A big thank you to divergentpanda46 for her proofreading skills

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT (TRIS 14)

TRIS'S POV

I'm lying on my bed with Uriah, just hanging out. We have to go back to school tomorrow for another year. Not looking forward to it at all.

"Are you going to tell me?" Uriah asks.

"Tell you about what?"

"You and Four. Or should I call him Tobias?" Uriah teases, with a big grin on his face.

"I wouldn't call him that if you want to live," I say seriously.

"So?"

"So?"

"Come on, Tis. You told me you were going over to his place last night, for his birthday. What happened?"

"He kissed me," I whisper in Uriah's ear, like it's a big secret.

I watch as Uriah's eyes nearly bug out of his head.

"Really? Wow, is he a good kisser?"

"Eww, Ui! Why, you want him to kiss you?" I tease and start to laugh.

"No, I don't know. It was just something to ask I guess."

"What are you really meaning?" I ask. "Does this have to do with Marlene?"

"I really like her? But every time I go to ask her out, well, we get interrupted."

"You just need to tell her Uriah," I demand. "You don't want to end up like Shauna and Zeke were. You know she likes you back."

"Do I?"

"Where has my badass, confident cousin gone? Of course you do. Do I have to use the 'P' word on you?"

"Hell no! Don't you dare say that word to me."

"Well, stop acting like one and do something about it," I tell him.

"Okay, next time I see her I will ask her out. Now, details. How did your night go? Did Four like his presents?"

"It was really good. Thankfully the food I cooked was a success. Then he opened his presents. I got him a picture of the two of us that you took. You know, the one when we were all in the Pit?" Uriah nods his head. "Mikey made this really cool frame with the shells that we gave him. The ones that we are selling in the shop. So, I put the photo in that. Then I got him some real combat boots, not those horrible ones that they give the initiates."

"He must have thought he was in heaven when he tried the new boots on. I don't know why they can't give the initiates the nice boots," Uriah ponders.

"Then I got him a leather jacket."

"Was that the one I saw you making Eric try on in the store the other day?"

"That's the one."

"He must have looked good in it," Uriah says.

"Why do you say that?"

"It was a great jacket. It looked good on Eric, so if it looks good on him then it must have looked even better on Four."

"Are you sure you like girls?" I ask.

"Why would you ask that? Of course I like girls. Well, one girl."

"You seem like you still have your crush on Four and now you're checking Eric out," I tease.

"I wasn't checking Eric out, I was checking the jacket out! It was an awesome jacket. I've been thinking that I need to go down there and get one. They have the coolest jackets in that shop."

"You would look really good," I say.

"Maybe we should get Lynn and Marlene to come with us. Then I can have Marlene see me in the really cool jackets. Then she would say yes to me."

"You don't need a jacket for Marlene to know how great you are. Plus, she already thinks you are great."

"So, what's next for you and Four? Does this mean you are dating?"

"Sort of," I tell him.

"What sort of answer is that? He kissed you, he must really want to be with you."

"Why do you say that?"

"Look at where he is from. Remember when you held his hand a few years ago and he completely freaked out? A kiss from him practically screams you are married."

"I wouldn't say it like that. But we are together. It's just … I don't know, Uriah. He isn't ready to be showing us off in public. He wants time to get used to all of this," I say, throwing my arms out.

"You mean, you, Dauntless, his job?"

"Yeah. He never got to do anything compared to what we have been able to do as kids. Plus the whole, public displays of affection freaks him out. Even behind closed doors it seems to freak him out a bit."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Yes and no. I don't know. He explained to me that being from Abnegation, it was always drilled into him about how relationships should be, how to act in public."

"His body is telling him he wants one thing and his head is telling him another?" Uriah asks.

"Exactly. It can be uncomfortable sometimes because you can see him warring with himself over it all."

"You know, all guys have that battle going on. Maybe his is a bit more advanced but you just want to respect the right person," Uriah says.

"Marlene is going to be lucky to have you Ui," I tell him and give him a side hug.

"I know."

"There's my confident cousin. Now this is the time to leave. Go forth and get the girl," I say while laughing.

"You are an idiot," Uriah laughs.

"Maybe, but you love me for it," I tell him.

"I so do. Best cousin ever," he says.

"Only best cousin?" I tease.

"You know what I mean," Uri says.

"I do and I love you too. Now, please go and find Marlene and ask her out. Or at least tell her how you feel."

I must have dozed off because next thing I know my door is slamming shut and Uriah is jumping up and down on my bed.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"I'm celebrating," Uriah responds, still jumping.

"That must mean it went well between you and Marlene."

"It went better than well, Tis," Uriah says with a big smile on his face. He plops down on the bed and lets out a sigh. It must be really stressful asking girls out. I wonder why Zeke never seemed to get stressed about it?

"Did you come to give me details or are you just going to sit there looking like a loon?"

"I don't look like a loon," he defends.

"Go in my bathroom and you tell me what you look like," I demand, pointing my finger towards my bathroom door.

Uriah jumps off the bed and runs into the bathroom.

"I don't see it Tris," Uriah shouts out.

"Look a little harder," I tell him.

"No, no loons in this bathroom," Uriah shouts back.

Next there is a knock at my door and Caleb walks in.

"Hi Caleb," I say.

"Hey Cal," Uriah shouts from the bathroom.

"What is he doing?" Caleb asks.

"Looking for loons in my bathroom," I tell Caleb, although it's a bit hard to get the words out as I am laughing so much.

"Loons? Why would there be loons in your bathroom?" Caleb asks, totally confused.

"Never mind. Did you need something?" I ask.

"Mum wants us both downstairs."

"Okay," I tell Caleb. "Uriah, I've got to go downstairs."

"I'll just keep looking then," Uriah says.

"Now you are starting to act like Zeke. The mirror will break if you spend too much time in front of it. I have a timer that will go off and BOOM! The room will explode."

"Sure you have, Tris," Uriah calls back laughing. "See you when you get back."

I'm sitting in the lounge room with Caleb, Mum and Dad. I have no idea what this is about.

"The school finally sent your report cards over," Mum explains. "I just want to tell you that I am proud of the results you got in school this year."

Mum hands over the report cards. I quickly glance over the results and see that the lowest mark I got was an A-. It's my ranking that is what surprises me the most.

"How did you do?" I ask Caleb.

"Good, excellent really," he replies.

"That's good," I say as I start to walk off.

"Wait," Caleb calls out. "Aren't you going to tell me how you went?"

"It's not important," I casually tell him.

"But," Caleb stutters. "How did you go on that science test you ran out on?"

"What difference does it make Caleb? Whatever I tell you, will only upset you."

"Why should it?" he asks.

"Have a look at the overall ranking for Dauntless students Caleb?"

Caleb looks down at his report card and I can see him starting to tense up. Not only do they tell us where we came within the whole year, they also show where we came compared to the Dauntless in our year.

"Second!" Caleb exclaims. I knew he wasn't going to take this well. "How could I come in second, in Dauntless? That's impossible. I worked so hard."

"Look at your marks for physical education Caleb," Mum softly says.

"I got a B-," Caleb tells us.

"I can't believe a Dauntless got a B-, it's the only subject that I can guarantee the whole faction excels at, even that retard James Tucker did well," Dad exclaims, clearly frustrated.

"I don't think he is retarded, Max," Mum scolds dad.

"I know he isn't, but he isn't very Dauntless either," Dad says with his voice rising. "Caleb, you are good at sports. What happened?"

"I, well, um," Caleb blusters.

"He is too busy trying to impress the Erudite kids, that he doesn't try to do well," I tell my parents.

"Is this true?" Mum asks. I can see that she isn't happy about this.

"Yes," Caleb says, putting his head down.

"Well it has cost you valuable marks, Caleb," Mum tells him. "You are going to have to work extra hard this year to make up for it. Why are you worried about what the Erudite kids think of you anyway? You need to stop trying to impress people and start working at what is important to you."

I can't help but to laugh. Caleb is so busy trying to suck up to people that he has lost any leeway he could have had to impress them when he goes back to school.

"It's not funny, Tris," Caleb snaps.

"Yes it is," I say. "You think you're all that. Well, this proves you're not. Must be embarrassing to know that you came in second to your very Dauntless sister."

"You are a BITCH!" Caleb screams. "One day you won't be number one, Tris, and I hope I am there to see it."

"Get to your room NOW!" Dad demands. "I will not have you speak to your sister like that."

"Why should I listen to you?" Caleb asks Dad. I can't believe he is acting this way.

"Caleb, do what your father is telling you," Mum says calmly. Although I can see she is not happy.

"You are grounded," Mum says. "For the next month you will spend every evening cleaning the training rooms."

"But Mum," Caleb whines.

"Your room now," Mum says raising her voice and pointing towards the bedrooms. "If you don't go then I will make it two months."

Caleb quickly slinks off to his room.

"You okay kiddo?" Dad asks.

"I'm fine," I say.

"We are very proud of you, Tris. Always remember that," Mum says and gives me a hug.

"Thanks," I say, returning the hug. "I wish he wasn't like that. I didn't want to tell him my marks, I knew it would upset him."

"We know," Dad says. "He is going to learn the hard way, it seems. If he transfers to Erudite then he is going to have to get used to not always being number one."

"Do you think he will survive in Erudite? At least if he stayed here he would get through initiation, probably even get a good job if he put the effort in," I say.

"He will have to make that decision himself. I think he is trying too hard," Mum says. "He is trying to study more than just his school work and it isn't working out for him."

"I'll go and have a chat with him," Dad says. "I think we might need some bonding time, he is trying to push me away and I need him to know that I will always be there for him."

"I think you should both go and shoot something, that always works for me," I say.

"I don't think guns are the answer with Caleb," Dad says.

"I'm going out," I say and hand Mum my report card.

"Don't you want this?" mum asks.

"No, thanks."

"You better go and get Uriah first," Mum says with a laugh.

"I can't believe I forgot him," I say as I run to my room.

After the blow up with Caleb I decided to go to the training room. Uriah wanted to go and see Marlene. I did have to help him get the makeup off his face. Idiot decided he wanted to know what it was like to wear makeup. Lucky I don't have that much, it was still a chore getting it all off him though. I can't wait until I get some time alone with Lynn and Marlene, then I can tell them all about it and show them the one picture I didn't delete.

"You're pretty good at that," Tobias says.

"Hi," I say, trying to wipe the smile off my face.

"Hey, how long have you been here?"

"Only about an hour."

"An hour?"

"Yeah, my report card came in today and Caleb wasn't happy with his result and decided to throw a bit of a fit over it. So, I came down here to blow off some steam."

"It looks like it worked, there isn't much left of the target."

"Probably better than it being Caleb's head," I say with a shrug. "You here to train?"

"No. I was in the control room and saw you on the monitors. I thought I would come down and say hello. See if you wanted to hang out."

"Hang out?"

"Yeah. Or should I have said date?"

"Date? I don't know. I've never dated before," I tell him.

"Neither have I," he says with a small smile.

"So, what would this 'date/hanging out' entail?"

"I don't know. I hadn't really thought this all through," he says, with a nervous chuckle at the end.

"Here you both are," Zeke calls out as he walks across the training room to us. "Mum wants to do her back to school dinner tonight. So, I'm here to tell you both to be at Mum's in an hour."

"But, I'm not going back to school," Tobias says.

"Neither am I, but Mum expects us both there. So go get cleaned up and meet at Mum's in an hour."

"What do I need to get cleaned up for?" Tobias whines.

"Not you, I meant Tris."

"Fine," I huff. "Walk me home," I say to Tobias.

"Of course."