Chapter 7

Tobias' POV

Day of the dance...

(Part three of four)

I never understood why guys even bothered to go to school dances. I understand if they have a girl or possibly boyfriend, but for me? I always hated it.

Until, I actually got a girlfriend. I remember Lauren would drag me to dances and I would understand why guys bothered to go. They had someone to go with. But still, it still wasn't fun going with her.

But now, I actually have an excuse to go.

She's going.

Yes, eventhough Tris' boyfriend is going to be there, I'm going because of her.

"Yo Tobias!" I spin around and Zeke coming towards me.

"Guess what I heard from Mar?" He places his hands on his knees and catches a breath.

"What?"

"So apparently Tris called Tyler after first period and he's sick, so he won't be going to the dance." Zeke informs me.

A jolt of excitement runs through me. Although it's cruel to say that I'm glad he's sick...I'm sort of glad he's sick.

"Oh." Is all I say.

"Look man, I'm going to go to class. I'll see you later." He pats my back before making his way down the hall and towards second period.

Sweat creeps down my neck as I lift.

Twelve.

Thirteen.

Fourteen.

The gym is almost empty. Besides the few two other boys and one girl, I stand in the corner looking at myself in the mirror as I lift another weight.

Fifteen.

Sixteen.

My mother never told me why she left. But I know it was because of my father. The malicious being deserved what he got.

To rot in jail.

After being trailed in court that lasted for about a week, my mother showed up at my house begging for forgiveness.

"Please Tobias, you have to understand." I begged.

"Just go...go."

She called me a few weeks later. I had let her explain her so called reasoning. More like excuse to me. It took me a while. I had finally excepted the fact that she had done it for her own good. Marcus could have killed her and she needed to get away. But deep down inside me, some part still want to scream, yell at her for being to illogical.

Maybe it was for the greater good. Maybe Tris and I were never meant to be together and this is the way faith is punishing me for ever being an ass to her.

I'm an ass.

Seventeen.

Eighteen.

"Woah, you are going to wear yourself out if you keep lifting." Zelenograd hands me a towel. I grab it from him and wipe the sweat that is all over my face.

"I've fallen and I can't get up." I say vaguely.

He sighs and takes a seat on one of the machines. "I don't know what to say to you. You have to get over yourself. She has someone and you can't ruin what they have."

"But-but"

"Tobias!" He scolds. "You lost your chance. You fucking washed it away. You made a stupid mistake of choosing Lauren over Tris. And Tris even told you she was bad new!. And what did you do? You ignored her and told her to disappear and kill herself. Sometimes I'm glad you two didn't become a thing, because you and I both know she deserves better."

It hurt, but he's right. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have exploded I like that. But it's not me you should be apologizing to."

"I tried!" I defend.

"You did try. But you didn't try hard enough."

Zeke adjusts my bow tie before we leave to pick up Shauna. The car ride is mostly silent during the duration to her house.

When we do arrive, Zeke get out of the car and walks to the front door with me trailing a few feet behind him. He holds a bouquet of flowers in his hand along with a small grin.

"Hey." He quickly kisses her cheek and hand her the roses.

Shauna sees me and smile. "Hey Tobias." She turns her attention back to Zeke. "Thank you for the roses, Zeke. That was very sweet of you."

Zeke walks Shauna, though she doesn't need the escorting, she accepts it. I get into the driver's seat and start the car. The couple sits behind me constantly muting to each other. Sometimes I really hate being the third wheel.

The drive to school is quick. When we get out of the car, Zeke, Shauna, and I immediately enter the crowded gym filled with people.

"Hey Tobias!" One of the senior football players motions me to come towards him and his other friends.

"Sup?" I nod my head.

"Have you seen Tris?" I clench my fist.

"No, why'd you ask?" I say as calmly as I can.

"Rumor she looks freaking hot and Tyler not here, so I'm assuming loads of guys are going to ask her to dance." Ryan explains.

"Oh." I say flatly.

"Hey yo Derrick, I dare you to ask Tris to dance." Ryan points to a figure in a white dress.

It's as my eyes do a double take. First, they squint together due to the fact that I'm not wearing my contacts, but then they focus into the figure in the white dress, I know it's Tris.

She looks amazing. No, amazing is an understatement. It's as the Stars have given up shinning and they all let Tris take their place in the sky. She's like the brightest star, always out shining every last one of them.

Tris wears a long dress that falls all the way to the floor. Her hair is out up real fancy and just everything about her screams some sort of attention.

"Damn." I hear one of the guys say from behind me.

Yes, damn it is.

Her eyes light up when her attention is set towards her friends sitting at a table away from ours. She delicately strides over to them and end up talking about something.

I want to- need to make things right with her.

Not expecting her presence, Christina immediately shows up at the center of the stage wearing a fancy dress. I thought she was in vacation.

"Hello Chicago High!" She shouts thought the microphone. "That's right bitches, I'm back. We have many performers today for the night, so let's get started. Come on up Tris!"

I feel Zeke's presence next to me as my eyes frantically search for the blonde girl I and head over heals over.

The gym is quiet only able to hear the clicks of the heels she is wearing.

"So if you guys see a dead body in a few hours, it may or may not be Christina. And I may or may not have been the one to kill her." A few people laugh. "I have a song that really expresses my feelings. People do stupid things and you have to learn to forgive them. But this is what I felt last year, and it may be a little harsh. But you have to let your feelings out at some point, right?"

She starts singing while accompanying herself with the piano and I immediately know this song.

No More Second Chances by MKTO. She and I would always listen to their albums because she forced me to.

A pang of guilt hits me several times and I can't stand being here.

I can't stand this.

She finishes the last line and her gaze meets mine. My eyes bore into hers until she scurries off the stage and walks back to her friends.

I hate myself.

A/n: So like I have a sore throat and I've tried everything to try to get rid of it. And it's probably the worst I've ever had. It hurts like hell. Do you guys have any advice on how to get rid of sore throats? I've tried honey tea with lemon, steamy showers, the sore throat candies, pills- for like colds and stuff, salt water gurgle, eataing a lot of vitamin c, ugh, and I even searched online and it says quick and instant. Well NOPE. I hate this. And I'm going to an amusement park tomorrow for my eighth grade graduation thing and I'm probably going to be screaming during the roller coatsers and I want to get rid of my sore throat so it won't hurt tomorrow. Any advice? Anyways, I hoped you enjoy and see you guys soon!