Tris
I smile as I signed another of my fans' books. I write a little "I love you, xxx" and my signature in it, and smile at her. My novel, The Splintered Bride, has been my best selling book, and I only released it a year ago today. The managers tell me that I am not going to have enough time to sign everyone's, which is a huge bummer! My fans have been saving me from the shallows of my personal life, and they've saved my life. Even though, they don't know that. I've never opened up about my abuse, and depression. The Media would call me out for it, and it'll make everything worse. "Thank you, Miss Prior." A young girl says, and I look up at her. She's got upturned hazel eyes, and a long nose. She reminds me of a younger version of myself. "Call me Tris," I say, and smiles. "'Miss Prior' makes me feel old," she giggles, and as do I. She heads off, to her mother, and I look at the man in front of me. He's tall, with dark hair and dark green eyes. He's a sight for sore eyes, indeed.
I call out for security, and they shake their heads. "What do you want, Crack Head?" Peter does drugs, and I used to buy some off of him, for my Dad. "I can't get an autograph, without judgement, Six?" I used Six so they wouldn't get my Dad. I wish I didn't, as I want him arrested. "Yeah, go away." I stand, and head off, and I regret it afterwards.
My driver and I head off to Caleb's university, so we can take him to his, and his fiance's place. We're both successful, my success being in my job, and his in his life. I envy that he doesn't have scars from the past pains of our father, and that he can move on. Caleb had it much worse than I, and I envy him for doing forgiving and kind.
I stand, waiting, as he leaves the university. "Beatrice?" He asks, and I smile. He has me in a tight embrace, and I hear a sniffle. "I missed you, big brother," I whisper into his shoulder, and he laughs. It is not a laugh take makes fun of me, but rather agreeing. I open the car door, and he climbs in.
I hear a baby crying, and Caleb smiles at me. "Your an aunt, Beatrice," he says, and I laugh. I congratulate him, and Susan, his fiance. "Thanks, Tris!" she says, and I go to their spare bedroom. They've always been planning for a baby, and now, they have one. "Is it okay-?" I don't get to finish my question, before Caleb closes the door. I've always hated closed doors, as my father would beat me behind them. Now, Caleb closes doors, carelessly, and I press my lips in a line, anxious. "Dad really bad again?" He whispers, and I shrug. He pulls down the sleeve of my hoodie, and sees the scars I've accumulated over the years. "I'm really bad again, Caleb. I'm glad to have you," I say, not lying for once. I lie to my father on multiple occasions, and sometimes he caught on, others he didn't.
"So..." I ask, after finishing my dinner. "What's your baby's name?" Caleb and Susan smile at each other, then me. Odd.
"Her name is Lee, Lee Prior." I smile at that. It's a cute name, and Lee was Mom's middle name... I shake myself out of my thoughts of Natalie. "That's a very beautiful name," I admire, and they smile at me. They are both very bright and cheery, and it makes me anxious. "What happening with your friends, Tris?" Caleb asks, and I blush. I only have two friends, and I've never told them about my previous abuse. Plus, I'm the third wheel amongst them. "Well, they're in Hawaii, on a honeymoon," Susan and Caleb were at Christina and Will's wedding, and I smile. The smile is fraudulent, and we all know it. No one comments on it. "That's amazing," Susan says, and I smile. "What's happened to your apartment, Beatrice?" She asks, trying to make conversation so we don't end in awkward situations. I bite my lip.
"My landlord didn't want me to pay in money anymore... so I left. I've applied to go to Hope Academy," they gasp, and I smile. "I'm hoping to study deeper into arts, and maybe become a screenwriter, with publishing Novels," they congratulate me, and we all laugh.
My phone rings, at lunch, the next day.
"Is this Beatrice Prior?" A man asks, and I confirm that. "I'm calling you for your Hope Academy application, it's been-"