Page 60 of Something Rad
“Butyou,” I say, pointing at Cooper. “Everyone takes you seriously. Nobody wants to be friends with you, but–”
“Excuse me?” she scoffs. “I have friends.”
“You havefriend,” I correct her. “As inonefriend.”
“That is not true,” Cooper retorts.
“Your mom doesn’t count.”
Cooper looks at me incredulously. “You know, I’m so glad I heard you out,” she says. “Can you leave now?” She walks for her bedroom door, clearly trying to motion me out of it.
“Listen, Cooper, I’m not trying to offend you–”
She spins around in the doorway suddenly to face me, almost making me run directly into her. “Yeah, well, you’re doing a really crappy job of it,” she says.
“Listen, please. I– I think we can use each other.”
Cooper says nothing, her shoulders rising and falling with her irritated breathing. I find my eyes trailing down her figure, from those unexplainable eyes of hers, to her plaid skirt, and lastly to her old white Keds. When my gaze returns to her face, her cheeks appear much pinker and her lips are twisted into a frown of disgust.
“I’m not sleeping with you,” she says.
I bark out a laugh. “I didn’t say anything about that. And besides,youwere the one dirty talking to me when I showed up here.”
Cooper cheeks flush deeper. “Okay,no. I thought you were–”
“Really, Cooper, it’s okay. I’m flattered. But I’d prefer for Hank to stay intact. So we don’t need to talk about it any further.” She tilts her head at me in confusion (and more disgust), and I motion downwards. “Something tells me you wouldn’t be too kind to him.”
Cooper’s face falls flat. “Did youseriouslyname your junkHank?”
I shrug.
“Well, you just tell Hank that there’s not a fat chance in hell–”
“We’re getting off track here, Cooper,” I say.
“I wonder why,” she huffs, throwing her hands in the air.
“As I wastryingto say,” I continue. “I think…that you and I…” I motion my finger between the two of us. “We have something to offer each other.”
“I don’t do drugs, Robbie.”
“Jesus Christ, Cooper.” I fist my hands in my hair. “Socially, we have something to offer each other.” Her shoulders relax, the look of irritation on her face melting into something else. “For our mutual benefit.”
Cooper glances away, crossing her arms. She shakes her head before looking back at me. “I don't know where you’re going with this. But get there. Fast.”
I roll my lips into my mouth, my pulse pounding in my ears. I’m halfway to just forgetting the idea all together.
God, she’s infuriating.
My hands tighten into fists at my sides.
But you need her.
I force my hands to relax, my fingers uncurling.
Dammit.
I let Cooper’s face come back into focus.
