Chapter 28
Four POV
"One more lap?" I ask panting. Zeke raises his eyebrows and leans down to rest his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. I laugh and he stands up straight.
"You're crazy." He shakes his head but starts running again. I chuckle and follow after him.
Flashback:
"I forgot they were performing today." Zeke says as we warm up across the field.
"Yeah Tris isn't too excited about it."
"Ooo that makes me happy." Zeke exclaims.
"That Tris doesn't want to perform?" I ask. He shakes his head and laughs.
"No! That they're performing!" He clarifies. I raise my eyebrows still confused. He rolls his eyes and continues. "The outfits they wear." He says with a huge ass smile.
"The outfits?" He nods, still smiling.
"Shauna looks-", he pauses, "well you'll see with Tris." I shake my head, still slightly confused. I've never really paid attention to the outfits before.
The coach calls everyone over and says a few things before sending us over to the sidelines. I look over at the clock and it's counting down from ten minutes. Someone hits my shoulder and I look over at Zeke. He nods his head to the right and I look over to see Christina standing next to some girl. Except that girl is not some girl. She's Tris. Tris, who is wearing shorts that show off her legs. I find my feet moving towards her and placing my hands on her hips. She turns around at the contact and I get a better look at her. A very good look.
"Four!" She says and a smile appears on both of our faces. And like my feet, my arms wrap around her without thinking.
"You look really good Tris." I whisper, accidently saying what I'm thinking.
I pull back and take another look at her. She's wearing more makeup around her eyes than usual and her long hair is in a ponytail behind her head.
She's wearing a long sleeve tight shirt with matching shorts. Zeke and his comment pop into my mind.
"You ready?" I question, knowing how nervous she was earlier.
"Are you?" She says instead. A chuckle escapes me and I pull her closer to me, wanting to feel her.
"I'm ready to see you perform." She rolls her eyes and looks back at me.
"Don't make fun of me if it's bad. I already don't like these outfits." Her cheeks redden as she looks down at herself.
"I won't make fun of you, I promise." I tell her. Her coach yells for her and I turn back to her.
"Go get em'." She smiles at me and I kiss her cheek, mindful of the helmet on my head and watch her run onto the field.
She stops in the middle and stands alike everyone else with her head down. The music starts and everyone breaks out into dance. My eyebrows go up as I watch all the turns and jumps and everything else I can't name happen. My eyes stay on Tris and she moves around the other girls and I become shocked. She thought this was bad? The music changes and they all into a different position. My eyes widen as I watch Tris dance now. I've never seen her do this. I hear Zeke's recognizable laugh but I can't find it in me to take my eyes away from Tris. The song finally ends and I stand there kind of thankful and very uncomfortable that I'm in my football gear to hold back some certain parts. I finally look at Zeke as the girls run off the field and there he stands smiling.
"Told ya." He simply states. I shake my head and try to focus again. He hits me on the shoulder and laughs again.
That was- woah.
Coach tells something but I don't register it, I just follow Zeke until I snap back into it.
End flashback
"Want a water?" I nod my head and sit on the barstool. Zeke grabs two cups from the cabinet and fills them both up. I take a large gulp and set it back down on the counter.
"My first free Saturday morning in forever and I spent it with you. Running." I shake my head sarcastically and Zeke flips me off.
"Why didn't you spend it with Tris then?" He asks.
"She has dance in the morning and I'm seeing her tonight." Zeke nods and sits on top of the counter.
Uriah comes down walking slowly, obvious that he just woke up.
"What are you doing up so early?" He asks, pouring himself a cup of coffee.
"It's ten in the morning." He shakes his head and sits down.
"And?"
"Don't you have something with Marlene in like 20 minutes?" Zeke asks. His head shoots up as he looks at the time.
"Shit." He hurries upstairs and comes back down a minute later wearing a different outfit.
"How do you have a girlfriend?" Zeke asks as Uriah scarfs down a bagel.
"Cause I'm sexy as fuck." He replies while smiling and rolling his body but failing. Zeke rolls his eyes and I scoff. "You guys are just jealous." He says before grabbing his phone and wallet from the counter and heading out through the front door. I look back at Zeke and he just rolls his eyes.
"Trust me, we found him on the side of the road." I smirk a little and take another sip of water.
"So, dinner with the Priors tonight?" I nod, taking the last sip of water from my cup.
"Yeah. I've met her entire family but haven't sat down and have a meal with them." I reply. Zeke nods his head.
"Yeah the only advice I can give you is to not be a dick." Zeke "advises." I roll my eyes.
"How helpful." I get up from the stool and put my cup in the sink.
"Well, I should get going. Gotta get home and get ready." I grab my sweatshirt, wallet, and keys and head to the door.
"Hey Four!" Zeke calls behind me. I turn around.
"How are you doing at home?" He asks with a quieter voice even though his entire family is aware of my situation.
"Fine. He hasn't tried anything. And I barely see him, which is good." He nods and I turn back around.
"I'll see you later dude." He yells as I leave.
Tris POV
"Honey, are you done getting ready? Someone needs to set the table." My mom yells from downstairs. I look at my alarm clock and it reads 5:45. Tobias is supposed to be here at six. I take one more look at myself in my mirror and add a final layer of chap stick. I slightly curled my hair into slight waves, making it look better than it usually is. I'm also wearing a black dress that reached just before my knees. I make my way downstairs and I can already start to smell garlic. My mother's homemade spaghetti sauce. I get to the kitchen and start grabbing silverware to set down.
"You look pretty Tris." My mother says. I smile and thank her. It's 5:55 and I hear the door ring. A wave of nervousness and excitement brush over me.
After the game last night, Tobias drove me home and we just sat in my driveway for a while and talked. There were a couple kisses here and there but finally I got out when I almost started to drift off from being so tired.
I open the front door and see Tobias standing there in a gray sweater with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. I smile and move aside to left him in.
"You look great." I say softly to him.
"You should see yourself." He days back. I smile and bite my lip and soon my mother emerges from the kitchen.
"Tobias, so good to see you again!" She exclaims.
"These are for you." He mentions, handing the bouquet to my mother. It makes me smile as well as she.
"Aw that is so nice of you! Please come in, we are having spaghetti with bread!" My mother gestures us back into the kitchen while she finds a vase for the flowers. Caleb soon enters not saying a word to either of us, just finding his seat at the table.
"Caleb, did you see the beautiful flowers Four brought?" My mother asks trying to engage my brother. I feel Tobias shift beside me.
"Yes, they are beautiful mother." He replies. My mother calls for my dad who is upstairs and gestures for us to sit down. Caleb begins retrieving his food from the different bowls of food my mother put on the table. Tobias waits and gets his after mine.
"This looks lovely dear." My father says as he walks in and sits down.
"And how are you Tobias?" My father asks beginning to get his food.
"Very good sir. How are you?"
The meal continues with awkward moments of silence with smiles from mother. My parents ask him about football and school and easy topics until my dad questions,
"So, what do your parents do?" I quickly look up from my plate, eyes wide. Seriously dad? I know Tobias is going to answer even if it's the one thing he hates to divulge about himself to other people.
"My mother left when I was young and my father works in government." He says quickly. I find his leg beside mine and make sure he knows I'm here. He looks over at me and gives me a short smile. I look back at my parents and my father looks as if he is going to ask more but I see any mother shake her head at my father and he doesn't. The dinner ends soon and Tobias offers to help with the dishes but my mother reminds him that he is the guest. My family stays in the kitchen as I walk him to the door.
"That was..."
"It could've been worse." Tobias finishes for me. I smile and give him a hug and soon he reciprocates it. With my hands still wrapped around him I look up, my chin on his chest.
"Thank you." I say. He smiles and leans down a good amount to meet his lips to mine.
"Thank you." He repeats after our kiss. I go back to the hug and can feel his chin on the top of my head.
We finally separate and walk out the front door to his car. He gets in the driver seat but the window is down so I can still see him. I rest my elbows on the part where the door meets the bottom of the window.
"What are you doing tomorrow?" He asks. I think for a second.
"I have no idea." A deep laugh comes from him making me smile.
"Well I might just have to see you then."
"Okay." I bite my lip to keep me from smiling so hard. This is my life.
He gives me a short kiss then I step back so he can pull out of my driveway. I give him a short wave that he gives back and watch him drive down the road back to his house.
Four POV
"Okay class, this week is midterm testing. Here is the study guide. The test will be over everything we have learned so please take your time on the study guide..." Midterms already? I feel like it was just yesterday when I met Tris in gym. I mean I guess I did notice her first by the office. Weird how things turn out... I look at the study guide glancing over the pages. Spanish really isn't my thing. I'll just have Tris help me. She's good at it.
Dinner Saturday night was okay. Little awkward and talking about my parents didn't help anything but we went to lunch Sunday and it was good to just be with her.
Soon I find myself walking to gym and getting changed into my uniform… I really need to wash it by the way. Zeke comes in just as I finish and he changes quick. We find our usual seat on the bleachers. Tris and Myra come out a minute later and sit down next to us. Tris smiles at me and nudge her in the side.
"I heard we were doing yoga." Myra says. My head turns to her.
"Yoga?" I ask. She nods.
"Oh hell no." Zeke exclaims. Tris laughs and I look over at her, not excited.
"Oh, it won't be that bad." I raise my eyebrows and she shakes her head. Mrs. Wu comes in not a minute later pushing a cart of yoga mats. Great. Myra and Tris laugh and I give her a glare.
"I want everybody to grab a yoga mat and position it so you can see me. Make sure to take off your shoes, you need to be in your socks." She finishes. Zeke and I reluctantly get up and follow the girls to the cart to get a mat. I put my mat beside Tris' with Zeke in front of us. What a great view…
I take off my shoes and set them near the side of my mat and sit waiting for everybody else to get ready.
"So, you've never done yoga?" Tris asks me. I quickly shake my head, eye brows raised.
"It's really not that hard. Sometimes I'll take classes at my studio. You should come sometimes." My eyebrows that are already raised go higher on my forward as she laughs at me.
"Let me get through my first class and then we will go from there." I reply.
Mrs. Wu calls attention to the gym class and starts sitting on the mat.
"Okay class as I go through the poses I want you do what I am doing. I'll be explaining the movements when I do them." She starts on the ground and starts doing routine stretches. Some of them are what Tris does in the ballet class for football so I feel like I have a little upper hand from the other guys around me. I poke Tris in the side and laugh.
Soon Mrs. Wu starts laying on her back with her knees to her chest. The class follows suit and I turn my head over to Tris who has her knees much closer to her chest than I do. Soon the entire class shifts poses, following Mrs. Wu. I look up and all I see is Zeke's ass in the air. What the hell?
"Zeke!" I whisper loudly. He looks at me through his two open legs and smiles.
"Your big ass is in the way." I say to him. I hear Tris laugh and all Zeke does is wave his butt in the air.
"Bitch my ass is the way." He whispers back to me. Now Myra is laughing too. I laugh and shake my head finally moving into the 'downward facing dog' that Mrs. Wu calls it.
The class continues just like that. Zeke doing something stupid and me commenting on it. Yoga is definitely not my thing. I did like the end however when we just got to lay there. You were supposed to close your eyes and shit but I just looked at Tris the entire time. Her ponytail was on the other side of her shoulders and her shirt that was a little big on her fell over her shorts on her thighs. She's wearing sock with little pairs of cherries on them that made me smile. Finally, Mrs. Wu dismissed us to go get changed and we put our mats away.
"Hey, I was going to ask you if you wanted to get together this week to study for midterms? I could use your help with Spanish." I say as we walk to lunch.
"Yeah that sounds good."
We get to lunch and the entire table is already there. Except for Al. Not complaining though. That kid is either incredibly clueless or just asking to be knocked out. I begin eating my lunch and the girls start talking about buying their dresses. I forgot that homecoming was this weekend. I think I have a nice white button up that still fits but depending on what color dress Tris buys, I'll have to get that color tie.
Tris POV
Tobias gets into an intense conversation with Zeke laughing their asses off at the lunch table. I look at the rest of the table, most watching and adding into the conversation or talking a different one with someone else. I can't believe we used to be two tables instead of one. I can't believe a lot actually that's happened to me recently. High school has gone surprisingly much better than I've ever imagined. I never imagined getting into a relationship. I know Christina said stuff about meeting cute boys but she didn't mention that I'd be dating the hottest guy here. She's in a relationship too. I look to my left where she sits next to Will and is talking to him about something.
I wasn't really expecting meeting all these people and becoming great friends with them. Honestly, I was expecting more homework and a busier schedule. But I guess things don't always play out how you think they will. Sometimes they work out better.
The bell rings and Zeke yells at Tobias once last time and everybody on the right side of the table laughs. I have bare knowledge of what they're even talking about but I smile too.
"Hey, you okay?" Tobias asks me as we walk down to study hall side by side.
"You were pretty quiet at lunch." He continues. I look up at him and smile, leaning my head onto his upper arm as we walk together.
"Just thinking." I say. His eyes stay focused on me.
"Thinking about what?" I feel his arms move to intertwine his hand with mine.
"About life." I answer shortly. His eyebrows furrow and I smile. "About you."
He gives me a small smile. "Hopefully good things?"
"Of course." We walk back to study hall hand in hand.
(-/-/\-\-)
I look through what has felt like the twentieth rack of dresses and still don't have any in my hands. Christina, Marlene, and I finally made plans to buy our dresses for homecoming. We are in the third store since. Marlene found a dress at the first store that she liked a lot and tried it on. It was a bright pink, body con, dress that looked really good on her figure so she went ahead and bought it. Christina and I, however, haven't been that lucky. Christina claims that she is looking for the perfect one and when she finds it, it will call her name. I just haven't found one that I could see myself wearing. I'm not much of a sparkles or jeweled kind of girl so that knocks out a lot of dresses. I also don't have the bust for a lot of these cupped dresses so I've been kind of stuck.
"YES!" I hear behind me. I turn around and see Christina holding a dress in front of her. Her eyes light up as she looks up and down at the dress. The top is a silvery, sparkly, halter top and the bottom is a light pink tulle skirt. It does look perfect for Chris. She smiles at me and goes to try it on.
I go through another rack and come up empty. I sigh in exhaustion. We had to come after dance practice so I'm already tired. I just want to find a dress and go home and sleep.
As I wait for Christina to come out with her dress I skim a rack that I passed by before. I look through, moving the hangers on the rack to one side until I come across a baby pink dress. It too has a slight halter with thin straps going around the neck then down the back of the dress. I pull it off the rack and see the formed skirt that goes out a little bit. I also see that it's almost completely backless. Before I put it back on the rack, thinking how I wouldn't pull off a backless dress I hear Marlene.
"Pleaseee try that on Tris!" I look up at her and her eyes are hopeful, almost like she's asking me for money for ice cream. I look back at the dress.
"I don't know Marlene…" I say unsure. Her response is quick.
"Well I do. So, go try it on." I laugh a little at her bossiness but walk to the dressing room anyway.
"Is that you Tris?" I hear Chris on my right.
"Yes. I found a dress and Marlene is making me try it on now." I say back.
"Well good. I don't want to be here all night either." I laugh at her words and quickly begin to undress. I realize that because there is no fabric on the back, I'll have to take off my bra too. I carefully step into the dress, zipping up the back.
"Tris? Are you done?" I hear Chris outside. I look back into the mirror and see the girl reflecting back. The dress is beautiful. The color may not be my favorite but I am surprised to see how well the dress looks on me. There is a little padding in the front that makes my boobs look better than I thought they would. I turn around and see my entire bare back. Wow.
I unlock the dressing room door and walk out to see Christina and Marlene. Christina is standing in the dress she picked out and it is perfect for her.
"Oh, wow Tris."
"You look amazing." I hear from both of them. I smile, looking down on the dress.
"Christina, that dress is beautiful on you." I say bringing the attention to her. She's always done better with attention compared to me. She smiles and thanks me and decides for both of us that we're getting the dresses.
"Are you sure it being backless isn't too much?" I ask still unsure. Usually I clothe myself more. Marlene and Christina shake their heads.
"Tris that's the best part of the dress!" Marlene explains. I mentally agree with her. The backless design really makes it beautiful. I guess I will just have to get over it.
I go back into the dressing room and carefully take off the dress. I put my clothes on and return back to where Marlene was waiting. Christina comes out soon and we both buy our new dresses. Having the dresses makes the dance much more real to me. We never had middle school dances so this is a first thing for all of us and having cute dates doesn't hurt either. I smile thinking about Tobias. I get out my phone and text him.
Tris: Looks like you'll be needing to buy a light pink tie for homecoming. Unless you already have one…?
I smile at my words and it doesn't take long for him to reply.
Four: I actually don't… but does that mean you got your dress?
Tris: I did
Four: what does it look like?
Tris: you'll have to wait until Saturday J
Four: ughhh well I'm not going to show you my outfit either
Tris: damn, you got me there
(-/-/\-\-)
"Okay so have you memorized the verb conjugations?" I ask. Tobias looks at me a little unsure then gives me a "oops" smile.
"Okay, so that's a no." I answer for him.
We're studying for our Spanish midterm and he is really freaking out about it. I've tried helping him the couple past days with the free time I had in study hall but he wanted another study date.
I go over them again and let him study them again. I look around. This is my second time in his room. The first time was definitely something I enjoyed. I look back at him studying the eye that was once black. It's definitely healed now but the thought that it once wasn't makes me sick. I couldn't imagine having his childhood. My parents love me and would do anything for me. While Tobias', well they're the opposite. But even from his awful parents, he rose above it and became an amazing person. Kind, thoughtful, smart, I could go on. I lean my head back onto his wall. We're both sitting on his bed but I'm sitting oppositely from him.
"Okay I think I got it." He says bringing me out of my thoughts. I look back at him and he repeats them all correctly. He looks back up at me once he's done, eyebrows raised, a smile on his lips.
"Look at me." He says proudly. I roll my eyes, smiling myself.
"I think I deserve a reward." This time I roll my eyes.
"A reward?" I repeat. He nods his head. And moves the books from his lap to the table beside him. And gestures for me to come closer to him. I roll my eyes again but am quickly by his side, lips locked.
We kiss for a while and I finally pull back and smile. Oh my life...
Four POV
My heart drops as I hear the garage open. Marcus was supposed to get back tomorrow. I see the panic in Tris' eyes and curse under my breath.
"That's the garage." She says like a question, hoping I'll give her a better answer but instead I nod my head. She gets off the bed and I follow.
"That means I should probably go, right?" I nod my head. Words not coming. She gathers her stuff across my room and puts them in her back pack. I hear the front door open and I hate myself. I can't believe I brought Tris here. Sure, I thought he wasn't going to come home but he did. And now I have to make sure Tris gets out of here. I grab her hand and have her look at me.
"Hey." She faces me and breathes.
"It's going to be okay. Nothing is going to happen. I'm right here." I give her a hug and try and figure out what I'm going to do. I understand why she's nervous. She's only heard awful things about my father and I doubt meeting him is one of her top priorities.
I pull back from the hug and grab my car keys and phone because I know we're leaving. I grab her hand and she follows me out of my room and down the stairs. We're almost out of the door until I hear his voice behind me.
"Tobias." I turn quickly and shift Tris behind me. He'll have to go through me before he even looks at her.
"Who is this?" He asks shortly, voice thick and heavy. I glare and he gives me a sick smile in return. I debate telling him about Tris or telling him to fuck off.
"We're leaving." I say shortly, turning back around keeping Tris in front of me moving to the front door. I feel his hand on my shoulder pulling me back and I turn quickly and push him off me.
"Don't fucking touch me." I pause. He looks aback, like I've never done that before. My eyes stay on him. "Tris, go to the car." I say. I hear her scramble to open the front door but soon she's gone.
"Do you think you can talk to me like that?" He yells.
"I just did." I spit back. Before I know it, I'm walking out the front door, slamming it behind me. I see Tris in the car, visibly shaken and I stop. Her eyes meet with mine and I hate myself even more right now. I just scared the hell out of her. She's seen my father, the future me. I open the driver door softly and get in. I look over at Tris but her eyes are focused in front of her.
"I'm so sorry Tris." I apologize but I'll never be forgiven. I rest my head back and close my eyes. I can't believe my life.
A/N: check out Pinterest (logan9878) for chapter photos
