"Hey when you're the star athlete of the school basketball team, you don't need an education."
- ―Cooper
Cooper Joseph Mendes is one of Lucas Stone’s best friend who is the ASB Public Relations and basketball player of Timberline High School. He is the Dreams of the friendship chant. He graduates Timberline to attend the University of Washington on a basketball scholarship where he is drafted by the Golden State Warriors.
He is portrayed by Colton Haynes.
Biography
Early life
Cooper Mendes was born in Lacey, Washington living with his parents and has two siblings; Kole Mendes, his older brother and Rilynn Mendes, his younger sister. He had an older sister but never met her because she died at nine months old.
Lucas and Cooper.
He attended Lakeside Elementary where he met and became friends with Tiffany Stewart, Matt Carson and Hannah Beltran. Tiffany then introduces Lucas Stone, her next door neighbor, to the group but Cooper thinks Lucas cramps his style due to the fact that he’s new in school. However when he and Matt were being beaten up by Justin Knox, Lucas came to defend them and seeing how Lucas stood up for him, Cooper can see Lucas as a friend. Since then, the two along with the others, became best friends which inspires Tiffany to create the friendship chant where Cooper is labeled Dreams.
Forever Together
"OW! You know if I get a concussion before practice at UW starts because of this, it's on you guys."
- ―Cooper
Cooper continues his life in Lacey as he enters Timberline High School where he becomes ASB Public Relations and captain of the basketball team his senior year. Halfway through sophomore year, he meets Meghan Valentine where he originally wanted to date her but became her friend when she starts dating Lucas which Cooper never understands. He has dated many girls in school but never lasted more than a day.
On Lucas and Meghan's second anniversary, Meghan was killed in a car accident by Justin causing Lucas to be devastated but not before Lucas flipped and was about to run out to kill Justin until Matt and Cooper held him down from doing so. Cooper gets accepted to the University of Washington on a basketball scholarship along with his friends.
On May 16, 2015, Cooper and his friends came home one night from Bri Evans's White-Out party where they arrived to see Lucas's house on fire with his family in it. They were rescued but died the minute they arrived at the hospital. After hearing the news of his family, Lucas broke down and cried himself to sleep. He stays with their English teach Beth Warner, who lives next door to Lucas and became his temporary guardian. After the funeral of Lucas's family, Cooper, Tiffany and Hannah heard the news from Matt that Lucas declined UW's offer causing everyone to be shocked leading Lucas and Matt in a fight when Matt unintentionally brought up Lucas's family and Lucas taking off unbeknownst to them Lucas was about to jump off a cliff but was stopped. He came back and soon got over his depression along with reconciling with his friends. Cooper graduated high school along with everyone else and on the next day, Lucas leaves Lacey to find some meaning into his life. He gave Lucas a sad farewell and wishes him luck before Lucas took a train and left.
A New Life
Cooper never made an appearance in A New Life but was mentioned via flashback on the night Lucas lost his family revealed to be caused by the Volturi. Lucas left the Cullens after the incident in Italy saying he has to take care of something.
In Forever Together, Lucas returns to Lacey to see Cooper and the others again where they were shocked to see Lucas's new appearance unbeknownst that Lucas is a vampire. Lucas tells them that he's staying with the Cullens and wanted to spend time with his friends before they go to college. Cooper and his friends are happy to see that Lucas is happy, moved on and has found something in his life he was looking for and supported his decision. Cooper gives Lucas a final goodbye before Lucas heads back to Forks and Matt starts attending college.
The Other Half
Cooper was mentioned again in The Other Half from a flashback when Lucas thought back on the day he first met Meghan and fell in love with her.
Happily Ever After
Cooper at Lucas and Krystal's wedding.
Cooper received an invitation along with Matt, Hannah, Tiffany and her sister Sam Stewart to Lucas's wedding where he will be getting married to Krystal Diamond. Cooper and his friends reunite with Lucas along with doing the friendship chant. After that, Matt and Cooper takes an immediate interest to Bella Swan, Alice Cullen, Rosalie Hale and Renesmee Cullen causing Lucas to be annoyed along with Tiffany and Hannah until the girls met Edward Cullen who Tiffany falls for while Hannah eagerly shakes his hand. That is until to Cooper and his friends' shock, they found out that the Cullens are dating each other despite the fact that they're siblings. Cooper watches Lucas gets married to Krystal and was seen at the reception giving a toast of congratulation to the married couple.
Full Of Surprises
According to Tiffany, Cooper graduated college and was drafted by the Golden State Warriors.
He never appears in the story but was mentioned via flashbacks. The first was when Tiffany and Lucas remembered on how their friendship chant was made. The second was in their senior year where they were taking the finals and the third was when Lucas gave a final goodbye to his friends before he returns to the Cullens.
Value In Beliefs
Cooper was mentioned in the end of the story by Tiffany explaining that even though he’s not dating anyone, he still has something special while she’s dealing with her heartache.
Have A Purpose
Cooper made a cameo appearance along with Matt and Hannah, who became a married couple, where they arrived to attend the wedding of Tiffany getting married to Jalen Long. He had an eye on Lucina Stewart having an interest until Lucas hits him and explains that she’s Tiffany’s niece from a distance cousin where in truth she is Tiffany’s biological daughter. Cooper watches Tiffany and Jalen get married and attended the reception.
Physical appearance
Cooper is described to have an athletic build being burly and muscular standing tall at six feet and five inches. He has a tan skin and gold brown hair in a form of a buzz cut. He is also extremely attractive due to his ripped muscles and abs.
Personality and traits
Cooper is known to make things happen if he wants them to be a reality hence labeling him Dreams in the friendship chant. Cooper is more laid-back, self centered and brags a lot. A running gag in the series is when his friends hit him for saying the wrong things, speak without thinking or for fun. He is not as academic as Lucas or Tiffany as he is never seen studying to pick up a book and tends to have others do the work for him or copy off their work.
Cooper goes on dates with many girls but never commits with them because he doesn’t believe in relationships according to his friends. Despite how self centered he is, he cares deeply for his friends and is protective of them as he is always there for them.
Relationships
Cooper Mendes is the middle brother of Kole and Rilynn Mendes. He has an older sister who died at nine months old.
Lucas Stone
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Cooper's friend: Lucas Stone.
"You are like the reason to push us to become who we wanted to be. We wouldn't be who we are if we haven't met you."
- ―Cooper to Lucas
Lucas Stone is Cooper’s best friend who is the Forever of the friendship chant.
When Lucas moved to Lacey and Tiffany introduced him to Cooper, he wasn't that excited on meeting Lucas but that changed seeing how Lucas defended him and Matt against Justin and the two became good friends. Cooper enjoys teasing Lucas to annoy him while Lucas enjoys hitting Cooper adding that he speaks before thinking. Lucas usually breaks up Matt and Cooper from fighting. Cooper never understood how Lucas suddenly gets attention from girls more than him. None of the less, the two care about each other as they both seen having each other's backs.
After graduation when Lucas told everyone that he's leaving Lacey, Cooper was sad to see him go but respects his choice and said goodbye to him. The two of them were reunited in Happily Ever After where Lucas invited Cooper to his wedding and gave a toast of congratulations to Lucas and Krystal.
Tiffany Stewart
Cooper's friend: Tiffany Stewart.
"Cooper hardly last more than a week with a girl. He says that he doesn't believe in relationships. We'll see about that."
- ―Tiffany on Cooper
Tiffany Stewart is Cooper’s best friend who is the Life of the friendship chant.
The two met at Lakeside Elementary and became best friends being part of the friendship chant. Tiffany tends to be annoyed with Cooper, which causes her to hit him whenever he says something without speaking or for amusement. After the lost of his family and Lucas left Lacey again to say goodbye to his friends, Cooper and Tiffany attend the University of Washington together.
They both attended Lucas's wedding in Happily Ever After where they both fell for the Cullens until they were told that they are dating despite that their siblings before Tiffany knew about the supernatural. In Have A Purpose, Cooper attended Tiffany's wedding.
Matt Carson
Cooper's friend: Matt Carson.
"Don't you guys ever get tired ending up in pointless fights?"
- ―Lucas to Cooper and Matt
Matt Carson is Cooper’s best friend who is the Spirit of the friendship chant.
The two have known each other since they were kids and are part of the friendship chant. Before Lucas came, the two were pretty close as friends. Both of them have dated many girls with Cooper dating the most but Matt lasting longer in his relationships and less than Cooper.
Matt usually hits Cooper whenever he says the wrong things but mostly for fun. The two have a habit of engaging into childish fights which leads to Lucas breaking them up in annoyance in various ways. Despite that, the two care about each other very much.
Hannah Beltran
Cooper's friend: Hannah Beltran.
"OW!"
"You're an idiot."
- ―Cooper and Hannah
Hannah Beltran is Cooper’s best friend who is the Memory of the friendship chant.
The two met at Lakeside Elementary and became best friends being part of the friendship chant. Both of them have a habit of dating many people but Hannah appears to last a bit longer than Cooper in hers.
Hannah is mostly the one who hits Cooper whenever he says the wrong things but mostly for fun. Despite that, the two care about each other very much.
Meghan Valentine
Cooper's friend: Meghan Valentine.
"She will be mine."
- ―Cooper on Meghan
Meghan Valentine is Cooper’s friend from Timberline High School.
When Meghan transferred to their school, Cooper developed a crush on her at first sight but after seeing her being close to Lucas and seeing his feelings for her, Cooper lets it slide to give Lucas a chance even though he never understood how and why she likes Lucas. The two of them became friends when she and Lucas became a couple.
Meghan was killed by Justin on Meghan and Lucas's second anniversary which saddens Cooper for the lost of his friend but he manages to recover better than Lucas as he'll always miss Meghan.
Appearances
- A New Life (via flashback)
- The Other Half (via flashback)
- Full Of Surprises (via flashback)
- Have A Purpose