Laconic » a.i

1.0

//ashton//

"Anything?" Annie wondered, sliding what definitely were glasses on my face.

"How the fuck are glasses going to make him un-blind?" Sabrina wondered, the slap of skin on skin following afterward. I would've known what it was from if I could see.

"He looks cute, though," Annie noted with a tiny giggle. "Um, we can fix this, right?"

"Probably," Rebecca assumed. "I mean, if it was a gift, it- Oh my God, Mali-Koa!"

"What?" Mali's worried voice rang out beside me.

"Remember that girl we resurrected and you saved the gift?" she spoke quickly. "What if that's what it is? It's throwing off the balance!"

-

//Cooper//

"And then we went to this mall and we went into this photo booth and we-"

"We've been to a mall before." Calum chuckled at how excited Emily was over going out.

"I know, but I haven't done anything normal in so long!" she sighed happily, flopping back onto the pillows and blankets that were still laid out on the floor.

"How long are we talking?" Jeremy quizzed.

She counted on her fingers before saying, "About a month."

Luke scoffed and got this cocky look on his face, "Sweetheart," he began in a deeper voice. I rolled my eyes, trying to stifle a chuckle. "Try a year."

Emily sat up and stared wondrously at him, "How do you survive?"

"He doesn't," Calum giggled at his own stupid joke. When no one laughed, he looked around at us. "Get it? Because...he's...no?"

"Please spare us." Jeremy begged.

Jeremy had an arm flung around my shoulders. They'd already wondered where Michael went, and when I didn't say anything, they looked to Calum. He quietly explained that Michael was upset that everyone was ignoring his input on not going to Annie's because he didn't want to, so he went to go clear his head and be alone. He knew we had to find Ashton and Mali-Koa, but he just wasn't ready to face Annie yet.

I realized I was spacing out and staring over at Calum. He yawned, so I yawned back. It made me realize how drained I actually was.

He gave a smile, "I think it's bedtime for those who sleep."

Jeremy was given the potion to sleep but he said he wasn't tired, meaning it would just be Calum and I.

Emily gave a bored expression before looking to Luke and Jeremy, "Do you want to go do something?"

"With you two?" Jeremy scoffed, standing up. "No. That was incredibly awkward and I might kill myself again if I have to be stuck with you two alone for another minute."

Luke just shrugged with a smirk on his face, "Whatever, man."

He stood with Emily and they exited the tree house, not saying where they were going or when they would be back. But I knew Luke would keep themselves safe. Jeremy stood and decided he was going to go walk around the neighborhood. He bent to give me a kiss on the head before leaving too.

"Alright, you can take the couch." Calum breathed once everyone was gone.

I shook my head, hugging my knees to my chest. I was tired, but I didn't want to sleep. I didn't like being in this tree house, especially without everyone else. Although I trusted Calum with my life, I wasn't used to feeling this alone.

"Cooper, please don't- Hey, are you okay?" Calum changed once he'd looked down at me. He bent and wiped a thumb across my face, making me realize I was crying. "Cooper, it's okay. What are you crying for?"

I closed my eyes and shook my head with a shrug. I didn't even know why I was crying. Maybe because we were stuck in a place we didn't know trying to find a boy we might never see again; maybe because I felt like a bitch for ignoring how Michael felt; maybe because everyone was left and I felt alone. I was crying about something, I just couldn't figure out what.

Calum brought me onto the couch and laid down on it, pulling me down so I sat on top of him. He kissed my head and rested his chin on my shoulder, "It's alright, Cooper. Everything will be okay. I promise."

-

I felt something on my face, but realized it wasn't just a tickle or something. As I began to be pulled out of sleep, I realized someone was rubbing my face with their thumb or something. My eyes fluttered open to make out a familiar outline. Michael.

I realized I was still laying on Calum. His arms were loosely snaked around my waist, my arms resting on top of his. Our feet stretched out down the tiny couch, and his snoring filled my ear. I must've been a pretty heavy sleeper if that didn't wake me up.

"Come with me." Michael instructed before standing and walking to the door. 

I yawned and stretched before wiggling out of Calum's arms and dropping soundlessly on the floor. I stood and walked to the open door, shutting it quietly behind me. Michael stood on the tiny deck and stared off into the woods. 

"I'm sorry for leaving like that," he began. "It was inconsiderate of me. I guess I just panicked because I'm scared to face Annie again."

I just nodded and he stared at me, his eyebrows pulling together, "You're not going to say anything?"

Honestly, I had nothing to say. What was I supposed to say to him; what was he expecting from me? I just shrugged and sighed, resting my elbows on the railing and putting my chin in my hands. Michael did the same.

"I just want to know if you forgive me, Cooper." he told me, tilting his head in my direction.

I hummed and nodded. He nodded too before looking off into the woods again. We stayed like that for a few minutes, staring at nothing and saying nothing. I felt like something was off about him. He wasn't as relaxed as he usually was, but he wasn't saying anything.

"Bridgette." he said my first name softly, catching my attention.

Once I looked his way, he turned, pulling me to him as and holding me to his chest securely, his chin resting on the top of my head. I just let my eyes close as he held me for a few moments in the silence of the night.

I could feel the vibration in his chest when he spoke. "I can't stay here."

I couldn't even open my eyes then. I knew if I did, tears would just brim my eyes and spill over. Michael was leaving me too? Did he know what that was doing to me?

"Why?" I choked out.

"I can't say," he said sheepishly as he slightly decreased the space between us so I could slide down, "but it's not safe for you if I stick around. It's not safe for any of you. I'm sorry."

I nodded slowly, trying to understand this was apparently best for me. But that didn't mean it didn't hurt still.

"I always knew you were something else, Cooper," he admitted with a slight smile. "You're a real piece of work, and I love that about you. I care about you a lot, okay? And I know I always will."

"I care about you too." I told him quietly.

"Goodbye, Cooper." he said before slowly vanishing until my hands were just hanging in the empty air.

I let them fall to my sides. "Goodbye."