"Tobias," I hiss. "No."
He just tugs on my arm again.
"C'mon, Tris," he insists. "Everyone else is doing it."
"No. I'm not doing it. I'm scared."
He pouts. "But I thought you only had six fears."
"Seven," I correct him.
"Oh, has dancing joined the bunch? Because you don't seem very afraid when I do this," he taunts, brushing his lips against mine in a quick kiss.
"That's because that's not intimate enough. And I am not afraid of dancing," I scoff.
"Then come dance with me. Please?"
I shake my head again. "Nope. Not gonna happen."
"But why?" he whines.
"Because I don't want to."
He sits next to me. "Tris. It's your party. Why won't you dance?"
"It's a party for the initiates."
"Of which you are. Or, were, if we're being exact."
"Well, I..." I stall, trying to search my brain for an excuse. "I..."
"You what?"
"It's not very Abnegation to dance," I whisper. I know it's a weak excuse. I slap myself internally.
"Well then it's a good thing we're in Dauntless."
"But... I can't dance. I - I don't know how. I don't want to make a fool of myself in front of everyone!"
He puts a finger to my lips. "Shh. Listen." I stop my thinking and listen to the music playing. "A slow song," he says. "You won't have to do anything. Just follow my lead." Tobias stands and offers me his hand.
I bite my lip and shake my head. "I don't dance."
He sighs; I suppose he is getting sick of my lame arguments. I know I am.
"I don't care," he declares. "Tonight, you will dance, and you will dance with me."
He grabs my hand and pulls me up, holding my body close to his. He doesn't really know what he's doing much more than I do, so we just follow the example of the crowd around us and stand there swaying to the music.
"Isn't this nice?" he asks me.
"I guess..."
He hugs me closer - if such a thing is even possible. He bends his head down to look me in the eye. "Thank you," he whispers in my ear. "I love you, Tris."
"I love you, too, Tobias."
His lips press against mine and my body fills with pure bliss. Maybe I do dance, but only for Tobias.