Chapter 14

Tris

"Good morning," I say.

"Hey. How'd you sleep?"

"Great. You?"

"Not great. You snore."

"What? I do not." I bat his hand away and sit up, but he pulls me back down.

"Hey, where are you going?" He kisses my shoulder.

"Away from you."

He turns me around so that we're face to face. "Okay, I'll stop," he says grinning and leans in to kiss me, but I look away. "Fine." He gets up. He's only wearing his shorts. Once my eyes has adapted to the light, I can see his muscular figure. He is stronger than anyone I know, and not physically. He notices me staring. "Tris, we're gonna be late. It's Wednesday. We have practice today, Monday, today and Friday. We have to eat breakfast too."

"Fine!" I get up and walk over to the closet. I choose a pair of black skinny jeans and a black tank top that shows of my tattoos. I change behind the dressing screen.

"Done!" I step out so that he can see me.

"You look good Tris."

I smile, remembering that that was what he said to me the night I caught him drinking by the chasm. "Wait, you remember that?"

"Of course. I wasn't that drunk."

When we sit down at the breakfast table, Zeke snorts at Tobias. I'd totally forgotten about the dare he got last night.

"Hey Zeke. Nice to see you're your normal self again," Tobias says and takes a bite of his toast.

"I'll get back at you, you know."

Tobias just laughs.

"So I've been thinking," Lynn says, "and I think we should play capture the flag. Boys against the girls."

"Sure, that'll be fun. But you girls can't beat us you know. We'll easily win," Uriah says.

"Oh is that right?" Marlene says and bumps her elbow into his side. He frowns.

"Yes. When will be do it?"

"Tonight. At 7," Zeke says and puts his arm around Shauna. "But not boys against the girls." Lynn rolls her eyes, but doesn't protest.

I think about the last time I played capture the flag. It was with all of the other initiates, and my team won. I remember Tobias and I climbing the Ferris wheel that night. He kept distracting me, and at first I didn't even understand why. The feelings I had about him were completely new to me. I smile to myself and take his hand under the table. He kisses my temple, and then continues to eat.

"Gosh, I'm never gonna get used to you guys kissing and stuff. Gross," Christina says and sticks out her tongue.

Tobias smirks and kisses me on the lips. Just when Christina is about to say something snarky again, a loud shriek fills the room and drowns the chattering. I see a tall girl and an even taller boy on the other side of the room. They're fighting, but I can't tell what it's about. All of the sudden, she slaps him hard and then storms out of the dining hall. Everyone remain silent until the boy slides down into his seat again. Then the chattering continues.

"That was Alice Harper. She loves to cause scenes," Shauna says. She nods toward the boy. "His name's Jake. Jake Adams. Guess he just survived the Alice Harper tornado."

Everyone laughs, but not me. I keep my eyes on Jake. He looks sad.

"Do you know him?" I ask Tobias.

"No, I don´t. Seen him a few times, but the dauntless compound is bigger than you would think."

I nod, and look at Jake again. He's getting ready to leave with some other guy. I don't recognize him either. They leave their trays and walk out of the dining hall.

For some weird reason, I want to know more. Who he is and what he and Alice were arguing about. I'm almost surprised by my curiosity. I don't even know him, and I don't know that Alice girl either. I decide that it's a stupid thought and I let it go.

Everyone at our table starts to leave as well and it wakes me up from my thoughts.

Tobias strokes my back. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

We leave our trays and head for the training room.

Tobias

When we get there, Max is standing in the middle of the room with his back toward us. I let go of Tris's hand quickly and put mine in my pocket. He turns around and I immediately recognize his face expression, concern and disappointment at the same time. "You're here, good." He gives me a judgmental look. My body tightens. "We need to talk."

"About what?" Tris says before I get a chance to answer. I give her a look, but she just shrugs.

"It has come to my attention that you two are in a relationship." Oh, he meant he wanted to talk to the both of us. Tris straightens her body. None of us says anything. "Well, is it true?"

"Sir, I'm aware of how this may look but we didn't say anything because it wasn't relevant. We won't let it affect us working together."

"But you were her instructor Four." He nods at Tris. "When did you first… get together?"

I hesitate for a second. Can I really say that? I take a breath. "It was during initiation."

At first he just stares at me, and at Tris. He exhales and nods. "I've know you for quite some time now Four," he says after a while. "And I know that you are a very loyal person. But you know, if other people find out about this, they may think you favored her." By other people he means Eric and Peter.

"Yes, I'm aware of that. That's why they'll have to figure it out themselves with time."

Tris takes my hand and squeezes it. Max notices the gesture and suddenly seems somewhat uncomfortable. "Well then. I guess I'll have to accept it. But, that does not mean that I approve." Then he leaves us.

When the door closes, we both exhale with relief. "Daunting," Tris says and laughs nervously.

"Always is."

She nods, her smiles suddenly fading. "What do you think will happen if Eric and Peter finds out?"

"I don't know," I say. "Maybe if they find out after a longer time, they won't care. But it doesn't matter because I won't let anything happen to you."

"I know. It's just that if Peter knew he would, like always, try to ruin it for me."

"Yeah well he can't. We'll just have to train you hard enough so that you'll always be able to beat him up."

She laughs. "It would be nice to beat him up actually."

See ya'll soon. Be brave! -s