Chapter 20 Cooper
Cooper
The keys click under my fingers as I type emails on my laptop for work.
My inbox is pretty full considering that today is my day off.
I try to skim through the spam emails, unnecessary subscriptions (promotional emails) and delete them so that I can stop being overwhelmed by the amount of mail to respond to.
While I type my last response, Leo groans on the couch.
He’s been restless for about an hour now because he wants to go out tonight, but I have been focused on work.
My lips slightly lift thinking about how he has put up with my need to overwork even when it’s not required.
It’s also amusing how he has been patient for this long, even though he is a hyperactive person.
I click send and turn around in my chair, when a throw pillow flies towards my face and smacks me.
I wince from the momentary pain and narrow my eyes at Leo, trying to convey my displeasure.
He grins widely, all of his teeth showing. ‘Sorry, I was trying to get your attention. I couldn’t possibly spend one more second on this couch.’
‘And I was going to say that I’m ready to go out.’ I bite out the words.
‘That’s perfect,’ he says as he stands from the couch and grabs me by my arm and gets the key to my car from the entryway table.
We drive to the nearest Wetherspoons, and the whole way there, I am forced to listen to both Leo’s eclectic taste in music and his ten-minute-long speech about how clouds weigh a million pounds and other random topics.
He is the most knowledgeable person when it comes to niche facts, and he takes me to many pub quizzes to practice. And this is one such trip to the pub.
After I park, we walk towards the entrance, and my stomach gnaws at me; it could be because I haven’t eaten in over six hours or because it feels like something big is about to happen.
The air feels thick and uncomfortable as I push through the door.
As I enter the pub, I spot someone familiar turned away from me.
My head buzzes, the ground spins even though I haven’t yet sipped one drop of alcohol.
I know exactly who it is; I know her like the back of my hand.
She isn’t supposed to be here. She hasn’t been in Kingston in seven years.
I freeze on the spot near the door, and Leo crashes into me from behind, but I still stay frozen. He walks around me and follows my gaze to identify what – or rather who – I am looking at. He doesn’t need to ask me who it is. He knows everything about what happened between Luna and me.
‘Is that her?’ he asks quietly.
I try to swallow, but my mouth feels dry.
I just nod in response. I can’t fathom that she is here, only six feet apart and not countries away.
I am sure that my imagination has finally turned into a hallucination because of how much I thought about her over these years, ever since she moved away.
I tried to keep track of her. I knew she was in Germany, and her Dad told me about her training and mission, but that was it.
He was hesitant at first because he wanted to respect Luna’s privacy, but he knew I still cared about her.
He told me enough to satisfy me. But even that was a couple of years ago.
Now, she stands before me, close enough to touch but still far away in her heart.
With the way I hurt her, she won’t even want to see me.
She looks happy, though, laughing with her head back and surrounded by people whose company she enjoys.
It is a stark difference from the Luna who had walls up with regard to making friends.
Knowing that she is happy is enough for me, even if I don’t get to be part of her life anymore.
It is killing me not to go over there and make her gaze fall on me for even a second.
I would give a lot to have her fleeting attention.
I smile and turn around towards the door to leave, but Leo grabs my elbow and stops me.
‘What are you doing, man?’
‘What do you want me to do, Leo?’
‘I know how much you want to go talk to her, to apologise. You need to at least try when she’s right here.
I don’t want you to regret not doing it, Coop.
’ His words land like hail on my skin. He is right, I will regret not hearing her voice and not feeling her warmth radiate near me if I leave right now.
I walk towards her, a step at a time. My legs are suddenly heavy, as if gravity has doubled.
I stand behind her, putting a foot of distance between us.
I clear my throat and call out her name.
She pauses mid-conversation, but a few seconds later, she continues.
I debate turning around, but I will have to face the wrath of Leo if I do.
I wipe the sweat off my palm on my trousers and gently tap her shoulder.
She goes rigid beneath my touch, and she turns around with the quickness of lightning.
The expressions change rapidly on her face and finally land on pain.
I mirror her expression, knowing that the reason behind her pain is me.
Before I can say a word, her eyelids droop, and her body goes slack.
She is going to faint. I close the gap between us and catch her around the waist as she fully falls to the ground.