Approximately 2 Years [×Lunch Club×]

I-Instagram?

By the time Schlatt showed up to pick up him and Carson, Cooper was sweating, taking deep, shaky breaths. “You look like you’re about to shit yourself, dude,” Carson said, rousing Cooper from his thoughts. He shook his head. “I’ll shit in your mouth, Carson, I swear.” Carson cringed and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, okay.”

They got in the car, Carson and Cooper in the back, Schlatt driving up front. Cooper was staring at his hands, cold and clammy as he rubbed them until they were red. Carson pretended not to notice, until Cooper stopped suddenly, his leg starting to shake as he pulled out his phone hastily. “You alright?” He asked, leaning over in the back seat so Schlatt couldn’t hear him. He looked down at Cooper’s phone in his hand just as a teardrop landed on the screen. Carson grabbed Cooper’s hand, noticing how cold it was and re-realizing how much he was shaking. “Cooper?” At the sound of his name, Cooper took another shaky breath and let his tears flow silently. Schlatt heard Cooper’s strained breath and pulled over, having been worried for a while now. “Cooper, I need to know you’re okay before I keep driving. Your vibe’s been off,” He joked, but when Schlatt turned around to look at Cooper, his eyes widened.

Cooper’s face was red and the tears streaming down his face made his eyes glisten. His eyes were locked on his screen. He was shaking so bad. “Hey. Cooper?” Carson asked, noticing how shallow Cooper’s breath had become. “Cooper, I need you to breathe. Just try to breathe, okay? We’re here for you, and we aren’t going anywhere until we know you’re okay again. Please just breathe.”

‘Travis, breathe. It’s okay, Travis. I’m here.’ ‘That doesn’t matter! They aren’t, Cooper! Th-they aren’t here!’ ‘I know, Trav. I just need you to calm do-’ ‘Calm down? M-my family is dead. I can’t ju- I c-ca-can’t. Cooper, h-help me, please. I can’t d-do this.’ 

Cooper’s head was reeling. He remembered when him and Travis met in kindergarten. Travis was hoarding all the purple markers. Then in fifth grade; when Travis was the only one to show up to Cooper’s birthday party. It was raining that day. More memories flashed by, and Cooper was just barely aware of the fact that he was hyperventilating. Their first sleepover, the first time they felt an earthquake, teaching Travis how to skate, helping each other with homework so they wouldn’t fail seventh grade. Then Travis failed, and Cooper moved onto eighth grade without him. His parents held Travis back for one more year after that, but they still had their sleepovers every weekend.                    

What triggered his anxiety attack just now, was that Travis had followed him on instagram. 

‘Why don’t you have social media?’ ‘My parents won’t let me. Also it seems like a lot of drama? I don’t know.’ ‘You should just get it anyway. I wanna be able to send you memes and shit.’ ‘Nooooo. You send me too many memes already.’ 

He turned his screen on again, to find that Travis had also sent him a message. “You coming to the party tonight?” He felt Carson’s hand in his own, and heard Schlatt’s voice in front of him. “I-” He tried to speak but he didn’t have the air to. Before he tried again, he texted Travis. “Yeah, I am… I’m omw now. How’ve you been?” “That’s good, Cooper. You’re breathing good now. This is really brave of you. You know Liam has a big house, so we can chill anywhere you want when we get there,” Carson said, motioning for Schlatt to start driving again, slowly this time.

Cooper’s voice was messed up, but he spoke anyway. “C-carson. I want- Can we get ice cream?” Carson nodded. “You heard the man, Schlatt. We’re getting ice cream.” Schlatt put on his blinker. “What am I, your uber? Your gps?” He joked. Cooper chuckled. “Rerouting headass.”