CHAPTER 4 - TOBIAS

According to my alarm clock, I woke back up at two in the afternoon.

I skipped lunch. I never skip lunch. Or breakfast.

I slowly claw my way to a sandwich in the fridge. I practically inhale it.

Everything is quiet. Too quiet. My mother should be sitting on the couch in front of the television, knitting scarves for the neighborhood kids. My father should be in the office down the hall or in the in the city.

But instead, my mother is in the hospital half dead and my father is probably mourning over her limp body. I don't want to go visit her now.

Just as I am half way up the stairs, the doorbell rings. I groan.

"Hey," Zeke says as he walks past me and into the living room.

"Hi." I sit down on the couch.

Zeke dumps his backpack on the floor and sits next to me.

"Beatrice told me what happened last night. I'm so sorry man."

For once, Zeke is actually saying something sincere. All it takes is for my mother to have a dying situation. I just shrug.

"She'll be fine. I know that for sure. It's just that last night was so much for me to take."

Zeke nods. "You gone to see her yet?"

"No. I just woke up actually. I don't want to anyways. Not yet at least." Zeke claps me on the back and stands up.

"It'll be fine. If anything happens, just tell me. I'm there for you man. So is Beatrice." He hesitates like he wants to ask something but decides to keep it back. Then he decides he doesn't care and asks it anyway.

"Do you… like Beatrice?" I shift my eyes to his and glare.

"No. I don't really like anyone right now anyway. Why do you ask?"

Zeke shrugs and picks up his backpack off the ground.

"No reason. I just overheard Christina asking Beatrice if she was going to the Fall Formal and she said someone did ask her. And when Christina asked who, she said that you did. So… do you like her?"

I shake my head. "We're only going as friends. We're best friends Zeke. Dating her would be just weird. It would be like me dating you."

Zeke laughs. "Dude! That's so gay!" He walks to the door without another word. I hear him swear when his ancient baby blue Chevy doesn't start. Then a bang. And then he pulls out of the driveway.

The door opens again. Tris walks in. I smile at her and she smiles back. She dumps her bag in the same corner as Zeke. The Backpack Corner.

"Hey. How was school today?" She groans and plops down beside me on the couch. I shove a pillow into her arms and she punches it rather hard.

"I hated it. Mr. A-Hole Johns gave me an unfair grade because I told the truth about an ancient society no one cares about!" She huffs out a breath and releases the pillow. "How was your day just sleeping?"

I shrug. "Nothing much. Marcus still hasn't called about Evelyn's condition. And I'm just sitting here doing nothing. Not that I care."

I crave the feeling of her fingers laced with mine. But I don't initiate it. I don't want her to feel like I'm pushing her into a relationship.

Do you like Beatrice?

Zeke's words ring through my head.

I do. I like Beatrice. No, I love her. Too much.

I love the way her eyebrows scrunch up when she is frustrated or thinking too hard. She's smart and a member of National Honor Society. She has beautiful eyes. She's not like the other girls I used to stare at; all bend and curve and softness. No, she's perfect just as she is. I just wish she would believe that herself.

"What are you staring me so much for? I don't have food on my face do I? Oh God that would be embarrassing!" Tris rubs her chin with her thumb in attempt to wipe off any remains of her lunch. I smile.

"You're face is fine. No food. I swear. It's perfect." I immediately feel my face get hot. I just called her face perfect. Oh God, what did I do?

Tris drops her hand and I swear, her cheeks flush a little. I smile and lean forward a little closer so that I am sitting closer to her. I lean closer… closer… I can't do this…

Tris turns her head around and sees me getting closer. Her hand squeezes my arm and she leans closer, too. My forehead is barely inches from her's.

"I like you Tris," I whisper.