Because of that Night (Book 2)

Chapter 34: Zooey

As the final days of soccer camp came to a close, Zooey dreaded having to return back to Borne. Though UConn was close by, it was her first taste of independence she had in her life, and it felt good. With how things had been recently, Zooey couldn't wait to have Borne be in her rearview, and it made her envious of the senior class who had just graduated and were headed off to college at summer's end.

It was the first time Zooey had actually wanted the summer to go by quickly. The fear she had of possibly running into Hunter whenever she left the house was getting old. She had been doing her best to avoid him thus far, even heading home early before the conclusion of every baseball game that season so that she wouldn't have to face him. The most she had said to him since the night of the stoplight party was congratulations. Once was when the baseball team took home the district championship, and the second was after Borne High's graduation ceremony. Each time felt excruciating. It wasn't even that she was heartbroken over him not feeling the same way about her anymore, she just missed how things used to be. Hunter had been one of her longest friendships; treating him as though he were nothing but an acquaintance was foreign and depressing.

It had made her all the more thankful for her soccer clinic that jumpstarted right as school ended. But those two weeks came and went in a flash, and suddenly she was right back in her father's car once again. Borne's sparkling coastlines whipped by in the familiar way they always had. Nothing had changed at home while she was gone, including and especially her relationships. One that she was glad had remained the same was her relationship with Lila.

Her phone began to ring as soon as Zooey had dropped her bags into her room back home.

"Ice cream?" Lila's voice asked as she picked up.

There was no hello, no welcome back, or asking about how the camp had been. Zooey didn't care, she knew the immediate question just meant that Lila wasn't interested in small talk. She missed her best friend and wanted to see her as soon as possible, and the feeling was mutual.

"Yes," Zooey responded with a smile, snapping a baseball cap onto her head. She didn't care that she could really use a shower before heading out to see Lila.

"I'll be there in a few," Lila said, and the line went dead.

Zooey did a little unpacking before her phone chirped again, letting her know that Lila was there. She called out to her parents that she would be back later, not even awaiting a response. Everyone at home had been surprisingly lackadaisical with her arrival back home. The whole mood of the house seemed low, and for once, Zooey decided to be selfish; she wouldn't work to make the mood in the house better like she normally tried to do.

She bounded down the apartment complex steps and Lila met her at the bottom, wrapping her arms around her as they both squealed in excitement to be back together again. They gushed about how much they missed each other as they trotted over to where Lila's car was parked. Instinctively Zooey looked up the street to where the Cooper house sat silently. There was no movement, but she could see that some of the lights were on.

She suddenly felt a wave of melancholy wash over her, thinking back to nights when she was younger and would stay over for dinner at the Cooper household. Mrs. Cooper was an incredible cook, always putting such time and focus into each meal she created. Zooey's mouth watered at the thought of some of the delicious meals Mrs. Cooper had served in the past. She hadn't thought about how many aspects of life Mrs. Cooper affected when it came to the Cooper men. The Cooper men's eyes did not just hang lower with sorrow now, but their bodies had also grown thinner than before. She had always chided them to eat more than they needed, forcing second helpings and extravagant desserts she had whipped up just casually as though it were no big deal. Zooey remembered Hunter and Michael groaning, trying to reject the continuous plates she put in front of them.