"Zeke," says Tobias, "let's see you pick something other than Dauntless."
Zeke sticks his tongue out at Tobias and says, "Fine. I pick Candor."
"You have to go around the room and tell every person here one thing you like about them and one thing you don't."
Zeke nods and turns to his little brother. "Uriah, you are a pain in my ass and it hurts me to have to say something nice about you. But you're really smart."
Around the circle we make exaggerated noises, pretending to be touched or sickened by the display.
"Shut up," Zeke growls. "Will, sometimes you act like a know-it-all Erudite, but you're also really brave. Christina, you're very pretty, but too vain about clothes and makeup and stuff."
Christina and Will accept Zeke's evaluation. It's nothing they didn't already know about themselves. Zeke turns to me, and I feel my cheeks flame pink before he even says a word.
"Trissy," I roll my eyes at him. "You are built like a little kid, but you could probably kick my ass. You will make a certain someone very happy, and that makes me happy."
Half of our friends look confused by his words, and the others smile knowingly.
"Thanks, I think," I say to Zeke.
He shushes me and turns to Tobias. "Four, you're kind of scary, and I wish you weren't so secretive about yourself sometimes. But it's pretty sweet being buds with the big, bad Dauntless prodigy. If I'm ever in trouble, you're the first one I'm turning to."
"Lynn," Zeke continues, "you are not especially pretty. I mean, you could be, but I don't think you really care about that. But you're tough as nails, and a deadly good shot." Lynn grins at the compliment.
"Marlene, you talk as much as a Candor sometimes, and you have a high-pitched squeal that makes dogs howl. But you're pretty and brave, and my little brother has a huge crush on you."
Uriah's mouth drops open again and Marlene's cheeks redden.
"I just did you a favor, Bro," says Zeke, pointing at Uriah.
He turns to Shauna and smiles.
"Shauna, you are the hardest one to criticize because you're pretty much perfect. I guess the worst thing about you is your taste in men."
We all laugh at the way Zeke turned the criticism toward himself.
"And the best thing about you is your laugh. I love making you laugh. I love you Shauna."
Shauna's hands fly to her cheeks and she smiles the biggest smile I've ever seen.
"Oh Zeke," she squeals, jumping up to hug him. "I love you too!"
We all cheer for young love, and they take their places, Shauna sitting on Zeke's lap
When we finally settle down, Zeke turns to Christina. She chooses Dauntless.
"I dare you to let Uriah and I give you a makeover!" he announces with glee.
"No way!" yells Christina. "I do not need to go into my new job tomorrow looking like I was colored with crayons by a toddler!"
She takes off her sweater and throws it in the middle of the circle before turning to me.
"Tris, you've been involved in a few things tonight, but I don't think you've taken a turn yet."
I shake my head, and before she can ask I say, "Candor."
Her face lights up and I know I made the wrong decision.
"Ok," she says, rubbing her hands together with glee. "I have a three-part Candor question for you. Number one: Do you have a boyfriend? Number two: If so, who is it? And number three: Why have you been keeping it a secret?"
I feel Tobias tense up beside me. We haven't discussed telling others about our relationship, and I don't want to say something if he's not ready. Just two days ago he was my instructor and I was an initiate, and with our Abnegation backgrounds we both value our privacy. I shake my head and take off my jacket, draping it carefully over the arm of the sofa. Christina sticks out her bottom lip at me, pouting.
I look around the room, supposedly scouting out my next victim, and I sneak a look at Tobias. He looks hurt. What? I thought he was the one who didn't want to announce our relationship. I see that Zeke has also noticed Tobias' reaction, so I enlist his help.
"Hey Zeke," I call out, "how about another shot for everyone? I'll go get another bottle."
I hop up and head to Zeke's kitchen. For a minute I just stand in the kitchen, and when an appropriate amount of time has passed, I call out again.
"Four? Could you come help me reach this bottle?"
I'm the shortest person here, and Tobias is the tallest, so I think this ruse will work to get us alone in the kitchen. Sure enough, a minute later he is standing in the doorway, his deep blue eyes still registering hurt. I sigh.
"Come here," I say in a soft voice.
Tobias hesitates before taking a step into the kitchen. I step toward him and wrap my arms around his middle. He feels stiff and unyielding, like hugging a stone pillar.
"I'm sorry," I say softly, resting my head on his chest.
I can hear Tobias' heart beating, strong and steady.
"It's ok," he says. His voice is stiff and I can tell that it's really not ok. "If you don't want people to know… I just thought, you know, these are our friends and all."
I lift my head to look at his face, "Tobias, I am proud to be your girlfriend. I don't know what you see in a skinny little Abnegation girl. You're gorgeous, and strong, and brave. I turned down the dare because I didn't know if you wanted everyone to know."
Tobias' muscles relax and he lets out a long breath before wrapping his arms around my back. For a minute we just stand there and enjoy holding each other. He leans down and places a gentle kiss on my lips, and we smile shyly at each other.
"You know," I say, "it's my turn. If I pick you, and you pick Candor, I could dare you to tell everyone something you would like them to know about you."
I raise my eyebrows at him and he copies the expression. We smile again.
"I would love to announce our relationship to our friends," he says.
His long fingers stroke my cheek. We share one last kiss before grabbing a bottle of alcohol and returning to the party. I open the bottle and begin pouring everyone's shots.
"Four," I say, trying to sound nonchalant, "I pick you. Which faction?"
"Um, how about Candor," says Tobias in an exaggerated innocent voice. He would be a terrible actor.
"Well, then," I begin in the same tone. Acting wouldn't be for me, either. "Tell our friends here something that they do not all know about you."
"Hmmm," he says. I roll my eyes at his terrible performance. "Well, I do have a girlfriend."
Uriah gasps loudly. Zeke grins, and when Shauna sees that he knew this and didn't tell her, she swats at his arm.
I pour Tobias' shot and my own and take my seat on the sofa. I raise my glass to him in a toast.
"Would you care to give us any more details?"
He taps my shot glass with his own and slides one arm around my back.
With his eyes only on me, Tobias explains, "You see, I met this girl. She's fierce, and brave. She was the first jumper and finished first in her initiation class. She's beautiful. And even though I'm not very nice, she likes spending time with me. Now that I'm officially no longer her instructor, I have asked her to be my girlfriend. I don't know why, but she said yes."
Our friends hoot and holler, stamping their feet and splashing alcohol out of their shot glasses.
"To Four and Tris!" yells Zeke, holding his shot glass high in the air. We all raise our glasses, then take our shots. My cheeks are bright red from the combination of alcohol and attention, so I bury my face in Tobias' chest. He wraps his arms tightly around me and kisses the top of my head.
"Awww," Christina and Marlene coo in unison.