RISKY BUSINESS

Chapter 5

MARCH,
LAVEROUNE STREET, THE COOPER RESIDENCE
b r o o k l y n l e s l i e c o o p e r
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For some odd reason, I'd woken up with the idea to document my morning routine, and even what I did throughout my day. So I did just that. I recorded myself wash my face, brush my teeth, choose my outfit, posing in my full-length mirror, receiving breakfast from my mother and eating it. Then I proceeded on to record myself watching Iron Man, drawing in my sketchbook and listening to my favourite playlist, which was called 'I love this playlist more than I love pizza, and that's something '.

I was currently texting Morgan, who wanted to go to the local park near my house for some reason.

I'm on my way to your house. I'm forcing you to come be a childish teenage girl with me. You've got no choice.

I sighed and put my phone down in defeat, but went over to my closet and slipped my black and white vans on anyway.

The whole day I'd been thinking back over what my father had said, and it was bugging me. Why couldn't I stop thinking about love?

It then occurred to me that I hadn't recorded my current thoughts on my project, so I set my phone up in its usual selfie-like position and sat on my floor before pressing record.

I waved at the camera before speaking. "What my dad said made me think— love? I've never even been on a date before, or had my first kiss. How could I suddenly find love and display it for a school project? Was Mrs.P hinting that I needed to get a boyfriend? Or was it something else? My mind is driving me crazy right now, because all I can think about is love. I've never liked or loved someone, but my quote seems so close to being about love that I feel forced to think of the emotion all the time. It's so confusing, though. Why would my school project be about love? Who would want to see it anyway?" I then received a text from Morgan saying she was here and stopped recording to head downstairs to greet her at the front door.

We were sitting on a seesaw that we barely fit on, and I was telling Morgan how I'd decided to vlog my morning. She then widened her eyes and gasped. "Ooh! Let's vlog our playdate the the park, how cute would that be for your film?" I couldn't say no. Who didn't want to watch two teenage girls acting like children at a park we barely fit into?

We spent the rest of our time at the park volgging and looking like idiots, but we didn't care, we were having fun.

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Morgan had received a text from Luke, who had invited the two of us over to his place to hangout. At first I declined because I didn't want to third wheel with them, but then Morgan assured me that there would be others at Luke's house. Apparently he was having a small get-together with his friends.

However, when we got there, Luke's get-together only consisted of the three of us and my neighbour, Calum Hood.

Figures.

Morgan had to grab onto my arm and hold me back from turning to leave through the front door. "Brooklyn, no! Look, I'm sorry— I just want to spend the day with you and I knew you wouldn't come if you knew he'd be here. Just stick with me and he won't bother you, okay?" I sighed, but nodded and said okay. As long as I stuck by her side I knew he wouldn't bother me. Hopefully.

While the boys were busy versing each other at Fifa on Luke's PS4 and acted like children as they yelled and hollered, Morgan and I were discussing a topic much more serious.

"Do you . . .love Luke?" I had quietly asked her after turning my back to the boys.

At my question, Morgan looked over my shoulder and at her boyfriend, a smile instantly lit up on her face. "Not yet, but he's making it hard not to."