Chapter 14

I love your reviews so much! It seems like you guys hate the cashier lady more than Eric himself, lol. Lookout for an important author's note at the bottom. Enjoy!

(Tobias POV)

"But it's so fluffy!" Uriah whines, wrapping his arms around the head of the dog. It's so giant, it resembles a bear more than a dog. Tris is on her knees, rubbing the dog's ears. It's such a cute puppy I just want to- NO! Focus Tobias. Whose dog is this?

"Where the fuck did you guys get this dog? Seriously, this is a crime." I warn.

None of them are listening, and the next thing I know, I'm sitting on the ground, being licked to death by the incredibly fluffy dog. It lays down and rolls onto it's back, and we all pet its soft belly. Tris has completely let go, laying on her back in the grass next to the dog. The dog flips over and rests its head on her stomach. Tris giggles and pets the dogs head gently. She looks so happy.

We are pulled from our puppy petting by a feminine laugh from behind us. Tris and I jump up and take several steps back, distancing ourselves from the crime scene. We see a tall woman in her late thirties with short brown hair approaching. A young girl, maybe four or five, walks beside her, holding her hand. Zeke and Uri wave at her as she picks up the dog's leash, smiling back at them. The little girl wraps her tiny arms around the dog's leg. It's the cutest thing I've ever seen.

"Thanks for watching Bear for me while I took my daughter to the bathroom. I just can never seem to get him to stay with me. He likes to take off sometimes. Did he try to run away from you two?" She asks. Zeke and Uri exchange a look before scoffing.

"Of course not. We're too strong for him." Zeke claims, lying through his teeth. Thank god they didn't steal this dog. Or let it get away.

"Well thanks, I appreciate it. Have a nice day!" The lady walks away, taking her kid and Bear with her. I can't believe I thought they were stealing the dog.

"You guys are so stupid. Tris and I were having a moment before we had to race down here to stop you guys from stealing someone's dog. Why would you let us think that!" I scold him. He just shrugs.

"You guys foiled our plans. We assumed you would be too into making out that you wouldn't see us sneak it into the Jeep. It's your own fault, really." He claims. I roll my eyes and he just smiles.

"What's next, Zeke?" Tris asks impatiently. His face lights up.

"Your loyalty test. I think you will like this challenge in particular. To the Batmobile!" Zeke declares dramatically. Uri runs to Tris, throwing her over his shoulder. I'm about to yell at him to stop, considering Tris doesn't take kindly to touching like that, but she's squealing with laughter and I realize she's fine with this. She giggles and playfully swats his back trying to escape. I feel a pang of jealousy as I'm left behind. I want to be the one to hold her like that.

By the time I reach the Jeep, Tris is laying across the back seat, shaking with laughter. Uri wears a smirk that indicates he just told some sort of fart joke. Tris spots me and props herself up on her elbows, giving me room to sit down. After I buckle my seatbelt, she surprises me by carefully resting her head down again, only now she's laying her head on my lap. She lays on her back, looking up at me with bright eyes and a wide grin.

As we drive I lose my hands in her hair, getting used to the feeling of her head on my thighs. Tris closes her eyes in contentment and it's one of the most relaxed versions of her I've seen. I can't help but place a kiss on her forehead, making her sigh softly.

As usual, just as Tris and I get comfortable, Zeke and Uri are right there to interrupt. Zeke pulls over in front of a big, modern house. Most of the exterior is painted black and white, and a fancy black sportscar is parked in the driveway. I know that car from somewhere…

"Wait, isn't that-" Uri is cut off by Zeke.

"Shhhhhhh. Don't you dare say anything else." Zeke turns back to us to explain. "Welcome to challenge number three. The rules are as follows: don't talk, don't ask questions, and don't get caught. Here, you'll be needing these." Zeke passes each of us a new roll of plastic wrap. Is this Peter's car? Is it Max's? I have no clue. I open my mouth to protest, but Zeke immediately cuts me off.

"This follows your rules, you know. I'm not breaking and entering, and plastic wrap won't 'deface' his property, so it's not illegal. Also, I'm going to blackmail you. Refuse to do this and I will send the picture to the team's group chat. My finger is hovering over the send button as we speak." Zeke threatens, rather pleased with himself. Fuck.

"What picture?" Tris asks, innocently. Zeke immediately passes Tris his phone, the picture on full display. Fuck fuck fuckety fuck.

Tris is barely able to hold the phone she is laughing so hard. I take this opportunity to steal it from her, and I turn away to block her arms as she frantically attempts to take it back. I delete the picture and smile in victory, smugly handing the phone back to Zeke.

He just smirks, hitting the home button on the phone. The picture is his background.

"God damnit Zeke!" I exclaim. This is bad.

"Do you think I'm that stupid? I have three backups on this phone, plus 6 on my computer. I have a couple eight by tens and a wallet sized photo if you want it Tris." He explains. Tris nods hysterically, still laughing too hard to speak.

"Okay, okay! I give up. Let's plastic wrap this damn car already!" I exclaim. We grab our rolls of plastic wrap and carefully exit the Jeep, walking slowly up the driveway. This is a nice house, and I wouldn't be surprised if it has some sort of high tech security system. Is trespassing a crime? Probably.

We work in silence, carefully following each other around the car, wrapping it four layers thick. We get the lower half of the car done with ease, but as we make it to the windshield, we all reach the end of our rolls. Uri immediately falls to the ground, dramatically reaching to the sky and silently screaming NOOOOO. Zeke has the exact opposite reaction, walking calmly over to the Jeep, opening the trunk. Tris and I follow him in curiosity, leaving Uri to act out his own death in front of the partially wrapped car.

Zeke opens his trunk to reveal a large black duffle bag. He unzips the seams and the bag's sides roll open, revealing every supply you could possibly need when pranking someone.

"Pick your poison." He declares. Tris's eyes light up, and she reaches for the shaving cream and a giant tub of pink glitter. I settle for some good old post it notes and bubble wrap. Tris runs back to the car and Zeke stops me before I follow her.

"Hold onto her. Few people appreciate the destructive properties of glitter." He explains, winking as he sends me back to Peter's car. Zeke follows me with a single rubber chicken. Strange.

We return to the car and I toss a roll of bubble wrap at Uri, who jumps up and finishes wrapping the car in under a minute. Nothing motivates the Pedrad boys quite like pranks. I follow his work with Zeke's help, going through six pads of post its. Tris is next, first using the shaving cream to create several dicks on the roof of the car, before pouring the entire container of glitter over the top. The glitter sticks to the shaving cream dicks in a satisfying way, and covers the entire roof, as well as the ground around it. The car looks like a little kid's arts and crafts project. Zeke nods in approval, whispering in my ear as Tris dumps the last of the glitter over the hood.

"I've always thought of Tris as a sisterly figure, but as I'm watching her pour glitter on this car, I'm starting to realize that she has a sweet ass." He says. I elbow him sharply in the side. He was standing with his legs crossed and my jab causes him to fall, landing right on the rubber chicken.

The shriek that the chicken emits is the loudest, shrillest sound I've ever heard in my entire life. As the scream plays out, the four of us freeze, looking at each other in terror. When the sound finally stops, Zeke scrambles to his feet, causing the chicken to make one last squeak, making all of us jump.

Before we have a chance to process everything, the front door flies open, revealing Peter, clad in sweatpants and anger.

"RUN!" Zeke yells, causing Tris to tear off towards the Jeep. Uri follows her immediately, and Peter begins to chase after him.

Zeke throws the chicken hard, managing to peg Peter in the forehead. He staggers back, falling on his ass.

"I WILL FUCKING KILL ALL OF YOU!" Peter screams, causing Zeke to scamper off after Uri. I feel the adrenaline propelling my legs forward, racing down the driveway onto the street. Just ahead of me Tris and Uri are jumping in the car frantically, and I can hear Peter's bare feet beginning to run down his driveway. Zeke swings the door open so eagerly, I'm surprised it doesn't fall off. I jump in the back, slamming the door just seconds before Peter is there, pounding on the window.

The Jeep lurches forward as Zeke pulls away from Peter's house. As he tears down the street, I catch a glimpse of Peter standing in the middle of the road, smoke pouring from his ears. I would be laughing if it were under different circumstances. I'm breathing heavily, trying to calm down when I notice Tris is barely breathing at all.

She's sitting next to me in the backseat with her feet tucked under her, her entire body shuddering. Her arms are wrapped tightly around her sides, her head bowed down. It looks like someone just attacked her.

"Tris? Are you hurt?" Uri speaks the question on my mind, turning around in his seat.

She shakes her head, but doesn't look up. Zeke slows down now that we are far away from Peter, pulling over in the grass.

"Tris, what's wrong?" Zeke asks, his voice gentle and serious. He knows just as well as I do that she's not okay.

She slowly lifts her head and my heart drops as I see a tear streak down her cheek. I want to pull her into my arms, but something tells me that's not what she needs right now.

"I'm okay guys…I just don't do well with that kind of stuff… the yelling, running for your life stuff, you know?" She finally takes a deep breath, releasing her sides. "I just need a minute to calm down." She explains.

I reach out a hand to comfort her, and she sort of holds it, playing with my fingers. She's calming down faster than I expected. I was worried it would be more like the time I discovered her scars.

"I'm sorry Tris, it's my fault. I pushed Zeke." I admit. She smiles slightly, shaking her head.

"No, it was that damn rubber chicken." She jokes, halfheartedly. She wipes her hands against her leggings, taking more deep breaths.

"I know just what you need, Tris. The fourth challenge is perfect for this." Zeke says, seriously. Uri groans and I shake my head.

"No way Zeke. Take her home." I warn him. Tris smirks slightly, looking from me to Zeke.

"What's the fourth challenge, Zeke?" She asks daringly.

"Secret." He says, a smile spreading across his face once again. Tris scoffs.

"Bring it on." She declares, making Uri laugh. Zeke grins at her, shifting into drive again. He begins to drive back towards the city, the radio blaring once again.

Tris pulls her seatbelt on, untucking her legs and leaning back against the headrest. I'm baffled by her rapid change of emotions. I lean in and speak softly to her again.

"Tris, you really don't have to do this. We can get you home right now." I promise her. She just shakes her head.

"Tobias, I'm fine. I just needed a minute. I don't want to go home yet." She explains. I mull over her response for a minute.

"Just promise you will tell me if they get to be too much for you. I won't be offended." I say.

"They aren't too much for me. I'm kind of having the time of my life over here. It's been forever since I've had this much fun." She admits, smiling.

"Good. I can tell they are thrilled to have you here. Seriously. Zeke doesn't let just anyone touch his glitter." I joke, making her giggle.

"Speaking of glitter, can you explain why Zeke has a half-naked photo of you covered in sequins while wearing a tutu as his home screen? I feel like I need some context for the picture." She teases. I feel the blood rush to my cheeks.

"First of all I was drunk. Really drunk. Maybe the drunkest I've ever been in my life." I begin. She rolls her eyes.

"So when you get drunk you bedazzle things?" She teases.

"No! Well, not usually. I was at Zeke's house and everything was sort of... there. I woke up the next morning with a pile of sequins in my underwear. And this wasn't even the worst thing I've done when drunk. It's just the worst thing Zeke has a picture of." I admit, making her laugh.

"So you're a happy drunk?" She asks.

"I basically turn into Zeke when I'm two beers in." I admit. Her eyes go wide.

"That's terrifying." She comments.

"Just be glad you haven't seen Zeke drunk yet. That's a whole different level of insane." I warn.

I've been around a drunk Zeke a lot, and it's not a challenge many people can handle. Zeke becomes convinced he has different super powers, and he spends all night 'proving it' to the people around him. On multiple occasions, he's twisted an ankle or put his foot through the wall trying to prove that he can perform parkour like a professional. Sometimes he runs around with a spatula, casting spells on people. His parties are always entertaining.

Zeke pulls into a small lot in front of a building painted all black. The sign reads 'Ultimate Laser Tag'.

"I honestly wanted the fourth challenge to be paintball, but then I discovered it costs almost twenty bucks a person. So, we're here. Your final test, Tris. Prove to me you can kick some twelve-year-old ass." Zeke explains. That makes sense. Zeke may be a pro football player, but he is the cheapest person I've ever met.

"Let's do this." Tris says confidently, a grin spreading across her face.

"Last one there is Tobias!" Uri yells.

The car doors fly open as we take off for the building. I see a flash of blonde just behind me as Tris catches up. As we reach the front door, she's neck and neck with Uri in last place which is impressive, given his profession. Tris is exceptionally fit. I wonder if she used to be a professional athlete of some sort.

As we enter the building, the person behind the register immediately recognizes Uriah. They perform an extremely complicated handshake involving several spins and claps and Tris watches in awe. Not even Zeke and I have a handshake this complex. The laser tag guy winks at him and motions for us all to come through, no payment necessary. They immediately race for the room with the equipment and Tris and I stay back to walk together.

"I've never played before. I might suck at this." She admits sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it. We're playing against preteens. Zeke and Uri already love you just for coming." I promise.

"Really? They don't think I'm boring?" She asks.

"Of course not! You're the Pedrad whisperer today. They love you." I assure her. She smiles proudly at me, relieved. She's so sweet and fun, of course she won them over immediately.

We reach the equipment room and Uri and Zeke are already shooting at each other, even though their vests aren't working yet. I grab the biggest one I can find and loosen the straps as far as possible. The vest is still tight around my torso, clearly made for a child. I turn to help Tris, but she's already strapped one on. It's several sizes smaller than mine, but her petite frame looks made for it. She pretends to shoot me and I dramatically clutch my chest, staggering back. She giggles and I notice her hair is partially trapped under the back of her vest. I close the space between us and carefully untuck her soft blonde locks from the strap, making her sigh.

Our vests light up as the manager comes over, opening the door to the laser tag arena. Tris wraps her arms around my torso sweetly. As I move to hug her back, my vest beeps and the light flashes. I turn and discover her laser gun aimed at my back and I gasp at the unexpected betrayal. She and Uri exchange a look before they dash into the laser tag room together. I guess it's us against them.

"They're so going down." Zeke promises, adjusting his vest once more before we go in after them.

It proves extremely challenging for Zeke and I to beat Tris and Uri. Not only is Uri the master of laser tag, but their team has exceptional strategies. Tris makes an incredible sniper and takes me out almost a dozen times. Even Zeke can't seem to catch Uri as he weaves expertly through the course. By the end of five rounds, we've only won once.

"WE GIVE UP! YOU GUYS WIN!" Zeke shouts, finally surrendering. It's nearing lunchtime, and all this running around is exhausting.

"I thought you'd never surrender." Tris says, appearing behind us. I jump at her sudden appearance and Zeke yelps. She wears a confident, sassy smirk as she holsters her laser gun. She's never looked hotter.

Uri runs up behind us, giddy with joy.

"WE WON BITCHES! At last I have bested the powerful Zeke!" He celebrates, high-fiving Tris proudly.

"Yeah, yeah whatever. It's lunchtime." Zeke comments. As he says this, my stomach growls.

We all remove our vests and Zeke thanks the manager for letting us in. As we walk to the car, Tris comes up from behind me, enveloping my torso in a hug.

"What, no gun this time?" I tease. She giggles and moves to my side and I wrap an arm around her back.

"Are you mad?" She asks hesitantly.

"Of course not. You guys deserved to win. You're a ruthless sniper." I admit. She shrugs.

"I've never even shot a gun before. It just made sense to go to high ground so I could see better." She reasons. Her strategy is smart, and she and Uri share that mindset. Zeke and I may be close, but our brains work very differently.

"Well, you're a natural. I could teach you." I offer. She looks at me, surprised.

"How to shoot?" She questions. I nod.

"That would be cool. I want to learn." She admits fearlessly.

"Between shooting and self-defense training, I could make you a dangerous woman." I say. She smirks. For a brief second, I imagine my arms over hers, holding her close as she fires the gun while the wind whips around us. That would be a kick-ass date.

As we reach the car Zeke opens the trunk and rummages through his black duffel bag.

"Tris, you have proven yourself worthy of our friendship. Consider yourself initiated." Zeke declares, handing her something from behind his back.

"It is truly an honor, Zeke." Tris replies. She bursts out laughing as Zeke hands her a small rectangular piece of paper. I groan as I realize Tris is now holding a wallet sized copy of the picture. The pink sequins stuck to my abs match the bright pink tutu around my waist. They will never let me live that down.

Zeke grabs a pink tub of glitter and hands it to Tris.

"You've earned this. Use it wisely. And please don't open it in the car." He warns. Tris giggles and takes it happily, proud of her earnings.

"Thank you, Zeke. I promise some of this will end up in Peter's gym bag." She hints, winking. That would be amazing. Peter's uniform would be sparkly for weeks.

She's grinning from ear to ear as we hop in the Jeep. Tris sits close to me, examining the picture. My cheeks feel hot as I realize Zeke just gave her a picture of me almost naked. The glitter and tutu changes the mood, but still. Not my finest moment.

"I'm keeping this forever." She teases. I groan and she laughs, leaning against me. She seems so comfortable, it makes me feel warm.

Tris has her head buried against my shoulder, yawning occasionally. She lazily traces my hand with her index finger. I've never experienced such a comfortable silence before.

Zeke brings us to The Pit for burgers and cake. It's the perfect place for the four of us, and we spend lunch laughing until our stomachs hurt, sharing stories of the crazy things the Pedrad boys have done.

"So, we had to return the goat, but we couldn't find the hole in the fence where we stole it from! We ended up having to tie the goat to the porch and ring the doorbell. We barely made it out of there in time." Uri finishes. Tris's mouth is hanging open. She wouldn't think it was funny if she was there. We almost got arrested.

"So Tris, what's the craziest thing you've ever done?" Zeke asks. Tris just shrugs.

"I haven't had a very eventful life. Covering Peter's car with glitter might be it." She explains. Really?

"No way. You're lying. That means whatever it is must be super embarrassing." Zeke shoots back. Tris's forehead crinkles as she frowns.

"Seriously. My family is super religious. I've never done anything fun." Tris claims. If I had never met Zeke and Uri, my story would be the same.

"So you did crazy shit in college?" Zeke inquires. Tris looks down, deep in thought.

"Well, not really. There was this one time though, my... boyfriend," Her eyes flit to mine nervously, "He convinced me to help him egg our professor's house. I don't know why we did it, but we didn't get caught." She admits. It's hard to imagine her throwing eggs at a teacher's house, but then again she did a number on Peter's car.

"And that's the craziest thing you've ever done?" I ask. She nods.

"Lame." Zeke declares, "I bet there's a bunch of skinny dipping and girl on girl stuff you're leaving out. Right Four?" He asks. I just roll my eyes while Tris turns a deep shade of pink.

"My college experience was not the same as yours, I'm sure. I actually went to classes, instead of getting high and experimenting with dudes, like you." Tris shoots back. Uri bursts out laughing while Zeke's mouth hangs open.

"She got you, bro." Uri teases. Tris may be quiet, but she's not dumb. She can easily deliver a serious burn.

"So this one time when Zeke was high, he tried to race a parked car." Uri begins, "He tripped over the guardrail and rolled down the embankment into a canal." He explains.

Just like that, the stories keep rolling. Tris learns more about them than I'm sure she wanted to know. About half an hour has passed since we finished our cake when Tris shows me a text from Chris. It says, 'Where are you? Do you want to come home for movie night? I have night shift again:('

"Do you want to ditch these two?" Tris whispers. So badly.

"Let's do it." I reply. A grin pulls at her lips.

"Hey guys, I need to get home." Tris tells us. Zeke and Uri whine dramatically.

"I'll see you guys at practice tomorrow! It's almost 2:00, anyway." She points out. They seem satisfied by this arrangement.

The drive to Tris's apartment is short, but on the way Uri manages to tell Tris about the time they dared me to buy condoms and a cucumber at Walmart. They promised to pay me thirty bucks if I could get the cashier's number. The worst part was that the only cashier working at 2:30 in the morning happened to be a dude. I bought condoms and a cucumber for nothing.

Miraculously, Tris seems to think these stories are hilarious. I don't think any other woman would find it so endearing.

When we reach her building, we all make our way up the stairs. Tris carries her tub of glitter and a satisfied smile. When we reach her apartment, she opens the door and lets me in, before quickly shutting it, locking them out. They yell through the door.

"EWWWWW! They're making out in there!" Uri exclaims. Tris rolls her eyes.

"See you guys tomorrow!" I respond. I hear them whine through the door. Tris giggles and wraps me in a tight hug. I bury my head in her hair. Zeke and Uri are a ton of fun, but I've wanted to be alone with Tris all day.

"Welcome." Christina says from behind me, making Tris jump away from me.

"Uhhh, hey Chris!" Tris responds, blushing and running her hands through her hair. I'm not sure why she's embarrassed.

Chris is wearing black sweats and a tank top and it appears she's recently woken up. Will is using a laptop on the couch. He smiles at me.

"So I've got popcorn and Will found a cute rom-com. Tris can give you the tour while I clean up in here." Chris offers, giving Tris a wink.

"Thanks Chris." Tris replies. I remove my shoes in the front room, stacking them carefully near the door. Old habits die hard.

She brings me around the space pointing out Christina's bedroom, the bathroom, and a few other small rooms. The apartment is lively and full, the opposite of my place. When we get to the final room she hesitates before opening the door.

"So… This is my room. It's kind of messy. Sorry." She explains. I can't help but notice the way her hand is shaking as she opens the door. Did I do something?

She opens the door to reveal a cozy, soft room. I'm surprised by the range of colors, from a soft grey, to black, to bright blue. It's not even slightly messy, and everything seems organized. The careful placement of everything reminds me of my old room. Nothing would upset Marcus quite like a mess.

"Um, I know it's not much, but it works for me. I've lived here for two years now." She says timidly.

I'm not sure what's making her so nervous, but I think it has to do with me. She closes the door, pausing. After a moment she opens it swiftly again, glancing into the living room before leaving it open.

"Tris, it's really nice. Did you decorate it?" I ask. She shrugs.

"With Christina's help, yeah." She's wringing her hands again. I move to hold her hand, but she steps back, absentmindedly fidgeting with her dresser. What did I do?

I try to give her a reassuring smile, and she weakly returns it. I decide to give her some space.

I begin to wander around the room, admiring the yoga posters and little trinkets. She has many photos with Christina, and a few with Will. I realize there are no pictures of her with anyone else. Where's her family? I'm about to ask her, but she's rummaging through her neatly organized closet and I don't want to bother her. The way she shuffles through her folded shirts doesn't sit right with me.

I notice several inspirational posters, as well as many health magazines and running shoes lined up neatly at the door. Everything in this room screams Tris, and it's incredibly cute.

She finally stops rummaging, holding a large grey sweatshirt in her hands. She looks at me timidly before sliding it over her head. It dwarfs her small frame and reaches her mid-thigh. The temperature of the room certainly doesn't call for such a warm garment, and she's already wearing a long sleeved fitted jacket underneath. Is she scared I'm going to touch her? I don't know what to do.

"Tris, what is it?" I blurt out. Her fearful gaze rests on me.

"It's stupid." She mutters.

"No it's not. You can tell me, Tris." I promise her.

"I've never… I mean it's been a long time since I've had… a guy... in my bedroom. It's dumb, I don't know why I'm nervous, it's not like- uh." She flops back on her bedspread in defeat, sinking into her soft blue comforter. I sit next to her and grunt in surprise as I sink in much farther than I expected.

"Wow. This is… soft." I comment. Tris cringes.

"Oh. I forgot I still have this foam insert on. I used to need it for-" She abruptly stops talking, changing gears as she gets up, kneeling next to the bed.

"I could probably get this off pretty easily, I just need- " I cut her off.

"Tris, no, you don't need to. I just wasn't expecting it. I actually kind of like it." I continue, leaning back, "I could get used to this." I admit. Her eyes go wide with fear. I just suggested I would be sleeping here.

"Shit. No, Tris, that's not what I meant. I just mean it doesn't bother me." I sigh. "I'm really screwing this up, aren't I?" I admit. She smiles, sitting next to me.

"It's fine Tobias. You didn't do anything wrong." She seems to relax.

I lean back, feeling the foamy mattress give under my weight. I'm surprised by the relief I feel in my back as I settle in to the softness.

All of the sudden it makes sense. Her scars. I can see why she would need an extra soft matress.

She lays down next to me and meets my eyes. Her gaze is meaningful and her eyebrows are drawn together. We seem to have reached an understanding about her scars. I won't mention them, and she will tell me when she's ready. Until then, I'm going to ignore the questions bouncing around my mind. She did the same for me.

Tris surprises me by reaching up to rest her hand on my cheek. For a second, I think she's going to kiss me, but she just grazes my chin. Her eyes are big and bright as she runs a hand through my hair. She drops her hand and scoots against me, tucking her head under my arm. It's a breathtaking feeling.

"Why are you wearing that sweatshirt?" I ask softly. She fiddles with the sleeves, sighing into my side.

"I just felt… nervous. I'm better now." She admits.

"It doesn't matter what you wear around me, Tris. I'm going to respect your space." I promise. She smiles timidly up at me. Something tells me not many guys have respected her space in the past. Like Peter.

"Unless you're wearing sequins and a tutu. Then I'm getting revenge." I joke. She giggles into my ribs.

"Alright you two. It's movie time." Christina quips, making both of us jump. She stands in the doorway, arms crossed with a smirk.

Tris enthusiastically hops off the bed before turning to give me a hand. I take it and she pulls me out of the soft bed, right into her arms. I hold her gently, closing my eyes.

"Thank you." She whispers in my ear. I lean down to plant a kiss on her head and lavender graces my lips.

When she pulls away, I open my eyes and spot Chris in the doorway, smiling like an idiot. She winks at me before retreating into the hallway.

"Go ahead Tobias. I'm going to change." Tris says with a smile. I nod in approval and return to the living room to find Will laying across the couch, Christina resting on his chest. They seem to be a very close couple. I sit on the love seat, careful to leave plenty of space for Tris.

"She's happy." Will comments.

"So am I." I admit. Just being around her makes me feel lighter. Will nods, smiling.

Tris quietly emerges from the bedroom in her classic leggings, only now she's wearing a loose grey T-shirt. She's chewing her lip and fidgeting, hesitating to come into the room. I give her an encouraging smile. She's trying to be comfortable with her scars, but it's hard.

"You look beautiful, Tris." I assure her. She rolls her eyes, but a small smile plays on her lips. She sits next to me with her feet tucked under, wrapping a crotchet blanket around her arms. I lean in and whisper.

"Do you want me to take off my shirt so we're even?" I ask, half serious. She giggles, shaking her head. She lets the blanket fall around her, brushing invisible dust off her forearms before settling in. She leans back, near me but still not touching. Will starts the movie.

It's a rom-com from a few years ago, but the title eludes me. It's some type of love triangle drama with a vapid girl who probably doesn't deserve either of the men who are into her. I find myself laughing with everyone, however, as she plays with the minds of the guys madly in love with her. It's a pretty good movie.

I'm pulled from the movie when Tris flinches next to me, before scurrying back to her room. I'm completely thrown by her reaction and I begin to search for a bug or something in her seat while Will pauses the movie. They both seem unsurprised by her reaction.

"He doesn't know, Will." Chris speaks softly.

"Tris just doesn't do well with scenes like this. I can fast forward or let it play if you want to see it." Will explains.

I look at the screen and realize the guys have gotten wrapped up in a bar fight. I didn't even notice how this could be upsetting to Tris, I'm so used to movies full of violence like this.

"You can fast forward. I'm gonna check on her." I say. Will shrugs. It bothers me that this is a normal occurrence.

I enter her room to find her on the bed, flipping through an old journal. She looks apprehensive, but she's not panicking.

"Is it always like this?" I ask carefully. She shrugs.

"They used to try to screen the movies before they watched them with me, but almost every movie has a scene or two that gets me. It's just easier like this." She explains. My heart sinks. She seems to face so much stress and fear everyday. Tris is a fighter.

"I'm okay, Tobias." She assures me, resting a hand on my arm. I roll my eyes, which makes her smile.

"Let's go." She says, dragging me into the living room by the arm.

When we reach the couch, I sit with my back towards the arm of the loveseat, giving Tris a more comfortable spot to lay down if she wants it. She smirks, before fitting herself perfectly against my chest. It reminds me of how we touched last night, in the chasm.

The movie continues for another hour without a hitch, though I find myself quite distracted by Tris. For a while, she's tracing lazy shapes near my collarbone. When she gets tired of this, we try to make each other laugh with ridiculous comments and jokes about the movie. Eventually Tris gets tired and lets herself rest against me. Now her breathing falls even and her face relaxes. She looks so peaceful and innocent like this. She's far more captivating than the movie.

I'm pulled from my thoughts as the sound stops, the movie pausing in the middle of a passionate make out scene. The frame Will paused on shows the more handsome male lead roughly pinning the female on the bed, kissing her neck. I obviously haven't been paying attention to the movie, because I still don't know the name of a single character.

"Tris, you can go if you want. Or Will can fast-forward." Christina comments. Tris doesn't stir, still sound asleep.

"She's sleeping." I explain.

"No she's not." Christina says simply, not even turning to check.

"Christina." I say, urging her to look. She turns with a puzzled face, before coming over to examine Tris for herself. Why is this such a big deal?

"Tris! I need your help! There's a moth in the pantry!" Christina whispers urgently. Tris doesn't move, unsurprisingly.

"A moth?" I question. Chris just shakes her head.

"Why are you so upset? Have you never seen her sleep before?" I joke. Christina rolls her eyes.

"Not with a guy against her! When Will started sleeping over, it took her almost a month to sleep normally. And he was sleeping in my room." She explains.

"Why would Will make her nervous, but not me?" I ask, confused.

"Ask her when she wakes up, I guess." Christina says with a smile, shaking her head in disbelief. She returns to the couch with Will and they play the movie again.

I've stopped paying attention to the movie entirely, my focus shifting to the questions swirling in my mind. Why did she fall asleep on me? Was it an accident? Will she be scared when she wakes up? What made her so scared of Will? What happened to her? What happened to her? What happened to her?

The more I get to know her, the more I suspect her story is like mine.

Tris stirs slightly, wrenching me from my thoughts. I hold my breath as she stretches, resting her hand on my shoulder. She sighs, settling in. I swear, she must weigh fifty pounds.

I feel the exhaustion of today weighing on me, combining with the heat Tris gives off. Sleep is tempting me, but I want to be awake if Tris gets up, just in case she freaks out.

I take in everything I can about her, trying to memorize all the tiny details. Her nose turns up at the end in the most adorable way. Her lips are thin and expressive. Her eyelashes are longer than I thought possible. She's so beautiful.

I'm surprised when I notice a tattoo near her collarbone. From what her shirt isn't covering, it appears to be part of a bird. A raven? I'm not sure what it is, or what it means, but I want to find out someday.

Next thing I know, Christina is standing next to the couch, towering over me. She places a gentle hand on Tris's back.

"I have to go to work soon, and when I'm ready I'm kicking you and Will out. That is all." She whispers. With that, she strides out of the room.

"Yes, she's always like that." Will says from the couch, beaming.

Christina is bold and honest, and I respect that. She seems like the type of person Tris needs.

I let my eyes close, listening to the sound of her breathing. Lavender.

It feels like moments later, but it must have been at least ten minutes when Christina reenters the room, dressed in blue scrubs. I groan, making her chuckle. She places her hand on Tris's back, rubbing circles.

Tris's eyes open slowly and then she flinches, sitting up quickly. My chest feels tight. Her breath picks up and Christina pulls her into a hug, calming her down.

After a minute, her breathing slows back down and she looks at me with pink cheeks.

"Hi." She says simply, a smile tugging at her lips. I smile and give her hand a squeeze.

Christina gets up to gather her stuff, giving Will a kiss before he leaves.

"I have to go." I admit. She surprises me by leaning in for a brief kiss. It's short and sweet, and it feels comfortable. She breaks the kiss, pulling back with a grin.

"See you tomorrow." She says, beaming.

"Goodnight Tris." I tell her, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. She giggles as Christina comes from behind me, grabbing me by the ear.

"No hard feelings, but I'm gonna be late." She says, dragging me to the door. Tris is cracking up on the couch.

As we make it out of the apartment, she stops me briefly.

"Sorry, she really needs sleep and she shouldn't be alone with you in there right now. But I think you should stick around. I'm starting to think you're good for her." Christina admits, sending me a smile before jogging off in the direction of the elevator.

I'm smiling like an idiot on the drive home. A combination of earning Christina's approval and the feeling of Tris trusting me makes me feel warm.

It was a good day.

Hey guys I'm sorry it's been so long! I ended up going on a surprise vacation, and it became impossible to get Wi-Fi long enough to post this chapter. Thank you all so much for your support it means more than you know. You guys kept reviewing and encouraging me to post, and I appreciate it. For those of you that asked, no, the training room and dauntless team stuff is not going away! The next several chapters will be set there for sure, plus some in the future. Thanks for reading, I love you guys!