Part two of my soon to be award winning novel

June 27th


Dear Beautiful Earth,

I woke up those morning and yesterday was still sharp in my mind, so I decided I was going back. I dressed in my most attractive, cleavage showing clothing and did my make-up in a unusually provocative way. I was going to impress the shit out of Cohen.
I woke up Emerson and Sterling and dressed them for their oh-so-annoying daycare and hurried them out to the car. Emerson fussed until I allowed him to sit in a "big boy seat" like Sterling, and Sterling fell asleep before I even pulled out of the driveway. I guess I should probably be more careful about getting them to bed on time. I just get distracted when Taryn is over.
After dropping them off I had the inconvenience of taking the car all the way back home. My mother wouldn't want me out with it all day, so I was going to have to take transit.
At about eleven-thirty I got on the A-47 bus and watched the city go by as I was taken on an express trip to Downtown. It took a total of about thirty five minutes, which was good because I was beginning to grow impatient and nervous at the whole thing. What if Cohen didn't want to me again. Did he even like me? I didn't know, and I guess I still don't even after today.
I hopped off the bus without paying the driver and walked over to the fountain, where I had met Cohen before.
Unmistakably, he was sitting in the same spot as I had seen him the day before. He glanced at me as I walked over to him smiling and sat down.
"Hi," I said.
He nodded in acknowledgment.
"You remember me right?"
"Yeah."
"So what's new."
"Nothing. Just trying to get some money together."
"Oh, cool. Maybe I can help."
"I doubt it."
I was shocked at his attitude towards me. This was the man I helped out the day before. I gave him a jacket, a cigarette, and even almost a place to stay. I looked at him in disbelief.
"Is something wrong?" I asked him.
"I have to tell you something before you take this little thing we've got going on too far," he replied.
"What?"
"I'm gay."
This, too, came as a shock to me. I didn't expect such an attractive homeless crack head to be a homosexual. He seemed so nice. Maybe I could help him come out of such a state but I knew my mother would never let me hang out with a homeless, cracked out, faggot. So I stood up and walked away quickly. I am surprisingly upset about the situation. I'm not ugly, there isn't really anything wrong with me, he just doesn't want me and I don't really understand why.
I was walking to the but stop for the A buses, holding back tears when I saw, thankfully, a kind soul. Cooper approached me with a smile on his face. I hugged him and buried my teary face in his chest.
"Oh, Eliora," He said sweetly. "What's the matter, sweetie?"
In extreme detail, I told him of Cohen and our two encounters. I could tell he was trying not to laugh, but he continued to effectively comfort me.
"Do I need to beat up a faggy crackhead today, Elie?" he asked me, only half seriously.
"That's okay, Cooper," I said. "But we should hang out. You should come over, or I should go to your place."
"My place is closer. And I think the A-32 is coming right now."
I glanced down the block and saw the bus approaching. I followed Cooper on to it and he paid my fare for me. It was only fifty cents, but I appreciated it none-the-less.

Cooper's house was about a bedroom smaller than mine. He had one little sister who just adored him, and parents who were amazingly still together. They never ceased to fight, but his house still had pretty good atmosphere.
I entered his room and sat on his bed, turning to look at his many Death and Black Metal posters. He also had a lot of powerpop posters, which were to ridiculous to be real, so I chose to ignore them.
He sat down next to me and smiled his perfect smile, brushing his gorgeous hair out of his face.
"It's good to have you over," he said. "I don't get a lot of company."
It was true. My friends were quite outcast in school, except celeste. It's quite a crime to dress in a lot of dark colors, or like a "scene kid" at my high school. Or perhaps we're just losers, because I always assumed I looked just like everyone else.
"It's good to be over," I replied. "I'm so glad I'm not alone right now. It's been quite a day."
"It's that guy seriously gay?" Cooper asked.
"I don't know. Maybe he made that up because I was coming on too strong or something. I mean he doesn't wear make-up, and he wasn't carrying a purse or anything."
"It that what gay is to you? Fashion?"
"Well yeah. It's not like they have to be gay or anything."
"If you say so."
"Why're you so touchy about this?"
I could read him like a book. He was hiding something. Was he gay too? That was the last thing I needed, the other half of my teenage affection because permanently unavailable. What he'd had a boyfriend? What he had dated that friend he made at camp last year, Rogan? I might be getting ahead of myself.
Cooper gave me a pained look.
"My dad," he said. "He's gay. That's why he and my mom are...not close anymore I guess."
"Your dad?!" I asked, in shock. I guess it wasn't really THAT shocking. His dad was always pretty effeminate and his parents didn't really like eachother at all.
"Yeah, my dad. And being gay isn't about purses and pink and tight jeans, it's about who you're attracted to, and who you connect with. I wish people in this stupid place understood that. "
Suddenly I felt like a jerk. I realized that Cooper had real feelings about this.
"I guess I'm more religious than I thought I was," I said, apologetically.
"Or maybe you were just raised by biggots," he replied.
That hurt. I'm not sure if I was imagining it, but I'm pretty sure the boy made a crack at my mother.
"That was low," I said. "I don't hate gay people. I was just raised in religion. I'm sorry if that offends you and your sinful father."
"My father isn't sinful," he replied. "It's not a sin to feel that way, only a sin to act upon it. Sodomy, lust. You name it."
"I'm really sorry. I had no idea."
Coopers stare burned my eyes. The intensity made it difficult for me to maintain eye contact but I didn't dare break the connection.
"I'm not ashamed of my father," he said softly. "And I never will be. He's just as important as everyone else."
"I know," I said. "I know."
Coopers piercing stare turned into a soft one. He smiled and I attempted to smile but it turned out kind of forced and twisted. But Coopers smile was solid and calming, as it always had been. His face grew closer and closer and our eyes contact slowly melted into a kiss. Something I had been waiting for for a very long time. The kiss lasted a beautiful three seconds and then slowly turned back into smiling stares. My entire body felt warm as his soft eyes moved from my face to my lips. We started kissing again, this time more passionately.
After ten minutes of kissing, Cooper slowly lowered my back into the bed and put some of his weight on top of me. It felt good, warm, comforting. These feelings, however, lasted only until he began unbuttoning my shirt.
"Cooper," I said softly. He didn't stop. "Cooper," I said more forcefully.
He halted and looked me in the eyes, but I couldn't return it.
"I'm sorry Cooper," I said. "I'm sorry."