Forsaking Lilly

Chapter Twenty

" It's a half day today," Cooper yawned, his arm draped across the back of my seat. For once, he wasn't his chippy, grinning, happy self. His eyes were red and puffy, his hair tousled around his head in a messy way. He looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep at all last night, which would make two of us. After that dream I had, I'd stayed up all night feeling sick to my stomach and trying hard not to vomit all over my bed.

" You look like crap," I mumbled, leaning my head against the window of the truck. Giving a lazy smile and a low chuckle, he parked the truck in the parking lot and rolled his head over to look at me.

" You don't look that fresh either, buttercup." I laughed as he stuck his tongue out at me and reached over to smack him in the forehead, a sleepy smile of my own plastered on my face.

" Shuddup, slob. Come around and open the door for me, please." I felt far too lazy to reach over and pull the lever to push the door open, so I figured that I'd compensate by making him do the work for me. He glared at me a while, trying to show me his displeasure, but when I poked him in the cheek he gave in.

" Fine, want me to carry you too," he asked me, waggling his brows. I giggled, my hand flying straight to my heart.

" Oh, you're ever so kind," I said in a sweet southern bell-like voice. " If it wouldn't be a bother, I'd like for you to carry me all the way to the door. Ya know, to keep my achey feet from a-breaking." I batted my eyelashes, just for a sickingly sweet effect. He scoffed at me then, pushing his door open and sliding out. I watched him with a grin as he puffed up his chest and walked around the truck like a charming cowboy.

I watched him pull open my door and squealed in laughter as he scooped me up, pulling me from the car and spinning us both in circles. " I reckon you've made this the happiest day of my life lil' lady, and I thank you from the bottoms of my here heart," he said with the accent of a southern gentlemen. I was beaming full-watt by this time, my stomach-ache long forgotten. He spun me around like that for a while, both of laughing like fools, until someone decided to clear their throats.

" Ahem!" Cooper put me down in a hurry, both of us swaying in dizziness. After a minute of swooning around like idiots, our visions focused on little Mrs.Notten. I almost laughed as I realized that her plump little head was quivering furiously, her neck fat jiggling with it. Beside me, Cooper snickered too, which made me crack a wide, toothy, grin. " I will have none of that on school campus," she snapped, her eyes large and very round.

" Yes ma'am," we both snorted out, trying to hold back our laughter.

" Very well then," she said and then she went wobbling up towards the school doors. When she left, we exploded in laughter.

Eadie wasn't at school that day, which made confronting her a little hard. I didn't worry about it though, instead I focused on having a good day. Just like Cooper had said, the day had been a half day. Corrie had told me it was because the teachers were having a meeting or something, but I could care less. A half day was a half day, and it was meant to be enjoyed no matter the reason.

After Health, Cooper talked me into going with him to his locker to get a few things. Normally, I would have told him no and just went to the car, but I didn't feel like being troublesome. I'd had a bad day, and a bad night yesterday, and I should have been allowed to enjoy my day today.

" I'm just gonna see if my Government book's in here and then we can go," he said as we walked there. I nodded an okay and just focused on walking with him. We'd just gotten to his locker when someone tapped me on my shoulder, seeking my attention. I turned around and found Corrie standing there, rocking back and forth on her heels.