Page 278 of Something Rad
“Robbie, I have lots of savings. You’re not understanding–”
“No, Cooper.You’renot understanding apparently. So much so that I’m concerned.”
“What do you mean?” she whines.
“Cooper,” I say, blowing out a frustrated breath and meeting her eyes, “all of those savings were saved foryou. To go to NYU.”
“I–”
I don’t let her interrupt me, barrelling on. “They’re for your housing and living expenses. For your food. For your entertainment. For everything that you need to live the next four years to your fullest while you are in school. While you’re in your screenwriting program. While you’re creating art. While you’re doing what you’ve been dreaming of all this time.”
Cooper swallows hard, her eyes spilling over with tears. “But I don't need… I don’t have to–”
“Yes, you do, Cooper. And you will.”
She shakes her head, complete desperation written all over her face. “I can reapply next year. If you won’t let me bail you out, at least let me wait for you. NYU will still be there. I can figure it out.”
I lean forward, pressing my hand against the glass separating us. “Cooper…” I whisper, “it’s everything you’ve worked for. It means everything to you.”
“No,” she says, choking out a sob. “Robbie,youmean everything to me.”
I straighten in my seat as Cooper cries, and when my hand falls away from the glass, she looks up at me, a confused expression on her face. I grind my teeth together, my jaw flexing as I look off to the side.
“Robbie?”
I shake my head, my pulse pounding too hard in my ears for me to think straight.
“Talk to me, Goose,” she pleads.
My head snaps in her direction. “Cooper, come on. Just stop it,” I demand, standing up from my chair and raking a hand roughly through my hair.
Cooper stands up too, a shocked look on her face as she tucks the phone to her ear. “Stop what?”
“Being ridiculous,” I tell her.
She opens her mouth, then closes it, her brows pinching. “Excuse me?”
“I mean, come on, what did you really think was gonna happen here?” I question her, throwing my hand out to the side. “That you and I would get together in the last couple months of high school and that we’d just stay together forever? That’s it?Happily ever after?”
She doesn’t say anything, but the look in her eyes and slump of her shoulders tells me that maybe that was exactly what she was thinking.
I tilt my head at her, shaking it. “C’mon, Cooper,” I beg. “Iknowyour imagination is bigger than that. I know your dreams are at least.”
She rears back. “Why are you being like this? Why are you trying to act like what we’ve had isn’t real?”
“Baby,trust me, it’s been real. It’s about as real between us as it gets. But…” I trail off, biting down on my shaky bottom lip, determined to keep it together. “That doesn’t mean it’s meant to last.”
Cooper flinches, grabbing her chest as if she’s just been shot, her eyes narrowing on me. “Are you just trying to hurt me?”
“Cooper, I’m trying tosaveyou. From me.”
She catches me off guard, barking out a laugh. “Well, I wish you would’ve thought of that a little sooner. Because it’s too late, Robbie. I’m too far gone. You’re already my–”
“Don’t youdaresay I’m your everything again.”
“Why not?”
“Because that’s exactly the problem!” I fume. “Don’t you understand? I can’t be your everything becauseeverythingis waiting for you out there!” I shove my finger towards the door leading outside. The one that’s on her side of the glass. The one that I can’t get to. “Cooper, I’m only gonna hold you back.”
