A/N: I can't tell you when I update because I simply don't know. As often as possible, even twice a day maybe. I have to revise certain chapters and have a lot on my plate otherwise. Enjoy this new, longer chapter.
Tobias' POV
What did she just say? She wasn't seriously saying that she would kill herself? She manages to swim away from me, at a super human speed I might add. How can such a small girl swim so fast? I follow her to the small island and watch her as she gets out of the water and sits down. I'm there a minute later getting out myself. I walk toward where she sits and watch her for a moment.
"Can I sit?" I ask. Her head is rested on her arms, which rest on her knees. Her face is down, but I can tell she is crying. When she doesn't answer I wonder if I should just leave her alone. But what if she was serious? What if she wants to kill herself? I know this isn't a mountain, but since when do suicidal people need a mountain for that? I just sit down, next to her, but leave enough space between us to not bother her. I need to rest anyways. God, she can swim.
"Leave me alone" she says, her voice muffled.
"I'm just sitting here" I say.
"I want to be alone" she says, still keeping her head down.
"I need to rest for a moment" I lamely say. At that she gets up and runs to the water. She jumps inside and dives. I watch the water for a while, waiting for her to resurface, but she doesn't. I get up and walk quickly toward where she jumped in and jump after her. What if she is drowning? She must be tired from the swim earlier. I look around in the water but I can't see her. When I can't keep my breath I resurface. I look around to see if I can spot her and just as I wanna dive again to search for her she resurfaces several yards ahead of me. How did she do that? I swim after her. I know she will reach the shore before I will catch up, but she won't be able to go too far. But to my surprise I'm still halfway away when she reaches the shore, grabs her things and takes off running. I see Caleb and Lynn trying to stop her but she is already out of reach. Soon she is concealed by the bushes and trees of the forest ahead. I swim back to shore and get out.
"Where did she learn to swim like that?" I ask Caleb.
"No idea" he honestly says.
"Four, you are like the fastest. You couldn't catch up with her?" Zeke asks amazed.
"No. And she can hold her breath a lot longer than I can. I've never seen anything like it" I tell them and they look at me surprised.
"It's a basic requirement for mountaineers" a voice says and we turn around to see Mr. Williams and a tall man with messy hair tied to his back and a bushy beard. I realize the stranger talked.
"And who are you?" I ask. Obviously the guy is much older than we are, so he isn't a student. Maybe he is a friend of the family.
"Scott Fisher, Tris' boyfriend" he says with a serious face.
"Tris?" I ask confused.
"Yeah, ya know, blonde, petite cutie, with lips that beg to French them" he says with a snicker.
"Scott" Mr. Williams says with a warning tone.
"I'm just saying. So, where's my little honey bunny?" he asks and it turns my stomach around the way he refers to her. Is this really her boyfriend?
"She took off, that way" Lynn says pointing toward where Beatrice disappeared.
"I'll find her" he says and takes off.
"Tris?" Lynn asks.
"Yeah, all her friends call her that" Mr. Williams explains.
"Tris" Lynn says again and smiles. "I like it. It's so much better than Bee."
"It suits her" Uriah says and I happen to agree. I look toward the forest where Tris and her much older boyfriend disappeared.
We stay by the lake for a couple of more hours, just relaxing and goofing off. But I can't stop thinking about her. I've seen her a few times, always sad or crying, but today I've seen a different side of her: angry, determinant, fierce. She is a fighter. After I found out that she is a mountain climber I researched a little about it. To be able to do that you need to train very hard, harder than for any sport. You fail on the field, well it sucks, but that's it. But if you fail and give up on a mountain you're done. I went on forums and read all kinds of comments. Most of those are from amateurs, but some of the pros write there too. When you are out there on the mountain and you give up no one will help you. They walk past you. I think it's cruel, but apparently it happens. Maybe that's what Tris did and now she feels guilty. But those people where her friends. I could never walk past any of my friends and leave them there.
By supper we all gather in the camp's cafeteria. Zeke's mom is our cook and nurse here. Well she is a nurse, but she is also a very good cook. And we all help out. There aren't many of us here. About forty students and six adults. We are all between fifteen and seventeen and go to the same high school, Oswald Avery High School. I sit at the same table as my friends and look around. Tris and her boyfriend aren't here.
"Caleb, have you seen your sister? I can't find her anywhere" Mr. Prior says.
"She is in the forest with her boyfriend" Caleb says through gritted teeth. Ever since that guy showed up Caleb was very verbal about how his sister is too young for a boyfriend. The girls tried to calm him down, saying that she's sixteen and she has every right to have a boyfriend and he should just mind his own business. But the guy is definitely older than her. I wonder if he doesn't just uses her for sex. Thinking about that makes me a little angry. But why? I don't care if two strangers have sex. I mean strangers to me.
"Boyfriend?" Mr. Prior asks incredulous. "What boyfriend? Did she talk to someone here? Did she finally open up her shell?" he asks, a little hopeful and looks around.
"Uhm, no, dad. A guy came with Uncle Cameron, a Scott Fish I think" Caleb says.
"Scott Fisher? He's here?" Mr. Prior smiles but then his expression changes. "Wait. Did you say boyfriend?" Caleb nods. "Scott is your sister's boyfriend?" Caleb nods again.
"Do you know him, dad?"
"That son of a bitch. If he touched my little girl I'm gonna end him" Mr. Prior growls and clenches his fists. Just then the door opens and Tris and that Scott guy come in. She smiles. For the first time since I met her she smiles. It's a little bit forced, but at least she smiles. I look at her and realize how beautiful she looks when she smiles. It's like her whole face lightens up.
"Hey, dad. Look who's here?" Tris says toward her father. Mr. Prior stomps toward them and when he is near enough he grabs Scott by the collar and punches him in the face. Scott falls to the ground and looks up shocked.
"What the fuck, man?" Scott asks, rubbing the place where he got hit.
"Dad! What the hell are you doing?" Tris asks.
"How could you lie to me?" he asks her.
"What? What are you talking about?" she asks confused.
"This" he says pointing toward Scott who slowly stands up.
"I guess you found out. Yes, it's true, Andrew. Tris and I are madly in love and we will get married and have hot, steamy husband and wife sex" Scott says with a straight face. How can this guy talk like that, to his girlfriend's father nonetheless? He disgusts me.
"What did you say?" Mr. Prior asks angry and before he can move to punch Scott again, his brother and Mr. Williams hold him back.
"Wait, what? Scott, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Tris asks looking at the guy.
"Nothing. I'm just telling people about us" he says smirking.
"You fucking shithead. There's no us. What the fuck is wrong with you? Dad, don't listen to him. He smoked too much pot or drank too much booze. I'd never go for a dillhole like him" Tris says. "Oh, and Scott" she says turning around to face Scott and punches him in the face on the other side of where her father hit him, knocking him to the ground. "Stop fucking telling people we are a couple. I'd rather fuck a yak than you and the whole world knows that." She turns around to look at her dad. "Dad, I swear, Scott is just an idiot. There never was or will there be anything other than friendship between us. Although" she says looking over her shoulder "I might revise the friendship."
"You promise, baby girl?" her dad asks and the two men holding him let go.
"I swear, dad. In fact, I'm still a virgin" she announces to the whole cafeteria, not giving a crap.
"Oh, thank God." Mr. Prior envelops her in a big bear hug and she hugs him back. But then she starts laughing, like the laugh that makes you double over and shit your pants kind of laugh. Her dad lets go and looks at her curiously. "What?"
"Me" she laughs "and him" she laughs more and points at Scott "a couple" she laughs even harder. "That's fucking" her father joins her laughter, although I think he does because her laughter is contagious "hilarious" she says and laughs more and snorts and coughs and it takes her five full minutes to calm down and speak relatively normal again.
"Honey bunny, you're hurting my feelings" Scott says rubbing both sides of his face. "And my face."
"I've told you like a million times to stop calling me honey bunny, honey, sweetie, sweetheart, babe, baby, sugar, sexy or anything else your sick mind comes up with. And stop gawking at my boobs. Don't you have enough with that picture?" she asks and leaves all our mouths hanging.
"Picture? What picture?" her dad asks alarmed.
"Of my boobs. Don't worry, I was wearing a bra" she casually says.
"WHAT?" Mr. Prior asks.
"Relax. That's all he will ever get."
"Unless you lose another bet, cutie pie."
"I'm warning you, Fisher. If you don't stop I'm gonna touch your special place and it won't be pleasant. Remember?" she asks, putting her hands on her hips. At that Scott's smirk fades and he looks at her serious.
"You wouldn't" he says.
"I swallowed prehistoric dog crap, do you really think I make threats and promises in vain. I fucking keep what I say."
"Okay, okay. Relax. Sorry, Andrew, for misleading you" he says.
"It's okay, I guess. Bee, did you say you ate uhm…" Mr. Prior says looking at his daughter.
"Dog crap? Yeah" she says serious.
"Are you serious?" he asks uncertain.
"Well, we're not one hundred percent sure that it wasn't a really old fig. But dog crap sounds better. But don't tell mom. She'll freak out again and make me go for a check-up."
"I won't. But honey" he says looking at her.
"Yeah, dad."
"Please, don't eat things you don't know what they are or where they came from" he talks to her like to a five year old.
"Oh, darn. And I really wanted to eat some very red, poisonous berries that I found in the woods."
"Bee, stop kidding around" her father warns.
"Are you insane?" Mr. Williams asks. "She is finally herself again. Sweetie, you can eat whatever the fuck you want" he says smiling.
"Thanks, Uncle Cam."
"Why don't you sit down and eat some supper" Mr. Prior says to his daughter and she sits down next to us, while Scott sits next to her.
"You are a fucking piece of shit" she says to Scott. "How could you tell my dad we are a couple?" she asks serving herself some mac and cheese.
"A dude can dream" he says getting a burger.
"Yeah, only in your hot, bothered and wet dreams maybe, but not in this reality, dillhole."
"You know? For a tiny girl you really hurt feelings like a mammoth. No wonder they call you Ice Mountain Tris" he says. I look around and all my friends watch the two of them with open mouths.
"That's not why and you know it" she says.
"At least I have a cool name" he says taking a bite from his burger, while Tris almost chokes on her own food.
"Cool name? You've got to be shitting me."
"What? What's wrong with my nickname?"
"Everything. First of all, you can't pick a nickname for yourself, people give it to you. And second, who the fuck calls himself cumshot?" she asks and a few of us choke on either food or water.
"Language" Mr. Prior, the other one, Shauna's dad says.
"Sorry, Uncle Joe. What kind of a stupid ass nickname is that?"
"It means that I'm a killer in bed" he says grinning before taking another bite.
"If by killing in bed you mean boring the chicks to death, yeah, you are a killer. But if you insist on accuracy cumshot wouldn't be my first pick."
"Oh, really, miss fancy pants" he says mockingly. "What nickname would you give me then?" he asks. Tris thinks for a moment before a devilish grin appears on her face. She turns to face her friend and says: "Your perfect and accurate nickname shall be from now on… drum roll… premature ejaculation" she says and Zeke and Uriah burst out laughing. I soon follow and so does everyone else at our table.
"What the fuck, baby? Really? Where did you get that from?"
"One hears stories" she says eating her food.
"What stories?" he asks intrigued.
"Are you dumb or just stupid?" she asks raising an eyebrow. "Let me say this: one night in Bangkok."
"You wouldn't" he says serious.
"Relax, Casanova, I won't tell people your little secret."
"Thanks" he says and sighs.
"I have a video for that" she says and gets up. She walks toward the kitchen to deposits her plate and gets a slice of chocolate cake.
"Swear that you'll never show the video to anyone" he says trying to be intimidating, but Tris just ignores him.
"What's in it for me?" she asks.
"Blackmail, huh? I thought you were better than that" he says mockingly.
"And I thought you were better. Guess we were both wrong."
"Oh, come on. Please. For me?"
"Dude, stop that with your eyes. You are creeping me out. This might work with the skanks you fuck, but not with me."
"What if I give you the Transporter?" he asks. I wonder what he means.
"You would give me that?" she asks and he nods. "Your 1975 mint condition Star Trek Original Series Mr. Spock Transporter?" He nods again. "I'll take it under advisement" she simply states and takes a forkful of cake. She puts the cake in her mouth and moans louder than I've ever heard anyone moan. "Oh fuck. It's like my taste buds just had sex. Jesus Christ, this is one hell of a cake" she says. By now the whole cafeteria is looking at her. She has literally captured everyone's attention.
"Give me some" Scott says and grabs the fork out of her hand. She quickly gets it back and glares at him.
"Take your filthy Yeti paws off my cake. Go get your own cake" she yells at him. It's hard for me to understand how this person is the same as the one from this morning and practically the same one I knew for the past weeks.
"Is your sister always like that?" I ask Caleb.
"I… honestly have no idea" Caleb answers dumbfounded.
"Yeah, that's our Tris alright." I look up to see Matt, their other cousin, standing right behind Caleb who is still looking shocked, as do many others, at Tris Prior. "This is the real Tris, the one that only comes out when she's on the mountain."
"You mean insane?" Caleb asks.
"I don't think insane is how I would describe her" Uriah says.
"No" Matt agrees. "She's free and herself. Hey, Tris" he says and sits down next to her.
"Dude, that's my seat" Scott says when he comes back.
"There's a seat across from us" Matt gestures.
"Did you know that dillhole over there told everybody that we are a couple and have hot steamy sex?" she asks with her mouth almost full.
"You said that?" Matt asks angry, balling his fist.
"Was just a joke, relax man. Geez, and to think I wanted to marry into this family."
"Never gonna happen. Even if you'd be the last man on Earth I wouldn't fucking touch you. You are disgusting" Tris says making a face that goes with her statement.
"You just don't know me yet" Scott says taking a forkful of his cake.
"I know you plenty" she bites back.
"Dude, drop it. She's a minor" Matt says protectively.
"Come on, man. You know we are kidding. Don't you think if I really wanted to make her fall for me I would've?" Scott asks, giving them a charming smile. Tris and Matt look at each other and shake their heads.
"First, never gonna happen" Tris says.
"Second, Tris is a martial artist and can kick your ass to the moon. I saw her fight three guys twice her size and she knocked out two of them and the third conceded and they weren't newbies. Full grown men, marines. You don't wanna mess with my sis here."
"Oh my God, could you guys just fucking relax. It was a joke" Scott says.
"Stop making jokes like that about my sister" Matt says.
"Sister?" Zeke asks Caleb.
"Matt considers all of us his siblings, since he has none" Shauna explains.
"But Tris is my favorite" Matt shouts before taking a bite from his burger.
I look around the cafeteria and see that almost everyone watches Tris, Matt and Scott interact. The silliness from just a moment ago faded into pleasant conversation.
"So, you guys up for a swim afterwards?" Matt asks.
"Sure" both Scott and Tris say at the same time.
"Like in Hawaii?" Matt asks wiggling his eyebrows.
"Yeah" Scott says excited, while Tris looks appalled and says "God, no."
"What happened in Hawaii?" Lynn asks.
"We all got wasted and went skinny dipping in the ocean" Matt says.
"Really?" Uriah asks leaning forward to get a better look of the three.
"Nah-uh. No way" Tris protests.
"Come on, Trissy. There are no jellyfish here" Scott says sweetly.
"What about jellyfish?" Marlene asks.
"Should I tell them?" Matt asks Tris.
"Like my opinion matters" she says sipping her water.
"Of course it matters" Matt says.
"Okay. Don't say anything" Tris says.
"Alright."
"A jellyfish got stuck to Tris' cute butt" Scott says laughing.
"You motherfucker!" Tris yells. "I said don't say a thing."
"You told Matt not to say anything. You didn't tell me" he says grinning.
"Shithead."
"What about that jellyfish?" Zeke asks and Shauna smacks him.
"So here we are, swimming through the ocean, when suddenly our Trissy yelps. At first we thought a shark was eating her or something. Turns out a baby jellyfish attacked her sweet little pussy before sticking to her butt" Scott says.
"Fisher! The fuck?" Tris shouts.
"Come on, it was hilarious" Scott says laughing.
"Not as hilarious as the time when an eel crawled up your ass" Matt says and we all burst out laughing.
"Not cool man. That required medical care" Scott says pouting.
We listen to a few more of their stories, before all three of them get up and leave the cafeteria, not caring for anyone.
"Where are they going?" Uriah asks looking after them.
"Swimming" Mr. Williams says. "What about you guys? Wanna join them?" he asks the Prior brothers.
"I just ate" Caleb's father says.
"Sissy" Mr. Williams mutters. "What about you, young men?" he asks looking at us. "And ladies?"
"Sure" Zeke says and gets up. "Babe?" he asks Shauna who nods. One by one we all go outside to see Tris, Matt and Scott stretch, all in their underwear, well Tris in her bathing suit. Looking at her like this makes me feel awkward, like I shouldn't, but I can't take my eyes off of her. I see that she has a few tattoos on her back, some quotes maybe, but I can't really see what they say.
"Hey, kids. Mind some company?"
"Like you could keep up with us, old man" Matt says to his father.
"Matthew, I'm still your father" Mr. Williams says.
"Ignore him, Uncle Cam. Sure you can join us" Tris says.
"What about us?" Caleb asks.
"Sure" Tris says smiling.
"Bee?" Caleb says.
"Yeah?"
"I'm glad you're happy again" he says and hugs her.
"I'm better. Thanks. And I'm sorry for being so bitchy these past few weeks."
"I'm sorry too. I should have been more sensitive" he says.
"Are we swimming or being all girly?" Scott asks.
"Shut up, dude" Tris yells.
The three mountaineers take several steps back leaving a distance between them and the water. Mr. Williams stands next to them and starts counting down.
"Five, four, three, two, one. Go!" he yells loudly and all four of them start running toward the water. As soon as they are far enough they jump in and dive. We all look toward the water where none of them has resurfaced yet.
"You think they are alright?" Marlene asks.
"I hope so" Shauna says. I look at my watch and two minutes have passed since they jumped in. I know for sure because I was just looking at my watch when they sprinted into the water. Just then someone comes up for air.
"Who is it?" Christina asks.
"I think it's my uncle Cam" Caleb says. A second person surfaces and I recognize Matt. That leaves Scott and Tris.
"Where's Scott?" Will asks.
"And Tris?" Lynn wonders. We all look toward the small island since that's where they are heading and watch for any kind of movement in the water. A third person resurfaces. Scott. That leaves only Tris. Maybe something's wrong. Why didn't she resurface yet? I look toward my friends they all look worried.
"Where is she?" Caleb asks nervous, taking several steps toward the water.
"Oh my God. What if she drowned?" Christina asks worried.
"Don't say that" Caleb snaps.
"Look" Lynn shouts and points toward the water. We all turn around to look. Tris just resurfaced and is ahead of all three men. She is swimming rapidly, like a fish and is the first to reach the small island. I can only assume she tapped the ground and turned around because now she is swimming full speed toward us. Right behind her is Scott and then Matt and now even Mr. Williams. They all swim incredibly fast toward the shore.
"Come on, Bee. You can beat them" Mr. Prior who seems to have materialized out of nowhere cheers proudly.
"Go, Bee" Shauna's father cheers.
"Tris, Tris, Tris" Shauna and Lynn cheer and soon we all start cheering for this amazing girl. She is way ahead of the guys and swims like a champ. I've never seen anyone swim that fast. Just as she approaches the shore she dives. We all look toward the water expecting her to jump out or something, but she doesn't. Suddenly both Matt and Scott stop and move frantically around in the water. Something must be happening. They both dive and I wanna run and jump in as well to help them but as I walk forward Tris resurfaces and swims with something in her hands. She swims fast and when she reaches the shore she starts running.
"Bee?" her father asks.
"Not now, dad. Must run" she says laughing loudly. And then I realize. She holds a pair of shorts in each hand. She runs toward the forest, trying to get away from the two men who are chasing her naked.
"Tris, you little punk" Scott yells.
"Tris, come back here" Matt shouts. While Matt stays in the water where he is covered enough, Scott runs out flashing us all.
"Scott, there are kids here."
"Yeah? Your kid stole my boxers" he says but starts laughing. He runs toward the forest, no doubt chasing Tris.
"Scott Fisher, come back here. I forbid you to run after my daughter naked."
"Your precious princess daughter undressed me" he says turning slightly, but then loses his balance and falls down.
"Jesus Christ" Shauna's dad says loudly.
"Scott, put some pants on" Mr. Prior says.
Shauna's dad walks toward the pile of clothes and picks up Scott's pants. He brings them over and gives them to him to put them on.
"What is wrong with you, kids?" he asks exasperated.
"Oh, relax, Andrew. Just harmless fun."
"Scott, I like you, but you chasing after my sixteen year old girl completely naked isn't really an image a father can digest easily" he says rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Shouldn't someone go after Bee?" Caleb asks.
"She'll be fine" her dad says. I would have thought he would go after her. She is half naked and alone in the woods. Isn't he afraid she might get hurt?
"But, dad. She is running around in just a bathing suit."
"Relax, Caleb" Matt says coming over, his pants covering his lower half. "Bee can take care of herself. Besides, she is around here somewhere."
"Matt, she ran into the forest" Shauna says.
"She might have done that, but she is around here somewhere. I assure you" he says smirking.
"Bee, please come back" Mr. Prior says.
"No" we hear her shout. I look around, but can't see her. Where is she?
"Bee, come back, now" her dad says a little more serious now.
"Immunity?" she asks. This time it was closer, but I still can't see her.
"Immunity granted" her dad says.
"What are you guys talking about?" Caleb asks.
"It's a long story" Mr. Prior, his brother, Mr. Williams, Matt and Scott say all at the same time.
"Bee?"
"Yeah?" Now she is even closer. How is she doing this? Where is she?
"Come down" he says and we all look up. There she is sitting up high in the tree nearest to the water, her feet dangling and a huge smile on her face. I involuntarily smile. She looks so beautiful when she smiles.
"Okay" she says and stands up on the branch. I have no idea how she does that. If it would have been me I would have had a panic attack by now, with my fear of heights. But not this girl. She lets the two pair of shorts fall to the ground and Matt and Scott grab their own. They step aside and look up. Tris jumps and mid-air rolls a few times to soften her fall. She lands on the ground and stands up like nothing.
"Where the hell did you learn to do that?" Shauna asks.
"Karate" Tris answers. "In Kyoto" she adds.
"You were in Japan?" Uriah asks.
"Yeah. A couple of years ago. My mom had a fashion thing over there and I have some friends from Japan. We met and one of them taught me." We watch her as she goes to pick up her own clothes and puts them on.
"Where did you learn to swim like that?" Zeke asks. Tris sits down and motions him to sit as well. We soon all gather around her, all of us eager to hear more.
"As you know I'm a mountain climber. The basic training for that includes swimming, because you push your body harder. You start out swimming your basic pool, than you go to a larger one, then you add weights."
"You swim with weights?" Will asks.
"Yeah. You start out with half a kilo and then add more and more. Enough to push you, but not too much to drown you" she explains.
"That's insane" Zeke says.
"Just a little bit. But honestly, you need to be a little crazy to do this" she says with a chuckle. She continues telling us about her training and we all hang on every word she's saying.