Page 62 of The One Before

June 16, 2006

Cooper squeezed his truck in between two poorly parked cars. Music and laughter echoed in the distance. He left the gravel lot and marched down the steep hill leading to the south bank, brambles and twigs slicing at his shins. Partying was the last thing on his mind. He wished he’d had the opportunity to finish his conversation with Celia, perhaps arrive at the truth.

He was sick of her and the cruel impact she left on those around her. Watching her toy with Regina was the last straw. His sister already had it rough; although it was only her second year in high school, she hadn’t risen to the levels of popularity he or Roman had. Being a Douglas wasn’t enough for her. Maybe it’s because she was a girl. Having only lived in the small radius of Whisper Falls, Cooper didn’t understand a lot about social dynamics. This much he knew: guys stuck together, while girls tore each other apart.

He reached flat ground and immediately inhaled a big whiff of campfire. It made his eyes and throat dry, but he enjoyed that in a nostalgic way. Two girls skipped by him, waving as they passed. He was used to receiving attention from girls, but that changed when he started dating Celia. Girls still flirted if she wasn’t around, but they were also cautious. The only thing that could ruin the thrill of a hookup with Cooper Douglas was having to deal with the wrath of Celia Gray the next day. Cooper would never cheat anyway. That wasn’t him. He was loyal.

That was why he was so bothered with the idea Celia would betray him for the likes of Steven Burns. Part of him still didn’t think it was possible; Cooper had his own sense of invincibility, too. His parents sponsored most sporting events, making sure poor kids, like Steven, would have uniforms and anything else they needed to play. It would be a slap in the face for any of his friends to betray him for a girl, even if that girl was Celia. She wasn’t wrong about her special effect on the town. Like her or not, no one could deny it.

“Coop Dog! You made it.” Jim stumbled in Cooper’s direction. He looked red and slimy from hours of drinking in the summer heat. “Bring any booze?”

“No, I couldn’t get a hold of Roman,” he said, although he hadn’t even tried. Roman was in for the summer, but he never hung around with Cooper and his friends. That was beneath him now that he was in college.

“Aw, poo,” he whined, leaning against Cooper’s shoulder. “Where’s your lady? Ce-li-a.”

“Couldn’t make it.”

“Did you talk to her about Steven?” For a brief moment, Jim sobered up. He was interested in how Cooper would reply.

“Didn’t really get much out of her,” Cooper said, kicking the dirt. He was embarrassed Celia had such a hold over him, making him look weak in front of his friends.

“She’s probably stunned you called her out. You deserve better, my man,” Jim said, his words beginning to slur again. “If she were my girlfriend—”

“I got it, okay?” Cooper didn’t care to hear how Jim might act in his situation. Jim couldn’t get with a girl like Celia if he tried. It was easy for him to boast about what he’d do, what treatment he wouldn’t tolerate. “I’ll get to the bottom of it.”

“I’ve got your back. Whatever you need.” Jim slapped Cooper’s shoulder, a lazy smile across his face. “Come grab a beer.”

Jim swaggered away, wrapping his arm around the hips of a bikini-clad girl nearby. Cooper still didn’t know why he’d come. Perhaps it was better than being alone. Usually, he only attended parties at Celia’s request. She loved the atmosphere, walking around like they were king and queen of Whisper Falls.

With Cooper leaving for college soon, all that would change. Maybe that’s why Celia had grown distant, kept doing things to rile him up. She wanted to remind him who he’d be leaving behind, take back the control she felt she was losing. Cooper didn’t want to get married as quickly as Celia did, but he was willing to stay with her. Do long distance, if they must. He saw potential in Celia, something she always pretended to have, but deep down never believed about herself.

As night fell, the flames from the bonfire blazed larger and the chatter from the crowd increased. It was the first time Cooper realized how out of place he felt in the midst of this small-town revelry. For most of his peers, this would be the highlight of their lives, sad as it was. Cooper always knew he’d achieve better and was willing to take Celia with him on that journey. Would she really leave him for the likes of this?

By the lake, he saw Steven Burns. He was sitting on the ground, his trunks wet and dirty, with a girl on either side of him. For a second, his eyes met Cooper’s, and he winked. A jolt of electricity went off inside Cooper. He couldn’t take it anymore, the uncertainty of whether these rowdy rednecks were getting the best of him. It made him clench his fists and grit his teeth. He had to get to the bottom of things. He had to know who was on his side, and who wasn’t. He had to talk to Celia.

He marched away from the noise and left.

Forty-Eight

Madison

Sunlight beams through the window, waking me. I’m in our bedroom, still wearing my clothes from last night. Coop sits across from me. When I see him, it takes a few seconds to remember all the awful things he told me. About Laura. Inside, I feel disgusted. Deceived. And yet, he still looks like the man I love.

“How are you feeling?” he asks, uncrossing his arms.

“You drugged me.” I sit up in the bed, resting my head against the headboard. There’s no way I can make it out of this room without an altercation with Coop, and I’m still too weak to try. “How do you think I feel?”

“I’m sorry about that.” He crosses his legs, cupping his knee with his hands. “I didn’t want you to leave without having the chance to talk.”

“What else is there to say?” He’s already told me the worst of it.

“I want to talk properly. Now that you’re calm.”

I look away. How I wish I hadn’t gone digging into the past. Then I wouldn’t know any of the horrible truths he told me. Of course, then I’d be marrying him in the dark, but that seems like a worthwhile alternative right now. I do feel calm though. Perhaps it’s the aftermath of whatever drug he gave me, but my mind is clear.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Madison, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

I notice my overnight bag sitting by the door. The knife should still be inside. I’d put it there when I first got the nerve to confront Coop about Laura. Before I knew he’d killed her. Could I really use it on him? Would he provoke me to do so?

---