Chapter 10
Just so you guys know, there'll probably only be a chapter or two left after this, then I'll be doing an epilogue. Just a fair warning.
Thanks for the 20 reviews last chapter, by the way!
Tris P.O.V
My eyes slowly flutter open, expecting to see the wall of my temporary bedroom, but instead am met with Tobias's chest. The wall and his torso are basically the same thing though. Flat and strong. I don't know if he's awake or not. His chin rests above my head on the pillow. I'd guess that he's awake judging by his uneven breathing patterns.
I slowly lift my head and rest against the same pillow as him, noses touching. I know he's awake since he not-so-subtly opens one eyelid, probably to see if I'm awake.
I smile, and he mirrors. Waking up like this… next to the man you're in love with, can really change a girl. It can really change me, because I have a feeling that every time we wake up next to each other, we will fall in love just a little bit more every day.
"I love you," he says.
I just continue smiling and kiss him lightly. After I pull back for a few seconds, I see worry flash in his expression.
"Tobias, d—"
He interrupts me with: "Do you think last night was a mistake?"
No, no, we did not sleep with each other. We just simply slept. Nothing else. Well, maybe a little kissing here and there too.
"No, I absolutely do not. You know why?" I ask, but immediately answer my own question. "Because I'm in love with you." But now it's my time to worry. "Do you think it was?"
He quickly shakes his head no. "I certainly don't. If anything, it was the best night of my life."
I breathe out the breath I didn't even realize I was holding. "Okay."
"It's already…" I check my phone. "10:45. You better go back to your room and get ready for the guys' questions." I smile.
"It's okay, I don't mind bragging about the best girlfriend on Earth," he says, smiling.
I get up with him, since I have to go to the bathroom, and open the door only to be confronted by every single one of my friends falling, seeing as they were leaning on the door.
"What all did you guys hear?" Tobias asks quickly.
"Everything, Tobias," Chris says.
"Oh god, Four, I'm so—," I begin.
"No, it's fine, Prior. It's fine." Then he pushes his way out the door, then seconds later I hear his door slam.
"You idiots!" I yell, not caring if Tobias hears me or not. "Why would you listen in on something like that? We were obviously having private conversation! God, you all are morons, now get the hell out of my room!" I yell, then push them out my door, slamming it.
I let out a frustrated growl, then realize what I'm wearing. A large t-shirt. One that happens to look about the size of Tobias. Mother of god. Not to mention, it doesn't even look like I'm wearing underwear, let alone shorts.
I throw on a pair of jeans and go downstairs, buttoning them as I go. But I can't help but notice how Tobias's door is still closed.
I meet them all in the kitchen and Chris hands me a coffee with a small, sad smile.
"I'm sorry," I say to all of them. "I overreacted. I just don't like it when people violate my personal space and information. I typically tell people voluntarily, even if they try to squeeze it out of me. Just… I'm sorry," I breathe.
Uriah shakes his head. "No. I'm sorry. We're sorry. You guys know that I don't apologize very often, but what we did was wrong. We shouldn't have done that."
"It's okay. Just, still call him Four still, alright?" I ask.
They all nod.
Then Chris says, "So… you're in love with him? And he asked if you regretted what you two did last night…?" she asks suggestively.
"We did not sleep with each other. I mean we slept with each other, but not like that. Just sleep," I clarify.
Chris nods, and then raises one eyebrow. "But you never answered the first question."
"Um, I think Eaton should talk to the guys, and I can talk to the girls. Sound good?"
Zeke says, "Things are about to get juicy!"
I laugh. "I guess you could say that." And with that, I walk out, coffee in hand. I walk upstairs and open my door, but hear a creaky footstep behind me.
I spin around to see Tobias standing there with a sad smile.
"Sorry," he says. "I didn't mean to snap at you like that."
"No, you didn't snap. It's fine, Eaton." I pause. "Maybe I should just call you that now." I smile. He's leaning on the doorway of his room, just across from me, muscles straining as he crosses his arms. But now the distance feels much too far, me also leaning against my doorway.
Tobias slowly steps toward me and grabs my free hand. He kisses it, then kisses my forehead, nose, and finally my mouth.
"I love you," I say.
"Yeah, I already know that though. You've loved me since pre-school. I need to know that you're in love with me. They may sound similar, but they have totally different meanings."
"I'm in love with you," I say. "Now can you kiss me?" I ask impatiently.
He laughs and presses his lips to mine firmly. How did I go 23 years without this bliss? He presses me to the doorway. If it were Christmas time, we'd be standing under the mistletoe.
Then I hear a "Get some!" come from Uriah.
I ignore him, and so does Tobias, not wanting to break the kiss. He pushes past the doorway and closes the door with his foot. He then presses me up against the closed door. One of his hands rests on one hip while the other runs through my hair. I wrap my hands around the back of his neck, careful not to spill my coffee. I move one to his cheek and then put my thumb on his lip, interrupting our little session.
"I should probably shower," I whisper breathlessly, biting my lip.
He nods and kisses my forehead one last time, then walks out of my room.
I suddenly start giggling hysterically and jump onto my bed, falling back on the fluffy mattress. I still continue giggling, and I'm not totally sure why. I wear a permanent smile on my face as I get up and grab my clothes for the shower.
I step out into the hallway and see one of the bathrooms is unoccupied right now, so I take it.
Just before I close the door, I hear Chris say accusingly, "What's that big grin about?"
I bite my lip. "Nothing." I slam the door, locking it behind me. This is going to be a long and question filled day.
Tobias P.O.V.
"So, you and Tris, eh?" Zee implies. I know all of the guys want to know about it. We sit around on the large L-shaped couch as we drink our coffees.
I shrug. "What about us?"
Uriah rolls his eyes as he comes to sit back down. I guess he had to brush his teeth. "If you won't tell us, we'll force it out of you."
I groan. "You guys know I don't talk about my emotions." I shiver dramatically to make a point. "I'm not a sensitive guy."
"Around Tris you are," says Will with a chuckle. "I'm not going to lie, we all heard what you said to her this morning, and I'm pretty sure that's the—dare I say—Tobias side."
I'm not angry that he used my real name, though. I nod. "It is. In fact that's what she calls it. Prior. She still calls me by my real name, because somehow she still sees the good in me."
"Do you not like that?" Uri asks. "That she calls you by your real name?"
"God no. I love it." I chuckle.
"Why?" Zeke asks. "I thought you hated it."
I shake my head, smiling. "Not when she says it. When she does… it feels different. Like it's the only thing that feels right in this world."
"Easy to find what's wrong, harder to find what's right," I hear a feminine voice say.
I smile. A lyric. A lyric from what happens to be our favorite song.
"Don't you think we need share that fantastical song with our dearest of friends?" Prior implies with a smirk.
"Chris said there's speakers that hook up to bluetooth all over the house. Try that," Will says.
Tris soon hooks it up to the sound system and we're all jamming out to the song, even the girls—excluding Tris—, who only like pop come downstairs to hear it. Tris and I are screaming the lyrics and sloppily ballroom dancing. After it ends, we end up standing there smiling like idiots, and everyone is staring at us as the next song comes on.
While the rest of them are still jamming out to Tris's music, we still stand there, motionless, and in vain.
"Did you hear anything I said? You know, before this?" I ask.
She shakes her head. "I only heard '—that feels right in this world.' Should I be worried?" she asks nervously.
"No, no, not at all."
"Okay. I believe you. I think I'm going to take a walk, alright? Clear my head a little." She smiles.
"Want me to come with?" I ask.
"If you were around, I definitely wouldn't be able to clear my head." She smirks shamelessly.
"Okay, okay, I just get a little worried sometimes, you know? You. Walking in the woods. Alone."
"Tobias," she says quietly, "I'll be fine, alright?"
I nod. "I know, I know, but now you're leaving me here to explain everything." I cackle.
"In love with you." She winks and walks out the door.
I shake my head. I notice she turned off the music once she got outside. She most likely took her earbuds with her.
"Where'd Tris go?" Chris asks.
"For a walk. Have you interrogated her yet?" I ask.
"Did you two already fight or something?" Zeke asks.
"No. This may come as a shock to you, but it's normal that couples don't spend every second of their lives with each other."
We all sit down, and I'm prepared to take any questions they could possibly ask.
"So you didn't… you know," Shauna asks.
"And you just slept?" Zeke asks.
"Did you want to sleep with her? Like, more than sleep?" Chris asks.
"Are the two of you official?" Mar asks.
Before they can ask any further questions, I say, "No, I didn't want to do anything but sleep. Yet. And we didn't do anything else besides kissing. Yes, we are official," I explain. "I am her boyfriend, and she is my girlfriend. Happy?"
Once I say it out loud, it sounds so… concrete, and heartfelt. So real. So real, I can't fight the smile on my face.
"Apparently you are," Uriah comments.
"Yeah, well, you all have someone that makes you happy, and now it's about damn time Four has someone too," Zeke says genuinely as he pats my back.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." I wave it off. "You guys know I don't like talking about this kind of stuff."
"Four, why don't you?" Marlene asks.
"What—why don't I like talking about this kind of stuff?"
They nod.
"Because I like keeping my things personal things personal and my private things private. It's just the way I am." I shrug. "So don't ever listen in on Tris and I's conversations ever again, because I won't hesitate to get revenge," I say seriously. "I'll have to start gathering blackmail ahead of time." I smirk.
"Don't worry, he's a cactus. Soft on the inside, prickly on the outside," Shauna says.
I laugh. "She told you about that?"
"Of course she did." She laughs.
"Of course she did," I repeat.
And then a loud, high-pitched shriek comes from outside. One that sounds an awful lot like Tris's.