Hello lovely readers. Thank you all for being so patient!

Chapter 22

Friday

TRIS POV

The week has been strange, so busy and full of school assignments, soccer practices, and newspaper meetings. All the days have just blurred together. I have barely had any time alone with Tobias this week and it surprises me how much I miss being with him. It seems as if the only time we spend together alone is in the car to and from school. We didn't even get to go to the park yesterday afternoon.

I am beginning to wonder if he is losing interest in me. It's Friday now, the day of the football game and the party. Tobias still isn't going, but I did manage to get a confirmed ride to and from the party with Will and Christina. They'll be here to pick me up at 7:00. It is only 4:30 now. I have plenty of time to get ready, and I really wish that Tobias would stay and hang out with me. I turn to look at his face and am just about to invite him inside, when he turns to me and gives a tight smile before saying, "Have a good time at the party tonight." Then he hesitates, as if trying to decide if he wants to say whatever comes next. "Would you text me when you get home tonight, please?"

I admit the simple request goes a long way to making me feel better. If he didn't still like me, he wouldn't want me to text him, right? I don't want him to know how insecure I am feeling though, so I smile and make a joke out of it. "Text you when I get home? You sound like my mom, not my boyfriend."

Tobias cringes a little but persists. "Tris. Please? I'll worry until I know you're home."

"Now you really sound like my mom."

His face softens and there is a look in his eyes I can't quite place. He almost looks sad, but it only lasts a heartbeat, then his face is back to normal and I wonder if I actually saw what I think I saw. He reaches out and covers my hand with his. "Please let me know when you get home."

"Of course I will. Dad wants me home by midnight, so it won't be too late."

"I'll be up. Have fun tonight Tris. I am sorry I won't be there with you."

"I am too, but maybe you want to come in for a while now? We have barely hung out all week."

"I wish that I could Tris, but I have some things I need to do at the house before my dad gets home from work."

"Oh. Okay, I understand. I'll see you in the morning?"

"Yes, I'll be here. We are starting early so we can be sure to finish the deck tomorrow. I will probably be here before you have to leave for your game."

"Okay, I'll see you in the morning then." I lean over and give him a long kiss.

He stops me before I can turn to open the door, pulls me back and kisses me again, holding my face gently with both hands and then just rests his forehead against mine for a minute before whispering, "I really missed you this week."

Really?! He missed me too? I don't know what to do with my hands and my whole body is warm and tingly. I have to just sit there for a second and breathe so I am sure I won't zigzag walking to the house. He probably has no idea how his kisses make every coherent thought fly out of my head. I am sure I am blushing and I reach up to touch my cheek, take a deep breath and reach for the door handle. I grab my bags from the backseat, say goodbye again and head for the house.

I have plenty of time to get ready for the game and the party. I will be missing out on pizza and a movie with my dad tonight, but he agreed that spending time with my friends was important. I suspect my mother has been scolding him about monopolizing my Friday nights, but he hasn't said anything.

I make my way upstairs to change out of my school clothes, put my backpack on the floor next to my desk and switch on my desk lamp. Now, since our phone call last weekend, I think of Tobias every time I look at it and I run my fingers across the green glass shade on the lamp. I sit down and pull my assignment book out of my backpack to double check the homework list for the weekend. I have a lot of reading assignments for History and English to do this weekend, and I should start on the essay that is due next week. If I get started on it tonight, I can spend tomorrow afternoon with Tobias. Maybe once the deck is finished I can convince him to take me back to the park for another walk in the woods. I have missed him this week. He has been distant ever since I mentioned I got invited to this party and I want to change that.

An hour and a half later, I am finished with my history homework for the weekend and it is time to get ready for the game. Christina has already texted me twice asking what I am wearing. People say you can't read emotion from a text message, but I feel pretty confident she is deeply offended that I plan to wear jeans, converse and a sweater tonight. I mean… it's a football game. What am I supposed to wear? In the end, I decide not to worry about what Christina thinks and am waiting in the living room at 6:45 p.m. watching for Will's truck to pull up.

My dad has been roaming the house since I came downstairs. I watch him walk back into the living room from the kitchen for the second time in ten minutes. "Dad, you should have made some plans for tonight too. I feel badly that you will be here alone."

"Don't feel bad, Tris. I am going to call your mother in a little while. We haven't had a chance to really catch up this week and that will be nice."

"Okay. Tell her I love her. Do you think she suspects anything about the deck?"

"No. I don't think she suspects a thing, but I am glad we should finish it tomorrow. I have been worried I would have to come up with an excuse for her to NOT come visit if she brought it up. Thankfully, she has been very busy the last couple of weeks and working night shifts at the hospital. She has barely had time to talk to me, let alone take a two hour train ride."

"She is going to love it, Dad."

"I hope so. If we have materials and time leftover, Four offered to build planters and flower boxes. He really is a very nice young man. I am glad you two are spending time together."

"Yeah, I am too. I wish we had a little more time to spend together."

"Oh?"

"It's nothing. We have just both been busy this week and didn't get our afternoon together yesterday. After going to the park the other week, we had agreed to make a tradition of it, that's all."

"I am sure you will get to spend time together in the future. Be patient, Tris. You both have a lot of commitments to honor with school and your chosen after school activities."

"You're right. I am sure I am just looking for shadows where there are none."

Just then, Will's truck pulls up to the front curb and there is a short but distinct 'Beep-beep' of the horn.

My dad looks out the window, frowns, then turns to me, "I really wish you were going with Four. He has the decency to come to the door for you."

"Dad, Will is not here to pick me up for a date. He doesn't have to come to the door. In fact, his girlfriend Christina is in the truck with him, so I better go. I will be home by midnight and if anything comes up I will call you."

"Have a good time and be careful. I love you, Tris."

"I love you too, Dad. Thanks."

FOUR POV -

7:00 p.m.

I really hate that Tris is going to a party at a strange house by herself tonight. I just can't stand the idea of someone messing with her. Peter has always been a jerk and will take any chance he gets to stir up trouble. He is basically the only person trying to perpetuate the 'slut' label. The one thing that makes me feel better about her going to the party alone is knowing that Zeke and Uriah are going to be there and I know if things get out of hand with Peter they will jump at the opportunity to knock him down a peg or two. He's had it coming for years.

Marcus has a dinner meeting or a date in the city tonight. I don't expect him home for hours. All my friends are at the football game tonight and then going to this party. I am confined to the house, per Marcus' rules. I am not even allowed to go run the lake loop, and he would know if I left the house. I wouldn't put it past him to have installed nanny cams in the house and not told me. It isn't worth it. I am already stuck in the house because I broke a rule. I won't be breaking another one anytime soon if I can help it. For the first time in a long time, there is something important to me that Marcus could take away, if he knew it. That is dangerous ground for me and I don't want to give him any opportunity to flex that particular new muscle to torment and manipulate me. No, I will stay home tonight, get my homework done for the weekend and order delivery from that curry place that Marcus doesn't like. The one perk of being home alone, you order the food no one else likes and enjoy it in peace and quiet.

Tomorrow, my week of grounding will be over and I will be free to resume my social life, starting with helping finish the Priors' deck first thing tomorrow morning.

8:00 p.m.

I wonder how the game is going? We are playing High Valley this week and they're usually pretty good. I should have asked Josh Pitman how he thought the game would go when I saw him at the Paper this afternoon. His projections and recaps last football season were actually pretty decent. I didn't think of it though, and now it is too late. I can turn on the AM radio station that broadcasts it, but I don't actually care about the game. I want to know what Tris is doing, and if she is having a good time (without me). I do hope she is having fun, I am not a monster. I just wish I could be there with her.

No Friday night date for me. Nope, tonight I will be cuddled up with a physics textbook studying for our first test next week.

10:30 p.m.

They should be at the party by now. I wonder who all is there. Maybe Peter didn't go. Maybe he wasn't invited. I pull my phone out to check for the 100th time if any of my friends have sent me a message. This time, there is a text message from Tris. I smile when I see her name on the screen and wait for the photo to load. It's a very close up snapshot of her face and she is all puckered up like she is giving the phone a smooch. A couple of seconds later a second message arrives with the text that accompanies the photo, 'I wish you were here. XOXO'

11:30 p.m.

Marcus still isn't home. I haven't heard anything else from Tris since she sent the kissy face an hour ago. I debated on what to reply, and finally decided just to text her back a simple 'I do too, but I hope you're having fun.'

Then I put my phone on the charger, silent, face down, so that I had a fighting chance of ignoring it for more than five minutes at a stretch. I did manage to get some studying done for my test next week, but I have put my books away and am about to hop in the shower. I check my phone before I start the water and idly wonder what my friends are getting up to without me. I can close my eyes and imagine what it looks like: a basement room with a pool table, lots of red plastic cups on every horizontal surface, bowls of snacks here and there, loud music with furniture pushed back in at least one room so there is a place to dance. I'll get the scoop from Zeke and Uriah in the morning, but I wish I could get a message from Tris. Even if it is just to tell me that she is having a great time, that would make me feel better. Not knowing is starting to make my stomach hurt.

After my shower, I walk downstairs for a glass of water and double check that the doors are locked and the lights off except for the porch and hall light, then head back upstairs.

12:30 a.m.

Once I am in my room again, I turn off the lights and get into bed. Tris should be home by now. She promised to let me know when she got home. I can't resist anymore and I reach for my phone. As soon as I touch it, the screen lights up with a message. I am so eager as I flip it over, and I can't fully explain the sense of relief I feel when I see it is from Tris. I quickly read the message, 'Tobias, are you still awake?'

My gut clenches…. Is something wrong? Is she okay? Did she make it home okay? Did something happen?

TRIS POV -

7:00 p.m.

Will and Christina picked me up for the Game so that I didn't have to be dropped off by my dad. I wouldn't have minded him dropping me, but Chris wouldn't hear it. She said it was tacky and Will didn't mind swinging by my house on the way from picking her up. I appreciate the ride, of course I do, but I can't help feeling like the third wheel with the three of us on the bench seat of Will's pickup. Chris doesn't care, she is in the middle, cuddled up to Will and seems to not care that I am stuck in the cab with the two of them. She might have forgotten I am here, for all that she has said to me since I got in. Will, bless him, is trying to get her to keep her hands to herself since they aren't alone in the cab. I am beginning to think that maybe I should have let Dad drive me, but we are turning into the parking lot and the awkward ride is almost over.

8:00 p.m.

The football game is dragging. The conversations around me are dragging. I am not sorry that I came, I just wish that Tobias was here too. He knows some of the players and I am sure he could make the game more interesting by telling stories about the guys down there on the field. The score is tied at halftime and I am tired of just standing around. Back in Colfax we watched the games from the bleachers, our booties freezing on the cold aluminum. Here, you stand by the fence and just talk to people. No one is even watching the game. I don't get it. Why do people even come if they're not going to pay attention to the game?

10:00 p.m.

The second half of the game was just as uneventful as the first. We did score a touchdown in the third quarter and eventually win. After we had the lead, the crowd began to disperse and we left for the party.

When we arrive at the party house, Christina and Will disappear almost immediately, and I follow Shauna from the kitchen to the bedroom as we explore the house. We dump our coats on the pile with all the others and I pull my phone out to see if Tobias has messaged me. Shauna sees me and nudges my shoulder softly, "Why don't you message him instead of waiting for him to send one to you?"

I look up, a little embarrassed that she caught me and knew exactly what I was doing. "I would, I just don't want to seem needy, or whatever."

"That is nonsense. You haven't heard from him all night, have you? Why don't you make sure he is missing you too?"

She winks as she says it and I have an idea. I look around the house for something nice to have in the background of a selfie, then I pucker up and take a couple pics. Shauna helps me decide which one is the best and I click send, then quickly type out, 'Wish you were here, XOXO.'

Shauna sees the message before I click send the second time, nods her head in approval and says, "Good. Now, that is done. Put the phone away and let's go dance."

We make our way to the basement where the music is loudest and find Will and Christina dancing on a makeshift dance floor with half the school. Zeke is there too, but Uriah is off in the corner looking for songs to add to the music playlist. Shauna and I elbow our way into the melee and begin to dance to the music.

After two or three fast songs, Uriah plays a slow song. Zeke and Shauna are with me on the dance floor… as soon as he puts his hands on her waist his expression changes and Shauna stops moving entirely. I can see it if they can't. Sparks are flying and I am suddenly the third wheel again. This time though, I am not trapped in the car.

I am about to make my way off the dance floor, wanting to give the inevitable couple some space when I feel a hand touch my arm and I turn around to see Al standing there. Dancing. I suppose what he was doing could be called dancing. The guy is large and awkward. He is standing in one place, but bouncing a little as he sort of sways with the song. There is a big group of us and it is just dancing, so why not? I dance with Al and Shauna dances with Zeke for the next twenty minutes or so.

Al POV -

I have watched Tris move from room to room since she got to the party. I can't help it, I always watch her. I have never met a girl like her before and if I am being honest, I am desperately jealous of Four for being the one she wants to be with. All I can do is watch her and wait for him to make a mistake.

Tonight though, I don't want to seem like a creeper so I keep my distance the first part of the night. Once Will and Christina disappear to another room, Tris and Shauna make their way to the make-shift dance floor with Zeke while Uriah is off in the corner doing who knows what. This is my chance to get close to Tris. I can go on the dance floor and get close to her. A fast song is playing and everyone is just jumping and dancing, no one is really paired off into couples.

Then the music changes to a slow song and Tris turns to leave the dance floor, muttering something about drinks, but I reach out and grab her hand. "Tris, stay. Dance one more with me will you? Four won't mind." And just like that, I am dancing with Tris, at a party, in front of everyone, because her boyfriend couldn't be bothered to come with her.

I swear I would never let her go to a party alone if she were mine. I would treat her better than this. She deserves better than this. She should be with me. Four doesn't appreciate what he has. He doesn't deserve her. She should be with me.

She looks a little uncomfortable, but agrees to dance with me. "Well, um, okay."

This may have been a bad idea. She is tense and standing as far away from me as she can with my hands on her hips. Her hands are both on my shoulders as we sway side to side. I suddenly feel like we are back at a middle school dance and look around at the other few couples still dancing. When I look back down at Tris, she has her head turned, looking across the room at Uriah, who has a confused look on his face. She shakes her head slightly and he goes back to looking at music. Clearly that look was some version of 'Do you need me to rescue you?' and she said, 'No.'

Great. I trapped her into dancing with me. She is just being polite.

The song ends and we go to the kitchen for drinks and stilted conversation.

"Um, Al, tell me about your family? I think you said you have a sister?"

I clear my throat and wipe my free hand on my pants. "Yeah, an older sister. She's away for college and my little brother is in the 4th grade."

"Oh, I didn't realize you had a younger brother too."

"Yeah. I don't talk about him much."

"Um… okay. So you've always lived in Chicago?"

"Yes. My parents both grew up here."

"Great. Yeah, that is great. Um, so..."

"Tris. You don't have to pretend you are interested. I know you aren't. I could tell the second that slow song started that you were wishing I was someone else, or somewhere else. It's okay."

"Al, No. I'm sorry. It's not like that. I am interested. I do want to know more about you. I just don't want to give you the wrong impression."

"I know you're with Four."

"I am, yes. And it is still new, and this is my first party having a boyfriend, and he isn't here. So it is a little hard to know how to act. Plus the thing the other week with Christina. It's just hard to really relax."

"I get it."

TRIS POV -

11:30 pm

My phone buzzes in my pocket: the alarm that I set so I wouldn't lose track of time. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I am relieved to have the conversation interrupted. I pull it out and double check the time, then look around for Will and Christina but they are nowhere to be seen. Perfect. I bet they went off somewhere to make out and forgot they are my ride home. Al is holding my soda for me, since I needed my hand to check my phone. He watches me look around, and just simply asks, "Tris, do you need to go home soon?"

"Yeah, I do. My dad wants me home by midnight and Will was supposed to be my ride. They picked me up before the football game."

"Don't worry. I can help you look for them, or I can take you home myself."

"Thanks Al. That is really nice of you. I hate to make you leave the party though."

"Nah, it's okay. I need to head home anyway. Where do you live?"

"I'm in the Sherwood neighborhood about twenty minutes from school."

"You might want to text your dad then, we are about 45 minutes away from there and even if we left right now you won't be home by midnight."

"Really? I didn't realize we were that far from school."

"We aren't, just in the wrong direction. Go ahead and let your dad know we are leaving now and that you'll be fifteen minutes late. I bet you don't get in trouble. That is what I do with my parents. As long as they feel like they're in the loop, they let me do almost whatever I want."

"That is a good idea, Al. Thanks!"

I type a quick message to my dad and click send. - 'Dad, I am headed home now. My friend Al is driving me and he says we are about 45 minutes away.'

A couple of minutes pass and then I get the reply. - 'Thanks for the update Sweetie. You guys drive safe.'

I look up at Al, smiling, "You are a genius!"

"Nah, my sister is the one that clued me in on how to keep parents happy." He shrugs and looks around the room one more time, then back at me. "You ready to go?"

"Yep. My jacket is in the room upstairs. I'll just text Will and Chris so when they come up for air they'll know I got a ride with you."

I scan the room and catch Shauna's eye. When she sees me, I point toward Al, and pantomime driving a car with an enormous steering wheel, point to myself and mouth the word 'home.' She nods, and I turn to Al, ready to go. I know that Shauna will tell Zeke and Uriah that I left with Al.

Al drives a four door sedan of some sort. It is impossible to tell the color or the brand in the dark. True to his word, the ride home takes us almost 45 minutes. He has to go through the guest lane at the entrance, but the guard calls the house and dad is waiting on the front porch when we pull up to the house.

Al sees him on the porch and asks me nervously, "Are you in trouble after all? We are here when we said we would be."

I look up at my dad again. "No, I don't think so. He doesn't look mad. Maybe he is bored and wants to hear how my night was, and doesn't realize that he looks scary waiting on the porch. Thanks again for the ride Al. I will see you on Monday. Have a nice weekend."

"You too Tris."

I turn to get out of the car and the door won't budge. I jiggle the handle, and try the lock by the window.

Al looks confused then flustered, "Oh sorry! I forgot the child lock was on." He fumbles with a switch on his door, then I can hear a small click.

"I er, there, try that again. Does it work now? Good. Okay, have a good weekend Tris."

I hop out of the car, and wave again through the window before jogging up the walk.

My dad is still standing on the porch with his hands in his jeans pockets, wearing an ancient university sweatshirt.

I walk up the steps to my father. "Hi Dad. I am so sorry I'm late! I didn't realize how far away the house was."

He just stands there with his hands in his jeans, feet bare except for socks. He listens to my apology and nods his head a few times before saying, "Next time you go out, I expect you to take the travel time into account so you aren't late again. I was very fair with your curfew and you were late the first time you went out."

"I really am sorry Dad. I set an alarm on my phone to remind me when I needed to go, but then I couldn't find Will and Chris and Al was nice enough to offer to drop me off. It took longer than I thought it would, but you are right. I should have known how far away I was and planned better."

"Next time I'm sure you will, or there won't be a third. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Lets go inside, you must be cold."

12:30 a.m.

Home safe, in pajamas and ready for bed. I turn off my desk lamp and get into bed to text Tobias, as promised.

'Tobias, are you still awake?'

It is late and I don't expect him to have waited up to hear from me. I am surprised when just moments go by before my phone lights up with his reply, 'Yes. Are you home? Is everything okay?'

Oh no, he really was worried about me. I quickly type back: 'Yes, and yes. I just wanted you to know I am home.'

'Thank you. I was starting to worry, and trying not to.'

'No need. I'm home safe and sound now.'

'Will drove you home?'

Hmmm, how do I answer that? Do I just ignore it and let him think that the night went as planned? With my luck Al will say something to him and Tobias will know that I lied about who drove me home. No, I should just tell him the truth like it isn't a big deal, because it isn't a big deal. Al is a friend of mine, just like Will is. Tobias didn't have a problem with Will driving me to the party, but Christina was with us and they're happily coupled up. Al, on the other hand, definitely likes me. After tonight there is no doubt in my mind. I should definitely tell him the truth, but now it has taken me so long to respond, he is going to think I had to think about my answer. Crap.

'No, I couldn't find him and Chris when I needed to leave so Al drove me home.'

'Al?'

'Yes. Nothing happened.' Shoot, now I sound guilty, and I didn't do anything wrong!

'I know that, Tris. I wasn't worried anything would happen. I trust you, I just wish I could have been there with you tonight.'

'I wish you'd been there too. I didn't really know how to act without you there.'

'What do you mean?'

'Well, it was my first party with a boyfriend, but my boyfriend wasn't there, so it was just a little weird. It's okay. Shauna hung out with me most of the night. We danced and I had a good time. How was your night?' Best not to mention that I danced with Al too.

'My night was okay. I studied mostly.'

Ok, back on steady ground. I don't know why I feel so bad about dancing with Al. I mean, there were a ton of us there on the dance floor. I didn't do anything wrong. 'You studied by yourself on a Friday Night. That is a little sad.'

'I ordered dinner from the Curry place no one likes but me. Does that make it happier?'

'I suppose that redeems it a little. Why doesn't anyone like that place?'

'I don't know. I guess they don't like Indian food. Lots of spices, some of the food smells weird…'

'Yeah, I guess that is a reason.'

'You should get some sleep, Tris. Soccer game in a few hours.'

'Yes. You'll be here tomorrow to help finish the deck, right?'

'Wouldn't miss it.'

'Good. I feel like I have barely seen you this week.'

'I know, I'm sorry about that. If we finish early enough tomorrow, maybe we can go somewhere just the two of us.'

'I'd like that. Good night Tobias.'

'Sweet Dreams Tris.'