CHAPTER 8 - TRIS

I hear a loud slam from Tobias' house and see him walk into his backyard. He grabs a branch of a large oak tree and pulls himself up, branch by branch, until he ducks under a canopy of leaves and disappears.

The tree house. I almost forgot.

0

I duck my head under the canopy of leaves and pull myself into the tree house. It isn't very big; only a few feet tall and a few feet in diameter. Tobias' parents built it for him and Zeke when they were a lot younger and had an obsession with rockets and pirates.

Tobias is curled in the corner in the most vulnerable state I have ever seen him in. His face is red and streaked with tears and arms wound tightly around his knees. He doesn't make any sign that he sees me enter the room. Or box. Whichever.

"I'm so sorry Tobias."

He leans his head against the wooden wall and closes his eyes, taking deep breaths of air. I scoot over and rest my head on his shoulder. His hand reaches for mine and our fingers twist together. I feel a tear slip down my cheek.

Evelyn is gone.

There is nothing for me to say because I can't think of anything. It is pathetic. My best friend's mother dies and I can't think of anything to say? I think the best thing for me to do right now is to just be here with Tobias. Mourning and comforting in silence.

Tobias is the first to break the silence.

"I'm leaving. And I want you to come with me."

I shrug. "We can go to Pizza Factory-"

"No Tris. I'm leaving. For good. I can't stay here."

My eyebrows pop up three inches.

"Excuse me? You're leaving? Where?"

It's his turn to shrug.

"Away. As far as I can get from here. From Marcus. From my life."

I pull my hand away from his and glare at him.

"You want to give up your senior year and run away? Tobias, you can't do that! It's crazy. Absolutely ridiculous!" But the expression he gives me makes me feel cold.

"I don't have anything here Beatrice. I don't have any family left. I will have by Marcus' rules and expectations. I have to leave, maybe go West." I shake my head.

"You have me and Zeke and everyone else. I am your family Four. Hey, look at me."

I grab his chin in my hand and force him to face me. His eyes are dark in the fading sunlight, almost black. They are filled with sorrow and fear, something I have never seen in him. I lean closer to him. "You will hurt me beyond help by leaving."

"Tris, I am leaving." He pulls away and begins to stand up.

And I am letting him get up?

I grab his wrist. He spins around to face me. His eyes look hopeful.

"What about Fall Formal. Aren't you supposed to take me? We're going together, right?" I want him to at least stay for the dance. It would break my heart and soul if he left me now. He promised to take me. Tobias shakes my grip off and I immediately recoil from him.

"I'm sorry Tris. I can't."

Now it is my turn to cry. A few tears streak down my face as he pulls himself out of the tree house. Tobias starts climbing down. And I let him. I let him break me into a million pieces.

"You promised…" I whisper as his brown hair disappears into the leaves.