Thanks everyone for all your reviews on the first chapter! I am glad that the time skips are easy to follow. Happy Friday and happy reading :)

TOBIAS-9 YEARS AGO

I glance at my phone after leaving class, then look around campus. I've got an hour to kill between classes, and my options on this side of campus are limited. I start to walk the short walk to the Student Union, when I pass Tris's dorm.

Things have been perfectly normal between Tris and me since the night we messed around. I had been denying that there was anything between us, but once she was in my room, and we were alone, I knew that I couldn't keep denying the intense physical attraction I felt towards her.

Words could not describe how it felt to have her in my arms, to roam my hands along her body while she explored mine. We didn't have sex; neither of us made the moves for that to happen, and we didn't even kiss. But waking up with her in my arms, my face buried in the back of her neck, offered a sense of fulfillment I've never felt with a woman.

But nothing really happened after that. I took her home in the morning and our friendly banter returned in replace of the heated, lustful words we'd exchanged last night. We'd hung out a few more times with groups, and although my desire for her was even stronger now, I still felt the need to play it cool. Either Tris felt the same, or my feelings were not reciprocated.

When I call her, she picks up after a couple rings.

"I've got 45 minutes to kill," I tell her. "Can I come by?"

"Yeah, sure," she answers without hesitation. "I'll meet you downstairs."

With only a short distance to her dorm, I walk over quickly and meet her in the foyer. She's wearing a T-shirt and yoga pants, both of which hug her perfectly.

"All dressed up, huh?" I tease her. She tells me she's already done with classes for the day and just woke up from a nap not too long ago.

"You had perfect timing."

TRIS-PRESENT DAY

I pull on a pair of yoga pants before heading out into the kitchen, the scent of coffee intoxicating me. Tobias stands at the counter, the coffee maker beginning to drip the brown liquid into the pot. I slide into a bar stool, watching Tobias open cabinets and until he finds what he's looking for. His basketball shorts, which I've never seen him sleep in before, hang loosely on his hips and down to his knees. The T-shirt draped on his upper body is new—at least to me. There's a sexiness to his body that's always been unique and different. Tattoos had never been attractive to me until he'd added a few to his body and I'd seen him naked. And his hair, ever changing because he couldn't settle on a style he liked, looked good no matter what it was doing that day.

He pulls out plates and coffee cups before going to the fridge, and I put my head down on the counter because the sight of Tobias is a little too much for me right now, after what I'd just remembered in the bathroom.

TRIS-9 YEARS AGO

I sigh deeply as Tobias runs his hand under my shirt and digs his fingers into my back, giving my muscles some release and much needed pressure. "So good…" I mumble for the hundredth time as he laughs and continues his movements.

"Are you going to the gym every day?" he asks.

"Not every day. Four or five days a week."

"Where at? I could use a gym buddy." He mentions in casually, like it's no big deal if I turn him down.

I turn my head to face him, remaining on my stomach so he can continue rubbing my back. "Really? You'd go with me?"

He shrugs. "Why not? Better than going alone."

"Oh, I get it. Last resort, huh?" I roll my eyes sarcastically, knowing that's not what his words truly mean.

"Maybe," he playfully banters back. "But, I also wouldn't mind getting to check that ass out while you run." Slowly, his hand slips into my pants to squeeze my ass, and I can't help but melt into him a little.

"Perv," I say shyly before turning my head back away from him to hide my blushing cheeks and my nerves. But his hand doesn't move from my ass, now massaging it instead of my back.

It's been a month since Tobias called me on that Tuesday early in the semester, looking for a place to hang out. And it's been a consistent tradition since then that twice a week he spends 45 minutes in my room between classes. It's the most alone time we've had in the past year, and every single time I find myself wanting to rip his clothes off.

It doesn't always turn sexual, but when it does, it's still nothing like the night in his room. We're limited on time, and some days he leaves while I'm still aching for him. We also run the risk of Molly returning, and she'd never let us live it down if she walked in on that.

"Come here," he whispers as he pulls on my hip to turn me over, pulling my back flush against his chest.

He's no longer shy in his movements, as he slips his hand up my shirt and into my bra, tweaking my nipples between his fingers.

"That feels so good," I murmur from in front of him.

"I've barely even done anything," he teases, and he leans forward to nibble on my neck before snaking his hand back down into my pants.

I've only been with a handful of men, but there's been something different about Tobias from the day he first touched me. He's attentive, and he remembers exactly what makes me moan, or squirm, or grab a fistful of his hair in my hand. He can get me off faster than I ever thought a guy could, he knows exactly how to do it, but never rushes it.

He sits up a little to glance at the clock on the wall, and groans when he sees it. "I only have ten minutes," he says unhappily.

"Better get to work," I counter him as I reach down to undo his belt and pants, hastily pulling out his hard dick.

He laughs. "I can get you off in ten minutes, without a doubt."

I lean back, eyeing him for a moment. "We'll see."

"I got you," he whispers as he slips his hand further down, inserting a few fingers and immediately curling them to the exact spot he knows I always want him to get.

I let out a low, "Fuck," and lean over to kiss his neck while working on him with my hands.

He moans with me, whispering about how sexy I am, the way my body feels around his hand, and it gets me off long before we're both ready for it to be over, him finishing shortly after seeing my response to his hands and lips all over me.

I lay on my back breathing heavily, waiting to come down from my orgasm, when he sits up quickly. "I gotta go," he says with another glance at the clock. "Come over this weekend. Party on Saturday."

Vaguely, I register what he's saying. "Sure," I mumble back as I run a hand through my hair.

He leans over, planting a quick kiss on my cheek and then hoping off my bed to the ground. "Bye, Tris," he said quickly before he's out the door.

It's only a few minutes before there's pounding on my door again, and Christina is the one on the other end when I open it.

"What's the fuck is that?" she demands.

I act confused. "Tobias?"

Christina nods as she crosses her arms over her chest.

"He comes over here to hang out between classes."

"Bullshit," she says she pushes past me into the doorway. "Are you fucking around with him?"

I bite my lip. There's no point in lying. When Christina had found out about the night I'd stayed at Tobias's, it was because Molly had immediately yelled it out when we saw Christina at breakfast. I hadn't planned on telling her, or anyone, but Molly found out because I needed her keys to get me in the dorm, and she saw Tobias drop me off.

Molly had shrugged her shoulders. She didn't care, and who was she to judge after she went home with a random group of guys the night before? Christina, on the other hand, had a bit stronger moral compass.

"You are!" She yells accusingly.

"God! Can you keep it down?!" I say as I shut the door behind her. "It's not a big deal."

She runs a hand through her hair. "Did you know that Nita asked him to go to her formal?"

It's my turn to stand uncomfortably, because I didn't know that.

"Will told me," she adds, mentioning Tobias's fraternity brother and the guy she's been dating for a few months. Ironically, I introduced her to Will after Tobias told me Will was interested.

"Maybe he isn't going. He didn't tell me." I try to defend Tobias's actions, think about what possibly he could be doing with Nita when he still show up here twice a week.

She crosses her arms. "He is." Her voice is softer, not as sharp, like she's delivering a blow she knows I won't take well.

"Oh." I try to pretend like I'm unphased, but deep down it is a shocking reality I wasn't ready to hear. I knew that this wasn't leading to a relationship for Tobias and me. But I enjoy our friendship, with the added bonus of incredibly gratifying sexual experiences.

"You have to stop doing this, Tris," she says she plops down on Molly's desk chair. "It's not good for you."

I tuck my hair behind my ear and swallow thickly. "I'm fine, Christina. Maybe he'll tell me about it this weekend."

"Their party?" she asks tentatively. "Will said they invited Nita's sorority."

I feel bricks again in my stomach. "Oh."

"Maybe we shouldn't go." She offers sympathetically, but I shake my head.

"It's not a big deal. We'll see."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It's only a couple days later when Christina and Will come home from dinner and slam open my dorm room door.

"We have a fabulous idea," Christina proclaims, dragging Will into the room behind her.

"Sure you do," I reply sarcastically.

She stomps her foot at my reaction. "We have someone to introduce you to."

"Someone?"

"He's a friend of mine from high school," Will explains. "I think we should all go out this weekend."

"Tris can't tear her eyes away from Tobias long enough to give anyone else a chance," Molly snorts from the corner, and I shoot her a dirty look.

It's a total exaggeration, considering I have met a few guys this school year, exchanged numbers and hung out with them casually. But none of them were what I wanted, or what I had expected they'd be. It has nothing to do with Tobias.

"Come on, Tris," Christina whines. "It'll be good for you!"

But it's Will who reads the unsure look on my face, and he leans against the dresser. "Maybe you and Tobias just needed to do all this, you know? Get it out of your system."

I shoot daggers at Christina, knowing she's the one that gave Will this information. "Tris," he defends. "The sexual tension has been obvious between you guys since the day I met both of you. Maybe now that you've relieved it you can both go on, doing your own thing."

I guess Will has a point. It's not like I thought all of this was going to end up with us dating and living Happily Ever After, but I'd be lying if I said that getting physical with him wasn't on my Bucket List. If he really is going to pursue Nita, or let her pursue him, it can't be a bad idea to occupy myself with someone else.

"Alright. I'm in."

TOBIAS-PRESENT DAY

Being in Tris's apartment gives me an odd sense of relief. It's always been like that with her. Her presence is calming and when I'm around her, my fears retreat and my worries wash away, and there's a part of her that seems to take over me and calm me. It's why she was the only person I called last night when I left the apartment I share with Lauren, not wanting to talk or explain the situation to my mom, or Will, or Zeke.

I slide her a plate of toast after I've slathered it with peanut butter, still hoping it's her favorite breakfast. She lifts her head from where it's resting on the bar and a smile creeps across her face.

"Thanks," she says simply, even though I know she's impressed I remembered it's her favorite.

The coffee put is full now, so I pour us each a cup and fix my own toast before coming to rest in the chair next to her at the bar.

"Want to do something today?" she asks.

I shrug. "Depends what you've got in mind."

"Do you want to be lazy asses all day? Drown our sorrows in pizza and beer?"

I laugh. "That sounds kind of appealing. But what sorrows do you have to drown?" It's been a while since Tris and I have talked, and her comment makes me wonder what she's got going on in her own life.

"Bro, I've always got sorrows to drown," she says as she brings her coffee cup to her lips. She drinks before changing the subject. "But I think we should take a walk down to the park. It'll be fun."

TRIS-8 YEARS AGO

Sitting in the bar stool just down the block from my house, I let out a sigh. Christina and I, along with our roommates, Shauna and Marlene, had taken to coming here on Thursdays after classes were over. We'd catch up on our weeks, share news, and wind down from four long days of classes and work before the weekend started.

It was a day we saved from boys and stress, often times showing up in our hoodies and leggings and having a few drinks comfortably. Despite the fact that we all lived together, the bar was chill and welcoming, and we couldn't deny ourselves of the atmosphere and occasional arcade game.

"Hey!" I hear from the doorway, and turn to see Will entering with a group of guys behind us.

Marlene glares at Christina. "This is supposed to be girls' night," she says unhappily, but Christina is unphased.

"They were looking for something to do."

I turn away from the door, pissed off at her. It's not often that I see Christina without Will these days, as every spare moment they have is spent together. It baffles me that they cared about each other so much when I can't find a guy I can tolerate for more than three days.

"So this is where you've been," I hear from a familiar voice behind me. "I thought maybe you disconnected your cell or something, since you never use it. At least not to call me."

Turning in my chair, I'm faced with Tobias. Standing behind me in casual jeans and a hooded sweatshirt, he's just as handsome as he's always been, taking my breath away.

"I've been around," I say casually.

It's been months since we've talked, and almost 8 months since we'd stopped our steamy rendezvouses in my dorm. Tobias had, in fact, started dating Nita, a detail he shared with me after he'd attended formal with her. After that, he'd spent the summer in California with his uncle, briefly hooking up with Nita when he returned.

In an effort to move on, I started dating Al shortly after Tobias and Nita became common knowledge. While Al didn't take my breath away, and he didn't give me goosebumps – or incredible orgasms – he was fun to be around and decent company. We had a good time together, although I was beginning to get bored with his weekend ritual of sitting around the house with his buddies, drinking beer and watching shitty TV.

"Around with Al, huh?" he prods, and I can tell he's curious.

"Sometimes." It was obvious to me, but also to Christina and Shauna, that Al was much more infatuated with me than I could possibly be with him. I'd dodge most of his daily attempts to hang out, sometimes claiming I needed to study for tests that didn't exist.

Tobias chuckles. "Bored yet?" he says, is if reading my mind.

"He's a nice guy," I say, partially defending him.

He nods, remaining silent of a while until his beer arrives. "I've missed you, bro."

I laugh at his sentiment. Whenever Tobias shares something meaningful with me like that, he always adds the word 'bro' in an attempt to appear tough, unsentimental. But I know he does mean it. I've missed him too.

"Hey, Cali boy, I could never get near you with Nita always hanging around."

Tobias laughs. "Yeah, that bitch is nuts, but the sex was good." He takes a drink before adding. "I haven't talked to her in a minute, thank God."

I can't help but wonder what Tobias could have seen in her, aside from great sex. He's annoyed with women and their habits constantly, always wanting a match who's just as laid back and relaxed as he is.

"Will said you live down the street?" he asks, and I nod.

"Corner of 8th and Barrington. Big white house." The four of us share a spacious four bedroom house so large you can't possibly miss it.

"I'm on the other end of the block," he says with a mischievous smile. "8th and Cruft."

I laugh at the irony. "Seriously?! For how long?"

"I crashed at Zeke's old place when I got back from Cali for a while. We rented that place out a month ago." His eyes meet mine, and I see that familiar smile. "Now there's no reason for us to go months without talking. I'm right down the street."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It's only two weeks later when an argument with Al, in my living room, causes me to lose my shit. We're arguing about the upcoming weekend, about how I voiced that I wanted to stay home Friday night and take a bath, relax, and go to bed early.

"What the fuck am I supposed to do, Tris?!" he yells.

Taken aback, I shake my head. "Um, whatever you want?"

"And what am I supposed to tell everyone when they ask where you are?"

"That I'm at home! That I went to bed early! Why does that even matter to you?"

Al lets out a frustrated sigh. "Because I'm always telling them that you're busy! Because you're never around!"

I roll my eyes. "I'm with you every damn weekend! You're over here like, 2 or 3 days a week."

"And how do you think it looks when everyone else's girlfriends are over at our house all the time? Every night?"

"I don't give a shit how anything looks. If I want to stay home and take a bath, I'm taking a damn bath!" My anger bubbles inside of me, mad at the way that Al is portraying this to be about his image, not my feelings or his.

"Tris, you're being really fucking selfish," he says a little calmer, as if his change of tone is going to cover up his shitty words.

I shake my head and walk away, passing the dining room in an effort to retreat to the kitchen. This isn't the first time Al's complained about his desire to spend more time with me, but it's the first time we've gotten in a heated argument. And if I'm honest, neither of our feelings are ever going to change.

"Tris, this is ridiculous. We're together! We've been together for seven months! Anyone else would be practically living together by now!"

I run a hand over my face before calmly speaking. "I think you need to leave Al. For good."

"What?!" His face is contorted, angry.

"I'm done." The words send relief through my body. I think about how I'll no longer have to sit at Al's house on a weekend night out of obligation. How I'll never have to have routine, boring, unadventurous sex with him ever again.

"Tris, no. You don't mean that. You're mad, you're upset, but you don't really mean that." His eyes are pleading, but his fists are clenched.

I laugh at his need to still be in control. "Don't tell me how I feel. Just go."

"You're going to regret this," he says sharply.

"No, I won't."

It takes a few minutes and a few more rejections for Al to finally listen to me, and then when I finally shut the door in his face, yelling that I am truly done with this relationship, I'm exhausted. I retreat to the couch, collapsing into it. I've never been good with break ups, but now I relish the weight off my shoulders as I think about the freedom I've just given myself.

It only takes a minute before my mind wonders to the house down the street. I'd been to Tobias's house a couple of times since I'd seen him at the bar. Our visits were friendly, stopping over for a beer and catching up. But now, there's only one thing on my mind.

I pick up the phone, clicking on his name, and wait until he answers.

"Can I come over?"

He doesn't hesitate. "I'll meet you halfway."

TOBIAS-8 YEARS AGO

Watching Tris walk to my house, the streetlights casting her shadow on the sidewalk, I think about how much I missed her during the time we spent apart. I'm not sure why a part of me remains held off from her in certain ways – hell, I haven't even kissed her despite all of the places I've touched her – but at the same time, I'm more open with her than anyone else in my life.

One of the things that I enjoy about Tris is how low-maintenance she is. She's not someone I have to talk to every day, or every week. But she is someone that will always pick up the phone when I need her, and I don't mean just sexually either. When I wasn't sure about spending the summer in California, I'd called Tris, who immediately urged me to pursue it.

I wrap her in a hug when I see her, and I hear her exhale as she melts into my chest. We stand like that for a moment before she pulls away and we turn towards my house without speaking. Zeke is awake, and his brother, Uriah, is over. As we come inside, they both greet Tris from their seats closer to the television, and Zeke hands her a beer after she sits on the couch.

Uriah turns away from the game to raise his eye brows at Tris. "Where's Al?"

Tris shakes her head a little. "Not with me, anymore," she says with a slight chuckle.

"You finally kicked his ass to the curb?" Uriah says, his eyes widening.

Tris just laughs at his facial expression. "Yeah. Was it that bad?"

Trying to hide his true feelings, Uriah shrugs and turns back to the TV. He'd confessed to me weeks before that he had Al in two of his classes, and he'd gotten to know him through a couple of group projects and unfortunate seat choices. Uriah didn't know that Tris and I had some history; Zeke - and Will by default of Christina - were the only ones that knew. But Uriah had still been baffled by the pairing, confessing to me that he thought Al was a douchebag, and certainly not good enough for someone like Tris.

Tris shyly glances over to me as she sips from her can of beer, and I catch her eye. "You broke up with him?" I say to clarify.

She nods. "Yeah."

I bring my own can to my lips before softly mumbling, "Good."

It makes her blush, and she brings her feet up to tuck under her lap. From the recliner I'm sitting in, I can see how relaxed she is here, how that audible sigh she'd let out on the sidewalk brought comfort and relief from whatever happened with Al.

"How'd he take it?" Zeke chimes in, pulling us out of our moment. "I bet he wasn't too happy. That dude's crazy about you."

"That was the problem," Tris explains. "I'm not crazy about him. He was smothering me, and he wasn't happy when I told him that."

Even though I didn't know Al on a personal level, I wasn't a fan of them being together. I would never relay that opinion to Tris because part of me is biased, but Al seemed to be the type of guy who wanted a girl by him that never strayed, was never wild, never free. And all of those words – straying, wild, and free – describe Tris.

"Well, now that you've got some extra free time, you're always welcome to walk down and have a beer with the guys," Zeke says, raising his glass to her.

Uriah holds a hand on his chest. "We promise not to smother you."

Tris laughs, but looks to me for confirmation. "Anytime," I agree, with a genuine smile and nod of my head to let her know I mean it.

She's visibly relaxed after that, and we each have a couple more beers to get us through the end of the game. After the buzzer, Uriah and Zeke begin complaining about a couple calls and errors, so I take this small moment of privacy to look over at Tris.

"Want to go to bed?" I say as I nod my head over in the direction of my room.

"Yes," she replies, a small smile playing on her lips.

I stand, tossing our beer cans in the empty recycling bin in the doorway to the kitchen, and Tris follows suit. "We're turning in," I say to Zeke and Uriah.

"Night," Zeke says, unphased, but I see Uriah's face twisted in confusion until I shoot him a look.

"Night," Tris replies, not even glancing in their direction.

She's pulling off her sweatshirt before I've even gotten the door shut, her pants following before she slides into my bed and under the covers. Moving a little slower, I unzip my hoodie and hang it on the doorknob.

"So really, this Al shit is over with?" I ask, wanting to confirm this before I get into bed with her.

"Completely over," she says with a sigh, running her hands through her hair.

"How do you feel?" I unzip my pants, dropping them to my feet and kicking them to the side.

She turns on her side to face me. "I don't think I've ever felt more relief. I just… I can do 'me' again, you know."

I nod and laugh. "Oh, I know."

She softly chuckles at me as I get into bed next to her, lying on my side to mirror her body. Face to face with me, my eyes take in her face. Her soft features, her unique gray eyes – they all combine to make an unusual type of beauty that's only suitable for Tris.

I reach out, my hand finding its way onto her hip. "I miss you, you know," I admit to her.

"Yeah, I know," she says with a smile, before adding. "I missed you, too."

"Let's not do that again, ok? Not for 8 months anyways."

She gives me a mischievous look. "Don't date a nutjob again, ok?"

I can't help but laugh at her as he my hand slides back to cup her ass while my lips simultaneously find her neck. "I'll try," I mumble against her skin.

She sighs contently, words escaping her mind as my hands explore her body. I would be lying if I said that I didn't miss the feeling of Tris's curves whenever I was with another woman. My hands had her memorized, and it was almost as if every time I was with someone else, they ached for her instead.

She melts into me, one hand slipping into my hair, the other reaching between us to rub my hard dick from outside of my boxers. I'm in no rush to rip her clothes off after all of the time I went without her.

My hand travels further north, coming to rest on her breast while my thumb grazes her nipple. I hear a soft moan escape her mouth as she pushes herself more into my hand. I unclasp her bra to give me more access, and before I know it Tris is pushing me onto my back.

She climbs on top, straddling me, giving me access to all parts of her body as she removes her shirt and slips off her bra. I sit up, letting her pull my shirt off before pulling her against my chest. Her skin is warm and soft against mine, and I don't waste any time exploring every inch of her perfect, naked form before me. Being with Tris is calm and satisfying in a way I could never feel with anyone else.

I lean back, pulling her towards me while she presses against my dick. She rolls her hips on me and I squeeze her ass in response, dipping my head to coax one of her breasts into my mouth.

The thing that is so attractive about Tris is that she's so mysteriously sexy. Even when she was a young freshman, she never dressed in the same revealing clothes as the majority of the women around her. Yet even with her clothing choices, there was always something about Tris that men found undeniably sexy, myself included. I feel extremely lucky that I'm one of the few men she's chosen to share that sexiness with.

It's not long before I can't handle the pressure building up inside of me from the way she rolls her hips against me. I flip her over, licking and kissing my way down her body until I'm between her legs. One swipe of my tongue makes her clench, and I pull back.

"Tris, relax," I remind her before returning to what I was doing. She moans, a hand running through my hair and giving it a light tug. Watching Tris's climax build, feeling her muscles clench and her body spasm, is one of the sexiest sights I've ever seen. It's not long before she cries out and her nails run along my arm, her back arched and head back. I keep going, letting her enjoy it for as long as I can make it last, only coming up when she's relaxed. Her breathing is slowing, but once I'm next to her she reaches down to grab me.

"That was…God…" She swallows, her chest still heaving. "It's been too long."

That comment goes straight to my ego, knowing that I can do things to Tris's body that she enjoys more than others' attempts. She pushes my shoulder back so roll me over, and climbs on top of me, lightly biting my ear before she begins to move south.

Her fingers lightly run over my torso, and the anticipation of knowing what she's about to do is driving me nuts. Once she runs her tongue lightly over my tip I hear an involuntary moan escape from my mouth. "Shit…."

She licks the underside of my dick before taking me in her mouth, her tongue swirling around me. It's undeniably sexy to watch her mouth on me. Plus, her ass is in the air, giving me a perfect view of her curves.

I know Tris has been with other men, at least one, since we stopped hooking up last school year. But she hasn't forgotten anything about me – I can tell from the way her moves her mouth, the way her hands fondle me, that she remembers exactly the things that drive me over the edge.

It's not much longer before I whisper her name, my breathing now heavy and blood pumping. "I'm not gonna be much longer," I get out.

"MmmHmm," she responds without taking her mouth of me, and the vibration pushes me even further. It's just a few more seconds before I'm finishing in her mouth, and she doesn't stop until she thinks I'm completely empty.

She sits up with a bit of sour face, so I had her a bottle of water from the nightstand.

"Thanks," she says after a few drinks. "That was…uh…"

"Amazing? Incredible? There's a lot of words I could use."

She smiles at me. "I was thinking more along the lines of 'fucking hot', but I guess those work too."

I laugh at her bluntness, but deep down appreciate it. Despite our sexual endeavors together, Tris has always kept it cool and casual, never allowing it to get awkward or uncomfortable.

I lay back down on my side, motioning for her to get closer. "Get over here."

She lays down with her back to me, and my arm immediately encircles her waist. I plant a kiss on the back of her neck before we both drift off.

TRIS – PRESENT DAY

I walk with Tobias down Damen Avenue, a comfortable silence between us. Wicker Park isn't far from my apartment, and I've come here often over the past few years. When I first moved into my apartment, Tobias told me the area suited me perfectly well. Its hipster feel is perfect for a writer like myself, he said. So when the weather was nice, I often came down to the park to write, and it always reminded me a bit of Tobias.

"How's work been?" he asks me, breaking the silence.

I nod. "It's been good." Writing had always been something that I'd enjoyed but I wasn't sure if anyone cared to read the words that flew out of my head and off my fingertips. Luckily, I'd landed a job at a magazine and a variety of freelance work. "Enjoying it. You?"

Tobias smiles genuinely. "Really good. Gaining new clientele every day."

"Still cutting for the big guys?" I ask, curious about his clientele growth since the last time we spoke.

"Yeah," he says with wide eyes. "I never really guessed I'd have those guys sitting in my chair, actors and CEOs and shit, but they are."

It had taken Tobias a few extra years to figure out what he wanted to do as a career. It took five years for him to earn a business degree in college because he'd switched majors a couple times, but a year later he'd enrolled in a barber school in the city. He got a job at a prestigious shop in the city, and it wasn't long before he was building a clientele of his own. Several actors began to claim their place in his chair, as well as prominent businessmen and well known city officials.

"Are you still thinking about opening up your own shop?" It was something he'd mentioned to me when he'd started to feel confident in his skills, and having a business degree made it very possible for him to do so.

His face has fallen when I look up at him, and he shoves his hand in his pockets. "That's another argument," he says as he shakes his head.

"Oh."

"I talked to the bank about a loan, just to see what I should aim for, what my options are." He runs his hands through his hair. "Lauren's not having it."

"Why?" I hold back my true shock and disappointment. "What's her reason?"

Tobias shakes his head. "She said I won't make any money." His voice is softer as he admits this. "It's not a profitable investment," he says as he makes quotation marks with his fingers.

"She said that?!" I say with a little more emotion now.

"Yep. Sure did."

I shake my head, taking a deep breath. "Wow."

"Yeah," he says with a halfhearted, phony chuckle. "When we first got together, she was cool with my job, with my career. I don't make a ton, and I'm ok with that. I thought she was…but I don't think she is anymore." We approach the park then, and Tobias pauses as we pass a group of people.

We both sit when we reach a park bench, Tobias just inches from me. "I'm sorry," I say with a soft rub of his knee. I can't think of anything else to say, any other condolences to offer him.

"Yeah well," he shrugs. "Remember, its part of that hole in the shoe, making it bigger."

I shake my head at his analogy, wondering how many other things were tearing at that hole, making him slowly grow more miserable.

"Come on," he says, pulling me up by my hand. "Let's go get a hot dog."

TOBIAS – 8 years ago

"Did you hear Tris is dating Drew?" Uriah asks me from the couch opposite of mine.

I shrug and take a swig of my beer. "It's probably nothing."

Zeke raises his eyebrows beside me as he tosses the game controller onto the coffee table. "I don't know man. Have you talked to her lately?"

Trying to act like the thought of Tris with another man doesn't bother me, I take another drink. "Yeah, here and there. She hasn't mentioned him, so it can't be a big deal."

Uriah scoffs. "Or, she isn't telling you because just four months ago she was in your bed." He's referring back to the night that Tris had broken up with Al. What he doesn't know, is that Tris has been in my bed many times since.

"Watch it," Zeke mumbles. "You're privileged to know about that."

I raise my eyebrows at him, reminding him that it's not common knowledge and he should keep it private. When they're both preoccupied with their video game again, I pull out my phone.

Tobias: What's going on tonight?

Tris: Heading home in a few.

Her response is quick, almost as if she was already on her phone. Briefly, I wonder if she was texting Drew. I know who Drew is, from mutual friends and crossing paths, but I can't see Tris swooning over his lazy lifestyle and long hippie hair.

Tobias: Busy at home?

Tris: No…

I debate slightly, wondering if I should ask her what I'm about to, or stay away from her. But if she was seriously dating Drew, she wouldn't let me over. I know that, and I have no doubt.

Tobias: Can I come over?

Tris: See you in ten.

TRIS – 8 YEARS AGO

I walk past Christina's room, making sure I hear the soft, relaxed breathing of her and Will. I already know Shauna's asleep because has to work early in the morning. I'd left Marlene at the bar with a few of her friends, making her swear she'd crash with them for the night. I see a flash of lights through the front windows and head back to the doorway, waiting for Tobias.

It was surprising to get a message from him, but I readily welcomed the opportunity to be with him. Even though we'd taken advantage of living so close, our nights together had faded out over the past 2 months, and we just texted or occasionally caught up in a quick phone call.

He comes to the door quickly, and even his movements in the darkness are arousing to me. Once he's in the door I don't hesitate, and I pull him to me, pressing my lips against his. He welcomes my advance, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me against his chest. For the very first time, I was kissing Tobias.

"Let's go," I whisper into him, turning and pulling him up to my room.

We don't hesitate tonight, Tobias pulling my clothes off while I tug at his. We stumble to my bed, and Tobias's hands roam to every single place I've craved them since the last time he touched me.