○ Long time no see, eh?

○ Sorry for my absence.

○ Life's a beach. A beach that is just a huge-ass tourist spot lately.

• Sorry to disappoint.

• But I still lack ownership of the Total Drama... Series.

†Enjoy.

That's How You Know

Courtney cradled her chin in her hand as she rested her elbow on her vanity. Her eyes flicked over towards the boy laying on her bed, casually flipping through old magazines and tossing them aside when things got too girly.

The brunette let out a sigh. "Duncan, I absolutely loathe that shirt," she commented, glaring at the garment.

"Really?" Duncan asked, not bothering to look away from an old Cosmopolitan magazine. "I like it."

"It's ugly," Courtney deadpanned. "It's shit-brown."

Duncan shrugged as he flipped the page. "I think it's more of a mud-brown."

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Shit-brown," she argued.

"Either way," Duncan said as he chucked the magazine unto the floor, "I like it."

"You shouldn't," Courtney pressed. "It's ugly."

Duncan sat up and ran a hand through his mohawk. "I don't think so."

"Plus, it long-sleeve and it makes you do that thing I hate," Courtney pointed out, pointing at his rolled up sleeves.

"What don't you hate?" Duncan asked, pushing his sleeves down.

"Your skull shirt," Courtney said.

Duncan smirked. "If I wore that, you'd have nothing to sleep in." His smirk widened. "Not that that would be a bad thing."

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

"Hey, you started the conversation," Duncan said, pushing his sleeves back up.

"I really—"

"Hate it when I do that," Duncan finished for her. "i know."

"I'd even rather you wear that ugly green shirt you wore almost everyday on the ski trip," Courtney said, scrunching her nose up at the memory.

"What you got against that shirt?"

"it's yucky," Courtney said, shaking her head at the thought of him wearing it.

"it's not puke-green," Duncan said, "you should be happy about that."

"Well, I'm not."

Duncan let out a sigh as he walked over to the girl. "Turn and face the mirror," he said.

Courtney did as she was told and stared at her reflection, being more focused on the boy coming closer behind her catching more of her attention.

Duncan stopped as he reached the back of her chair and pushed his sleeves back down to his wrists. "All right," he placed his hands on her shoulders, "what do you see?"

"My face and that nasty shirt," Courtney said, rolling her eyes at the question.

Duncan shook his head. "No. What about your face do you notice?"

Courtney cocked her head to the side. "I don't notice anything, Duncan," she said, looking up at his reflection.

"Look closer," Duncan urged.

Courtney turned and glared at him before staring intently into the mirror. "I still see nothing."

Duncan took his hands from her shoulder and grabbed onto her copy of Green Angel. "All right, we'll try this again," he said, holding the book up behind her head. "See anything?"

"No," Courtney said instantly.

"Seriously, Courtney?"

Courtney let out an aggravated groan and turned to face him. "Seriously, Duncan!"

Duncan let out a sigh. "Then, I give up."

"Can you just tell me what you were trying to do?" Courtney asked as she watched Duncan move from behind her to the door.

"You can figure it out," Duncan said, opening her door. "I gotta head out."

Courtney sighed and rested her head on her hands. "Fine. Bye."

"No, 'I love you?' " Duncan asked, leaning against her wall.

Courtney picked herself up off the chair and walked over. "I love you," she said as she gave him a small hug.

Duncan kissed her head and smirked. "You, too, Princess."

Courtney let her shoulders fall as she watched him walk down the hall. Would it kill him to actually say it back for once?

(^.^)

Courtney growled at her reflection as she held a brown piece of construction paper behind her head. Why the hell can I not see what he was talking about? she snapped in her head as she slammed the paper down unto her vanity.

"Courtney, honey," her mother said from her door way. "You have been huffing and puffing all night. What's all the irritation about?"

The brunette's eyes lit up as she saw her mother. "Mom! Hold this behind my head!" she demanded, holding a piece of forest-green paper out for her.

The woman began to ask, but decided it better to let it go. She walked into the room and took hold if the paper. "Now, what am I supposed to do, again?"

"Just hold it behind me head," Courtney instructed, turning back to her reflection.

Her mother shrugged and did as she was told. "All right. What now?"

"Tell me If you notice anything about my face."

"Your face, dear?"

"Yes."

"Uhm," the woman studied her daughter's face. "Oh. Your eyes have a stronger green tint to them."

Courtney narrowed her eyes at the mirror, trying to see what her mother did. "You sure?"

"Quite," her mother said. "Hand me the other piece."

Courtney snatched the brown paper and pushed it into her mother's hand.

Her mother held it behind her head and nodded. "Just as I thought, your eyes are brought out a bit."

Courtney looked back towards her mother. "So, you're saying those two colours bring out my eyes?"

Her mother nodded and placed the papers down unto the vanity. "Yes," she kissed her daughter's head, "now, go to bed. It's well after midnight."

Courtney smiled at her mother as she headed towards her door. "Right. See you in the morning."

"Good night," he mother said as she closed her daughter's door behind her.

So, he wears a certain colour just so he can bring out my eyes...

Courtney thought back to her earlier good bye with her boyfriend. "I guess that's just how you know," she said with a soft smile.

○ Inspired by the song, "That's How You Know," by Demi Lovato.

○ I may write another chapter or two if I feel the urge to.

○ Otherwise, it'll just stay as a one-shot.

† You read, so would you please review, now.

○ Thank you.

○MMC○