Together: Sequel To Alone

Chapter 17 |Surprised Together |

C h a p t e r  1 7

When Brooke came into the dorm that morning, there were several things that happened:

First, she walked in the door, shouting something about school. Then, she walked into my bedroom, stopping her ranting to stare wide-eyed at Tobias and I. After hearing our rushed explanation of why we were asleep in the same bed, she nodded. Then she spotted my ring. Though it was on my right hand, she started screaming, very loudly, about how she knew it all along. After yet another explanation, this one recalling the events of last night, she simply smirked and said that she would drive Ava to school.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is how we ended up inside a small coffee shop with Brooke and her four other friends. I had heard the terms 'ship' and 'OTP' squealed so many times in the last hour that I was ready to strangle the next person who said either of those words. Apparently, the girls had met Tobias-though they only knew him as 'Four'- a few weeks prior when he walked in on a Doctor Who marathon in his dorm. All five girls now sat across from us,grinning from ear to ear as we explained what had happened at out date last night. All of them looked effortlessly beautiful as always, with shining smiles and flowing hair.

" That must be the sweetest thing I've ever heard" Tayler laughed, grinning at Aleezay who sat beside her.

" It was pretty sweet" I confirm, making Tobias mumble incoherently under his breath " What?"

" I'm a man" He grumps " I'm not sweet"

Several girls, including me, snickered at that, making Tobias's glare deepen.

" Didn't you guys date before?" Melinda asks

" Yeah, for a few months, but that was years ago" I explain

" Why would you let go of this fine piece of a-" Victoria starts, only to have several hands slapped over her mouth. Before I can reply, my piercing ringtone cuts through the silence. With one hand motioning for the others to be quiet, I answer it, only briefly glimpsing the name of Ava's school on the screen

" Hello?" I greet

" Hello, is this Tris Prior?" Asks the familiar voice on the other end, the woman from the office who I spoke with before

" This is" I confirm " Can I help you with something?"

" You asked me to call you if there was anyone else asking to pick up Ava" She says, making my stomach drop " There's a man here saying that he's her father, but I haven't seen him before"

With a muffled curse, I edged Tobias out of the booth, waving a hasty goodbye to my friends and pulling Tobias along. I threw him the keys, mouthing the word 'school' and hopped in myself.

" I don't think it would be a good idea to let him take her" I confess " I'll be down there in about three minutes"

" Okay" Says the woman, hanging up the phone.

" What the hell happened?" Tobias asks in a panic.

" Sounds like Marcus" I say " He's trying to pick Ava up from school , which is weird, she's been away from him for almost two weeks now."

" I don't know, but I'll strangle him with his shirt if he so much as thinks about laying a hand on her." Tobias growls, pressing the accelerator more.

>>>

With Tobias's driving, we make it to the school in about two minutes, where I have to remind him that it's probably not a very good idea to go in with me. He reluctantly agrees, slumping down in the driver's seat. I head inside, going straight to the office, a wooden door hidden at the end of the hall. When I enter, the only occupant is the woman behind the desk, who glances up at me, smiling.