Pt. 4

He was cheatin' on her tryin' to flip it

Back on her like a victim

"I know you're lying about your deadlines," Peter said when he sat at the table, awaiting his dinner.

Tris calmly set pan of lasagna down on the table for them. "What do you mean, honey?"

He took a deep breath. "You're staying late because of that Josh guy. You're having an affair."

Tris gasped. "No, Peter. I would never. I love you too much," she said, insides twisting at the mere thought of the words, let alone speaking them.

"You're lying," he said calmly, despite his raging eyes.

"I am not."

"You are!" he yelled. He slammed his fists down on the table in anger.

Tears filled her eyes. "I'm sorry, but I am not, Peter." It was hard for her not to scream at him, because she knew he cheated on her far too often, but of course he was trying to flip it and put the blame on her.

She didn't want to remember what came next.

Tris shook her head, snapping out of her painful trance once again.

"Tris," Christina said assertively. "You have got to stop with these daydreams. Or nightmares. Day-mares. I know what you're thinking about, and it's not healthy to think about it as much as you do."

"I know, Christina, I know. I don't mean to, really. It just happens. If I could forget, I would. Trust me," she answers grumpily.

"I'm aware, I really am, because I have some not-so-great memories myself. Don't allow yourself to think it."

Tris nodded. "Okay. I'll try."

"If you need anything, I'm always here. You know that," she told her with a smile.

"Yes, of course. Thank you, Christina."

When she walked away, Tris blew a hefty breath and put her palms in her eyes. She wanted to pretend it wasn't real—she wanted to fight the truth and block it out forever.

"Hey," Tris heard Tobias say. She felt a hand on her back and looked up. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just a bit overwhelmed."

He nodded. "Come to my office and talk?" he asked with a smile, and Tris was unable to tell if it was a question or a demand.

She smiled. "Yeah. I could use a little break."

Now she's all alone and starting over

Now she's got baggage on her shoulder

When Tris and Tobias stepped into the office, she immediately relaxed. She left all of her worries outside, and when she was with him, she really felt okay.

Tobias went to the clear windows and closed all of the blinds. "The last thing we need is people talking," he explained with a laugh.

"So," he began when he sat across from her at his desk, "Tris, I really want to know you. I can tell you've had an interesting past, and I'm not going to lie, I really am quite curious about you, if you can't tell."

She couldn't. "Trust me, Tobias, there's not much to know."

He shook his head in disagreement. "I don't think so, T."

Her heart skipped a beat. She hadn't heard anyone call her that in years. She found herself smiling though. "What do you want to know?"

He shrugged. "Whatever you feel I should."

She grinned, unable to conceal her snickering. "I've seen The Office eight times over and I can quote most of it word for word."

Tobias laughed. "I love that show. I guess you'll have to prove it sometime."

Looking down, Tris contained her smile. "Yeah. Guess so."

They shared a laugh, but Tris wanted to ask some questions in return. "Why are you so closed off to everyone else, Tobias?"

He shrugged. "You made a great first impression. You weren't scared either. You're different."

She understood. "Okay. Makes sense. But if we're actually going to be friends, like, me telling you a bunch of stuff that friends do, you have to deal with all the baggage that comes along over my shoulder. And there's quite a bit of it."

"Well," he chuckled, "I guess it's a good thing I can do some heavy lifting, huh?"

She smirked. "We'll see."

He took a glance at her for a moment as they sat in silence. "Come get drinks with me and some of my friends."

She scoffed. "With who—your fellow rich, newspaper-owning pals?" she teased.

He rolled his eyes. "Actually," Tobias began, "one's a chef, one's a teacher, one's a firefighter, one's a painter, and one's a doctor."

She laughed. "Sounds like you and your friend group just walked out of a book. You guys have every 4-year-old's dream job."

He snickered. "C'mon. Don't avoid the question. I promise you'll have a great time."

Tris laughed. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Tobias."

"I'm not. That's why I'm making this promise. They are lovely people, okay? Plus… I'll be there. And, well, let's be honest, I'm a delight."

She smiled and looked down. "Can't argue with that," she answered with a small chuckle. "I'll go."

But the new guy really loves her

She loves him but she doesn't trust herself anymore

Tris walked into the bar, nervous as could be. She stood just inside the door as she scanned the perimeter of the place, looking for a certain familiar face. As she scanned, she took off her hat and fixed her hair. Suddenly, someone laid a hand on her shoulder. She slowly turned to see Tobias, and a grin formed on her face.

"Glad to see you made it," he greeted welcomingly. "My friends are over here."

He rested his hand on the small of her back, guiding her toward the booth in which six others sat.

She saw Christina conversing with a boy quite intimately, and two other couples doing just the same.

Tobias clears his throat in order to get his friends' attention. They all look toward us, and some of their mouths drop a bit.

"Dude, what the fuck?" Zeke shouted as he laughed. "Is that a girl? A hot girl? That's with you? On your arm? The one standing next to you?"

Tris looked down, uncomfortable.

Tobias cleared his throat again. "This is Tris. She's a friend from work, and, Zeke, you're being inappropriate. Shut the fuck up."

She smiled and waved. "Hi. Tris. Nice to meet you all."

In response she received some "nice to meet you too's" as well. She sat next to Christina on the end of the curved eight-person booth, and Tobias sat on the opposite end.

"So," a boy, Zeke, she thought, asked, "what do you do with Tobias?"

She took off her jacket and leaned on one hand as her elbow rested on the table. "I'm a sports writer from LA. Just transferred not too long ago."

"Why?" another person asked.

"And who exactly are you?" she asked with accidental distaste.

He smirked. "Uriah."

"The answer to your question is irrelevant. All you need to know is that wanted change, which is obviously what everyone wants if they up and leave their city, right?"

Uriah lifted his eyebrows and nudged Tobias since they sat next to each other. "Now I see why brought her. You guys are twins."

Tobias threw a grin at her. "Identical."

Tris threw a knowing smile toward Tobias, and she suddenly found herself wishing she were closer to him. He was looking around at all of the other couples again, who were quietly conversing with each other once again.

Tobias nodded his head toward the bar, indicating we go over. I smirk and stand as well as he, and we walk over.

"What's your poison?" Tobias asks, giving her a side glance as he faces the bar.

"Long Island."

He laughed. "You don't come to play, Ms. Prior." The bartender turned her attention toward him and he spoke. "Can I get a Long Island Iced Tea and an Old Fashioned?"

She nods. "Sure can."

Tris nudged him. "Dude, she's cute. Get her number."

He perked an eyebrow at her. "No."

She laughed. "What? What do you mean 'no?'"

His shoulders shrugged. "What I mean is no."

"Here you go," she said, handing us the drinks. Tobias handed her the bill and I the drink.

"Thanks," he told her blandly.

"Why not?" Tris asked casually, as if the answer hadn't mattered to her at all, when, in fact, it did.

He looked at his drink and then to Tris. He appeared as if he was about to say something, but he only shook his head and walked back to the table. She watched him go back over there, and a small smile formed on her face. When Tris saw him laughing and joking with his friends, she realized that she was headed down a steep path from there.