Monday

Tris POV

Life in high school has never been easy for me. I'm a senior, and I've been bullied my whole high school experience, by the most popular kid, Four. I hated him for bullying me but I never found out what he has against me. Everyday I go to school and put a smile on my face, but struggle with the same thing everyday. I never look forward to school. But like everything else in my life, I deal with it. I hear the sound of the song Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard, which I really like, play through my phone. That would be my alarm which wakes me up every morning at 6:00 reminding me that I have to go to school. Great. I throw on some clothes; a shirt with the name of a band I used to like and some yoga pants. To sum it up, I kind of looked like shit. Mondays are the day I stop caring. Tomorrow I'll look nicer, try harder. I walk downstairs into the kitchen where my mother is cooking scrambled eggs, pancakes and bacon. I sit at the table and put my head in my hand. "You look nice," my mother laughed. "Don't I?" I joked. She put a plate down in front of me with a pancake, two strips of bacon and a small portion of eggs. I eat, my mother kisses my head, and I walk out the door with my older brother, Caleb. He wears a dark blue beanie, a gray sweatshirt, and jeans. (A/N: He looks like Augustus, in the eulogy scene of TFiOS) It's Fall right now, so the grass along the sidewalks are covered in beautifully colored leaves. I long to steal more moments like this when I can. There are too many I have let pass me by. We walk down the street together in mostly silence until he speaks up. "Don't let them be like that to you today." Caleb is the only one in my family who knows about my bullying problem. If anyone else knew, we would live in another state. "I know-" I start. Caleb stops in his tracks and cuts me off. "I mean ruin them." He says coldly. I didn't reply I just kept walking. I shrugged and I looked at my phone.

2 missed FaceTime calls from Uriah

1 missed call from Will

Christina ( fashionlover_chris) tagged you in a photo

Lynn ( lynnspirational) liked your photo

Marlene ( marleanonme) started following you

2 new messages from Will

4 new messages from Christina

I sighed and unlocked my phone

Will:

Hey Tris (5:54 am)

forgot my pen I need one (6:17 am)

Christina:

TRIS! (6:02 am)

OMG! (6:02 am)

It's urgent. (6:04 am)

Hello? (6:07)

Tris: what Chris?

I clicked the phone off and stuck it in my pocket. Two minutes later it vibrated. "Hello?" "TRIS!" Christina yelled in my ear. I stopped going by Beatrice when I was 13, long before I knew Christina. She sounded like she was crying. "What is it?!" I asked nervously. "I broke my favorite heels!" She sobbed. "Oh god Chris, I thought somebody died!" I heard a laugh at the other end of the line. I should've expected that. "I'll talk to you at school," I said. I tapped the end call button. I stuck the phone in my pocket when we got close to the school. Caleb waved goodbye and I began going to the opposite wing of the building than him. My feet were kicked out from under me when I reached the stairs. "Oh hey, Stiff!" Four's friend Peter laughed. "You alright there?" He smirked. "Oh, fuck off, dick." I replied getting up and brushing myself off. "Oh, the Stiff's feisty today!" He said to his friend Drew. I ignored the comment and continued walking. Four shoved me into the lockers in the hallway. The lock dials dig into my back. "Great," I think. "I have 3 classes with this jerk." I saw Christina and we walked to advisory together. We sat next to each other and practically talked the whole time. Me and Christina split up when class ended and as soon as I walked into the hall, Peter and Drew shoved me hard. I hit another locker, making a loud noise against it. "You think you're funny, Stiff?" Peter said holding me against the locker by my throat. "PETER!" I hear Four yell. Great even more torture to be added on. He came over and my breath was running out. "Lay off." Four said. Huh? Four? Telling Peter to stop? That's weird. "Fine." Peter released his grip and dropped me. He walked off. "What was that?" I asked Four. "Did you want to die?" I didn't say anything and he walked off. I don't want to admit it, but he was right. The faculty at this school don't give a damn what happens, as long as you aren't dead! Hell, they could give two shits less if you were in a fucking coma. The nurses switch off between Ms. Reynaldo, who was really annoying and Nurse Phelps, she was cool. I had to be in Four's group in art. But Will and Uriah were in my group so it made it easier. I didn't speak to Four but he kept looking at me. Probably plotting the next thing to do to me. When art ended, Peter tripped me in the hall. Four walked by, but he didn't help. Normal.

Four POV

I helped the stiff today. I don't know why, but I just couldn't see her like that. I used to enjoy her pain. Whatever. When school ended I put on my red Beats by Dr. Dre and started walking home. I quickly scrolled through my playlist and tapped a song.

May I have your attention, please? Will the real Slim Shady please stand up? I repeat, will the real Slim Shady please stand up? We're going to have a problem here.

I like Eminem a lot. His music made me feel pumped up for some reason. I checked my notifications.

1 missed call from Zeke

3 new messages from Zeke

Zeke:

Four! Wsp my number?

Having a party Friday

U should totally come.

Four: K

I clicked the phone off and walked into my house. My back stings from the last beating I got from my father. Thank god he isn't home for another two weeks. I couldn't stop thinking about what Peter did to the Stiff. I didn't even really like Peter, but I tell myself I don't like her either, I don't know what I feel anymore.

Tris POV

I walked home in silence with Caleb. When I got home, I ran upstairs and laid on my bed. My throat ached from where Peter grabbed me. I decided to text Christina.

Christina

T: hey Chris

C: Trissy!

T: bleh. Trissy?

C: ya Trissy.

T: whatever. Do you want to hear something crazy?

C: what?

T: it's four. He actually helped me

C: really? What did he do?

T: he got Peter away, he was choking me

C: wow

T: I know

C: tris omg

T: what?

C: four helped u.

T: ik captain obvious

C: FOUR tho

T: I know Chris I gotta go

C: k :'(

I really didn't need to go I just didn't want to talk anymore. I clicked off the iPhone and tossed it on my bed. It was about 6:00 now. I just went to sleep because there was nothing else to do. I woke up at about 6:30. Dammit. I went downstairs and ate dinner; chicken and peas. I didn't feel like talking so I went upstairs and this time I really fell asleep.

Tuesday

There's a place off Ocean Avenue where I used to sit and talk with you...

Time to get up. I took a shower because I went to sleep too early to do it last night. Today I put on a white blouse and black leggings with some high tops. I threw on the sweatshirt Will got me. It was plain grey with the faded white words 'abercrombie & fitch' that were written across the chest. When it was unzipped it split in half. I picked up a chocolate chip muffin from the counter and ate it on my way to school. "Hey, be careful today." Caleb told me. He smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow morning?" I nodded and walked up the stairs without issue. Caleb had some sort of science convention in Michigan. I'm alone now. I walked into the school and someone grabbed my forearm. Four. "Let me go..." I mumbled. "Just because I saved your ass last time, doesn't mean I'll do it again, Stiff." He says. He lets go and walks away, but I still feel his hand there. "Hey Tris!" Uriah called. I saw him run up to me and smile. "Do you want to come to my house Friday?" Uriah and I hang out a lot so this was normal behavior. "Yeah, cool." I said. "Okay I gotta run, Tris." Uriah said. He waved me off and ran down the hall. Just then as I was walking to class, Four tripped me and I fell into a locker. I guess he meant what he said. I sighed and walked to class. Four was in this class, but luckily, so was Christina. Four sat in the back of the room with his feet kicked up on his desk. I sat down a row ahead of him, because that was the only row with two seats next to each other. Christina plopped down next to me and started working on an assignment. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him scribble something on a piece of paper, crumpled it into a small ball and threw it at me. It hit me in the back of the neck, and bounced off onto the ground. I picked up the ball and opened it.

-Stiff

Meet me outside the classroom when class ends.

-4

I turned my head and raised an eyebrow at him. He shrugged. I guess I would go anyway in case it was actually important but it could just be a death wish. Either way, after class I waited for Four. Peter saw me waiting there. Crap. "What're you waiting for, Stiff?" I rolled my eyes. "Do you want to get punched?" Sure enough I was thrown up against the wall and punched in the face. I felt a warm liquid trickle down my nose. Peter hit me again, harder and my vision began to turn black at the edges. One more punch. I fell unconscious. I was unconscious but I felt Peter hit my head against the wall. As I really began do drift away, I heard running footsteps, Peter's, becoming more distant with every step. I felt a set of arms, on my back and under my knees, pick me up. Then, I was too far gone.

Four POV

I was leaving class, when I saw Peter running. Not a good sign. I saw the Stiff, passed out against the wall. I picked her up and began walking towards the nurse. Wait- am I really helping the Stiff? I pushed through a lot of kids in the hall, avoiding strange looks. I pass Drew and Eric. "Aw, are you helpin your girlfwiend?" Eric asked in a baby voice. "Keep your mouth shut, Eric." I said and kept walking. "What are you gonna do?" Eric laughed. I sat the stiff against the wall, turned around and punched Eric in the face. Blood trickled from his nose and onto his lips. He brushed his fingertips over the bloody area, staining them. I think he was going to hit me back, but I walked away before he could do anything. I picked Tris up, and continued walking to the nurses' office. The nurse, Mrs. Phelps, was typing on her computer. I stood in the doorway waiting. She looked up from her computer and at me, and then Tris. "Lay her down." the nurse said. I put the Stiff on the cot. "What happened?" she asks looking down at her." "She fainted." I lied. The nurse examined her head a bit and then looked back at me. "Minor concussion. She'll be fine though." I nodded a little and turned to leave. "You can't leave." Mrs. Phelps said. "Huh? Why not?" I asked. "She can't wake up alone, she needs at least one familiar face to see." She explained. "What about her brother?" I asked. "He was dismissed early." She said. "Stay. I'll tell your teachers why you aren't in class." Great. I thought. This kid hates me and now I need to be the first thing she sees? This is all I need. I sat down in a chair next to the cot and waited. Around 45 minutes of waiting, and playing phone games, she woke up. Her eyes fluttered open and her gray-blue eyes spark with fear. Yay. But then it disappears. I know it's there. It has to be.

Tris POV

I wake up to bright lights that burn my eyes, above my head. I force my head to the side and see Four. He scared me a little because I'm used to him hurting me. The fear went away because I knew that's not why he was here. Wait- Four? "Good you're awake." He says. "What're you doing here?" I ask. "I-" he pauses. "I brought you here." I raised my eyebrow. "Nurse told me to stay because Caleb's away." I nodded. "Thanks for saving me." I said. "I didn't really save you, just prevented you from slipping into a coma." I smiled a little. "Well whatever you wanna call it, thanks." I say getting up. "Honey, you can go home if you want, I called your parents and told them what happened." I faked a smile. "Thanks." Great, now I'll be lectured about how I should have told them. Four leaned over to whisper to me. "I told her you fainted." He said. I smiled. For once, I actually appreciated him. "You can go too." The nurse said. "Make sure she doesn't faint again." We walked into the hall towards the door. "I guess you didn't really mean it then." He looked at me confused. "You saved my ass again." He smiled. Four? Smiling? I've only ever see him smirk. "I guess you're right." He said. "I must have overdosed on goodness this week, I guess." He said. He began to walk a different way than me when we opened the door. "Four?" I called. He turned on his heel and walked toward me. "Thanks, really." I say. "Yeah, never again, Stiff." He said laughing a bit. "Oh, shut up." I say and he leans in and kisses my forehead. I look at him for a second, a little shocked. Oh. My. God. FOUR just kissed me. Four! I looked down at my feet. He was still standing there. "Oh." He said. "Huh?" I ask finally looking up. "I kissed you." He says. "I thought you hated me?" I say confused. "I did too... I guess not..." He says a bit shyly, his face turning red. "Wait." He says snapping out of his shyness. "Why didn't you run off, or hit me, or something?" I shrug and say; "I don't hate you either, I guess." I was confused now. Do I like him? Was that just an act? "Let me walk you home." Now he'll probably stab me in an alley and leave me to die.

Four POV

I just kissed the Stiff. I like her I suppose, though I never could really come to my senses. What a great way to get a girl to like you, hurting her. I guess I need to tell her that I was stupid for doing that. We walked in silence until we got to her house. "Look, Stiff I'm sorry I-" she kissed my cheek and I stop talking. Huh? Argh. I'm confused. Too many emotions for me to take in. What's happening?! I frown to myself. she hated me this morning. I smiled at her a little when she pulled away. Ah shit, I smiled, now she probably thinks I'm in love with her or something. "Bye, Four." She says and walks in the house. I have some thinking to do.

Tris POV

I never thought I would kiss a number. WAIT! I kissed a number! FOUR! Oh god, I thought I hated him! "It was just a kiss, it won't happen again. Besides it wasn't even a lip kiss." I thought, "It meant nothing." How will Caleb take this...? 10 minutes later I find myself texting Christina. I need to tell my best friend first.

T: Chris, we need to talk.

I waited about a minute and then Christina texted back.

C: Sure Tris, what?

T: I kissed someone.

C: AHHHH! My Trissy is growing up! WHO?!

T: I'd rather tell you in person

C: k be over in 10

Sure enough, ten minutes later Christina was at my door. "WHO TRIS?!" She said walking in and hugging me. "You might want to sit down..." I said. "Tell me!" She whined. "Okay! Okay!" I said sitting beside her. "It was..." I paused. "Spit it out!" She snapped. I gulped. How would she take this? "Four."