363 days before
I drive to the park I was two days ago before I met him. It's not much, but it's beautiful. The cherry blossoms around a small pond and a few benches. And flowers everywhere. I think it's supposed to be a memorial of sorts, but I come here to think. I've never brought any of my friends here with me.
We sit under one of the trees, and Four puts his hand on top of mine. It isn't soft—I don't expect it to be since he's a guitarist. I look up at him, but he isn't looking at me. He's looking at the flowers.
"They've probably sent a search party to look for us," I say with a chuckle.
"Nah, I think they wanted this to happen," he shrugs. "So," he finally looks at me. "I want to know more about you."
"Yes," I say. "I would like to get more acquainted with you too. All we know about each other is that we both like Imagine Dragons."
He smiles. I missed that smile. "I will ask you one of the most cliché questions ever. What is your favorite color?"
I smile at him and rest my head on his shoulder. "Hmmm, do I have to pick one?"
"Nah."
"Pretty much anything paired with black. Blue and black, red and black, pink and black, black and black," I look up at him. "Same question."
"Blue and black," he says.
"Blue like your eyes?" His eyes are the darkest shade of blue I've ever seen. Nowhere near the shade of my eyes, which are a pale blue.
"Nah, any shade of blue will do."
"I love how you never say 'no'. Just 'nah'."
"Bad habit. What are your bad habits?"
"Mine is a common one, I'm a nail biter."
"Ah, at least it's not drugs or smoking or anything like that."
"Right," I like being with him. I want to be alone with him more.
"What are your fears?" he asks all of a sudden.
I stare up at him. "Uh, I dunno." That's a lie. "I mean, I'm not fearless but I guess I'll know them when I'm in a situation to be afraid."
"I've been in many situations to be afraid."
"What? Why?"
"Let's just say I didn't have the best childhood."
For a moment, we just sit under the tree, not talking, with my head still on his shoulder. Four stands up and walks to the flowers and begins to pick some of them. Then, he comes back and sits next to me like nothing happened.
"Your family," he says.
"What about it?"
"What's it like? I mean, is it big, small, and are your parents still together? How are they? Kind of a personal question, I know."
"Well," I begin. "I have one brother. My parents are still together. And they're…okay I guess." I stare out at the pond, and I feel Four's fingers move through my hair.
"You guess?" he asks.
"Well, the real reason I didn't call you sooner was because we found out that my mom has cancer," he's the first person besides Christina who I've told.
"Ah, I see. I hope she gets better."
I nod. "What about your family, Four," I say still staring out at the pond. What is he doing with my hair?
"Dead mother, crazy father. If I've got other family then I've never met them." He shrugs, like a dysfunctional family isn't even a big deal. He stops messing with my hair, and I notice the flowers no longer in his possession.
My hands immediately go to my hair, and I feel a braid with the flowers interwoven in it. "Hey, careful," Four says. "Don't mess it up," he smiles.
"Did you seriously braid my hair? How did you learn how to braid?" I ask, raising my eyebrows at him.
"I've known Shauna pretty much my whole life, I would learn eventually," he says.
I smile. "I love it, thank you."
…
Eventually, we decide to leave, because Christina was blowing up my phone and Zeke was blowing up Four's, the sun had begun to go down—I didn't realize we were there so long, I guess time does fly when you're having fun—and I wanted to go see my mother before the day was over.
Four had offered to drive for me, and I let him. So here we are now, him driving, me sitting with my head rested against the door, my eyes closed, and Twenty One Pilots playing in the car.
He must think I'm asleep, because he turns the music volume down a little bit, and drives a little slower. I notice him singing along to the song quietly. "You fell asleep in my car, I drove the whole time/But that's okay, I'll just avoid the holes so you sleep fine/I'm driving here I sit, cursing my government/for not using my taxes to fill holes with more cement."
A smile creeps onto my face. I can't help but smile at that. Singing along to Tear In My Heart, thinking that I'm really asleep, thinking I can't hear him. "I like your singing voice," I say, my eyes still closed.
"Oh…thanks," I don't think he wanted me to hear his singing voice. "So…um, where am I driving to?" he asks, clearly trying to change the subject.
"I dunno," I say, opening my eyes. "Is there anywhere you need to go? Is your car still at the pizza place?"
"Nah, Shauna and I forced Zeke to drive," he smirks.
"I was gonna go check on my mom," I say, glancing at him. "Do you wanna drive to your apart-"
"I'll come with you," he says. I look at him. "What? Am I being awkward?"
"No, you're being adorable," I immediately regret my choice of words and feel my face get hot. He smiles at me.
"If anyone's being adorable, it's you, Tris," still smiling.
"You do admit that we are totally flirting right now?"
"Yep. Are you okay with that?"
"Yep, I can't control you being adorable, and you can't help it, and I must acknowledge it."
"You're being adorable by telling me that I'm adorable. You're speaking adorably."
I blush. "Okay, adorable-boy-who-is-obviously-flirting-with-me-adorably, pay attention to driving and I'll give you directions to my parent's apartment."
"You're the boss."
…
He follows close behind as we walk down the hall to my parent's apartment. "This is nice," he says. "Do you think your parents will be weirded out that you've just brought some random boy guy home?"
"Not at all," I say. "Besides, I'm pretty sure they'll accept you." My parents have always been accepting, forgiving, and selfless people. Caleb and I had a lot as kids, but we also gave a lot to the community. They were always volunteering, feeding orphans, donating to charities and what not. Looking back on my childhood, I liked that lifestyle. Giving more than you take.
I knock on the door. "Hello? Your only and beloved daughter here wants to visit her parents."
No answer.
I knock again. "Hello? Guys?"
"Maybe they're not home?" Four suggests.
"I'll call them," I pull out my phone and go straight to the contacts. I decide to call my Dad. It rings once, twice, he picks up.
"Beatrice?" He sounds in distress. Where are they?
"Dad where are you at?"
"I had…I had to take your mother to the hospital," I almost drop my phone. "Beatrice…are you still there?"
"We'll be there in ten minutes."
"We'll? Is Caleb with you?" I hang up before I can answer my father's question.
"What's wrong? Are they okay?" Four asks, genuinely concerned.
"We have to go to the hospital, I…I don't know what's going on, we just have to leave now."
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