"No," a stern voice commands from behind me making my head whip around. I didn't even get to ask Nita any questions on who this guy was but by the look on my mother's face I know he can't be good. My father stands behind her with a stricken face of anger while my mother harbors something much deeper in her eyes.
"Nita I'm going to have to ask you to leave this house and never mention his name around my daughter again," my mother storms towards the door, slamming it in Nita's face.
"Mom―" I start when she abruptly interrupts me.
"You're going on that trip," she glances back at my father as he suddenly wears a defeated look but a knowing one as well.
"Wait who's David Anthony? And does he have anything to do with why you're suddenly letting me go?" I begin to bombard my mother with questions as she heads back into the kitchen with Four and I on her trail.
"David is none of your concern," my mother's tone is final but I won't let her suddenly drop something that has to do with me. I mean he sent Nita to get Four and I that means he wants us for something and I fully intend to find out why.
"Mom who is he?" I ask again and she quickly turns to me as her face gives away her emotions.
"Beatrice, you have to listen to me. David is an immensely self-centered man and a liar who doesn't have an issue with putting others in danger for his own need to satisfy his curiousity. Promise Beatrice and I mean it, that if you hear anything about him you will walk away," my mother rambles quickly as her anger seeps out of her.
"Ok I promise but why does he want Four and I?" I glance back at Four who wears the same confused face as I do.
"Who knows," my mother rolls her eyes, "David sometimes asks for DH students and since you two are at the very top of the school sports wise and academic wise it's no surprise he wants to get his claws on you."
"Claws? What is he Satan?" I question as my mother is never this rash or rude.
"Not far from it," she mutters mostly to herself.
"Well," she sighs looking between Four and I, "I suggest you two get packing cause you're leaving in a week."
+++
"Christina I don't need twenty bottles of lotion," I point out, "I already have like 5 carry-ons I don't need anymore full of useless crap."
"Lotion is not useless crap your skin is going to get dry cause of the sun and the ocean you don't want to come home looking like my grandma after pool day now do you?" Christina crosses her arms.
Rolling my eyes I turn away from her and look back at my large suitcase that Shauna is currently sitting.
"You know can't we just buy clothes there or something? I'm sure that'd be less work that literally bringing my entire wardrobe?" I question and Shauna's head snaps up from her phone to look at me.
"Oh we're buying clothes there, this should just cover the first few days," with that she leaps up and strolls nonchalantly out the door. As my gaze follows her I lock eyes with Four who's leaning on my doorframe, a humorous glint in his eyes.
"Christina Will's trying to limit your shoe bag downstairs," Four voices and Christina's head violently snaps upward from forcing my suitcase shut.
"That little..." Christina mutters as she storms past Four and soon we hear the sound of her pattering feet sprinting down the stairs.
"Poor Will," I laugh as Four waltzes into my room.
"Yeah especially since I kind of made that up just to get her out of your room," Four confesses lightly as he scratches the back of his head.
"Four!" I scold and slap his chest lightly as he hovers over me.
"What? I wanted to be with you," he whines like a child while wrapping his arms tightly around me.
We sit like this for almost a full minute as I take in his metallic scent and soft sweater, something he won't be needing for another week.
"Are you excited?" he finally mutters into my hair after a long moment.
"Yeah," I murmur almost unsure of my own answer. He pulls back and places a hang gently on my chin.
"What's on your mind Tris?" he questions softly and I step back from him to look into his eyes.
"Yesterday after my mom flipped about David, I looked him up and found some things on him," I sigh softly and Fours eyebrows draw inward in confusion.
"What did you find?" he asks.
"He's a CEO of a large company, apparently a human improvement thing and was against Jeanine Matthews and stuff which makes no sense as to why my mother hates him," I shrug.
"Tris, I think you should just drop the matter completely, your mom is watching out for you, you know that," Four encourages, "Plus if you're thinking about this all the time we're not going to have any fun in Costa Rica," he pouts in a playful manner making me smile.
"I know," I sigh while wrapping my arms around him again, "I'll try to forget then."
"Thank you," I can hear the smile in his voice as my head buries itself in his chest.
"You who! Love birds! The cars are leaving now and we want to toss all our junk in the trunk!" Uriah cheers from the door with a Hawaiian tourist shirt on already as well as flip flops.
"Uriah we still have to make it to the airport in the dead of winter, why are you wearing that?" I question motioning to his outfit.
"Oh please I can stand a lil' cold, after all I was bred in the great Chicagoan weather," he brushes off quickly before taking a step back and tripping over his own sandals, falling flat on his butt with a grunt.
"Uriah get off your ass we gotta go!" we hear Zeke shout from downstairs.
Four turns to me chuckling a bit at our friend's behavior before taking my hand in his and glancing at all my bags.
"Do you need all of this?" Four questions eyeing the five suitcases and four carryons.
"In my opinion, no, in the girls opinion, yes," I nod and Four let's out a long groan before reaching for the first two and hoisting them in his arms.
"So when does the flight leave again?" I question as we both make our way down the elegant stairs of my house.
"The plane leaves at noon but we wanted to get there by eleven so we can pick up some lunch first," he explains as we approach a bickering Christina and Will.
"Christina I don't think you understand you can't bring 10 suitcases we're only there for a week!" Will exclaims which only causes Christina to huff.
"Well how am I supposed to smuggle a sloth back if I don't have a large enough suitcase?" Christina questions.
"Are we interrupting something?" I butt in just as Marlene runs in the house with FW who's grown quite a lot.
"Uriah make sure you say goodbye to FW he's been clinging to me all day!" Marlene screams throughout the house.
Soon my hand is on the large bear's head and I begin to wonder how in the world Uriah has a pet bear that hasn't bitten his head off yet. Scratching behind the bear's ear he lets out a long groan and rests his head on my hip.
"Hey Tris is that the sound that Four makes?" Zane smirks as he slides into the kitchen and before Four can open his mouth I respond, "No it's much more animalistic."
"Hey I'll have you know I make very human sounds!" Four exclaims but his face quickly drops as he realizes what he just said.
"Hey guys!" Zeke calls to us as he enters the room but suddenly Will and Christina are arguing again, Uriah is baby talking FW, and Lynn and Zane are flirting making Zeke's voice drown out.
"Guys!" he shouts again.
"Shauna's pregnant!" his voice echoes and soon the entire kitchen is dead silent. Shauna quickly turns to Zeke with an unreadable expression, "I am?"
"No I just wanted to get everyone's attention," Zeke shrugs with a guilty smile.
"Yeah cause I was gonna say I don't think that's very possible," Shauna nods slowly.
"What did you want to say?" Will quickly intervenes as none of us want to really hear about their nonexistent sex life.
"Oh right! We gotta leave in ten minutes which is just enough time to throw all our bags in the cars and then go to meet Amar and Tori at the airport to say goodbye," Zeke instructs and we all nod our heads and murmur agreements.
Trudging back up the stairs I glance at my phone which now has a text from my mother who's currently in Texas on a mission's trip with my father. Of course they'd decide to spend their vacation helping people especially since I'll be in Costa Rica and Caleb at a weird science camp with Eric.
Are you leaving the airport soon?
Yeah in ten minutes, I quickly reply.
Grabbing the rest of my stuff, with Four on my trail, I make my way out to the very overstuffed cars.
"I know mom," Uriah speaks through the phone, "Yes I'll make sure I put on the ointment every night." My head snaps towards Uriah as he says this and we make rather awkward eye contact while his face turns beat red as he realizes I've caught onto what he's just said.
"Uh bye mom," he mutters and I simply roll my eyes before dropping my stuff in the back of Four's car.
The feeling of my phone buzzing in my pocket makes me instinctively whip it out and see that my mother is calling me for the fifth time today.
"Hello?" I respond with a tinge of annoyance in my tone.
"Hey honey are you leaving?" my mom questions just as I climb into the front seat of Four's car.
"Yeah we're pulling out of the driveway right now, why?" I question.
"I just wanted to make sure you're staying on track with the schedule. Remember to call me right before you leave and in Mexico City along with once you arrive in Costa Rica, ok honey?"
"Ok mom," I sigh.
"I love you," she speaks kindly.
"I love you too mom, bye."
Hanging up the phone I turn to see Fours' face hardened slightly and I gnaw at my lip as I wonder what might be irking him.
"Hey Four how're your sisters?" I question attempting at starting a conversation.
"They're alright, I guess Amar doesn't get a total break from us cause they're staying with him," he laughs lightly.
"So you and your dad still don't talk?" I question softly but I already know the answer.
"No."
I know by his tone that the conversation has ended. He hasn't spoken to his father in a month or so, ever since the fight, he still stays at Amar's place and even though it's only five minutes away from my house it's still way easier to look out my window and see Four rather than jogging over to Amar and Tori's.
"Do you think you'll move back once we get back from Costa Rica?" I bring the subject up again and I can tell by the way Four's knuckles turn white on the steering wheel that this is my final question.
"I don't know yet, I just don't really want to think about it right now," he grumbles.
Letting out a small sigh of discontent I glance out the window to see Uriah and Marlene right next to us jamming out to some music on the radio and for a moment I wonder how much Four and mine relationship has changed. I can't remember a time we've had a blast in the past month, then again we have been running away from homicidal enemies and abusive fathers. I guess anyone could say we've been occupied.
But at the same time I get a feeling in my gut that this vacation to Costa Rica isn't going to be like anything we've ever done before.
+
Hey guys so I have just finished my entire book of Tainted and it is literally my pride and joy and I don't think I'll be updating this story until that story gets more views. I know I haven't been updating this story a lot but big things are coming!! So if you guys would like me to update more go and vote for Tainted please please please!!!!!
I love you guys so much!!!!! xoxoxoxo