CHAPTER 14 - TRIS

We decided to keep it a secret. Tobias and I are together.

I wake up the morning after Evelyn's funeral and grab the first thing out of my small closet: a bright sundress and sweater. Today, I really don't care.

I hum a tune as I take a shower and dry my hair, leaving it loose to cascade over my shoulders. I even rub some of my favorite lemon scented lotion onto my arms. Perfect.

I sit at lunch with Christina and everyone else, picking at my sandwich. Everyone is engulfed in conversations about the upcoming Fall Formal. Christina is writing down ideas for her dress she will buy on a piece of paper in front of me. The ideas are too much for me.

Tobias still hasn't come to lunch because he is making up a test for a class he missed when he disappeared. I am just about to bite into my sandwich when I feel someone poke me.

"I hate that English class. Mr. Rosen is too strict and doesn't let us have more liberty on what to write on our tests," Tobias says, dumping his bag on the ground and sits down on the seat open on my right. Under the table so no one can see, our fingers twist together.

Everyone in our group goes silent. They stare at Tobias, who looks at the table.

I roll my eyes at them.

"Tobias came back last night for Evelyn's funeral guys. I told you all that waiting for him to show up would work quicker." I take a bite out of my sandwich.

Zeke and Uriah exchange a look. Christina drops her pencil and it rolls under the table. Nobody moves. But Al does. He comes right up to Tobias with the most frightening expression I have ever seen him conjure jabs his finger into Tobias' chest, hard.

"Don't you ever leave us like that. Ever. Do you know what you did to Beatrice?" Al growls in a low voice. Tobias just stares at the finger digging into his shirt. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Christina slide under the table to look for her pencil. I hear a gasp. The table shakes when Christina's head hits the underside of the table. Al pulls away from Tobias.

"I knew it!" we hear her shriek from under the table. I feel my face go blank.

Tobias and I immediately let go of each other's hand and I shove my hand in my pocket. Oh God. Christina resurfaces from under the table with her pencil and a crazy smile.

"You two are dating! I saw you holding hands!"

Everyone's eyes practically bulge out of their skulls. Uriah's cake drops from his fork.

Al gives me a dangerous look. But his eyes look almost… jealous. Or sad?

I reach for Tobias' hand under and am surprised to find it waiting for mine.

"Yeah," I mutter. "Tobias and I are together now."

*PLEASE EXCUSE ANY ERRORS AND THE FACT THAT THIS CHAPTER IS SO SHORT AND LACKING ANY DETAIL. I AM CURRENTLY TRYING TO SWAT AWAY TWO VERY ANNOYING FLIES IN MY BEDROOM AS I WRITE NEW CHAPTERS AND IT IS VERY HARD TO SWAT AND WRITE. - the author*