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Tris and Tobias fall into a love-hate relationship after that scuffle on the lawn. Neither one of them ever brings up to anyone about their kiss on the side of the house. Over the next few years, Zeke, Uriah, Tris, Tobias, and Caleb all begin to hang out regularly with Tris and Tobias usually spending half of the time bickering. Tris ends up with a prominent scar from their altercation the first day they met. One that she doesn't let Tobias forget.
Hana Pedrad and Natalie take to each other well too. With Reggie Pedrad being on the road just as much as Marcus, Natalie, Hana and Evelyn end up sharing duties like picking up the kids from basketball practice or having the kids over for dinner when they need to be somewhere. Tris easily makes the middle school-aged basketball team for Abnegation Christian. Lauren joins the JV cheerleading squad and eventually makes captain of the Varsity squad her junior year.
It doesn't escape Tris that Tobias grows more and more handsome every year as they get older. By the time they hit high school the girls are aggressively trying to get his attention and Tobias laps it all up. He went on dates with a few girls, messed around with some of them but most nights before he fell asleep it was Tris on his mind. She was so stubborn, it made him crazy. The more she pushed back on him the more he wanted her to do it. Most girls just gave in and would do whatever Tobias wanted, yeah he admittedly had taken advantage of that on more than one occasion, letting girls buy him gifts and stuff but it was too easy most times. Tris was a puzzle he couldn't figure out.
Tris, Tobias, and Uriah all play AAU basketball when the school season is over. Leaving Zeke and Caleb to tag along. Caleb and Zeke form a tight friendship over during those years of watching their siblings play. By the time freshman year of high school rolled around, Tris had racked up two North Carolina AAU Girls basketball championships and was named player of the year. Andrew built her a shelf in her room to hold all her trophies and ribbons. Her room held posters of Bill Russel, Michael Jordan, Candace Parker, and Dawn Staley. Everything that reminds her that she was going to be a WNBA star one day if she works hard. Across the lawn, Tobias has an equally impressive collection of trophies and awards and three AAU state basketball championships, and numerous individual awards. Tobias was slated to join the Varsity basketball team even though he was only going to be a sophomore that upcoming school year.
One night the summer between Tris and Caleb's freshman and sophomore years Caleb shocks everyone at dinner.
"Dad, I think I'd like to try out for one of the teams at school" Caleb announces as loads the mashed potatoes Natalie had made from scratch for dinner onto his plate before passing the dish to Tris.
"Really and what would that be?" Andrew asks, looking at his son. Tris was definitely the star athlete of the family even though Lauren had taken on competitive cheering.
"I want to go out for the golf team, Zeke and I decided it would be a good skill to pick up. I know it's not a real sport..."
"Not a real sport, are you kidding me! Have you ever heard of Tiger Woods?" Tris says grinning. She was glad Caleb was trying something new and that was a team sport.
"And why do you and Zeke think this is a good idea?" Andrew is intrigued by where his son is going with this.
"Zeke and I have determined that given that I'm good with numbers and Zeke is great with relationships and negotiating we should go into business together to start our own sports management agency"
"Isn't it a little early to be thinking about this" Natalie offers looking across the table at her husband. She knew her kids were growing up but she wasn't sure if she was ready for it to be so final. Lauren was about to start her senior year and applying to colleges. She knew applying to college was much different from when she and Andrew went. Even though she didn't really do much with her social work degree, she didn't want to pressure the kids too much. They still had three years of high school left.
"Now is a great time Ma, Lots of people started this last year. We have to take the SATs in a few months, I'm going to be taking AP courses next year. This will help me narrow down on what programs I apply to. It gives me a real roadmap to follow. And golf team will look great as an extracurricular and be useful on the field of business"
"I'm impressed with how much thought you put into this, Son" Andrew nods "I hope your sisters take note"
"Hey, I have a plan!" Tris says defensively. "Lauren's the one who doesn't"
"I do too have a plan, mine just doesn't include professional basketball and world domination" Laurens defends poking at the pot roast on her plate. She had her major possibly narrowed down but the school application process was very overwhelming.
Andrew shakes his head, Tris was driven and headstrong. He worried about how it would crush her if she couldn't make it as a professional basketball player.
"Well, I agree that golf will be useful in business" Andrew comments. He was an avid golfer and played regularly for work with clients and other VPs at Bank of America. "Have you and Zeke thought about how competitive the world of sports management is? How are you two going to recruit clients?"
"Yeah easy, our first clients will be Tris, Uriah, and Tobias" Caleb shrugs.
Tris sits back and smiles smugly. "See Caleb shares my vision"
"It's a twin thing" Caleb laughs as he and Tris fist bump.
Zeke and Uriah's Birthday was in June which always made for a great pool party just as school was letting out. Their 16th birthday party at the end of sophomore year was turning out to be the most talked about event among the older kids at Abnegation Christian Prep. Tris had been stressing about going. She was somewhat popular only because she played basketball but many of the girls could be mean because she hung around Tobias, Uriah, and Zeke thinking that she was the one influencing their dating decisions.
For this party Tris let her sister talk her into putting a little more effort into her outfit. Lauren knew how catty the girls could be and she wanted Tris to see how confident she could be in the right look. Lauren helped her pick out a new swimsuit for the party. Tris stayed toned, because of basketball but she was always more comfortable in a pair of basketball shorts and sports bra than anything.
"Stop fidgeting" Lauren complains as she adds the last pins to Tris's hair. Lauren had styled her hair in a curly bun atop her head and made sure to brush up the side with gel for a smooth look. Tris was wearing a yellow two-piece with a bikini top style top with board shorts on the bottom. It showed her flat stomach and the curve of her behind.
"You look really cute, Tris, trust me" Lauren assures her as she ties the white sarong around her waist. Tris was wearing her signature gold chain with the number 6. That had been her jersey number since she was 10. Andrew had gotten the necklace for her when she turned 13 and she wore it every single day.
"Are you sure? It doesn't look like I'm trying too hard?" Tris says, looking at herself in the mirror. It wasn't that she thought she was fat or anything, she just wasn't used to being so exposed. This was the first two-piece she had ever worn. She usually kept things simple with her school uniform with her sneaker collection being the only fashion she was most interested in.
Lauren pulls a pair of wide frame sunglasses from her bag on Tris's bed and puts on her sister.
"You look amazing, you need to Instagram this look"
"Oh trust me Susan will" Tris giggles. Susan Black and her family moved into the neighborhood a few doors down from the Priors about two years ago. She was cute with caramel skin tone, a button nose, and hair she usually kept styled in her natural curls. Susan was quiet but bubbly and funny once you got her talking. It was easy to tell her father was a politician in how Susan crafted her responses to things and thought about all of her actions before doing something. She and Tris had a casual friendship even though she and Tris didn't have much in common. Tris was cool with her teammates but spent most of her social time with Caleb, Susan, Zeke, Tobias, and Uriah.
"What am I going to do when you are off at school next year?"
"Facetime me all the time" Lauren teases before giving Tris a hug.
30 minutes later, Caleb, Susan, and Tris were walking into the Pedrad's backyard. Tris places the gifts for Uriah and Zeke on the gift tables. The music the DJ was playing was bumping, there was a slip-n-slide in one section of the backyard, and plenty of food.
"You made it" Uriah exclaims as he pulls Tris into a big hug. "Damn girl, I like this look. You gotta stop hiding that body under basketball shorts"
"Whatever, Shut up, You know I wouldn't miss your birthday" Tris smiles with an eye roll as she swats his chest.
They say high to some of the regulars from their school. Gabriel who was also on the basketball team was loud and obnoxious and usually got into it with Tobias over who was more Macho. Molly Atwood and her best friend Emily were stuck-up girls who were always vying for Tobias or Uriah's attention since they were on the basketball team.
There were several other people there including most of Tris's teammates and the varsity cheerleaders. Tris didn't hate parties, only as it got deeper in the evening and people started to pair off. She didn't get attention from guys, her five-minute relationship with Tobias when they were 11 was the only experience she had. Tris notices how Molly's bikini top is too small and barely covers her large breasts. Tris and Susan whisper that there will probably be an intentional nip slip at some point during the night based on how Molly was already throwing herself in front of Tobias.
As Tris makes her way across the backyard Tobias watches her. Damn, she looked good. It wasn't like he hadn't seen her in a bathing suit before but tonight, she looked really good. He licked his lips as he watched her bend over to pick up the napkin she dropped as she fixed herself some punch. She had definitely started to get some curves.
"T. Money " Molly whines as she notices Tobias looking across the yard at Tris. "You didn't hear a word I just said"
"Sorry, What did you say?" Tobias replies, shaking his head and turning back to Molly. Molly was annoying but she was cute. He couldn't deal with her for long but she would probably be good to make out with. Tobias had acquired the nickname T. Money after setting the NC State High school 3 point record the season before. He liked it fine enough but Molly saying it was kind of annoying. He shakes off his thoughts of Tris and goes back to the game of cornhole with Molly and a few others.
Tris has a pretty good time, she plays a few games. Some of her teammates show up and they chat and talk about the upcoming season. By the time it gets dark, the party has thinned out there to only a small group.
"So are you planning to make a move tonight?" Tris teases her brother as they sit on the end of the pool with their legs dangling in the water.
"I think so, I have it mapped out, I'm been waiting for the right time" Caleb smiles as he nudges Tris on the shoulder with his own. Tris knew Caleb and Susan liked each other, they had been casually flirting all school year. Lauren had given him some pointers earlier before the party on when would be a good time to approach Susan and Caleb had listened intently. Tris could tell he was formulating a plan in his head as she talked.
"Well, what are you waiting for? She's over there by herself" Tris nods in the direction where Susan was fixing herself something to drink. Caleb looks nervous and Tris pushes him.
"Go, Be Brave"
Caleb takes a deep breath and nods. Tris always could push him when he was being hesitant. She smiles as she sees the two of them strike up a conversation and move to sit on one of the pool loungers.
Tris fights the urge to roll her eyes when she hears shrinking at the other end of the pool where Tobias was attempting to throw Molly Atwood into the pool. Molly was always flirting with Tobias, but it wasn't just her.
"I like the look tonight Tris, it's different, a good different," Zeke says at her as he sits down next to her and hands her a red solo cup. Tris feels her face blush. She wasn't used to taking compliments that weren't related to her basketball game.
"Yeah, Lauren thought I should try something different," She admits.
"Different is good" Tris looks at him and she swears she sees him blush. She had gotten close with Zeke and Uriah. She and Tobias could end up arguing at the drop of a hat but she and Zeke could always sit in comfortable silence together. He was never awkward around her. She wondered what was up with him.
"You bring your J's so we can hoop?" Zeke asks, changing the subject. He liked Tris, she was different but he wasn't completely sure she didn't have feelings for Tobias. She was beautiful but she had no idea she was which made her all the more different. Tobias was his best friend and he complained about how stubborn Tris was since the two could go from laughing to at each other's throats in the blink of an eye. He wasn't sure if Tobias had feelings for Tris either. Zeke had been working up the courage to ask her out but he hadn't made a move yet.
"It's a pool party, why would I bring my sneakers?" Tris laughs.
She sniffs the cups and raises an eyebrow at Zeke who gives her a mischievous smile. She wasn't even going to ask what was in the cup or where it came from. Even though she knew the Pedrad's were at Tobias's house for the evening, and Hana kept a watchful eye out, Zeke and Uriah could be resourceful when they wanted to be when getting alcohol.
"Lauren made you taken them out of your bag didn't she"
Tris sticks her tongue out at Zeke before laughing and taking a sip from the cup. He was right after all. Lauren made her promise to not think about basketball for at least a few hours but Tris knew at some point Tobias was going to challenge her and they would take it to the court to get out their frustrations. But she figured if they were going to play she could go home and change since they only lived right up the street. The liquid burns going down but she takes another drink before handing the cup back to Zeke. It was enough to give her a nice buzz, she was glad no one in their group ever got sloppy wasted.
"Why do you still hoop with us, when you don't love it like we do?" Tris asks, looking at Zeke as he takes a sip from the cup.
"Because you like it," Zeke says quietly.
Tris is about to say something when Uriah's voice interrupts them. Zeke fights back a groan of frustration.
"Gather around everyone, it is time for a game of dare.
Zeke hops down into the pool and Tris follows. They wade to the middle of the pools for the game to begin. There are a few mild dares. Susan has to prank call another cheerleader. Caleb eats a pickle with hot sauce and mayonnaise. Things get intense when Gabriel calls on Tobias.
Tobias, Zeke, and Uriah never turned down dares. With every party, the dares got more intense for those three see who would chicken out. You could turn down a dare but that meant losing a piece of clothing. Since it was a pool party, no one was going to risk being exposed.
"T Money I dare you to go into the pool house closet with Tris, for 7 minutes in Heaven but instead of 7 minutes you two have to stay for 20"
"20 minutes!" Tris exclaims.
"Are you not accepting the dare?" Gabe asks with a grin.
Tobias narrows his eyes at Gabe and gets up off the side of the pool. He wasn't going to turn down the dare. He knew Gabe was trying to make Molly jealous and he was one of the idiots who thought Tris was too much of a tomboy since she didn't prance around like most of the other girls with short skirts and face full of makeup.
"Tris, you don't have to," Zeke says to her quietly.
Tris swallows, she didn't want to make a scene and she didn't want anyone to think she was scared. But of all people, it had to be Tobias. She stands up and holds her head up not looking at Tobias and marches off to the pool house as everyone makes kissing noises and catcalls. When they get in the closet, Gabe shuts the door laughing. Tobias looks a little frantic and when he turns the knob the door is stuck.
"Hey you idiots, you can't lock us in here" Tobias yells banging his hand against the door. It was dark, Tris feels a few boxes taking up space which presses her and Tobias closer together in the dark closet.
"It's only 20 minutes!" Gabe yells back.
Tris can tell Tobias is uncomfortable with being locked in. His chest was rising heavily and his breaths were shallow. They were so close, the closet wasn't that big. She could feel the heat radiating off his body. Being pressed up against Tobias, Tris could feel her mouth go dry but she tried to focus on helping him calm down.
"Hey, T. Just take a deep breath. In through your nose, out through your mouth"
Tobias nods and does as she instructs. Tris demonstrates again and Tobias follows.
"Thanks, I don't really like small spaces," Tobias says in almost a whisper.
"It's okay, we're all afraid of something" Tris didn't realize that she had placed her hands on his chest and she was running them up and down in an attempt to calm him. Tobias had gotten much taller than her over the past two years. His voice had gotten deeper. As much as Tris tried not to notice how attracted she was to him now, being pressed this close to him was making it hard. Tris plays with his gold chain around his neck, he always wore his jersey number, 4 around his neck all the time just like she did.
"Why do you have to be so macho? What would Gabe do if you didn't take the dare?" Tris says, annoyed that Tobias would put himself in the situation.
"Why do you care so much?" Tobias asks curiously, feeling himself calm listening to her voice.
"I don't, It's just not worth you doing this to yourself if you don't like small spaces"
"Maybe I wanted to do it"
"That's stupid, why would you want to do it" Tris almost stops breathing as she feels Tobias move his hands around her waist a pull her hips closer to him.
"Because maybe I wanted to kiss you" It wasn't a lie, He wanted to kiss her, wanted to feel her pressed against him.
Tris scoffs trying to push away the feeling that she wanted to be kissed by him and that she wanted him to notice her. Her heart was racing and hoping he couldn't feel it since he was so close to her.
"What if I don't want to kiss you?" Tris argues back even though she was dying for him to kiss her.
Tobias lets his hand move down to grasp her ass and Tris lets her hands grip his biceps. He could hear there wasn't any hesitation in her voice.
"Tell me if you want me to stop," Tobias says softly, placing a kiss on her neck, his fear momentarily forgotten.
Tobias moves his kisses up her neck slowly, stopping at her jaw to gently trace the area where her scar he was the cause of with his tongue. Tris feels like she might explode with anticipation until he finally moves his lips slowly over hers. This wasn't like their juvenile kiss at 11. He really kisses her. She wraps her arm around his neck and moans. Their kisses are slow and passionate as Tobias prods his tongue inside her mouth. When she does the same he groans. He was hard as a rock now and he knew Tris could feel it. Feeling bold, Tobias moves his hand between her legs, and Tris gasps as he rubs her gently. Tobias slips a finger inside Tris's swimsuit. Tris feels so hot as her core tightens but soon she feels herself grinding against Tobias's hand as she lets him cup her breast with his free hand.
Tobias keeps moving his finger while massaging her tongue with his. Soon Tris lets out a high pitch sound and gasps against his mouth as she climaxes. Her knees feel weak and she grabs his shoulders. She had never had an orgasm before but the feeling was incredible. Tobias removes his finger and fixes her bottoms back as he pulls back and they catch their breath. Tris had the ability to make him forget about what was going on. Even though they argued constantly she was still the realest girl he knew. When they weren't arguing he just wanted to grab her and kiss her until they both needed air.
"T...I think…." Tris stammers. Her heart was still racing as well as her mind. Would he have done that if he hadn't been dared? Did he want to do it again?
"Don't say anything" Tobias whispers against her lips and goes back to kissing her.
"Why not?" She pulls back offended. Was this something to hold over her head, or did he think he could go back to making out with other girls?
"Because we don't have to say anything to make out" He replies frustrated. She had to take everything as a challenge.
"And as usual, it's what YOU say isn't it" Tris challenges. Typical Tobias.
"AND as usual, YOU have to disagree," Tobias replies with his voice full of annoyance. Typical Tris.
"Oh my God you are so annoying," Tris exclaims wishing she could get away from him now but there was nowhere for her to go in the small space.
"So are you! Tobias huffs out annoyed that he was still aroused and twitching in his swim trunks.
"Shut up and kiss me," Tris says after a moment. He made her blood boil but this just felt right, his lips and hands on her. She boldly runs her fingers over the bulge in his swim trunks.
Tobias doesn't hesitate in moving his mouth back to hers. Tris instantly melts against him. He robbed her of all rational thought. She was just pissed at him, why was she kissing him again. It was like they were both flames lapping at each other as they frantically kissed each other. Tris couldn't stop herself. This was an outlet they both needed. By the time they heard the group loudly telling them time was up and opening the door, they were both flushed. It was easy to tell they had been making out the majority of the time.
"Oh my God, we have to talk about this" Susan whispers excitedly as they head back out toward the pool as Tobias dares Zeke to shave his head and his legs. Susan was the only person she ever talked about sex with and both of them being inexperienced there wasn't much to talk about.
"There's nothing to talk about," Tris replies as she sees Tobias playing with Molly's hair while everyone waits for Zeke to come back with a razor. She didn't want to be one of the string of girls Tobias had run after him. That wasn't her style.
It has been two weeks since the pool party. Tris and Tobias usually played ball in the morning during Summer Break. Since varsity basketball was getting more intense, neither of them were playing AAU ball that summer so he didn't have a reason to see her if they didn't play a pickup game. Tobias would stare at his phone wanting to text Tris, but his pride stopped him every time. Tobias looks at a video of Tris and the girls' varsity basketball team doing a dance challenge. She could be so carefree. Once again she fills his thoughts before he drifts off to sleep.
A few hours later the sound of yelling wakes him from his sleep. He groans and rolls over punching his pillow.
When Marcus Eaton retired from the NBA the year before he took a job as a scout for the Hornets. His goal was to work his way into a front-office position with the organization. He was on the road just as much as when he was playing, heading to different college games. His absence caused more friction between him and Evelyn. Tobias remembered a time when he would hear the sighs and moans and laughter coming from his parent's bedroom. Now all he heard was arguing and things being thrown. It unnerved him, most nights he couldn't sleep when they would start.
That night the yelling was getting particularly bad and Tobias crawled through his window, just wanting to drown out the noise of his parents arguing.
"What are you doing?" Tris asks as she lets up her window. It was late, after midnight for sure. She had woken up to go to the bathroom when she saw Tobias crawl through his window.
"My parents are arguing. I can't sleep"
Tobias looked worn down and jittery as he looked back at his window. No matter how much he got on her nerves, she hated seeing him like this.
"Come on" Tris whispers loud enough for him to hear and motions for Tobias to come through her window.
He looks at her for a moment, she turns around and motions again for him to come into her room. He decides to go with it and climbs through. She makes sure her door is closed and tosses him a pillow from her bed and one of the extra blankets she has on top. Tobias makes a bed on the floor and settles in. There was something about being near Tris when something other than her was upsetting him that calmed him down. He couldn't explain it.
"I'm sorry about that argument with you at the pool party while we were in the closet, You know how to push all my buttons," Tobias says quietly from the floor. He wasn't sure if she was still awake but he still said it out loud.
"I know, I'm sorry too, why do we argue every time we kiss each other?" She says with a yawn as she wraps her comforter around her.
"I don't know Tris" Tobias chuckles as he closes his eyes. It was something about the two of them together. He was too tired to think about it but even though they argued all the time he still wanted her in his life.
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