Fourtris Now and Forever: Divergent No War

| c h a p t e r 43 |

The swinging doors open with a creak as I push on them. The entire place is empty, except for one person. He sits on one of the chairs with a smug smile.

"Zeke?" I ask. "What're you doing here?"

"Escaping," he says.

"Escaping what?" Tobias asks.

"Life. I'm just so worn, and I really just don't want to face everyone . . . I take it Lynn told you about Victoria, so I'm trying to stay low so I don't have to encounter her again."

"Why did you break up with her?" I ask. "Weren't you two good?"

"Yes, we were very good. I could have seen that relationship lasting for months. But it was just time."

I raise an eyebrow and look sideways at Tobias. "Sorry it went bad, man. But hey, let's make the most of it. I haven't been able to have out with you in ages."

Zeke smiles. "I suppose that has something to do with the girl standing beside you."

Tobias looks at me and his face remains neutral but his eyes are warm and open. I like him like this, unguarded.

"Then you would 'suppose' right," he says to Zeke, his voice soft yet still deep.

"Okay, okay," Zeke says, climbing out of the pool. "I get it. You're a couple, you're in love, you're going to get married and make babies. Now please stop all of this because you're making me sick."

I look over at Tobias in shock. My face is probably red and empty. My mind is still working through his words.

Zeke stands between us with his arms crossed. He's in his black swim shorts, similar to Tobias's but with a different pattern. Zeke's are slightly striped with a dark grey as opposed to Tobias's plain black.

As Zeke grabs my hand, I take note of the place. The walls are made of white painted bricks and the floors are a weird texture. They are hard yet squishy and seem extremely waterproof. It's painted a black color. Must be some type of Erudite invention.

I recall Tobias telling me that the pools were originally for training purposes only, but when they discovered that it was enjoyable for some of the younger members, they opened the facility up to everyone. It was a good way to pass by time or just hang out for a few hours.

Zeke drags us into the shallow section of the pool, which is only a few inches deep. I dip my toes in the water, testing it out. It's surprisingly warmer than I'd expected, but I sit down on the ledge. "I'm just going to sit here for a little," I explain, when Tobias looks back at me, worried.

He nods, his eyebrows furrowed. "Okay."

That's one of the amazing qualities I can find in him. He's understanding even when he doesn't understand.

Tobias drop his shirt to the floor and I can't help but stare at his back as the muscles expand and contract.

The two guys go running in the water and jump in, having an unspoken race of who can get to the other side the quickest. As they're completely submerged underwater, I quickly think back to what Zeke said. I stare down at my hands and twiddle my fingers, deep in thought. Part of me is still embarrassed, but another part is exploring an impossible future where Tobias and I are married.