Chapter 4:

TRIS POV:

The next few days of school go by uneventfully, my mind always seeming to wander to Four's, almost escape like, motions from my house in a rush to get home. He was desperate and determined, almost as if whatever was there when he would get where he was going would be abominable. However, he did make it to school on his 'death trap' the next day, though, acting even more closed off to the world. I made multiple attempts at conversations with him, but all he did was blow them off. He would make it non-obvious, stating his throat was in pain, from a sickness he had received from a family member, but I didn't necessarily believe him.

As the week gained on Friday, Four was beginning to transform back into the guy I met on his first day, but due to his previous attempts at lonliness, Uriah and Will have stopped acting as his friend and more as strangers to him. I believe they are giving up on him, and the only people still seeking kindness and friendship from Four are Zeke and me. We plan on making Four realize this on Friday at Zeke's party, though we still don't have a complete proof plan on how to achieve that.

On Friday morning, I rise with a new sense of hope, hope that Four will understand that we want to be his friend. That we are here for him and all his motives in life and throughout high school, but when I walk through those front doors that day, my mode changes drastically. The first step I take I fall into a tall male figure, one of which has quit large bulging muscles. Having the small figure of my mother, I fall backwards crashing my tailbone into the hard tile flooring, the frappuccino in my hand flying all over my new outfit.

No hands extend to my aide, but instead, they go for the books that had flown out of my bag, scattering around the floor, luckily barely missing the drink that is spreading around the tile quickly. By the time I'm back onto my feet, using my own energy, wincing at the pain in my butt, the books I had dropped are in a neat pile in the male's arms. I have to tilt my head only slightly, to be meat with the guys eyes, which shine an emerald green. Two people flank him, a girl and a boy, one of which I know. Molly, she was classified as a bitch to many people who were her friends that she had betrayed, taking the side of the other in a situation that involved that friend. I've only ever spoken to her once, when she had been teasing me about my body figure last year in gym. I had let her, only saying to stop once, then giving up.

She seems even more vicious as she stands with another tall, buff male at her side, snickering at my attempt to hide the pain in my tailbone. The guy in front of me, the one I stumbled into, extends his hands full of the books I need. I carefully push my hand towards the books, and then instantly they are pulled away from me.

"Not so fast, Stiff." He takes the books in his hands and turn slightly so I'm unable to reach them. "What do you think you're doing?" I stop struggling to get them as he teasingly rises them above his head. I only jump once in an attempt to reach out to the books, but I know it's a failed cause. "Need these books, don't you?"

"Yes, now may I please have them back?" I spit forcefully in his face, my voice as strong as it can be in a moment of embarrassment, people in the hallway begin to turn their heads staring at the scene he is causing.

"Wow, looks like we got a feisty one. One that likes to run into me and spill their coffee all over my brand new shirt...and her's too." He laughs, slowly bringing the books back to my height.

As I reach out once again in attempt to get the books, his hands open and all the books go crashing to the Frappuccino covered floor. People around me burst into laughter as I drop to my knees, picking up the dirty textbooks.

"Next time, try to watch where you're going because it won't just be the books going into the coffee, Stiff." His menacing words float in my brain, lingering at the sound of his voice, and I cringe.

They continue to walk down the hall, not after Molly yells, "Nice one Peter." and what seems like the whole school body slowly stops laughing and instead run to their classes as the last bell rings. I pick up the rest of my now soaking wet books, and jumble them up into my arms. The tears I was holding back from the publicly embarrassing moment, slip from my eyes and trail my face. I bring the books over to the trash, as they are not useful anymore, and dump them in.

I make my way to the girl's bathroom, holding my bag to my body, clutching it as if it's my lifeline. As I get through the doors my body weakly makes its way to the mirror and I look at my revolting figure, covered in stains. The bathrooms completely silent so I allow the sobs to rack my body as I grasp my edge of the counter, letting my bag slip from my shoulder. I can't go home, as I had my brother drive me, and the gates to the school are locked, in results to get out I would be forced to exit through the front, where all the staff are.

I stand there for what feels like hours, tears streaming down my face, and I listen waiting for that bell to ring. My phone buzzes multiple times, and I reach down, plopping onto the ground next to my bag pulling out my phone.

The messages are from Four, most of them reading: Where are you? Are you okay? If you don't answer by the end of this class I'm going to leave school and go to your house to see if you are okay.

I quickly text back that I was in the girl's bathroom and that I was fine. A few moments later he responds: Did something happen? I have a feeling you're not fine.

I take a deep breath in closing my eyes and hugging my phone to my chest thinking, thank God, someone actually gives a crap about me. I respond with an: I just spilled coffee on myself and didn't want people to see me with coffee on my shirt.

Not a moment later he responds with: I don't believe you. I'm coming to the bathroom, open when I knock.

I sigh, standing to face the mirror again, repeatedly wiping my dry hand across my wet face in attempt to appear as if I hadn't been bawling at the stupid petty little thing this morning. Too soon, I hear two knocks on the bathroom door and I yell a quick, "Come in." I glance at my reflection one last time, deflating as I see my face red and puffy, my eyes bloodshot, and my mascara had still left dried stains streaking my cheeks.

Four walks in, not taking one glance around the girls bathroom, his face completely still until he sees my face. "Tris, what the hell happened?" He asks, his facial expression contorting into one of concern.

"It's not that big a deal Four." I whisper in a hushed voice.

He walks over to me, no more than one foot away, raising both his eyebrows in question.

"Really, because it looks like it was a big deal to you." His voice is still sturn but I can sense a hint of struggle and sorrow in his husky tone.

"Like I said, It wasn't a big deal." I reply staring straight into his eyes almost as if I was challenging him. My tough act is slowly slipping through my fingers as he takes one step closer, not losing eye contact with me. I can feel my heartbeat begin to pick up as I think about the situations that had happened previously-this morning-and I can't hold back the single tear that slips from my right eye, the other tears beginning to pool.

Suddenly Four's strong arms are wrapped around my small torso, squeezing me tight. It takes me a minute before I realize Four is actually hugging me, and I bring my arms around him, connecting my hands behind his back. I lean my head into his chest and let the rest of the tear spill out and soak into his t-shirt, but he doesn't seem to care as he doesn't back away.

I can't explain the way I feel, many different emotions swirling around my stomach and brain, making me feel scared, yet safe. His muscular arms seem to hold me gently, as if I'm breakable like a porcelain doll, able to shatter if he lets go and drops me. Soon enough he says, "Tell me what happened Tris."

I sigh as I know I don't have another choice, because I'm literally crying into his shirt, "A guy named Peter. He just teased me this morning and I just...I just…" I struggle to keep my words steady when the tears flow freely down my face. "I thought it would be different since I changed."

"What do you mean, changed?"

"I used to be the quiet nerd that sat in the back of the room, Four. Christina changed me over the summer. She helped me become more open and more girly." I explain truthfully, sniffling as my emotional breakdown stops.

"Oh…" is all he says at first, his face full of wonder, "I'm not all that open either."

I laugh a little thinking about Four's brutal attempt to ignore my questions and dodge me and the others this past week. I release my hands and arms from around him and he lets me go as well.

"I think I've come to notice that this past week." I say and he smiles a fake, forced smile.

"Tris, I'm your friend and will always be there for you, I just don't like sharing things about my past. They were in the past and I can't change what has happened and I wont ever be able to. I will just have to live with it and I would rather not put that burden on you to keep that big of a secret." He rambles on and on.

"Four, like you said, I'm your friend, I wouldn't be upset with anything, you can tell me whatever it is." I press, praying he will break his impenetrable walls.

"Sorry, I think it's a story for another day." He says softly, almost in a whisper.

"But we are friends right?"

"Forever." He laughs, crossing his heart as if he were promising me in a little school girl way. I laugh with him, brightening both our moods as the next bell rings and Four sprints from the girls bathroom as fast as he possibly could. I walk out and watch as all the people in the hallway don't even acknowledge me, even from this morning.

"Tris, do you want to leave, I would like to." He pleads looking at the front desk where the teachers and staff sit.

"I would love to, but how do you expect to get out of this prison?"

"Just follow my lead." He say gently grabbing my arm with his enormous hand, guiding me to the front desk.

I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, I plan on getting one more update today just because! Please review.

~divergent24-7