Tris's Contenders

chapter 31

Al POV

You ever wake up and see the glow that radiates from everything good? The Sun's rays aren't just annoying lines of light disturbing your sleep as it pokes you to wake up, no, today they glow around each dancing dust particle. I poke at the ray instead and twirl the dust making their waltz turn into a furious rumba. You ever feel like your body is floating a foot off the ground as everything else just strides in normality? Today I feel like I've grown and all the dark that has been masking my world is finally chipped away. The sun kisses my skin and as I walk out to my dad's beat up old Chevy s10 the dents suddenly don't bother me anymore, the tug of the door handle doesn't annoy me, and the multiple times it takes for the engine to start doesn't anger me. I drive and find the color flow vibrantly from passing birds and reflecting stones. Darkness has came and in a sudden change of time, it went and as she walks to my truck with that is home to dents, sticking door handles, and a stubborn engine; she holds that metaphorical chisel that broke me free. She is the reason that I can say "Today is a day worth living".

Tris POV

Tell him. Don't tell him. Tell him. Don't tell him. I sit in English stuck in my own mind ripping tiny pieces of paper from a page of old notes. The page acts as my dandelion petals as I continue: tell him. Don't tell him. Tell him. Don't tell him. Al deserves to know, but seeing him today was like seeing a whole new person. He stood tall and when he draped his arm around me, he buried his face in the curve of my neck and just breathed me in. His manner was nothing but loving and cherishing. Al has been my rock these past couple of months and what will happen when I kick at that rock with my truth today? Will it not budge or will it roll down a never ending hill going too fast for me to ever catch?

I've sheltered my eyes from anything to do with Tobias, but every moment my eyes stray from Al's curtain of attention I find Tobias's sea of blue eyes starring into mine. Every time I find myself escaping into him, into the memories of what was and the longing of what could be. He left me though, sitting there in my room night after night curled up around my pillow begging for the stabbing and tearing to leave my chest. Al though, Al dabbed some crazy glue on my cracked heart and pulled me up to my feet. I owe him the truth and I owe him happiness, so what do I do?

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"Tris stop fidgeting so damn much." Chris spoke through the gym shirt she was shoving on. The wrinkles gathered up around the neckline and she tugged at the hem trying to smooth it out.

"Oh. sorry." I put my hands to work looping my shoe laces.

"You're freaking out over the other night aren't you?"

My eyes shot up to her out of surprise. "How...?"

"Oh come on Tris. We heard the argument and...Uriah got Zeke's side of the story." She gave me a side smile full of obnoxious cues.

"I need to tell him."

"Al?" I nod. "Shit Tris, yeah it is the right thing to do, but he isn't going to take it lightly." She walks with me to the locker room door and we head out. My eyes shoot left and right. Tobias isn't here from what I can see, but Eric sits on the top bleacher glaring daggers into my skull. I find his eyes glazed with gut wrenching blackness. The guy could scare the largest of fighters with those eyes. "I wonder what's up with that?"

"Huh?" I tear my eyes from Eric's direction and feel my body tremble. Something was off about today, something was dark.

"All the girls that are huddled up by Lauren." I follow her line of sight. Sure enough it looks like the entire cheer squad is surrounding Lauren making hushed sounds. What is that about? A large hand covers my shoulder and I jump forward with a scream.