The Cooper Chronicles- A Dysmorphia Novella

Everybody Needs Someone

Cooper wasn't really too familiar with the emotion of love. Her Father had claimed that he loved them, it hadn't stopped his string of affairs and eventual abandonment, her friends gushed on about how much they loved her, but that was all superficial. And the guys who frequented her life certainly didn't love her, she used them just as much as they used her, in the hopes that one day she would feel something.

Following Chase Roberts into the garden Cooper wondered how he had probably known Florence for the shortest amount of time but seemed so defensive of her, she couldn't help the knot of jealousy in her stomach because only Florence would have a near stranger so invested in her welfare. Cooper often thought if she had been born without her pretty face she would've been despised by her peers, she wouldn't have been able to put her bitter personality into a pretty package like she did now. Here she was envying Florence who had almost killed herself not eating.

They reached a bench in the garden, it was a beautiful garden and again it struck her that Oakwood Clinic didn't look like the place of nightmares she had imagined it to be full of stern faces and restrained patients. She had never actually considered trying to make her Mother go somewhere like rehab where she could get professional help for her addiction and now wondered why. There were spots appearing on the side of her vision and she was scared that if she didn't sit down she might collapse, Cooper hurriedly took a seat without being prompted. Chase sat down beside her.

"I know you probably don't think much of me, nobody really thinks much of me who actually knows what I'm like, but I promise I haven't come here as anything except a concerned friend, nobody even knows I'm here and it's going to stay that was, I've caused Florence enough pain and would never want to add to what she's already going through, I think I know her better than most so I would love to help you however I can. It won't make up for what I've done, but she deserves to get better."

Chase sighed, she could tell he felt like he was speaking against his better judgement and wondered if Florence ever mentioned her name in passing or whether she had been grouped with all of the other people who had let her friend down. 

"Florence came here over a month ago and I honestly didn't know how to help her. I've been working here since I left school... on a kind of placement." Up close, Cooper observed that Chase looked exhausted, his eyes were darkened by what was probably lack of sleep.

"The head doctor here, Levi" he continued "he thought that if Florence had someone closer to her age to talk to that she would be more likely to confide in them, I thought it would never work. But somehow it's starting to, she opens up to me alot more now and I think I'm getting somewhere, she's even started to eat again, really small amounts but it's alot better than when she first arrived" Chase seemed like he had been wanting to speak about this for a while, she could tell he really did care and it gave her some hope.

Cooper felt like a massive weight had just been lifted off of her shoulders, her heart felt full. Here she had been expecting to hear the worst, that Florence was just a bag of bones and was refusing any help, right now she felt more proud of her than she ever had. She wanted to hug her, to see her and tell her that none of it mattered anymore, she wanted to open up to someone and let them know that she wasn't okay. But for now it was enough to know that Florence was okay, it was more than enough, and Chase seemed to be a far better friend than she had ever been, judging by the look on his face whenever he spoke about Florence she thought maybe they were more than friends. She almost smiled at the irony of it all, everyone who had bullied Florence had wanted Chase yet here she was clearly with a place in his heart.

"I'm so glad, that's all I wanted to hear" she replied, and smiled a genuine smile.

He still looked concerned, like he needed to tell her something else and Cooper was confused it seemed like Florence was heading in the right direction.

Chase turned so that he was facing her directly.

"Cooper, you were her best friend and for now things are looking more positive, but something you have to realise is that while I'm around I'll do everything I can to help her, what's happened to Florence runs really deep and it's not something that can change overnight. Now isn't the best time to see her but I'm trying to make it so that she's okay around other people again." he closed his eyes in seeming frustration and she felt alert now, the haze she had been in when she sat down had dissapeared because he wasn't making sense, he had seemed so assured of himself, like he had everything under control.

"If there..." he hesitated.

"If there's ever a time where I can't be there for Florence I need you to make sure that she's okay. You want to make it up to her, I can see it in your eyes and your guilt speaks volumes. I need you to put aside all of these petty labels and this high school drama that won't exist in a year and just be there for her as her friend because she's going to need it."

She felt scared, this wasn't going well.

"Why wouldn't you be there for her?" she asked, her heart pounding. 

"Clearly you care about her and I'm not good at what you seem to be good at, I can't fix people or help people... I'm a coward" she trailed off.

"I can't explain why but I need you to believe in yourself, if you care about someone enough you find the strength to do what you have to do what needs to be done."

Cooper saw Florence in all her different forms, the constant friend, the girl who had been there for her without her ever even asking. She thought about how lost she had been without her, and how much she needed her in her life. Chase was telling her something with his eyes, in a matter of months the two of them had formed a bond, probably intensified by the fact that it was all in a hospital. And maybe this could be her purpose, the reason why she tried to help herself because she would love to be one of those selfless people who lived for others, and who deserved it more?

"If she loves you, she's going to be broken" she said without even realising she had said it out loud.

He closed his eyes as if the words had caused him physical pain, she knew that it was true then, of course Florence would give away her heart when it had already been broken. She watched as the tear fell down his cheek gracefully and was in slight awe of it, people really did love so wholeheartedly when in the end it caused them immeasurable grief.

"I'll do it" she said.

"I'll be there for her and I'll be better. Whatever is happening with you, you don't have to tell me but if you want to you can. But I promise you no matter whether you can or can't I'll be the person she needs me to be."

Chase opened his eyes again, he seemed to overcome with emotion. It dug at her heart, Florence deserved to be happy, she deserved him and to get better and live a life free of sadness and she knew without even knowing how that this story wasn't going to get a happy ending. She never wept for herself anymore, but she was close to it now.

"Thank you" he said simply, staring up at the sky, he didn't answer her question about what was really going on and she felt slight relief at that, sometimes it was better to not know even though you had a feeling you knew anyway.

"I might need you to do me a favour though..." she said slightly cringing at the fact that she was going to have to be the one to expose her secrets now.

He looked at her questioningly.

"I have a drug problem, and I'm probably going to need some help getting off."

That was the first time she'd admitted it aloud, she expected more of a shocked reaction from him but he fixed her with that piercing gaze.

"Alright then."