Confiding in You ϟ a.i.

Chapter 6

For the next week, I keep my distance from my brother and his friends. I have a feeling that Luke isn't about to just drop the whole joke he seems to have so intricately planned and isn't going to leave me alone about it, so I'm going to have stay away from him as much as possible.

Most of my time is spent getting all of my school work done. It doesn't take as long as I thought it would, and I'm nearly done with just a week to spare. I only have an essay left to write, which shouldn't be that hard but is definitely something I wouldn't mind procrastinating on.

It's the last Monday of the summer and I have absolutely nothing to do, if I'm deciding not to do any more school work. I consider maybe just getting that out of the way, but then what could I do? I've never been one to just waste my time on the computer and every book I own was read when I spent all of my time alone in my room in California.

What did I used to do here in Ohio? I used to have friends who actually did things. But I thought I hated them and I cut them all off once I left. And there's no way I'm just going to act like nothing happened and call them up. I'm not even sure I have their numbers anymore.

All the rest of my time was spent studying or listening to music and feeling sorry for myself, both of which I definitely don't feel like doing. Gosh, my life surely was boring. Or should I say is boring.

I could get more books, I guess. I'm just not sure if my mom would give me money for it, or if the drivers license I got in California applied in Ohio. I decide not too think too much about it and actually do something for once. Without thinking any further, I stand off my bed, leaving an imprint from the amount of time I spent on it this past week, and grab a jacket from my closet.

"Mom, can I use your car to go to the outdoor mall at Crocker Park?" I ask, not waiting until I make it down the stairs. Out of all the time I've been here, I've only seen her leave her paperwork or baking in the kitchen once, so I'm sure she's there.

"Your brother can take you," she smiles up at me from mixing what I assume to be cake batter. Cooper and I both sigh at once.  I look over to see him sitting on the couch in the living room, playing his stupid video game that he probably spent as much time doing this week as I did working on my summer reading. 

"I've spent enough time with Maddie to last my entire lifetime," he says without looking up, muttering a few swear words after his speaking causes him to mess up or something.

"Cooper!" My mother scolds, putting her spoon down and stomping over to the doorway in between the kitchen and the living room, "Take your sister to the mall."

"I'm eighteen, you can't make me do shit," His voice is strained as he moves his body to the side, as if that's going to make his character do the same.

"I can go by myself," I assure her, but she shakes her head. I guess she went from one extreme to the other when it came to caring about me. I almost start to argue with her that I can take care of myself, but decide against it. At least she's caring. And plus, I realize that I really don't know the area as well as I thought I did. At least not enough to drive a half hour out to the only bookstore in town and not get lost 12 times.

"Cooper, you haven't seen your sister in 3 years," my mom lets out a breath, "Please, just take her. It will be fun."

He pauses his game and stands up abruptly. "When will this whole bonding thing be over," he mumbles, pushing me to the side in order to go upstairs. Hopefully he will be getting changed -- I don't think he has all week, judging by how much he smells when he nears me.  I roll my eyes and turn back to my mom.

"Can I have some money for books?"

"Of course," She scurries around the counter in the kitchen and over to the table, where her purse sits. She hands me a twenty dollar bill with a smile, and when I turn back around, Cooper is already waiting for me impatiently by the door. He did change, at least.