Chapter 3

I sipped on my coffee gratefully. I needed the extra energy.

Today was the day. It had finally arrived, and all of last night all I thought of was how I was going to approach him and give him his first taste of our paparazzi.

Although I was starting off rough. Slurping of my coffee, I was running off caffeine and sugar. I wonder when the breakdown would start from consuming this much of it.

The nearest cafe from my house was less than a mile from the school. I had my ride, but it was also nice to walk once in awhile. Overlooking the coffee shop was a park, mostly green fields with some trees and large parts of land to run on. There was a small, old, playset that most kids loved, way over to the ride side of the cafe. I remember when I was playing on the playground when I was little. Always insisting my mom to go on the seesaw with me, or playing in the sandbox. Crying for my dad to push me on the swing just one last time before we left, climbing the play set as if I was climbing a mountain. Good memories to keep.

I stroke my hair back. It was time I probably should get to school. I tried to dress nice out of suggestion of Christina, but ended up in a black long sleeved shirt and a pair camouflage boys' jeans. I put on a blue, almost grey, zip-up hoodie on top after a while of contemplating.

I rise from my seat, and take the last sip of my drink before disposing of it. Caffeine ran through my system, making me jitter with nervous excitement. I shudder.

I exit and walk to my car parked out front. Its nothing great. Just a BMW. Father's old car.

Driving to school, all I can think about is my big break, our big break. This could make my senior year a walk in the park.

I never could have prepared myself for what the school had made. Just for Four.

Damn.

As I parked in the lot, I noticed the big group of people outside. In front were obviously the hot cheerleading girls who were known for their… well… bodies, almost.

Next to the cheerleaders were the football team looking anxious as usually, there jerseys and face paint on.

And behind them were just the rest of the school. Some held long, narrow poles that connected to a large banner. As if one big banner wasn't enough, this one says in pink and glittery letters, 'WELCOME'. I also notice band members, each with an instrument, on either side of the crowded group of people.

Wow, is all I can think. And wow is correct. It's amazing what they did, really. Yet they put so much effort into one guy. What if he bails and does not attend school today? For all you know, senior year?

Is this what it's like to be famous?

I break out of my daze, and unbuckle myself from the seat, flinging open the door. I needed to find Christina, or Al.

Instead, I find Will.

It's odd how it happens, really. I am just speed walking towards the front entrance of the school, trying to go around the crowd of mostly girls, when a voice behind me says, "Tris, right?"'

I spin around to face Will. He has some sports paint on his face, and his blonde hair flops over his face. He is tall, and wears his jersey like all the other players. I can see why Christina likes him. He's handsome, nice, and there aren't any bad rumors about him hooking up with multiple girls. He was clean.

"Oh. Hey, Will." I give him a friendly smile.

He returns it and asks, "Are you coming to my game tomorrow?"

"Most likely." I laugh at the idea of Christina dragging me along to the game just so she can stare at Will and his butt.

"Is… uh… Chris going?"

The question throws me off guard. My first approach would be 'Who the heck is Chris?', but know, I realize the only logical explanation would mean he is talking about Christina, which makes me smirk. How do they know each other? Did they talk?

"Who wants to know?" I say, raising an eyebrow.

"No one." He answers rather quickly.

I laugh. "Bye, Will. Catch you tomorrow."

"Bye," he replies.

Before I enter the school, I look at him from the corner of my eye, and say:

"Yea, she is."

I find Christina and Al in the cafeteria, both intently staring at something. Christina is eating a muffin, which she doesn't mind to eat vigorously as if her life depended on it.

"Hey." I say, as I slide into the seat next to Al, and set the notebook down that we have just for Four himself. Christina says there is a bit of info on him that she found online.

"Yo, Tris. Glad you're here." Christina smile's. Then, she takes in a deep breath. "Ok, so Four man should be here in about 15 minutes, and I am stressing. I can't- I just… what if…" She lets out a groan. "I was just thinking about how he may be a lame ass jerk. Or a pretty pony prized to be. I don't know… this pressure is intense! I mean, c'mon now. Our career is on the line here! I don't know about you, but I am definitely gonna put this on my college application."

To be honest, Christina wasn't making any sense, but I just said, "I know."

She smiles, and says, "Alright, then. Let's get ready, folks!"

We all walk to the front of the school, which we find quite easy, since the halls are empty. I feel some more nervous excitement boiling up inside of me. I can't tell if it because of Four, or the caffeine.

"Wait." Annonces Al, who plants a hand on Christina's and my own shoulder. "Should we not just wait out in the hall for Four to come first? I mean, there's practically a mob of people out there, and I don't want to have to go out with them. I'm not much of a social butterfly."

I look at Al. He completely towers over me like a grizzly bear. His hair flops over his face in clunks like he hasn't washed it in a while. His big brown eyes are piercing, in a good way, unless he gives someone the death stare. Al is handsome, I guess. He probably had some girls on his tail. He wasn't exactly popular, though. I have never looked or really studied Al like this. He usually hanged with us (meaning Christina and I), but I wouldn't exactly call him my 'best friend'. I've only known him… what? A couple months... maybe a year?

Christina I have known ever since I was young. She lived across the street from me, a little to the left, to be exact, and she'd always knock on my door to ask if I could play. Soon, we became good friends. We don't play outside and go on our adventures anymore though. Sure, sometimes we will still skateboard, or climb our tree, also known as The Tree, but usually, nowadays we were busy or acting to mature.

I am the first to speak. "Al's gotta point Chris. I mean, Four will already have enough people pestering him out there, right?"

Al smiles at me, as if his statement was a very important. I return the smile, and look to Christina, who says, "Alright, we'll wait." She smirks at me. "Chris? Is that a new nickname, or something?"

"It rhymes with Tris. We can be twinsies." I joke. "Also, I wasn't the one who came up with that nickname. I think you know who did." I wiggle my eyebrows.

Her face turns red. "How do you know about that?"

"A certain someone was talking about you, Chris." I laugh. Although she doesn't push anything, just stares at the ground, smiling. I know she probably wants to know what Will said, but I don't tell her. I want to see how long this, whatever this is, will drag out.

A chorus of screams and 'OMG I LOVE YOU!' Comments come from outside, only signalling that Four must be here. I suppress a grin, and listen to the yells and chants.

Eventually, though, the bell rings, and we all need to get to class regardless of whatever or whoever is here, according to the loudspeaker. My first class in an AP calculus class.

As I walk to class, a swarm of girls go by me, all of which carry a… hat? Is that Fours hat? They all seem to be trying to latch onto it, and… smell it. Gross. I ignore them and their stupid comments on the hat and enter my class.

I sit next to a boy named Micah in calculus, so I have a partner to work with, but today , he's not here. Maybe he is and is just chasing Four around the school. I think Micah is on the football team, so that explains it.

I just take my rightful seat and wait for class to end.

But it's not that simple. It's as if the universe doesn't want me to get some info on Four. Let alone be near him, because I don't see him after class in the hallway, or even at my second class. At lunch, I do see yet another mob of girls around something that may be him, but I really can't see.

"You have to try harder." Says Christina while we eat lunch.

"What?" I ask. She has probably picked up on my worry

"There is always going to be a group of people around him because he is so popular, and I bet you he is going to try his hardest to stay away from them. So you need to be ready at the exact moment when he is hiding, or something." She explains.

I take her knowledge with me, until school ends. I don't see him though, and start to get worried. If I don't have anything by the end of the day…

And then miraculously, he is right around the corner.

I don't know exactly how I find him, i'm not even trying. I just turn into a empty hallway trying to leave the back way of the school since the front of the school is contaminated with football players, and Four's there.

He's more surprised than me. I turn around the corner, and he has his hood on so I can't see his face. But I know it's him. My heart leaps at the sudden rush of energy. I straighten my body and smooth down my clothing, and then clear my throat.

He whirls around, a startled look on his face. I try to put on a smile, and hug my book bag close to my side, reaching slowly for the notebook. But I don't know what to say. I just stand there, frozen in the presence of practically a god.

He breaks the silence though. "What?"

I clear my throat again. "Hi… Four. I know you're popular and stuff, so I was wondering if you could answer-"

He growls-literally growls- like a tiger ready to pounce. "Great. I try to get away and see a stupid Junior girl. Leave me alone."

I blink once, then twice startled. Then angry. "Jeez, you would've thought they'd teach you at least manners from where you come from."

He looks at me. His eyes are a dark blue, not light and happy like in the movie when he was deeply conflicted with love. "Manners? You try to have manners when you get bombarded by jocks, annoying hot chicks and photos all freakin' day. You think I came here for that B.S.?" he literally spits it out, like the words are sour on his tongue.

I feel in a daze again. I made him angry, and probably should leave. He flips his hood on and turns around, so all I see is his back and the movement of his shoulders as he walks away.

Then, from behind me, I hear, "OMG! GUYS IT'S FOUR!"

I flip my head back to see a girl with brown hair, who looks around the corner and beckons for some more people to come. I turn back the Four, but he has already made his break around the other corner.

Then, their is a swarm of girls, at least 15 or 16, all waking my way. I panic a bit as they approach me.

"Where did Four go?"

"Did he leave?"

"I thought Four was here! He was supposed to sign my wrist!"

There is a bit more conflict, but I stop them. "Whoa, Whoa, Ladies! Uh… Four is.. Not here!"

"But I thought I saw him…" Says the girl with brown hair.

I shoot her a glare. "Yeah, stop jumping to conclusions. That was just Al on his way home the back way since the front way is to packed to eat navigate through. Not Four. Not at all."

"Way to go, Becky!" Someone yells from the right. Their is a bit more grunts of 'stupid' and 'dangit' to the girl named Becky, who turns beet red and stares at the floor.

"But," I say, catching everyone's attention, "I do know where Four is."

They all start to look at me. I notice every girl in this crowd is pretty, and I can name at least one boy from this school who likes each one of them. I envy them, and their good looks. I tell myself though that I am not pretty. I am flat chested, pale, unhealthily skinny.

They all look at me for an answer. "He's at the front of the school." I make up the lame excuse to at least buy him his one way back door ticket out of here. "That's why there are so many people crowded everywhere there."

They all squeal, and turn around, running outside of the hall leaving me alone with my thoughts. I sigh.

I lean up against the wall to the right. He may be a jerk like Christina predicted, but… I don't know. I feel bad for the guy. Although today pretty much proved something. He isn't some kind of cookie cutter actor with good looks and charm.

So, who is Four?

Who is Tobias Eaton?

Wooo hooo! FourTris finally! I know, I know, you guys are probably drooling for more FourTris, one of the main elements of divergent, and I am getting there! A lot more of that next chapter! =D

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