A Different Divergent: Everyday Love

17

Chapter 17

"Son of a bitch!"

"Tris, love, calm down," Tobias says with an irritated sigh but I know it's not me he's upset with. It's himself. It's the situation. He can't seem to escape it. We can't seem to escape it.

"I'm not explaining this to one more damn person," I spit as I flop down on the couch, crossing my arms over my chest like some tantruming child. Tobias sits beside me, his elbows resting on his knees, a defeated look on his face. So much for trying to keep this under wraps. Will's penetrating glare enrages me. "Don't you look at him like that, Will Drake." His eyes fly to mine. "How dare you come into our home and accuse one of your best friends of something so horrible? Leave. Now. Don't ever come back." I point at the door, my chest heaving with unadulterated fury.

"Beatrice Grace Eaton, enough," Tobias says then he turns his attention to Will. "What have you heard? Where did you hear it? Does it seem widespread?"

"I can't believe this," I mutter as I rise and start restlessly pacing. I won't let the compound look at him differently. I won't.

"It was the main topic in the dining hall tonight," Will says. "It seems like it spread like wildfire. It's everywhere."

"I need to know exactly what they're saying, Will," Tobias says.

"General consensus is you beat her, Four." Tears spring into my eyes and nausea rolls over me. I turn and run to the powder room, getting to the porcelain bowl just in the nick of time. My stomach retches until it's totally empty and even then, it doesn't stop.

"Can I get you anything, love?" Tobias asks, his voice pained.

"Water please." I turn and sit on the toilet seat after rinsing my mouth, trying to catch my breath. Within a minute, Tobias holds out a glass of water, and I reach for it with a trembling hand.

"Are you okay?" he asks, his face full of love and worry.

"Why is this happening?" Tears roll down my cheeks and emotion sticks in my throat.

"Please don't cry, love," he says as he takes me in his arms. "We'll get through this."

"Why do our friends think you would hurt me?" I blubber against his hard chest.

"You do have my handprint on your arm," he says, as he caresses the back of my head.

"You didn't mean it."

"I know but it doesn't change the fact that it looks bad. You know that. Anyone who sees that bruise is going to assume the worst."

"I didn't think this could get any worse," I say as I release my grip on him. He cups my cheeks with his loving hands and dries my tears with a few gentle swipes of his calloused thumbs. "I love you so much. I'm so sorry."

"I know and I love you," he says. "Don't be so mad at Will. He cares about you. He doesn't want anything bad to happen to you."

"I didn't like how he was looking at you," I utter. Movement catches my eye and I notice Will lingering on the other side of the doorway.

"I'm sorry, Tris," he says. "I should have known better. I didn't believe a word I heard tonight but then I saw the bruises. I assumed the worse. Can I ask what happened?"

"It's really none of your business," I spit.

"Tris," Tobias quietly admonishes. "The gist is we had an argument, words were said, and I grabbed her to get her to talk to me. That's what happened." I step into the dining room and stand in front of my friend, my hands on my hips, my eyes hard. I'm quiet as competing emotions battle inside me.