Closer

Chapter 17

The next morning I groaned as our metal on metal alarmed echoed through the dorms. I hadn't gotten any sleep that night thanks to my mind constantly running over what happened yesterday. Running through how I could fix it, if I could at all. I looked to see who had woken us up.

I eyes met his for a brief moment before he turned and made his way out of the room. I threw the sheets off me and chased after him. It was the first time I'd seen him since he walked out of the training room yesterday.

"Four!" I shouted as I made it into the hall. He looked over his shoulder and stopped.

"You should be getting ready, Initiate," his tone cold and smooth.

"Please. Can I talk to you?" I padded over to him, my bare feet cold against the stone floor. Once I was close enough, he motioned for me to follow him. He led me to a side hallway not far from the dorms. He opened the first door on the left and held it open for me. It looked like some sort of supply room, but it was huge, easily big enough to fit 15 people comfortable.

As soon as he closed the door behind him I began to speak. "I'm sorry, okay? I don't know what else to say. I didn't pick him out of spite, it just happened. I can't change how I feel about him and vise versa, but I don't want to lose you over this," I admitted.

"Alex," he started, taking in a deep breath before he continued. "This isn't something to just forgive and forget. Just because you like him doesn't mean I can just forget what he's done."

"I'm not asking you to be his best friend, I'm just asking you to not make me choose."

"So even after what I told you, you still want to be involved with him?" He snapped. "I don't want you anywhere near him."

"You only have one side of the story. I want to hear it from him. Depending on his answer, I'll go from there," I knew Tobias wouldn't lie to me, but I also didn't believe Eric was a killer. There was a piece missing in this puzzle and I wasn't going to label Eric until I found it.

"You're my little sister, I can't stand the sight of you with him. After all the shit he put you through... he's dangerous." His anger was starting to fade into worry.

"Just trust me, please?" I grabbed his hand in both of mine.

"I trust you, but I don't trust him," he looked skeptically at me.

"I'm not asking you to trust him. I'm asking you to trust me. You can hate him as much as you want, but please just don't hate me..." I begged.

"I don't hate you, Alexandra, I love you," he squeezed my hand slightly. "I just never imagined you ever doing something like this with someone like him."

"People change..." was all I had in response to that.

"Trust me, I know."

We were silent for a few seconds fore I spoke again. "So can I have my big brother back?"

"You never lost him," I could see that he was trying to give me a reassuring smile, but at he same time I could tell that he still wasn't okay with all of this. He squeezed my hand before stepping back to opened the door. I'm not sure we'll be like we were before, but this was a start."You need to get ready, you have a big day ahead of you." I gave him a small smile and made my way back to the dorms.

________

I stood next to Jake as I anxiously played with the hem of my shirt. The heat of all the bodies around me made it difficult to breath which didn't help the situation. I heard a cheer and stopped to look at the screens that were off to my left. The screens showed a black clothed boy in the fear landscape room; Aidan. I watched him as he moved, his eyes wide, but I couldn't tell what fear he was facing. Thank god no one out here will see my fears either, just my reactions. But Eric would see them and so will the rest of the leaders.