Silence » a.i

3.2

I tried my best to stay away from Ashton. Without my parents knowing, I slept in Jeremy's room since Ashton didn't have a place to go. I also hid the presents he got me in the box under my bed so I wouldn't have to look them.

I went to school regularly. Calum would wait for me in Luke's driveway until I got ready. Then I'd sneak out of the house if my parents were home and run across the street to where I kept my car parked. Then I'd drop him off if he wanted me to before parking back at Luke's and hiding back out at my parents' place.

"Luke misses you," Michael said after I walked in through the door after school one day. I tossed my keys on the counter and just looked at him tiredly. "You're his best friend, you know. He got really attatched to you."

"But he lives there now," I told him. I tried to avoid saying Ashton's name because it just helped with the whole "don't think about him or talk about him" thing I was trying to go for. It helped forget, I guess, "therefore, I cannot go."

"You haven't been over there in a month," Michael sighed, crossing his arms, "and he'd leave for a while if you'd ask him to."

"And go where?" I asked.

"Why do you feel so bad for him?" he quizzed, raising an eyebrow

"So what if I do?" I shrugged.

"It would mean you kind of care." he smirked.

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not!"

"Do too, Cooper," he chuckled. "Look, I understand. You were in lo-"

"Shut up!" I yelled, covering his mouth with my hand. "I don't want to talk about him, okay? And about Luke, I text him and call him-"

"He needs physical interaction, shit-for-brains," Michael stated. "He can't go back to scaring people because you live there now and everyone would think you're batshit crazy. I mean, at least he's looking out for you, but I think he's going to go crazy."

I groaned, throwing my head in my hands, "I'll go over and see him. Just make sure he's gone, got it?"

Michael saluted, "Yes, ma'am," before disappearing.

Ever since Calum made it so Jeremy could eat and sleep, all he's been doing is sleeping. Being a ghost was either really tiring or just incredibly boring -- I assumed the latter since it wasn't actually necessary for them to sleep. I didn't bother waking him up to tell him I'd be leaving. He'd probably assume I was off with Michael anyway. So I just grabbed my keys from the counter where I'd placed them and headed across the street. I knocked first, afraid I'd walk in and see him.

"Welcome home." Michael smiled, his sunglasses on his head. "Luke's in the living-"

"Cooper!" his excited shout came from the living room, but he was in front of me in a flash. He went to hug me, but realized I was standing just outside the door. "Hurry and get in here!"

I giggled at him, stepping through the door. Once I was in, he wrapped his arms around my waist, picking me up and spinning me in a circle, "Thank you, God if you're out there! I've missed you, Cooper!" he set me down and looked at me seriously. "I understand your little problem, but you cant just desert me like that. And it's not even fair! Mikey gets to see you everyday!"

After being around Michael so much, I was starting to become much closer to him. He still made sarcastic remarks, but they were less frequent. I feel like he was warming up to me too. His tough guy facade was starting to fade. I even got him to tell me about his old girlfriend, Annie.

"Sorry, Luke." I smiled apologetically.

"I can't stay mad at you," he shrugged. "I can't really afford to, anyway. You're the only girl I've talked to since I died, so."

We went into the living room and caught up on stuff. Luke had been living with Ashton since I walked out. Luke also slipped up and told me about how him, Ashton, and Michael would hang out while I was at school. Michael then went on to throw my brother under the bus, saying he let Ashton go over there sometimes too.

"Has he...said anything about me?" I asked slowly, glancing around the room.

"Every day." Luke stated, laughing slightly about it.

"Why do you care, Cooper?" Michael wondered, shaking his head.

"Because she loves him." Luke said bluntly, squinting at me.

"Hey!" I whined, holding my hands to my head. "Stop picking apart my thoughts!"

"You're upset he's killed people, but your life sucks without him," Luke continued, ignoring me. "You haven't slept right since you left. You can't focus in school and he's all you think about. You're thinking about him right now."

"Only because you're talking about him." I grumbled.

"Face it, Cooper, you need him." Luke smirked, knowing he was right. He crossed his arms and leaned back.

"It's just-"

The lights went out for maybe five seconds, the entire room in darkness. I assumed the blinds were shut since none of the afternoon light was shining through. When they turned back on, Luke and Michael were slouched in their seats, their eyes shut and their breathing slow and heavy. I quickly got up, trying to shake them awake.

"Luke!" I shouted. "Michael! Get up!"

When that didn't work, I ran for the door. Someone caught me around my waist, holding their other hand to my mouth before I could scream. Without a word, the person bashed my head into the wall by the door with such a force that I was knocked unconscious.