The Perks Of Falling In Love

Chapter 2

“Are you from here?” He asks me and kicks a rock into the grass.

“No I was born in New Mexico then moved to Washington when I was five and we’ve stayed here ever since.” I answer.

“That’s cool.”

“How about you?” I ask him and he hesitates before answering me.

“Lived in the same house all my life.”

“Any brothers or sisters?” I ask him and he shakes his head no.

“You?” he’s still kicking rocks into the grass.

“A sister….She’s in California.”

            He leans against a pole and runs his fingers through his hair.

“What school do you go to?” I ask him and he smiles.

“I don’t go…home-schooled.”

“Do you go to parties then? Do you have friends?”

“Nope.” He answers and starts pulling at the ends of his hair. I’m sensing a pattern here.

“Well this Friday….I know this girl that’ll be throwing this party for back to hell you should come with me.”

“Back To Hell?”  He laughs with a huge grin.

“Back to school. Back to hell. Pretty much the same thing.” I laugh back at him. ”So?”

            He does some thinking before answering me. “Yeah I guess.”

“I have to get them flowers back…What’s your number?” I ask and hand him my phone.

“I call you later okay.” He smiles and I smile back before walking off

I know I can’t wait for Friday to come.

“Mom please I have to he has no friends and I’m trying to help him.” I plead even though it’s not fully true. “I will work all day tomorrow.”

“Are you driving?” She asks me and I nod my head yes.

“You’re lucky I don’t have to go in tonight.” She says and hands me the car keys.

            I smile and I hug her. I woke up about an hour ago and now it’s 5 the time I usually wake up on weekends. I texted Cooper on Thursday that I would be there at 8:30. He said his parents were really letting him go and he was surprised. He said they never let him out of the house unless he was at the hospital. I walk up the stairs to my bedroom to get ready. I start off by showering because I forgot to take one last night or morning…. I blow my hair out because I can’t leave it wet and curl it into spiral curls when it’s fully dry. I don’t take forever on my makeup because I really don’t feel like doing it. I look back at my clock on my bedside that reads 6:30. And I start digging through my closet for something to wear. I grab a black dress I stole from my mom forever ago and a pair of vans because right now is not the time for heels. After I’m all finished my clock now reads 7:30 which gives me an hour to get to Cooper.

            I walk down the steps with the car keys in hand to see my mother watching TV half asleep.

“You must really like this boy if you’re wearing a dress.” My mom laughs and I throw the pillow at her.

“Stop.” I laugh back and kiss her on the check before skipping out the house.

            His yard is huge and his house is another kind of big compared to our two bedroom town house. The flowers in his front yard bursting with color are better than the ones my mom brought from the store and pretty much threw in the pot on the front porch. I walk up the stairs to his door and knock three times.