Disclaimer: I don't own divergent.
Beatrice Prior, Wednesday, 24th December, Tobias' apartment, 6:37 am
"You what?"
"I put the address on my phone's GPS because I didn't know where it was, ten minutes later I arrived. I...I just don't understand, you earn money, good money, I should know, I was earning the same amount when I was a junior detective, Tris what is going on do you owe someone more or something?" Tobias questions.
My throat feels dry, although Tobias' tone sounds almost gentle, it doesn't ease my nerves a bit. I feel my pulse start to quicken, how am I meant to answer his question? I don't owe anyone money, it's for mum and I give it to her on my own free will.
I'm not ashamed that I give a large amount of money to my mother for her operation, but I have a particular distaste for the way I have to live, but I wouldn't have it any other way, not until mums well again.
"I have to, you don't understand," I mumble, my voice becoming raspy as a result of my dry throat.
I take a few breaths to calm myself, I was never prepared for this situation, I always thought I'd have figured everything out before someone found out, but now everything is out in the open, he knows.
My eyes dart to Tobias' he looks at me the same way he did before like he hasn't just confronted me about my broken, run-down apartment.
"Why Tris, why do you have to, make me understand," He mumbles, "I'm not here to judge you, I'm here because I care about you."
Something about the way he talks makes me want to spill my guts and tell him about David throwing me out, the years of abuse that forced me out of my house before I was ready, but I don't I take a deep breath, I'll tell him only what I need to.
"Tobias, you know my mother is sick, the insurance won't pay for it because it costs too much, most of the money I earn goes to her, all the money besides the money for rent, a few necessities and a couple of meals a week,"
"It's a small price to pay for my mother's wellbeing and I refuse to reduce the amount of money I give her, so if that's what you're going to tell me, I suggest you save your breath," I inform.
He gives me a small smile as he cups my cheek gently, his thumb strokes my cheekbone idly, I fight the urge to simply melt into him, "Tris, I'd never suggest such a thing," He tells me truthfully.
"You're brave, smart, honest, kind, selfless, and stubborn, definitely stubborn," he jokes, "And those qualities make you who you are, so I'm not going to suggest you decrease the money you give your mum, I suggest you move in with me."
Beatrice Prior, the same day, The apartment, 7:56 am
"I'll pack the bathroom, you do your bedroom," Tobias instructs.
I nod and take one of the cardboard boxes into my bedroom. After some convincing, I accepted Tobias' proposal and agreed to move in with him. What I didn't expect was him to grab a few boxes and drive to my place so we could pack now.
He told me he wanted me to move in with him immediately and immediately being today, as much as I won't admit it, that does work out for me, seeing as I pay rent every month on the twenty-seventh.
He assured me that me moving in with him didn't mean we needed to take the next step in our relationship and that he just wanted me to be warm and safe, he told me that I could stay in the guest bedroom and I gratefully thanked him.
My fear of intimacy always seems to pop up at random times and as much as I love spending time with Tobias I am thankful he understands the importance of giving me my own space.
I begin removing my clothes from the wardrobe, I place the garments neatly in a box. After finishing the wardrobe I move to my bed and begin folding the blankets and removing the pillows from the bed.
An hour later my room looks bare, the only items remaining are my bed mattress and frame as well as my desk, Tobias had told me not to worry about my furniture and that he'd get someone to deliver it so he could add them to his storage unit.
The living room and bathroom are also empty, they're stripped of the pictures that once were one on the walls, the same ones that once gave the cold apartment a sense of warmth, a sense of comfiness.
"Ready, babygirl?" Tobias calls.
I nod, we place the last few boxes into his car as I inspect the apartment one last time. I inhale the damp smelling air, the scent bringing back many memories, as much as this apartment was my home, I know my home will be with Tobias now.
Beatrice Prior, Thursday, 25th December, Natalie and Andrew's house, 12:27 pm
"Tris, Four, it's so good to see you, merry Christmas," Mum exclaimed as she opens the door.
I wrap my arms around my mother as we enter the house, the aroma of her shepherd's pie wafts in the air and urges me to enter the house. Dad comes over to greet Tobias I. He gives me a small kiss on the forehead while he shakes Tobias' hand.
"Trissy," Caleb calls from the living room.
Ditching Tobias with my parents, I enter the living room. Caleb sits comfortably on the sofa with Susan in his arms. He gestures for me to come over and I do so. Caleb Susan and I fall into an easy conversation.
Tobias ends up sitting next to me, we all sit in a circle and begin exchanging presents. Mum brings some gingerbread men for us all to snack on while we do so.
Dad suggests we go in order from the youngest to oldest, meaning I start. I pass Susan the spa kit I had bought for her which she thanks me for, and then give Caleb the nerd pillow which causes him to burst out laughing.
Originally, I had only bought Tobias one present, but I decided to get him another one so he could have one when we're here. It cost a fortune back then and I remember having to skip a few meals, but it's worth it.
Tobias thanks me as he takes the box that I handed him and opens it, he glances in it and a few photos of the both of us that I took and some just of him are the first things he picks up. I decided to have them printed on polaroid paper and that alone cost twenty dollars.
Underneath the pictures is a single tie. I found a black one, and then with the leftover paint that I used to paint mum and dads pictures, I splattered it onto his tie, giving it a nice paint splatter effect.
He grins and places a small kiss on my cheek, thanking me. I finally pass two rectangular wrapped presents to mum and dad. Mum opens her's and her gasp fills me with worry. Did she not like it?
The second I look at her expression, that worry floats away, she looks at the painting in awe. The painting is a replica of one that was taken of mum and me sitting by the fireplace when I was five, the only difference is that I painted dad and Caleb in the picture too.
She engulfs me into a gentle hug, careful not to crush the painting. Dad unwraps his gift and his expression is similar to mums. I had asked Caleb for a picture of him and dad when he was young.
He sent me a picture of three year old him and dad at the park, all I did was paint mum and me in the picture.
Half an hour later, dad is the only one who hasn't given his presents.
I received new silk pyjamas from Susan, a black camera from Caleb, a duffle bag from Tobias and a few hoodies from mum that I had seen when I was shopping with her but didn't get.
Dad passes out his presents to me first, I unwrap the package and smile when I see a painting set with several tubes of paint and good quality brushes, I smile and hug him, thanking him for the present.
Caleb, Susan and Tobias each receive their present from dad and thank him. When he gets up he exits the room and comes back with a box behind his back. He looks at mum with such love and adoration.
"Natalie, when we met when we were fifteen, when we were assigned as lab partners then when we were seventeen we started dating, at twenty you had our beautiful children and then we parted ways,"
"In those twenty years, there was never a day where I didn't think about you, So now aged forty-five, I'm asking you to make me the happiest man to ever live, will you marry me, Natalie?"
I feel my heart swell for my parent's their story is one you wouldn't forget, I watch tears trail down mum's cheeks as she gives my father a nod.
"Yes."
Beatrice Prior, Same day, Uriah and Marlene's apartment, 7:47 pm
"Alright, after dinner, how about we start with giving me all my presents?" Uriah suggests with a smile on his face.
"Yeah, I don't think so Uri," Shauna states as she spoons some soup into her bowl. Uriah pouts and stuffs another roll into his mouth.
After presents and lunch at my parents, Tobias and I dropped off our presents at his apartment, loaded the present's for everyone as well as the presents for white elephant into the car and drove here.
"So how was lunch with aunt Nat?" Zeke asks me, ever since we found out that Hana was friends with mum, Zeke and Uriah were dragged along to a lot of dinners with mum, dad Caleb and I, and mum has adopted the name 'Aunt Nat' from both the Pedrad brothers.
"She's good," I inform him, "Dad proposed to her, she said yes," I say, taking a bite of my food.
Zeke's eyes go wide as a goofy smile replaces the normal smile on his face, "Damn I knew it, Uri, you owe me ten," Zeke announces as Uriah sulks and places a ten-dollar note on Zeke's outstretched palm.
"Any other news anyone needs to tell us in the name of bets?"Uriah asks, he glances around the table.
"Actually, I do," Tobias speaks up, "I asked Tris to move in with me and she said yes." our friends congratulate us. I smile, glad Tobias didn't mention my situation, I wouldn't want anyone else to pity me, Tobias may have not pitied me, but that doesn't mean everyone will be like him.
After finishing our food, we all decide to open all our gifts together. We place the present for each person into their pile and then open them at our pace. Before I can open my first present, Christina squeals so loudly, I think I'm deaf.
She races to me and hugs me so tightly, I swear I heard my bones crack,"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She beams, "I've always wanted those cute colour themed gifts, red is definitely my colour," She beams.
After I'm sure I can hear through both ears, I unwrap my presents. From Chris, I get two makeup pallets that i can't confirm I know how to use, although i'm sure she'll teach me. Mar gets me a workout outfit that consists of track pants and a sports bra. Lynn's girlfriend and I both seemed to have the same idea and I received a box of chocolates from her.
Zeke got me a hangover kit, while Shauna got me a beautiful but casual chain necklace. Like Zeke, Uriah made me a kit, but it was a coffee kit. Lynn being Lynn got me a new target board for my throwing knives. As well as the present he gave me this afternoon, Tobias had gotten me a fitness watch.
After exchanging gifts we put all our white elephant gifts into the middle. Lynn's girlfriend who actually goes by Emma looks at us all with curiosity in her eyes.
"It's a Christmas tradition," Lynn explains, "Basically, there are a bunch of random items wrapped in the middle, we go around in a circle and choose a gift, we also pass around two dice and if you roll doubles, you can steal someones present."
We all start off by grabbing a gift, I go for one that looks like it's from Will and unwrap it to discover it's a pack of five bookmarks, I smile happily to myself, unfortunately, Marlene had an eye on my present and when she rolled doubles she stole it.
By the end of the game, we all have about a dozen presents that include rolls of toilet paper, hair conditioner, a giant fork and a sandwich making kit. Tobias and I decide to call it a night and bid farewell to all our friends. We pile our presents into the car and begin the short ride home.
I've always loved Christmas, it's always been a magical time of the year, when I was younger, I remember writing to Santa and then waiting for him to come, I'd always fall asleep against my will and then end up back in my bed the next morning.
That stopped when David came, I'd never leave my room unless it was necessary or if I was sure mum was downstairs. Christmas went to the time I most enjoyed to the worst time of the year.
With mum and him completing deadlines before the break, he'd come home upset and stressed and that made things so much worse for me. The days work would catch up with mum, and she'd go to sleep earlier giving him more time to hurt me.
I can't help but smile, looking at how far I've come. The last two days were definitely eventful, Tobias had found out about one of my secrets and dad proposed to mum, but in the end, I wouldn't change anything.
Maybe miracles are real, Maybe good things take time. Maybe everything will be better now, maybe mum will get well. My mind fills with 'maybe's' and I feel warmth spread across my entire body.
I haven't always made the best decisions in life, but they're what made me who i am today, without them, there's no guarantee I would have met my friends, there's no guarantee I would have met Tobias.
So, today I welcome the uncertainty and the decisions I've made, because they're the things that made me me.
A/N I hope you guys enjoyed that chapter. I want to thank those of you who reviewed, it means so so so much to me, I love reading all of them.
To answer one of the reviews, I do have a posting schedule, I update every three days, not counting the day I upload on. But I might have to change that just because right now I am struggling to keep up with those updates.
If I don't update on my regular day, I promise to update as soon as possible, but I should be updating normally for now.
Thank you to those of you who followed and liked and another thank you to those of you who reviewed.
Make sure to wash your hands, stay home and be kind. Please review and tell me what you want more of, i haven't planned the next chapter so i'm open to suggestions. Until next time,
-Divergent31