The Iron Soldier: A FourTris Divergent Story

Chapter 7

The fire alarm screamed from somewhere overhead. Four looked over his shoulder from where he stood in front of the sink. "Can you get that?"

"Yeah, sure." Except I can't. The ceilings here are higher than most places. I jump several times, stretching my fingers toward the flashing red button, missing both times. That's ok. I'll just get up on the chair. But before I can pull the chair over to position it under the smoke detector, Four is towering over me. He stretches his long arm out and hits the button without as much as getting on his tiptoes.

"Sorry. I forgot how tiny you are."

"Tiny? I'm not tiny. The correct word is petite."

"Oh, right. I'll keep that in mind." He walks back over to the counter and opens the cabinet door over his head. "I have Trix, Froot Loops and Captain crunch."

A giggle sneaks past my lips. "What are you, five?"

"No, I just like a good sugar rush in the morning. So what will it be."

I shake my head slightly, unable to stop smiling, "I'll have whatever your having."

"Captain crunch it is." He slides the box across the table, before retrieving two bowls from the cubbard. I fill my bowl, and then his, while he fetches spoons and the milk. As he sits he grins at me. "Well, aren't we just like an old married couple?"

I turn as red as my crunch berries. He laughed. "You, my tiny friend, are adorable."

I swallow my mouthful of cereal. "Petite." I correct him. "And I'm not adorable."

"Is this going to turn into our first argument?"

"Absolutely not. That would be a presumption that we'd have future arguments, but I highly doubt we'll see each other again after today."

His smile slowly fades away. "Why wouldn't we?"

"I have no intention of ever going into that bar you work at ever again. And this time was just a freak coincidence."

"Mmm, yeah. Your probably right." He takes a bite of cereal and I realize it stings a little that he agreed with me. "Plus I'm a total ass, so there's a really good reason to stay away."

I'm reminded of the conversation we were having before the smoking eggs interrupted us. "Yeah, why is that exactly?"

His head tilts slightly to the left. "I dunno. If people don't like you, they tend to leave you alone."

"And that's what you want? For people to leave you alone?"

His eyes lock on mine. "Most of the time."

My heart starts beating faster. "Why?" I ask casually, like I really don't care.

"Having friends is too complicated for me. I'm not very social. I don't like meeting new people. You know, typical ass stuff."

I smile again before filling my mouth with more cereal. "Then why are you a bartender? A job that requires you to be social and meet new people?"

Four leans forward over the table. "That's just my cover. I'm really a secret agent."

I nearly spit out my cereal. The way he overpowered the thief at the convenience store, I wouldn't doubt it, but the tone in his voice screams sarcasm. "Oh really?" I decide to play along.

He chuckles. "No. I guess the job just kinda landed in my lap. I needed a job and one of my friends worked there and put in a good word for me."

"Wait a minute. So you actually friends."

Half his face curls into a smile. "Yeah, I have a few that tolerate me."

"They must be absolute saints." I reply with a strait face.

"Yeah." His mind is suddenly far away. "Yeah, they are good people."

I can feel the mood between us change. A chill runs down my arms. "You say that like you haven't seen them in a while."

"I haven't. But it's ok. Because now I have you to pick on Tiny."His face is warm and his expression has returned to the present. "Forget I said that. I forgot we aren't going to see each other ever again."

The sting of his words jabs me again. I don't want this to be the last time I ever see him, but I know the more time we spend together, the harder my life will become. I need to focus on school, on my assignment, on the internship, on my future. Do you really want to be alone all your life? A subconscious battle begins in my mind. What if this guy is the one? That's ridiculous, I'm only twenty-one. I have plenty of time.

In a desperate attempt to escape my own head, I push the conversation to the back of my mind and finish my cereal.

Four finished his before me, but he sits quietly waiting for me to take the last bite before rising and clearing the dirty dishes off the table.

"Are you ready to go back to the dorm?"

I nod, feeling a little sad.

"Okay." He snatches his car keys off the counter. "Let's go."

We walk out the door together, and his hand is on my back again. He's just barely touching me, but it's enough to send my senses into a whirlwind. This has to stop, I tell myself. "Would you mind swinging by the bank real quick on the way back to the dorm?"

"Not at all. Just tell me which one." His blue eyes penetrate mine as he opens the passenger side door for me. I swallow hard, attempting to push back the lump forming in my throat.

He doesn't say much once we're on the road. I point down several roads, leading to the bank I do business with. He pulls into a parking spot and I jump out of the truck before he's put it in park.

The line inside isn't long. It takes almost no time at all to complete the transaction. I return to the truck and he smiles lightly. "All set?"

I squeeze my lips together and nod.

The dorm in only a quarter mile away from the bank. I feel my chest tighten when he pulls into the parking lot. Are we really saying goodbye for the last time? I reach out and grab his hand, unfolding his fingers. Two twenty dollar bills are pushed into his palm before I fold his fingers closed around it. "Thank you for not being an ass, at least to me."

His eyes are studying my face. His lips part slightly, like we wants to say something, but then close as he looks away. "Good luck with your story. And the internship."

"Thanks." The word barely makes it out of my mouth.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

I reach for the door handle and look over to him. "Do what?"

Four looks nervously at his hands and then back to me. "Say goodbye."

Does this really feel as wrong to him as it does to me?

"We went through something pretty intense back there. Together." He shakes his head, searching for words. "What if you need someone to talk to?"

"I have friends I can talk to. I'll be fine. How bout you?"

"Oh yeah, definitely. I just wanted to make sure you'd be ok."

I give him an appreciative smile, before climbing out of the truck. I turn to him one last time. Those beautiful blue eyes look sad, but maybe it's just my imagination. "Thanks for everything Four. You are a great person."

His smile returns, "I try not to be. But everyone slips up sometimes."

I chuckle. "Bye." I lift my hand briefly and close the door. I'm walking toward the dorm entrance. Don't look back. A single tear runs down my cheek, but I resist the urge to turn around and watch him drive away.