A/N- Once again, sorry for lack of update! Like with 'A Twist of Fate', I get so far into the story and kind of lose momentum. But when I get back into the chapter and the idea is there, it's easy enough to write. It's also annoying, because I have so many other newer, more interesting ideas to me to write, that I get side lined. But I learnt my lesson with this story to not upload anything when I already have one on the go, because the guilt becomes very intense lmaooo. Anyways, hope you all enjoy the chapter! Bethany x
Chapter 18- Peer Persuasion,
Days pass quickly, and before I know it, we've completed the first week back after the winter break.
"I'm thinking lilac jacket, white trousers."
She holds them up in front of me, standing at the foot of my bed. I take a quick glance at her opened section of the wardrobe, and find an obsessive amount of ski clothes. How did she even fit them in her case?
"It's cute, Chris- but I think you should be wearing brighter colours on the slopes."
She quickly shakes her head, "you know I'm a soft Autumn! Bright colours don't mesh well with my complexion."
I would roll my eyes, if she wasn't being so serious. "I'm just worried about you getting into trouble when up on the mountain. It's easier to find someone in hot pink than your muted blues."
But she's already moving towards the bathroom. "10 minutes, Tris!"
Pushing my heavy body off of the bed, I sit there for a moment. 10 minutes until we're meant to meet the others at the chair lifts.
I would normally be looking forward to spending time with Tobias and my friends, but I'm feeling pretty worn out.
As much as it was my pushing that had Tobias and me be out on the slopes from sunrise to sunset, it's having its toll. And with classes picking up, it feels like I've barely slept for the past week.
And more than anything, I'd like to just hang out in Tobias's apartment, and do nothing.
But with these plans already made, it's non-negotiable, as Christina so nicely put it.
Moving over to my section of the mirrored wardrobe, I push it open. There sit two ski trousers, and two coats.
I go to grab my puffier ski coat, forgoing the thinner one I normally use when training with Tobias. With the whole group out this afternoon, I'm sure I'll be colder than usual. Especially with all of us using skis.
Dressing quickly, I then half ass a french braid.
By the time Chris is done, I'm sitting on my bed, waiting.
We leave soon after, picking up Lynn and Mar in our unoccupied classroom. Leaving their Saturday revision on the table, they follow us down to the boot room.
"We are having drinks after, right?" Mar confirms, clicking her stiff boots on.
"Of course," Christina quickly says, shoving her skis and poles under her arm, "it's the only reason I'm putting up with skiing on my day off."
I'd like to say that Chris is enjoying the sport, but I know she's still finding it tricky.
I keep my less than enthusiastic opinions to myself, knowing that when I'm out there with them all, I'll have fun.
So we leave the boot room, and meet the others by the lifts.
My eyes find Tobias right away, being slightly apart from the rest of the group. He stands loosely by the turnstiles, chatting away with Shauna. It's only when Shauna spots us that Tobias turns his head.
And that's when the nerves kick in. Having a few meals together with our group is one thing, but spending the whole day together? With little to no distracting our friends?
To say I'm unsure how he's going to act is an understatement. And on the other end? Please don't make this awkward, Tris.
His eyes find mine straight away, and when they light up, I feel my stomach settle.
"You lot took your time!" Shauna berates, her brows pulling up with a smile.
Moving over to Tobias, his arm finds its home over my shoulder. Ignoring the others, I look up to him, a small smile cresting my lips. His own smile mirrors mine as he knocks his head down, "try not to leave me alone with them all again?"
Rolling my eyes, I snake my arm across his waist. "Stop acting like you don't enjoy their company."
Pulling me through the turnstiles, he says, "I enjoy your company."
Shaking my head at his lack of response, I chuck my skis down, clicking them into place before I get onto the lifts. Tobias very slowly does the same, and I watch as our friends pass before he's even got the second ski clicked.
Chris and Shauna give me one of those looks, the type that would usually be accompanied with giggles. Turning my reddening cheeks away from them, I say to Tobias, "any day now?"
"Just making sure they're on correctly," he replies slowly, smiling knowingly to me.
By the time we're next in line, I realise he just didn't want to sit with the others.
Not wanting to repeat how my friends aren't that bad, I just get on the lift with him.
But as the lift carries us up the first slope, I start to see his reasoning.
"What were you and Shauna talking about?" I ask casually, leaning back into the chair. With our shoulders touching, I feel no change in his posture.
He huffs out a laugh, gaze sticking to the inclining hill. "She was trying to give me her big sister speech."
Embarrassment churns in my stomach. Even with Shauna and Zeke being just as much my friends as they are Tobias's, it still feels like they're my dysfunctional parents, giving the boy I like one of their 'special' talks.
"Wish I didn't ask," I grumble, sinking into the metal bench.
He laughs at my response, which only helps the heat sink further into my skin.
I take a glance at him, and find him leaning against the rail carelessly. From being on the slopes the majority of his life, I know there's nowhere else on earth that he feels more comfortable. I could say the same for myself, but even I wouldn't basically lean off of the ski lift. His annoyingly boyish grin also lets me know he doesn't even realise he's doing it.
Grabbing his sleeve, I pull him back.
His brows raise, and all I can ask is, "are you afraid of anything, Tobias?"
His face scrunches in contemplation. "I used to be afraid of heights, back when I was younger." He looks back to me, and I realise I'm still holding onto his sleeve. "But then I started to ignore my fear, enjoying being on the slopes too much to let it have a hold over me. I guess I was good enough of pushing it to the side that one day the height of the mountain didn't even come to mind."
My hand slides down his arm, finding his warm palm. "So no fears, huh?"
"Oh, no," he disagrees, shaking his helmet free head, "I'm deathly afraid of small spaces."
At the quickness of his response, I'm just about able to swallow a laugh. "You're claustrophobic?"
He nods slowly, his face shifting somewhat. My amusement died as quickly as it surfaced. "Sounds like you know what that fear came from."
With the mountain getting closer and closer to our dangling feet, he gives me an unsure look, "the closet back in England doesn't have the best memories."
I just about understand what he's getting at as the bar lifts, and my feet hit the rubber mats.
But then his face shifts, back to a smile. "We should get moving, before we lose the others."
I nod back halfheartedly, the unenthusiastic feeling back in the boot room resurfacing. Knowing he's really just doing this for me, I ask, "you're sure you want to do this?"
He answers by squeezing my hand, pulling me along with his momentum.
…
The day flies by in a flash, and we find ourselves back at the mountain top bar, claiming a handful of outdoor tables.
Sitting next to Christina, I'm obliged to listen to her poor persuasion, trying to hype up that club down in the town.
"There's more going on down there!" She moans, pulling on my arm like a child, "and it's been forever since we were there!"
The last time we all went to that club, I'd been hanging around Peter the whole night. That was when I had overheard Nita and her friends in the toilet, then I'd bumped into Tobias between the male and female loos. Romantic, huh?
"I don't really feel like it, Chris," I say lamely. What I really want to do is go back up to Tobias's flat, and finish our conversation that was cut short on the lift.
She pouts, not liking my answer. But instead of her tactic of bombarding me, she turns her attention to Tobias.
"Chris…" I start to say, but she tunes me out.
"You want to go out tonight, don't you, Four?"
It's more of a statement than a question, leaving Tobias looking confused. "I do?" He questions, his eyes flicking to mine.
"See, Tris," Christina deigns with a smile, "Four wants to go."
"Wait-" Tobias starts to protest, but by now, Christina's got the whole table's attention.
"What are you lot on about?" Uriah asks, shifting so most of his upper body is leaning over the table annoyingly.
"Everyone wants to go to that club in town tonight, except for Debbie Downer over here."
"That sounds like fun," Mar agrees, then she turns her attention to me, "we haven't gone out, out for ages, Tris, not all of us together, anyway."
At this point in time, they're all already tipsy. I've passed on the alcohol this afternoon, not in the mood. And now they want me to go to that club?
I glance over the rest of them, finding all their pleading eyes stuck on me. Finally sticking on Tobias's confused, but amused expression, I give in. "Fine, but I'm not staying out long."
A cheer erupts from our table, causing the others occupying the balcony to look over.
Christina twists her buzzing body to me, her smile competing with the bright snow. I know what's going on in her head.
"A few drinks, Chris," I remind firmly, "that's all."
She nods, but her smile doesn't dampen, "sure, whatever."
…
With it being Saturday, I know that club is going to be packed. But the girls have never had a problem with crowds, and I haven't really, either.
But after that comment Tobias made?
"Right, we're all ready," Chris says, leaning towards the mirror, finishing up with some gloss on her lips.
Pushing myself off of my bed, I shove my phone in my loose jeans. As Christina passes me, she grasps my hand, pulling me out of the door.
The cold hits me as the common room's doors open, the wind a tad stronger tonight.
Letting go of Chris' hand, I wrap my sleeved covered arms around my chest. It does little to help with the climate, but when I find Tobias, I know it'll do for now.
We walked over to the others, and I glued myself to Tobias's warm side. He's quick to grasp onto me, pulling me in.
"Your coat?" He asks, slightly incredulously.
I shrug, holding back the growing shivers. "I don't want to hold it when we're in there."
When we all start to walk down, he pulls away. I'm about to protest when I find him taking off his own jacket.
He pulls it around my shoulders as I say, "you don't have to do that." But it does have my heart swelling.
He doesn't vocally reply, instead pulling me back into him.
Wrapping my arm back around his waist, I smile despite myself.
"What do you think about going down to the rink tomorrow?" He asks out of the blue, interrupting the comfortable silence laying between us.
My mind stays blank for a moment, unsure why we'd go down to the ice rink. Then I remember the conversation we had, during that date that we didn't put a name on. God, that feels like a lifetime ago.
I smiled up at him, "you remember that?"
His brows pull in, "why wouldn't I?"
I shrug against him as butterflies fly through me. "Sounds good." Looking down, our friends make a right, turning down main street. "Let's not stay out too long."
I feel him nod, "you want to stay round mine tonight, then? Means the girls won't wake you when they get in."
He asks so casually, I'm nodding before I can really think about it. In no world would I say no to that offer, but I think I'm forgetting the nervousness. This will be the first time I'll be staying at his, actually sleeping at his. The last time was pretty much a mess, that morning altogether is something I'd rather just forget.
We meaninglessly chat until we congregate back with the group in the decently sized line. Tobias starts a conversation with Zeke and Shauna, whilst I'm pulled into Will and Uriah's discussion about whether there are more wheels or doors in the world. Wheels, duh.
Then we're let through. Heading up the narrow stairs, I push through the cramped door, finding the place packed, like I thought. I let the others pass, latching back onto Tobias as he comes through last.
Pointing at one of those booths a group is just vacating, I tell Tobias to claim it.
He does so willingly, obviously in need to get out of the crowd.
With the bartender serving the girls before the disgruntled boys, I get Tobias and I a drink.
Pointing at the table to Mar and Uriah, I leave them to join us in their own time.
With the booths against the furthest away wall from the dance floor, I can just about hear what Tobias says, as long as his lips are basically touching my ear.
Leaning into him as we sit against the booth, we chat about this and that. At points in the night, a few of our friends join us. Lynn is the most present, with her and me being pretty similar. Unlike Christina, Mar and Shauna, we've never been the dancing type.
Lynn's also not the type to tease, and with me and Tobias being so new still, I'm grateful to have a friend like her.
So against my past feelings, I do actually have a good time. Good enough that after I finish my first drink, I stand up to go get another.
Four offers to go get them himself, but I push him back down, saying how I need to go to the toilet anyways. Lynn decides to join me as she sees the boys making their way back over.
With Tobias's order noted, and his card in hand, we head over to the bar.
As we order, I say, "you sure you can hold all three?"
Lynn nods confidently, "I've held way more."
Yeah, so have I. By sticking my fingers in the glasses, pinching them together. Not the most appetising.
Letting it go, I wait with Lynn until the drinks sit on the bar. Tapping Tobias's card, Lynn's just about to grab the drinks when we get separated.
Being pushed out of the way at bars normally isn't fun, nor is it polite in any way. Usually it is uptight boys doing it, and on this occasion, it's exactly that.
I look up angrily, about to say something about basic courtesy, when I find myself face to face with one of Peter's friends.
"What the fuck, Drew?" I say to the oversized oaf. "We were just leaving, you could have just waited."
His ginger hair falls into his face, poking at his eyes. "I didn't see you in the way." Like the conversation hasn't ended, he goes to stare at me.
Becoming uncomfortable, I look around him, trying to find both my drink, and Lynn.
Not seeing Lynn, I lean over the bar, grabbing Tobias's beer and my vodka coke. Thankfully the beer is a screw cap, so the way back over isn't as treacherous.
But before I can move, Drew grabs my arm.
His meaty hands hold onto me tightly enough that I know there's going to be a mark.
"It's not cool, you know," he says, leaning down to my level. "Peter's a good person."
Confusion clashes with unease. "Get your hand off of me, Drew."
He smirks, then his grip lets up. "Enjoy your night, Tris."
He turns, and leaves. No ordering from the bar, no socialising with anyone else. I follow his movements as he walks out of the exit.
With my heartbeat increased, I hold onto the drinks extra tightly, feeling my hands shaking. Knowing I'm bound to spill my drink on the way back, I just decide to down it.
With two or three gulps, it's gone. I make a face at the glass, finding the taste off. The barrel must need a change, I conclude, leaving the empty glass on the bar.
Pushing my way back through the crowd, I find Lynn.
She looks at me with relief, which quickly puts me on edge.
"What's wrong?" I ask quickly.
She shakes her head, "Molly yanked me over by the turn tables, talking a load of crap. I thought maybe Peter was maybe trying to talk to you, get you alone."
I shake my head, "I haven't seen Peter yet, but Drew was there." I don't go into detail about what he said, instead, I push Tobias's beer into Lynn's hand. "I still need the toilet."
I leave her perplexed face, moving through the crowd. Relieving myself quickly, it's only when I'm washing my hands that something doesn't feel right.
Head foggy, I look up at myself. I try to focus on my eyes, but the image in front of me just looks like a bunch of shapes.
Pushing off of the vanity, I find my legs no longer work. Fear jumps into my chest as my knees give out.
I'm sitting on the floor as my thoughts get thinner and thinner. With vague comprehension, someone finds me in the bathroom. Then I feel someone talking to me, but I can't hear the words coming out of their mouth. After that, there's nothing.