Make a Wish || Rhett and Link

Chapter 61 - Friends

***** Cooper's Point of View *****

I was really lucky that I only had to stay one night in hospital. Dr Anderson took a few scans, and thankfully, decided that I was okay to go home.

So here I was, another day at Mythical Entertainment, keeping my eyes peeled outside the window for when Ruben would show up to skate. I was excited to see him again, but then I also had to explain why I'd been gone for a week and a half rather than 3 days like I was originally.

Link chuckled slightly. "Looking for your boyfriend?"

I went 10 shades of red. "H-He's not my boyfriend."

Link shrugged. "You'd be cute together."

"Wow."

"It's true."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "We're just friends, Link."

"Maybe now, but in the future..."

I tossed a pillow at him. He laughed and placed it down on his chair. "But seriously Coop, when are you planning on telling him?"

"Telling him what?" I whispered unsurely.

"You know what?"

I sighed slightly and slouched down in my chair. "I don't know if I can, Link. I mean... how can you tell someone that your whole life is a lie?"

"I think he'd understand when you explained." Link shrugged. "From what you've told me, he seems like a reasonable person."

"Yeah..." I sighed. "It's just hard. And I don't want him to abandon me."

"Why would you think that?"

"Well, that's what all my other friends did."

"Ruben isn't like that, though."

"That's what I thought about the others." I sighed. "Especially Abby. You know how you and Rhett were best friends since the first grade?"

Link nodded.

"Abby and I were friends since preschool. We did everything together. And My Mom was friends with her Mom, and my sister was friends with her brother, so we hung out all the time. There was hardly ever a time when we weren't together. And she stuck with me at the beginning, mostly because her Mom made her, but when my parents died, I don't know, I haven't seen her since."

Link frowned.

"I miss her, sometimes. Is that stupid? That's probably stupid."

"Not stupid at all."

I sniffled slightly and just ended the conversation there, until I saw Ruben come into the skate park. I grabbed my board and raced down the stairs, before skating over to him.

"Coops! You're back!"

I chuckled. "Yeah..."

"You were gone for ages!"

"I know, my Uncle had to extend the stay because of some work he had to do."

"Oh, that's cool." Ruben shrugged.

"Been working on anything cool?" I asked, kicking my board up into my hand.

"Not much. Still going on the full cab."

"Oh, sweet. Let's skate."

We practiced and skated for a while, before Ruben handed me a piece of paper. "Do you remember when that weird guy came up to us from that skate place and told us about that competition?"

"Yeah?"

"They're having this competition in two weeks, and there's like a couples competition..." he chuckled awkwardly. "And I thought maybe we could enter."

"Sounds awesome!" I grinned. "I'll have to ask Rhett, but I'd love to."

He giggled. "Cool."

We practiced for a while longer until Ruben had to go home.

"Hey, why don't you come with me?"

"Um... can I quickly ring Rhett?"

Ruben nodded. I dialed Rhett's number and held it to my ear.

"Hey Super-Cooper."

"Hey Rhett. Ruben's invited me to his house for a little bit, is it okay if I go?"

"I don't know..."

"Please?! He lives super close and I won't be gone long!"

Rhett sighed. "Okay. Text me the address though, so I know where you are."
"You're the best." I smiled. "See you later."

I followed Ruben on my board to a classic suburban home, which kinda looked like my old house. I brushed it off and texted Rhett the address, before following Ruben inside.

"Oh, hello Cooper." His mother smiled. "How are you?"

"I'm good." I smiled. "How are you?"

"Well." She assured. "You just got Ruben out of doing his math sheet so he better thank you."

Ruben chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Mom..."

"Well, it's true. Here, take your grandfather his lunch." She passed Ruben a tray of food. "I believe he's in the lounge."

I followed Ruben through to the lounge. An older man was lying on the sofa bed, snoring lightly. Ruben shook him awake. "Here, Grandpa, I brought you lunch."

He woke up with a snort. "O-Oh, thanks."

"No problems." Ruben smiled. "How are you feeling?"

Hang on, what did he mean by that?

"O-Oh, I'm okay." The man murmured. "Who's this?"

Ruben took my hand. "This is Cooper. She's the one I was telling you about, the one I skate with."
He smiled at me, and held a hand out for me to shake. I couldn't help but notice the hospital band, and still tried to force a smile.

"Well, she certainly is as pretty as you said." He chuckled.

I went 10 shades of red.

Ruben smiled. "She is. We'll be up in my room if you need us."

He waved goodbye to us as Ruben led me up the stairs to his room. It was a typical teenage boy's room, with a few skateboard posters lining the walls. And a weird poster of the alphabet which looked like it belonged in an elementary school classroom.

"So... this is me." Ruben sat down on his bed. "Welcome."

"Cool." I smiled, sitting on the desk chair. "It's pretty."

"Sorry about Grandpa... he's just been a bit out of it since the chemotherapy."

I froze. "H-Huh?"

"Brain cancer." Ruben sighed, flopping back onto the bed. "Stage 2."

A sick feeling started churning in my stomach.

"O-Oh..."

"He's okay though... maybe... I don't know. Mom says he has about a 50% chance of making it. He's a great guy though, and he's great to talk to when I don't want to do my reading. And he's kinda been a father since Dad died when I was 10."

"That's.... Cool... I guess..."

"Are you okay Coops? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Y-Yeah..." I stammered.

He talked a bit more about skateboarding, but I couldn't get the thought of his grandfather out of my head.

"Promise?"

I couldn't help it, I broke down in tears. Ruben frowned and immediately ran to my side. "Did I say something?!"

"N-No..." I whispered. "I-I, I just..."

"Just what?"

"I-I can't d-do this." I whispered. "R-Ruben, I-I lied to y-you."