twenty-five | first draft

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The sound of Cooper's vomit rising up his throat is unpleasant, to say the least

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The sound of Cooper's vomit rising up his throat is unpleasant, to say the least. Brandon reaches for the remote, turning the television up to block out the sound as best as he can. Ellie sits impatiently, twiddling her thumbs together as she waits for the sick boy to emerge from the bathroom.

"Hey, Coop," she says, leaning back in her seat so he can hear her better.

She's met with another gag before he's coughing and pushing the bathroom door open to look at her. He sits pathetically on the ground, wiping at his mouth before sending her a tired smile. "Yeah?"

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do to help?"

"No. I'm okay. I think I just drank too much last night." His eyes look past her, meeting Brandon's. "Thank God you don't live in a dorm with a communal bathroom. This would've been much more disgusting."

"You're welcome, dude," Brandon says with a laugh. "Are you sure you don't want a water or something?"

He reaches up towards the sink, grabbing a glass of water and holding it out to show them. "I've already got it covered."

"Maybe we shouldn't go to Vancouver," Ellie says, biting down on her lip as she tries to think through the situation logically. "I mean you're obviously not feeling very well. It probably wouldn't be very good for you to spend an entire day walking around the city."

"Fuck that. We're going to Vancouver."

He pushes the door shut slightly, leaning back over the porcelain bowl and spilling what little remains in his stomach into it. Ellie sighs, leaning her head back and staring up at the ceiling. "I don't know, Cooper."

The toilet flushes and he's peaking his head back out, slumping back against the sink. "I'm fine, El. I just drank too much. I'm already feeling way better."

"You stopped your treatment," she deadpans, not willing to play dumb to his avoidance of the subject.

"We're going to Canada," he says, pushing himself off the ground. "I've never been and I'll never have another chance to go. We're right by the border. We're going. Don't fight me on this."

She stares back at him, focusing on the dark bags under his eyes before looking to the layer of sweat that lines his forehead. He looks anything but fine, and yet he won't budge. She continues staring at him, somehow trying to express her concern for him through her gaze but only being met with a stubbornness in his own eyes.

"Rent a wheelchair," Brandon suddenly says, looking up from his phone to look at the couple. He turns the device so they can see the screen. "There are places in Vancouver where you can rent a wheelchair for the day. You can still see the city."

Cooper scoffs. "I don't need a wheelchair."

"Don't be so prideful, dickhead," Brandon says, fixing him with a glare. "Do you really want to exert yourself and pass out in the streets of Canada? You really want to do that to Ellie? Don't be a dumbass, Cooper."

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