A.N. Hello all! So I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone for all the incredible reviews and support through the story so far. More than likely (and it will be kind of awkward if not) this chapter will put the story over 30K words, which may not seem like a lot if you are a serious writer, but for me, it's kind of unbelievable. But enough of my rambling, enjoy some more fun -dauntlessbybirth
We talk about seemingly nothing and in the shortest fifteen minutes of my life, we are at the door to my building. The only difference is tonight, we walk closer together than we ever have before. Our fingers brush a few times, and I'm almost sure we're about to hold hands. But most different about tonight, is as we say goodnight, Four leans forward and kisses the top of my forehead before finishing his walk to his apartment, where ever that is. My heart almost leaps out of my chest.
The next week goes by in a blur. Four hasn't kissed me again like he did last week, but every night, I hope he does it again. He has to notice me practically leaning into him. Unfortunately, he has yet to give in. Naturally, Christina found out about it. I can still hear her shrieking in excitement in my head and I'm not sure I'll ever fully recover. She said she could tell when I wouldn't make eye contact with her or something. It all sounds completely ridiculous to me, but Christina always knows.
She keeps saying that I should just reach up and kiss him, but things like that are easier for Christina. It's one of the reasons I believe she is bolder than myself, braver even. She keeps saying it's the twenty-first century and I should get over this chivalry nonsense. She's probably right, but I won't admit it to her, not yet.
Every day at work, I can feel the tension in the air. I look up and his eyes are right on mine. I feel like I'm going to burst. Even at work, I don't get a break from the teasing Christina provides at home. Uriah has made sure of that. Whenever I'm not looking, he throws French fries at me and tries to ask me questions.
"Has he kissed you yet? When is the wedding? Will you name your kid after me?" It doesn't help that we're a lot slower now with the holiday coming up. Sometimes around a major holiday, we can count on people wanting to go out with their families a few days before. It doesn't seem like tonight is going to be one of those nights. The bar has been dead all night. There's been two tables and a few bar guests, but that's about it.
"I can't handle this anymore." Uriah says as he walks out of the kitchen. He presses his hands to his face and pulls down. Boredom is getting to us all.
"They let you out of the back? That's not good." I joke with him. His only response is a side-eyed glare. He starts arguing with Zeke about something and the two start throwing oranges and limes at each other. Laughter fills the bar and I find myself instantly filled with joy. There is never a dull moment in Dauntless. I almost don't hear the front door open.
"Cut it out you two. Uriah, get in the back. NOW." Eric yells from behind him. I roll my eyes at his comment. It's just another guest who is probably just as bored as we are. I turn my back, resting my elbows on the bar. It isn't until I see who walked in the door that my entire body tenses up and I figure out why Eric was so angry all of a sudden.
Marcus doesn't even break stride. He walks straight up to the bar and sits down. He and Four don't make eye contact and no drink order is given. He pours Marcus a drink before turning his back to him. I feel hotness rise up into my face. Who does he think he is? How can he just walk in here like nothing happened? Like he wasn't the one who caused the purple and green marks that are still on Four's face in the right light? My fists tighten.
"Tris." My concentration is broken and I notice Zeke standing next to me. Does he know? "It's not worth it. Trust me." He says before walking into the back to change a keg. I know in my head, I should take his advice, but it's easier said than done.
I'm already getting sat with another table, so I walk away from the bar to go greet them.
"Hey, how are you—"
"Two tall Bud Lights." My favorite kind of table. I don't respond. Instead, I turn to punch their order in the computer and wait back at my post, both eyes glued to the monster sitting at our bar. Four sees the ticket ring back and starts pouring the drinks. Even though his back is to Marcus, he is still just as tense as before.
It's interesting watching the two of them interact with each other, even though no words are spoken. On one end of the bar is the power that money buys, the power of knowing you never have to deal with a problem yourself because someone can always be bought to do it for you. On the other end of the bar is the power that experience gives you. It wasn't until now that I noticed just how scary Four can be. And now I know what it is from. This altercation with Marcus wasn't the beginning of something, it was just another event in a very long story. The hotness in my face is burning with more intensity.
Four and I make eye contact for a fraction of a second when he sets down my drinks. I grab them quickly and head back to my table. I don't particularly want him to know what I'm thinking right now. I drop the beers off at the table before quickly being shooed away. In hindsight, I'm glad my table doesn't really want to talk. I'm a little too distracted.
I start to walk into the kitchen when a strong hand wraps around my upper arm, turning me in the opposite direction. I'm standing six inches from Four and I can't tell if the look in his eyes is one of anger or desperation.
"Whatever you're thinking, forget it." He says.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I tell him, even though it's a terrible lie.
"Tris, just let it go. It's not worth it." He says, and I start to feel even more frustrated than before. Hearing it from Zeke was bad enough, but hearing it from Four now just makes me angry.
"You can't make me not hate him, not after what he did." He seems surprised by my words and the anger in his eyes is replaced with confusion. He lets go of my arm before walking back to the bar. Marcus only stays for one drink tonight and because I'm standing by the service bar, I witness the awkward interaction of Marcus cashing out and not tipping. Asshole.
He stands up and grabs his jacket off the back of the chair next to him.
"Tobias." I turn my head towards him when I hear this. If I hadn't been this close, I might have missed it. Is that Four? I must have been staring a little too hard, because Marcus turns and looks right at me. He doesn't say anything. He simply nods and walks out. The minute the door shuts behind him, it's like everyone released a breath they had been holding for hours. Uriah walks back out from the kitchen almost like the slam of the door called him out.
"Don't you just love holidays?" Four asks rhetorically. It didn't occur to me that this is probably a hard time of the year for him too. I momentarily forget the encounter with Marcus as Uriah starts complaining about how his parents are going out of town for the holiday, so he can't go steal their food. It makes me long for my Mom and Dad even more than I already do. It will be nice to have Caleb around, but there is still an emptiness that no one can fill. I wonder if Four feels the same way? As far as I know, Marcus is the only family he has. His holiday will probably be empty too.
"If you don't have plans for Thanksgiving, you can come over to my place. My roommate and her boyfriend will be there and my brother is flying into town." I say a little too loud. The invite was really meant for Four.
"We'd love too!" Uriah and Zeke almost say in unison.
"Great!" I say with a fake smile plastered to my face. Hopefully Christina doesn't mind a few extra guests. I look to Four for the answer I was originally looking for. He thinks about it for a moment.
"I'd love to." He says quietly.
"Perfect!" I exclaim. "I'll let Christina know." I also need to make sure I call Caleb tonight. I'm pretty sure he said his flight gets in tomorrow or the next day. Come to think of it, I have no idea when he's supposed to be here. I push the thought from my mind. I'll just check when I get home tonight. As usual, the rest of the night is slow and uneventful. I find myself feeling slightly nervous to have Four walk me home.
After a few minutes of silent walking, I decide that I need to speak up.
"Four, I need to tell you something." I say. He looks to me with eyebrows raised. "Well, it's not something you don't already know. I just need you to know that I know." I start to get the feeling that I'm rambling. The thought is only confirmed by Four's continued confusion.
"Okay?" He replies, a little unsure of what is to come next.
"I heard Marcus say your name. Your real name." My gaze doesn't break from him and I wait for a response. He looks forward, just like he used to, not meeting my eyes. Should I not have said anything? After a few moments, he beings to nod slowly.
"It's really not the worst thing in the world I guess." I breath a sigh of relief.
"To- Four. I just don't really understand why the nickname?" I've asked him this a million times before and even though I know I'm not going to get a response today, it just feels like a good time to ask.
"There are moments that define your life. You want to remember these moments, because more than anything else, they make up who you are. Four is a constant reminder of the one pivotal moment of my life, the moment that I decided that I wasn't going to let Marcus control my life anymore. In all actuality, Zeke came up with it, and it just kind of stuck." The words flow out of his mouth and I'm taken back by how easily he says it to me.
"Zeke? Really?" I'm definitely surprised by this.
"I know it seems odd, but he's been around for a lot longer than you would think. His family kind of took me in when I had nowhere else to go. Without them, I wouldn't have found Dauntless and God knows where I would be now."
I find myself at a loss for words, but I know that I don't want to end the conversation here. I feel like Four is finally going to open up and let me in, but to get more I know I'll have to give a little. Maybe this is the perfect time to tell him how I feel. I can see my building off in the distance.
"I know what it's like to be on your own. My parents were killed almost a year and a half ago and Caleb, my brother, went off to college. I know it's not the same as with Marcus." My words trail off.
"So that's the something else?" He asks. Now I'm the one that feels confused. "The first night I walked you home." He continues. "I asked why you moved to work at Dauntless and you said it was because you didn't really have any family and you needed something new. I told you that I almost believed you because there was always something more."
"I can't believe you remembered that." I don't lie. That night feels like ages ago. Not to mention, I always thought he wasn't really paying attention, especially with how he wouldn't look at me. We're finally approaching the front steps to my building. I'm silently praying that he doesn't say goodnight and walk away.
It seems my prayers are answered. Instead of turning to say goodbye to me, he sits down on the steps. However, I get the nagging feeling that even this doesn't feel right.
"Do you want to come upstairs?" I blurt the question out before I really even have time to think. I almost close my eyes, waiting for a response. Is this too bold?
"Um, yeah. Sure." He says. I can tell he's trying to hide a smile, but I know him better than that. He wanted me to ask him. He doesn't want to leave yet either.
I start to feel even more nervous as he follows me to the door to my building. I don't exactly know what the protocol for this is. We walk up the stairs and I start fumbling with my keys.
"Tris?" I turn to see Four standing even closer to me than he was before, his blue eyes piercing through me. I feel my keys drop out of my fingers and hear them hit the floor, but I don't move. I'm too lost in this moment. My face feels warm, and for a second, we just stand like this. Eventually, he starts to inch closer towards me. His lips are close to mine and more than anything, I want to pull him towards me.
"You know, I've never felt this close to anyone before." He says. I can feel his breath on me. I don't respond, I just look up and his eyes meet mine. This is the moment. This is the moment that will change everything. My heart is about to leap out of my chest and my face feel hot enough to explode. He tilts his head slightly to the side and I close my eyes, ready to let it happen.
Suddenly, the silence is broken as the front door of my apartment swings open. My back is to the door, so I have no idea who is standing behind me.
"Tris! I heard you fumbling with your keys and—wait a minute. Who the hell is this?" I turn around and stare right into the eyes of my very protective older brother.
A.N. Okay! That was a fun one! Again, please leave your comments and reviews. I also want to let everyone know that with July 4th being this weekend, I likely won't even begin writing the next chapter until Sunday night. I have a lot planned and none of it includes sitting inside at my computer And you shouldn't either! So, go enjoy a firework show or cook something on the grill, but most importantly, have an awesome weekend
-dauntlessbybirth