Scarred

Chapter 20.

Eliza

We get into the car and I become increasingly anxious by the minute as to the events that could potentially unfold. I understand why Cooper is angry about Theo making me cry but all I can think to myself is that he can never find out the real reason I was so upset, because I can imagine that somebody would get hurt, and I wouldn't want it to be either of them.

"Seriously, Coop, maybe we should just get a coffee or something?"

"I don't need a coffee."

"But aren't you hungover? You need something to make you feel better."

"Which is why I drank water, Eliza, stop trying to divert me from going back."

I sigh in defeat, and peer out the window at the coincidental moment that we drive past the road in which Theo used to be located on. I almost see the patch in which he slept on every night, deprived of the air that he filled it with. My thoughts become so engrossed into the time we shared our first conversation -with him being the utmost jerk - that I don't realise Cooper pulling up to the driveway of my house. I try to pull myself together before opening the door, and I can only pray that my mother is still at work because the only thing worse than Cooper confronting Theo, is Cooper confronting Theo to the attention of my mom.

We step into the house and I expect Cooper to run up the stairs in a rage of fury, but to my surprise he takes his time getting to the top of the stairs, almost as if he is trying to gather some courage. I trail closely behind him and latch onto his arm, to ensure it doesn't fly loosely onto Theo.

"I thought I already told you-" I hear Theo say from the bathroom once Cooper ruptures through the door. He walks out of the bathroom wearing the same sweats of Cooper's he was wearing the other day, and his face speaks of shock once he sees that it is not just me in the room, like he obviously expected.

"Yeah, I know what you told her and I want you to repeat it in front of me you jerk," Cooper pipes up, raising his voice.

"You-what?" Theo's face scrunches up as if he is trying to decipher what exactly is going on, but he can't.

"I said I want you to repeat it to me you jerk," he cries as he lunges forward and delivers a blow to Theo's right cheek.

"Cooper!" I shout, as I watch as Theo moves his body back, and without thinking, I almost reach in to protect him and see if he is okay. But then I remember that Cooper doesn't know, and he can't know, so I have to present loyalty to him.

"She told me you ass!" Cooper shouts, as I clasp my hand into his.

"What? No, look man I didn't mean for it to happen-"

"How can you not mean for it to happen? You know what you're doing, you know what you're saying-"

I suddenly get the realisation that Theo doesn't know what Cooper is angry about, and he probably thinks he knows about what happened between us, causing my blood to stop rushing for a moment.

"What happened between me and Eliza was a-"

"He was just being a jerk! That's all," I scream, attempting to drown out Theo's voice. He looks at me confused, and I realise that this is not the time to stop speaking. "Look, Coop, when he said that I'm just a spoilt brat who shows off my money, it hurt at the time. But now, it doesn't matter. Because I don't care what he thinks."