After The War

Telling the news

We burst into the next period class so fast that Lexie and I forget that we aren't even late. So it's with a surprised little yelp that the math teacher, Mr. Haggerman was startled and nearly fell out of his chair from surprise. We whisper our apologies and quietly take our seats. While the teacher starts the lecture for the day, something about the difference between real numbers verses imaginary numbers, I pulled out my text book and my Laptop. when it was booted up, I began to take notes. And that's how the 1 hour of math class was spent, taking notes whenever I felt that the lesson was becoming to complicated, or doing the assignment that would be assigned for the day.

Before I knew it, the bell to signal the end of the class period rang, and I had to hurry up to be able to make it to my next period on time. Before I had the chance to take 3 steps out the door, someone grabbed my arm. I quickly turned around to see that it was Lexie, looking a little shaken, I listen to what she has to say.

"Remember, we tell Kissa at lunch. I'll come and find you." and just like that, she's lost in the crowd. I hurry to the next class, health, thankful that I didn't need to stop by my locker. I hardly pay attention to what the teacher is even saying, more focused on how I would explain what was going on. The hour that passes is much slower then what I want it to be. Lets face it. I hate health class. The topics, the discussions of the topics, even the kids that are in my class. Combined, all these factors just make for a rather boring class.

10 minutes before the class lets out, I hear a commotion break out. By the sounds of it, its on the other side of the school. But that's impossible. Not because I'm deaf, but because the school is huge, the next building being over half a mile away. But to me, it's like I'm right next to whatever, or whoever is throwing things, and to me it sounds like liquids hitting the walls. which means its the art room. Either that or it's the Lab that the Biology class is doing. Before I can register what might be happening, I start to hear the voice of my friend Kissa and the new girl start to talk. Now don't get me wrong, I don't eavesdrop. but I dare you to listen to your friend who you've known since you were both babies is hard to resist.

"Kissa, can I ask you something?" Lexie asked, sounding a little distant, like she's sitting in another seat.

"Sure Lex, but depending on the topic, depends on information that I give you." Kissa says with a laugh, and now I know, that based on the sound of them talking, This has something to do with Kissa.

"well, what do you know about Matt? I mean, when I first met him, he seemed a little distant. Like he didn't like me." Lexie says as calmly as possible. This throws me off a little, because I don't remember acting cold and distant.

Kissa laughs a little before answering, and the level of detail that is in the answer simple astounds me. "When it comes to Matt, you have to take it slow. His mom called him an introvert one time when I was over there one day after school. Before you even ask," KIssa says with a laugh, "an introvert is someone who doesn't do well in a very crowded place. And if you pay attention to Matt, you'll notice that any time he's out in public, he will usually be quiet. But that doesn't mean that he isn't fun. every time we hang out, he's always the one that comes up with new ideas.

He's also the one that helped me get through my Grandfathers death. He's just one of those people that you can turn to. He may not always have the right words to make you feel better, but you know that you can talk to him about anything. He won't judge, he won't make fun of you. He'll just listen." Kissa says with a small sigh.

"What was he like? your grandfather i mean." Lexie asks without missing a beat. But before I can hear Kissa's reply, a loud shout can be heard in the distance, quickly followed by a couple well choice swear words.

"CODY!" Kissa shouts out in exasperation. That's the last that I hear of the conversation. But that sends me on my own mental spiral as I remember what happened the day that she found out. The day that she found out that her Dauntless grandfather, Almond Gardner was killed. That was a dark day.

It had started out a regular day. I would meet Kissa out in the middle of nowhere, at her front door of her house. A big house in the country. I had met Kissa at her front door like I do every morning and she was wearing her usual attire. Jeans, a plain red sleeveless t-shirt and a light weight gray vest over it. Instead of wearing her usual Sneakers that she loved to kick my ass with, she had decided to wear her combat boots, so I could tell she wouldn't be running in PE class.

We had started walking towards the school when I noticed that her hair was in a different fashion. Instead of it being in it's usual spiked up everywhere style, this looked like she had just rolled out of bed. So I asked her about it. "Hey Kalista? New Hair do?" I ask without hesitation to use her actual name, despite the fact that she hates it. But instead of telling me to go and die in the woods and leave her alone, she remains silent for the whole walk to school. At the pace that we are walking at, we are late. Again. Through tout the entire day, she remains silent. It's only on the walk home that she finally starts to talk.

"My grandfather passed away last night you ass." Kissa states. I look at her in shock. Not comprehending what I just heard. I knew from the few times that Kissa had unwillingly brought me over to her house that she was very very close to her grandfather. So Kissa let the whole story out. But before I could think about that, I hear the bell ring, signaling the end of the class, and that lunch has arrived. With a deep breath, I pack up my stuff and start heading towards the multi-purpose room.

Lexie and Kissa are already sitting at a table in the far corner of the room. Away from general crowds because Kissa knows that I hate the attention. But sometimes, when she's feeling particularly happy, she will choose to sit in the middle of the room and have everyone come to talk to me. Or other times, she will sit in the corner of the room and call people over to sit with us. Both times that she does this, about 2 times a week at most, my lunch is spent in silence. Kissa knows that I hate the attention, but she just likes to mess with me.

By the time that I reach the table, Kissa has already eaten about half of her pizza, pepperoni is her favorite. Along with her standard slice of pizza, Kissa also had one of those brownie bites, 3 packets of Reese's, 2 Candy of mountain dew, and for some reason, a packet of pure sugar. Yeah, Kissa is always on a sugar high. I sit down and notice that Lexie doesn't have any food in front of her. I pull out my brown paper bag lunch and pull out an apple, one of those red ones that I had cut up into slices, and a container of peanut butter. I put both of these in front of Lexie and pull out my sandwich of the day, today? A peanut butter and jelly sand which on wheat bread. My mom's way of trying to make me eat healthy. While I eat, I motion that the apples are Lexie's, and she slowly begins to nibble on one of the slices.

"So. Matt. Lexie here says that you have something to tell me?" Kissa asks, breaking the ice. I take a second to take a quick glance at Lexie, leave it to her to make me be the one to explain things. Lexie just shrugs and goes back to eating her apple slices.

"OK. Fine. I'll explain it then. Do you know the guest speaker we had this morning? The one that we interrupted? Well, he asked us to stay after class, for what felt like a good 20 minutes. While we were talking, he said that the government was looking for us. By us, he meant Lexie and myself. Now, before we could get into to much detail about exactly why the government wanted to hunt for 2 17 year old's, we don't know. I may have kinda sorta almost collapsed from exhaustion." At this last comment, Kissa decided that she would take the time to call me a wimp.

Before I can continue with the story, the bell that signals the end of lunch rings loudly. I turn to look at my best friend and Lexie, coming to a silent agreement that we would all walk home together. I silently and quickly walk out the door when I feel a set of hands grab me and shove me to the floor. Someone places a blind fold on my head, punches me hard across the face, and right before I black out, I hear the person say something, to faint for me to catch before everything around me goes black.