Chapter 6

I didn't get many reviews last chapter… Not that I'm greedy or anything, just kind of saddening.

So… if you guys love me, can you check out my other story?

-Reese

Four P.O.V.

Tris is still at my house and it's already 5:30. I've gotten to know so much more about her in the past hour. I hear the front door slam close and my eyes widen, in fear.

"Is that your mom and dad?" Tris gets up and opens the door, hopping down the stairs before I can stop her.

"Tobias? Do you have a friend over?" Marcus yells.

I climb down the stairs next to Tris. "Um, yeah, she was just going." I look at Tris pleading eyes.

"Oh, yeah, that's why I came down here," she plays along.

"Nonsense," Marcus says. "Tobias, why don't you have her stay for dinner? We can't be rude to our guest." He puts on a show-winning smile like he does at work. This is the first time I've actually seen him like this outside of work.

"Wow, thank you, Mr…?" she asks. "I don't know your last name. Nor did I know his real name was Tobias." She smirks at me.

"Well, I am Marcus Eaton and he is Tobias Eaton."

"Wait…" She glares for a few moments and sudden realization spreads across her face. "You testified against me in court! You were saying my father would never do anything like that. You're the reason I got extra time in juvy."

"Beatrice Prior? Well you killed my best-friend!"

"Well he tried to rape me!"

"That's no excuse!" Marcus roars.

"Hey!" I yell. "Tris, let's go." She glares at him.

"Fine," she grits through her teeth. "Let's go."

I drag her out by her elbow.

"Four… Stop, you're hurting my el—"

I immediately let go. "I'm so sorry, are you okay?"

"Yeah. I didn't really hurt, I just knew you'd let go." She smirks and this causes me to roll my eyes amusingly as I get into my truck.

She climbs in on the other side.

"I'm really sorry about Marcus… He's a real douche lord," I apologize.

"It's not your fault. You're just the devil's spawn." She smiles at her joke, causing me to smile also.

I must still be smiling a minute later. "So… about that Tobias guy… he seems different from Four," she hints. I know she wants information on my past.

"Four is the guy who closes everyone out except friends and ignores everyone. Tobias is this weak, nice, and naïve kid who is closed-off, too, but with everyone. Even friends," I elaborate.

"I don't know, Four. I felt like I saw a little bit of Tobias today." The way she says my name—my real name—sounds angelic. Like it rolls off her tongue perfectly, practicing it for a living, even though she's only said it twice.

"Maybe that's because you bring out my weaknesses." I slightly glance over at her raised eyebrows towards me.

"Why… How would I do that?"

I shrug. "I don't know." A moment of silence occurs. "And call me Tobias. It's nice to hear my name once in a while."

"Okay. Just so you know, when you're Tobias you aren't weak. I think you are just a little more vulnerable than when you're Four. It's okay to be nice and tough at the same." I pull into her driveway, but neither of us gets out yet. "I like Tobias a lot better." She smiles. God, that smile had to been given to her by Aphrodite. "So much that I think I'll be around him more often." She puts her hand on the handle. "But Four always seems to get in the way." She shakes her head and gets out, leaving me dumbfounded.

The only thing running through my head is the fragment I like Tobias.

-Page Break-

Tris P.O.V.

The next day, Tobias seems to be happy as a clam as we drive to school. He had to pick me up since I didn't have my motorcycle.

(A/N The following has actually happened to me.)

As Tobias and I walk in the parking lot, our friends wave us over by Uri's car. We stand in a circle, equally being able to see each other. I feel something hit my back and see a water bottle lying on the ground. Are you fucking kidding me? Someone just threw a water bottle at me. Hard. I see a smirking guy hanging out with Al about fifteen feet away. He's tall, with dark shiny hair, a nose with a narrow bridge, and wide green eyes. You can just tell he's a dick.

I see my friends just kept talking like nothing even happened. All except Tobias. I roll my eyes and walk away. For a second, I just think about beating him to a pulp. I keep thinking 'Not worth the juvy time, Tris. Not worth it.' Things will be the same as two years ago. I was getting bullied, saying I was 'stiff,' whatever that means.It continued to happen in juvy until I started hanging out with Lynn and beefed up. Since then, people have been pretty petrified of me. I'm pretty pissed off that none of my friends even cared, other than Tobias.

I feel an arm slide around my shoulders and I immediately elbow them in the gut and keep walking, not caring who it was. But they did have some pretty rock-hard abs, whoever it was.

They cough and catch up. "Tris." They slide their arm around me again.

"What?" I look up and see Tobias. "Do you mind?" I shrug his arm off.

He just leans against the wall with me that I'm on. "Just ignore Peter. He's a dick to everyone."

"I don't care about that, Tobias. Our friends could care less." I roll my eyes.

"They care, they just get caught up talking about cake, you know?" He laughs gently and nudges me with his shoulder.

"Cake is pretty amazing." I smile up at him. If I moved an inch closer, we'd be kissing. We're already breathing the same air. Well, if either of us could breathe. He leans down slowly towards my lips. I am frozen. I sprint towards the front doors of the school, leaving Tobias behind. What just happened? Oh my god, what just happened? I pull out my phone and call The Pit.

"This is Bud, how can I help you?"

"Hey, Bud, it's Tris. Listen, I forgot that I have a stupid family dinner tonight. My mom gets super mad if I don't come."

"Okay," he says.

"You're not mad, or anything?" I ask.

"No. No one ever drowns here anyway." He laughs.

"Thanks. I'll see you Wednesday." I hang up.

The real reason was that 1) I'd have to see Tobias at work, and 2) I need to talk to Chris about whatever the hell just happened thirty seconds ago. I go to my locker and grab my binders and stuff for the next few periods.

I go to science, hoping and praying that Tobias won't try to talk to me. I'm the first one there, so I put in my earbuds and begin to draw. I put 'TAKE THE BULLETS AWAY' really big in Sharpie. Then, in the background, I begin to write all the lyrics since I have them memorized. It's by We As Human featuring Lacey Sturm, formerly of Flyleaf. Lacey is a goddess, just like Lzzy Hale of Halestorm and Amy Lee of Evanescence. All girl rock singers. I really love classic rock, but damn, some of these new bands are amazing, like Three Days Grace. No one is better than Metallica though. (A/N in HER opinion, 3DG is still my life, lol) Well, besides Guns n' Roses and Nirvana. It's so hard to pick. I hear footsteps over my loud music somehow. Please don't be Tobias. Please don't be… I look up to see Chris.

"Chris!" I rip out my earbuds.

"What? What's wrong?" It's just her and I into the room, so I tell her.

"This morning, Four tried to kiss me and—"

"What?! Oh my gosh, Tris!"

I ignore her comment. "Well, when he was leaning in I froze and then sprinted away. I didn't know what to do, and… and I don't even know if I like him. Or if he actually likes me or if it was the heat of the moment and… Chris, things are going to be so awkward! I took off work today just so I didn't have to see him! I never call off work in the three weeks I've been there. I just… Chris, I don't know what to do. I like him as a brother, maybe a little more, but I don't know if I'm ready for a relationship. But what if he just wants… you know…?" I ramble on.

"He's not like that. He knows your past and he'd never take advantage of you in any way, shape, or form. Trust me." Just then, Tobias walks into the room. I quickly scramble for my earbuds. What am I going to do tomorrow? It's not like we can avoid each other for the rest of our lives. And lunch today. Oh god. What am I going to do?

Tobias P.O.V.

I sling my arm around her shoulder, and I immediately regret it. She elbows me in the gut. It almost tickles, so I cough.

"Tris," I say and slide my arm around her again.

"What?" She looks up at me. I almost see her features soften, but barely. "Do you mind?" She shrugs my arm off.

I lean against the wall with her. "Just ignore Peter. He's a dick to everyone."

"I don't care about that, Tobias. Our friends could care less."

"They care, they just get caught up talking about cake, you know?" I laugh and give her a nudge.

"Cake is pretty amazing." She looks up and smiles. Neither of us is breathing. She looks gorgeous with her grey-blue eyes, blonde hair waving down her shoulders. I lean down slowly towards her. I've been yearning this moment for far too long. The look in her eyes tells me she wants this too, but her body language tells otherwise. I feel a rush of wind beside me and she's gone. I lean up against the wall breathing for the first time in an entire minute. I can't believe I just did that. Things will be so awkward now. She likes me like a brother, what was I thinking? Things will never be the same between us now. I put my face in my hands.

Idiot. Jackass. Retard. Freak. Fool. Moron. God, I am so stupid! Now I'll never get the chance to actually be with her.

I push myself back up from the wall and run back to Zeke and Uri's car.

"Zeke! A minute?" I grab his elbow, not giving him a choice.

"Bro, what's up?"

"I tried to kiss Tris."

"Man, that's awes—"

"No. I tried to kiss Tris. When I was leaning in, she pulled back and ran away. Therefore not liking me. I thought after last night she might—"

"Woah, woah, what happened last night?"

"We just hung out for a while talking. But she found out my real name and said she liked that side of me better than the Four side, saying I was nicer and more open like that."

"Woah. She knows your real name?"

"By default. I was planning on telling her anyway." I shrug.

"Seriously? No one else knows! Not even me!"

"Well I really like her, okay? She's… different," I trail off.

"Okay, man, I get it. Just act like nothing ever happened this morning. I think she likes you, but is too afraid to admit it."

I shake my head. "Okay."

Until lunch, I am basically a wreck. Tris has been ignoring me all day. When I am around her, her earbuds seem to always be in. It's the little things like that that make me upset. I frequently notice her glancing at me throughout the day, but I can only focus on the bad things.

Isn't it beautiful the way we fall apart?