Chapter 9
Extra long chapter at 3,000 words! It's a good thing I love you all.
Tobias P.O.V.
-Four weeks later-
As I pack my bag, I think about what we'll be doing tonight. Chris got us a vacation lake house on the shore of Lake Michigan, just outside of Chicago. Said it was very peaceful and was surrounded by woods. Doesn't sound like her thing, but I guess she went there every year as a kid and her parents didn't want to go this year. I'm going because Tris is going, to be honest. Maybe I can finally grow the balls to kiss her. After all, it has been a month, or a "short period of time," as Tris likes to call it. If you ask me, it's been the worst and longest month of my life. And who knows, maybe she'll even kiss me back.
Fail rate: 100%. That's a given.
Tris is riding in my car, and we're following Chris, Will, Zeke, and Shauna who are in one car, then Uriah and Marlene are driving separately. We'd ride with Uri and Mar, but both of our cars are two-seaters.
I finish packing and carry my duffel to the car, throwing it into the trunk. We all decided to meet at Tris's apartment since it's centrally located between all of our houses. Usually I'd walk there, but we're leaving from her place, so I have to drive.
I get in, turning the keys in the ignition. I make the short drive and end up being the last one there.
I walk into her apartment without knocking and everyone's eyes turn on me.
"Four, you're late!" Chris exclaims.
I look at my watch. "By five minutes," I say incredulously.
She rolls her eyes then says, "Whatever. Let's just get going." She stands up and begins walking toward the door, and everyone else follows.
Tris and I are the only ones left in the apartment, and she has a large black duffel strapped across her shoulder.
"Here," I say and reach out, grabbing the bag off of her shoulder. I throw it over my shoulder and walk out.
Tris catches up. "Don't worry about Chris. She always overreacts about everything." She rolls her eyes.
I shrug. "It doesn't matter." I pop the trunk and put her bag in it. Then I go around to her side, opening the door for her.
She gets in and I walk around to my side.
"Do you mind if I play my music?" she asks.
"Not at all."
She hooks up her phone and turns it on shuffle.
*PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING LYRICS. THEY ARE SO PERFECT THEY WANT TO MAKE ME CRY (I'd also highly recommend listening to the actual song. It's called Skin by Sixx A.M.)*
Paint yourself a picture
Of what you wish you looked like
Maybe then they just might
Feel an ounce of your pain
Come into focus
Step out of the shadows
It's a losing battle
There's no need to be ashamed
'Cause they don't even know you
All they see is scars
They don't see the angel
Living in your heart
Let them find the real you
Buried deep within
Let them know with all you've got
That you are not your skin, oh, oh
And when they start to judge you
Show them your true colors
And do unto others
As you'd have done to you
Just rise above this
Kill them with your kindness
Ignorance is blindness
They're the ones that stand to lose
'Cause they don't even know you
All they see is scars
They don't see the angel
Living in your heart
Let them find the real you
Buried deep within
Let them know with all you've got
That you are not your skin, oh
Well, they don't even know you
All they see is scars
And they don't see the angels
Living in your heart
So let them find the real you
Buried deep within
Let them know with all you've got
That you are not, you are not your skin, oh, oh.
"That's an amazing song." I smile and look over at her, only to see tears rolling down her face. "Tris, Tris, what's wrong?" I ask, trying to still pay attention to the road and Chris's car.
She sniffles. "It's just… In high school, everybody thought I was happy because I was popular and pretty, but I hated it. I hated myself. Some of my 'friends' would make fun of me and judge me. Then they'd make fun of others while I just stood there," she sobs, "and I did nothing. I did nothing. But they'd make fun of me, while I took it and just laughed it off. I wanted to prove to them that I was good enough for them, and that I was worth something. I was so fake during high school. I hated myself." Another sob. "I still hate myself for never standing up for those other bullied kids."
"Tris. Don't you dare say that. Ever. You are the best human being I have had the pleasure of being in the presence of. You are the girl I'm in love with. Even back in high school." I grab her hand. "You are the best thing in my life."
She sniffles again. "I'm sorry. I'm so dramatic. I don't even believe in crying! What am I doing?" She uses her free hand to wipe away the tears.
"What do you mean you don't believe in crying?" I question.
"Tears are only mean to lubricate the eyes. There's no real reason humans cry at the behest of emotions," she explains.
"But if you don't cry, then you aren't human."
She waves to her blotchy face. "I'm clearly human."
I smile. "I say we turn on some Breaking Benjamin, maybe jam out to some Metallica too."
She nods with a chuckle. "Anything to forget that depressing moment."
About twenty minutes and half of an album later, we arrive at what seems to be the lake house. It's pretty nice. And pretty big, at that. The house looks as if it's about thirty yards away from the shore. There is also a little shed that probably has equipment in it for fun. Most likely canoes or something of the sorts.
"This place is beautiful," Tris says as she turns off the music.
I park and pop the trunk so we can get our things out. Tris quickly grabs her bag and sprints into the house, probably so she can get first dibs on the best room.
I follow, running up the creaky, wooden stairs, and pick the room across from hers.
Hours later after we get settled in, we gather around the campfire Zeke built on the shore. Chris brought ten bags of marshmallows, ten boxes of graham crackers, and twenty Hershey bars for s'mores.
"We are going to play never have I ever," Chris says with an evil grin. "Except the non-alcoholic version." She glances at Tris. "So, instead of taking a shot when you've done that thing, you'll eat a marshmallow. Sound good?"
Everyone nods.
"Let's get started. Never have I ever… Had a 'No, I love you more' fight," says Chris.
Tris and I take a marshmallow, including Zeke and Shauna.
Next is Will. "Never have I ever watched porn."
Zeke and Uriah eat a marshmallow, and we all laugh, not being surprised at all.
"Never have I ever walked in on my parents," Uriah says.
Tris, Marlene, Zeke, and Shauna all take a marshmallow.
Marlene. "Never have I ever slept with someone within an hour of meeting them."
I eat a marshmallow, sadly enough, and everyone stares at me in shock.
"I know. I hate myself for it. Moving on," I mumble.
Then Uriah. "Never have I ever had sex in the back of a pickup truck."
Tris shamefully takes a marshmallow.
I'm next. "Never have I ever done body shots."
Zeke, Uriah, and, surprisingly, Will.
Next up is Tris. "Never have I ever had wet dream." She chuckles.
Everyone but her eats a marshmallow, including me.
"Are you serious, Trissy?" Chris laughs.
"Whatever. This game is stupid and immature anyway." She gets up and walks back into the house.
"Hey, Tris, want to go for a stroll on the dock?" I ask after knocking on her bedroom door.
"Sure." She smiles. She puts down her book and gets up off her bed.
We walk out the back door so none of our friends see us and make fun, even though they're probably still on the beach.
"So, how close am I to getting to call you Prior?" I ask with a smirk.
She smiles up at me. "You're pretty damn close." She grabs my hand and entwines them.
I grin. "Good to know. Very good to know, actually."
We approach the dock and stand at the end of it.
"Tobias, when we slept together—god, that came out wrong, but you know what I mean—a few weeks ago, what was going through your head?" She turns her head up toward mine, lips dangerously close, and body pressed against mine.
"Everything. Every emotion. You made my head twist and turn in places I didn't even know existed." I chuckle.
"Why didn't you pull a move?" she asks me quietly.
I smile. "Did you want me to?"
She shrugs, indifferent. "Did you think my feet were actually cold?" She smirks.
I shake my head. "No."
We're breathing to same air, and if I have to take this for another minute, I might explode.
"Tris," I say, "what would you do if I hypothetically asked what would happen if I kissed you?"
"I'd tell you to find out." She shrugs. "Hypothetically."
I ask suggestively, "Do you want all of this to be hypothetical?"
She shakes her head confidently. "No. No, I don't think I do, Tobias."
"What would happen if I kissed you, Tris?" I ask, smirk planted on my face.
She raises her hands and lies them on my chest, while mine wrap around her waist. "Do it and you'll find out."
I lean down and brush my lips against hers, letting myself only do a graze.
I slowly take my head back and look her in the eyes, searching for any disappointment. I find none.
"Tobias, being as hot as you are, I thought you knew how to kiss." She grabs a fistful of my shirt and stands on her tiptoes, fervently kissing me. After minutes, she finally pulls back and smiles.
I raise my eyebrows. "I, um. Wow. Y—"
"Are you going to kiss me or do I need to show you again?" she asks with a smile.
I quickly lean down and kiss her lips again, running my hands through her hair.
She pulls back and says with a chuckles, "Tobias, aren't we supposed just to be friends?"
"Really? Just friends, huh? Do you know how sick and tired I am of that phrase? Do you know how hard it is to act like your buddy when I've been in love with you for years? Anyone can make me smile, but the only person that makes me happy is you. And do you know how hard it is to remain a friend when every time I see you, all I see is everything I want to have? 'Just friends' don't get butterflies in their stomach just by looking at the other like I do. 'Just friends' don't get jealous when the other talks to someone else like I do. 'Just friends' don't hold each other like we are now." She looks down. "'Just friends,'" I say, "don't do this." I lift her chin with my forefinger and gently press my lips to hers. After minutes, I pull back and say, "Sometimes a heart can't afford to be 'just friends.'"
Then suddenly I hear loud, pounding footsteps, trampling on the old wooden dock.
Tris and I almost have enough time to react, but we are soon shoved into the water by multiple pairs of hands, of whom I do not know who they belong to.
I am clinging on to her hand as we descend down to water, about ten feet below us. Soon, I am met with water on me, everywhere, and not missing a single inch.
We rise out of the water in a temper, annoyed at our friends for ruining that moment. Then I look at her and start laughing. Seconds later, I start to see a smile form on her face.
"It's not funny!" she says as she splashes me, all the while laughing, ironically enough.
I take her hand and lead her under the dock so our friends can't see us. They must've lost track of us while they were laughing.
Smiling, I look down at her and cup one of her cheeks. I lean down and kiss her lips for the third time today. Never did I think this would happen once, let alone three times in the past two minutes.
She kisses back and puts a hand on the base of my neck, barely touching the hair that reaches there.
The kiss is slow, but sensual; it lacks ferocity, but this one is actually meaningful. Our last two were somewhere in between, but this seems to pour out all of my emotions to her over the previous eight years. It shows how much I actually care for her.
"Oh my god!" someone yells. Probably was Chris. A scream. Then, a splash.
But neither of us look.
Tris pulls back and leans her forehead on mine. She smiles, provocatively biting her lip.
"No. You can't do that," I say quietly, almost whispering.
"What?" she asks in the same tone.
"Bite your lip. That's evoking me. You're practically begging for me to kiss you again." I smile.
"Well I'm not going to deny myself of that pleasure." She leans up on her tiptoes since we can actually touch the sandy bottom, but we are soon interrupted due to a splash nearby.
"They kissed! Holy shit, they kissed!" Chris yells so our friends can hear. "They were kissing when we pushed them in! Holy fuck, I just ruined everything!"
Tris looks at me, then Chris, then me again. She grabs my hand and we walk to the shore, meeting our friends there, and Christina follows.
"Did you two really kiss?" Shauna asks elatedly.
Shyly, Tris nods.
"Three times, actually," I point out, finger raised in the air.
Tris rolls her eyes.
"I freaking called it!" Zeke shouts. "Uri, gimme that $20!"
"You placed bets on us?" Tris asks incredulously.
"Only Uri and me. He bet Four wouldn't kiss you the entire time we were here."
"So, Four, did you have this whole thing planned out, or what?" Chris asks, wanting details.
"I'm sure Tris will tell you all about it later. But for now…," I trail off and throw Tris over my shoulder as I run to the lake house.
As we enter, I put her down.
"I'm going to go to bed since it's pretty late. Goodnight, Tris." I yawn and wave.
She follows since all of the bedrooms are upstairs, including hers.
"Hey, Tobias," she says as she stands in front of her door. "Do you maybe, um, want to spend the night in my room?" she asks nervously. "You know, almost like old times."
Smiling, I nod. "Let me get some pajamas real quick." I walk into my bedroom and close the door, then silently pump my fists in victory. I stand on the bed and jump up and down, still pumping my fists. I fall back on the bed how one would do a trust fall. I sigh in content even though this the thousandth time I've slept in the same bed as her.
Getting up, I quickly change into my pajamas. Plaid pants and an old t-shirt.
I walk over to my door, opening it, and see Zeke with his fist raised as if he's about to knock, along with Shauna.
"Where you goin', Four?" Shauna asks suggestively, smile crooked and eyebrows raised.
"I was going to say goodnight to Tris," I lie.
"Lies, lies, lies," says Zeke. "You were going to go to bed with her."
"She asked me to!" I defend myself.
"She asked you to?" Shauna asks with shock and a bit of happiness.
I nod. "So if you'll excuse me…," I say, trying to get past them since the block the narrow doorway.
They both step aside, giving me full entrance to my path. I walk into Tris's bedroom since the door is wide open, and I close it behind me. She is already lying in bed with the covers on.
"Turn off the light?" she asks lightly.
I turn it off without a word and climb in bed, her back facing me.
I lay there for minute before deciding to finally say anything. "Hey, Tris?" I ask quietly.
"Hm?" she asks, but she still doesn't turn around and look at me.
"Are your feet cold?"
She finally flips around so we are face to face. She beams with happiness. She scoots over and nuzzles her face into my shoulder. I wrap my arms around her waist and our legs entangle. She moves her head so she can see me and gives me a quick peck on the lips, then resumes her old position.
"Tris, do you remember the day I disappeared?" I ask.
"I'd rather not remember that day," she mumbles.
"Which part?"
"All of it, Tobias," she whispers and pulls her head up beside mine. "I just couldn't realize… something… because we were supposed to just be friends. Because that's what we've always been. Because that's what was expected of us. Because I didn't love you back then like I do now."
Every gear in my mind is turning, twisting, tangling, deforming, contorting into every possible emotion, as if Pandora's box is within me.
"What?" I croak out.
"I'm in love with you, Tobias."
Wasting no time, I pull her closer and kiss her. After minutes of that, she ends up on top of me, straddling my waist. She pulls back, smiling.
I mirror her expression.
Then I say, "Why weren't you hesitant about kissing me the first time?"
"Because right when I felt your lips on mine, I knew that this was different. That this was love. I knew that I couldn't deny the fact that I'm in love with you."
"Does this mean what I think it means?" I ask.
"Yes, Tobias. I'll be your girlfriend." She tucks her hair behind her right ear.
"No, I was talking about me calling you Prior."
She scoffs and rolls off me, burying her nose into my shoulder. "You can call me Prior."
"What happens when we get married?" I ask with a chuckle.
She laughs, though it's muffled by my shirt. "Who says I'm marrying you?"
"Me. If you think you're slipping away from me that easily, you better think again." I pause. "Now go to sleep. It's been a long day." I brush the hair out of her face and put a palm on her cheek.
"I don't think I will," she whispers, "because reality is finally better than my dreams."