ZEKE
Uriah stands up from his chair, pointing a spatula at me. When was that spatula out of the drawer? I shake my head, and look at Uriah, raising my brows. Was he trying to challenge me? With a spatula?
"Explain yourself, brother" he says, pocking me with the spatula as if it's a fencing sword.
"Put that down, Uriah" I tell him, sighing.
"Explain." he says, ignoring me. I sigh, and sit back on the high chair.
It's as if I was in an interrogation chair. Uriah is waiting for me to speak, putting his hands on his hips.
"Fine." I say, giving in to Uriah.
"When I got to Spain they were confused. They said, they didn't accept anyone from Chicago. I talked and showed them the letter but they said, that all slots was filled and maybe that letter was a hoax." I say. Uriah seems interested so he let go of the spatula and sits on the high chair in front of mine.
"So I went back to the States the day after. I wasn't in the mood for any Spain tours."
"But I picked you up at the airport, two weeks after you left. That was you right? Tell me that was you?" Uriah says, confused. "Yeah." I say calming him down. "You picked me up at the airport. I went to the airport so that it will all look real, that I really went to Spain." I say. Looking at Uriah, it seems that everything clicks and all of it fell to place.
"But where were you the whole time?" He asks.
"I was staying with Four." I say, as if it was nothing. Uriah stands there, still confused.
"But Mom and Dad? And I? We thought you were in Spain!" Uriah says, his voice somewhat rising. Again, I sigh.
"I know I screwed up. Big time. But please don't tell Mom and Dad." I tell him, pleading. Spain was such a big opportunity and with Mom and Dad knowing that I didn't go, or technically I wasn't qualified, they'll freak out. It's one thing that I didn't get in but the fact that I hid it, well that's another story.
"Why wouldn't I?" And I knew Uriah wanted badly to tell them. He was always envious, I guess, at how Mom and Dad always gave me their attention. It was infuriating sometimes.
"Uriah" I say standing up and putting my hands on his shoulders. "I know you want to tell them. I know you want to be the perfect brother but not know. There will always be opportunities when you can prove yourself and telling me out isn't one of it." I say. He sighs. He shrugs, puts the spatula down, and nods. I gave him a brotherly pat on the shoulder and went to my bedroom. I didn't even check if the whole house was already clean. I look up the ceiling, at the plastic stars plastered on it. I was only 4 when Mom put that there. I don't remember much of it and why Mom really put it there but all I know is that it makes me sleep at night, until now actually. A knock on the door. I tell them that they could just come in. Uriah peeks inside.
"Hey" he says. I nod, acknowledging him.
"Sorry, about a while ago. I was just shocked" I sigh, nodding at him. I didn't know why I wasn't saying anything. It's not that I had nothing to say, I guess I just don't know what to say. Even a simple 'Okay' might not suffice. Uriah doesn't say anything as well and it was making everything really awkward but then he went to the opposite side of my room and pried open the window, letting a gust of cold wind inside. He puts both of his hands on the window ledge and leaps towards the roof. I shake my head. Some things don't really change. I follow him.
"You know you can break your foot again, doing that. Remember when you didn't land on the roof" I tell him, sitting beside him on the edge.
"Yeah. Well, I like the thrill" he says, rolling his sleeves towards his elbows. "You always do" I tell him. We both look at the horizon. It's kind of nice seeing the city, well some of it, here on my roof.
"So you and Tris, huh?" Uriah says, after a couple of minutes.
"Yeah. Me and Tris" Saying it, it seems as if it's not really real. I don't even know what all of it means. We sit there in silence, nobody speaking. I guess, that's the end with the Tris talk. Oh but I spoke too soon.
"I know you're my brother but if you do to hurt her, I'm joining her side." Uriah says. I raise my brow at him. He shrugs, "She's my best friend"
I roll my eyes, "I can't believe there are sides now"
"There are always sides" he says. I snicker. The air was growing cold, and it was getting dark but neither one of us made a move to leave. It was comforting, somehow. I mean, Uriah and I are close, well as close as brothers should be but we were never the type of people to tell secrets to each other. I tell mine to Four, he tells his to Tris, I guess. We fight frequently, yes, but it's not something that we do often. I mean, if you only have one brother and your parents are mostly out of the house, there's nothing else to do but get to know each other.
"You're lucky though" Uriah suddenly says.
"Why's that?"
"Well, for a pathetic non-good looking brother, you're lucky to have Tris." he says. I pretend to be offended but Uriah doesn't notice. Classic.
"Pathetic non-good looking?" I ask him.
"I'm your brother. I am suppose to say those things."
"Touche" I say. He pats my back, losing me of my balance a bit and leaps back in my room. I stay out. I hear Uriah retreating to his room. The driveway was still empty. I sigh. Mom and Dad always stay out late, especially when they know that Uriah and I are throwing a party. I really don't get it sometimes why they pretend to not to know. As soon as the air gets colder, I took one last glance towards the city then go back inside my room.
"Wake up, you have a class to get back to" Uriah says throwing a pillow at me. I grunt and throw the pillow back, apparently finding its way towards the hallway.
"Zeke, wake up" I open my eyes and see my mom towering above me holding the pillow I just threw. I salute at her making her roll her eyes. I grin then walk towards the bathroom.
"So we never get to ask you." Dad says as I sit on the dining table as Uriah passes the cereals. "How was Spain?" I look over at Uriah but he wasn't looking back. He was busy engulfing himself with his cereal.
"It was fine." I say, vaguely.
"Fine?" Dad says, curious.
"Yeah, fine" Dad sighs. I guess they were so used to me giving detailed answers that 'fine' really didn't suffice. But what else am I going to say. I never did go to Spain. Well I did, only to be shifted back the day after.
"Dad, he says it's fine, then it's fine. We're late" Uriah says, putting his hand over my shoulders. I take a sip of my orange juice then follow Uriah.
"Goodbye" Mom says, and we wave goodbye.
As soon as we get out of the house, I turn to Uriah. "Did you have to get me out of the house before I finished my cereal?" I ask him. He looks at me, amused. "Well, would you rather answer Mom and Dad's questions about Spain?" he asks me. He does have a point. "Come on, we'll stop by the waffle house" Uriah tells me. I sigh, following him inside the car.
"Anything you like?" Uriah asks. "The usual" I say, scrolling down my contact list. I don't really know who specifically I was looking for, but I was scrolling anyways. Once I stopped at Four's number, the door of the Waffle house opened and who else materialized but Four and behind him, was Tris, looking beautiful as ever.
"You look ridiculous" Uriah whispers towards me as I stare at Tris. I shake my head and bow down after I saw her smile my way. She walks towards Four, and I can't feel a little twinge in my heart.
"Just go and talk to her, already. When have you been this nervous?" Uriah says obviously annoyed. I didn't know how he found out I was shaking. "You'll spill all your coffee if you don't stop shaking, Zeke. Seriously, calm down. It's just a girl" She's really not just a girl. I breath in and walk towards them.
"Hey, Zeke" Tris starts and I feel my knees weaken.
"Hi" I say.
"What are you doing up early?" Four asks me.
"I'm taking up some classes in the University" I answered. They both nod. The awkwardness in the air was growing thicker.
"I'll wait for you in the car, Four" Tris says. She smiles at me and greets me good bye. I do the same.
"I'll see at school then, Zeke" Four finally says not knowing what to say anyways.
"What are you doing at school?" "I'm driving Tris, since Caleb has a job at the other side of town and I'm also teaching the new tennis players at Berns" he says. Four was always so productive. I wave good bye to Four and watch them from the window. I look as he climbs the car and they speed away. I sigh.
"So, shall we go?" Uriah asks me as he finishes ordering donuts. I look at him. I roll my eyes as he munches his donut. Seriously, he never stops eating.
"Yeah sure." I tell him. "Hey, do you want to play football later?" I ask him. He smirks and I knew that he was in.
A/N
Okay. Sorry for the formatting. I didn't notice it until you've mentioned it. And sorry for only fixing it now, I went to school the whole day.
Again, don't forget to review, follow and favourite.
-E