Surviving Reality: Allegiant | ✓

Tris

Like Marlene told me, Zeke's car is parked in Shauna and Lynn's driveway. She parks behind it and kills the engine. I hop out and she grabs her bag.

Marlene doesn't even bother to knock. She just pulls open the door and walks in. "They're in their basement." She informs me. I follow her through a series of hallways and rooms. She drags me up the stairs and into an all-black room with posters for bands like Sleeping With Sirens pinned up.

"Lynn's room?" I guess.

She nods. "Yep. There's a laundry chute in every room, but Shauna's is only used by her. This is the fun way." She grabs my wrist and drags me into the closet, shutting the door. "As far as everyone knows, they're out of use."

She shines her phone's light down the chute when she opens the door. All metal, silver-colored. I can't see the bottom, but the chute is widen enough that even Four could easily fit.

Four. The name sends a jolt of pain through me, but I shake it off. Now's not the time to get all heartbroken over my ex.

"Sucks that Chris couldn't come." I sigh.

"She's done this at least ten times before." Mar says. "She's not missing much. Besides, she's a little busy with her new boyfriend that goes to that shmancy smart-kids school."

"Fernando?"

She nods. "Yup. Your brother's bestie, right?"

I laugh. "One way of saying it."

Mar checks her phone. "Alright, come one. We don't have all day. You first and I'll be right behind you."

I hop in the chute and slide down feet-first. Marlene is laughing behind me.

After a moment there's nothing under me, and then I hit a net and bounce.

Marlene lands next to me, and the two of us look at each other and start laughing.

Lynn's face appears above us, grinning. "Hey, strangers." She helps us up.

My eyes flick over the basement quickly. "Nice place. No Nita today?" I ask, referring to her girlfriend. The girl seems nice enough, but there's something a little off about her.

Not to mention she was flirting with Tobias when we were still dating.

Four, I correct myself. He is no longer Tobias to you.

"No Nita." She grins. "Sorry, they're in the other room."

Other room? I think. How big is this place?

Marlene seems to get my question. "It covers the whole house."

"Wow."

Lynn nods. "Yeah. Our parents redid the whole place so that we could have it. Hec's upstairs playing Call of Duty, by the way."

I nod. Marlene beats me to the question. "Is Lauren here?"

Lynn shakes her head. "Nope. Still in juvy-rehab."

I tilt my head to the side. "I thought she got out today."

"Apparently not." Lynn shrugs. "According to them, something happened. I don't know. They'll text me when they get more info."

Lynn leads us straight through to a different room. This one has several different colored couches, and the walls are painted a slate gray. Shauna is flung over a bright scarlet chair. Zeke is fighting with Uriah on a blue couch. And on a green couch-

"No." I snap, looking at Marlene. I drag her out of earshot of the others. "No way in hell am I staying here if he's here."

"You've gotta face him sometime, Tris." 

"I can't, Mar. Not now. Please." I hate begging, but I can't do this yet.

She sighs. "You don't have to talk to him. You don't have to even look at him. Just pretend he's not there."

I sigh.

"He's our friend too, Tris."

"I know, I know. I just..."

She gives me a quick hug. "It'll be fine, Tris. I know that you don't want to talk to him. I know that as of now, you hate his guts. But just for a few hours, and I swear I'll take you home if you can't stand him anymore after that. Okay?"

"Okay." I give her a weak smile.

She pats the top of my head. "That's my brave little soldier-friend."

I let out a laugh. "Brave little soldier-friend?"

"That's what my French teacher says- she tells us to be brave little soldiers when no one raises their hands."

I laugh again. "I worry about you some days."

"Funny," she muses, "Shauna, Lynn, Zeke, and Christina say the same thing."

I grin. "There's a definite reason for that."

"I don't see it."

"That means the medicine's working."

She gives me a playful shove. "And who should be worried about who?"

I roll my eyes and nudge her. Alright, so maybe I can handle a few hours.

Maybe.