Chapter 8, this is Tobias POV, so don't forget to review on that! c:


I follow Beatrice with my eyes until she's out of my eyesight. Her father is about to get up, but I do so before he can. My father glares at me, demanding an explanation. This might not be the best thing to do, but she was looking at me like she actually wanted me to come.

"Excuse me, I think I'd better check up on Beatrice, if that's okay?" I ask, both Andrew and Nathalie agree, but I only get moving once my father nods in agreement. I wish I had chosen from time to time, but these moments remind me that I am in fact a stiff, not a brave man.

I find her sitting on the porch and I silently sit next to her

"Hi," I sound somewhat uncomfortable. Probably because I am. I've never really had friends, or I had them, but they just thought I was a weirdo. I probably am, how could I not be with Marcus as my father.

"Hey," Her voice is unsteady, less confident than the first time she talked to me. At that time I didn't want to talk to her, but can you blame me? Her opening sentence was basically just asking who got me my bruise. Not even a 'hi'. And my bruises and scars, they're a touchy subject.

"Are you okay?" Dumb question, of course she's not. Trying to be friendly isn't as easy as it seems. She just looks away from me. I think about what to do, and the dumbest idea ever crosses my mind. I awkwardly move my hand to her upper back, as an attempt to rub her back like you see people do when they comfort people. She just flinches at my touch and moves away.

"What's wrong?" I ask, trying again. Beatrice just starts to get more nervous, fiddling with her sweater. "Tell me, what happened." In what might be a nervous reaction, she strokes her hand through her hair and I can't help but notice the marks on her wrist. I grab her wrist without thinking and my grip is so strong she can't just pull out of it. Once I notice what I'm doing I immediately release her and she pulls the sleeves of her sweater down. It didn't look like she cut herself, more like someone tied her up.

And then it hits me. She went on a date with Peter last weekend, an overnight date. The only reason someone would tie her up is so she can't get away. That son of a bitch. Even though I barely know Beatrice, I feel like I should protect her and this makes my anger rise to a whole new level.

"That fucker is dead, I'm going to beat all the shit out of him 'till he begs me to stop and-" I abruptly stop my talking. She's staring at me like I'm some sort of maniac. Perhaps I am. Maybe my dad has turned me in the monster he is.

"Sorry," I say, but before I can say more, she throws herself at me and starts crying out loud. My arms wrap around her like I've done it my whole life. I don't know how long we sit there, but I guess my father got them back to a good mood. He won't have anyone check up on us, not if I'm here with her. Of course, I shouldn't cause any trouble and I should be perfectly fine at handling this. Right now, that is a good thing. I wouldn't want anyone walking in on us now, not now we're both finally opening up to each other.

She silently sits up and starts talking, something that amazes me. I'm happy about it though.

"You know when I came in after I had a fight?" I nod. "Well, that wasn't a fight with a stranger at some party, Peter was so angry with me talking to you so he, he couldn't stop this time." This time? My level of anger starts to rise again, but I try to push it away. Control it for her.

"After that, he was so lovely, like he was so sorry and well… I just believed it." She tells the story like it's all her fault and I have to stop her at this moment.

"It's not your fault, you know-"

"But it is!" She interrupts me. "I, I'm not pretty at all, I don't even look like a 16 year old. So I wanted to make sure I'd at least look like I have some curves, for Peter." She sighs, moving her hand trough her hair again. Honestly, I don't think she's pretty, she's beautiful. Breathtaking. Not like other girls who are hot or the prettiest at school. No, she's not like that, she's fierce and strong. The first time I saw her, her eyes were full of life and she seemed so vibrant.

"And that day, I decided to look as good as I could. I basically asked for it." She looks down in embarrassment.

"Tris," I say, deciding Beatrice just isn't right. "No one has the right to do something like that. If you say 'no', it's 'no'. He should have listened to you." She looks at me, a little smile, like she's saying 'thank you', but she also says she doesn't believe it isn't her own fault.

"I just don't know what to do… I don't want to be with him anymore Tobias, but…" She looks away, embarrassed to say it.

"But you're afraid." I say. She nods and there is silence for a while. I know just how she feels. The Abnegation 'faction' just isn't me. Dauntless would have been more my thing, but my father was in Abnegation. He'd kill me if I went to Dauntless.

"You know what we're going to do?" I say, breaking the silence. She looks at me, as if she's already questioning the plan she doesn't know yet.

"You're going to break up with him. At school and after that, you'll get back to your friend directly, I'll stay with you to, if you want me to. I could protect you." She nods in agreement and after that, we sit for a little longer before going back inside.

Tomorrow will be a big day for her, but she won't be alone. I've got her back.