Tris POV

That morning, I am in a rush. I quickly smooth on a pair of black work pants and a pale blue blouse, one of my favorite work outfits. I even brush on a bit of makeup, which for the most part sits in the bathroom collecting dust.

Marlene was here when I got back last night, and she's asleep on the couch while I creep past to leave. The television's volume is turned way down, but the pictures show makeup clad preteens and ferociously sassy looking parents that are all too familiar with plastic surgery. It has to be Dance Moms, Marlene's favorite show.

The door shuts behind me, and I pull my black jacket tight around my shoulders. The sky is the most beautiful dark blue, an inky color that spreads until the slightly lighter shade of sky above the city. I hurry down the sidewalk. Tobias Eaton. I will see him soon.

If he even remembered to come.

I stop in my tracks and lean against the cold brick wall. "Stupid," I sigh into the wind. Here I am, getting my hopes up so high, when I doubt Tobias Eaton even bothered to remember our morning meeting. He is a celebrity. I am just a reporter. A young reporter just starting out, a stupid young fan wishing to meet her favorite celebrity.

"Stupid, stupid." I wipe my palm over my forehead, then lower my hands to see my dark blue, almost black nail polish. In the darkness it looks very black. Marlene always insists I paint my nails with her on Tuesday nights. I run a finger over one of the smooth surfaces.

Even if he did forget, I can tell this is going to bother me all day. I sigh again and push myself away from the wall. What am I doing, anyway, up and about in the early morning when I could be asleep?

I remember when I was turning seven, my brother would tell me he was getting me a "big big surprise!" for my birthday present. All month I anticipated what he would buy, and my hopes got higher and higher. When my birthday finally came, he handed me a homemade card and a new jumprope. I remember, also, the crushing disappointment I had felt. Ever since then I had vowed to never raise my hopes again. Hope for the worst, no matter how awful it sounded.

I turn around and walk down the sidewalk towards my apartment. Going by my rules, here's how the morning would play out if I had continued to the coffee shop.

I would arrive. Tobias Eaton would not be there, so I would order my muffin and a coffee and sit down at the counter by the window. I would finish the muffin and coffee and get a drink refill. Two hours later, I would be humiliated and disappointed, just like I was when I turned seven.

I frown bitterly and unlock the door to the apartment. Marlene is still asleep on the couch. I shake her awake and she groans at me. "Tris, it's like, 0 in the morning!"

"Really, Mar? '0 in the morning?'"

She throws a pillow at me, which I dodge. "Shut up." She sits up and curls her legs up under her blanket. "What do you want, anyways?"

"I want to watch reality TV shows with you at 0 in the morning."

It's at this part when Marlene perks up. "Ooh, good idea Tris!" She grabs the remote and turns up the volume. We sit together on the couch and watch it for several hours. All I can glean from the show is how weird it is to me. Marlene is giggling almost the whole time.

I finally have to leave, and Marlene waves at me from the couch, still watching the glowing screen. The door shuts behind me, and I walk down the street. Eric has a meeting with us today, and I have a safe bet it has a lot to do with Tobias Eaton.

I feel my footsteps moving faster, for some reason. Soon I am jogging, and it feels good. How long has it been since I have run anywhere, done anything just for the pleasure of it? Too long. Far too long.

I reach the building and open the doors casually. After an all too short elevator ride, the thick doors open to reveal a pacing Eric outside of the third floor meeting room. When Eric sees me, his thin lips curl into a creepy looking smile. I walk into the meeting room. I'm the first one there. Eric follows me in and shuts the door.

"I thought more people were coming," I say, looking at the closed doors. Eric sits down across the table from my and folds his hands on the tabletop.

"Not yet, Tris. I just want to talk with you for the moment." He looks at me, and I lean back in my chair.

"Why?"

"Because I have a job for you to do." Eric adjusts his watch. "I want you to follow Tobias Eaton. But not as a reporter. I want you be sly. Don't let him know."

I am silent. "So...you want me to gain information on him?"

Eric nods. "Yes." The elevator door let's out a high ping, and Christina steps out.

"You're dismissed."

Tobias POV

I sat in the same seat in the coffee shop as I did yesterday, the day Tris Prior had sat in the seat next to me. She would have been here ten minutes ago. Though it is possible to run late. I take another sip of my coffee. I like my coffee black.

It had been a hard morning. Shauna had barely let me go without her, so I had to tell her I was going for a run. If there's one thing she hated, it was exercise.

I watch the street. A few people walk by, but none of the are the person I hope to meet again. All I have, I realize, is her name and the coffee place she likes to go to. If I had her number, or something, I could text her.

Stop it, I tell myself. She would most likely be creeped out if I texted her, and then the press would get news of it, and she would be blasted into the limelight. Somehow, I feel like she is not the kind of person who wants to be famous. She seems like the kind of person who wants to blend in. I respect that.

The time ticks by. I get another coffee, then another. She should have been here two hours ago. Finally, when the sun begins to rise slowly over the buildings, I get up. There is no way she is coming. Maybe she slept in.

I pay the old guy at the cashier, who grumbles at me. If he knew who I was, I wonder if he would. Probably not. Still, I feel my mouth twitch into a smile. It is nice to be treated normally.

The streets are full of people now. I hurry through the crowd, pulling my hood over my face. Then I see her. Tris Prior.

She is hurrying along down the street, disappearing behind people and reappearing in front of others. The wind sweeps her hair around her shoulders. She wears a pale blue blouse.

I decide not to talk to her. Instead, I watch her enter a tall office building. Why didn't she come to the coffee shop? There's only two reasons possible. She forgot.

Or. Or she didn't want to come.

I lean back against the wall, ignoring a young girl who snaps, "Excuse you!" at me. Why would she not want to come? It makes no sense. After all, she had wanted to talk to me yesterday.

I sigh and check my phone. No less than thirty texts from Shauna. I groan and begin to read through them.

Babe, are you done yet?

Where are you, babe?

I need you!

Get home or else!

I would break up with you if you weren't Tobias Eaton!

I slide my phone into my pocket without returning a single one of her texts. Shauna is beautiful, but sometimes I wonder if we're actually compatible. If we're just playing at dating, and there's nothing real between us.

I look up again, and see Tris Prior leave the building. She looks worried and rushed. I watch her quickly hurry through the crowd and immediately decide to follow her. Soon, she arrives at a business along the street and goes inside. The coffee shop.

I walk into the shop after her. She doesn't notice. Instead, she walks up to the counter and taps her fingers against the dark brown linoleum. "Um..." she says, nervous. I see her bite her lip.

"Why didn't you show?" The words spill from my mouth against my will, and she turns to face me. Her blue eyes widen and her mouth falls slightly open in shock.

"I..." She crosses her arms and shuts her mouth. There is something defiant about the way she sets her jaw. "Well, I forgot."

It feels like a slap to the face. She forgot. Of course she did. She seems like a busy person, and we've only met twice, briefly, and she has a life. Of course she forgot.

"So...why not make up for it now?" The corner of her mouth twitches slightly up, and a slightly lopsided grin takes over the bottom half of her face. I feel myself grinning too when I respond.

"Sounds good to me."

So...that's this chapter. I don't really have much to say. I just felt like writing over my Spring Break, but for the most part I was outside. I went somewhere warm (76° and up every day!) and wasn't thinking much about writing. So, hope you enjoyed this one, and thanks for all the love and support!