Prison Escape

Chapter 5: Good

Chapter 5

"Then the dog came and it barked at me!" Liza tells us as she skips happily down the side walk that goes through the park. Her eyes shining in the light with pure joy.

"That's great, Liza," Cooper laughs beside me. He had brought us to a small park that I have never seen before. It's small, so there are not many people around. Since my mom died, I've always had walls built around me. Liza on the other hand is the most trusting person I've ever met. Cooper seems like her.

"Cassie! Look! It's a playground, with a slide and everything!" She informs me as she runs off towards the black play area. Off in the corner of my eye I see a small park bench, so I walk over there with Cooper following me.

"Cassandra. Caaaaaaaaaaaasandra. Sandra. Sandra Dee. Sandy." Cooper rambles on as he plops down next to me.

"You make me feel like I should be a hurricane or a blonde," I say through my laughter.

"Well in that case..." he says as he stands up. He looks around to see there are not many people around. Then he grabs my hands and pulls me to my feet. Then he begins to belt out a song, "Look at me I'm Sandra Dee! Lousy with virgi-"

But I cut off his musical number before the next word can get out. Laughing as I try to talk some sense into him, "Cooper there are children around!"

"So?" his voice slightly distorted as he talks through me hand.

"You don't need to be screaming virginity," I say hissed voice.

"Ok, I won't scream virginity," he says I drop my hand form his mouth. At that moment I turn to sit down. Then I hear a quiet song coming from behind me, "Stranded at the drive in...branded a fool. What will they say Monday at school," and then I feel arms wrap around my middle and pick me up off the ground. Two seconds later my eyes are closed I am spinning around in midair.

"SANDY! CAN'T YOU SEE? I'M IN MISERY! MADE A START...NOW WE'RE APART! THERE'S NOTHING LEFT FOR ME! LOVE HAS FLOWN, ALL ALONE! I SIT I WONDER..." then I'm back on my feet. Just to look down to see Cooper has thrown himself onto the ground. Just as I think his musical number is done he opens his voice again in a whisper, "I sit, I wonder...WHY-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y YOU LEFT ME...OH CASSANDRIE!"

"You need mental help," I tell him as he stays on the ground. He looks up at me and smiles at me.

"You just seem like you need a laugh." He informs me.

It's funny how right he was. I can't remember the last time I laughed as hard as I am now.

"Who are you?!" I ask through my laughter.

"I'm just a guy who enjoys musical theater."

"That explains so-"

"And no. I'm not gay," he says seriously.

"I wasn't-"

"Yes you were. But it's ok. I've been doing theater since I was 8 years old," he tells me as he takes a seat next to me, "What's your story?"

I instantly lose all the color from my face. "Um, I don't really have one..."

He just laughs at that, "Sandy, everyone has a story."

"Well, I don't."

I looked up for my locked stare on the ground into his emerald green eyes. I could see little specks of brown, and a thin line of brown around his iris. "Do you wear contacts?" I ask him curiously.

"No," he laughs at me, "What? Are you hitting on me?" He asks with a playful look in his eyes.

"No," I say with a smile, "You wish," I say as I playfully hit his face.

I look towards Liza, she was chasing something. It looked like a butterfly, but it was to small to tell. She smiled as she chased after it. Hopping up now and then trying to reach it. Her arms stretching towards it as she tried to get it.

"Who are you?" I ask again.

"I'm Cooper Rent. I live in an apartment that is ok, a bit small, but I like it. I am a video game reviewer, but I only do it so I have enough money to go see a new Tony nomine whenever I want to. I am new to this part of New York. I have lived in Albany since I was 14 years old after my parents got divorced. I have two sisters, twins, Gabbi and Rania. I'm 21 years old. I recently got accepted to NYDA. That's basically it..."

"Wow. You're very trusting," I say to him, turning my attention back to him.

"Well, I need to be if we're going to be friends," he tells me as he falls off the bench and rolls on the grass. Probably getting grass stains on his jeans. We puts his arms behind his head and looks up into the bare winter trees.

"I guess," I say to him.

"Well we should. It's two weeks until Christmas, and I don't want to spend it alone."

"I don't think we will." I say as I stand up and call Liza over. It's almost one and the bus right is at least thirty minutes.

"We have to go, Cassie? Why?" Liza asks me, as I explain to her we begin to walk away. I yell a quick goodbye to Cooper.

"Wait!" Cooper exclaims as he grabs my wrist, "Take my number. Call me sometime."

"Cooper," I said looking down at Liza, "I have someone...he wouldn't like this."

"He wouldn't like you having friends?" He asks me, dumbfounded by the idea.

"No." Liza answers for me. Even she knows this.

"Here, just take my number," he says as he pulls out a paper from his wallet. Upon closer examination I see it was a business card.

"It was nice meeting you, Cooper," I say as I grab Liza hand and we begin to walk towards the bus stop. Then I feel her hand release mine, I turn just soon enough to see her run up to Cooper and clutch onto him for a hug.

"Bye, Mr. Cooper," she says to him as she lets him go.

"Goodbye, Liza," he says to her.

We walk for ten minutes until we get to the bus stop. We sit for about five minutes then the bus appears.

"I like him," Liza says next to me.

"Me too," I reply.

"Too bad we can never see him every again," Liza says sadly next to me. I feel a sad smile find its way onto my face.

"Me too," I says once again, "but it would be best if we never talk about Mr. Cooper, ok?"

"I know, Cassie." And with that she turned back to the window and watched as the world flashed by us.

As I sat there looking at her. Today was an amazing time. But mostly I'm happy for Liza. Finally she gets to see some of the world that isn't enclosed by a television screen. Today was good.