Tris Pov

I sat here in Zeke's apartment balling my eyes out. He held me to his chest, in a way that I could hear his heartbeat. He was stroking my hair whispering words of encouragement. I knew I probably looked like the biggest coward in Dauntless, crying like a child in a grown man's lap. And every time I tried to calm down and breathe, I would burst into a whole other session of tears and wailing. I clutched onto his shoulder trying to find an outlet for my growing anger. My nails would probably leave marks but if Zeke felt it he didn't comment on it or try to stop me.

Another five minutes went by and then it was quiet. I had stopped crying and Zeke stopped talking to me. There we sat, me in his lap, my tears drying on my face and me licking my lips to only taste salt. Which got be wondering why tears tasted like salt. I would think of anything to get 'it' off my mind. I wanted to forget. I wanted to stop all this from happening. I then got to thinking why.

"What?" Zeke asks softly looking down at me. I hadn't realized I spoken out loud. I rubbed my eyes with the palm of my hand and sat up. On hand rested on his chest needing to feel something real. A heartbeat. Anything, since I was obviously too blind to see what I had wasn't even close to it.

"Why?" I asked again looking up at him.

"The question on both our minds I guess." Zeke answered looking down at me. His face was mere inches from mine. Something twists in my stomach and I move away. I stand up and brush off my skirt and tuck my hair behind my ear.

"Can I get some water?" I ask

"Uh, sure. Here." Zeke stands up and I follow him into the kitchen and I see him grab a cup from the cupboard. "Is tape ok."

I nod. "It's fine." He turns on the faucet and fills the cup a little bit more than half and hands it to me.

"Thanks." he nods in response. I sip at my water for a minute, while Zeke looks back and forth between his shoes and me.

"So do you want to tell me what happened?" I was going to say no, but I guess it would be good to tell somebody and not keep it contained inside. I suck in a breath and set down my glass behind me on his marble island. I cross my arms and lick my lips before jumping into my story.

Flashback 3rd person

Tris was finishing up a tattoo on a girls wrist of dauntless flames. Tris remembered her as Nicky. A girl with long brown hair, a slim build, soft brown eyes and about a few inches taller than Tris. She was a transfer from Candor about 2 years ago. She came fifth in her class with her boyfriend who came in third.

Once Tris finished she let told Nicky that it would be 25 points. Nicky slid her card and left with a 'thanks' and 'see you around'. Tris sighed in relief; Nicky was her last customer for the day. She cleaned her station and packed her things. She pulled on her jacket and said a goodbye to Tori and Bud. The door made a chime noise as she left.

She made her way to her apartment she now shared with Tobias. The love of her life. She often thought of their time spent together. Often wondered if one day they would get married and have children. Die old together, which was now possible since the elderly in Dauntless had their own shelter to live in if they didn't have an apartment with family. Most of Dauntless agreed that the wisdom from the elderly would improve the fraction and that most of them hated having to send their grandparents to the factionless or they jump into the Chasm.

She made it to their apartment and slides her key into the door. Today, Tobias and Tris had planned to work out together in the training room before heading to dinner with their friends. She plopped her things on the bed and made her way to the drawers. She pulled it open and took out a pair of leggings and a tank top. She quickly changed and tied her blond her into a ponytail, which now grazed her butt.

She walked soundlessly to the training room. She expected to hear the thud of the knife hitting the target or the sound of his fists on the punching bags. But she heard nothing as she grew 6 feet away from the doors. Maybe he was running late, she told herself. Then she heard the sound of the knifes clanking together as the meet the floor. Suddenly concerned, she ran/jogged the rest of the way.

She wasn't ready for what she saw behind the doors. Not ready to, for anything that was happening. Her heart hammered against her ribs ready to explode. Hotness came from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks, tasting the salt. Her body wouldn't move. Her mouth made no noise, it was as if nothing wasn't blurry, nothing was right, nothing mattered anymore than then the man on the table. The man on top of a girl.

Her man. Tobias, his hands on each side of the girls head. His top left alone on the floor beside the girls. His eyes stayed glued to Tris's. The eyes she once adored. The very first thing she saw when she arrived to Dauntless. The eyes in the man she loved. He climbed off the girl and she sat up on her elbow. His eyes never left hers as he slowly made his way to her.

"Tris." She wished he hadn't said anything. If he hadn't she might have let him talk, might have let him explain why he would do such a thing, might have let him back. But now that was gone. Never to be back. Something darkened in her and she was breathing heavily, her fists at the ready by her sides. The tears stopped, and the fury was welcomed.

When he was close enough in her reach she yelled at him spat curses. Multiple times he tried to say something but she didn't want him. Didn't want to hear his voice. Didn't want to-. She felt him touch her shoulder trying to calm her. He just made it worse. She jerked back and in a quick flash her hand meet his face. The sound echoed throughout the room. She heard the girl get up.

Once again, tears blurred her vision. The only difference was, these where angry tears. But, she saw him stubble back a few steps in surprise and touch his cheek which was now red and was no doubt going to leave her handprint. She wanted to do so much more. She wanted to tear the girl's hair off, rip them both limb from limb. But he hand burned and she felt her energy drain out of her. She felt heavy and worthless. She turned and sprinted, as fast as her legs would carry her.

She didn't know where she was going, and she didn't care. When she could run anymore she looked up and found herself at somebody's door. The looked at the silver numbers on the door. 286D. This was Zeke's apartment. Tobias's best friend. She shook her head and lifted her fist to knock. Her energy was gone. Instead, her now loose fist fell against the door in a single soft knock. Then it fell back to her side. Her eyes struggling to stay open.

Zeke probably hadn't even heard it. He probably wasn't even home. Then she heard the door open, and his voice.

"Tris?" She felt herself fall forward then Zeke's strong tanned arms catch her. The softness of his skin against her cheek and the small brown hairs on his arms. The smell of soup and male. The last things she felt before her eyelids fully closed, wrapping her in darkness.

End of flashback

Hey everyone. I hope you all liked this chapter. I just sat down and stared writing. And I don't plan on continuing until after I finish Tris's Tail. But, I may update if I have an idea I just can't stash away for later. Well, see ya soon!