F O U R T E E N

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Eli and Elle left abruptly from the coffee shop, and I cannot be more confused. Maybe Eli heard me inviting Cooper to join us and he freaked? Elle did say he doesn't make friends easily, so maybe he was nervous to meet someone new? I honestly thought Cooper and Eli would get along. Cooper was my first friend in college, so I thought we could all be friends. I have to apologize to Eli for making him uncomfortable.

Like clockwork, fifteen minutes later the door chimes as Cooper enters Java. Across the shop he yells, "I'll get you something. I'll surprise you!"

Just like in class, people turn their heads in my direction to see who the loud guy is yelling at. The nasty looks make me push my head into my hands and pray Cooper will stop drawing attention to me. Although, I don't see that happening in the future.

"Thea? Should I be concerned?" Cooper asks.

I look up at him with my eyebrows furrowed and a slight tilt to my head. "Huh?"

Cooper sets down a coffee in front of me, then sits down in the seat in front of me where Elle was previously sitting. "Are you making up imaginary friends because I'm not spending enough time with you? Because if that's the case, I will gladly clear my schedule for your mental health." The only reason I know he's messing with me is the slight lift at the corner of his mouth.

"They're real!" I huff in annoyance. "I swear! After I hung up with you, I think he got nervous about meeting new people and he bolted."

"...He?" Cooper questions. He takes a sip of his coffee but never loses eye contact with me.

"Um... yeah. Is that a problem?" I ask. I'm confused. Why is Cooper questioning my choice in friends. Isn't he a guy?

"No, there's no problem. I just... thought you were hanging with Grayson," he says with caution. 

Cooper is being so confusing. What does me talking to Grayson have to do with me meeting a friend for coffee? And I didn't even meet Eli for coffee! He just showed up with his twin sister and we all got to talking!

"I am. But he showed up with his sister and there were no tables so I said they could sit with me," I explain to him. With my answer, Cooper visibly relaxes. His shoulders, which were tight and raised, slumped in relief while his hand flew to his chest.

"Whew! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Cooper let out a big sigh, then took a huge gulp of coffee.

"Why?"

"Oh... Um... I'm really set on you and Grayson," Cooper explains. "I thought you may have been on a date just now. Grayson would not have been happy."

My eyebrows rise up instantly and if I were an animal, my ears would have perked up in interest. "How do you know Grayson wouldn't be happy?"

Cooper grins. "I live with Axel. Axel and Grayson are best friends. Everything he knows, I know. And I know that Grayson is crazy about you. Which reminds me, how was last night? Did anything happen? Did you guys do it?"

Sputtering, I attempt to shut down any of Cooper's crazy theories of the night. "Oh my gosh, no! Nothing like that!"

"You sure?" Cooper looks at me with a knowing grin. "Something must have happened. You guys were alone for the first time, right? You sure you didn't just bang it out for a real one?"

"Oh my god, please stop!" I plead with him, my hands covering my face in embarrassment. Why does Cooper always have to be so... crude?

"C'mon! Give me the juicy details! Grayson wouldn't spill anything juicy! He only talked about his feelings. Ew."

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