Christina's POV
It's hard hiding something from your best friend. You've been though lies and lives and stick together, and yet, how do you keep a secret for so long?
I've kept it to myself too long, but I still sit quietly on my bed, doing Tris's hair. I can tell by how her shoulders are tensed that she can see something is wrong, I usually never shut up. I watch as she texts a variety of emoticon to Uriah, messing around and I stare a little longer. I know Tris long enough to read her expression, she's considering a question.
"Tris-" I began, but her phone beeps. She picked it up, it's from Tobias. I sigh, and my insides squirm with jealousy I try to hold back. I know Tobias is my best friend, and Tris's too, but I'm starting to think, I might like him a little. Okay, now a lot. I just can't tell Tris, and I'm thinking of when to tell her, when she to pulls me to the present.
"Tobias texted me, can he come over?" Tris looks up at me from her perch on the floor. A flicker of annoyance passes over my face, he texts Tris, not me? But I will a pleasant mask over my face.
"Sure." I add some glitter to her hair and she agrees to add some to mine.
"Christina, I was wondering if I could tell you, but…" Tris trails off, and looks at me. My hands stop, and I look at her. A second of silence, like frozen time-
"I like Tobias." Tris doesn't blush, instead she sets her jaw, ready for my response. I blink. Oh no. No, no.
"Tris." I blush. "I do too." She frowns. Then I say something a best friend should never say. I give her my best look that an older sibling will give as if they did something wrong and the sibling doesn't have pity.
"We'll, see if Tobias likes a scrawny girl in rags compared to a beautiful one in makeup and fashion." I start out of the room. "Go ahead, try to get him first." I skipped out of my room, leaving an obviously hurt and confused Tris behind. The doorbell rings, and I'm down the stairs, before I freeze in place.
My insides squirm with guilt. I shake my head, and blink back tears. I should have never said that. Tris probably hates me. I screwed it all up.
"Put a smile of your face." I mutter to myself, and swing open the door, to let in Tobias.
Tobias's POV
I tap my hand against my leg. I shouldn't be nervous, but really it's something about being a teen that changes being with girls. The door opens.
"Hey Chris." I smile, she's got much make up, as usual, and she blushes, Christina know she overdoes it. Then I look up the stairs and see Tris. Her dirty blonde hair is on her shoulders, her eyes are distracting. But then I see her face. It's hurt, so much it hurts to look at.
"Tris-" I start, shocked. But she shakers her head and nudges a shoulder at in Christina's direction. What happened?
"How are you doing?" I cover up. Christina looks back to see Tris, and jerks away.
"Time for best friend bonding!" Christina says happily, which I would believe, except she's biting her lip.
"Movie guys?" She regains her posture, gesturing a weary Tris down the stairs.
"I'll get the candy." I volunteer. "M&Ms like always, Christina?"
"Uh, duh." She rolls her eyes.
"I'll get the popcorn." Tris mutters, stuffing her hands in her pockets.
"Oh thanks Toby." Chris smiles and we go into the kitchen. Once we're not in Christina's sight, Tris grins.
"Toby?" Tris smirks.
"Oh you don't Trissy." I elbowed her. She laughed, getting up on her toes to put the bag in the microwave. We wait a minute in silence, as I wait for her to finish.
"That was great best friend advise." Tris mutters under her breath after a minute.
"What?" I risk a glance at Tris, who's glaring at the floor.
"I told Chris a, um, secret and she was, let's say, not very accepting about it." Tris glanced away.
"Don't worry Tris, I'll still be your best friend." I hugged her, which would have been awkward, except we were best friends. I stood about a half foot taller than her, so I only saw the top of her head. The microwave beeps, and Tris jumps backwards.
"I'll carry the bars." Tris offers. We walk into the room were Christina set up a movie.
"Thaaanks Tobias!" Chris gives me a Barbie smile. And she grabs my hand, i try to pull away but she squeezes tight. I glance at Tris, but she's pointedly glaring at the screen, even though it's blank. Christina relaxes back, she picked a sci-fi film. Uh, I don't like sci-fi, usually. Chris likes it, but despises horror movies. Tris and I love them. Sometimes I would just go over to her house and watch them. I let my mind wander, not focusing on the movie.
After fifteen minutes I feel the hand in mine go slack, Christina fell asleep, I let go and stare at Tris. She has an interesting expression on her face. Hope? Longing?
Tris's POV
I watch the movie as the main characters fall in love. I wish that Tobias would fall in love with me, and I don't care how cheesy our sounds. I wish I knew what was up with Christina's mood swing. I guess I know where it's coming from, and she gets a bit sassy sometimes.
I fell Tobias hand slide into mine.
"Hipster queen is taking her beauty rest." Tobias says, pointing to a snoring Christina, her hair fluttering at each puff. I laugh at Christina as he starts on a candy bar. I grab it and take a bite.
"Hey!" He grabs it back. I sit on his lap.
*Flashback*
A little six year old stumbles at the small community play ground. The sky is a dull grey, and everyone seems to be inside. The winds whips her blue dress in with the leaves on the ground. She climbs onto a swing, and takes a small pump. Up down, up down, barely gaining height. From the side a boy about seven stood on the slide.
"Tobias!" The girl shrieked. She grins and jumps off the swing as it reaches maximum height. The girl stumbles a few steps then grins proudly.
"Can I swing?" The boy, Tobias smiles. She nods, and steps asside for him. The girl watches, mesmerized as he swings higher and higher, clapping her tiny hands together, waiting eagerly for him to jump. But he scrapes his feet on the asphalt, slowing down.
"Can't Jump with an untied shoelace." He bends down and ties his shoes. "Jump with me, Tris?" The little girl, Tris shifts nervously.
"How can we both swing?" Tris says shyly. It starts to sprinkle, and it splatters her dress.
"Sit!" Tobias commands, and pulls Tris on. She shrieks as he starts to swing, and grabs onto his shirt, pulling herself on. They get hugged, and she shouts, but now in glee. He launches them off, and for a second there's just a bundle of
*End of flashback.*
I sigh as I remember. Tobias smiles and bites the candy bar.
"Sleeping Beauty is waking up." Tobias sighs, pointing to Christina. I roll off his lap and rest my head on the couch and stared at the TV. Christina wakes up, stretching.
She leans forward, and yawns in Tobias's face, making it long and enunciated. I smile slightly, the old Christina is back.
"I've got to go home." Tobias says to Christina, standing up.
"Me too." I shoor up and hits the light in eagerness to escape the increasingly awkward arm atmosphere. Luckily, Christina doesn't laugh. I wave at Christina half heartedly, and she gives one back, before trudging upstairs. then go up to my bed.
Tobias's POV
I walk home with Tris. She won't tell me about her feud with Christina, but I tried to cheer her up. She shrugged at my corny jokes and lame catch phrases.
"Just call me at home, okay?" She said to my worried expression. I wave at her, and unlock the door, creeping into the kitchen. I find a note, Evelyn is gone tonight, working on her gun regulation project. I go upstairs to my room and call Tris.
"Hi!" She answers immediately.
"Hey." I respond.
"Hold on, my dads asking me something." I hear her dads voice.
"Tobias!" She yells to him. More talking.
"My best friend!" She yells back. Another round.
"No, not my boyfriend!" She yells. I blush. "Not yet." She mutters under her breath. I blush, and don't say anything, like one didn't hear a thing.
"Anyways, I'm back." We talk for bit about random stuff, how school starts, tomorrow, Friday. How Chris really needs to get into horror movies. But then it gets into the topic of Marcus. He left, sorry was kicked out by Evelyn, and I still have the scars from his whippings.
"Ow." I mutter touching my back at the memory. Tris stiffens.
"Does little Toby Toby need some medicine?" Tris puts on a fake voice. "Does ickle Tobias need a shot at the doc-"
"Oh shut up." I say, getting a laugh. Her dads starts yelling again. She says bye, and I sit on my bed, just holding my phone for a minute.