After Dark • Peter Hayes

Divergent

Pipers's POV;

"Hey, Tris, are you busy?" I spoke somewhat timidly as she walked away from the room, the fear's room.

"Oh, Piper, no I'm not busy" she smiled back making her way over to me, she seemed slightly on edge. Probably because of her earlier conversation with Four.

We walked making small talk until we'd reached tunnels, making our way towards the balcony for privacy.

"How are you?" I started with, seeing if she'd mention anything herself.

"I guess I'm just in shock really" she looked it.

"You seem a bit on edge Tris, always have done I just want to know that you're alright"

"I'm fine"

She was lying.

"Tris, you and I know that's not true" she didn't respond to that. "You can tell me"

"Even if I wanted to tell, I can't"

I took her into a hug that she quickly accepted. She was shaking slightly.

"Tris, I know"

She didn't move from the hug, "know what?"

I couldn't just blurt it out not when she didn't want to talk about it. "I know that it's hard, but I want you to know I will have your back no matter what"

"Thank you Piper"

———————

I felt something trickling on my face, but I was tired. I didn't open my eyes, only lifted my hand to my cheek to see what it could've been. I pinched the small particles between my thumb and forefinger.
Sand?

Sand.

Now I felt the urge to open my eyes.

Wood. There was wood all around me. I was in a box. A tiny box. With sand falling through the cracks.

I pushed on the lid slightly but only more sand fell through.

I'd been buried.

Alive.

I felt like screaming, but I knew that would use most of the little oxygen I had. I took deep breaths, trying to hold them as long as I could. 

I looked around for something. Anything.

A crowbar.

Bingo.

It sat near my feet. I couldn't lift my body enough to reach it.

Breathe out. Breathe in. Hold.

I used my left foot to nudge it up toward my hand. It was so close. Not close enough.

Breath out.

Come on piper.

Breath in and hold.

I had never gave it as hard a hit with my heel as possible.

Yes.

Yes.

I pulled it up and across my chest, the pointed flat end under the lid.

Breath out. Breath in. Hold.

With every ounce of energy I had I slammed it into the wood. It worked. It had worked. I pushed upward, heavier than I thought. Push.

After about 6 attempts I'd managed to squeeze out sticking my hand up through the sand I felt a breeze. The sand wasn't high. I could pull myself up.

That's what I did.

"Well done, 9 minutes"

It felt like hours.

"Thanks Four"

Will was stood waiting for me, I was last in today.

"Stop, Piper. You're going to tell me what's been going on" I tried to smile but he didn't buy it. "No, where were you the night Al died after his body was pulled up?"

"I just needed air, time to myself" I hadn't lied. I did go for time to myself, I didn't ask him to follow me.

"Yourself?"

"Will, what are you trying to say. spit it out" I came across more annoyed than I had intended to but I had been like that recently. Since that night. It was only 3 days ago but I couldn't stop replaying it in my mind.

"I'm trying to say I saw Peter follow you" his voice was soothing all of a sudden, as if he was partly scared to say it.

"No he didn't"

"Yes he did, because I tried to follow you make sure you were alright but he'd bet me to it" I didn't know how to answer him. He was absolutely right. He'd caught me out.

"Yea and I told him to leave" this was true.

"But he didn't did he?" He didn't sound annoyed, I couldn't make it if he knew what had happened or if he thought we'd argued.

I suppose we did. Or I did rather.

"No"

"What happened in there Piper? You can tell me anything, no judgement" he held up his pinky to take mine. I didn't do it at first, but his pinky stayed in the air.

Pinky swear.

"He just made sure I was ok. That's all"

"C'mon Pip, don't hurt my feelings by making out I'm stupid" I knew he knew.

"Look, if I tell you, you tell no one, understand?"

"I promise"

"I didn't want him there at the start, but when he sat with me it was different, I didn't feel alone. He comforted me, wiped my tears and told me it wasn't my fault." I stopped still insure how to say what I was about to say, "and then he- we kissed" I put my hand on my head.

"Ok. That's fine. Is that all that happened?" He pulled me in to a one armed hug.

"No, I shouted at him, told him I didn't need him and that I-" I thought about what I'd said. I told him I hated him. "I told him I hated him"

"Do you? Hate him?"

I shook my head. I didn't hate him. God I wanted to.

"I knew it hadn't gone that well" he added. I creased my brows.

"What?"

"I seen him the other night. He stormed into the bathroom shouting, swearing and hitting things."

"I told him I knew what he wanted from me. That I wasn't some girl he could get with and forget." It was true.

"I don't think that's how he felt Piper. I can't believe I sound as if I'm sticking up for Peter Hayes." He laughed. So did I.

"I'm a bad person right, for kissing someone like him"

"No, far from it you can't help who you want"

"I do not want him, I want nothing to do with him" I said. Trying to convince myself as much as I was him.

"You're allowe-"

"No. Will I don't want him ok" I stood up and walked toward the bedrooms. I didn't want Peter Hayes.

He doesn't want me and that is the end of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AN: this is a reallll short chapter, however you're about to get Peter's POV :)))
Figured I had to add it in to grasp his feelings, if there is any.