A/N: Well, it's the Holidays and you guys have been really good to me leaving FYWB reviews and following/favoriting it. I am so thankful. Consider this as my gift to all of you. This little one-shot takes place years before FYWB. I hope you like it. Oh, btw, FYWB is already under the M-rated fics so you'd have to go there from now on if you want to re-read it or something.
Happy Holidays everyone! Cheers!
I'm on herbrightoceaneyes over at Tumblr if you have questions or you just want to say hi. =)
"I look stupid," Tris said as she turned around in front of the full-length mirror to inspect herself. The knee-length dress emphasized her small waist, but instead of making her look like a 12-year old it did the opposite. The maroon silk georgette and lace number made her look taller and slimmer – sophisticated – than she really is and she would have thanked her best friend for it if it weren't too dressy for a casual get-together with friends.
"Don't be silly, Tris. You don't look stupid."Christina gave her arm a playful swat.
"It's too much." She whirled around, the skirt of the dress moving with her movement. "I'll be overdressed."
"You have a boyfriend now that you need to look pretty for. He won't be able to take his eyes away from you when he sees you in that dress and you'll thank me later for it."
Tris cringed at her best friend's use of the word boyfriend. She and Tobias went out on a couple of dates, three to be exact, but all those times they've never discussed what they were. For all she knew, he could be seeing some other girl, and while that's entirely understandable, Tris admits it would hurt her. She is, however, sure of one thing.
"I don't need to look pretty for him," she said with vehemence. Tris picked up her discarded pair of jeans from the floor and folded it neatly before placing it at the foot of her bed. "Or for any other boy in that matter."
"I know you don't, but it does not mean he won't appreciate it."
"Chris, it's easier to move around in jeans." She gestured down at the dress and the kitten heels with both her hands. "This is impractical."
"You look beautiful in it."
Tris and Christina turned their heads at the sound of Natalie's voice. Both girls did not even hear the older woman come upstairs. Tris' mother smiled, her green eyes glowing with pride.
"See," her best friend was smug, "your mom agrees with me. You look amazing in that dress, Tris, so please don't change out of it. It's just one night."
Tris asked her mother a silent question, lifting an eyebrow and pursing her lips. Natalie answered with an approving nod.
"So, who is this boy you two have been talking about?"
Tris instantly blushed. She and her mom had always been close, sharing stories and secrets with one another, but this part, she is not yet ready to share. Tobias is, after all, one of her mom's students. It isn't like she could just come up to her and say, "Hey, mom, I'm going out with one of the boys in your class. I hope you don't mind. Can you please help me tell Dad?"
But, of course, Christina didn't know that.
"Tobias," her best friend answered, enthusiasm in her voice. "Tobias Eaton Mrs. P."
"Tobias? Marcus' son?"
"Yes," her voice was quiet. "I was going to tell you, Mom, but I don't know how."
"It's alright, honey. I've been there, too, when I was your age." Natalie wrapped an arm around and over Tris' shoulders and drew her close. "Tobias is a nice boy, but I'd like for you to bring him here so I and your father could get to know him better."
Tris sent Christina an icy glare from above her mother's shoulder. The tall girl looked at her, apologetic, mouthing the word sorry.
"I'm not even sure about us, Mom," Tris admitted. "We haven't really talked about that, yet."
"Of course." Her mother pulled away and smoothed her hair. "Once you're ready, I trust you to bring him here at home."
"Okay," Tris tried for a smile. "I will, Mom. Thanks."
Natalie released her daughter and got up. "I'll be in the study. Get me once you're ready to leave."
"We will, Mrs. P. Thank you," said Christina.
Tris waited for the sound of the study's door closing before saying anything. Brows furrowed, she walked towards her own door, closed it and whipped around to confront Christina. Her best friend clearly expected her reaction. Already, she had a guilty, appeasing smile on her lips.
"You don't know how to keep your mouth shut, do you?"
"I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for it to go like that. I thought you and Tobias are going steady."
Tris dragged a hand down over her face in irritation not bothering if she's ruining her make-up at all.
"Well, now you know that we're not yet steady." She lifted her hands up, air quoting the last word. She sighed loudly before walking towards her bed where Christina sat. Tris plopped herself beside the dark-skinned girl. Her best friend rubbed her arms soothingly.
"Why don't you talk to him about it? He asked you out more than once. That has to count for something."
"I really like him, Chris, and I don't want to ruin whatever we have started. It may be too early."
"I think he likes you just as much. It wouldn't hurt to ask him where he thinks you guys are heading," Christina smiled at her. "There's nothing to lose and everything to gain, just look at me and Will."
"I'm not like you, and things are not that easy." Tris expelled her breath loudly. Sometimes she wished she could be like her best friend, honest and frank and bold. A lot of things would have been easier if she were, but she isn't any of those things and that's just the way it is. Truth be told, she couldn't understand why Tobias picked her. Tris saw the way other girls, older and prettier than her, looked at him whenever he walked down the hallways of their school. He could have had his picking, but instead he chose her, the short and unremarkable sophomore.
Not wanting to continue the conversation, Tris decided to point out Christina's outfit.
"I won't be the only one wearing a dress to that party. Wear that other thing you brought."
"Oh, don't worry about it," Christina chuckled. "I will and unlike you, I'd do so willingly."
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"Do you think she'll like it?" Tobias directed the question to Uriah. In his hand, he still held the cook book he wrapped in green and red foil. He wanted to give Tris something else, a bracelet or a necklace maybe, but Marcus have cut off his credit card and the cook book was the only thing he could afford right now with his meager wage from working part-time at the little Italian place Shauna's family owned. He guessed that's part of the reason why he hadn't yet opened any of the letters from the colleges he applied for. If his small purchases were already too much for him, there's a good chance Marcus won't be paying for his schooling.
He shook his head, wanting to get rid of his pessimistic thoughts. He could go over his options later, but for now, he just wanted to concentrate on Tris and how he would ask her to be his girlfriend.
Tris mentioned before that she has been learning how to cook that's why he got her the cook book. It had over 100 recipes, or at least that's what the cover said. Tobias knows how to cook but only enough for him to survive, fancy dishes be damned. Hopefully, Tris would find his gift helpful even if he picked it up without so much as a clue about what recipes were inside it.
"Uri, what'd you think?" He repeated his question. Uriah would know what Tris liked. They're best friends.
"Don't worry too much," Uriah answered. "Tris isn't picky. Plus, she'll love the fact that you paid attention and you remembered the stuff she told you."
"You're really serious about this whole asking her to be your girlfriend thing, aren't you?" Zeke butted in, sitting down beside him. They had been preparing for their Christmas party. Usually, it's just the five of them – Zeke and Uriah, Lauren and Shauna, then him. This year, however, the younger Pedrad suggested that his group of friends join them and everyone agreed.
"Of course I am," Tobias rolled his eyes at his best friend. "There's nothing wrong with it."
"I didn't say anything about it being wrong," Zeke defended himself. "It's just so, I don't know, old?"
"I just don't want to assume anything, is all."
"Tris really got you, huh?" Uriah asked, chuckling. Tobias only nodded. "Dude, I totally didn't see that coming."
"Yeah," he agreed, "neither did I."
And it was the truth.
Tobias had known Tris since she was a kid. Their fathers were classmates when they were in high school, the same school where both their mothers taught and where the two of them, along with their friends, go to. They were friends but, with their two-year gap, not as close as he would want to. Somehow, Tobias wonders when he started to take more notice of her – when he wanted to be more than friends.
"You're not picking her up?" Uriah's voice broke into his thoughts startling him a little. The brothers both laughed at his reaction.
"Quit it, Zeke. Stop teasing him."
"He just looks so funny," Zeke continued laughing drawing an exasperated sigh from Tobias. "And I'm enjoying myself seeing him go crazy over a girl."
"Ignore him. Let's get some pizza from Malnati's. I want some deep dish. It's been a while."
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A light blanket of snow covered the trees and the ground below. Tris could see it from her perch in the Pedrad's third-floor unit. She leaned against the cold railing of the balcony drinking her spiked punch. Inside, her friends were laughing and dancing like lunatics. The sight of them made Tris smile. She closed her eyes just listening to their muffled rowdy noise.
"Mind if I join you?" A deep male voice asked. Tobias found her. Tris stopped her lips from curling up, keeping her happiness at bay.
"Yeah, sure." She peeled her eyes open when she felt him sit down beside her. Their arms brushed.
"Clear sky tonight, huh?"
"Yup, you could see Orion without much effort."
"You like stargazing?" Tobias asked turning to look at her.
"Kind of," she laughed lightly, tucking errant strands of hair behind her ears. "But I know about the constellations because of my dad. He taught me some."
"I owned a telescope when I was a kid, used to watch the sky every night."
"Really?" Tobias responded with a nod and a smile that made Tris' heart skip a beat. She knew that if she looked into his eyes, she'd be done for. He's got the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen, dark as the ocean's deep end. She brings her eyes down to avoid his gaze.
"Are we boring you out?" The question surprised Tris, making her whip her head up to see his face. Tobias looked nervous.
She shakes her head gently. "I'd go back inside eventually. I just went out to freshen up a bit, get some quiet time alone."
"Oh," Tobias scratched the back of his neck. "I'm sorry if I disturbed you. I'll leave you be then." He started to stand up, bracing himself on one hand. Tris held him back, she felt the muscles of his arm tense beneath her hand.
"You asked if you could sit with me and I said okay, right? So, please, stay."
"Alright." Tobias sat back down and Tris relaxed again.
A comfortable silence wrapped itself around them. They remained sitting on the floor of the balcony watching the stars. After a while, Tobias broke the quiet, the gift in his hands serving as a reminder.
"Hey, Tris," he started, unsure of himself. Tris turned her head to look at him, her eyes making him feel even more nervous. She cocked an eyebrow when he didn't continue.
"I got you something." Tobias handed her his gift."Merry Christmas."
"Oh, I…I," Tris' eyes went back and forth between his face then to his gift, which is now in her hands. "I didn't get you anything."
"It's okay. You don't have to, anyway," he said. "Come on, open it."
She smiled at him, the curl of her lips sincere and inviting, and Tobias had to hold himself back from leaning down and pressing his mouth against hers. He wondered how it would feel. She's got a beautiful mouth.
The wrapper made crinkling sounds as Tris tore it open. She lets out a giddy sound once she saw the recipe book. "Thank you," she said, her voice a little pitchy. "Thank you. I saw this in the bookstore the other day. I was supposed to buy it but I didn't have enough money with me."
"Good thing you didn't or you would have two copies." Tobias laughed heartily. The effect of this girl on him is just something he never expected. She made him happy and nervous at the same time. Right then he knew he wanted to get to know her better, be with her more. The feeling was specific – it was only for Tris.
"I feel kind of guilty for not getting you anything."
"I told you it's alright." He slid his hand down to hers and she twists them together, her slender fingers slipping in between his. Her hand feels soft and warm. Tobias gave it a squeeze. Tris leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Do you want to get out of here?" He felt the vibration from her voice as she spoke. "You know, just walk around and leave our idiot friends to their kind of fun?"
"Yeah, sure."
They released each other's hands and got up off from the cold floor. Loud music and equally loud voices assault their ears right at the moment they slid the glass door leading to the living area open. They tiptoed their way to the front door, silently giggling as their friends take no notice of them. Tris had already opened the door when Uriah spotted them both.
"Where you guys goin'?"
"Out," Tobias answered at the same time Tris said, "Getting fresh air."
"But we're missing two players, you can't leave."
"Let them go, Uri." It was Shauna. "We'll just make two teams with three members each. I'll be referee."
"Okay, fine." Uriah grumbled. "But you should know you guys are standing under a mistletoe so you have to kiss."
"Yeah, right," Zeke joined in the teasing, "C'mon, Toby, just a little smack."
Tobias glared at his best friend. He hadn't even kissed Tris and he would not want an audience watching them for their first. If he'd be kissing her, and he will, he wanted it to come naturally and not just because of a stupid mistletoe.
He was still thinking up ways to get back at Zeke when, suddenly, Tris pressed her lips to his cheek. Immediately, he felt heat rushing up to his face.
"There, that's still a kiss," she told their teasing friends before grabbing one of his hands and almost dragging him out to the hallway. They left the door open.
Running down the stairs, they reached the ground floor in just a few minutes. The effort drained out almost all of the air from both of their lungs and Tobias had to brace himself against the nearest wall to catch his breath. Tris started laughing.
"They knew we wouldn't kiss in front of them. They certainly didn't expect that," she said still gasping for breath. "You should have seen their faces when I kissed you."
He laughed along with her, finally seeing the humor in the whole thing. "We've got some really mature friends." Tris hummed her agreement.
They walked out of the building, going to the nearby park. The air was cold and chilly as it touched his skin, but Tobias didn't mind it much. It was small sacrifice for the time he gets with Tris. They found their place under a cluster of trees. The bench was still damp with melting snow.
Tris tightened her coat around her, drawing his attention. Of course, she would feel the cold more than he would. The dress did not give her enough coverage. Tobias quickly removed his scarf and wrapped it around her neck.
"I told Christina this dress was impractical. She didn't listen."
"You looked beautiful in it tonight. Not that you don't look beautiful every day, but you looked extra beautiful in the dress. Do I even make sense?" he said and Tris blushed.
"You think I'm beautiful?"
"I don't think you're beautiful. You are beautiful."
Tris looked down and started fiddling with the belt of her coat. Tobias didn't know he could make a girl blush by telling her the truth. He smiled at that thought then reached out for Tris' free hand.
"There's something I've been meaning to ask you since the last time we went out," Tobias could hear the trepidation in his own voice. He took comfort in the feel of Tris' fingers on his knuckles as they draw circles over each bump.
"What is it?"
"I think I like you."
Tris lifted her head up, her teeth worrying her lower lip. Her eyes gleamed with something Tobias couldn't quite read. Was it hope? He felt her hand shake a bit.
"You think?" She asked, an eyebrow raised.
"I don't want to scare you away," even his laugh sounded nervous.
"You should know better."
"Alright, I like you." Tobias finally confessed. "I really like you, Tris, and it would make very happy if you'd be my girlfriend."
"There, it's out," he told himself as he took a sigh of relief. Half of the job is done now, whatever her answer is, he had tried. Tobias held on to the hope of that innocent kiss under the mistletoe.
"Yes."
The word was barely audible, but it sounded sure and strong. It is music to Tobias' ear. He met her eyes with his, Tris smiled at him sweetly, so full of adoration, and suddenly he could no longer deny the desire he had been feeling since she stepped inside the Pedrad's apartment that night.
Tobias leaned down and touched his lips to hers, careful and light, getting the first feel of her mouth. It was soft just like he dreamed it would be and tasted of the fruit punch she drank. Intoxicating. He drew Tris closer when she didn't push him away, the pressure of his mouth firmer against hers. Her hands went up to his face, caressed his cheeks with a tenderness he'd last felt when he was still a little boy. Gently, he pulled away and touched his forehead to hers. They were both breathing hard.
He hoped he didn't go too far.
"Do you want to go back to the party?" Tobias asked after a while. Tris claimed his hand again and cocooned it between both of hers.
"No," she gave her lips a light peck. "Let's just stay here some more."