The Fourth Eaton

Chapter 23 🔪 Eyes

A/N: Oh my god, I've left everyone (if anyone's actually here) hanging for the past two weeks. I'm so sorry. In my defense, I've got a load of really big exams coming up. But, I'm also not really studying for them, so I guess that isn't an excuse.

For example, I'm taking my English exam in a little under twelve hours. Oh, joy, spending five hours answering stupid comprehension questions. At least there's an essay, though, so that'll be a little interesting. 

Don't worry, I promise I'm trying desperately to make up for my two weeks of missed updates. Honestly, I should probably get a good night's sleep and all, instead of writing fanfiction. Am I going to do that? Absolutely not! I've got chapters to finish, homework to do, exams to study for, and some hard math to tackle. 

Enough of me burdening you with my problems. Hopefully, I'll get a series of chapter out on the next week. Now, onto chapter 23!

"Did you have fun tonight?"

Rowan's voice is the first thing, other than our footsteps, to break the peaceful silence in a little while.

"Yeah. I did." I meet Rowan's eyes as he asks, smiling slightly at his clear nervousness. I don't know why he's nervous about the two of us leaving our little rankings celebration early, but I'll at least do my best to comfort him. "It was a lot of fun, but it couldn't compare to the zipline."

Rowan snorts. "I don't think anything could compare to that experience. I still don't know if I'd call it fun or terrifying."

"The terror was what made it extremely fun!" I counter.

"We'll agree to disagree."

Our conversation fizzles out, and I find my mind drifting through the events of the past few hours.

All in all, it was a great night. The Dauntless-borns dragged us to Kian and Chloe's former home - they would be moving out after initiation - assuring us, or mostly me, that no, we weren't imposing on them or their parents, because their parents were out for the night, like they were every single Wednesday without fail for as long as they could remember.

Then, they brought out some snacks, and we started playing games. The pure, untainted happiness induced from playing rounds and rounds of wilder games, like Charades or Candor or Dauntless, to a rare few tamer ones, like Telephone, made my heart soar.

They were about to start rounds of Never Have I Ever - with pickle juice instead of alcohol, the norm in Dauntless, because Kian and Chloe's parents were apparently strict on their 'no alcohol until you're a full member' rule - when I got up, claimed to be tired, and left with Rowan, who insisted on walking me back, despite my protests.

"Uh, Cammi?" Rowan's quiet voice brings me out of my reminiscing. I turn my head to make eye contact with him again, and feel something in my stomach turn when his gaze touches mine again.

"Hmm?" I hum in acknowledgement, but don't respond, not wanting the relative quiet of the compound, at least compared to the compound in the daytime, to go away.

"I j-just wanted to say..." He hesitates, opening and closing his mouth two or three times, but eventually seems to regain his voice. "...Y-You look really nice tonight."

I know it's girlish and silly, but my heart leaps even higher at his surprising words. Unfortunately, they also generate a brilliant red blush that I'm hoping he doesn't see.

"Oh, um, thanks!" I turn my head away from him, staring down my relatively plain, but apparently nice, outfit as we walk, so he doesn't see the small smile that has settled on my face, maybe permanently.