1 Chapter One

"If you aren't downstairs in the next sixty seconds, you can walk your happy ass to the concert dipshit!"

Cooper Bogdan immediately stopped what he was doing, spun towards his bedroom door and waved his middle finger back and forth in an exaggerated fashion.

He huffed an exasperated sigh before turning back around to search for his smart-phone, which he had misplaced while tearing apart his closet trying to find an outfit.

An outfit that hopefully once on him; wouldn't look like he had spent an hour trying to pick it out. He had finally settled on a band shirt he had picked up at a concert a few months previous, a pair of jeans and work boots. Most of his clothes were new, replaced after his recent growth spurt. He had gone from five foot five at thirteen to five ten shortly before his fifteenth birthday.

He'd also put on a few pounds from regular exercise, so he'd bought clothes that fit his longer, more muscular frame. He owed his height to his fathers side of the family. Most of the Bogdan men reached over six feet before their eighteenth birthday.

He had both his parents to thank for his complexion, which looked a light almost reddish tan, as if he spent most of his time at the beach. Not quite the olive tone of his father, but not as fair as his mother's alabaster skin. He had his fathers dark brown hair, so dark when he came out of the shower it looked black. The Bogdans shared a mix of Lithuanian, Polish and Greek ancestry.

He had one feature that was unmistakably passed down from his mother though, his blue gray eyes. She'd always referred to their shared eyes conspiratorially as 'Our little storms.' He tossed one of the jackets he'd rejected behind him, his phone peeking out from underneath the pile of clothes.

He snatched it up and bolted for the door, fully aware that his older sister Christine was already walking out to her Jeep while counting down his precious minute.

His sister on the other hand was the spitting image of their mother, except she had their fathers eyes which were dark brown. Otherwise she emphasized the Norwegian and Scottish traits of their mother perfectly.

Fair skin, blond hair and standing just a pinch under six feet; something she loved to hold over her brother's head, literally. She made good use of her looks, having worked as a model since she was fourteen.

Starting in print, a summer catalog here, a print magazine advert there. She was six years older than Coop, and after graduating high school she had taken her experience with Dallas' surprisingly active fashion industry and had turned it into a career.

Starting off as a personal buyer for some of Dallas's more wealthy fashionistas, and had just started working as a high end retail buyer. Sourcing haughty couture and all that other stuff Coop couldn't care less about. That didn't stop him from begging for her help when he went to buy new clothes.

Jogging out the front door, Coop came up to the side of the Jeep, hopped up into the passenger side seat and smiled knowingly at his sister.

She rolled her eyes at his wardrobe choice. "I told you if you're gonna wear the faded jeans, you have to go with the sneakers, not your clunky logging boots."

Coop swept his unruly mane out of his face. "They look like boat shoes, and I'm not planning on going to a yacht club tonight."

His smile turned derisive, Christine's eyebrows raised in response.

"Keep smiling pal, the only reason you and lover girl get to tag along is because I was already going to see this show. So, you better upgrade that learners permit quick-like if you want a repeat of whatever fireworks you're hoping for tonight."

Cooper scowled at his sister and gripped the roll bar as she started to pull out of their driveway.

"Dany and I are just friends, and if I did want there to be fireworks, you as my big sister should have my back."

She responded sardonically. "Oh, I do bro, I'm rooting for you crazy kids; because if someday you do manage to trick that poor girl into marrying you, I'll finally have a sibling I can stand."

She gave a sickly-sweet smile as she pulled up to the curb of the house next door to theirs, where Coop's childhood friend and crush lived. Climbing out of the Jeep he sauntered up to the front door and knocked. After a few moments the door opened, and Danielle's mother April Ramos smiled appreciatively at him. "Coop, since when did you start knocking before you came in?"

Cooper smiled while suppressing a chuckle. "That would be immediately after Mr. Ramos told me anyone tall enough to look like an intruder had to."

April chuckled at that, shaking her head. "Raul didn't like it when Austin got taller than him either, just be glad he tolerated Dany having a boy friend." She placed a slight but noticeable pause between the words boy and friend.

Cooper nodded while pursing his lips, pointing to the top of his head.

"It's the mop of brown hair, when we're younger we're looked at as spunky and cute. Once puberty hits, people think we're all potheads like Shaggy from Scooby-Doo."

April slapped him on the shoulder and laughed, shutting the front door and calling upstairs.

"Danielle, Coop's here."

Coop sucked in a deep breath and held it, preparing himself. Not that tonight was really that special an occasion. They spent a majority of their time together. In the last couple of years little outings like this had become pretty commonplace, when they could convince someone to drive them. Due to recent events outside of his control, he had decided he was finally going to ask her out. This night had been planned for a few months, so it didn't seem right to try and tack on the question.

'Hey, do you mind if we treat this as a first date?'

Tonight wasn't going to be any different from any other time they'd hung out as friends. So why was his heart doing somersaults in his chest? Bracing himself once he heard footfalls starting down the stairs, he watched as she descended. Her hair was wavy, stopping just above her shoulders. It was a light cappuccino brown color, parted down the middle and only slightly darker than her skin. Which she could thank her fathers Spanish heritage for. She wore no make-up, not that she needed it.

She looked very much like her mother, minus the black hair and pale skin. Wearing a loose fitting flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and boot-cut jeans. He was gob-smacked by how beautiful she was. Danielle smiled at Coop and used her hands to make sure her part was still just right.

April looked between the both of them and smirked before asking.

"What time does the concert get out?"

Cooper peeled his eyes away from Dany as she reached the bottom of the stairs, long enough to address her mother. "The venue says nine, and we'll be grabbing an uber back. So we should be back by nine forty-five?"

April smiled and placed both of her hands on Coop's cheeks.

"Why can't my son and son-in-law be as conscientious as you are?"

Danielle dashed over and grabbed Coop's arm, dragging him towards the door. Her voice went high pitched for a second. "Mom, we're gonna be late for the show!"

Coop smiled and waved at Danielle's mother.

"Goodnight, Ma'am."

April came to the door, leaning out as the kids jumped in the Jeep.

"Have fun kids!"

* * *

Christine pulled into the parking garage and found a parking spot; shifted the vehicle into park and turned the engine off. The three of them jumped out and crossed over to the elevator. Cooper pressed the call button and stepped to the side. When the doors opened, he waited for the girls to go first and then followed behind them. Christine looked at her smart-watch as they neared the first floor, then turned to her brother.

"I'm going to meet up with my friends since you guys decided to pick nosebleed seats."

Coop nodded his head while looking at the floor indicator sign for the elevator. He wasn't prepared for how much anxiety he felt being near Danielle now; even though he had been aware of his feelings for almost three years.

Around the time both of them were plunged neck deep in pubescent hormones. But at the time he wouldn't have admitted them to her, even under threat of torture.

He'd lost his mother when he was younger, and he'd been left with a fear, not of rejection. If Dany didn't like him like that, then tough break. His fear was being abandoned. What if he told her and she wanted nothing to do with him?

* * *

His mother had gotten sick almost seven years ago when he was eight. They couldn't figure out what was wrong with her, only that her constitution was failing. When she'd been admitted to the hospital he'd run out of the house and kept running until he had wound up at the park. He'd sat on the swings, crying until he had no more tears.

When it started to get dark, he walked back down the alleyway behind his and Dany's house. When he passed Danielle's he stopped and looked up at her bedroom window. Seeing the light on he hopped over the fence and into her backyard.

Moving to stand underneath her window, he called out to her. After a moment or two the curtains moved, and she stuck her head out the window.

She looked relieved to see him, smiling half-heartedly. "Hey, everyone's out looking for you! Your dad said you ran away from home."

Cooper absentmindedly kicked at a patch of grass while looking down, before turning his gaze back up to regard Danielle. He responded with a slightly annoyed tone while shoving his hands in his pockets. "I didn't run away from home, I just left without asking."

Danielle smiled, amusement clear on her face.

"That's called running away dummy!"

Cooper laughed a little at that, wiping away a strand of snot that the laughing dislodged from his nose. A second passed before he looked back up at Danielle with watery eyes.

"My mom's in the hospital."

Danielle nodded her head and leaned over, placing her elbows on the windowsill.

"I heard my parents talking about it after your dad left, sorry."

Cooper shrugged his shoulders, neither one of them said anything for a moment, the cool Autumn wind blowing through the leaves.

Danielle was the first to speak. "Is she gonna be okay?"

Cooper's face went pale, his father hadn't gotten far past 'Your mother is gonna be staying in the hospital...' before his son bolted from the room.

After a second Coop looked up at his best friend and said absently.

"I don't know."

Danielle tried to smile, though her lips stayed tight. "Oh."

Cooper started to shiver slightly, inwardly kicking himself for not taking a jacket when he'd raced out of the house earlier. He crossed his arms and shuffled from side to side, trying to come up with anything else to say.

As long as he stood there, he didn't have to accept it. He saw lights moving around at the front of his house and knew it must be everyone coming back from looking for him.

He turned his head up and looked at Danielle. "My dad's back, I better go."

"Okay." Danielle nodded and put on a warm smile for him.

Cooper smiled and started walking around the side of the house when Danielle called.

"See ya later."

He turned around to respond, but she had already closed the curtains. Bracing himself for the shouting he was certain awaited him. Once he got close enough to the crowd gathered his sister noticed him and alerted her father.

Jack Bogdan closed the distance to his son in several strides, kneeling, grasping his son and hugging him. The crowd grew animated and celebrated for a minute or two while Coop's dad held him and told him it was okay.

The fact that he wasn't being admonished or ushered inside for a taste of his dad's belt solidified the reality of the situation in his mind. Several weeks later his mother would pass away.

* * *

The opening band was halfway through their set, though Coop couldn't even tell you any of the members names. The main act had done the music for a sci-fi flick he and Danielle had seen years ago. That was the only reason he had asked her if she wanted to go to the show.

His musical tastes and Dany's were fairly far apart. He knew better than to try and play any metal around her.

Christine had been surprised when he'd shown an interest in going. She had only agreed to drive them tonight on the agreement that he would take over all the household chores for a month.

As it got close to the intermission of the concert, Cooper leaned over and spoke softly into Danielle's ear. "I'm gonna hit concessions before the rush, want anything?"

He thought he saw Danielle shiver slightly when he started talking. 'I must have startled her.' He thought to himself.

It was his turn to tense when she had to get close to his ear to respond. "Could you grab me a root beer?"

She went to reach into her purse, Coop waved his hand back and forth. "I got it."

He hopped up the steps of the stadium style seating. Once at the top he surveyed the immediate area and sighted the drink stand. A few concert goers had the same idea as him and had rushed up before the opening act got off stage.

Coop took his spot in line and sighed. Momentarily enjoying a chance to not feel so self-conscious. He didn't used to worry so much about whether Danielle was having fun when they hung out. He was trying to be self-aware and not suffocate her.

'Just treat her like you always have, it's not like you've even told her yet.'

The customer in front of him finished up and carried off his drinks. Cooper greeted the women running the stand and ordered, idly swinging his vision from side to side. His body tensed as he looked down the line of vendors.

Two boys his age were striding his way and he couldn't help the death glare he directed at one of them. It was Anthony Farina, a former classmate at the middle school Cooper and Danielle had attended.