Waiting Four You

Chapter Twenty-Tobias (Beatrice)

"He told me that he knows how I feel," Al tells us at dinner. "I don't think he really does, though with how he treated you yesterday."

It makes me feel awful to have to lie to my friend, but Christina's knowledge of my relationship is already a huge risk. I can't afford to add to that risk.

"I just don't like it when people hurt you," Al continues making Christina and Uriah share a knowing look.

I've had a feeling that Al likes me since fairly early on, but I don't know what to do about it. How do I let tell him that I'm not interested without ruining our friendship.

"I'll be fine, Al," I tell him. "Did you forget that I beat him in my first fight?"

Al laughs. "How could anyone forget that? You were amazing."

The admiration in Al's voice bothers me.

"Don't forget when she beat me blindfolded," Christina chirps in unhelpfully.

"I wish that I was as brave as you," Al says dejectedly. "As brave as all of you."

I glace over my shoulder at Tobias thinking of his comment on the Ferris wheel about Al. At the same time, Tobias looks up at me, and our eyes meet for a moment before he glances back down. I hate that we have to be careful of who sees us. It makes things feel like we're still in Abnegation sneaking into an abandoned house just to have some time together. Coming to Dauntless was supposed to make things easier, but I still have to survive initiation before that can become a reality.

When I turn back, Christina shakes her head at me. I know it's risky to look over at him, but it's not like I get to spend as much time with him as I want.

Tonight I sleep in the dorm. I don't really want to, but in the past seven days, I've been at Tobias's apartment four nights. Basically half the time I've been here has been spent sleeping with him.

"Sit on the other side of the table," Christina tells me before climbing into her bed above me. "It's less obvious if you're already facing his table."

I feel stupid for not having thought of that. Maybe Tori was wrong about having an aptitude for Erudite if I can't think of something so simple.

I nod at Christina and lay down for bed myself.

The next two days go by in a blur as I continue to win every fight that I have. Will was absolutely no contest as he falls after my second hit. Edward is a little harder the next day, but he isn't as skilled as I am. Not to mention, Edward tries my blindfold trick only for it to backfire on him. He doesn't know how to focus his hearing, so even though he gets in a few good blows, I still gain the upper hand to defeat him. Aside from Tobias, I am the only person to beat him meaning that he's still going to be second in the rankings.

Today is the day before visiting day, and the last day of stage one. I am excited for tomorrow since both of my parents promised to visit Tobias and I.

As I am getting dressed after my shower, I find that I can't pull my pants past my knee. Looking down, I notice that the muscles in my legs have gotten more defined with how much extra running I've been doing since I arrived here.

I wrap my towel around me hoping that no one is in the dorm to see me walking in my towel, but I can't wear my pants anymore.

Yesterday, I had stopped by Tobias's apartment to grab my dress figuring that I can wear it for visiting day, and I didn't want to have to go all the way to his apartment just to get dressed.

When I open the dormitory door, a weight drops into my stomach. Peter, Molly, Drew, and some of the other initiates stand in the back corner, laughing. They look up when I walk in and start snickering. Molly's snort-laugh is louder than everyone else's.