I could tell that he was nervous. He kept running his hands through his hair, making it stand on end. He really needed a haircut.
The wind cut like a knife through the jacket I was wearing. I wondered, not for the first time, what we were going to do. It was the middle of October, and it was getting really cold, really fast.
"It's a surprise," he had said when I asked.
I had spent the entire week wondering what kind of thing he had planned. Besides, we had been going out for a few months now, so he knew me.
"Um, the train should be here any second," he said glancing my way.
I smiled, bouncing on the balls of my feet. I was getting pretty good at this jumping-onto-moving-trains business.
Excitement started to bubble up underneath the nervousness in my stomach. This was what I liked; adrenalin running through my veins. And he knew it.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw him smile at me. The train horn sounded, and the light appeared out of the tunnel. My heart jumped.
I probably looked pretty funny at that moment, because he burst out laughing.
Pressing a kiss to my cheek he whispered "Let's go," and started jogging up to the tracks.
I followed, and the train raced up beside me. I could feel the rush of air as it passed.
He glided onto the train like it was as easy as walking and reached out to help me. I grabbed his hand and he pulled me in beside him. I stumbled, falling against his chest. He didn't let go, but instead put his arms around me and held me. My heart started it climb into my throat. He never did that kind of thing.
Be brave, Tris. His words echoed through my mind. I tried to stop my legs from shaking. I slipped my arms around his waist and breathed in the smell of his jacket. He smelled like aftershave and fresh air. I could feel my insides melting. He rubbed circles on the small of my back that paralyzed me.
I felt him shift and warmth bloomed on my neck where his lips were pressed to my skin. His touch was feather-light but hesitant. When I didn't pull away, he pressed kisses all the way to my cheek; a trial of fire making a path on my skin. My breath came in little gasps. I was sure he could feel my racing pulse. My cheeks were burning.
I opened my eyes and saw him smiling at me. That made me blush even more. He laughed silently; his arms shaking as they pulled me in closer.
"We're here," he whispered into my hair.
He pulled away and I shivered in the absence of his body heat.
Looking out the open side of the train car, I saw the beginning of the Amity orchards. The trees were bare of their fruit but the leaves were changing colour painting the night in shades of gold and red and orange.
I gasped. It was so beautiful. Four took my hand and squeezed it. I could see him smiling at me from the corner of my eyes, and I looked over and beamed at him. He laughed, flashing his perfect white teeth at me.
"Ready?" he asked. The train hadn't even slowed down.
"Oh yeah."
We ran together and jumped. I could feel the wind teasing my hair into knots and wondered why I bothered doing it up in the first place.
Landing hard, we both ran a few steps before regaining our composure. I laughed it felt so good, and Tobias beamed at me and took my hand.
"This way," he said, pulling me towards the grove of trees.
"The Amity compound?" I asked confused.
"Not exactly. Just wait and see."
He pulled me towards the orchard and led me through a path that he had obviously been on before because he knew exactly where he was going.
The sun was setting, and it was dark, especially in the orchard, but he pulled me into an open area and light poured golden, and warm onto the sweetest picnic I had ever seen.
He smiled sheepishly at me. "We're here."
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