Three Words

Chapter 8 - Four

I'm sitting in Zeke and Shauna's living room relaxing after several rounds of paintball. The games had been challenging, but fun, especially since Uriah and Lynn were able to join. Uriah, being Zeke's younger brother, was practically a carbon copy with some differences. Uriah had joined the military when college proved to be too serious for him. I still don't understand his rational for joining the military, but it worked for him somehow. He had recently moved back after being stationed in Washington State for the past four years. I'm glad he was able to mature some, but he still retained much of his goofiness and now had the knowledge of how to shoot a gun.

Lynn was Shauna's opposite. While she may have been younger, she was the serious one of the two. Shauna was far more laid back and open, where Lynn was severe and kept to herself. All I really knew about her was that she had been busy with the firearms business she had started, and had finally found a few people that she felt she could trust to watch it while she wasn't there. This was no easy task considering she trusted very few people. If it wasn't for them, she would have stayed at her store seven days a week from open till close.

We're sitting around the living room, having just had a victory feast of Chinese takeout, drinking beers and recounting, or rather arguing, about tactics from earlier. Luckily, I don't think anyone has noticed how my mood has shifted, as least, no one has said anything. I usually keep a pretty neutral face around my friends. Zeke and Uriah have really been the only ones that have actually seen me show emotion, especially when we were in high school, but they probably wouldn't notice my subtle shifts.

I somehow feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and I know exactly why. Yesterday with Tris was unbelievable. She wasn't like any woman I have ever encountered. She is an unconventional beauty, with intelligence, incredible wit, and as far as I could tell, she is an amazing mother. We had stayed up till nearly midnight talking. I never knew I could lose track of time like that with someone.

"So Four!" Zeke yells from across the room.

I look over and see the smirk on his face. That's not good. "Yeah?"

"How was letter girl? You haven't stopped smirking all day. Even after you lost the last two games."

I now have everyone's attention. Shit. I better just own up to it, or Zeke is going to keep bugging me about it. "It went alight. Tris turned out not to be crazy at all. In fact, she was very interesting."

"So when are you going on a date?" Waggling his eyebrows.

"It's not like that Zeke. She had been married for a long time when her husband died. Neither one of us is ready to date." Besides, I don't think she has any interest in me romantically. I know I didn't want to date before yesterday, but I would make the exception for her. After holding her hand briefly, feeling a kind of electricity go through it, I had the urge for most of the day to reach out and hold her hand again, but always managed to hold back. Friendship was going to be the only thing that happened between us. Besides, I'm sure she didn't feel what I had.

"Sure, sure." Zeke rolls his eyes.

"Zeke, leave him alone." Shauna shoves her husband's arm. "Four, I think it's great you found someone you can relate and open up to. I don't blame you for not wanting to talk to him." She jerks her thumb at Zeke.

"Hey! I'm your husband. You can't say stuff like that!" His face full of mock hurt.

"Well, grow up then, and maybe I wouldn't have to." Shauna laughs.

"Thank you Shauna." I say with a smile.

"Are you going to try and get together again Four?" Shauna asks, smiling warmly.