Chapter 17

FOUR -

I leave Tris to her family and I walk slowly to the back row of the parking lot. I was right, there is a little shade here now and I lean against my rear bumper to wait for Tris. I figure she may want to take a quick shower or something, at the very least she will have a few more people to talk to before she can come to me. I debate whether to get the teddy bear out of the car yet, or give it to her once she is here with me. In the end I wait. I don't know why, but before I can think much more about it, I see Tris walking toward me across the parking lot. She has to stop and wait for a line of about 10 cars to drive past her down the aisle before she can cross the last lane to me. While she stands there waiting, I can feel I have a huge smile on my face. She looked so beautiful, so confident, so in control today. I am so proud of her.

Finally the last slow car passes her and she starts across the last 20 feet toward me. I hold my arms up and spread wide for her to just keep walking right into them and enfold her in a hug. My long arms go the whole way around her slender shoulders and she wraps her arms around my sides and clasps her own wrists behind my back and leans into me. Just as we did the day before, not too far from this spot in the parking lot, I twist us side to side slowly as we hug, and I rest my cheek on top of her head.

I whisper in her hair, "I have a present for you."

She pulls back so she can look at my face, but doesn't loosen her arms around me, "You do? Just you being here today is enough of a present, you didn't have to do anything else!"

"I know, but I wanted to. So I did." I take her hand in mine and walk around to the side of the car. Now the side of the car is shielding us from view of the bleachers and the group of parents and players still gathered and talking.

Tris leans back against the passenger door and I can't help myself, I really want to kiss her. I place my right hand on the window to lean on the car, my left hand is still holding hers and she has laced her fingers between mine. Our hands are palm to palm and I press the back of her hand to my chest where my heart is beating and lean in to kiss her. I gently box her in with my body and slowly lower my head to brush her lips with mine.

After a couple of slow and lingering kisses, she opens her eyes to look at me, "Hmmmm, that was an excellent present. Thank you!"

I chuckle and move away from her about a half a foot. I am still close but not pressing her up against my car. It is daylight and we are surrounded by classmates and parents. I have not forgotten the rumors that swirled this week and the very last thing I want to do is add fuel to those fires. "No, actually, that wasn't the present. That was just me getting distracted." I hold up one finger to silently request she wait a moment and unlock the jeep to reach into the back seat for the white teddy bear. The bear is on the opposite side, behind the driver seat, so I have to lean in pretty far to reach across the bench seat for it. Once I have grabbed it I glance over my shoulder before backing out of the car and I catch Tris looking at my backside.

Knowing she was checking out my ass makes me flush, but to distract from my very likely blushing face, I make a small joke of it, "Hey, my eyes are up here you know." and wink at her.

Caught, she blushes and looks away.

I straighten and hide the little bear behind my back for a moment, "Hey, I was just teasing a little. You can check out my ass anytime you want. I promise not to mind as long as you don't mind when I do it. Deal?"

She looks back at me, her blue-grey eyes sparkling with mischief, "Deal. Now, what's behind your back?"

I pull the fluffy white bear around in front of me and hold it with both hands a moment, before reaching out to offer it to Tris, "I got you a teddy bear. Congratulations on the win. You were amazing out there today Tris. I had no idea you could play like that. You were a force of nature and I am so happy I was able to be here today and see it."

She took the teddy bear slowly and held it to her face, rubbing the soft fluffy fur against her cheek. "Thank you Tobias! This is so sweet of you. I love him, come here and kiss me again."

I stepped forward and kissed her again with a little more power than before, but stepped back again after a moment. "I would love to kiss you here in the parking lot all day, Tris, but I know your dad and brother are waiting for you. I don't want to keep you from your family, and I have to be getting home anyway. I have too much homework to wait until tomorrow to start it, but I will text you later, okay?"

A moment later, Mr. Prior and Caleb walked up the parking lot row and joined us. Mr. Prior nods to me and Caleb tries to ignore me. Tris gives me a hug and a kiss on the cheek before thanking me again for the bear and heading home with her family. I pull out my phone and text Zeke, "Hey Z, you riding home with me?"

A couple of seconds later I get his reply that he is going out for ice cream with Shauna and will talk to me later.

TRIS -

On the ride home, Caleb sits in the front seat with dad. I am holding my little white teddy bear in my lap and looking out the window as we drive home. I am tired but exhilarated too. The game today was perfect! I got to play, I played well, we won, and Tobias and my family were here to see it. I wish that my mom could have been here, and say as much out loud.

Caleb looks over his shoulder and tells me that he took some video on the phone so she could see how well I played.

"Thanks Caleb. That was really thoughtful of you."

"Well, it's not a teddy bear, but you know. I do what I can." he replies sarcastically, completely killing all the goodwill he just generated by shooting the video to send to mom.

I decide to ignore the dig at Four about the teddy bear. I don't know what is going on with the two of them, but there is definitely some tension. When we get back to the house I head to my room to shower and change into some more comfortable clothes. I also have homework and figure I should get started on it. I crawl up in bed to read my history chapters and tuck the teddy bear in the corner by my pillow.

About an hour later, Caleb knocks on the door that leads to the bathroom that connects our two rooms, "Come in." I call back.

He is carrying a laundry basket of clean clothes that he still needs to fold, and asks if he can fold them in here and keep me company for a little while. I say yes and we just chat about nothing in particular. He tells me about his roommate at boarding school and his classes, his teachers and the clubs he wants to join. He seems really happy and I tell him how nice it is to see that he has settled in so easily. We were always close growing up, and we've never been apart as long as we have been since he started his new school. "The house sometimes feels really empty since you've gone away to school, Caleb. Dad and I do alright, but I miss having you here, and mom." I say.

He is finished folding his clothes now and stacks them all neatly back into the laundry basket then he sits on the foot of my bed and looks at me, "Is that why you have taken up with that guy, Four?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what do you have in common with him? He's so much older than you. I can't believe dad is letting you go out with him."

"I don't see that it is all that much of an age difference really. Yes, he is 17, but his birthday was like a month ago. He is only one year ahead of me in school. Mr. Eaton works with dad and they got to talking one day at work. Mr. Eaton offered to have Four drive me to and from school, since we were both headed there anyway."

"So how did he go from chauffeur to boyfriend?"

"That just sort of evolved naturally. We have a couple of classes together, and his best friend's younger brother is my friend, Uriah. Uriah sits in front of me in home room and took pity on me the first day to introduce me to all of his friends. Friends which included his brother Zeke, and Zeke's two best friends Four and Shauna, whom I already knew from my Spanish class that morning. OH! I am the only sophomore in Spanish class. Everyone else is older." I attempt to change the subject to spanish class thinking it will distract Caleb from this ridiculous line of questions, but it does not work.

"So when did all this happen? You've only been in school two weeks."

I shrug and answer him, "We have only been an official couple since Thursday."

"Two days? Two days and you already let him maul you in a parking lot? Don't be so naive Beatrice. Older guys that can drive, don't date younger girls unless they are looking for something very specific if you catch my meaning."

"Don't be ridiculous Caleb. Also, that is insulting. He is a really great guy, you should give him a chance."

Caleb snorts and continues, "Well, he's already got dad eating out of the palm of his hand. He and Zeke jumped at the opportunity to make me look bad in front of dad during the game."

"I'm sure that isn't true."

"They were sucking up and said they'd help with the deck project. Dad just ate it up. He was like, 'Oh perfect, you guys are so amazing, thanks! Hey Caleb, don't bother coming home to help we won't need you anymore.'"

"Caleb, you're being ridiculous. I am sure that isn't what dad said, or the way that Four and Zeke meant their offer of help! They aren't like that. What has gotten into you?"

"I don't know. It was bad enough hearing dad go on and on about your perfect boyfriend and how much fun it was to have a 'family' game night again playing dominoes last night. Then, low and behold, the son he never had shows up today to surprise you!"

"Caleb, if I didn't know better, I'd say you are jealous. You sound so sour!"

"I'm not jealous. I just don't trust the guy. What's in it for him?"

"Gee thanks! Is it really so hard to believe that someone might want to spend time with me because they like me?" I ask. Totally incredulous that my brother feels this way.

"Well sure, but him? I mean, he's…."

I can't contain my hurt and anger anymore, "He's what? Perfect? Popular, smart, accomplished and good looking? And I'm, what exactly? Thanks a lot Caleb. I was having a pretty great day and you just come in and piss in my cornflakes! I think you should go."

"What? Piss in your...what? That is so gross, Beatrice!"

"I had no idea you thought so little of me. Get out of my room, and don't call me Beatrice anymore. It's Tris now."

Caleb stands up and takes his laundry basket to the door to the bathroom and turns as if he is going to say something else, but he is saved by my dad calling from downstairs. He wants Caleb to go with him to pick up chinese for dinner.

When he is gone I just want to curl up and sulk, but I don't. I refuse to believe what he said for even one minute. Instead, I turn on my radio and get up to dance around my room and put all my laundry in the hamper while I am at it. The music is so loud, I miss the text message notification until I collapse back on the bed needing a breather, I lie there and stare at the ceiling. There are little rainbows on the ceiling from the crystal figurines I have on my windowsill. I have been collecting them since I was a little girl and I have one for each birthday since I was six.

My phone dings again and I have to root around in the pillows to find it. The message is from Shauna: Hey, we missed you after the game. Went out for ice cream. I hope you are celebrating with your family. You did great today!

I punch out a quick reply.

Tris: Hey! Yeah, we came home and are getting chinese tonight. Today was awesome, I am so glad my family got to see, and Four too. How is your head?

Shauna: Curiouser and Curiouser…

Tris: What is?

Shauna: Four. He's never come to a game before… Neither has Zeke. My head is still attached, though I'm sure tomorrow I will wish it wasn't.

Tris: OK. See you Monday. Thanks again, and feel better.

I get up to go downstairs and my phone dings again. I turn back around thinking it is Shauna with another text, but it is a picture from Tobias. A snapshot of what must be his desk and what looks like hieroglyphics to me.

Tris: What is that? Looks like greek to me.

Tobias: Close enough…. Calculus. Not how I wish I was spending my afternoon, but I have good news. Marcus finally said OK for the Colfax trip. I can go.

Tris: OH! Yay :-D good day restored!

Tobias: What happened to your good day?

Tris: Caleb happened.

Tobias: Uh oh. Wanna fill me in?

Tris: Doesn't matter now. I gtg, Dad just got home with food. TTYL.

Tobias: OK. Have fun with your family. I'm off to dinner with my dad.

Tris: Ok, text me when you get home.

FOUR -

Dinner with my father at the Club Saturday night was a quiet affair. He doesn't put much effort into casual conversation with me if there is no one else around to hear it. Being here makes me think of Tris and remember when we were here the last time. I wonder if she is enjoying her movie night with her dad and Caleb. She has never said much about her brother Caleb. He isn't what I expected. I guess I thought he would be like a male version of Tris, and I just assumed we would get along. He seems to have taken a dislike to me. I can't imagine why. Tris likes me, so does her father. I wonder if that is the problem… they aren't missing him as much as he thinks they should? Maybe he is jealous of me. Which is of course stupid and immature. Not that it matters, I couldn't care less if her brother likes me or not. We don't have to be friends. It is enough to just spend time with her, and simplified by the fact that her dad likes me.

Truth be told, I think I enjoyed the family game night more than either Tris or her father did. This morning at the game, Mr. Prior said it reminded him of the 'old times' presumably when they were all together as a family back in Colfax. I wouldn't know, my old times weren't like that. My parents and I never spent time together as a family like that. I wonder now if my mother was trying to shelter me from Marcus, or distract him from me. Either way, it doesn't matter now. She is gone and we are alone with each other all the time now. There is nowhere to hide and we aren't much of a family.

I've allowed my mind to wander too far, and Marcus has noticed. He draws my attention back by repeating the question I didn't hear the first time, "Son, how was your morning? You went to the soccer game to see Beatrice, didn't you?"

I shake my head slightly and give him a small smile. He is keeping up appearances of a kind and loving father since we are in public at the moment. I am expected to play along when we are around people. "Yes, Sir. I apologize, my mind was wandering. I did go to the soccer game this morning. I picked up Zeke and we went together to watch Tris and Shauna play. We sat with Mr. Prior and his son Caleb."

"Ah, yes, Caleb. He is at some advanced preparatory boarding school in the City if I recall. He is something of an awkward child I gather, from what Andrew has said. What did you think of him?"

This is a little game that Marcus plays with me. He asks a question that sounds perfectly innocent, but really what he wants to know is how it all relates back to whatever is most important to him: in this case his own status. He may have just asked me what I think of Tris' brother, but really what he wants to know is whether Andrew's son is better in some way than his own son. "I didn't have very much interaction with him to be honest, but I suspect he feels threatened by me in some way, judging by his comments this morning. He seemed pretty put out that I was at the house last night and spent the evening with his father and sister. Mr. Prior has plans to add a deck to the back of their house, a DIY project. He asked me if I was handy and would I be willing to help."

"I hope you agreed to help him."

"Yes, sir. Of course I did. Zeke volunteered to help as well, and offered Uriah and their father's power tools. I don't know when he will want to do it, probably over the next couple of weekends before it gets too cold."

"Excellent work, son. You will make yourself invaluable to Andrew, and outshine even his own flesh and blood. I admit you are making inroads at every turn and I am impressed. Your strategy is working, just don't go spending so much time with this girl that you neglect your school work and other commitments."

I want so badly to clench my jaw, but I am afraid any outward sign will tip Marcus off to my anger. The idea that this is some manipulative game I am playing with Tris makes me lose my appetite.

I am saved from the rest of this conversation by a passing couple stopping to talk to my father on their way out of the restaurant. Mr. and Mrs. Granger are well known figures here at the Club and Marcus courts their favor whenever possible. They are discussing a charity gala that is being planned for New Year's Eve here at the Club. Mrs. Granger is on the event committee. Marcus is going to buy a table, which of course means I will be expected to attend. So much for celebrating New Year's Eve like a regular teenager, watching fireworks and shivering with my friends in the dark and hoping for a kiss at midnight. Instead, I will be in black-tie sitting at a table with my father and his clients or friends who will be impressed by the ticketed event and ignore me completely. The prospect of the event changes abruptly though, when the couple walk away and Marcus suggests I invite Beatrice to the gala.

I am momentarily distracted by the idea of Tris in a formal dress dancing with me. I snap back to reality with a small mental shake to my head, "Yes, sir. That would be a lot of fun, thank you."

Marcus didn't notice, he is talking about inviting Mr. and Mrs. Prior to sit at his table. I can't help but wonder why he is so intent on including them all in our life. I mean, I am happy about Tris, no complaints there, she is wonderful and I am lucky that she is even interested in me, but I know my father. He is up to something. I want to know what, but I don't dare to ask.

A few hours later, my dress clothes are hung up in the closet and my brain is half mush from the rest of my calculus homework. I pull my phone out to text Tris and glance at the clock: 10:30 p.m.

Four: How was your dinner and movie night with your dad and Caleb?

I drop the phone on the bed and head downstairs to get a glass of water and say goodnight to my father. When I get back to my room, there are several messages back from her.

Tris: It was OK. Caleb is trying to get back in my good graces.

Tris: He convinced dad to pick two movies that I like.

Tris: He always does this when he knows I am mad.

Tris: I just don't want to think about him anymore tonight. How was dinner with your dad?

Four: Sorry, I was downstairs, didn't mean to keep you waiting!

Tris: I wasn't waiting. I just kept messaging you until you came back. Good thing you returned when you did or you'd have had chapters to read!

Four: ha ha ha. What did Caleb do?

Tris: Nothing.

Four: Clearly it was 'something' or you wouldn't be mad.

Tris: Really, it's nothing. Not worth repeating, because it was so ridiculous.

Four: Was this his first trip home since he left for boarding school?

Tris: No, his second, but he will be back a few more times to help with the deck. I hear my dad roped you and the guys into helping.

Four: We offered to help.

Tris: You don't have to if you don't want to.

Four: I want to. It will be fun. I get to hang out with you, and build something at the same time.

Tris: Ok. Just remember you CAN tell my dad NO sometime if you want to.

Four: I will remember that.

Tris: What are you doing tomorrow?

Four: We have church. Then the rest of my homework, I guess. What about you?

Tris: Caleb and I will make brunch. We will call mom before her shift, and then Caleb will head back to school. Dad and I are supposed to clear the backyard in the afternoon to make room for the company to come in and set the new piling footers for the deck.

Four: Are you looking forward to it? I can't tell from text.

Tris: Yes, I am. The deck is a surprise for my mom. She has no idea, and it is going to be a homecoming gift for her when she finishes her semester and moves here full time. So we have to be top secret about it, and find a way to keep her from visiting in the next three weeks or so.

Four: If the pilings and footers are going in this week, it shouldn't take that long to build. Does your dad have plans?

Tris: Yes, but he and Caleb have no idea what they're doing so I am sure it will take twice as long as a Pro would take.

Four: Lucky for your dad, Uriah and Zeke's dad is super handy. They have helped him build all sorts of things. Get a copy of the plans and bring them with you on Monday. We can put together a plan of attack and I bet we get it done in two weekends.

Tris: You think so? That would be amazing!

Four: I have a hitch on the jeep and we can rent a trailer to haul materials. Tell your dad he doesn't have to pay extra for delivery.

Tris: My boyfriend is the sweetest.

Four: I'm just trying to be helpful...and earn some brownie points with my girlfriend.

Tris: You're making me blush.

Four: Sorry.

Tris: Don't be sorry. I like it, just not used to it.

Four: I know, but I could get used to it.

Tris: My teddy bear is in bed with me, I was just about to crash.

Four: Ok, I don't want to keep you up if you're tired. Sweet Dreams, Tris.

Tris: Good night, Tobias. I will see you on Monday.