The Other Cooper |Fangs Fogarty|

Chapter One

I forced myself out of bed as my alarm went off. I stood for a moment and looked around as if the room was new to me. I shook my head to clear it and reached for my phone. My cheeks flushed at the one message I saw. It wasn't anything special. Just the normal things he'd send, but anything from him made me like this. I forced my eyes away from the picture of his face and tossed my phone on my bed. Don't think about him. It isn't going to help anything.

I toss my closet open and grab a black t-shirt. I toss off the one I wore to sleep and pulled the black one on. I changed out of  my sweat pants and pulled on a pair of dark jeans. I looked into my mirror and winked at myself jokingly. 

I grabbed my Serpent jacket and stuffed in my bag. I can't wear it at school, but sure as hell can't leave it here. What my mother would do to me if she found it. Well, I'd rather never take the risk of finding out what she'll do. I run down the stairs, avoiding anyone who would try and talk to me. I walk the two blocks I have to to get to my bike.

I don't bother wearing the helmet as I drive to school. Why would I? If I die, I die. No big deal. I'm not suicidal or anything, I just really don't care about living or dying.

I park a block away from the school. I know for a fact that my tires will get slashed if I park to close and I really can't afford to replace them again. I walk inside and make my way swiftly to my locker. I toss my bag in and then head to the student lounge. I see Jasmin and sit next to her. "I fucking hate the dress code now. Where the hell does it say that I can't wear a leather jacket or show my tattoo," I complain and she shrugs.

"Because this is the Northside where you can't show any sign of difference because Heaven forbid that anyone isn't one hundred percent perfect," she says and I could feel Reggie giving us the stink eye. 

"Hey Serpent fag. What's it like being a bitch for all those other men," Reggie snarls. Jasmin and I look at each other and roll our eyes.

"I don't know Mantle. What's it like sniffing jockstraps in the locker room because you can't get none," I ask and Jasmin snickers. Everyone else in the room looked between us and then continue their normal business.

"Sometimes I wonder how your alive," Jasmin whispers.

"Same here," I whisper before getting picked up and slammed into a wall. I force the thoughts that are creeping into my head disappear. That is clearly not what's happening here me. Just stop thinking like that. 

"Don't try anything or else I'll fuck you up," Jasmin growls and Reggie backed away from me slowly.

"You know you didn't have to save me," I said, but I was slightly happy. In the state I'd been in, I wouldn't have been able to get him off me. At least not right away. 

"Just because your a Southside Serpent, doesn't mean you're the toughest person here," Jasmin says and I chuckle.

"Why does Reggie get scared by you again," I ask. Something always stopped him when she came around. 

"He grabbed my ass once and I beat him so bad, he was in the hospital for weeks and he couldn't do anything because he touched me there," she says and I smile. Ah. Of course.

"I'd hate to be the guy who breaks your heart," I say before we head to our first period class.

...

I followed Jasmin out for lunch. We had to figure everything out about that damn project for choir and drama. We chose Heathers because we both love Heathers. Then we ended up talking about Serpents and then Fangs name got mentioned. 

Of course she'd figured me out. I mean I'm not the best at hiding things, but I'd been trying so hard with this one. "Unless you like him," she said and I sighed. Thinking about him and everything that I'd do to him if I got the shot. I mean yes I'd... You know what? Let's not talk about that.

"Bingo," I whispered and she tackled me. 

"Jughead was right," she yelled victoriously.

"Get back to Heathers. Name off who's who," I said, wanting this damn conversation off me and Fangs. She went through who the cast should be and I agreed with her until I saw her reaction to Jug being JD.

"Wait. You like Jug," I said and her cheeks became a dark shade of red. "Fucking knew it," I said and it was true. She always seemed to have her eyes on him when he was in the room and when he'd transferred out, she'd seemed a little different. 

"Don't tell anyone," she whispered and I smiled. Of course I wouldn't but might as well save my ass at the same time.

"As long as you don't tell anybody about my feelings for Fangs," I say and she nods in agreement. 

We talked more about what we'd do for the musical. At some point though I kinda got lost in my own thoughts. Thinking about Fangs and how I felt around him. 

She asked a few questions and I answered honestly. At least mostly. I told her that I'd never felt loved. That I hadn't really loved, but there was one. One time I fully fell for someone. Someone that I couldn't be with because it's my life. That damn asshole. Why had it been him?

We made plans for me to sleep over at her house. I didn't want to be home. Not with Chic there. He was just plain creepy. The bell rang and we headed inside, Fangs and that other boy on my mind, like they would be for the rest of the day.