A/N: A special thanks to Aubrey Cortez for being such an enthusiastic reader. I'm glad you liked the story so much that you kept reading it until you were up to date (in just one day!). What can an author ask for more than captivate his or her readers?
Thank you all for coming with me on this journey.
As you know, Tris and Tobias will go hiking after Homecoming. Something special is about to happen and I will reveal the secret to this story after that. If anyone, however, wants to take a guess you're welcome to. If you are guests here you can contact me using the Ask Me Anything feature of my Tumblr christiwind . tumblr . com (no spaces).
Chapter 19
Tris' POV
I wake early next morning and decide to go out for a run. I always found it relaxing, despite the physical exhaustion. And if I want to go to Argentina I need to start preparing. Aconcagua isn't nearly as demanding as Everest, but I still need to train. While running I let my mind drift to yesterday. Tobias was supportive, but I could tell even while he spoke that he would rather have asked me not to go. I know that he would never make me choose between him and what I love to do, but in the end I don't know what I would choose. I love him, but we are so young. Our friends say that we are cute together and whatnot, but those are assessments of teenagers. I've overheard both my mother and Evelyn, Tobias' mother, talk one afternoon. Tobias had soccer practice and I didn't feel well. He gave me his truck to drive home. I entered the house and heard mom and Evelyn talk in the kitchen. They didn't notice me and at first I wanted to leave. But then they mentioned me and I got curious. While both women were happy that Tobias and I are a couple they both voiced their concern that once the youthful infatuation wears off we will drift apart, especially since we are so different. I was too upset to remain there any longer and quietly made my way up to my room.
I guess somehow mom and Evelyn are right. We are young and maybe this is just infatuation and will wear off eventually. Maybe we both are fooling ourselves thinking that we are in love. Yes, I love him. But am I truly in love? Every romantic novel I've read or movie I've seen depicts love as something so powerful, so unique. In every story the protagonists know they are in love and will forever be together. They know that they can't survive without the other, that life will be meaningless and empty. But is that really true? Do I love Tobias that way? Could I really not live without him? I was fine for the first sixteen years of my life. Why wouldn't I be for the remainder of it?
All these questions are starting to give me a headache. I turn around and run back home, just in time to see Tobias run toward me. He must have been out for a run too. I smile involuntarily.
"Morning, beautiful," he says smiling widely.
"Morning, handsome," I say as I stop in front of him. "Out for a run?"
"Yeah. Woke up early and thought I could use one," he says cheerful. "Nervous?"
"Why would I be nervous?" I ask.
"Tonight you're going to the school dance with the hottest guy in school," he says with a wide grin.
"Unfortunately, I'm not going with the hottest guy in school," I say and his face falls a little. "Marlene goes with Uriah."
"What? That dimwit is not the hottest guy in school," he says wrapping his arms around me.
"Oh, yeah, he is. But that's okay. I might not go with the hottest guy in school, but at least I go with the sexiest man alive," I say smirking. At that his grin is wider than ever before and he crashes his mouth over mine. I soon part my lips and he thrusts his tongue inside my mouth, engaging my own in a passionate dance. We pull apart breathless but smiling.
"Just what the doctor ordered. A hot kiss in the morning from a hot girl will keep you healthy all day long," he says and I burst out laughing.
"You are so full of shit," I tell him.
"Hey, it's true," he defends.
"We should probably go home. I need to take a shower and by what I'm smelling a shower wouldn't hurt you either," I say chuckling.
"That's my man scent," he says.
"Yeah, right. Come on. Let's make this interesting. Let's see who is ready first," I say and he raises an eyebrow.
"A bet? Why Ms. Prior, it's not very ladylike to gamble," he says in a fake British accent.
"Screw that. You in, Eaton?" I ask him and he nods smiling.
"What does the winner get?" he asks before we part.
"A surprise from the loser. It can be tonight, tomorrow or anytime but no later than a week," I say and he nods again.
We kiss one last time and then we each head to our respective homes. I run upstairs and take a quick shower. All these years on the road helped me develop this super human speed when it comes to getting ready. I enter my room and pick out a sports bra, a tank top, some cotton boxers, a white, fluffy sweater and dark blue skinny jeans. I decide to put on my dark leather boots and head downstairs where I eat a muffin and drink my coffee with extra milk. I'm done in less than twenty minutes and go to my front door. I look outside the window and don't see Tobias. Huh, he isn't ready yet. Instead of going outside I wait for him to come out first. I do have a surprise for him, regardless of our little bet, but it might be nicer this way. When he finally comes out and walks to his truck I decide to go out as well, pretending to be upset he made it before me.
"Huh, I guess I'm more of a girl than I thought," I say as I approach him. He wraps me in his arms and I breathe in his freshly showered scent.
"You are the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world," he says.
"A bit cheesy, don't you think?" I ask and then kiss his cheek.
"Isn't cheese one of your favorite things to eat?" he asks releasing me. I walk around the truck and get inside.
"Maybe."
We drive to school and the closer we get the more nervous I become. I know there is nothing to fear in there, but I still feel anxious about facing all those people, friends and strangers alike. Tobias parks the car and we both get out. He grabs my hand in his and we walk toward the entrance. I don't see any of our friends and without realizing it at first I sigh in relief.
"You okay?" he asks.
"Yeah. I'm just a little nervous," I confess.
"You don't have to be. I'm right here," he says reassuringly. I look up at his smiling face and press a kiss to his cheek. The stubble tickles me and I laugh. "What's so funny?" he asks surprised by my reaction.
"Your stubble tickled me," I say.
"I'll have to shave later," he absentmindedly runs his hand over his jaw.
"You don't have to, if you don't want to. I kind of like it this way," I say.
"You do?" he asks a little surprised at my admission.
"Yeah. You look manly and damn sexy," I say wrapping my arms around his waist.
"I do?" he asks with a cocky grin. I only nod. Just as he leans down to kiss me we hear someone whistle. We look toward where the sound came from and see his best friend Zeke.
"Hey guys. You do know this is a school and not one of your bedrooms?" he asks with a smirk.
"Get lost, dude," Tobias says playful.
"Right in the feels, man," Zeke says putting on a hurt expression and holding his chest, as if in pain.
"What do you want?" Tobias asks.
"Could you guys come up to the roof?" he asks.
"Why?" I ask unsure of what this is supposed to be. "Classes start soon," I say trying to find a way out. I'm in no mood to talk to anyone but Tobias.
"Come on. You won't miss much. Besides you've got chemistry, right?" he asks and I nod. "I'm sure Four can bring you up to speed if you miss something," he says wiggling his eyebrows.
"'Cause we have good chemistry?" I ask raising an eyebrow. Zeke nods.
"You don't have to go, if you don't want to," Tobias says softly.
"Four is right. You don't have to. But I promise it's worth your time," Zeke says with a small smile. I think for a moment if I should go with him. I look up at Tobias and he nods.
"I'll come with you, if you want me to."
"I want you to."
We follow Zeke up to the roof where we find all our friends. They are all standing there in a semi-circle looking at me. I feel the incredible urge to shrink back and hide behind Tobias, but instead I stand straight and look them in the eyes. I am still holding Tobias' hand firmly in mine as we close the circle.
"Why am I here?" I ask Zeke, who is standing to my right.
"After you left yesterday some things happened. I don't know if Four told you, but we learned a lot about you. At first, some of us," he says and looks around "were angry you haven't said anything about your life, but as we stopped and thought about it none of us really asked. Yeah, we knew about you going mountain climbing, but we had no idea what kind of mountains you climbed. We are sorry that we didn't really care enough to ask. We do like you, Tris, you are just so different from us."
"I know that, Zeke, believe me I know. I'm the mountain freak that no one wants or likes," I say and look away.
"That's not true," Tobias forcefully says. "I don't just like you, Tris, I love you," he says and the girls "aw" at that.
"Four's right," Marlene says. "We do like you and it was shitty of us to just assume things about you."
"Tris, you are not a freak," Shauna says reassuringly and steps closer to me. "Yeah, you are different, but you are special. I sometimes wish I had your passion. I do like cheerleading but what you do must be so rewarding," she says.
"Yesterday, after school, we sat down with mom and dad and they told us the whole story," Lynn says.
"I doubt it," I say and Shauna raises an eyebrow. "I don't mean that they haven't told you what they know, it's just what they know isn't the whole story. But never mind that."
"Our dad told us a few things too," Uriah says.
"So did mom and dad," Caleb joins in.
"Tris, I'm sorry. I was pushy and unfair. But I swear I didn't mean to hurt you or make you feel less than you are. You are amazing, I knew that even before I found out about all the amazing things you did," Christina says with a shy smile.
"Stop it. All of you. You make this sound so fucking out of this world. I love mountain climbing and that's it. But unlike your hobbies mine is extremely dangerous. People die, people I know die. There is a strong reason why I hide most of my climbs from mom and dad or Uncle Joe or anyone I care about. In May I lost two people I loved. They are gone. But you," I say looking at Caleb and my cousins "you are my family. I would die if I would lose you. In the mountains I've learned there are different kinds of love. While the others are like family and I would suffer losing any of them, you are different. I can't have any of you up there with me. It's hard with them, but it would be impossible with you. I know you are confused, but talk to your dads," I say looking around "those who climb and they'll explain why it's a bad idea to climb tall mountains with family."
"Tris, we're really sorry," Will says.
"I know, Will. People don't really get me and I admit I could have handled yesterday better, but it just pisses me off that I have to be someone I'm not."
"I'm sorry, Tris," Christina apologizes again.
"It's okay, but please, be patient with me. I know I'm a freak of nature, but I can adjust," I say.
"Tris, you don't have to adjust," Tobias says squeezing my hand gently.
"Four's right," Shauna says. "You are perfect the way you are. We just want you to look super pretty, because you actually are. You just like to hide your gorgeousness from the rest of the world," she says chuckling and hugs me. I hug her back and soon all the girls wrap themselves around me.
"Oh, what the hell," Zeke says and joins the group hug as do the rest of my friends.
"Okay, that's enough with this mushiness," Uriah says pulling back first.
"It's too late to go to class," Will comments.
"How about Tris tells us about her climbs?" Christina asks.
"You sure you want to hear? It's rather boring when told," I say unsure of what to do.
"Of course. You fucking climbed Everest. How's that boring?" Christina asks with a smile.
For the remainder of the period we sit around while I tell them about the difficult climbs. I leave out the deaths of my friends on purpose and only tell them about the difficulties and the wonders alike.
A/N: Would you read this story if it were an original novel instead of a Divergent fanfic?