We Make Them Go Ooh-Rah

Chapter 10: That's Her?

When I got to class Kirsty stood there. "What did she want?" She asked as we walked to class.

"She wants me to skip a grade." I sigh walked into the room. Kirsty ran after me.

"She what?!" She asked in a whisper as the teacher walked in.

"She wants me to skip to 12th grade." I sighed doodling on my folder.

"Holy crap is all I can say." She whispered leaning back in her chair.

"You got no idea." I sighed rubbing my face. The classes till lunch dragged. I just didn't feel right, after that nightmare.

"Come on we are going to talk about you skipping a grade at lunch." Kirsty said pulling my arm.

"Sorry, but Cooper is taking me out for lunch." That stopped her in her tracks.

"Cooper is taking you out. Cooper, as in the Cooper who broke your heart?" I nod weakly. "Are you insane!?!" She almost yelled.

"Probably, but it just feels right Kirsty. Ask him, it was the deal." I sigh. She looked at me.

"Okay, fair. But are you all right?" She asked rubbing my shoulder. I shrugged.

"I don't know." I shrugged. Cooper came walking down the hall talking to Jesse intently.   When he saw me he stopped and walked over.

"You ready?" He asked. I looked at Kirsty as she examined his black eye and smiled.

"Yeah let's go." I smiled weakly. He rapped his arm around my shoulders as I rapped my arm around his waist. We walked out as Jesse kissed Kirsty.

"Is it just me or does it look like Cooper hasn't slept in a while?" She asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Yeah he does, but so does Grace." He sighed kissing her forehead and they walked to the lunch room. Cooper pulled up to the dinner and turned off the truck.

"Come on, lunch a waits." We got out of the car and walked into the dinner.

"Cooper is that you?" A high pitch voice called.

"Oh no." He said under his breath pulling me closer to him. "Hello Vicky."  He said in disgust. I looked at him as this girl walked up. She had fake blonde hair, fake because you can see her natural brown hair line, with her make-up all cracked around her lips and eyes. All I can say is EW.

"Baby who's this?" She said chomping on her gum. She looked at me in disgust.

"She is my girlfriend. Now if you will excuse us." He started to pull us to our table.

"Are you cheating on!?!" She screeched.  I flinched and Cooper held me tighter, as I held his hands.

"We are done; we have been for a long time. I can't be cheating on someone I am not with! Go away Vicky." He said not even looking at her. If looks could kill, I would be dead. I cringed into Cooper as he walked to our table.

"Ignore her. I'm sorry. I should have known she would be here."  He sighed putting his head in his hands.

"Was she the girl you kissed?" I whispered. He nodded his head not looking up. The waitress came and took our orders. Cooper rubbed his face before looking up at me.

"What's wrong?" He asked as I sat there twirling my straw around in my drink.

"Just a night mare I have been having." I sighed. He slid out of his booth and slid in next to me wrapping his arms around me.

"Tell me what is making you so sad." He said barring his head on my shoulder. "What was your nightmare about?" He whispered in my ear.

"I was in a dark car. Everything was black. It was me, and Kirsty. I could tell she was crying, but every time I asked what was wrong she just sobbed harder. When the car stopped the place was full of family, friends, Marines. Everyone kept telling me there were sorry till Kirsty pulled me to the front. I saw," I stopped as the food came. My heart was racing just remembering what I dreamt. "I saw my dad and Connor, and Jesse lying in coffins in dress blues.  They ju-just laid there; pale white and ice cold. Then the bag pipers went off. 'How could this happen!?!' I yelled. My Mom looked at me and said 'It's your fault. You don't remember? You killed them!' She screamed. But it was only me who heard her. Then it started, the drums, the horns, the people all crying, there Platoon buddies telling stories about them. Then they handed me the folded flag. The white gloves met mine, as the cool texture of the fabrics slid under my finger tips.

"I woke up then in my dad's house to a knock on the door. When I walked to open the door a saw flowers every were saying, 'I'm sorry for your losses' on them. When I opened the door there were two police officers standing there. 'Your Uncle Charlie is dead, because of you.' Was all they said before they both left. After that everything went black. I lost my whole family. Nothing mattered anymore." I stopped and looked down at my full plate with disgust as my stomach hurt. A tear rolled down my cheek. Cooper pulled me into his chest and rubbed my back.

"It's okay baby." I looked up at him with my tears still rolling silently down my cheeks. "Don't worry Baby, I'm here." He whispered rocking me back and forth.

"You promise?" I sniffled. He smiled.

"I promise." He kissed my head. He looked down at me and kissed me. "I love you." He whispered. I watched his eyes as he stared at me.

"DO you really mean that Cooper?" I asked wiping my eyes on the back of my hands. A cold breeze came through the dinner making be shiver in my long sleeve shirt.  I left my hoodie in my locker. Cooper shrugged his hoodie off and wrapped it around my shoulders.

"Of course I mean that. I love you so much. Since the moment I saw you I have loved you." He kissed me again.

"Good because I love you too." I laughed the talk about my dream forgotten from my mind...