Chapter 1: The Transfer Student

Disclaimer: I don't own Total Drama Island or any of its characters. But if I did, you can be sure you'd be getting hella more Duncan & Courtney moments. TDI doesn't have enough of that couple to satisfy me.

"Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time." -Anonymous

Courtney stared at the dark-haired teen in front of her.

"He looks scary," Gwen whispered to her from behind.

Courtney nodded faintly, instinctively backing up into the plastic of her seat as the boy's gaze landed on her.

Their eyes met for a moment, jade green to teal, and the young man looked down at her almost scornfully. His lips curled in disdain.

"I expect you guys to help Duncan and show him around the school if he needs it. You can have the empty seat next to Geoff, Duncan. Geoff, raise your hand so Duncan knows who you are."

The young man loped past Courtney, the scent of weed and smoke following him like a shadow.

Courtney scrunched her nose.

The new transfer student was terrifying in demeanor. It was hard to believe he was the nephew of the good-natured and benevolent Mr. Devlin, their math teacher.

Apparently, his previous school had some problems with him. In the end, he got kicked out and was sent over to Independence. He looks like he's been in juvie several times, too, Courtney thought warily.

The sixteen-year-old's pale skin seemed almost transparent in the light. His jet-black hair was styled up into spikes with gel. The tips of his spikes gleamed a bright green. There was a shadow of stubble around his chin and jaw, giving him a rugged look. His teal eyes were dull and bored.

No doubt about it.

He had the look of a bad boy. Low denim cargo pants, red Converse high tops, knee-high jockey socks, and a moderately tight black graphic t-shirt over a white long-sleeve. Piercings gleamed on his ears, nose, lips and eyebrows. There was a spiked dog collar wrapped around his throat like a choker. Courtney winced as she saw the steel spikes glint dangerously in the light.

"Kinda cute, though, don't you think?" Gwen asked, propping her chin on her hands.

Courtney resumed doing her work. "Have a go at him, then."

"But, he's not my type," Gwen sighed, continuing to doodle on the edge of her paper. Her aqua-green eyes traveled over to the preppy brunet jock, Trent, sitting across the room.

Trent offered her a smile.

"Love is like a roller coaster ride. You're impatient to get on it when you're in line, but when your turn to get on it comes up, second thoughts come up with it." -Anonymous

"Courtney, may I have a word with you?" the teacher called, beckoning Courtney back as she was about to leave the classroom. Courtney exchanged glances with Gwen.

"I'll wait if you want," Gwen said, adjusting her black boots more snugly over her fishnet-covered knees.

"Nah, just go ahead. I'll catch up later," Courtney declined, waving off her friend.

She hurried back into the classroom, wondering what it was that Mr. Devlin wanted to discuss with her. She hadn't done a really remarkable project lately or anything… and it certainly wouldn't be something bad!

Mr. Devlin only ever called her back in class to praise her for her good work.

Courtney looked down at her teacher, who was busily shuffling some papers. "What did you want to tell me, Mr. Devlin?"

"About the new transfer student," Mr. Devlin started, looking hesitant.

Courtney felt an ominous notion crawl up her stomach.

"He's new here, and Independence is a very big school."

Aw, crap.

Mr. Devlin adjusted his glasses over the bridge of his nose. "I would be very pleased if you would, well, take care of him, in a way. Show him around, help him with his homework, that sort of stuff. Keep the kid out of trouble."

"Er," Courtney tried to hide the dissatisfaction in her voice. "I… I guess."

Mr. Devlin looked up at her, a bit of pleading in his eyes. "I trust you to help him. He's had… problems back in his old school. And the only reason the principal of Independence accepted the kid is because I personally asked him to."

Mr. Devlin sighed.

"Duncan is my nephew, and I do love him so. He's a good kid in his own kind of way. But he has an uncanny knack of running into trouble at each school he's been to. And he's been to a lot of schools." Mr. Devlin propped his chin on his calloused hands. "I promised the principal that Duncan would be on his best behavior at Independence, but I won't be able to patrol him all the time."

Mr. Devlin's wide blue eyes looked up beseechingly into Courtney's green ones.

"Please, you're the best student in my class, and the only one I would trust to keep a promise. Can you watch over Duncan for me? I would hate to disappoint the principal after I gave him my word."

Courtney knew she couldn't say no. Mr. Devlin looked so lost and pathetic as he looked up at her, hands almost clasped in earnest.

"Of course, Mr. Devlin," Courtney said gently, hugging her textbook to her chest. "I'll do my best to keep Duncan out of trouble. I'll tutor him in math, too, if he needs it."

Mr. Devlin's face broke in relief. "Thank you, so much. I promise you a chuckload of extra credit for doing this. Thank you, thank you."

Mr. Devlin beamed up at the young girl.

"Deep down, he's a great person. You and Duncan will be great friends, I'm sure."

Courtney smiled awkwardly.

What the hell did she get herself into?

"The heart has its reasons which reason knows not of." –Blaise Pascal

Courtney traipsed through the school, looking for Duncan.

She would be able to tell him from anywhere. Those shocking green spikes would stand out in the crowd of normal black and brown and gold.

No one in this school had hair like that. Besides Gwen. She was the only one who consistently got away from the school's dress code.

She was, after all, the principal's daughter.

Courtney combed throughout the school, looking for Duncan, but she didn't find the teen with the green spikes.

Just when she was about to give up, Courtney spied a lone figure leaning against the brick wall near the library.

His green hair was noticeable even from this far away.

Duncan.

He was smoking.

Courtney wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"You shouldn't smoke, you know," Courtney said once she was close enough. "And if you get caught, you'll get in trouble."

Not like that's anything new to him, Courtney thought.

Duncan idly regarded Courtney out of the corner of his eye.

"Do I look like I care?" he sneered, drawing another breath from his cigarette.

Courtney ignored his response and came a little bit closer to him.

Duncan's presence terrified her, but she made a promise to Mr. Devlin. And she wasn't about to back out on it. She gave him her word, and besides, extra credit never hurt anyone.

"Why are you here all by yourself?" Courtney asked, dropping her totebag by Duncan's backpack.

"Why are you so nosy?" Duncan responded without missing a beat. He didn't even bother to look at her.

Courtney leaned against the wall next to Duncan. "Can't a girl ask a question?"

Duncan gave a sigh. "What do you want?"

"I just wanna be your friend," Courtney said untruthfully, grasping at her hands awkwardly.

"The offer's tempting, but I'm afraid I must refuse," Duncan replied dryly. He jabbed at his chest. "I don't need friends. Nor do I want any."

Courtney was irked by Duncan's attitude. She turned to face him, her hands propped on her hips.

"Would it kill you to be a little more social than this?" she demanded, eyes ablaze.

Duncan chuckled derisively. He dropped his cigarette to the floor and ground it out with the sole of his shoe.

"Well, it would do me considerable pain to talk to someone like you," he said, smirking slightly. "Princess."

"Don't call me 'Princess'," Courtney snapped. "I'm trying to be your friend, and here you are, being a royal pain."

Duncan raised a pierced eyebrow. "Then stop trying. It's not like I'm asking you to be my friend." He rolled his teal eyes.

"No," Courtney narrowed her eyes, "But your uncle is."

Duncan's face fell slack at the mention of his uncle and he gave a groan. "I should've known. The old man wants someone to watch over me. Like a babysitter," he added with disgust.

"He's just worried about you," Courtney said, crossing her arms.

Duncan pursed his lips, the ring embedded through his lower lip glinting in the sun.

Courtney noticed that he had a nose ring, too. And an eyebrow ring.

God, how many piercings could a person have?

"Yeah, well," Duncan shoved his hands into his pocket, "Tell him to stop. I don't need someone like you to watch over me all the time. So thanks, but no thanks." He waved his hand at her in a shooing sort of fashion. "Leave."

"Fine, then," Courtney snapped, snatching her totebag off of the floor. "Be ungrateful. I hope you're happy being the loner of the school." She threw a dirty look at the teen over her shoulder. "You won't have to be bothered by me anymore after this. Good bye."

Courtney stalked off, fuming, but slightly pleased.

At least she had the final word.

But when she looked back, Courtney saw Duncan leaning back against the wall, another cigarette lodged between his lips. And he didn't even seem to be bothered by Courtney's sharop words

Courtney gave a breath of disgust and stomped away.

Screw the extra credit.

This guy was impossible.

"I'd like to run away from you, but if you didn't come and find me, I would die." –Shirley Bassey

Courtney walked home, thoughts racing through her head.

Her conversation with Duncan today was running through her mind.

She had all of her classes with him. It was so awkward. It even embarrassed Courtney, thinking back on how she reacted. How could she explain to Mr. Devlin that she totally blew her top off at his nephew after she promised to watch over the guy?

Man. Life sucks.

She would probably have to try again with Duncan tomorrow.

Courtney felt a new resolution rise through her.

Ha. Courtney Mann never gives up!

"Watch out!" a voice called from behind Courtney.

The sound of wheels rolling over cement greeted the brunette, and Courtney whirled around in surprise, textbooks dropping on the floor.

All she saw was a blur on a skateboard, and the bad thing was, it was rocketing straight at her.

Before she had time to react, the figure rammed straight into Courtney, knocking the girl right off of her feet and onto the floor.

Courtney let out a little yelp as she smashed into the hard cement, books and papers scattering all over the sidewalk.

"Ow," she moaned, trying to sit up. Lights flashed in the back of her head.

"Damn," the guy in front of Courtney said, rubbing his head. A flash of green caught her eye. "Don't you watch where you're going, Princess?"

Princess?

It took Courtney a while to realize who the guy sprawled on the floor was, but after a while of blinking, Courtney registered, with a little shock, that it was none other than Duncan.

A/N: So, what do you think? Any ideas or comments/advice are welcome(: btw, whenever there's a quote, it means that some period of time has passed. And I just love finding cute quotesxD And I know Courtney's eyes are black in the cartoon, but I really do prefer green.