Cooper – Age 12
Teddy looks down at me with that tiny little smile he reserves just for me, his blue eyes sparkling. I ignore the butterflies that dance around in my stomach. Theodore Everett Davenport Jr.is the best person I know, and I’m still not sure how I got lucky enough to have him as a best friend.
People that don’t know us probably think his size makes him the protective one. Those people would be wrong. Teddy wouldn’t hurt a fly even if his life depended on it, which is why I call him my Teddy Bear. Me, on the other hand…well…let’s just say the word feral has been tossed around more than once.
I’m not, like, unhinged or anything. I just have a very…enthusiastic response when someone is being mistreated. When I see wrong being done, I have to speak up. Sure, maybe that’s led to a fight once or twice…or somewhere in the double digits, but that’s never my intention. I swear! It all boils down to right is right, and wrong is wrong. It’s that simple.
Teddy lies down beside me, and I cling to him like a koala. “I’m booooored,” I whine.
“We’ve spent five whole seconds just lying here. I’m surprised you lasted this long,” he retorts.
I smack his chest. “Seriously, Teddy, what are we doing today?”
“Wanna ride bikes?”
“Ugh, it’s so hot.”
“We could ride down to the creek and swim a little.”
“Now you’re talking.” I jump to my feet and hold out my hand to help him up. “Think Mom will make us some sandwiches to take with us? I’m already starving.”
“You’re always starving, and you know Ma never says no to you.”
Smirking his way, I tease, “It is nice being Mom’s favorite.” I expect him to say something smart in return, but he just looks at me in that serious way of his. “Ma and I agree on that,” he says before blushing and turning away.
“Awwww, I love you too, Teddy Bear.” I kiss his cheek before I challenge, “Race you!” Then I push him down on the bed andtake off out of the room. I hear him yelling “cheater” over my insane cackling.
I turn the corner into the kitchen at full speed but come to an abrupt halt when I notice Mom staring at me with her hands on her hips. Teddy slams into my back. His arm wraps around my waist to keep me from hitting the ground.
“Sorry about that, LB. I wasn’t expecting you to just stop like that.”
“Don’t move,” I whisper out of the side of my mouth. “We watched Jurassic Park last week. You know you have to be still, or she’ll see us.”
“Cooper Gray Sorenson. I am not a T. rex!” Mom yells.
“You’re right. That screech was definitely more of a velociraptor.” I muse. When she squints her eyes at me, I realize I said that out loud. “Umm, yeah. Too far. Sorry, Mom,” I say sheepishly. I remove Teddy’s arm from my waist and slink over to Mom. I give her a big hug and my best puppy dog eyes. She rolls hers in return, but I know I’m forgiven when she hugs me back and asks what we want for lunch.
Once our lunches are packed, Teddy and I head out on our bikes. The ride to the creek isn’t long, but summers in Georgia ain’t for the weak. We’re pouring sweat long before we get halfway there. By the time we finally make it to the creek, I’m full-on panting like a dog.I am NOT built for the outdoors.We practically throw our bikes down in our rush to get to the water. At the edge of the creek bed, Teddy picks me up and tosses me in.
I come up sputtering and turn my fiercest glare on him. “Teddy Davenport, do you want to be murdered today? I might be a little small for jail, but I’m willing to risk it! I’m pretty scrappy after all.”
Teddy lets out a full-blown belly laugh, and every ounce of irritation fades away as I watch the smile overtake his face. Iwould put up with dang near anything for moments like these. I can feel the goofy, love-struck expression spreading across my face, so I dive under the water before Teddy notices.
We spend the rest of the afternoon at the creek. Wrestling in the water. Eating on the bank. Teddy shows off a few of the trick dives he’s learned off the tall rock. Summers with him are my favorite. It’s just the two of us, with very few interruptions. I want to spend every summer with Teddy for the rest of my life.
Cooper - Age 12
When I wake up, the sky is still pink. When I look at Teddy, I notice his hair looks even redder in this light—something I didn’t even think was possible. I snuggle deeper under the covers, trying and miserably failing to go back to sleep. Not wanting to bother Teddy, I gently slide out of bed and tiptoe out of the room. Mom is sitting at the kitchen table with her hands wrapped around her favorite coffee mug—the one Teddy and I made her a few years ago.
“Can’t sleep?” she asks when she spots me hovering in the doorway.
Having been spotted, I join her at the table. “Nope.”
“Thoughts too busy again?”
“Yes,” I groan out as I drop my head to the table. I knock my forehead against the wood a few times for good measure. Mom just chuckles.
“Well, why don’t you help me with breakfast since you’re up?”
