Chapter 13
Tris' POV
Twelve years ago...
"Honey, we're taking you and Tobias skating." My mom tells me while I watch TV.
Being my three year old self, I had to question every little thing.
"Why?" I turn my head to face her.
"It's winter and we thought it would be nice to enroll you in skating lessons." She says sweetly.
"Why?"
"Well because you father and I thought it would be a good idea."
"Why?" Once again.
"Honey, just go to your room. I'll be there in a second to help you get dressed." I remember hopping down from the couch and stumbling my way over to my bedroom upstairs. My mother followed behind.
She pulled a long sleeve and a furry fleece jacket. "Wear these two over you shirt."
"Why?"
She sighs, "sweetie, it's going to be twenty nine degrees outside." She pulls out tiny small pink sweatpants and tells me to put them on. I comply.
We pick Tobias up from his house no later than half an hour later.
"Hi," I giggle shyly.
"Hi Beatrice." He smiles. "I've missed you. I haven't seen you in forever. Mommy said were going ice skating with you and Caleb."
"I can't skate." I tell him.
"Can you?"
"Yes." He says proudly. "I've been taking lessons for months now."
"So you can help me?"
"Of course, Bea." He smiles and giggles quietly.
"I don't want to skate anymore." My skates feel as if they are cutting the blood circulation to my tiny little feet.
"Come on, Bea! I'll help you."
"No. I'll stay here and drink my hot cocoa. I'd rather sit in the freezing snow than go on that death trap." I say pointing the frozen lake.
"Please? I'll teach you."
"Isn't there supposed to be a teacher helping?" I mutter.
"Huh?"
"Never mind." He holds his hand out to me and I stare at it. Does he expect me to hold onto that?
I can't hold his hand, he has cooties! I cannot get cooties. I don't want to be infected!
"No." I say flatly.
"Why not?" He pouts.
"You have cooties and I refuse to touch your hand, Tobias!"
"Fine, my mom has this wipe. She says it's magical and can kill germs. After you can use one and wipe your hands."
"You promise it will kill the cooties?"
"I promise. Now hold my hand." I stand up from my sitting position and take his hand in mine. He pulls me towards the lake. When we step foot on the lake, I fall on my butt.
"Ouch!" That hurt.
"Be careful! I don't want to you hurt. I don't like it when you're hurt."
"Why?"
"Well when you're sad, it makes me sad. You're my best friend, Bea."
I giggle. "You're my best friend too!"
"Now be careful. You have to stand. Ready, one, two, oh okay." I cling onto his shoulders not wanting to fall. I watch as everyone skates around us. The two of us are two, maybe three feet shorter than everyone else.
"Where's Caleb?" I ask suddenly aware that my brother is no where to be found.
"With Susan." Tobias answers. "Now, step with me."
I finally get the hang of this after a really, really long time. I skate slowly while my fingers are entwined with Tobias'. We skate around the lake pointing out the vast colors all around us and sometimes sticking out tongues out along the way to catch snowflakes.
"I had a really fun time with you today. We should do it again sometimes." I tell him before he goes back to his house.
"Okay, Bea. I'll see you tomorrow, Kay?"
"Okay, bye Tobias!" I wave one last time before he walks back into his house with his mother waiting up front.
Present Day...
News happens to travel fast when you get to high school. I never considered myself as the "popular" type but when you're considered pretty, according to Chris (I happen to think otherwise), people tend to pay attention to you. Also, if you're dating a cute jock, people tend to pay a lot more attention to you than necessary.
I hate attention.
I hear whispers down the hall as I walk through it.
"Is it true?"
"Did Tris and Tyler break up?"
"But they were dating for almost a year! That's so long!"
"They were so cute together though!"
My head pounds and all I want to do is scream. Eyes seem to follow me as I walk towards my lockers to grab my books.
"Is it true?" I roll my eyes.
"Please just leave me alone." I am not in the mood for this conversation especially with them.
"Well when we say that you should break up with him at the end of the week, we weren't expecting it a day later, Tris!" Christina exclaims.
"Yeah well, it happened and there's no going back now." I hate this.
"I guess you're right, now let's get to class." Mar follows me to first period. Hm, great, Tyler's there too!
"Can anyone explain what the turning point of the Civil War was?"
No one raises their hand.
"Thanks for all the volunteers." My teachers says sarcastically.
"Tris! Thanks for volunteering." Great, count on teachers to call on you when you specifically don't want to be called on. If we wanted to be called on, we would be raising our hand. Duh.
"Uh...The victory at Gettysburg?"
"Good. Now..."
I know he's looking this way, I can feel eyes burning at the back of my head. I turn my head slightly and our eyes meet.
Nope! Nope! Nope!
I can't lie and say I got over him. I still have feeling have feelings for him, of course.
I need time.
I can't cheat him. Tobias is someone petty crush, but even then, I should be in a relationship if I have second thoughts. Part of me is glad I broke it off, I need to get my head straight before commitment. I need time.
"Chocolate or vanilla?"
"Chocolate."
"Pandas or unicorns."
Uriah and I look at each other at the same time. "Unicorns." We both say.
"Hmm...what about...chicken or bacon?"
"Bacon." I say. "Always will be bacon."
"So you an Tyler, huh?"
"I swear, if another person asks me about our break up, I will snap their neck."
"No, I just want to know why. You two were perfectly fine last time I saw you."
"Yeah, well it's complicated." Complicated is an understatement.
"Complicated? What happened?"
"I have tiny, tiny feelings for Tobias and I don't know, I was confused so I broke up with him. I feel like if the feelings keep growing, I don't want to hurt Tyler when it's too late."
"Tobias? The Tobias that talked smack right in front of you're face? The Tobias that dated the school bitch. The Tobias that-"
"Okay, I get it!"
"Just be careful okay?"
"Okay. I will, I promise."
The chilly Chicago air surrounds me as I tie my skates together. Dressed in Lulu black leggings that wrap around the heel of my skate, and a large grey sweater. I skate at least six times a week with Sunday's off. I've been skating since I was three.
Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays are the days I have private lessons with an instructor. Today's Tuesday, so I skate by myself.
The lake is empty with me being the only person here. I skate around the perimeter to gain speed for several spins.
"I didn't know you still skate." I hear a pice from behind me.
"Well, that's strange. For someone who used to be my best friend, where do you think I went after school for the past twelve years?" I ask while skating.
"I just thought you just quit a while ago."
"Why are you here, Tobias?" I ask out of breath. I still haven't stopped skating. I fling myself in the air and twist my body really fast, spinning at least four, maybe five times.
"I came to skate." He shows my the skates he's holding in his hands.
"You, skate?" I laugh. "When was the last time you skated?"
"Three?"
"So you just happened to want to skate again? After twelve years?"
"Yes, because I knew you'd be here and I wanted to spend time with you."
I finally stop and take a look at him. He's in our school sweatshirt and tan khaki pants. His hair is ruffled and his dark blue eyes are staring into mine. Did I ever mention I have a thing for blue eyes?
I awkwardly cough after that comment. "Okay, uhm, do you remember how to skate?"
"No."
"Okay then." I watch as he wobbles to the ice laughing as he almost trips over some ice. He steps on the ice and slips.
"Ouch. My bum." He catches my eye. "Are you laughing at me, Tris?"
"What? Me? No, I was just coughing you know, coughing..."
He narrows his eyes at me.
"Oh right, let me help." I offer my hand to him and he stares at it.
"I thought I had cooties."
"Oh my gosh, I was three! And I thought guys don't talk to themselves in the mirror."
"Eighth grade! That was in eighth grade! Christina promised she wouldn't tell you." His cheeks flush.
"She didn't have to. I saw the whole thing." I laugh at the memory. Chris and I had went up to his room because he was taking forever. She and I caught him talking to himself and had laughed a little too loudly.
I feel his warm hand wrap around my cold ones, bringing me back to reality.
He hauls me towards him and I come crashing into his chest.
"I heard you broke up with Tyler." He says against my ear.
I close my eyes. My heart is pounding. I don't want to talk about this, especially since I broke up with Ty because of him.
"Come on, let's skate." I change the subject. I practically drag him him around the lake. "I remember the roles were reversed back then. You helping me."
He smiles. "Yeah, you were so talkative back then."
"I was not!" I counter argue.
"All you'd talk about were cooties. Remember the magical wipe that killed germs? I learned it was called a disinfectant wipe later on." He laughs. "You were so adorable back then." He says. "You still are, but the difference is, is that you're not adorable, you're beautiful." I look at him as he tucks hair around my ear.
"No." I pull back. "I can't. I need time by myself." I shut my eyes. "I'm sorry, but I don't feel the same way as you do." My chest turns as I lie right in front of his face.
"Oh." He drops his hand to his side. "Uhm, I'll get going. I'll see you at school, Kay?"
I clear my throat. "Yeah."
I watch as his figure walks farther and farther away from me. Soon disappearing in the distance.
I stand there on the lake recapping the past hour.
I'm screwed.
I fling my bag onto the couch as slam the door. "I'm home!"
It's around six in the evening and I have a shit load of homework to do. I make myself a quick diner and bring it to my room.
There's a post-it note on my door. My always leave them on mine and Caleb's when we have chores to finish.
I grab it and place it on my desk and make a mental note to complete whatever it is I have to do. I lay my books and plate of food on the desk and plop down onto my chair. My eyes catch the note.
Nothing can compare to you're beauty than Aphrodite herself.
-TE
Well, that's not from my parents. I guess myself five seconds to pull myself together.
Five.
That was really sweet.
Four.
How does he keep sneaking in?
Three.
Gosh, I have so much homework, focus Tris!
Two.
He needs to stop doing this!
One.
I'm smitten.
Help.
A/N: I went ice skating two weeks ago and I saw two little kids that looked like they were three years old, probably brother and sister. The little girl was dirty blonde and the boy was dark brown haired, and guess who they reminded me of? Yup! The two little kids were holding hands and skating and I thought it was absolutely adorable. Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed. I tried to make it all cute and adorable for all y'all. Bye!