linds! I can be ready in, like, two minutes! I don't know about Duncan, but, uh…" he glanced at Courtney, "do you two want to come in?"

"Come in? To the boys' cabin? Are you sure?" Lindsay asked, hesitation in her voice, while Courtney nodded, "yes, if you don't mind."

"Of course not, come on in." Tyler pulled an unsure Lindsay into the cabin, Courtney right behind him.

Courtney immediately spotted Duncan lying in his old bed. He had his headphones on and was headbanging along to the music, his eyes closed. It made her love him more, seeing him so relaxed. She watched as he picked up on the commotion around him and slowly sat up.

Duncan saw Courtney, and his face lit up. Turning off his iPod, his eyes traveled her body, and she had to smile. He was awestruck. "Babe, hey. Thought this thing wasn't 'til later?"

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Courtney opened her mouth to respond, but Lindsay beat her to it. "We came early! It was Court's idea! Sorry I'm in your cabin. But I guess this isn't your cabin anymore cos you always sleep with Court. Sorry I was in your cabin. Are you ready? Please say you're ready."

"I could be ready." Duncan hopped off the bed, grabbing the green and black flannel that hung from the bedpost, and walked towards Courtney. He grabbed her hip and took a moment to properly admire her. She was wearing the shortest skirt he had ever seen, and her legs were never ending. He was acutely aware of Tyler and Lindsay's presence, and that's why he didn't kiss her on the spot.

"We're gonna wait outside." Duncan's hand moved to the small of her back, and he turned her around. He glanced at Tyler as he guided Courtney out of the cabin. "Take your time doing whatever, man. I'm not in any hurry."

"Don't smudge her lip gloss!" Lindsay called as they made it to the door. Duncan didn't respond, but Courtney gave her a half apologetic, half pleased look from over her shoulder.

Outside, Duncan backed Courtney up against the railing, holding it with one hand and grabbing the side of her neck with the other. "Fuck, Court. You're so… I need to kiss you."

Smiling coyly, Courtney placed a hand on his chest. "Yeah? And what are you planning to do about that?"

A low moan escaping his throat, Duncan kissed her with everything he had. "This," he mumbled against her lips before sticking his tongue into her mouth. His hand moved from the rail to the back of her thigh as he pressed himself closer to her. She stuck a hand in his back pocket and squeezed, and he moaned again.

The kiss went on for a couple of more minutes, both of them getting as close as they could, before Duncan pulled away. They didn't have much time, and he didn't want to put himself in an uncomfortable position. One that would likely happen if Courtney kept grinding against him like she was.

"Why are you so hot?" Duncan breathlessly asked, his thumb caressing her check.

"I don't know," Courtney giggled, taking her hand out of his pocket and patting his butt. He suppressed a groan and moved to stand next to her instead. "I guess I just am. Thank you. I take it you like this look?"

Duncan's eyes raked her body up and down before finding hers. "Uh, yeah. I never thought I'd love a skirt this much." He grabbed her hand and took a half step closer. "Seriously, babe. You're so beautiful that sometimes I can't believe you're actually my girlfriend. Or real."

Courtney smiled, "well, I am. Your girlfriend and real. Guess you're in luck."

"Guess so," Duncan murmured, knowing it was true. The best girl he had ever met was his girlfriend, and she was going to stay his girlfriend. He loved her. Suddenly, he couldn't wait anymore. He had to tell her. Moving to stand in front of her, he placed a hand on her cheek. "Courtney, I… I'm in love with you."

"You're in love with me?" Courtney asked, her eyes widening. Her voice was barely a whisper, but he could hear the shock and hope in it, almost as if she didn't quite believe him. It pulled at his heart, and he wanted to tell her over and over again. "You… Duncan?"

"Mhm. Yeah. I love you, Court. A whole lot." Duncan kissed her temple as he pulled her into a hug. She clung to him. "I think I have for a while."

Courtney was silent for a full minute, but her smile was one of pure joy. Then, "Duncan, that's… no one's ever told me that before. You love me. Duncan." Grabbing the back of his head, she pushed it down before attaching her lips to his.

Melting into the kiss, Duncan wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her close. She arched her back, allowing him even more access, and swept her hand up into his mohawk. Her fingers grazed his scalp, and he moaned. She was in total control and it was absolute bliss. It didn't matter that she hadn't said it back yet. He knew she did, could tell by the way she was kissing him.

So rarely did Courtney get the chance to be in control. She loved it when he kissed her, but sometimes it was nice to lead. She reveled in it. Her tongue went into his mouth, and she applied pressure around his tongue ring. It earned her a hiss and an ass squeeze. Perfect.

Courtney kissed him with all her heart, all her soul, all her love. She loved him, and he loved her back. He loved her back, and he told her. Nothing could make this day better. She pulled away to take a much needed breath and took him in. His blue eyes were full of love.

"I love you," Duncan whispered, resting his forehead against hers, and she had to kiss him again. He loved her.

This kiss was just as intense as the last, both of them pouring themselves into the other. For Courtney, it signified everything he had told her, and everything she felt. He loved her. She loved him. They were going to last. As she sucked on his bottom lip, she realized that for her, it was still a thought. She hadn't told him yet!

Abruptly pulling away, Courtney cursed, "shit." His confession had overwhelmed her so much that she had forgotten to give him her own. She needed to fix that now.

"What's wrong?" Duncan's brow furrowed as his hands moved to her waist. She looked distressed, which was a concerning post-kiss reaction. "Did I do something?"

Courtney looked into his eyes as she shook her head. "No, sorry. Nothing's wrong. I just, I forgot to tell you. Duncan, I –"

Then, before she could get the words out, Lindsay and Tyler stumbled out of the cabin. Sighing, Courtney closed her eyes and let out another choice word. She couldn't tell him now, not with those two here. Though it was selfish, she wanted to scrap the whole date, pull Duncan into the cabin, and tell (and show) him how much she loved him.

"Court! Duncan! I hope you're all done kissing cos it's time to go!" Lindsay giggled, waving them over. "Come on! It's going to be so much fun!"

"Right, yeah. We're done." Courtney opened her eyes just in time to catch Duncan's raised brow. Grabbing his hand off her waist, she cringed. "I mean… yes, so fun. I agree. Let's go."

"Yay! Date time!" Lindsay took off down the stairs, dragging Tyler with her. Duncan and Courtney followed, staying a few steps behind.

As Lindsay idly chattered about her first time in the guys' cabin, a truly momentous occasion, Courtney thought through her options. She didn't want to sit through the entire date without telling him, but she couldn't tell him in passing. It was too important to secretly whisper in his ear.

"Baby," Duncan said into her ear, causing her to look at him. "You okay?"

Courtney shrugged, then nodded. "Yes. I just… Duncan."

Letting go of her hand, Duncan wrapped his arm around her, tucking her under it. "I know, okay? You don't need to worry about it. I know. Tell me later."

Smiling, Courtney slipped her arm around his waist. It was no secret to what he was referring. He knew she loved him. "Okay."

They made it to the dock, which had a beautifully set table on it, and each couple sat on either side. There were still around twenty minutes until dinner, so they had some time to spare. They used it to reminisce about the early days at camp before the merge.

"I used to always wish I was a Killer Bass." Lindsay rested her chin on her palm and sighed wistfully. "You guys always looked like you were having so much fun together. You were all friends, and I wanted to be friends, too. We weren't really friends with each other. All we ever did was fight, and I hated it. You guys never fought."

Glancing up at Duncan, Courtney giggled, "I wouldn't say that. We had our fair share of arguments, and we definitely weren't always friends."

"Please! You guys were perfect. I wanted to be on your team so badly. I hated being a gopher." Sighing again, Lindsay's elbow slipped, and she leaned her arm on the table. "What did you even fight about? And, like, who?"

"We weren't even remotely perfect, Linds. Trust me. I can't argue that we were worse than your cabin, but it took us a while to become friends." Courtney brushed Duncan's thigh with her thumb. "And I personally found plenty to argue about with just about everyone. I'm sure both Tyler and Duncan can attest to that."

"No way. I can't imagine you fighting with anyone," Lindsay said.

Tyler grabbed Lindsay's hand. "Nah, babe. She's telling the truth. Usually it was because we did something dumb in a challenge, though, so I can't blame her."

At that, Duncan let out a loud laugh, rubbing Courtney's shoulder and pulling her more into his lap. "Maybe with you and everyone else. Me, on the other hand? I could never catch a break. Everything I did was wrong, and you made sure I knew it."

"Okay, but you started it at least half the time," Courtney said, rolling her eyes. "Honey, I know you did things just to push my buttons. You told me once. I'm pretty sure you wanted me to engage. You liked it."

"Yeah." Duncan's hand dropped to her waist. "You're hot when you're all worked up. 'Course I liked it. Even when I couldn't stand you, I knew you were gorgeous. Angry-Court's no exception."

Smiling at him, Courtney whispered her thanks. While it wasn't the most conventional compliment, she knew he meant it as one. From across the table, Lindsay gasped. "When you couldn't stand her?! When couldn't you stand her? I thought you always liked her! I knew Court didn't at the beginning, but you did. Right?"

Courtney and Duncan shared a long look before they both burst out laughing. Lindsay sent Tyler a confused look, but he laughed along with them. Courtney was the first to calm down, so she took it. "He hated me just as much as I hated him. Well, hate is a strong word, but we certainly didn't get along. Did you know he tried to get me voted off during the first marshmallow ceremony?"

Lindsay's jaw dropped, and Courtney nodded, "yeah, I know. I was just some preppy bitch who was trying to boss everyone around, and he wanted none of it. I was very nearly the first one voted off all because of my boyfriend."

"You wanted to vote Court out? Why?" Lindsay asked, betrayal all over her face.

"Uh, mostly the reasons she just said. But also because she didn't jump." Duncan, who had stopped laughing, pressed her closer still. "Glad it didn't work, though. It almost did, and that would've sucked. Don't call yourself a bitch. You aren't. I was an asshole."

Her face softening, Lindsay quickly moved on. "Okay. So, when did you realize that you were totally into Court? It wasn't the first time you ever saw her like I thought, but, like, when was it? I wanna hear everything."

Duncan groaned. This wasn't anyone's business except his and Courtney's. It had been a confusing, amazing, terrifying moment. One he didn't want to share with anyone else, though he knew this was expected on double dates. "Don't wanna talk about it."

"Please?" Lindsay pouted. "This is what you do on double dates! You talk about couple stuff like when you liked each other and when you got together and stuff."

"Doesn't mean we have to, though." Duncan glanced at Courtney, who was amused. "Not really your business."

Luckily, before Lindsay could press it further, dinner was served. He was saved from having to tell the story, at least for now. Dinner was honey-glazed salmon, mashed potatoes, and roasted green beans, and it was spectacular. All four teens were grateful for a regular meal. There was lemon sorbet for dessert.

The date didn't end after they finished eating. They talked until after the sun set. Much to his annoyance, Duncan ended up recounting in exact detail when he realized he liked Courtney as well as other important moments in their relationship. It wasn't awful, though. He knew Courtney loved hearing the story, and it showed in the way her brown eyes sparkled. Besides, he had just told her he loved her. It was only appropriate.

After a while, Courtney's hand glided over the front of his jeans, and she motioned towards the cabin with her head. It was time to be alone. Duncan got the message, unwrapping his arm from around her and grabbing her hand off his thigh.

"Linds, thanks again for inviting us. I had a lot of fun." Courtney reached across the table and squeezed Lindsay's hand. "But I think we're going to go now. Is that okay?"

"Aw, you're welcome, Court! I'm so glad you said yes." Lindsay stood up, walked around the table, and pulled Courtney up and into a hug. "You're allowed to leave whenever you want! It's getting kinda late, so I totally understand. I think we're gonna stay for a while, though."

Courtney returned the hug. "We'll have to do this again sometime. I enjoyed it. See you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay." Lindsay pulled away, holding her shoulders instead. "Goodbye! Sleep well, Court!"

"I will. You too." Courtney stepped out of Lindsay's embrace and waved. After everyone said goodbye, Courtney and Duncan left for the cabin.

Slipping her hand into his, Courtney pressed her cheek to his shoulder. They walked in silence for a portion, both of them content with just enjoying each other and the quiet.

Then, "tell me again," Courtney whispered.

Duncan glanced down at her, "tell you what?"

"That you love me. I want to hear you say it again. Please?"

Bumping his head against hers, Duncan smiled. He had no problem with that. He'd say it as many times as she wanted him to say it. "I love you, Court."

Courtney moved her other hand to sandwich his between hers as she repeated, "you love me." Her voice had a giddiness to it that it had never had before. He liked it there.

They walked up the cabin steps, and Duncan opened the door for them. As he turned on the lights, she let go of his hand to check the time. The alarm clock read "9:37." Perfect. It wasn't too early to go to bed. Or, it wasn't too early to get into bed. She certainly wasn't ready for sleep. She had so much to tell him.

"What time is it?" Duncan asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"A little after 9:30. I think we should get ready for bed." Courtney walked back over to him, and he grinned. He knew what that meant. "Walk me to the bathroom. I have something I need to tell you when we're done."

"What is it, Princess?" Lacing their fingers together, Duncan started walking towards the communal baths. "You can just tell me now if you want."

Courtney rolled her eyes, "you know. And no, I want to wait. I don't want there to be any distractions. For after."

"For after, huh? I like the sound of that. You have something special planned for me?"

Squeezing his hand, Courtney looked into his eyes. "You'll find out. Can you wait for me by that tree if you're done first? I'll wait for you." She gestured towards the large oak about fifteen meters away.

Duncan nodded, promising that he would, and gave her a peck on the lips. Then, they parted ways and went into their respective bathrooms.

As Courtney went through her nighttime routine, she reflected on her evening. Specifically, the Duncan of it all. Despite the newness of their relationship, it felt right when he told her he loved her. It felt true, and she trusted that. He wasn't capable of faking any level of sincerity. He meant it, and she would mean it too. Maybe they were too young, but it didn't matter. They felt it, and it was real. She knew he would be in her life for a long time.

Putting her things in her cubby, Courtney left the bathroom. Duncan wasn't out yet, so she stood next to the tree and waited. Three minutes later, he came out with DJ. She waved at them. Duncan joined her at the tree, and DJ just waved back.

"I'd like you to tell me again," Courtney greeted as he wrapped his arm around her.

Duncan just laughed, "I love you. How many times are you going to make me tell you?"

Courtney shrugged, "until I get tired of hearing it. So, never. Or until you don't mean it anymore."

"So, never." He rubbed her waist. "Because I'm always going to mean it. I'm not going to stop loving you, babe. You're stuck with me now."

"I don't mind it so much. You're stuck with me, too."

They made it back to the cabin. Without turning on the lights, they slipped off their shoes by the door before finishing getting ready for bed.

After stripping down to his boxers, Duncan made himself comfortable in the bed, sitting against the pillows. The mood was anticipatory yet light, the love they felt for each other in the air. He couldn't wait until she told him. He watched as Courtney undressed and put on the t-shirt of his she had started sleeping in. Then, she climbed onto bed and into his lap, straddling him.

"Tell me again," Courtney demanded, her fingers dancing across his bare chest. "Tell me the whole thing one more time before I tell you."

"Yeah?" Duncan played with the ends of her hair and gave her a teasing smile. She just nodded, wholly serious. "Okay. Courtney Correa, I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you. I'm not going to stop being in love with you. You're my favorite person, and I love you."

Pressing her lips to his, Courtney smiled. She would never tire of hearing him say it, but now it was her turn. "Thank you," she said as she pulled away. "You should know, Duncan, that I am also in love with you."

Then, then, he got it. He got why she felt the need to kiss him every time he said it and why she wanted him to say it over and over again. It was the best thing he had ever heard. It didn't matter how much he knew she loved him, hearing it made it so much more real and special. His smile matched hers as he kissed her. "Tell me again?"

Courtney wrapped an arm around his neck as she nodded. "I love you, Duncan Marino. Every day I love you more."

A/N: Hey! I hope you enjoyed the double date, not that you got to see a lot of it! Also, if you were wondering how many times I used the word "love," it was 84. Next chapter we go back to a regularly scheduled programming with Hide and Be Sneaky. I'm not going to make any promises about when it will be posted.

If you enjoyed, I'd appreciate it if you left a kudos or comment. Many thanks to everyone who has before. I love reading your feedback!