Page 24 of Collateral Damage
“You’re welcome, by the way,” Conrad says to Mom over the noise of people preparing to leave. “Your stock is down. With Cooper’s influence, I’m sure we can turn that around.”
They’re gloating yet again, and I hate them for it. Why did it have to get so messy between our families? If someone would’ve told me ten years ago this would be my life right now, I never would’ve believed them.
On his way out the door, Cooper leans close, his warmth flittering across my ear and sending frustrating shivers down my spine. “I have some ideas for Laurence you and I need to discuss. How about dinner?”
I steel myself. “No thanks.”
As if I’d have dinner with this asshole.
He chuckles like we’re sharing a private joke when really, he’s being slow to remove himself from my personal space. “I’ll be in touch.”
Eleven
Cooper
Past - Age 22
I stare at the sea of black caps, paying more attention to them than the boring commencement speaker. Going through the motions, we get to the part where we all throw our caps in the air, crimson tassels swinging and cheers erupting. I do the same, putting on my smile like I always do. But inside? I’m a robot.
This has been four years in the making. I should be excited. I’ve done what was expected of me, and I’m proud of my degree, but celebrating feels forced.
I fasten my cap onto my head and follow the others as we leave the auditorium, Sybil next to me and Ethan on her other side, their hands entwined. We’re graduating with our undergraduate business degrees. My emphasis was in strategy, Ethan’s was management, and Sybil’s was public relations. We make a great team, had most of our classes together, studied together, and evenlivedtogether.
Ethan and I are returning in the fall for graduate school. Sybil’s staying in Manhattan to start her career with LaurenceInternational, and I can’t imagine what it will be like without her.
Missing her is going to kill me, but I can’t tell her just how much. Not having my best friend is one thing, but knowing Ethan is going to propose to her soon? That’s something else entirely. It’s the most bitter-sweet pill I’ve ever had to swallow.
Their plan is to get engaged at the end of the summer and get married two more summers after graduate school. They’re going to tie the knot at the Nantucket house. I can picture it all so clearly, and it’s like a train wreck I can’t stop, but one that only hurts me and makes everybody else happy, so why would I stop it?
Our trio makes our way through the hordes of students, congratulating friends and classmates on the way out the doors. It’s too crowded, like the walls are closing in. I do my best to ignore the claustrophobia and be the fun-loving guy everyone expects, smiling and laughing and even throwing out a few high-fives until we finally make it onto the front lawn where we’re instructed to meet our parents.
Sybil looks like she’s going to be sick. Her face is paler than normal, even her lips are void of color, and she’s staring at her feet with haunted eyes.
I cup her elbow and lean in. “Are you okay?”
“Everything is great.” She’s lying, but I know better than to press the issue. I study her, looking for cracks in her armor. My own feelings drift away. All I’m worried about is making sure Syb is okay.
“She’s great,” Ethan parrots. “We’ve got our whole lives ahead of us, don’t we?” He kisses her on the cheek, and she nods numbly.
“Right…” I say, unease curdling in my gut. This is our graduation—she should be thrilled, but she looks terrified. Maybe this is about Ethan. She doesn’t want to have to do thelong-distance thing at the end of the summer. I don’t blame her for that, but we don’t have a choice about graduate school. Wehaveto have a Harvard MBA before we can eventually take over King Media. Our lives have been planned out, no chance of changing them now.
“Everything is perfect,” Sybil says to me as we search the crowded lawn for our families. “I’ve got the Ivy League degree, the best boyfriend, awesome best friends, a great family, and I’m stepping into the career I’ve dreamed of. I’m fine, Cooper. Don’t read into things that aren’t there.”
Right. She’s fine. Sure.
I know her, and she’s definitely lying; she can’t even look me in the eye, and her voice is doing this wobbly thing it does sometimes when she’s trying to hide her emotions. Maybe her perfect lifeisthe problem. She’s followed all the plans that have been laid out for her since she was a child—plans she didn’t actually make for herself. If anyone can relate to her, it’s me, but she clearly doesn’t want to talk about it.
“Whatever you say,” I deadpan.
“I just… I loved school. I’m going to miss it. That’s all.”
Ethan leans in, finally waking the fuck up that his girl is upset. “You’re okay in there, right?”
“I’mfine. Like I said, I’m sad about leaving Harvard. It was really special, wasn’t it? I will forever remember this time of our lives.”
“It’s not too late to apply to graduate school,” Ethan tries. We both have been encouraging Sybil to go for the MBA with us, but she’s been adamant it’s not something she wants to do. She’s ready to work.
Shaking her head, her perfect auburn curls bounce and shine in the sunlight. “Yes, it is. Deadline was weeks ago.”
