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“Bash. You creepy mother fucker. How do you know what I’m thinking all the damn time, man? And seriously, you’re six-foot fucking six. You’ve got to weigh two hundred and fifty pounds.”
Bash laughs. He knows what I’m about to say because we all say it all the time.
“How the fuck do you manage to sneak up on all of us? Seriously man. You need to walk louder or wear a God damn bell around your neck or something.”
“Walk louder? How do I walk louder?
“I don’t know, but you’ve got to figure it out. It’s fucking creepy.” Turning back to look out at the ocean, I lean down with my arms resting on the wet railing. “How are things in there?”
Sighing deeply, Bash folds his arms across his chest. “Cooper hasn’t let her go yet. I think he is trying to convince himself that she’s alright. There’s a whole lot of whispering going on between them. Maybe it’s a twin thing. They seem like they’re in their own world. Made me feel like I was watching something private.”
“Do you think he’s going to call the cops?”
“Who? Cooper?”
“Don’t be fucking dense, man. Darby. Do you think Darby is going to call the cops? I think this could get a whole lot worse for him and everyone involved, you and I included.”
“No. He’s not stupid. He knows who my family is. He’s not calling the cops. I sent my brother a text just in case he did, though. He told me not to worry about it. It’s taken care of.”
“Like... how taken care of?”
“Shut the fuck up, asshole. Not like that. My brother Sammy’s just gonna make a few calls. Make sure he can handle the situation if the cops get a call. You know he has connections everywhere.”
“You two love birds about done out here?” Murphy walks over to us and kicks Bash’s foot, always the jokester.
“Shut the fuck up, Murph. I was trying to give Cooper and Nat some space.” I glare at him.
His face sobers. “Yeah, me too. They are still talking, and Chloe and Tiffany have decided it’s their job to clean the mess up. They’re on Solo cup patrol. Tiffany asked Chloe for a trash bag and just started at it. I swear, man, it’s like an invasion of the body snatchers. We’ve known this girl for years. Have you ever seen her like this? She’s almost normal.”
I think about that for a second. “She wasn’t bad when we were in middle school. She didn’t get crazy until high school. But she’s been good to have here tonight. She seems to genuinely want to help Natalie. So, I’ve got her back.”
Both guys agree.
Turning around, I look at these guys, who have been my best friends and teammates my entire life. We’ve been through so much together and have so much coming still. Bash, and I already signed our letters of intent for the same Division 1 college last spring. Murphy has had interest from them but hasn’t signed anything yet. It’s always been the three of us, and in a matter of one year, we’ve added Cooper and now Natalie. Chloe has started to hang around more, and who knows whether Tiffany will stick or not? It feels like everything changed tonight somehow.
Time to face it.
Steeling my back, I blow out a breath.
“Alright, guys, let’s go find out what she wants to do.”
17
Natalie
Cooper’s strong arms are banded around me so tightly, I think he is trying to physically hold me together. Still, I’ve decided I am strong enough to hold myself together. If I am going to shatter the glass box that my family likes to keep me in, it needs to start here and now.
I pull back to try to gauge the emotions rolling across Coop’s eyes.
My eyes.
We are not identical twins, but looking into his round, pale blue eyes, I feel like I am looking into a mirror, our eyes are exact matches.
They look stormier now than I have ever seen before.
Breaking free, I take Cooper’s hand and take a seat on the couch. He drops to his knees in front of me. “Cooper. I promise. I am not hurt. I was scared more than anything, but I’m okay. I swear to God, I would tell you if I weren’t.”
Everyone has left us alone in the room for the time being. Grabbing both of my hands in his, his eyes well up with unshed tears. “Are you sure you don’t want to call the cops, Nattie? Or Dad? Are you sure we don’t need to go to the hospital to get you checked out?
