Tris pov:
When I wake up the next morning, I feel refreshed. That day off was really needed. I slowly pull my covers down and get out of bed, making my way to the shower. I take a quick shower and get out, drying myself off.
I open my closet and pull out some clothes for today. A pair of black leggings, a white jersey crop top with the number 82 on it, and an oversized knit cardigan. The leggings are high enough that only a small strip of skin is showing. I make my way to the bathroom and blow dry my hair, brushing the knots out. I apply light makeup and grab my combat boots, pulling them onto my feet.
I make my way down the stairs and grab a muffin for breakfast, eating quickly before making my way to school. I arrive at school and make my way to my locker. I grab my books and make my way to science. When I get there, Tobias is the only other person in the classroom. I sit down next to him.
"Hey." I say softly, he looks up. He smiles when he sees me.
"Hey. How's the face?" He asks me. I unconsciously reach up and touch the bruise on my cheek. The one that Marcus gave me, but he didn't have to know that.
"It's better. Doesn't really hurt anymore." He nods at this.
"So Tris-" Tobias starts to ask but is interrupted by Uriah running into the room, meowing and flapping his arms like a bird. We start to laugh. Uriah does a bow and sits down to play on his phone. I hear him curse loudly.
"Fuck you Flappy Bird. Fuck you. I hate this game! It is so frick fracking difficult!" Uriah shouts.
"Here, give it to me." I tell him. He hands me his phone, still cursing. I see his high score is only 12. I laugh a little bit at this. Sitting down at my desk, I start a new game, concentrating on the game only. I am slowly building my score up, and now I am 164. I get even more into the game and end up finishing with a score of 321. I cheer for myself silently and look up to hand Uriah back his phone, but am met with the faces of the entire class, even the teacher, all watching me.
"Uh, hi?" I say, sounding it like a question. Slowly, the crowd starts to clap for me. I blush slightly.
"Damn Tris, didn't know you were a Flappy Bird prodigy." Tobias says while clapping me on the back. I smile.
"Ok, now let's actually do a little bit of work. This is science, not Flappy Bird history." The teacher says and ushers us to our seats.
"We are going to do a little project. You and a partner are going to have to research and write a paper on any chemical we may use in class, and you will need to write a bit about the chemical, its dangers to the body, and how to use it safely. Also, I will be picking you partners." The class groans at this and I join in.
"The partners are on the board and you are stuck with them, no switching." The teacher tells us and backs away to reveal the list. I walk up to the board and look for my name, only to see it next to Tobias'. I smile to myself. At least I'm with someone I know.
Someone clears their throat from behind me and I spin around, looking up at Tobias.
"Well, looks like we're partners." He says. I nod.
"So, let's work on this tonight." I tell him. He nods.
"Can we do it at your place? We're still unpacking and my parents don't want anybody in the house till it's done." He asks me. I think. Marcus shouldn't be home until late tonight, so we can get in, get our work done, and he can leave all before Marcus comes home.
"Sure, that would work. Do you still remember where my house is?" I ask him. He nods.
"Great, just come over after school." I smile at him. He smiles and we walk together to our next class.
PAGE BREAK TO WHEN TOBIAS COMES OVER
I hear the doorbell ring and run down the stairs to answer it, smoothing my hair a bit. I open the door, smiling.
"Hey." I tell Tobias. He returns it and I invite him in.
"Would you like anything to eat or drink?" I ask him, trying my best to be polite.
"A water would be fine, thank you." I grab 2 water bottles from the fridge and a box of goldfish for me and make my way up to my room, telling him to follow me.
We get inside and I sit on my bed, grabbing my laptop. Tobias stands in the doorway, unsure of what to do. I chuckle to myself and pat the spot beside me. He gets my message and sits down nest to me.
"So, what chemical do you want to do?" I ask him, starting up my iMac. He grabs my laptop and places it onto the bed next to him.
"The projects not due for another 2 weeks. We'll start it later. Right now I want to know about you." Tobias tells me.
"Well, what do you want to know?" I ask him.
"Tell me about your family." He says. I tense a little bit. He must notice because he quickly says sorry. I shake my head.
"No, don't apologize. It's fine. Well, my dad is the mayor of Chicago, and my parents divorced when I was 7 years old. My dad got custody of me and my mom died of a drug overdose 3 years later. I am an only child, I have no pets except for a goldfish, and that's about it." I tell him. He just sits there, taking it all in. He surprises me by pulling me into a hug. I am shocked at first, but then melt into the embrace. He pulls away, and I immediately miss his warmth.
"I am so sorry for all that you had to go through." He tells me, looking straight into my eyes.
"You don't know the half of it." I mumble quietly under my breath.
"What was that?" He asks.
"Nothing." I tell him. We spend the next hour talking about ourselves and laughing, and I am actually having a very good time, until I hear the door slam downstairs. My face pales and Tobias notices.
"What was that?" He asks. I shush him. The footsteps are coming up the stairs now. I push Tobias into the closet.
"Stay here," I command, "Whatever you do, do not come out." I tell him harshly before closing the door and running to sit on my bed. The door of my room bangs open.
"Hello Dad." I say, trying to be as polite as possible, knowing that Tobias can hear everything.
"Shut up!" Marcus yells and I flinch from the noise.
"Want to know what I heard today? I heard that you were skipping school yesterday. Is that true?" He asks me. I don't answer.
"IS THAT TRUE!?" Marcus yells and I nod my head weakly.
"Very well. You know the drill." Marcus says and I stand up and turn around so I am facing my bed. I hear him unbuckling his belt and prepare myself for the impact, but it doesn't come. I turn around confused, and see Tobias in front of me. The belt is wrapped around his wrist and Marcus' eyes are filled with hate.
"You didn't tell me we had guests." Marcus spits out. "Well, he can join us tonight." He says, before lifting the belt again to hit Tobias. Seeing what is going to happen, I jump in front and Tobias and the belt hits me on my right cheek. I scream and fall to the ground. The belt hits me one more time before Tobias jumps in front of me, shielding me from Marcus.
"Don't touch her." Tobias says, with venom filling his voice. Marcus just laughs.
"What are you going to do about it?" Marcus says with a taunting voice.
"This." Tobias says before I hear skin meeting skin and a large thud. I take my hands away from my face and see Marcus on the floor, unconscious, and Tobias standing over him, glaring at his unconscious body. I sit up slowly.
"You know, you're kinda scary Tobias." I say. He turns around and rushes to my side.
"Are you okay?" Are the first words that come out of his mouth.
"Relax, I'm fine. I've had worse before." I tell him. His eyes turn stony.
"How long has this been happening Tris?"
"Umm, well, he was beating my mom since I was 4 and that is what caused her to divorce him. Then, once she left, he turned on me. Before, it was just a slap here or a kick there, but then his work got to him and he began drinking. He would come home drunk and beat me with his belt until I was unconscious. Then he began locking me in closets and making me hang off the roof until my fingers turned blue and I was barely holding on." I tell him, not meeting his eyes. He grabs my chin and forces me to look at him.
"Hey, look at me. You are so strong for being able to go through this. I cannot even begin to imagine what you've been through. You are such a strong person and I will always be there for you." He tells me. I get this strange feeling in my stomach and I wrap my arms around him. He places his hands lightly on my back, so as not to hurt me. I mumble a small thank you into his chest. I am filled with the warmth of being this close to him.
We stay like that for a couple minutes, and I don't even notice that I have begun to cry until I feel his wet shirt. I pull back.
"I'm sorry. I'm such a mess." I tell him, looking away.
"No, you're not a mess. Everybody can only be strong for so long. Now we should probably get out of here before he wakes up." Tobias says, motioning to Marcus with his hands.
"Oh no, what am I going to do? He is going to kill me when he wakes up!" I start to hyperventilate and panic overcomes my body. Tobias grabs my shoulders and forces me to look at him.
"Hey now, I will not let that happen. I will always protect you. I won't let you get hurt again." Tobias tries to reassure me.
"How? How are you going to be able to protect me from him if I have to live with him?" I ask him, worried.
"Well, first off, you are not going to be living with him." Now I'm confused. He must notice my face because he then tells me that he is going to ask his parents if I can live there.
"Secondly, that bastard is going to jail." Tobias says.
"No! I can't send him to jail! He may have beaten me, but he is my father!" I tell him.
"Tris, no father should ever beat their own child. He needs to go to jail for all that he has done to you."
"I understand that but once he's gone, I will have no family left." I tell him.
"Then we will be your family. Christina, Will, Zeke, Shauna, Marlene, Uriah, me, hell, even Lynn! We will all be your family Tris."
I don't say anything; just pull Tobias into a hug. I whisper a mere thank you in his ear, then get up to grab the phone. I dial 911 and wait for it to pick up.
"Hello, 911, what is your emergency?" The lady says through the phone.
"Hi, I would like to report a case of child abuse." I tell her.
"What is your address?" She asks me. I tell her my address and she says that some officers are on their way. I thank her and hang up. I walk back into my room and see Tobias finish off a phone call and hang up.
"Who was that?" I ask him.
"I had to call my parents just to make sure that you could live at our house and they said yes, so long as you help out around the house. Did you call 911?"
"Yeah, they're sending people over right now. I just can't help but think that I did the wrong thing. What if when they come and they see the mayor they're just going to let him go?" I say, sitting down on the bed.
"Hey, that's not going to happen. We have proof. I have my wrist and you have your cheek, and if they really need proof, you can always show them the scars on your back." Tobias suggests. I cringe at the thought of other people looking at me so exposed but if it's to get Marcus out of my life then I'll do it. I hear the door open downstairs and somebody run it.
"Police!" They shout. I take a deep breath and walk down the stairs with Tobias trailing behind me.
Cliffhanger! Sorry I just didn't know what to write here so, I left it! Hope you like.
-Kara