The Other Side of the War (Tobias Eaton X OC)

Chapter 21

"What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you?"

A PROPER MEAL had not entered Storm's stomach in five days. No one ever saw her, unless you happened to be up at 4:30 every morning. Other than that, it was like she had never even existed in the first place. The initiates went to bed each night, staring at her vacant bed in wonder, only to be met by the empty cot once more in the morning. Storm graced everyone with her presence at the fear simulations, but besides that she had turned into a ghost. 

Over the past week, Storm's appearance became quite troubling. Her skin turned a sickly shade of gray, matching her dead eyes. Her new scars had scabbed over, but her knuckles only got more bloody. She only slept when she could no longer stand, only ate when she felt like she was going to pass out, and only stopped training until she could physically not move an inch. 

Storm's first place remained solid despite everything, only challenged by the skinny abnegation girl. Her fear simulation times only got faster which was a marvel to Four.

Everytime the trainer attempted to make conversation with her, he was met by dead silence. It angered and drove him near insanity. He needed to find out the truth about what happened to Ember, because he knew for certain that she did not kill herself. It was hard for him to imagine Storm killing the poor girl; yet there was a nagging voice in his brain telling himself something wasn't right

As Four watched the girl work through her fear simulations, her divergence became more apparent with each fear. He scolded himself for still feeling drawn to help her, but Storm made it abundantly clear that she wanted nothing to do with him. Four couldn't keep putting himself out there if she did not reciprocate it. 

He watched her fears over and over again throughout the past couple days; each time he became more angry than the last. Eric deserved more than just one punch, though Four didn't want to push his luck. 

Storm woke up from the fear simulations in a rather violent manner. Her arms frantically flung around. The girl choked on the oxygen entering her lungs as if it was poisoned. Her desperate breaths mixed with strangled sobs filled the room. Every part, every inch, every atom of Storm's body and soul begged for death. There was not a single ounce of life left in her beaten body. She went to bed every single night for a few hours praying this nightmare would end, that she would miraculously die in her slumber. And with each morning she woke up, only more depression followed.

"That was your slowest time yet at 5 minutes and 38 seconds," Four broke the painful silence. Her rejection weighed heavy on his heart. "You need to rest and fuel your body or else your times will only worsen, and so will your rank."

"I don't give a fuck about my times or rank," Storm snapped.

"When was the last time you had a full night's sleep? Or ate a decent meal?" Four asked with annoyance laced in every word. His arms crossed over his body. Trying to help Storm was like trying to tame an out of control toddler: impossible.

The dark-haired girl scoffed while wiping away stray tears, "spare me the therapist lecture. I don't need your help."

"Well you look like shit so you certainly need someone's help," Four deadpanned. His tone was harsh but his eyes held a surprising amount of empathy that Storm was not used to. She suddenly felt uncomfortable under his intense gaze."Your carelessness has let your divergence show in the simulations."

"Have you ever heard of the term, mind your business?" Storm snarkily replied but a shiver went down her spine at the word divergence. Deep down, she knew he was right. They would find out soon; Storm couldn't hide it forever. But It was truly not his problem, and she wasn't sure why he insisted on helping.