Chapter Sixteen

The next day was Wednesday, by this point the senior class was relegated to watching movies in class and signing year books. When Coop received his he burst out laughing.

Danielle was on the yearbook committee and had called him months back, saying she needed a picture of him for the yearbook. When he said he'd take one with his camera phone she'd gone hysteric, saying that they needed a full body high quality photo so they could photo-shop him into the class picture.

He thought it was ridiculous but he'd paid to have his picture taken by an actual photographer after Danielle had pleaded with him. Even resorting to fake crying over the fact that he wouldn't even be in the senior yearbook.

When she handed him his copy she looked like the Cheshire cat. He opened it up and started scanning. Nothing stood out to him until he flipped past the text section and saw the volleyball team.

None of the girls were missing, but there was an extra person among them, him. Next to Danielle on the bleachers there was a life size, meaning 6'3 cardboard cut-out of him. He looked up at her incredulously laughing, she nodded down at the book. "Keep going."

He opened it back up and scoured it, he was in every group picture. Sometimes he was front and center, others he was hidden in the background like Waldo. She had even had them add a photo of his cut-out to his own personal class photo rather than the photo not found he'd been saddled with the last two years.

When he looked back at her she had a smile of contentment adorning her face. "See, you were here the whole time."

He shook his head and opened and closed his mouth several times. "Please tell me you burned this thing afterwards!"

Danielle's smile turned mischievous. "I'm not sure what happened to it, maybe one of your new groupies took it home and sleeps with it now." It certainly wasn't taking up space in the attic of her house, that's for sure.

Coop shivered, his skin crawling. "That's great, thanks for that imagery. Just so you know if I have a stalker she's guaranteed to view you as a threat and come after you now."

Danielle smirked. "Good, she should be threatened."

She was playing fast and loose now. But last night had been for lack of a better word, wonderful. They had hung out, she'd told the people working there that he was her man, and she'd gotten to hold him.

It was the kind of stuff she'd imagined doing almost as long as he'd been gone. Coop was about to question her on that when one of her friends popped up wanting to exchange books for signing. By the time she was done he was signing a teammate's and then it was too late to bring up.

They spent the day with old friends, talking about antics they'd gotten up to. Danielle smiled as she recounted the bus breaking down during one of her games out of town. How her and the girls had to walk three miles in their uniforms in the cold and still managed to beat the other team.

He saw how she brightened up and he was conflicted. Knowing that she had fun and made memories without him made him happy as well. But then there was the insecurity that he would be replaced. That he wasn't vital to anyone's happiness, especially hers.

What he didn't know was that she'd been miserable before that game. She had called him that day and he hadn't picked up. She'd really needed his encouragement as the team they were up against had beaten them the last two times they'd gone head to head.

It had also been a few months since he'd left and she still couldn't get over the fact that he was so far away. The match ended up going to a tie break set. She had been playing fine, but her gloominess was setting in and she felt her motivation fading.

During a break one of her teammates pointed out her phone had gone off and she grabbed it out of her bag. There was a video message from Coop, she instantly pressed play. He was standing on a boat dock, absolutely filthy.

"Hey Dany, sorry I didn't see your call, my dad had me out on the temporary rig and things got…"

He pulled the phone back to show he was completely covered in grime and dirt.

"…a little hairy. But I'm back on land now and I have a message for you from me and all the guys from joint venture offshore rig Excelsior."

He brought the phone in close and whispered. "That's not the actual name but I think it sounds cooler."

He turned the phone and several men were visible, all roughneck types, some Japanese and a few Americans in a similar state to Coop. The men proceeded to perform a hastily thrown together and poorly choreographed dance while they sang some song she didn't recognize.

She laughed as a tear rolled down her cheek. When they were done they looked at the camera and clapped. Some of them even uttered words of encouragement like "Go Danielle!" or "Yea Dany!".

Finally the camera swung back around and Coop's smiling face was looking at her, it was like an arrow to her heart.

"Sorry, it's hard to teach a bunch of middle aged men to dance in unison while riding back to shore on a cramped helicopter." He paused real quick as he turned, his camera picking up the ocean behind him. "Anyways what are you doing staring at your phone, go kick some ass, later gator!"

A goddess of destruction strolled back out onto the court. Danielle's position was opposite hitter. Her main job was to block the other team's primary scorer and be counted on to set up shots, as well as trying to score herself. 

Once she came back out, the other team only managed to score a single point the rest of the night. On the drive back home that night Danielle decided Coop and her were meant to be together. No matter what had happened before she would make it right.

* * *

After school they had a few events out on the sports field, Coop was busy on his phone at one point. Too long for Danielle's taste so she snatched it and peeked at the screen. He was on the checkout screen for a furniture and home goods store near the loft.

She handed it back to him. "What's all that?"

He took it and finished the order. He smiled awkwardly as he put away his phone.

"It's stuff for the loft, I'm gonna wait to start moving stuff until after graduation, but at least this way I'll be able to stay over if it gets too late. I'm meeting the delivery guys Saturday morning."

Danielle brushed her hair away from her face due to the wind. "Cool, well I can come help you set up stuff if you want, after the spa."

Coop looked out at the events going on. "Tell you what, you come hang out and I'll buy dinner."

Coop took a sip of soda, Danielle looked out at everything going on as well. "Sweet." After a short pause she said. "It's a date."

She ran out joining the kids dancing and kicking balls around before he could respond. He choked while swallowing, coughing for several seconds before looking out at the crowd. Danielle was dancing in a circle with some other girls, laughing without a care in the world.

Why did she have to make things so hard on him? It was one thing to not return his feelings, but did she have to mock them like that? He reminded himself she probably wasn't doing it on purpose. 

He just had to make it until graduation, after that he was sure she'd get busy with her family and friends. He'd have the excuse of moving and living further away so that he wouldn't have to see her every day. 

He closed his eyes, hating that things had to be this way. He wanted nothing more than to run out there, grab her and tell her all over again he loved her and that they should be together.

But he didn't trouble other people with his feelings, though he had always been able to do so with her before. Also one rejection from her was more than enough in a lifetime.

So this was what needed to happen, otherwise he'd slip up and say something he shouldn't. Or he'd convince himself all of her teasing meant something. This way they'd stay friends and he'd have the space he needed to stay sane. 

After everything was over they drove home. The reminiscing had started an endless torrent of stories, ones experienced together and apart.

Eventually Danielle changed the subject. "Are you busy tonight?"

Coop shook his head. "No, I figured I'd just veg out, order a pizza. Do you have plans?"

She didn't take her eyes off the road as she answered. "Yeah, my dad wanted me to go to dinner with him."

She didn't talk about her dad much after the divorce. She still saw him regularly but there was no denying his infidelity and the subsequent destruction of their family had done irrevocable damage to their relationship.

Coop turned to look at her. "How are things between you guys?"

Danielle shrugged. "He's around, but it's like there's this elephant in the room we're constantly not talking about and we can't ever be totally comfortable with each other."

As she stopped talking she realized she was describing things between her and Coop now.

He realized it as well, taking a second before skirting around the subject. "So that good, huh?"

Danielle smirked humorlessly. "Yeah, I get that he's still trying to be a good dad. But I don't think I'll ever be able to see him like I did before. He was my hero growing up."

"That sucks, I just wish I could see my dad be happy again." She looked at him then. Coop continued. "Sometimes I look at him and he just seems empty, like every once in a while it's too much and he has to let it really sink in that she's still gone. Then he forces on a happy face and keeps going."

She really looked at him then, letting his words sink in.

"But I think it's taught me that it's easier for people sometimes to just turn their back on the things they can't accept and just pretend like everything's alright. Fake it until you make it."

She thought back on the people they'd spoken too since he got back. How Coop seemed so confident and sure of himself. Had he just been pretending to be okay all this time, trying to bury how he really felt?

He spoke again, taking back her attention. "If you don't get enough to eat, you can stop by, I'll save a couple of pieces of pineapple and bacon pizza."

Danielle mimicked vomiting, laughing and shaking her head. "That is literally a crime against humanity, I can't believe you really just said that. Ham and Pineapple?"

Coop wagged his finger at her. "No, I said bacon and pineapple, and it's on Polynesian sauce, not marinara. Also they slice the pineapple real thin so it isn't in huge chunks, it actually gets a little charred in the oven. That way the juice cooks off so it doesn't work its way into the cheese, oh it's so good!"

Have you ever seen how Homer Simpson looks when he's salivating over something edible? That was the face that Cooper wore as he talked about his guilty pleasure. She shook her head and slapped his chest so he'd stop making that face.

"That's slightly better but still." Another pause as she beamed from ear to ear. "I'll call you when I'm on my way home."

* * *

She called Coop as soon as she got into her car after the restaurant. He didn't answer, so she started home. She called another time when she was halfway but still no answer. When she pulled into her driveway she looked over at his house but saw no light on up in his room.

When she got out she started walking up to the side door of her house, glancing at his back door and kitchen. That was when she saw the door was open to his family's garage. She looked at her house, and then decided to go over and check for him instead.

As she got near the open door she heard cursing. When she got to the door she saw why. Cooper was fighting a losing battle against several stacks of boxes. She put her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle, but he heard it anyway. He glanced her way, doing a double take when he noticed the outfit she had on.

She had on a pin-tuck top, looking largely like a very comfortable dress shirt. The pants were pedal pushers, jeans that end below the calf with a rolled cuff. She wore sandals and her hair was loose on her shoulders and back, parted down the middle. 

He smiled and let the stack he was fighting with fall to the ground. "Wow, that outfit looks great on you." He said it so matter of factly that she honestly forgot to feel self-conscious or embarrassed. Only surprised that he said it.

"Oh, thanks." She looked at the mess. "So much for vegging out huh?"

He waved his hands around. "This wasn't me, this was actually my dads organization system believe it or not. I just got out here five minutes ago. Which is odd considering his asserting how Navy guys are so stowed away. I think maybe it's because they have to make the most of the storage space they have, living in those sardine cans they call ships." He put a rye grin on his face after his little joke, but she just kept looking around, seemingly down about something.

Coop stepped forward, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "Did you get enough to eat at dinner? I got some buffalo wings and breadsticks in case you didn't want pizza."

Danielle shook her head, forcing a faint smile on her face. "I'm good for now, I had a salad."

"Right, cause salads are known for being super filling." She sat down on another box once she felt it with her hand to make sure it could handle her weight.

Coop came up next to her, crouching down so that he was at her level. "What's wrong?"

She started to shake her head, but Coop reached out and cupped her cheek. She turned to look at him and saw only understanding in his eyes. "Hey, whatever happened, I'm here."

She felt her emotions flood in then, looking like tears might spring from her eyes and she reached out for him. He came forward, placing his knee down on the ground and his arms around her. She rested her head against his shoulder and let go of the last part of her that thought maybe someday her parents might get back together.

With one hand he held the back of her head, and the other he stroked her back in small circles. After a bit she pulled back, gifting him with a sad smile.

"My dad's getting remarried." Coop moved back to crouching before her. "Turns out the girl is like twenty five, and she's pregnant."

Coop moved forward and to the side, sitting on the box directly next to hers. He grabbed her hand and squeezed, when he went to let go she held on. She placed her head on his shoulder. Again without trying he caught the scent of her hair.

"It's like he's not just replacing my mom, he's replacing me too."

He leaned his head up against hers. "That's silly, there's no replacing you."

They were both looking forward, she sniffled a bit and lifted her head. He lifted his as well and went back to sitting upright. He smiled and reached up to brush some hair away from her face.

He really looked at her before shaking his head, "Wow, I've never noticed that before."

"Noticed what?" She braced herself, feeling him looking so intently.

"You're an ugly crier."

"Hmm?" Her voice dropped at least two octaves as she uttered it.

Coop looked like he was thinking. "Well some people cry and they look like a character in a movie, eyes are a little red with one single tear coming down. Then there's the people who look like they're having an allergic reaction after snorting a spoonful of chili powder, ugly criers." 

His cherubic appearance said that he was messing with her. The look of shock on her face changed to annoyance mixed with just a little bit of playfulness.

"Why you!" She slapped his shoulder several times. He jumped up, backing away while glancing behind him to look out for boxes. He shook his head, holding his hands up.

"Not fair, I was just trying to cheer you up!"

Danielle nodded sharply, her eyes wide. "By telling me I'm ugly!"

Coop pointed at her, smiling like an ass and shaking his head from side to side. "Only when you cry, you're not crying now." He was daring her at this point.

She smiled and nodded before pouncing at him. "I'm gonna getchu."

She came at him, smiling like a mad woman. As much as he hated being tickled, it was a worthy sacrifice to put a smile back on her face. And for the record she still looked beautiful when she cried.

She tripped on something that had come down while he was trying to sort through the boxes. She reached out trying to steady herself, nudging another precariously stacked pile. Coop stepped forward, grabbing her arms to steady her as the boxes fell into him, and making him stumble. He looked behind him to make sure nothing else was gonna fall.

He turned back and saw Danielle laughing. "Serves you right."

He chuckled. They extricated themselves from the mess and walked towards the door. "You honestly could have let them hit me, I'm pretty sturdy."

Coop acted like he hadn't heard her, continuing to walk outside. She continued to wait for a response, he finally looked at her, waiting for her to exit before him.

She was watching him expectantly, he shook his head and said. "What?" 

She shook her head. "Aren't you gonna say anything?"

"Oh absolutely not, there's no way I'm touching that statement."

She leaned in slightly while turning her head, as if she hadn't heard him right. "And why's that?"

"Because even I'm not crazy enough to respond to a girl saying she looks sturdy."

She crossed her arms, tapping her foot. "But saying she looks ugly when she cries is just fine."

"That's different."

She looked at him incredulously. "How is that—."

He interrupted her. "Because no one in their right mind could ever think you were ugly." 

He laughed at the notion, while she stood there, looking off to the side. "Good answer." You could have heard a pin drop for the few seconds they stood there.

"Danielle!" Both of them turned their heads towards the door, hearing her mother call for her.

Danielle's face turned ghost white and her mouth opened. "I didn't even think about that, how am I gonna tell my mom?"

They walked outside, April was by the back door, standing with Paul. "Hey kids, come help us carry in these groceries, hmm?"

Coop looked at Danielle, making sure she wanted him to go along. She nodded and they walked over to her yard. Coop sized up Paul, out of habit rather than some macho posturing.

He was so accustomed to doing it with his sparring partners that he literally saw every person he came across as a possible opponent. Paul stood two inches taller than him. He also held more weight on his frame, but roughly the same amount of muscle as Coop.

Paul took a huge step forward, holding out his hand. "You must be the infamous Coop, how's it going, I'm Paul."

Coop extended his hand as well, wearing the customary smile he put on when meeting people. He wasn't faking so much as just playing his part. You were expected to greet people warmly unless you were a jerk or a sociopath.

That's not to say that he didn't like some people after meeting them. But before then he found he usually had to go with the flow set by other people.

He took Paul's hand and gave it a firm shake. "Nice to meet you Paul."

Paul raised his eyebrows. "That's a hell of a grip."

Coop could tell just by Paul's grip that the older man could probably crush a beer bottle in one hand if he wanted. Coop was no slouch either, having done jiu-jitsu and wrestling, even free climbing sometimes long enough he could wrench just about anyone off their feet. Paul looked him up and down. 

"Damn, you're a good looking kid, no wonder Danielle likes you so much." Coop stopped shaking his hand, but didn't let go.

Danielle let out a small squeak and April slapped Paul on the shoulder. "Paul!"

Paul looked at all of them, grimacing as he let go of Coop's hand. "Oh shoot!, was I not supposed to say that?"

Coop instantly liked the man, if only for the fact that he enjoyed teasing Danielle. Even if his assessment of her being attracted to Cooper was way off. Coop chuckled, looking at Danielle and seeing her looking down, her cheeks red.

He was about to make a joke to lighten her tension when April spoke. "So how was dinner with your father?"

Danielle looked up at that, not seeming to find the words. Finally she came in front of her mom. "Actually, can we talk inside for a second?"

April looked concerned, Paul rubbed her arm and said. "Why don't you girls head inside and chat, I think Coop and I can manage the groceries."

April smiled at him and nodded. "Thank you honey."

She got up on her tippy toes, though Paul still had to lean over to give her a peck on the lips. April took Danielle by the shoulders and they headed inside. That left Paul and Coop alone. The two of them stood there in silence for a moment before Paul spoke.

"So I don't expect you to tell me something Danielle shared with you in confidence, but on a scale of one to ten can you let me know how concerned I should be?"

Paul had lost a little bit of his playful tone. But he still gave off a warm affable vibe.

Coop thought about it and answered truthfully. "Judging off what I've seen of Ms. Stewart since being back, I think most of the work is gonna fall on her consoling Danielle."

Paul nodded, he motioned towards the trunk where the groceries were located. "Appreciate the help."

Coop nodded as well. "Sure."

The two of them managed to grab everything in one trip, luckily April left the back door cracked so they only had to nudge it open. The girls had gone into the living room and were out of view. They went about putting away everything, after they did so they stood around for a minute in silence before Paul said. "You want a beer?"

Coop started to protest before Paul waved him off, chuckling. "I'm just pulling your chain."

Coop laughed. Paul reached into the fridge and pulled out a soda. "So Danielle said you practice martial arts?"

Coop nodded. "Yeah, since age thirteen, primarily Muay Thai, Wrestling and BJJ."

Paul opened his drink and leaned back against the counter. "Damn that's a lot of training, you said primarily?"

Coop nodded, Paul held out another soda but Coop declined. "While I was in Japan, I incorporated stuff from other martial artists I trained with, not the whole concept, just aspects."

Paul nodded his head, tipping the can he held towards Coop.

"So you're doing what Bruce Lee talked about and adapting your personal style to what works for you. That's pretty impressive after five years of training."

Coop put his hands behind him, resting them on the counter.

"I had pretty good motivation, some guys when I was younger ended up beating me pretty bad so my dad decided I should learn to take care of myself. My grandfather was a boxer so he's the one who really got me started. He's a Marine too so he didn't let me give up on stuff. I also had a lot of time on my hands, besides hanging out with Dany or riding bikes, and I'm a pretty quick study."

Paul nodded, he was impressed with the young man. Just then April and Danielle came walking in, Coop could see that Danielle had been crying a little bit more. April though looked fine, the frown she wore was a sympathetic one for her daughter.

Paul came forward, Coop could see that he tensed a little, still expecting bad news. "Raul is getting remarried and having a baby." April said, rubbing Danielle's shoulders.

Paul frowned, tilting his head. "Oh. Well that's good news isn't it?" Danielle sniffled and looked up at him. "I mean, now you get to be an older sister, right?"

She nodded, sniffling again, before brightening a little. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Coop walked around the counter. "Well, I should get out of your guys hair and head back home. I'm gonna go straighten up my garage and eat."

Danielle used a tissue to blow her nose. "Hold up, I'll come with you."

Coop tried to wave her off. "You don't have to if you're not feeling up to it?."

She frowned. "Are you rescinding the offer of wings and bread sticks?"

Coop shook his head, then smiled before walking to the door and opening it. He let Dany walk out first, April walking up to Paul as she did so.

Paul took April in a hug and said. "You sure you're okay?"

April smiled, looking up at him with a look that said she was perfectly happy. "As long as I'm with you." Coop shut the door behind him, smirking at their display. He jogged for a moment to catch up to Danielle standing at the fence.

She saw his smirk and smiled. "What's with the goofy grin?"

Coop shrugged. "Your mom and Paul, they're a cute couple."

Danielle nodded knowingly. "Try being stuck in the car with them."

They walked back to his garage and headed inside. They went about straightening things, Coop having given up on separating his belongings from everything else for the time being. After they'd done that they went inside the house.

Coop reached inside the oven where he'd placed his dinner. He removed everything from its packaging and placed it back in the oven for a few minutes to heat up. Danielle meanwhile, put her back to the counter and lifted herself up.

Coop thought again about Ms. Stewart and Paul, and smiled. Danielle noticed and leaned over, placing her hands on her knees; playfully she said. "What?"

"I was just thinking it's nice that your mom has someone. I know it sucks that your parents aren't together. But your mom spent seventeen years believing your dad was her one true love only to have everything she knew turned upside down.

"I think it would be easy for someone to believe they couldn't love again after that. Or to reject the idea of love completely. But she didn't, and now she's happier than ever."

Danielle looked at him, a little taken aback at hearing him open up so much about the topic of romance considering how awkward things had been between them when things got too intimate.

Coop smiled, though the smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I'm sure it wasn't easy getting over her first love, but if she can do it then it isn't impossible, right?"

He was doing that thing where he was talking about one thing, but thinking about another. Coop had always been pretty thick headed where Dany was involved. Danielle glanced down, avoiding facing him. 

The problem for Coop was at the end of the day he didn't want to get over her, not really. He wasn't pulling back for fun or because it felt good. It was pure damage control for his heart.

The timer went off, signaling the food was ready. As he was pulling it out he heard Danielle speak. "I think…" She paused, finding the words.

"I think she said everything she needed to say to him, and came to terms with the loss of their marriage. If there's unfinished business between two people, especially if they both love each other, and if they aren't honest with each other about how they feel. It'll never be settled, they'll never be able to get over it."

Coop knew she was talking about her parents, but he couldn't help but wish she was talking about them. Danielle meanwhile worried she'd said too much. He laid out the food in front of them on the island, both of them content just sitting there and eating.

Coop said after swallowing his latest bit of pizza. "So are we still on for a movie party tomorrow?" 

She'd actually forgotten they'd discussed it. So much had happened lately that honestly it made her head swim. "What about the bonfire?"

Coop shrugged. "I mean that's not gonna go all night and it's not like we have to be up super early graduation day. The ceremony isn't until two in the afternoon. So we still on?"

He knew technically he was supposed to be limiting the amount of time they spent together alone, but one horror movie couldn't really do any harm, could it?

She shrugged. "Sure, you're hosting I assume?"

"That's fine, we can watch it on the big screen downstairs."

She had been hoping they'd watch it in his bed like they'd done when they were kids. Not for anything naughty. It was just another tradition that had brought them closer when they were younger, until the adults nixed it that is.

She fondly remembered the little movie marathons they used to have. Another tradition puberty had seen the end of. They finished their meal, Coop walking her out the door. He stood waiting until she opened her door and waved at him.

When both doors closed they simultaneously put their backs to the door and sighed. One wishing she knew how to get through to him and the other wishing he knew how to get over her.