Laconic » a.i

1.5

//ashton//

I was back to square one; keeping my mouth shut was something all too familiar to me. I liked talking and I didn't want to have to go back to the way things used to be. Well, I did in some ways, but this wasn't one of them. Why did nothing ever go my way?

I didn't talk much after Luke left. Michael tried to get me to talk to him, but I just didn't want to anymore. I didn't have anything to say to anyone except for Cooper, but there wasn't any way that she'd ever come back to me again. I could only hope Luke could convince her that I only did it for her greater good, but she was stubborn and would probably just turn the other way. That's how she was when I tried to explain to her that it wasn't my fault that I'm fucked up.

Luke showed up the next day, tugging at the ends of his hair. He brought along the girl he's been with, Emily. She was a cute girl; quiet and polite. She didn't give me strange looks even though she knew who I was. I didn't mind her.

"I'm bringing her here," Luke stated once he got introductions out of the way. When I cocked my head to the side in questioning, he clarified, "Cooper. You need to fix her."

As I was about to open my mouth to protest, Michael began talking quickly, "No, no, no, no. No way, Hemmings. She can't know that I'm here and she can't know what the psychos downstairs are doing. She'll keep coming back until she gets caught and exterminated or whatever the fuck the Ghostbuster wannabes have been calling it."

I was happy that Michael at least agreed with me. If I was the only one who didn't think this was a good idea, it would be harder to keep them away. But I knew Mike could intimidate Luke into backing out of his stupid plan. If I had to, I'd use my powers on him, but I always hated making people do things against their will.

"She needs to hear you tell her the truth," Luke insisted. "I don't care how many times she says she doesn't love you; she does. And plus, she can't talk unless you say she can. You need to fix her, Ash."

"Luke's right," Emily spoke up, stepping out from behind his left side. Her small hand was wrapped in his, "Brid- Cooper loves you despite the things she's said you've done. She cares so much for you and Michael, and it's so upsetting to see her the way she is because she's lost the two of you. Just please talk to her."

I just sighed deeply and nodded. Luke's eyes brightened and a small smile formed on Emily's face. The two disappeared quickly without another word. Michael looked over to me.

"You fucked up, Irwin."

-

//cooper//

"Let's get out!" Luke smiled as he walked through the tiny door of the tree house.

I gave him a look that I assumed was somewhere between "what the hell?" and "where did you go?" but either way, I was confused about his suggestion. Why would I want to go somewhere right now of all times? Not only did I just feel completely empty because of the emotional roller coaster I've been enduring, but it was like, 7pm. What is there to do at that time, even if I wanted to go do something?

"I won't even take Em," he told me as he knelt down in front of where I sat on the couch, "it'll just be you, me, and Cal. Sound good?"

I didn't even know where Calum had gone off to to begin with, but even if he was here, I still didn't want to go. In all honesty, I just wanted to go back to Sydney. What was the point in staying here anymore if the person we'd come to find didn't want to be found?

"You make a valid point with the Calum thing," Luke nodded, staring into my eyes, "but there is a point, okay? And if you come with me, I can prove it."