I never knew you could hate anyone with a passion. But I do now. Number boy. School jock. Mr. Popular. Principals son. Millionaire. Four.
"You bitch!" Four belts out.
"Asshole!" I scream back feeling anger rise in me.
"You two!" A teacher shouts from down the hall with a stricken expression,"watch your language or you'll both go to the principals office again!"
I let out a low growl of frustration, I'd take a swing at him right now but unfortunately for me I've already gotten into enough trouble. Four flowers down at me one last time before raging down the hallways. Anger boils inside of my chest at the thought of him, ever since we were children I've felt this rage towards him. Competition. That's what my father calls it. I simply like to state I don't make friends with arranging bastards.
I waltz into my next class muttering profanities under my breath while I sit down in the back corner with Marlene trailing behind me.
"Hey girl," she says cheerfully taking out her notes.
"Hey," I sigh doing the same.
"So you already got in a fight with Four I hear," she states with a dry laugh and I roll my eyes.
"Jeez if I could go one day without everyone knowing what I've been doing I might die of shock," I retort sarcastically and flip my textbook open.
"Speak of the devil," I mutter just as Four and Uriah strut in. They act as if they own the place, well Four technically does.
"Great," we grumble in unison. She has a burning hatred for Uriah, not as much as I despise Four's guts, but enough to make them want to strangle each other on a daily basis; and believe me they've tried.
"Here's your new seating arrangements for the rest of the semester," the stick figure teacher says, he brown hair pinned back as she steps aside to show us the neat handwriting on the board.
I stare at the white board for about a minute as my jaw goes slack in anger. I'm right next to the bastard Four and Marlene is on the other side of the room right next to Uriah.
"That brat does it on purpose I swear," Marlene mumbles while trudging to the other side of the room with her heals clicking. No doubt the teacher did, she likes to torment her students and mows exactly how.
I groan as Four plops in the seat next to mine with a load huff. We don't even look at each other; however, I can feel the anger radiating off of him in waves. The second the teacher starts talking I doze off and start to think of more important things, like soccer or stabbing Four in the eye with a butter knife.
"Tris," I here someone whisper.
"Tris," the same sing-song voice repeats from next to me.
"Can I have a pen?" Four asks and leans over right next to me with his breathe tickling my ear.
"No, leave me alone," I growl out in a harsh whisper and shove his face roughly away from mine. What is he up to now?
"Please," he pouts giving me puppy dog eyes.
"Get the he..."
"Ok, ok, ok, I get the point," he returns to his seat with a small smirk on his face. My eyes narrow.
Class is almost done and I'm ready to get out of this hell hole when I grab my water bottle and take a quick sip. The moment the water hits my tongue I spew it out everywhere and let out a loud squeal of disgust.
"MISS PRIOR!" The teacher shrieks as all eyes land on me.
"Somebody put apple cider vinegar in my water!" I scream examining my water bottle. Then I remember Four and I feel anger seep out of my pores.
"FOUR!" I scream turning to him while his face is red from trying to contain his laughter.
"You two principals office NOW!" she screams and lifts her chin like a snobby little child.
My face goes slack in disbelief as Four's smile drops in a second.
"Why is Tris going to the office she did nothing wrong!" Marlene bellows from across the room, arms crossed eyes narrowed.
"One more word out of you young lady and you can join them," the teacher hisses. I stand quickly, not wanting Marlene to open her mouth again because what will come out will be rather foul.
"Congratulations number boy it's the first period and you've already managed to get us sent to the principals office," I growl while walking as far away from him as possible on the other side of the hallway.
"It was just a prank," he muses with a hint of anger and despair in his low voice.
We stroll into Principal Eaton's office and plop down in the chairs that feel all too familiar to the both of us.
Principal Eaton walks in with the same power that always radiates off of him, and as always Four to shrinks back in his chair, oh I love when that happens.
"You two have got to get a grip on yourselves," he hisses glowering at the both of us, "this is the third time this week you have been sent to my office. I don't know when you'll learn your lesson but I will be a lot more strict with you two. Detention after school today, and you," he glares at Four with such an intense look I feel chills run down my spine and I almost pity Four, almost, "We'll discuss this farther at home," he scowls then dismisses us.
We both go to our lockers with solemn looks on our faces due to our previous scolding. Four being unusually pale walks beside me due to the fact our lockers just so happen to be right next to each other. I grab my chemistry book and realize Four grabs the same book, we both stare at the books in each other's arms and then at each other and he lets out an angry sigh and slams his locker door storming off like a spoiled brat to our next class. This will be a fantastic semester.
+++
It's lunch and so far I have every class with Four. Most likely because we both take the most advanced glances because we try to best each other. It seems our actions have backfired on he both of us. I walk over to our table and take a seat in between Lynn and Marlene while they're discussing some Trigonometry exam that I immediately push out of my head.
"Four and I have all the same classes," I whine right when I sit down.
"Zeke, I'm even partnered with him in Chemistry. I'm surprised that daft dumbo managed to get into chemistry," Shauna sneers.
"Uriah, thank God I'm only next to him in half the classes," Marlene rolls her eyes sarcastically.
"Zane, that douche," Lynn growls and rolls her eyes.
"Will, and he's already taken to insulting my intelligence," Christina scoffs.
This year is just going to be dandy.
+++
My next class is gym, thank God, I quickly grab my uniform and change in the gigantic locker room. When I stroll out I notice the class warming up and practicing a variety of sports. Naturally, I grab a basketball and toss it to Lynn, she just smirks and we start to play 1v1, minding our own business as usual.
I pivot around her and shoot a perfect three, right as the ball glides the the air, someone slams the ball to the ground right before it goes in the net. I turn around to all the guys smirking and giggling while Four grins with the ball wedged between his hands tightly.
"Come on Tiny," Four taunts and shoots a three, banking it, of course. I grab the ball and do a reverse layup without even looking, hearing the swoosh of the net makes me smirk.
"One v one, you and me," he challenges, his face masked in determination and I waltz right up to him and hold a defensive stance.
"Ladies first," he smirks handing me the new basketball.
I try to think of a strategy that would work against someone so tall and fast, he has to have at least a foot on me. I can't shoot long distance cause he can just jump and get it but short distance would be too hard cause he's twice the size of me. So I decide to outsmart him and to rely on my speed, something I hope he lacks.
I dribble up and pivot around him but he is already in front of me and I bounce right off of his chest, a grunt makes its way from my chest and I start to feel slightly nervous at what I just got myself into.
"Nice try Tiny," he pouts while spinning the ball in his hands.
"Yeah Four!" I hear Zeke shout and soon Will, Uriah, and Zane all join in cheering on their best friend who's tormenting me. Suddenly I feel outnumbered, it feels like Lynn and I are the only sane people in the class after all.
We play the entire gym class and soon everyone is watching. Including, Amar, who just happens to be Four's uncle and our gym teacher. Oh yeah, and also my Aunt Tori's boyfriend, because why not force Four and I to be even closer? Gym is almost over and it's only five to five. Normally within 5 minutes I have at least 10 points, but Four does play killer defense and the only thing that's been going on is me running into his chest and bouncing onto my butt.
The bell rings signifying the end of class and everyone rushes to get a quick shower —not that they need it they've only been watching Four and I—before next period. Sweat drips down my face and spine while I try to catch my breath from the intense game. I slowly walk into the locker room and hop in an open stall letting the cool water slide down my heated body. I soon realize that I have a study hall after this and since I got some of my homework done I decide a long shower is worth the lost study time.
I walk out of the bathroom and naturally everyone is gone due to us now being about 10 minutes into next period, giving me a little privacy. Then I feel an odd tingle on my back, I would think it's water but instead of going down my body like water should, it defies gravity and goes upwards. I glance over my shoulder to see a fat, hairy, long legged spider crawling up my back with it's beady eyes staring me down. Without even thinking I let out a blood curdling scream at the top of my lungs jumping up and down and finally bat it off my shoulder watching as it scurries across the floor but I'm quick to chuck my shoes at it.
The sound of the door swinging open fills my ears and I look up to see someone run in the girl's locker room, looking up my eyes meet a very panicked and very shirtless Four. Oh my goodness. He's wearing the same jeans he was wearing earlier today loosely balanced on his hips with a bewildered expression and that's when I remember I'm wrapped in nothing but a skimpy towel and feel the heat rush to my face in a quick moment.
"Sorry, there was a..." and I point to the giant dead spider scraped on the floor and grimace in humiliation and disgust.
He doesn't respond but just nods slowly, his breathing almost irregular and walks out with a shocked expression. I smile like an idiot for a second, I don't know why, but I do. Probably because I just completely and utterly humiliated myself and don't know what to do, or maybe cause I got a sneak peak at Four's abs, I hate the guy, but he does work out. I change into an extra pair of clothes just cause I wanted something comfier than my skirt and blouse then head to the next class.
"What did somebody get murdered in there?" Amar asks sarcastically looking up at Four and I as we walk out at the same time.
"I don't want to talk about it," I frown but feel a smile creep at the corners of my mouth. Amar just lets out a short laugh with his signature smirk that Four happened to inherit as well. Four's uncle then he goes back to his unending pile of papers.
Four and I walk silently down the school halls all the way to our side-by-side lockers. That's when the screaming alarm goes off causing me to nearly jump out of my own skin and my heart to stop for a second.
"We are under lockdown please lock the doors and stay put," a monotone voice booms through the speakers and the words echo down the halls.
My heart starts racing and my palms begin to sweat, we already had our lockdown drill this month, that means this isn't a drill at all, we're under attack. I look at Four as my heart nearly jumps out of my chest and he grabs my forearm and leads me down the now red halls as the lights flash nearly blinding me. The blaring sirens and red lights flash causing my senses to go haywire. I don't even object to anything Four does as he bangs on a classroom door which no one answers, we're trapped in the halls. We start to run down the red school halls and that's when I get my senses back, "We just have to get out of this section!" I shout over the sirens. Divergent High gets attacks a lot being in the center of Chicago and one of the largest schools, there are so many sections in this school that on the opposite side of the school right now they'll still be having class because this is no threat to them. It's only a threat to us.
Gunshots fill the air and echo through the halls making an illusion that the shots are coming from both ends of the hall when in reality it's only coming from one.
"This way!" Four shouts while dragging me through the halls just as another gun shot echoes through the school.
"Probably just a gang," Four growls while we run throughout the halls and the shots slowly quiet down.
We finally stop once we get to a hallway that the lights aren't going off in anymore. I recognize this hall as the Erudite hall and wonder if my brother is in any of these class rooms right now with his head stuck in a book. Another gunshot goes off and now this hall is filled with the loud sirens and bright red lights and I realize that the gang—or whoever is attacking us— is moving quickly and also towards us.
Four then swings a janitor closet open that I hadn't even seen before and yanks me into it with him almost giving me whiplash from the quick movement.
We both quickly realize how small it is once the door slams shut and we're pressed against each other in an awkward manner that makes my breathing go ragged.
"It's good thing your tiny, Tiny," Four mocks with labored breathe.
"Wow I'm glad even in a life and death situation you're still able to criticize me," I sneer while adjusting myself so my chest isn't pressed as hard to his.
"It's sort of hard not to," he winces with his breathing becoming more and more labored. That's when I really hear his insane amount of irregular breathing. He's sweating a lot and his eyes are nearly popping out of his head, he's never been afraid of gun fights, in fact he's been in so many I've lost count. Yet right here in this tiny closest he seems to nearly have an anxiety attack.
Suddenly we hear people in the hallway talking calmly and orderly, by what they're saying it's obvious they're the police. Four creeps the door open a little to look out but a police officer swings the door open right as his hand turns the nob and we both fall straight on to the ground. Four grunts lowly as I let out a pained squeal, while Four's whole body falls on top of me engulfing me in limps.
"OW!" I grunt but the noise gets muffled out by the floor. Four just rolls off of me and I stumble back on my feet no thanks to Four.
"Thanks," I mumble while rubbing my head which now aches slightly from clashing with Four's.
"Oh I'm sorry did you want me to hold the door open for you," Four remarks sarcastically.
"Ass," I mumble as he walks away down the once red lit hallway.
+++
Caleb and I lounge on the couch watching SpongeBob mostly because school got canceled for the week because of the attack, usually it's only the day but apparently a janitor got shot so they're letting the entire student body of 10,000 students catch a break for the rest of the week. The girls and I plan on crashing Four's party of course because what better way to get revenge on Four than to crash his oh so precious school parties. I just need to sneak out of the house without my parents finding out, I'm supposed to be the 'innocent' child. Yeah ok.
+++
I get up quietly at exactly 11:00, praying my parents won't hear me. I quickly throw on a tight black dress and small purse with some party essentials in them, such as pepper spray in case there's some freak there trying to get freaky. I sneak down the stairs and hear my dog trotting down the hall and freeze as I hold my breath. She comes up to me and tilts her head, something she does way to often when she sees someone up at night. I just stand there holding my breathe until she finally gets bored and goes into Caleb's room to sleep for the night.
Rushing out the door I go and grab my bike and bike to our meeting place which is Christina's rather large house. It takes about five minutes to get there and when I do I see the other girls bikes all lined up perfectly next to each other. I pull into the driveway and leap off my bike and barge into their house, not really thinking if I'd wake anyone or not.
"How'd it go did you sneak out?" Christina asks anxiously. I give her that 'your kidding right?' look and she just blinks.
"Christina she's here right now, do you think she got out?" Lynn groans rubbing her temples in an irritated way.
"I just wanted to make sure everything went ok!" Christina quickly defends herself.
"Anyways... can we get ready!" Marlene sequels holding some lip gloss up and waving it in our faces.
"UGH! But not to heavy on the blush!" Lynn exclaims while sitting down for Marlene to do her makeup. I let Chris do my makeup and know she's going to make me look like either a Greek goddess or a hooker, really hoping for the goddess though. She squeals when she finishes and spins the chair around for me to see. Looks like I'm going as a hooker.
"Alright gals, you ready to crash a party?" Shauna crosses her arms as her golden eyeshadow glistens. We all slowly smirk and exchange mischievous smiles with one another as images of the last party we crashed flashes through my mind.
"Hell yeah!" I shout.
+ + +
I hate Four and Four hates me. Everyone knows it, so if Four humiliates a girl, she comes to me. If I show up a boy, he goes to Four. There has been a constant revenge that has been going on since the second we met, which most likely was when we were still in diapers. Plus the girls also have their rivals, Shauna and Zeke hate each other with a raging burning passion, Marlene and Uriah despise each other more than angels and demons, Will and Christina hate the other for strictly their personalities, and Lynn and Zane, well they hate everyone. We will go to any length to be better than the other, even if it means biking in the middle of the night in Chicago while practically looking like prostitutes.
We get off of our bikes completely out of breathe from biking about 25 miles an hour. We slowly walk up to the house as the music blares and trot over to the front porch. Marlene puts her hand on the door knob and twists it causing an odd screeching sound and the next thing we know her gorgeous sparkling dress is drenched in fake blood —at least I think— along with anything within five feet of her. Laughter soon fills the air and the biggest teenage delinquents of all time stroll out of the darkness around us, A.K.A. the bastards we call boys.
"You should see your face!" Zeke belly laughs falling to his knees and clenching his stomach in pain.
That's when my eyes scan their little group and quickly I realize Four is missing, I turn around to run knowing some shit's about to go down but before I can take a step I'm drenched in red goo.
"FOUR!" I scream at the top of my lungs without even looking at who it was, believe me I know. I sprint towards the darkish figure chasing him around his endless front yard. I quickly throw off the heels I'm wearing and hear Four curse under his breathe because he knows how fast I am, especially when I'm pissed and want to strangle him.
I bolt and leap onto his back which doesn't do much but he still gets the nasty fake blood all over him. He starts to spin trying to get me off of him but it doesn't work and I just cling to his back while he cusses at me in multiple languages.
He falls over on his side and grunts with me falling to the side letting out a loud yelp.
"GET OFF ME TINY!" he yells using my stupid nickname that he knows pisses me off even more. I stand and draw my leg back kicking him where no girl, or anyone really, should.
"That's for the fake blood!" I accuse and flip him off.
"You crashed our party," he heaves still in pain of were I hit him while he clutches himself there.
"Ha! Asshat this is an 'open party' as you put it," I say and run in his house flipping my hair over my shoulder while the other girls are quick to follow.
"Split up," Shauna instructs while we huddle up "DONT DRINK!" Christina scolds, "not at this party."
We split up quickly covering as much ground as we can, we've done this at least a million times. We split up, get the guys drunk and make them say something stupid or do something even more stupid all while getting it on video and completely humiliating them. It's a win, win for us either way however, I mean we humiliate them and they know it's coming so they don't drink which ruins all of their fun. But of course there's the small flaw of sometimes us getting drunk and saying or doing something stupid all while they humiliate us.
That has happened to all of us but me. I've never drank before, I tell the girls it's because I don't want to do or say something stupid, but it's more because I am kind of a goody two shoes most of the time. Most of the time.
"TRIS!" Four shouts and I whip around. Four and all the other guys are there ready to pounce like the creepy predators they are. I look around for the girls and they are no where in sight. I start to panic knowing I can't take on five guys twice my size, especially those guys. I start to back up slowly while looking for a way out when my back hits the counter making me quickly realize I'm cornered. I decide flight over fight is my best option in this and try to sprint in the opposite direction but Four is quick to grab my waist and soon throws me over his shoulder, I keep squirming and screaming but with the music, the drunkies and everyone to focused on the opposite sex, no one sees me being manhandled by Four, and he walks around without a single person questioning.
"What should we do with her?" Uriah asks with an evil grin spreading across his stupid little face.
"Throw her in the pool!" Will cheers and the others all agree. I can no longer see them but I know they are all grinning diabolically, suddenly a wash rag is put over my eyes and my hands are tied behind my back.
I scream a couple times and squirm even more than before knowing my fate and my dresses fate. Suddenly two hands wrap around my waist and my feet aren't on the ground anymore. I hit the cold water and all the air leaves my lungs, water gets in my nose and mouth and I feel my throat and nose burning. My arms remain bound and my feet seem to sink even further with the weight of my wedges leaving me completely helpless in the water.
I try to swim to the surface but I can't without my arms and my brain is in to much of a panic to do anything more as the water burns my chest. I calm down and sink to the bottom while sending a short prayer to God asking that He won't let me die here at this stupid party I never should've come to. I sit at the bottom crisscross applesauce and push up and kick my legs I almost get to the top but the pool is too deep, black spots fill my already dark vision.
I feel like my head turns into a balloon and feel completely light headed and sink slowly to the bottom with the helplessness feeling growing within me. I hear a low splash and feel the water around me move while the same hands that threw me in wrap around me again, this time firmer and more urgent. Once we reach the surface air quickly fills my empty lungs. I breathe heavily and the blind fold is taken off my head and thrown in the water next to me as air rushes in and out of me. I look around all the people are inside except the guys who look somewhat concerned and guilty, Uriah especially as his face has a sad frown on it making him look like a beat down puppy.
I look at who saved me and sneer when I see it's Four. He swims to the edge still holding on to me and then he throws me on to the patio letting all my limbs sprawl out at odd angles as I relish the air. I stay on my hands and knees still gasping for breathe when I realize that Four wasn't wearing a shirt and seem to lose even more air.
I stare for a moment then realize what I'm doing and just blink for another moment before I turn to glare at him.
"I hate you," I try to say but it comes out more like "ah ha u." I hear someone gasp from behind me and see the girls are all standing in a line with scared and pissed expressions, then my eyes travel to Lynn and I want to scream out of fear at her fuming figure.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO TRIS!" Lynn seethes and I swear I can see smoke coming out of her ears and any chance of them living has been thrown straight out of the window.
"SO THIS IS WHY YOU LOCKED US IN A CLOSET," Christina screeches making all the guys jump at not only their anger but pitchy screams.
The guys suddenly start laughing and Uriah almost falls into the pool because he's laughing so hard which only seems to piss all of us even more. Then Four grabs a towel drying off his torso and throws his shirt back while fluffing his hair. Uriah just grabs another towel and raps it around me then throws me at Christina causing me to trip into her arms.
Marlene takes off her 6 inch heel and chucks it's sharp heel at him hitting him right in the chest.
"Ow oh no I'm gonna die she threw a SHOE at me!" Uriah screams in a girly voice while clutching his chest. Marlene just scowls while quickly shoving him into the pool but he grabs her just as he falls and she falls in with a scream on top of him.
Suddenly everyone's head whips up and they all look at their number one enemy and I get this weird feeling that I'm in some sort Western movie and there's a duel going on, there should be some Wild Wild West music playing right now. That is until they all charge each other throwing and shoving and screaming until everyone is in he pool except for me and Four. I just lay on the ground because my pained lungs prevent me from standing up still. Four just looks at me and gives me that look that speaks 'You're next.' I start to back away when he taunts "Aw is Tiny afraid of me?"
I look up with pure hatred and spring onto him sending us both in the cold pool water. I kick him under and swim to the top just to have him pull me under again. Soon everyone is trying to kill each other and drown the other in the deep end. Then I look up and immediately want to be swallowed up by the earth.
Right above me is Mr. Eaton our Principal and my dad. They weren't supposed to be back from work yet, I mean they only left on Monday and usually their business trips last at least a week straight. When Four sees his father he turns just as pale as me if not more. I realize everyone who was in the house is now gone, replaced with a gigantic mess and the girls and guys are still trying to kill each other in the deep end, that is until Christina sees them and gasps so loud everyone stops to look. Fear erupts from all of us as we stare in shock and Principal Eaton motions for us to get out of the pool before his arms cross over his chest again.
We walk out of the pool in silence dripping wet with heads low and hearts beating out of our chests.
"Beatrice how could you?" my dad shouts looking as if he might murder me on the spot which is very rare for someone with such an Abnegation background.
At the name "Beatrice" all the guys giggle except Four who still looks petrified in fear.
"You threw a PARTY!" Principal Eaton bellows at Four so loudly that it seems to echo throughout the entire neighborhood.
•••••••••••••
Thank you so much for reading and voting just saying the next chapter is actually my favorite chapter and it's a lot better than this one.
Stay Brave my Dauntless friends.