Laconic » a.i

4.1

//cooper//

The ride to Luke's was awkward with just me and Michael in the car. Michael was supposed to go back and pick up everyone else after he brought me to Luke's. I didn't really know what to say, not just to Michael but in general. I had to fake dead in front of my parents. Could I do that?

"You okay, Cooper?" Michael wondered, glancing at me from behind the wheel. He had one hand on the wheel and the other resting on the armrest between us. "You're really quiet."

"I just don't know how I'm supposed to face my parents." I said quietly.

He chuckled, "At least you don't have to act like you're having a mental breakdown in front of them."

I knew he was just trying to lighten the mood but it didn't help. Not only that, but was it really so hard for him to get upset over thinking that I'm actually gone? "You'll figure something out."

"You know, there are only two times I've ever freaked out really bad." he told me casually.

I looked over at him, "When?"

"After I woke up when Calum brought me back and then the night Mali-Koa killed you." he said, staring out the windshield.

"What about when Annie moved or when she started dating Marcus?" I wondered.

He just shrugged, "Those weren't huge deals, I guess. I mean, I could still see her if she moved and I knew she'd have to move on eventually. But when I woke up I was so confused and frustrated and- I felt like how you felt when you found out Jeremy told your parents. I couldn't see mine anymore because they knew about the crash. Then with you, you're one of my best friends, Cooper. I didn't want you to be gone and I was scared because Mali did all of that and it just- It was scary, okay."

That sparked an idea, "What if Calum listened to Ashton and didn't bring me back?"

"Don't talk like that, Cooper." Michael said sharply.

"What if I was just six feet under like everyone else?" I continued. "I don't think any of this would've happened anyway. Sure, we'd probably still be having a funeral but Ashton wouldn't have run off with Mali-Koa-"

"Bridgette, seriously." he said a little louder.

I realized I wasn't making him upset -- well, I was but angry-upset, not sad-upset. I had to get him thinking about me dying because I'd never seen him cry except then.

"Stop the car!" I shouted, pressing my hands to the dashboard.

Michael slammed on the breaks and stared at me like I was crazy, "What?"

The stop sign that Michael first brought me to was just in front of us, "Turn left."

"What, why?"

"Do it."

He grumbled something under his breath before continuing to the intersection and turning left like I told him. There wasn't anything down here but it probably looped around to a main road. I told him to stop the car again and I opened the door.

"Hit me with the car." I told him as I got out.

He grabbed my wrist and yanked me back in, "I'm sorry, what the fuck is wrong with you?"

"You got upset when I was dying so maybe if it looks like I'm dead again, you'll be able to go to my parents and-"

"You're crazy.'" he stated with a harsh laugh.

"But it'll work," I told him. "Don't hit me enough to kill me again, just to like, knock me out. I'll wake up a few seconds after anyway. But it'll put a fresh image in your head."