Chapter 3

The Girl Who Died From Love

It was already past ten when we arrived at Zeke(and Uriah)'s house. He told Christina that it's best to start the party this late because the night looks "awesomer" after nine-thirty, which makes it a good scenery for the party. And he was actually right. The house was practically glowing under the moon when we arrived.

More than fifty people were already there—and I'm sure there are still more coming. Some people were already half-drunk. This guy, Jake, was even sleeping on the stairs, a party hat placed on his face and his shirt stained with so much beer that it looked like he urinated on himself.

When I turned to look for Four, and found him nowhere in sight, I felt a little depressed. Christina disappeared into the crowd of people on the dance floor, so I sat on one of the chairs inside the kitchen which was the only empty room in the house. Uriah appeared through the back door minutes later, an empty bowl on one hand and a liter of root beer on the other. When he sees me watching him, he places what he's holding on the kitchen table and sits beside me.

"Having fun?" He says, and I could hear the excitement he's trying to hide under that calm act of his. I roll my eyes. "Yeah. I'm not a party person, though. I prefer a different kind of noisy crowd, get me?" With that, his eyes light up, knowing that he can talk to me about the Joker.

"Can I ask you something?" He beams. I gesture for him to continue. "Well, why did you want to fight? I mean, with everything that's happened to you and all, why join the Undergrounds?"

The thought never actually came to me, and Uriah notices this too, but I tell him what I feel I do know. "I guess…I don't know, it was an escape to everything. From the past, the pain, the curiosity. Like everything around me just disappears into space whenever I fightt. I guess I'm trying to run away from it all."

"Do you know why you're running away?" He asks, more serious now. I could tell he's worried for me. I shake my head no.

"It wasn't actually something I thought of. I guess, despite the tough-girl front, I'm fragile on the inside." The truth was that I really didn't know. I don't know why I'm running away and what I'm running away from. I really am scared of my past because I get the feeling that once I found out what happened, my life won't be the same again.

Uriah and I continued our conversation until a senior called on him from the other room. We exchanged numbers and I'm glad that Uriah's the kind of person you could trust. I can tell from the aura he emits.

"Well, I'll see you soon, Tris." He smiled before leaving the room. I checked my watch—it's already eleven-forty-eight—and decided it's time for me to go.

Finding Christina was the hard part. She's somehow everywhere and nowhere at the same time that sometimes I just ditch her and visit her place the next day. I'm a horrible friend, I know, but she ditches me when I have an overtime for my fights, so it's equal.

Luckily, I spot her in less than a minute on the dance floor. Despite the loud electro sounds booming from the speaker, she's slow dancing. Her arms are around some guy, her head rested on his shoulder and she's smiling—really, smiling. Christie smiles all the time, but I know it's just a mask. After all, who knows best about hiding their emotions other than the Joker?

Her contented sigh was all I needed to tell me that I should just leave her here.

The guy she's dancing with notices me, and now I realize that it's Will. He gives an apologetic smile, but I just shrug in reply and mouth "take care of her". He mouths back the words "I will" before they're swallowed by the crowd.

After I say my goodbyes to Uriah and Zeke, something stops me on my way to the door. The back of my neck starts to feel warm and my whole body feels as if it's being hit with an electric current, making the hairs on my arms stand up. I feel like I'm being watched but I don't know who it is. I take a quick glance of the whole house, but see no one looking at me. Maybe it's just the adrenaline from the party. Or the alcohol. This'll probably wear off tomorrow.

Once I'm out of the neighborhood and in the next one, what I've felt a while ago grows stronger and now I know that there is someone following me. The streets are too dark, most corners only dimly lit by the street posts' spotlight, so I couldn't see who or what is following me. But I could see a vehicle. A black one, specifically; one that blends perfectly with the darkness. I don't know who they are, but I do know they're following me so I quicken my pace.

But the faster I walk, the faster the car moves as well. My heart starts beating erratically and I only realize now that I'm sprinting. I don't know where I'm going, but I don't care. I keep running, I don't look back.

Seconds later I feel something grip my arms. I try to scream and struggle but the person's mouth is covering mine. His or her grip on my is tight enough that it only terrifies me. I've never felt this terrified since... since I realized that I lost everything. But I take my chances and continue struggling.

"Tris."

The way he whispers my name calms me, so I stop struggling. Surprise masks my face when I notice who it is.

"Four?" He lets go of me and I see that it really is him. Despite being shrouded in darkness, I could see that he's wearing black from top to bottom. His hair is disheveled, like he just got out of bed, and the tiniest amount of light from the moon makes him look so angelic, so sexy... But I'm more worried of what he's doing here.

I take my time for my breathing to turn normal before I ask, "What the hell was that?"

Four looks at me cautiously, nervously, and scans me from head to toe. He licks his lips mischievously and the hungry expression in his eyes makes me feel weird. The moment fades quickly though and he takes me by the wrist, pulling me to the opposite of where I came from. "Not here. We need to talk in private." I notice that he's whispering, which only makes me more curious.

"Why? What was that? Why was it following me?"

He sighs. "I can't tell you. Just—follow me."

I stop my tracks and give him an annoyed look. "Why not, Four?" I snap. He winces a little, and he looks as if he remembered something.

"I'll tell you what I can, Tris. Just follow me. Please." The desperation in his voice is clear. Something about the way he's begging makes my heart jump, leaves me speechless. I nod, despite being unseen, and follow him. Seconds later I notice a black motorcycle parked under a street post.

"Come with me." He moves to the motorcycle and sits on it, placing his keys on the engine. But that's a death trap! I want to tell him. Truth is, I've never ridden a motorcycle before, and I honestly don't want to. I say nothing, though, just follow him to the black death trap. And now, seeing him clearly under the light, he looks so beautifully deceiving. I feel deceived, but I don't care.

When he notices me about to sit behind him, he scoots backward, leaving some space on the front. "Sit here," He says, more of a command than a statement. I could feel my cheeks heat as I do as he says. Four gives me a helmet to put on, his only helmet I realize, so I ask him why I need to wear it. "Trust me," He says. "I'd rather die than not protect you."

I want to ask him why. I want to ask him everything: how he knows my name, how he knew I was there, why he saved me, who were those people. But the way he's serious about his words makes me forget of all my worries. Somehow, someway, I trust him with my life.

"Okay." I say finally before we're already off. He leans down, like he wants to kiss me, but thinks otherwise and gives a reassuring smile instead. I'm suddenly disappointed, but I let it go.

I let everything I'm thinking about—my past, my family, the note, the car—as I let myself focus on the mysterious boy who's willing to risk his life for me.

Half a minute later we stop in front of what seems to be a house in the middle of nowhere. I couldn't remember how we got here, but I do remember that we drove through a rugged path, so it's probably hidden on purpose. We get off the death trap and walk toward the house. Four takes out the key from one of his pockets and opens the door.

The place seems bigger than it looks. Spacious, really. There's a couch, a TV, some picture frames. It's a living room I realize, and that there are two doors and a small kitchen on the other side. The walls are painted in clean white, same as the roof. This is an extremely clean place for a boy who probably lives alone.

"Welcome to my house," Four says casually. "Feel free to do anything."

I nod and walk toward the leather couch. "Thanks."

"Do you want anything?"

"Just water. Or orange juice, if you have any."

Four nods in return and disappears into the kitchen. My eyes wander around every inch of the room until I tell myself to stop. Honestly, I'm quite nervous about being here in a boy's house... Add the fact that it's Four's house.

A sudden flash of light catches my attention. I walk toward the picture frames hanging on the left corner of the room and as I look at them I notice that most of them are pictures of Four alone. There's one or two with who I'm guessing are his parents, but all of them seem...old. He still looks like a twelve-year-old in them, and then I'm wondering why doesn't he have any current pictures. Surely his parents are still alive? His father seems awfully familiar, but I can't put my finger on it.

Then, in the middle of all the pictures is a medium sized portrait. By the way that the frames used here are colored gold I could tell this is something important to him. All of the photos include a girl probably his age. On the corners are small ones when they were probably three years old growing up. And in the middle is the biggest picture of the two of them in their young teens. The girl's hugging Four by the waist while he's got his left arm around her, both of them having huge cheeky grins. Written on the lower right portion of the picture is:

TE+BP forever

I don't know who TE and BP are, but I'm guessing that one of these initials belong to Four. The girl seems all too familiar to me, though. In the picture she's wearing a normal attire, jeans and a fitted shirt, and her long hair tied to a pony tail. Everything about the girl seems familiar: the gleam in her eyes, the innocence in her smile... Everything.

"Who is she?"

I hear Four inhale deeply behind me, as if he thought that I knew he was there. Truth is I didn't; I just felt him behind me.

"She's my... best friend." He chokes, his voice hoarse and strained. I don't turn to him but continue,

"What's her name?" I look over my shoulder and he stiffens. I do not know whether it's because my eyes show no emotion or I asked him the name of the girl.

"...Bea."

"Where is she now?"

He takes slow and heavy steps forward, his shoes squeaking against the wooden floors. Then he is really behind me, his body only inches away from mine.

"She's dead." He says softly. His hands slowly move to my waist, pulling me into his arms. Then he bows his head, resting it on my shoulder. My heart's pace starts to quicken, but I do not move away-I do not pull up my walls. Instead, I look at the girl's eyes; I can see clearly that she is hiding something, and yet, I am wondering how she has done this. Hidden her emotions. I have learned to hide mine yet this girl's is better-you can't see it unless you look closely.

"How did she die?" I ask.

"Love," Four mutters against my skin, causing me to shiver. "She died from love. She's still alive, but this girl in front of you is already dead—died from love."

My hands manage to find his despite the atmosphere surrounding us. He entiwnes his fingers with mine and I wonder why our fingers fit so perfectly.

"She is just like me then." He nods in reply before he releases me and moves back. I hear clinking of glasses behind me as I simply stand there, staring at nothing, shivering from the coldness that has replaced the warmth of Four's touch. Seconds later I find myself sitting on the couch beside him; I didn't even know how I got here.

He hands me a glass of orange juice and stares at the other one that silently sits on the table in front of us. "So," He says flatly. "What do you want to know?"

"What was after me and why, why you helped me, why you were there in a dark neighborhood at midnight, why you don't want to talk about it-oh, you know, the normal stuff."

He rolls his eyes. "I really couldn't tell you anything about who they are or why they want you; I don't know who they are myself and I had to help you because who wouldn't save their fellow classmate from being murdered, raped or kid—"

I firmly lay my glass on the table and turn myself so I can face him. "Okay, okay. I get it. So why were you there?"

He gives me a lazy-but-sexy smile that I know for sure can make every girl drop their panties—well, everyone except mine. "Well why were you there anyway, Tris?" Oh he is not going to turn things around. He's definitely hiding something. "Walking home from a party." My eyes widen. "Wait, were you there?" He nods his head slightly.

"So you stalked me?!" I may look enraged as damn but my inner girl is blushing. He followed you, she chirps. He followed you!

"Not actually," He admits. "I just wanted to make sure you got home safe."

"By stalking me?" I spat, and he places his hand on his left chest, feigning hurt. "I didn't stalk you. I just wanted you to make safe... Until they came along."

"Why would you even want me safe? I only met you today!"

He inches closer and reaches his hand out, his fingers placed underneath my chin. He tips my head up so I can see his eyes. "Because I want to." His voice is so low and husky that it makes my head spin. "Because I'd rather die than let them hurt you. You know I do, Tris." Then he leans closer, so close, that I know he's going to kiss me. I want to close my eyes and savor the moment, to taste him and feel his lips on mine, but no. I don't do any of those—

I shove him away.

I'll regret it later on but there's something much more important than that. And when I see the look on his face—the defeat, the look that says he failed to change the subject—only ignites the anger inside of me.

Right now he can't even look me in the eye. Right now I know that what I'm thinking is true.

It isn't after I left his house in a hurry that I realized that everything was just too confusing. That it must be a joke, all of it just a simple joke. He'll come running after me and tell me that he really doesn't know.

But...

But he never came. He never came because the harsh words I said glued him on that couch. I made him think of how much I am so angered and hurt right now that he could not even stand up. I made him repeat the words I said over and over again in his head.

"...You know who I am." I said.

"You know who I am and you didn't save me."

Then the hurt quickly turns to anger.

"I hate you."


A/n Someone please give me some tips on how to write fanfics at a better time. I swear I'm so goddy sleepy that I had to use a spelling/grammar-checker for this... I just... I cannot...Why?!

As a writer, I sincerely apologize for not updating for God-knows-how-long. But I am here, and I am back, and I will not meet the hot guy who flirts with me anymore after Monday next week. I can continue writing then!

As a reader, I am somehow disappointed with how short and too quick-paced the storyline in this chapter is. It wasn't my real intention, but in that span of three hours I felt all dark and emotionless that I just could not NOT write it.

So here's where Tris finds out that Four knows who she really is! :D

Next chapter will be set three weeks after the whole event if I ever forget to write that down next time. I'll be posting the 4th chapter probably next week or someday before June. I'll be at Singapore from June 2-4 which means that I might be busy having fun there. (I may not have a love life but my life is just so funnnn! The less fucks you give the happier you are, I realize)

So... I wrote a new Shatter Me fanfic which is currently entitled "Boardroom Table" for various reasons. I'll be changing it to "Revive Me" or "After Unravel Me", whichever fits my mood. All I'm saying is that I want you guys to read it, even if you have not read the actual book, and give me some criticism! I appreciate them~

Oh and for those of you talented writers who are reviewing my fanfics and reading this, it would also be nice if you give me a proper criticism on my fanfic. I really need to know where I need to improve.

AGAIN, I AM ONLY THIRTEEN SO PLEASE DON'T KILL ME IF I MAKE A MISTAKE. I AM AN EXTREMELY CIVILIZED, MATURE THIRTEEN YEAR OLD. I'M BRAVER THAN BRAVE. I GOT A BLOOD TEST A WHILE AGO AND I DIDN'T CRY. I'M JUST THAT BRAVE, YO.

Don't forget to follow/favorite/review me if you want more updates! You can also ask some good criticism from me... or if you just need a friend of ...then PM my inbox~ Oh, and if you have any questions concerning the characters or you're just plain confused about the plot, you can also ask me. I don't bite :)

KSPotato/the-warner-syndrome (-my tumblr name)