Hey guys! So I am finally getting back onto my updating game-sorry about that month where I didn't update anything. I was just REALLY into Camp NaNoWriMo and my original story-and I kinda just put this on the backburner. But I am back! I swear I will finish this story-even if I delete all my others, I won't give up on this one. I have the entire outline up to chapter 50 made, and I'm not going to throw it away. I just need time. So thank you all who have stayed with me, it really means a lot! Now, to thank you all, here is a Fourtris filled chapter!
Tris POV
It's been a few days since I visited Tobias in his room. It's Friday now, and I just finished school. I'm walking home when I see Tobias running towards me. Baffled, I immediately stop. Why is he outside? He is rarely outside during the day, because his good for nothing father doesn't want anyone seeing him. It's pathetic.
"Hey, Toby, what are you doing here? Why aren't you at home?" I check my watch, "Marcus will be home in half an hour, shouldn't you be making him dinner?" As much as I love him coming out to meet me, I don't want his beating tonight to be any worse than it already is. Nor do I want his dinner taken away-he is already starving. I can tell, but don't say anything because I know he hates being weak in front of me.
"Marcus is going to be late tonight." He pants. "He told me this morning. Apparently there is going to be a meeting or something, and he is going to have dinner there." He grimaces, and a wash of grief fills my heart. He shouldn't have to worry about whenever his dad is going to be home, or whether or not he is going to have a beating tonight. He shouldn't dread his dad going to meetings.
"Hey," I touch his shoulder gently, and savor it's warmth. Sparks tingle against my fingertips. By now we are a foot apart, but I want to close that gap.
Stop, you can't think of this now.
I knew I couldn't, but telling myself not to was of no use. I thought of him all the time. All. The. Time.
"No training tonight, okay? You need rest. If you want I can come to your room again and-"
"No."
"No?"
"I can't have you risking yourself like that. If your dad found out, or if, god forbid, my dad found out who knows what would happen. No, I won't let you get hurt because of me." I lightly glare at him, but don't push it.
"Okay then. I won't come visit you. But no training." I glance at him, not long enough so that I can get lost in his eyes, but long enough to see the pain in his face. The pain he tries to hide so hard. "We can go to the meadow, and hang out. We haven't been there in forever." A small smile creeps up his face.
"Okay. That sounds nice." His eyes stay lower to the ground. Why isn't he looking at me? Suddenly a thought occurs to me, and as I am about to tell him I decide against it and keep it in. I'll surprise him. He should like that. "But we start training again tomorrow. We can't slack off of it." I roll my eyes.
"Yes mother." A small chuckle escapes his lips, the laughter echoing in his eyes. I love that I can do that. I love that I can make him smile and laugh, even when his life sucks as much as it does. "Well, I should get home soon. Caleb is probably wondering where I am." Tobias nods.
"Yeah, okay. See you later then?"
"Yeah." He looked at me again, his mouth posed as if he were going to say something, but then decided against it and walked off.
I need to tell him. I should tell him. But I'm too afraid. I can't just throw it onto him, what if he doesn't feel the same way? It would totally ruin our friendship.
But what if he does like me the same way? That thought seems even scarier, but also more friendly.
I need to tell him. Maybe I can do it tonight, in the meadow. Seems like the appropriate place to confess your love for someone.
I reach my house, and thankfully Caleb isn't home yet. I quickly enter, and open up our closet. There isn't much in it, as most of our food is frozen. I might just have to steal some left overs from dinner.
I see a few apples on the counter, and grab two. Then I take two rolls from the bag in the kitchen. That will have to do for now. I can maybe get some chicken if I am sneaky at dinner. I rush up to my room and grab a pillowcase and drop the food inside then hide it in a drawer in my desk. I hear the door open, and rush downstairs.
"Hi Caleb." I greet my brother, and begin to take out the pans to cook the chicken and peas.
"Hello Beatrice." He said. "Here, let me help you with that." I nod to thank him. He takes over boiling the water and cooking the peas.
Soon my parents come home, and dinner is on the table. We all sit around it, and then we begin to eat. I manage to sneak a peice of my chicken in my pocket, and it joined the other one I snuck earlier before I set the plates. For once I am grateful I made dinner.
Soon we finish, and since it's Caleb's turn to wash the dishes I head upstairs to 'finish my homework' before we have family time in the living room. I place the chicken in the pillowcase, and put it on top of a blanket.
Now to wait.
Tobias POV
I groan as I push myself off the ground and into the bathroom. I look into the mirror, and my stomach flips. I look like a mess. A bruise decorates my jaw, and blood is scattered all around it. I wet the shirt I brought in with me, and gently place it on my aching ribs. I try not to think about how much I wish Bea were here right now.
You can't think that, Tobias I tell myself That is selfish. You should be glad she is safe.
Right. That is why I make her train with me every night. I move to my back, hissing in pain.
You can do it. Right after this you can go to the meadow with Bea.
I need to tell her tonight. It's cruel not to. But then again it might be cruel to tell her. I mean, I could just go ahead and stuff my feelings for her into a hole in the back of my mind and we could continue being friends for however long.
Or I could do the reasonable thing to do and tell her that I love her. That I have for a year now, and have been too much of a coward to say. And she could reject me, be disgusted by my feelings. Or by some miracle she could feel the same way, and we could be together.
I need to tell her. So I might as well tell her tonight, in the meadow.
I finally manage to clean myself up best I can, then I grab a random shirt and climb out my window. I smile when I see Tris in the road, waiting. The pain from my beating is forgotten, and instead it's filled with a warm fuzzy feeling.
"Hey." She whispers. She looks out of breath, and a trickle of sweat runs down her forehead.
"Hey." I glance her over. "Have you been running without me?" I ask in a teasing tone. She blushes. Or at least I think she does.
"Maybe." She teases back, a smile growing on her lips. "Come on, let's hurry." I raise my eyebrows.
"In a hurry I see." She rolls her eyes.
"Come onnnnnnn."
"Fine." I start to jog, ignoring the pain in my back. Tris suddenly gets in front of me and I stop.
"What do you think you are doing?"
"Uh, hurrying like you told me too?" She rolls her eyes again.
"I meant to hurry up and start WALKING. No training remember? You need to heal. As of tonight I am your nurse. And as your nurse I command you to do no vigorous exercise, including jogging." I chuckle.
"Okay nurse Tris." She smiles. We walk in silence, until we reach the meadow I see Bea. I see her smile, but I don't understand why. Until we reach the reason why she wanted to come here quickly.
On the grass a blanket was neatly laid out, a bag of food in the middle of it and two plates next to it. I am speechless, and turn to Tris whose head is bowed almost as if she were nervous.
"I know it's not much-and I tried to get as much as I could but I could only get what wouldn't be noticed. And I know with everything going on your dad hasn't been letting you-" I cut her off, my heart nearly overflowing with gratitude.
"Stop apologizing, Bea. It's perfect." I glance at the food, realizing the risk she took to get it. For me. "You didn't have to do this you know. I would have been perfectly fine with just sitting in the meadow and talking." At this she lifts her head up, and through the moonlight I see her eyes glittering.
"I wanted to, Toby. You're my friend. And friends help friends." There is that word again. Friends. God, how much I wish we were more than that. I look her straight in the eyes, and try to convey how thankful I am.
"Thank you." I say. She smiles.
"Well, nurse Tris says you have to eat." I chuckle.
"Well then I guess I should eat then." She smiles, and we sit down on the blanket. She passes me a plate and then we both get too of everything, apples, chicken, and rolls. I raise my eyebrows. "How did you get the chicken?"
"There are certain advantages to cooking food without parental supervision." She said, smirking. I roll my eyes. I learned long ago I couldn't tame her rebellious spirit. Once I had let it out, there was no way to tame it again.
"Such a rebel." I say, smirking back. I take a bite of the chicken, and before I know it it's gone. So much for making it last. Bea eyes the chicken bone, and immediately I know what she is thinking. "Don't you dare offer me your share. This is more than enough. I can't ask you for any more." She rolls her eyes.
"In case you didn't notice, I already had my dinner. And by the looks of it, you didn't. So you are going to take my share, and you are going to eat it because otherwise nurse Tris will be very dissapointed in you."
"But-"
"No but's Tobias!" She says, her voice raising. I involuntarily flinch. I know she noices when her face twists. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. But really Tobias. You need it. I've grown up with enough food-you haven't. I hate to say it, but you are a growing teenage boy. You need at least twice the food I do, and you are getting half the amount I am. So take the food."
"Fine." I say, taking her share. Guilt floods my heart. This shouldn't be happening. I should be at home sleeping, my stomach rumbling. But no. Tris risked herself to get me this. I guess I shouldn't be selfish and deny her gift.
"Why do you care so much anywyas?" She asks, scooting closer. "It's not like that was the only food I have." I shake my head.
"I don't care about the food… I care about you. I care about the fact that you could have gotten in trouble for this, in trouble because you were trying to help me. I don't deserve your help, or your kindness, or any of it." I say. Bea looks at me.
" Oh Tobias." Her finger touches my cheek, wiping away the tears that stain it. I curse myself. I shouldn't burden her with my troubles. That was stupid. "Don't ever feel that way. Of course you deserve this. You deserve all this, and more. I'm just not able to give it to you." She nodded to the food. "So you eat that up. Then we can play 10 questions." I raised my eyebrows at her. "Or we could just talk…" She added awkwardly. I laugh.
Once all the food is finished, and my stomach is full for the first time in weeks, we settle onto the blanket together. I hear her take a deep breath and then turn to me, holding her head up with her hand.
"I have something to tell you."
"I do too."
"You go first." She says.
"Fine." I take a deep breath. I should have prepared a speech, a witty catchphrase, something. "Tris, ever since last year…. My feelings for you have changed." Her eyebrows raise.
"What do you mean?" She asked. I gulp, and feel sweat gather on my face.
"I love you Bea." I blurt out. "I have ever since last year, but I was too much of a coward to tell you until now. And I completely understand if you don't feel the same way, but it was only fair that you knew before I leave for Dauntless next year." My heart beats faster, waiting for her reply.
"Tobias?" She whispers, her voice soft and gentle.
"Yeah?" I hate how my voice shakes like that. Hopefully she doesn't notice. We are 4 inches away from each other, and all I want to do is close it so the space between us doesn't exist.
"I like you too." My head spins towards her. What?
"What?" She chuckles quietly.
"I said I liked you too. That's what I had to tell you tonight." Before I knew it, my lips were on hers. Fireworks went off, and heat filled my body. This felt right. Kissing her felt right. My hands subconsciously moved to her hair, tangling themselves in her blond locks.
We break apart for air, and then stare at each other. I hear a twig crack in the distance, and instinctively whip around to scan the trees surrounding us. When I don't see anything, I turn back to Tris who has a huge smile on her face just like me.
"You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that."
"You have no idea how long I have wanted you to do that." She replies, and my smile grows impossibly bigger.
"So, uh, what are we now?" She asked, after a moment of us just staring at each other.
"Uh, I guess we could be boyfriend and girlfriend?" I say, more as a question than as an answer. "Not that it really matters, considering we are in Abnegation and dating isn't even acceptable until you are like 20." Tris snorts.
"Yeah, okay." She looked me in the eyes. "But you have to promise me something."
"What?"
"That when you transfer to Dauntless you won't forget about me and move on to some prettier better girl." She glanced down. "And if you plan on doing that, don't even start a relationship with me because I'm not up for having my heart broken in a year." My eyes soften. I tilt her chin up with my finger.
"Hey." I say gently. "I would never do that. I promise not to leave you. I'll remember you, forever and always." She smiled, her face brightening again.
"Yeah." She repeated, "Forever and always."