.·`;;`·.

I laugh, too, already feeling better. She's back, and I start thinking, maybe this will work.

.·`;;`·.

TRIS

It's been a while since I've been shopping with Christina, or even just been around Christina, and for once in my life I actually enjoyed myself. She picked me out some black lace tights; big, clunky combat boots (which was her 12th choice – all the other ones were high heels); a form-fitting (but nothing too showy) crop-top, and she forced me to get new undergarments. The ones I had before I went out with her were modest and simple, but since she let me get combat boots, she forced me to buy something prettier – lace, actually, so I didn't mind.

I somehow managed to talk my way out of three skirts and buy ten new pairs of black jeans. I think she actually won, however, because I distinctly remember some promise about makeup. I guess we'll see what the promise was exactly later, at 8, when we go to Zeke's. Just thinking of Tobias, of the possibility of us getting back together, is making my heart flutter with excitement.

We walk back to Christina's apartment, five full bags of new clothes weighing down my one arm like a ton of bricks. A thought races through my mind, and suddenly I stop short. Christina looks back at me, confused. "Uh, hey, Chris…" I start. "Where am I supposed to sleep tonight, after Truth or Dare? I mean, when I was 'killed,' I didn't actually have an apartment or a job yet. So..?"

Christina pouts, putting her finger on her chin. "Welllll, I suppose if Four doesn't have you sleep at his place," she says with a mischievous wink and a nudge, "you could always take the couch in my place. It's pretty comfy, once you get a few blankets on it."

I smile at her, grateful to finally be back with friends. "Thanks, Chrissy."

She looks back at me with a small smile, and then loops her arm with my free one. "Well, that's what friends are for, right?"

I nod, and suddenly Christina bounces into a skip and for a while I just speed-walk next to her, but she just seems so giddy. Her excitement rubs off on me, and soon I find myself clumsily skipping next to her, laughing harder than I have in a while. Two years, actually.

TOBIAS

I step out of the shower and look in the mirror with a sigh. My minor beard has been shaved off, leaving a smooth chin and face, and my long-ish hair sticks to my face. I wrap myself in a towel and step out of the bathroom, steam curling out of the bathroom like long, stretching fingers. Zeke left about a half an hour ago, to go ready the apartment for Truth or Dare, and left me to get ready. Already I'm feeling better, happier, and fresher. As if the shower cleansed me of all my grief.

Tris clouds my thoughts as I dry off and slip on some clothes. I was so stupid to let myself be so quiet, feeble, and distant around her. I can't get her off my mind – her flowing locks of golden hair, her baggy clothes and short, strong body, her gray eyes that I want to wake up every morning and see.

My phone buzzes on the counter, and I pounce on it like a cat on a mouse. It's Zeke. "Hey, bro, what's up?"

"Four, there's been a change of plans. Tris is ready already and Christina called me to let me know that she's coming early. Also, I found a few more people to come and play, so it won't be so quiet."

"Wait, so, Truth or Dare now?" I ask, intending to clarify what I just heard.

"Yea. Meet me at my apartment in five minutes, or we're starting without you."

I hang up quickly without saying good-bye, and then scramble around looking for a shirt. I don't want to be late, not with Tris there.

TRIS

"Christina, do I have to wear this?" I whine, gesturing to the tight, ripped black skinny jeans that she forced on me and the black camisole that she somehow got me to wear.

"Uh, no," she says, reaching into her closet. Before I can even react, she's slipping me into a leather jacket. "You have to wear that."

"Oh, ha-ha-ha," I say, sarcasm dripping off my voice and my hands on my hips. "You still haven't told me how to play Truth or Dare. I remember that we played it when we were initiates, but other than that, I don't remember anything about it."

"Doesn't matter," she says, applying eyeliner to her left eye, and then slowly moving on to her right. "Zeke'll probably explain it when we get there. He added a few rules to the game, and he didn't even tell me what they were, so. He'll explain it, don't worry."

I pout, and suddenly Christina grabs me and pulls me out the door. "Time to go!" she shouts, giggling.

"What? Now? I thought we were going later!" I protest, trying to break free of her grip.

"Yes, now! We're both ready, so why not head over early? Besides, I've already texted Zeke to let him know that we're on our way. There's no getting out of this one, Prior!" She yells, fake-cackling like a cliché villain.

I play along, trying to fake-cry and sound fearful, but I give up and break into a reluctant laugh. Christina follows her laugh heartfelt and carefree. We soon arrive at Zeke's apartment, and I can't help but smile. This is going to be a fun night: I can feel it.

TOBIAS

I'm sprinting down the hall at light speed, my hair still dripping wet from the shower I took only three minutes ago. I force myself to go faster, not wanting to be late, and finally I see Zeke's apartment on the right, and I skid to a stop, then slip and fall on my butt. I quickly scramble up, anxious to start. I knock on the door, and Zeke opens it with shock on his face. "Whoa, bro, when I said that we'd start without you I didn't realize you were just out of the shower. You seriously took half an hour to do that?"

I shrug. "Like you said, I smelled like shit."

Zeke laughs and gestures for me to come in, and I do. I'm happy to see my old friends – Peter, Lauren, Tori, and even Max – have made it, and surprised to see that Peter even showed up. Usually, he hates Truth or Dare. I assume with a smirk that he only came because Christina came. They've been acting all mushy with each other – I wouldn't be surprised if they got together.

Six 16 year-olds who I assume are initiates are also here. There's one tall, lanky girl with brown hair pulled into a side braid and round, kind eyes; a shorter, but still relatively tall girl with red hair pulled into a modest bun with sharp, intellectual green eyes; then there's the smallest one, with short, straight black hair and severe blue eyes. I look across at the boys who're talking to them. They're all pretty tall for their age; one with spiky brown hair and excited eyes waves his arms around, getting really into whatever story he's telling the tallest girl; one with a buzz-cut and five piercings in his eyebrow has a tattoo creeping up his neck, and I can tell that he's trying really hard to look indifferent about the shortest girl, who he's talking to. The last kid is thin, with curly hair and a long nose, and whatever he's talking about, he's being really secretive about it, whispering to the intellectual-looking girl and glancing around from time to time. For a moment I wonder who invited them, but then I remember that Peter became an instructor, and so did Christina, so I guess I really shouldn't be all that surprised.

Max looks over and realizes I'm here, so he waves and jogs up to me. "Obviously I'm not staying for Truth or Dare, Four, but I wanted to say hello, and Christina told me that this'd be the place to find you. Good to see you in high spirits."

I grin at him, unable to contain my happiness. "Yeah, I didn't expect you to. Expect me back at work on Friday," I tell him, sticking my hands in my pockets.

He smiles and pats me on my back. "See you on Friday, then." He leaves.

I hear the door creak open, and then I turn around to see Tris, looking more beautiful than ever. I catch myself staring, and I look away, but it seems almost impossible to. It's almost like she specifically wore that to get me to stare. My eyes slowly drift back to her. She catches my gaze and winks at me, trying to make me smile, and it works. I flash a small smile, and I'm about to go and talk to her when Zeke stands up on the table in the middle of the room.

"AIGHT EVERYBODY, GET IN A CIRCLE AROUND THE TABLE! TRUTH OR DARE SHALL NOW BEGIN!" he yells, trying to sound ominous. I smirk excitedly, and then jog to a place in the circle, between Tris and Peter.

TRIS

When I walk in, I catch Tobias staring at me and I can't help but wink at him. I can feel myself flush; even though it's been two years since we last really talked, Tobias still makes my heart race. He makes me want to melt. Or freeze. Or catch fire. Or maybe all three.

I wave to Zeke, Lauren, and I hug Tori as she leaves. My eyes widen as he starts towards me, and my heart flutters. But before he can even come close to talking to me, Zeke speaks up. Dang him and his inopportune start to the game.

Christina drags me and plops me down over by Tobias, and I find myself blushing. Christina winks at me from behind Tobias and then sits next to Peter, their hands brushing but not quite together.

Zeke starts explaining the rules. "A lot of you probably know Truth or Dare as Candor and Dauntless. However, it's not necessarily the same game anymore."

"What do you mean?" pipes up a tall, brown-haired girl from the other side of the room.

"I mean, that like normal, you have to ask someone 'Candor or Dauntless,' and they have to choose, and then you have to dare them to do something/ask them something. But, if you refuse to do the dare/answer the question, you have to lick the wall," he says, pointing over to the bathroom wall.

The girl grimaces and sticks out her tongue. "Ew, why does it have to be so gross?"

"Would you rather you have to take off an article of clothing if you don't do it, instead?" Zeke asks her with a smirk carving up his mouth.

"Yea, actually, I would," the girl states, crossing her arms.

Shock replaces the smugness on Zeke's face. "Oh, okay then, that's the rule. You have to take off an article of clothing if you refuse to do the dare or answer the question, shoes and socks not counting. Sound fair?" Nobody objects.

"Are we gonna start this thing or not, Zeke?" I hear Tobias' thundering voice call out.

"Yea," Zeke says bluntly. "Since this is my apartment, I get to go first. Four, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," Tobias says, a determined look on his face.

"Alright," he says. "I dare you to do Seven Minutes in Heaven with Tris."

My heart flies, then drops, then melts and catches fire and freezes and I feel myself flush bright red.

Four raises an eyebrow. "I thought you were going to give me a hard dare, Zeke!"

I smile shyly, but I'm happy that he's acting more like he did before, well, before I died.

Before I can say anything to him, he takes my hand and leads me into the closet. Christina winks at me, and I blush uncontrollably as she mouths the words, "I set that up for you! YOU'RE WELCOME!"

He shuts the closet door, and I'm melting again; he looks at me, and I'm frozen again; I gaze into his deep blue eyes, and I get lost, and I feel myself catch fire.

Author's Note:

1: THIS CHAPTER WAS SO FUN TO MAKE ASDGHFT

2: Tris/Tobias weren't technically hooked up yet in the chapter before. They're kind of awkward right now, so expect some serious Four/Tris fluff with Tobias apologizing for being so distant.

And maybe a kiss. C;

3: I'll be writing another TOD fanfiction from during the initiation, before Four and Tris were together.