I'm kind of nervous to upload this.
I slipped on my shoes and tossed my backpack over one shoulder. The doorbell rings and I stand up to get it. Beatrice Prior, my neighbor and best friend for over seven years, is here. This is all I need for college. Clothes, money, and Beatrice Prior. She is as dazzling as always, wearing a simple solid v-neck and a pair of jeans. We're going to the same college, Lakeview, and we're also studying the same things. Who would've thought.
"You ready?" she says as she pulls my hand in the direction of the car.
"Give me," I stumble, "a few seconds." I drop my bag and run into my room, leaving her at the door. I'm always nervous around her for some reason, especially right now. We're going on a six hour long car trip to Lakeview. I grab a box of condoms. Seeing nowhere to put it, since my bag is at the living room next to Beatrice, I spill the contents and stuff them in my pocket. I think this is the year I might finally make a move on her.
"Tobias?" she shouts into my hallway. "Hurry up! We have to get there by the morning!"
Oh, right. We're also planning on staying at a hotel for the night.
"Coming!" I yell as I run through the maze called my house. I beat her to her black Escalade.
"Why the fuck would you bring an Escalade? How many kids are you planning to have?" I joke.
"The Escalade runs better than my Nissan. Dad said we could swap cars."
"Ah, okay. Who's driving?"
"We can swap when we're halfway to the hotel."
I'm so excited. I love driving Cadillacs, especially Beatrice's Escalade. It really does run so smoothly.
"Too bad I can't bring my bike." I fake pout and point towards my motorcycle. That thing is a rusted mess and deserves to be thrown away.
"Ha, ha, very funny. Now get your ass in my car," she says as she shoves me in the passenger's seat. I toss my backpack towards the back seats.
I only brought a few things in my backpack, and that's because I'm planning on hitting the Apple store once I get to Rockside, the city next to Lakeview. I want my textbooks all in one spot. Beatrice, on the other hand, prefers real life and solid books. I wouldn't blame her, but I really don't feel like carrying thousands of textbooks. Plus, I can play games on my iPad if I'm bored during class, which is awesome. I can also carry her textbooks if she gets tired.
I really need to make a move on her. I think I love her, but I don't know. I shouldn't even have brought the condoms. Who the hell brings condoms? What if she notices? I'm a virgin!
Once she finally packed everything in her huge ass car, she starts the engine and gets going.
Ten minutes into the ride. I'm pretty sure now's the time.
"Beatrice?"
"Yeah? By the way, since we're going to college, I think we both should get new nicknames. So we can have our true names to ourselves only, you know?" she says. She baffles me sometimes. I really do love her.
"Sure. I think you should go with Tris," I say. "Hot, sexy, Tris."
A noticeable blush creeps onto her face. I think I've done it.
"Yeah? Well I guess that's a good nickname…" she mumbles.
"You think so?"
"Yup. And I've got one for you," Tris says, with more confidence than before.
"And what's that?"
"Four."
"Four? Like the number?" I laugh.
She blushes again. "Yeah, well… erm, you know, there's reasoning.. behind.. uhh.. you know, the nickname," she stammers.
I make a movement with my hands, motioning for her to continue talking. It takes a minute or two for her to notice, the silence in the car deafening. At least, she talks.
"You have different personalities depending on who you're with. Your friends, your best friends, your family, and me. Four different personalities," she whispers. She's noticed so much more about me than I thought.
"Wow…" I really am speechless.
Ever since Tris moved onto my street, we've become the best of friends. But, with this statement, I think she likes me. I hope so. I obviously keep her separate from my other best friend, Zeke, who is a guy. I don't want them to get together, and I know whatever Zeke likes, he gets. Tris is mine.
Wow. I can't believe I just thought that.
Tris is nobody's, I guess. But she's always has me thinking about her, whether it be her striking looks or amazing personality. Oh, and her choice of words. Which reminds me, I have to make a move on her. Right now.
"Tris, wait, I had to say something before."
"Mhm?" She strums her hands on the steering wheel, going along with the beat of a song that I don't recognize.
"Well, ah…" I scratch the back of my neck and try to think of something to get me out of this situation. "You know how, in Lakeview, they have mixed genders in their dorms? A girl can have a guy roommate and vice versa. Well, I thought it would be cool if you would be my roommate. I mean, if you wanted to, because you really don't have to. I know you have to make friends, but I mean I thought it would be really cool if…"
"Yes!" She cuts me off and leans over the center console and kisses me on the cheek. "Of course, Tobias!"
Once she's back in her seat and driving safely, I feel myself blushing. I sneak a glance at her, and I see she is too.
It's been about thirty minutes into the ride, and I'm hungry. My stomach doesn't disagree, with the sounds it's making. I still haven't made my move.
"Tris, pleaseeeeee let's stop and get food. I'm starving and I could eat anything right now. Even you." I kick my feet on the ground and pretend to have a tantrum. She swerves into a Wendy's parking lot as soon as I say this.
"Me too."
We walk in and it's packed with people, so I tell her my order (chicken nuggets and french fries with a Sprite) and say that I have to go to the bathroom, which I do. I take an extra long time, mostly because I'm thinking about how to make my move.
When I walk out of the bathroom, Beatrice is almost at the front of the line. I step in right next to her after telling everybody behind me that I was with her.
I lean close to her ear and whisper, "by the way, I think you look dazzling in that outfit."
She freezes and stands very still as a blush creeps onto her face.
What the fuck did I do? She's going to reject me. Oh my God. I just ruined everything. Our friendship. Our chance to be.
Holy. Shit.
She turns away and grabs our to-go bag and jogs into the car. I keep my pace right behind her, and sit in the driver's seat while she sits shotgun.
She turns to me and whispers, "You think I look dazzling in a shitty t-shirt and jeans?"
"Not just dazzling," I whisper in return. "Extravagant. Lovely. Beautiful."