Four times YES | ✅

The First Time

Tris' POV

Age 16

"Hey, Tris," Tobias calls after me. I turn around and see him running toward me in the school hallway. I smile at him and he gives me one of his most charming smiles.

"Hey," I reply. "How can I help you?" I ask as he tries to catch his breath. I've been tutoring him in Spanish since he got a few bad grades. I'm fluent and I promised coach Amar to help him.

"I was wondering if you are free on Friday," he says, his smile still wide but he seems nervous.

"Sure. Do you have a test on Monday?" I ask and he frowns a little.

"Uh, no. I was wondering if you would go out with me," he says. Did I hear right? Did he just ask me out? No, I must have misunderstood him.

"Out?" I ask like a moron.

"Yeah," he simply says.

"Where?" I ask. I'm not entirely sure what he is asking. And I don't want to say "date" and be wrong. I could never live that down. Not to mention that it sounds completely ridiculous. Why would the hottest guy in school ask a nerd like me out, when he can have the captain of the cheerleader squad?

"I was thinking dinner, but I also have a surprise for you," he says grinning. This still seems so strange to me. I know we are kind of friends, but he never insinuated anything other than that. But then I remember what Friday is.

"Isn't Valentine's on Friday? Don't you want to go out on a date?" I ask him before I can keep my stupid mouth shut. He scowls, but then his smile returns.

"I know it's Valentine's. That's why I'm asking," he says and I must have made a face or something because he explains what he meant. "Tris, would you go out with me?" I'm sure I must have made a fool out of myself because he chuckled at my reaction.

"You want to go out? With me?" I ask again, unsure if I heard correctly.

"Yeah. Unless you don't want to," he says serious.

"Uh, no, it's not that. It's just," I stutter.

"Just what?"

"Cute guys never ask me anywhere," I say and look away.

"Well, I don't care about other guys," he says and I look up shyly, "but this guy wants to take the cutest, hottest, smartest and most beautiful girl in school out on a date. So, what are you saying?" he asks, his smile wide and his look confident. The way he stares at me makes me nervous and my heart starts pounding so hard that I'm certain he can see it press against my chest. I finally nod and he tells me he would pick me up by six p.m. on Friday.

On Friday mom insisted to make me look prettier. She and I went to look for a nice looking dress and decided to braid my hair in a stylish yet not too sophisticated fashion. She helped me apply make-up and by the time she was done the door bell was ringing.

As I make my way downstairs I see dad opening the door and talking to a very handsome looking Tobias. He hasn't seen me yet and I stop for a moment to admire him. He doesn't look like dressed for a fancy restaurant and I wonder momentarily where he will be taking me. I'm glad that I haven't picked out anything too sophisticated either, but a knee-length knitted dark gray dress, which I paired with my black leather boots and jacket. I decided to use the clutch my best friend Christina made me buy last summer and step downstairs to greet him. The moment he sees me his smile widens and after my dad made some dumb comment about having me back home by eleven and mom taking about a million pictures which made me blush so badly that I don't think I'll ever lose the color, we leave my house and get in his truck.

We make small talk in the car, mainly talking about school and other boring topics, until I notice we left the city. Where is he taking me? When I ask he just gives me a charming smile and says that it is a surprise.

It takes us another half hour until I realize where he took me. There is this hill nearby where hobby astronomers usually come to observe the night sky. I came here often, but lately I had no time. I love watching the sky and I swear if I could I would become an astronaut.

"What are we doing here?" I ask as I get out of the car.

"We're having a picnic and later watch the Aphrodite Comet pass by," he tells me. What?

"How do you even know of it?" I ask incredulous. He never mentioned that he liked astronomy.

"I have my sources," he says smirking. "And, I've got this," he says and goes to the back of his truck where he retrieves a crate. He opens it and my mouth hangs open. "I was told this is the best for amateur astronomers," he says as I inspect his telescope.

"Is that a Celestron SkyProdigy 130?" I ask as I look at it more closely.

"Yeah. The guy in the store told me it's the best they have, but I figured you could confirm it," he says with a smirk. I look at him in awe.

"It's one of the best for hobby astronomers," I tell him.

I help him set it up and then we spread a blanket on the hood and climb on top where we have our dinner date. It's quite nice and unique and frankly I'm having the time of my life. I always enjoy talking to him. He is smart, funny, but also kind and warm. Speaking of warm, I now wish I had an extra jacket with me.

"Cold?" he asks as he puts the plastic plates away.

"A bit," I answer and hold myself tightly in an effort to warm up.

"Come here," he says and opens his arms. I look at him surprised for a moment but then nod and let him embrace me. We shift so that he half lies on the blanket covered windshield and I'm sitting between his spread legs, my back pressed against his chest and another blanket covering us up. I feel warm, but I'd bet my money it's because of him being so close to me.

We remain quiet for a long while. We still have another half hour until the comet becomes visible. You can spot it with the telescope already, but when it's closer it'll look better. But I can't complain. I'm in the arms of the guy I like and he seems to be okay with it.

"Tris?"

"Yeah?"

"We're friends, right?" he asks.

"Uh, yeah," I say. We are.

"Would it be okay with you if we stopped being just friends?" he asks and I sit up, my brows furrowed and a scowl on my face. Does he want to terminate our friendship? Why would he bring me out here and be so sweet only to break my heart? "It's not what you think," he quickly adds, seeing how upset I am.

"Then what is this?" I ask a little hurt and angry.

"I meant, would it be okay if we stopped being just friends and instead be boyfriend-girlfriend?" he asks and I can see the glint of hope in his eyes. Wait, what? Did I hear correctly? Boyfriend? Girlfriend? He wants me to be his girlfriend?

"You want me to be your girlfriend?" I ask looking at him intently.

"Yes, very much actually. I like you a lot and I tried to bring up the courage to ask you this for a while. I've never felt closer to anyone and I would love to be with you. I mean, not like that, well that too," he starts to stutter nervously and I chuckle.

"Yes," I say.

"Yes?" he asks unsure if he heard right.

"Yes," I repeat and before I know it he cups my face in his hands and gently presses his lips to mine.