His Effect [h.s] AU

𝐃𝐨 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬?

I had lost track of Four and where he had gone off to, it had been so long since he left me in here that I'd fallen asleep on the couch twice now.

What if those people did something to him?

I shouldn't get things in my head. I stood up, going towards the door in order to look outside to see if he was around but when I reached it, the doorknob turned making me step back, starting me just a bit.

"Hey," Four says, allowing me to let out a breath of relief. "I'm sorry I took so long."

"Are they your friends?" I ask, watching Four take off his shirt leaving him shirtless, allowing me to see his muscles adorned with tattoos. Tattoo's I had never seen on him before. He had a few on his arms but his chest was just scattered with them. The tattoo that always seemed to seep out were two swallows. He still had the paper airplane necklace around his neck.

"Them? No. Just had to do a thing. Don't worry about it." He gives me a reassuring smile before throwing his used shirt inside the washing machine. I watch him load more clothes in before starting it. "I'll take a quick shower and then we can go, okay?"

I nod, sitting back in my previous spot on the couch. When he finishes his promised quick shower, we leave. Walking down the same stairs we came up from.

When Four opened the entrance door to the outside, the two people who were waiting for him outside his door were sitting on the bench outside, smoking a joint. The smell being easy enough for me to identify it.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Four groans. "Take that shit somewhere else." At this, the girl blows the smoke in Four's direction before flipping him off.

I watched as Four rolled his eyes before continuing to walk towards his car. Was he smuggling too? "Did that come from you?" I ask.

"What?"

"The weed they're smoking." I rephrase. Four's eyebrows scrunch in thought.

"No." He answers after a while.

I scoff. "You are such a liar." My face mocks my tone as I look away from Four whilst getting in the car.

"Do I look like someone that deals?" He asks, backing up from the parking space before looking to me.

"Your cousin is Thomas, the school drug dealer. What'd you want me to think?"

Four shrugs. "I don't know. Definitely didn't expect you to judge someone you don't fully know."

"Am I wrong?" I stand my ground, looking at him. Once at a red light, he turns to me.

"I just deliver them sometimes." He says making me look away.

"What for?"

"Just extra money." He admits with a shrug.

"I'm confused," I say. "Only people with money are allowed at our school. How come you're there, yet you do all these things for money?" As bad as it sounds, only people with a high status are allowed to attend our school. So pretentious but the community thought it'd be safer that way.

"How about I answer any question you have once we get to Molinari's." Four replies and I say nothing else until we get there.

—

"Well," I push. Four looks up from his coffee. "Spill it. Why did you move from London to Napa?"

"London is a dead end." He shrugs. "I moved in with my uncle and Thomas, but I hated being a fucking leech. I want to work for my own things, so I moved out. Sure, I got a nice car but that's about the only thing I have that I didn't buy myself." He takes a sip of his coffee.

I nod at this. "So then I'm guessing that's why you were allowed in the school?" I ask and he nods. "Makes sense. Now, as for the drugs."

"Well, it isn't easy being independent. Sure, my job at the boxing club is great but that doesn't do much. No one has a job that they enjoy and pays well at the same time. At least from my perspective. Delivering the merchandise is just a side job. I don't plan on doing that for long."

"Good," I say. "Because I already have a drug addict brother. I don't want to hang out with someone who deals, then it just looks bad."

Four chuckles at this. "I told Thomas not to deal your brother, but he makes his own decisions."

"I appreciate that." I sigh. "My brother is just a ticking time bomb. It's only a matter of time until..." a lump reaches my throat. Sure my brother annoyed me and he was a hassle. But he was still my brother and I loved him.

"Hey," Four places a hand on mine. "Lets talk about something else." When I look down to his ring covered fingers, he retrieves his hand back and clears his throat.

This makes me think about what Jaque said about the bonfire. I knew I had to go to supervise him, but if I went I'd only stay put watching his every movement. "I know this is early and I wouldn't be asking if it weren't for my sake," I start. Was I really going to ask him?

"Yeah?" He looks up, playing with a ring on his pinky.

"You know about the bonfire?" I ask and he nods. "Well, I kind of have to go because my parents want me to watch out for Jaque. Do you think you can do me this favor and come with me? If you want, you don't have to."

Four looks around before looking back to me and I only hoped I didn't make him uncomfortable. "Um, sure? I mean, I've never been to one, but I'm sure I don't mind." I let out a breath of relief at this.

He did sound unsure but I'm glad he didn't turn me down on the spot. "Good. It's not for another two weeks." I add.

"We'll have fun." He assures me making me smile. I hope he was right. "This means you owe me one back though." I roll my eyes and laugh at this.

"Oh really?" I spin my spoon I side the coffee to warm it up. "Is this how this friendship's going to work? Us owing each other?"

"You're catching up, good for you." Four smirks behind his cup and I laugh.