Devil Takes the Hindmost, chapter 15
A/N: 'Ello, again! Shoot, you guys are pretty pissed about that cliffhanger, huh? Well, I am sorry. (To put it in Rick Riordan's words, "LOL NOPE.") No, seriously. Everyone have a good holiday season? (In case anyone here doesn't celebrate Christmas.) Tell me if anything interesting happened in your reviews, and I'll put in my favorites in the next chapter! Enjoy! Also, I don't know if I'll bring you a New Years chapter, so review if you'd like one!
TRIS' POV:
My palms sweat nervously as I sit in front of the fireplace, staring into the crimson and amber flames inside. The flames dance on top of the wooden logs, the same way my heart is dancing in my chest. My heart seems to skip a beat every few seconds, and the fact that my brother keeps checking the window isn't helping.
It's December 25th, Christmas Day. The festivities are over, and I am simply relaxing, waiting for him to get here. Him. Yes, Tobias Eaton. I had asked my parents if he could come over this evening, as the 24th would have been a disaster. Agreeing, they cleaned up the house, and it was a sure fact that he was coming over for dinner. My father had even insisted we dressed up, as he knew the name of Eaton in the Chicago area was highly influencial. I heard him discussing possible job opportunities with my mother when I told them who my boyfriend was. Ever since then, my mother has been re-arranging the flowers in the vases, and my father was making sure every spot of the house was clean. Caleb, however, was patiently waiting with me, pulling aside the curtain every other minute. I wear a simple grey blouse, laced with flower patterns and the top button left open. I pulled my hair back in a simple ponytail, knowing he wouldn't care if I dressed up. My father, however, insisted on wearing a tie, and I rolled my eyes. Tobias could show up in a paper bag and would still make a good impression on my father.
Tobias was scheduled to arrive at six, though it is now six thirty. My eyes keep darting to the hands on the cuckoo clock above the fireplace, simply begging for the doorbell to ring. I bite my lip, trying to concentrate on everything else. I then begin to think of what I had bought him for Christmas, and wonder if he'd accept it. It was not much, just something thoughtful and sweet, but he was the son of a major cooporation. What if he laughed? What if he lied straight to my face and-
The doorbell rings with such surprise I nearly fall off of the couch. Blinking a bit, I scramble up to run to the door before my brother, and he beats me to it. Pushing me aside, he straightens his own tie before pulling the door open. "Ah, Tobias," he begins, clearing his throat, "What a...erm, surprise."
"Sorry about that," Tobias replies, smirking slightly at my brother's discomfort, "Traffic. I had some trouble making my way through the streets." He peers over my brother's shoulders, and his eyes meet mine with such intensity, "Ah, Tris."
"Beatrice," I correct him quickly. I feel a smile beginning to form on my face, as Tobias pushes past my brother and wraps me in his arms. I giggle softly, as his lips brush my forehead, and my brother stands in awe, "Missed you."
"Missed you, too." I whisper, staring up into his rich, dark blue eyes that shine with such happiness. I pull back from his embrace, to see he has dressed up as well. He wears an expensive tailored suit, probably imported straight from Italy. Underneath, he wears a crisp white shirt, and a black tie, just as my father would. The only difference would be the price ranges. "You...look amazing..." I whisper in awe, "How much did that suit cost?"
"About a million or two," he replies, and behind him, I can see Caleb pale. Tobias smirks, and leans in to whisper into my ear, "I'm joking. It was my Dad's."
"Interesting," I say, reaching up and straightening the tie anyways, "Well, come in. You can set your coat on the coat rack, and I guess I'll introduce you to my parents."
"Your parents?" For the first time since I've met him, I can detect slight anxiety in his tone, and I sigh.
"You'll be fine. My dad is wanting to impress you, and my Mom is too happy to care."
"Good," he sighs, setting his arm around my shoulders lazily as we walk away from an annoyed Caleb, "I already dealt with one fire breathing Prior, I don't know what I'd do if I had to deal with her parents."
Dinner, as far as I can tell, is a success. My mother cooks a roast chicken, fresh salad, sweet potatoes and many other family recipes, as my father and Tobias discuss his father's business. Tobias is charming, and my parents take a liking to him right away. The only person who seems to give him the cold shoulder, however, is Caleb. I ignore it, and hold Tobias' hand under the table as we have a merry dinner with my parents. Eventually, the discussions turn into stories, and my mother begins to tell a story about her and Dad, while Tobias and I feast on her famous chocolate cake.
"Your father, I remember, was one of the sweetest boys in the class. Now, I had been a new transfer, and had no clue where everything was. When Jeanine Matthews-remember her, Andrew?-shoved me into a locker, it was your father who pulled her aside and gave her a good talking to. Afterwards, he didn't even bother to leave my side...Maryland was a wonderful place, and in the end, I moved out of my parents house at the age of 18, and lived with Andrew and his parents. They were accepting, and wonderful, and didn't mind that I had gone against my parents' orders..."
"Sounds like you, huh Tris?" Tobias whispers in my ear, his lips tickling my ear again. I giggle, and give him a swift peck on the cheek while my father simply laughs.
"Tobias, you even remind me of myself at your age...a charmer, smart, good with the ladies-"
"Oh, please," my mother interrupts, wiping some chocolate off of her upper lip, "The only girlfriend you had before me was Rebecca Blue, and remember what happened to her?"
"Oh, right," my father replies, his cheeks turning pink, "How about we don't talk about her-"
"She was on house arrest."
"Natalie!"
"Oh, hush up, Andrew," she laughs, and quickly kisses his cheek, "Better they know the entire story then one that's made up."
After dinner, Tobias offers my mother help with the clean up. She shakes her head, calling him a sweetie, and insists we go relax in the den and watch television. My brother gets stuck with kitchen duty, and Tobias and I go off to the den. I snuggle into his arms, and he wraps his arms around me as I grab the remote and hit the power button. The screen flashes to life, and we close our eyes as Dr. Suess " How the Grinch Stole Christmas" credits were shown. I am shaken awake, however, later. It's about an hour later, and my parents and Caleb have gone to open the last of their gifts. I'm about to get up to follow them, when Tobias pulls me down and turns me to face him, his eyes shining in the dark den.
"Merry Christmas, Beatrice." he whispers, and offers me his small, wrapped box. I take it, cradling it preciously in my hands, before unwrapping it slowly. A velvet box. I open it, to find a beautiful pair of sapphire earrings. My birth month.
"T-Tobias..." I stutter, staring at them in awe, "Th-They're amazing..."
"Just like you." he replies, and kissed my forehead softly, as I hand him his own gift. He smiles radiantly, as he opens the lumpy package wrapped awkwardly with santa wrapping paper. An Adidas sweater, customized to have his jersey number, "4" right on the back. He pulls it over his suit, so the sweater sticks out awkwardly in places, but he closes his eyes and brings my lips to his in a fiery passion, and I think this is a truly Merry Christmas.
Right before we get up to leave, however, a news report brightens the den, and we both turn to the screen, inquisitive about the news.
"We bring you this report, that a teenage boy, Albert Young, has been found dead in a park this evening. He was found by the park caretaker, and has been dead for at least several days. We presume his death to be suicide, yet if you have any information about his whereabouts before his time of death, please call the following number..."
Guilt, so much guilt, burns inside of me as they show the number, and I know deep down, as Tobias wraps me in his arms, that it was my fault. My fault. I could've saved him from himself. I didn't even bother trying to apologize. My love for Tobias has destroyed him, and now, as the tears coming running down my face, that there was nothing I could do to make up for this...this was my fault, and I was absolutely, terrifyingly selfish. Evil. I did this to him. I murdered Albert Young, because I loved another.