A/N: Hello, it's me. Again. Here is a new AU modern day FourTris fanfic for you brave boys and girls. I hope you like it. It's short, but maybe if you guys like it I could extend it. Let me know. Happy reading!
P.S. There's also going to be a board on Pinterest called For Better or Worse. Go to Pinterest www dot pinterest dot com / ChristiWind and look for the board (I have to write the link like this because the site doesn't allow me to just put it here. Dunno why.)
1
Tris' POV
I'm so happy. I'm finally back home. Don't get me wrong. I loved New York, but there's no place like home. Mom and dad are here, Caleb comes to visit from Boston, so he is almost here, my best friend Christina is here, who I haven't seen since we graduated high school, my aunt and uncle, as well as my three cousins, Shauna, Lynn and Hector, are here. Everyone I love is in Chicago.
I get off the plane and expect only to see my parents but to my immense surprise everyone came. The moment my little cousin Hector, he is twelve, sees me he runs over to me and hugs me tightly. Even though he is ten years younger than I am he is almost as tall as me. But then again I was never tall to begin with.
"Bee, your back home" he says excited.
"Hey there, Hec. Oh my God, it's so good to see you guys" I say looking around.
"Hello, Bumblebee" my dad says and pulls me into a bear hug.
"Hi, dad. Not so tight, I'm wearing precious cargo" I say and he pulls back with a frown.
"What?" he almost yells.
"Honey, calm down, I'm sure she meant something different than you think" my mom says and comes over to hug me.
"Hi, mom" I say and kiss her cheek before embracing her. "Something different?" I ask confused.
"My turn" Christina says and hugs me. When she let's go she smirks.
"What?" I ask.
"You're not caring something in the oven, do you?" she asks wiggling her eyebrows. OH MY GOD!
"NO!" I say forcefully. "Of course not. Is that what you thought?" I ask my dad and feel a deep blush creep into my cheeks.
"Uhm" my dad says stuttering.
"Oh my God, dad. Really? I don't even have a boyfriend" I say exasperated.
"Then we need to fix that" Shauna says and comes over with Lynn and both hug me tightly.
"Good to see you guys. I've missed you all terribly" I say.
"Good to have you back, Bee" Lynn says.
"I want to hug my beautiful niece too" my uncle Joe says. "Hello little Bumblebee" he says and hugs me tightly to his chest. It's because of him everyone in my family calls me either Bee or Bumblebee. My parents sometimes call me by my given name, which is Beatrice, but it's usually when they scold me or want to make a point by apparently having a grown-up conversation with me, which of course requires to use sometimes even my full name, Beatrice Elisabeth Prior. God, I hate it when they do that. I always feel like a six year old. My friends and sometimes my cousins call me Tris, it's short and sounds way cooler than Beatrice. Mom, dad, what were you thinking? I think I have the most boring name in the Unites States of everywhere on Planet Earth. Caleb always teased me about it, mainly because it annoyed me, telling me that if I ever wanted to be cool I needed to marry a guy with a cool name. When I asked what that name should be he said not a boring Christian name like Caleb or Joseph or Andrew or Ezekiel.
After I hug my aunt Eleonore, which everyone just calls Ellie, we all head outside to the cars. I get in my parents car with Christina while the rest of my family follows us in Uncle Joe's car.
As expected my parents did the one thing I absolutely didn't want and repeatedly asked them not to do – throw a party. I pretended not to see the multitude of strange cars parked nearby our house. I pretended not to have seen Caleb in the living room window checking the street. I pretended not to hear loud music from our backyard and I definitely pretended not to smell the barbecue grill. Just as we all got out of the car I decided to play a trick on them.
"Mom, dad" I say and they both look at me. I put my "I'm sick, I think I'm gonna puke any minute" face on, put my right hand to my mouth and rush into the house. I run up the stairs into the bathroom I used to share with my brother and lock the door. From there I can look down into the backyard and inspect the damage. Oh, for crying out loud. Did they seriously invite the whole neighborhood? And even people I've never seen. I turn on the faucet and as on cue I hear a knock on the bathroom door.
"Beatrice, are you alright?" I hear my mom's concerned voice. I feel bad for making her worry like that.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I think I have a stomach bug or something" I say and try to hide behind the curtain so that no one can see me.
"Do you think it's possible for you to come downstairs for a minute?" she asks. Wow, she's insistent.
"I don't know" I say sounding weak and on the verge of puking again.
"We'll wait for you until you're ready" she says and her concern almost vanished. "Oh, and just that you know, that trick might work on your dad, but not on me" she says. Uh oh, busted. I turn off the faucet and walk to the door. I unlock and open it to find mom with her arms crossed in front of her chest giving me a knowing look.
"Oh, mom, come on. Don't get mad, I told you guys I don't want a party. I just came home from school, not war" I say whining.
"Beatrice Elisabeth Prior" mom says in a calm voice. "These people are here to congratulate you. You did a great job and everyone is happy to have you back."
"Even Mrs. Norris from down the street, with the billion cats that always scolded me for wearing clothes she deemed inappropriate?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.
"Even she is happy to see you again" my mom says chuckling.
"I'm sure. She probably couldn't find a new victim" I say under my breath, but mom heard me.
"Be nice, Bumblebee."
"I am, if she is" I say. We both walk downstairs and I can hear my dad tell the people gathered here that he is sorry for keeping them waiting but his daughter seems to have felt ill. I hear some of them express their worry and dad tries to calm them down.
"She's better now" mom says loudly and everyone's eyes land on us. Great, now everyone stares at me. "Right, Bee?" she asks, giving me a knowing look.
"Yeah, sure" I say awkwardly.
"That's fantastic" my dad says and hugs me again.
"Dad, I can't breathe" I say and everyone laughs.
"I'm sorry, Bumblebee. I'm just so happy my little baby is back home" he says way too loud for my liking.
"Dad!" I scold.
"What? You are and always will be my little, precious Bee Bee Bumblebee" he says in a baby voice.
"DAD!" I say louder.
"Andrew, stop embarrassing her" mom says, clearly trying (and failing) to hold back a laugh.
"I can't help it, Natie" he says but let's go of me.
For the next half hour I go around our backyard greeting everyone and thanking them for coming. I notice a few people I haven't met before, mainly guys, who sit by the pool with my cousins Lynn and Shauna, as well as Christina and another one of my friends, Marlene. I walk over to them to greet Marlene and introduce myself to the four men.
"Hi, Marlene" I say and she gets up to hug me.
"Hey, Tris. So good to have you back" she says smiling.
"How's the stomach doing?" Shauna asks knowingly.
"The little fucker could have done a better job" I say and the girls laugh.
"I don't get it" one of the men asks. He is a tall, dark-skinned, athletic young man who seems nice.
"Oh. Tris, let me introduce you to my boyfriend" Marlene says. "Tris, this is Uriah. Uriah, this is Tris" she says and we shake hands.
"Nice to meet you" I say smiling.
"Nice to meet you, too."
"Since we're flaunting boyfriends, here's mine" Shauna says gesturing to the guy who is sitting next to her. He is also dark-skinned and muscular, although Uriah seems taller. But this guy is definitely older. I think they might be related by the looks of it. "Tris meet Zeke."
"Hello, Zeke, nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, too. Shauna told me everything about you" he says and she elbows him.
"What?" he asks.
"I doubt she told you more than Christina did" another guy, white-skinned, tall, athletic but not really showing it.
"Tris, this is Will. My boyfriend" Christina announces. I shake hands with him and he sits back down next to her.
"I have to ask. Are you two related?" I ask pointing from Uriah to Zeke.
"Yeah, I had the misfortune to have him as an older brother" Uriah says and I chuckle.
"I know what you mean, bro" Zeke says "only I had an obnoxious baby brother who followed me around like a lost puppy." At that we all laugh.
"Yeah, brothers…" I say.
"What was that about brothers?" Caleb asks from behind me. I jump up and wrap my arms around his neck pulling him into a tight hug. "Slow down, there, Bee. You're gonna choke me" he says chuckling.
"I missed you, smart fart" I say using one of the names I gave him when we were children.
"Smart fart?" Uriah asks.
"Don't ask, dude" Caleb warns. "And you, stop calling me that" he points his index finger at me.
"Never" I say standing straight and saluting. That makes the others laugh. We all sit down and I realize I haven't introduced myself to the forth man. He is quietly sipping his beer, observing us. "I'm Tris, by the way" I say standing up and extending my hand over the table. He gets up and for the first time I really see him. He is tall, like really tall. About a foot taller than me, he is tanned, but I think it's genetic. He is muscular and fucking handsome. And that face… Jesus! Did I die and go to heaven? He looks like a freaking God. Tris, pull yourself together before you drool all over the patio table.
"Hi, I'm Four" he says and shakes my hand. It's a strong handshake, but he makes sure not to hurt me. I feel a tingling where our hands touch and a warmth spread through my body like a wildfire. I retract my hand, even though I'd love to hold his a little longer, but I realize there are still people around us. We both sit down and keep looking at each other.
"So, the old I'm sick trick didn't work" Caleb states casually. I look at him and smile.
"No, I guess I used that too often" I say and the girls and Caleb laugh.
"I still don't get it" Uriah says frustrated.
"Tris always used the I have a stomach bug trick to get out of doing things she didn't like. Of course, our dad still falls for that. He could never imagine his little Bumblebee tricking him" Caleb says the last part in a baby voice, while pinching my cheek.
"Shut up. You're just jealous 'cause it still works for me" I say sticking out my tongue at him.
"Really? How long have you been in the bathroom? Five minutes before mom got you out. You used to be better, Bee."
"He's right" Shauna says.
"Shut it" I say looking at her with fake anger.
"Cut the crap, baby face" Shauna says. "You are as scary as a chocolate chip cookie."
"Double chocolate chip cookie, if you please. I have both a light and a dark side to me" I say with my nose in the air.
"You mean dark of the moon?" Lynn teases.
"Oh my God! I almost forgot about that" Christina says squealing.
"No! Don't you dare say it!" I tell them all.
"Tell what?" Zeke asks.
"Bee showed her ass" Caleb says bursting out laughing.
"I just told you not to say it" I say frustrated.
"Come on, Bee. That's like the funniest thing you ever did" Shauna says.
"Not true" I defend. "I am funny."
"No, you're not. You are a nerdy bookworm who can give you a lecture on where the word funny came from. But actually being funny isn't your thing" she says.
"Not true. I know plenty of jokes" I say.
"Really?" Lynn asks raising an eyebrow. "Tell one."
"Alright. A neutron goes into a bar and orders a drink. When he wants to pay the barkeeper says For you no charge." I say and start laughing, but the rest of them remain quiet.
"Is it over?" I hear Zeke whisper into Shauna's ear. I look around and they all look at me like I'm sitting in front of them completely naked. The only one who seems to smile a little is Four.
"See? You are not funny" Shauna states.
"It's not my fault you don't get it" I say and get up.
"Bee, come on. Don't get upset" Caleb says.
"I'm not upset. I just need to pee" I yell over my shoulder.
Four's POV
"Maybe you shouldn't have teased her that much" Marlene says.
"Yeah, she just got back, you guys" Christina agrees.
"Come on. It's just fun" Lynn says.
"It might be for you, but she clearly didn't like it" Marlene says looking toward where Tris disappeared. I have to agree. She seemed really uncomfortable.
"Give me a break, Mar. She used to make fun of us when we didn't get something right at school" Lynn says.
"No she didn't."
"Really? How many times did she burst out laughing when I said something wrong?"
"A few, but that's because it was hilarious" Marlene says with a chuckle.
"Anyone can make mistakes" Lynn says defensively.
"Yeah, but you made them constantly."
"It's not my fault those quizzes were so hard" Lynn says leaning back into her chair.
"They weren't, you just didn't study enough. Even after Tris tried to help you" Christina says.
"She still shouldn't have made fun of me for not knowing or getting it wrong" Lynn says pouting now.
"And you should have studied more instead of going to every freaking party. Come on, Lynn. If it weren't for Tris none of us would have passed math and science" Christina tells her.
"You guys make Tris sound like she is some sort of genius and you are dumb" Zeke says.
"We are not dumb, but it was more difficult for us when it came to math and science" Marlene says.
"Yeah, to Tris it just came naturally. She is really good at it" Christina says.
"What about the moon?" Uriah asks.
"What?" Marlene asks.
"Caleb said she mooned someone" Uriah explains.
"Oh, that. Maybe we shouldn't talk about it anymore" Caleb says, looking away bashful.
"It was junior prom, someone spiked the punch, I drank too much and by the end of the evening I mooned everyone. I almost got detention, but since it was the first time I did something so stupid and it wasn't really my fault that the punch was spiked the principal forgave me" Tris explains. "Can we move on now. It's not funny" she says sitting down next to her brother and crosses her arms in front of her chest. She looks cute pouting like that. Wait. What? I shouldn't think of dating right now. I just got out of a terrible relationship. I don't need a Nita-repeat.
The mooning incident is soon forgotten and everyone starts talking. Tris is practically bombarded with questions, trying to answer them all. An hour later I know that she's 22 years old, she is Caleb's sister, obviously, she went to NYU and studied computer sciences and got a job here in Chicago, although I really didn't get what she is doing or what company hired her.
"Okay, enough about me" she says laughing. She has an adorable laugh. "What about you guys? Tell me something."
"Well, I just got hired by an architecture company" Will starts saying "I have an older sister, which has a thing for your brother" he says and Tris looks at Caleb with a curious expression on her face.
"Stop saying that. She has not."
"Yeah, she has. You should ask her out" Will says and everyone laughs at how Caleb blushed.
"I live in Boston, remember?"
"So? Cara moved there too. I think she wants to be closer to you" Will teases.
"Shut up" Caleb grunts.
"What about you Uriah?" Tris asks, sensing how uncomfortable Caleb feels.
"I got a job at a graphic design company. Well, it's actually an internship, but if I do well they will hire me. One more month to go" he says and crosses his fingers.
"I hope you get the job" Tris says smiling.
"Oh, he will" Marlene says kissing his cheek. "He might be silly sometimes but he is really good at his job."
"What about you Zeke?" Tris asks, moving on.
"Four and I have a fitness studio. At least for now" he says and looks at me.
"What do you mean?" Tris asks intrigued.
"We are both physical therapists and we want to expand the business. Right now it's just fitness, but we want it to be a recovery center."
"That sounds awesome" Tris says excited.
"You should come by sometime" Zeke offers.
"Yeah, Tris, you should. The guys teach self-defense classes" Shauna says.
"We already signed up for this month" Marlene says and Christina and Lynn nod.
"Well, then I'll definitely come too. How much does it cost? I mean. I don't have money yet. I could ask my parents, though" she says rather to herself.
"How about you come for the first session and see if you like it. If not, no charge" I say.
"That's not fair. You just met her and I as the girlfriend of one of the owners don't even get a discount" Shauna says in mock annoyance.
"Babe, you don't pay anything" Zeke says and kisses her cheek.
"Neither do the others" I add.
"For our friends it's free" Zeke says.
"I hope you don't have many friends then" Tris says and everyone looks at her surprised.
"That's an awful thing to say, Beatrice" Mrs. Prior, who just walked over with burgers on a plate, says to her daughter. "Apologize at once" she orders her.
"But mom, I didn't mean it like that" Tris says a little whiny.
"Apologize. Now!"
"I'm sorry" she says, but rolls her eyes a little. Her mom sets the burgers down and leaves us.
"Did you mean it?" Caleb asks grabbing a burger.
"Not a letter of it" she says with a chuckle. "I'm not sorry" she says looking at us. "I just meant, if you have too many friends who can use your gym free of charge you will soon get bankrupt" she explains.
"It's a good thing then, these are the only true friends we have" Zeke says and I nod in agreement.
"Oh, that's good then, I suppose" she says awkwardly.
"Sorry, but I didn't really get what you do" I say to her, a little embarrassed that I haven't paid so much attention. Just as she spoke the first time I got a text from my ex, Nita. She wants to give it another shot, like she broke up with me and owes me that much. She must have forgotten that I dumped her after she got in bed with Eric. I don't really care that we broke up. I never really liked her that much to begin with, but the fact that she wasn't honest enough to break up with me before moving on is really hurtful.
"I design security protocols for the internet" she says. "I just got hired by Dauntless Co. and I'll start there on Monday."
"Dauntless Co.?" Zeke asks. "That's a really big company" he says. I read about them. They are top of the line when it comes to internet security. They only hire the best of the best.
"Yeah, but thankfully I will have my own office and I won't have to interact with too many people."
"Bee here isn't the most social of people" Lynn says a little mockingly.
"People just don't get me and I don't get people. Simple as that."
"Yeah, the only thing our little Bumblebee gets is computers and computer viruses" Lynn continues teasing her.
"Hey, Lynn. Remember when Bee told you that you could skip a test if you tell your teachers you caught a computer virus?" Christina asks mockingly. At that Lynn blushes violently, obviously embarrassed about something.
"Shut up, Chris" Lynn says and gets up. The others who know the story laugh hysterically.
"Could somebody explain this?" Zeke asks.
"When we were younger, I think sixth or seventh grade, Tris actually convinced Lynn that you can get a computer virus if you stay in front of it long enough" Christina says between laughs.
"Come on. No one can actually believe that" I say and laugh too.
"Lynn did" Shauna assures us.
"Come on. Lynn can't be that stupid" Uriah says.
"She isn't" Marlene assures him. "But Tris here, believe it or not, can convince you the sky is red when it's blue, that snow is hot instead of cold, that broccoli tastes like fudge or basically anything else you can imagine. She is very persuasive, when she wants it."
"It's true" Caleb agrees. "She actually once convinced dad that he forgot the shower on and caused the bathroom flooding, even though Tris and I were the only ones using that bathroom and she clearly had still wet hair" he tells us. "She talked him stupid until he really believed he did it and forgot about it."
"Oh shut up. You would have done the same. Besides, need I remind you that thanks to my special gift I always got us into places?" she asks.
"That's true" Shauna says. "She convinced both our dads that during a camping trip they promised us to take us the new amusement park when we were little. I was twelve I think and Lynn and Tris were ten."
"Or do you remember when we sneaked out of gym class and she convinced our gym teacher that all three of us had to help with the decorations for the prom, when in fact we went to see a movie" Marlene asks.
"Or how she talked the movie theater manager stupid telling them that we're going to call the cops because we found some unsanitary crawlers in our popcorn, which by the way she put in?" Christina says. "We ended up having free popcorn and drinks, as well as a free movie to see."
"Couldn't he check the cameras?" Uriah asks.
"He could've, but by the time he would have went in the back to check we would have drawn a lot more attention to the bug incident."
"How exactly did she convince the manager to let you have free stuff?" Zeke asks.
"I told him that we are all willing to forget everything. We don't want trouble just as much as he didn't want that. We just came here to enjoy a lovely movie and eat some salty popcorn and drown everything with cold soda. I told him that we all should agree this never happened" Tris says.
"Why didn't you just pay?" I ask amused.
"Well, we left in a hurry and none of us had enough money to get both movie tickets and snacks, so I had to improvise" she explains with a laugh.
"How exactly did you meet?" Zeke asks.
"Well, as you know Lynn and Shauna are my cousins. I met Christina in kindergarten and we immediately became friends. Later in junior high we met Marlene" Tris answers. "How about you all? How did you meet?"
"I met Four and Zeke on campus the first day of college" Shauna says. "Remember I told you about the dumbass who is bugging me for the psychology notes" she says looking at him.
"Oh, that's Mr. Stupid Dumbass?" Tris says without thinking and immediately slaps her hand over her mouth, embarrassed. We all start laughing. I knew that Shauna used to call him that, long before they became a couple.
"I haven't heard that in ages" Uriah laughs hard.
"Shut up" Zeke says.
"I'm sorry, Zeke. And I'm sorry Shauna. It just slipped out" Tris says apologetically.
"It's okay. It's not like he doesn't know he used to be a stupid dumbass" she says pecking his lips.
"Hear that? I used to be" Zeke says with a wide grin.
"Yeah, you're only slightly stupid now" Shauna says with a grin of her own.
"That's not cool, babe" he says pouting.
"Anyway, I got to know Uriah through Zeke and Will through Uriah."
"Four and I know each other since elementary. We are best friends since" Zeke says looking at me.
"And somehow we all ended up getting to know each other and becoming friends" Christina concludes.
"When exactly is this free self-defense lesson?" Tris asks looking from Zeke to me and back to him, clearly waiting for an answer.
"We could do it right now" Zeke says jokingly.
"No" Shauna says forcefully. "We just got her back, I don't need you bonehead injuring her and getting her into the ER."
"Babe, I would never hurt her. Calm down. And what do you mean by bonehead?" he asks.
"I don't really mind a lesson right now, but I figure mom and dad would go nuts" Tris says looking toward her parents who entertain the rest of the guests.
"How about tomorrow?" I suggest.
"Huh?" Tris asks looking back and straight at me.
"Tomorrow is Saturday and if we meet early there won't be too many people there" I say.
"Tomorrow morning?" Christina whines.
"Yeah, what the hell is wrong with you, Four?" Lynn asks.
"Come on, girls. It'll be fun" Zeke says. "Besides the best moment of the day to work out is in the morning anyways. Afterwards we can go for a movie and some pizza and get to know each other better."
"That's actually a good plan" Marlene says.
We work out tomorrow's plan and one by one head home, allowing Tris to rest after the long journey back to Chicago. I first drop of Will and Christina and then drive home to my place. I walk into the building and bump into Eric. Unfortunately, he lives in the same apartment building as me and sometimes we just randomly bump into each other. I try to ignore him but he keeps talking to me.
"Hey, Four" he keeps calling after me, but I walk faster toward the elevator trying to get away from him. To my extreme misfortune he makes it too into the elevator and now I can't get rid of him until I reach my apartment. "Four" he tries again.
"Just leave me alone" I say growling.
"I hope you are not still upset about me and Nita?" he asks and I glare at him.
"Dude, just leave me alone" I say again.
"Come on. Nita told me that you are being difficult" he says smirking. I glare at him. "Don't tell me you are still upset about me and her?" he says with a laugh. "Come on, dude. It was just sex. I don't want her. She is hot and all, but a whore" he says.
"What makes you think I want her?" I ask.
"You don't? She has some really smooth body and a pair of tits to die for" he says gesturing how he would fondle them.
"You can keep her if you like her so much" I say and mentally thank the heavens that I reached my floor. I get out of the elevator and walk to my door. "Not that you need to know, but I'm glad she cheated. At least now I don't have to think of some lame ass excuse to get rid of her. So, I guess I should thank you for fucking that bitch" I say and get inside. I slam the door and lock it. I know this might sound like I'm jealous which I should be, but I'm not. I'm actually glad I broke up with her. The sex was good, no question, but other than that we had absolutely nothing in common. I don't even know if Nita is her name or a nickname and to be honest I never cared.
I go into the bathroom and take a shower. Without really wanting to I think back to the backyard of the Prior's and Tris. She is definitely nothing like I imagined her. I mean the girls kept talking about their friend, especially when they heard that she's coming back to live here in Chicago. And I knew a thing or two from Caleb since we played baseball together, but other than that the person I met today is even more interesting and intriguing than I imagined her to be. I go to bed and the last thing I think of before fatigue takes over is her: Tris Prior.
A/N: What do you think so far?
