All rights go to Veronica Roth.
"Common!" Christina begged. I look over to her standing in the middle of our apartment. She is holding the black dress she gave me.
"I'm not really feeling up to this party." I say.
"You deserve it after all that training." She takes the dress off the hanger and throws it back into the wardrobe. She is right.
I could do with letting my hair down but being finally accepted into Dauntless makes it feel unreal. Almost like I feel like it was not worth all the training.
"I suppose." I shrug.
"Anyway, Four is going to be there." She smiles like she knows a secret about me.
"Why tell me that?" I feel my cheeks burn so I turn away and fiddle with the edge of my black top's hem.
"Oh, Tris." She laughs. "We all know there is something going on between you two." She turns me around and holds up the black dress. She mumbles something about creamy high heels and walks back to the wardrobe.
I try to laugh but it sounds sarcastic. "Like what?"
Christina turns around, high heels in hands and shrugs her shoulders down. She gives me a serious but playful look. I then realise how pretty she is. She wears a navy knee length simple dress that brings out her skin. Suddenly I feel a little insecure.
"He's always looking for you when he first enters rooms." She gives me the dress and heels.
"That could mean anything."
"And don't think I don't know about the small conversations you both have" She smiles. I'm defeated.
She screams squeaky and does little jumps. "I knew it! I just knew it!"
I laugh a little and look down to the dress and heels. I'm going to look stupid in theses.
"So," She walks back to her bed. "Are you going to this party?"
I look up and consider it. I'd much rather celebrate in the dormitory, alone or not. But the thought of Tobias going makes me want to go.
"Common, be a little more Dauntless!" She smiles excitedly. I look up then.
"I'll go, only if there is cake." I say.
"There will be lots of cake!" She shrieked.
xxx
We walk down the corridor of dormitories. I look down at myself and feel uncomfortable but also the agitated feeling of just wanting to take this dress off.
"You two girls are lookin' foxy!" Will says in a playful voice.
He looks down to Christina and winks, making her laugh and me to look away. I look back down myself and hate how my figure is straight and bony. I remember having curves in Abnegation.
Christina puts her hand on my arm. "Stop worrying." She smiles. I feel reassured for about two seconds and then we finally arrive in the pit.
"Oh, there they are!" Christina says over music. We walk towards the edge of the hall to our group of friends. We stand in a circle and greet each other.
"Here." Marlene hands me over a drink and then passes the rest to Christina and Will. I drink it without thinking; it should calm my nerves down. I scrunch my face up as the burning liquid travels down my throat.
"Hey!" Uriah nudges me in the arm. "Are you sure you are allowed to drink that, Stiff?" He laughs and sips at his own drink. Shauna and Marlene laugh. To my surprise I don't find it hurtful so I start to laugh too.
"I think he has had too much." I say to Shauna and Marlene, pointing to him.
"He always acts like that." Shauna scowls.
Uriah turns back around to us. "What?" He points to Shauna. "Take that back"
Shauna laughs evilly. "You look so contempt drunk, ya know that?"
Uriah walks towards her and pulls her up onto his shoulder.
"Put me down, now!" She screams, kicking his back. He runs off with her screaming.
"What was that about?" Christina asks us.
"Oh, he will annoy her for the next hour now" Marlene says like it has happened before.
While everyone is talking I spot Tobias talking to Zeke and Lauren just outside our circle. He has a drink in one hand and turns his head now and then to the two. I feel stupid. I wanted to come here to just see him. But now it feels all stupid. I feel like a puppy trying to get its owner attention. Tobias looks over to me like he knew I was there all along. Maybe Christina was right. He half smiles and turns back round to Zeke.
"Oh, my bloody god!" Christina says bringing attention towards her. "We should play Truth or Dare!" Everyone agrees and then starts talking about past experiences of the game.
"Hey, Tris" Tobias says standing beside me. I jump and look towards him, where he was just standing and then to him again. He chuckles and rests his hand on my back.
"You look good tonight" He whispers. I smile and realise that is all the reassurance I need. "Congrats on becoming Dauntless" He continues in a low voice. I don't know why. It's not like the others have not noticed his existence.
"Well, I couldn't have done it without you" I say unsure if it was the right thing to say. If it was he didn't take any notice.
"Want to go to the net?" He asks. "It's quieter"
I nod but suddenly I feel his hand remove from my back. I miss the warmth there but I understand why he moved it.
"Are you coming to play Truth or Dare, Tris?" Will asks with Christina. The others have already left to get started on the game.
"Um...," I look up to Tobias and he nods. He wants me to go with them. "I will later" I smile. I feel Tobias hand slide to my back again. Will and Christina nod, smiling so wide you could see all their teeth.
xxx
Tobias looks into his drink.
"Here" I pass him my full one. "I'm unsure on the taste"
He nods his head once and takes a sip. I try not to watch how my lips were on the lid not so long ago. I look around. The net is on our left and once every few minutes someone will land on it. We sit on a low sofa in the corner. Tobias was right it is quiet here. There was the odd one or two person walking past, looking at us because we are sat closer then just friends.
"You'll get use to it" He says putting the drink on the floor. "You could have went with them"
"What, and make my profile worse then just a Stiff by playing a game." I chuckle. "I don't think so."
"You're not a stiff" He chuckles and moves a piece of strand out my face.
He then slowly lowered down to me. His lips slotted into mine, reminding me how they felt at the Chasm. I close my eyes and return the kiss, placing my arms around his big shoulders. He slides his hands down to my hips and up my shirt, without pulling it up. I open my eyes and push back at his surprise. I look around at some people giving up disgust looks and then back to us. I didn't realise until now we where both lying on the sofa – Tobias on top of me.
"Not here" He whispers and pulls me up with him. I don't know what he means by Not here. Does he want to carry on with it somewhere else because I am not ready for that? My heart starts to race until he leans down and picks up the drink.
"Have you been through you landscape since?" I ask, trying to break the silence.
"A few times" He says putting the drink down. "I've learnt that sometimes you can't ever overcome your fears"
"Sometimes people don't even live in their fears" I say. We both laugh lazy. "When am I ever going to be attacked by Crows?"
"Only in simulations you do" He curls his hand into mine. "And anyway, you might come across a farm"
I give him a look that makes his eyes shine from the light.
"Tris?" His voice speaks a few heart beats later. "You helped me in my fear landscape. I want to help you in yours"
"Why?" I shakily ask. I know exactly why anyway. It is because he is in my fear landscape.
"I think you know why" His voice is gentle.
"Maybe, soon" I peck him on the lips. He slides his hand around my neck to kiss me again
"Tris?" Will calls. We separate and stand up quickly.
"Yeah?"
"We can't just do that" Christina says from behind him.
"We where wondering if I could sleep in your dormitory tonight?" Will asks.
"We can't just throw her out for the night" Christina implies.
"It's fine" I say but my voice sounds unsure. Where will I go? I don't want to be next door to their bedroom for the whole night.
"No! Tris it's not happening. Will we will have to find another night" She says. Now I feel guilty and embarrassed.
"Where will she go? I'm not letting her sleep somewhere ruff" Christina continues.
"She won't" Tobias says. "She can sleep over at mine"
Everyone looks over to him. Will and Christina nod there heads while practically running to their dormitory. Tobias follows the way to his.
My heart is racing.
Please Review! I hope you liked it! I really disliked the sofa part :/