How Allegiant Should Have Ended

Chapter 11

Tobias:

I wake up with Tris wrapped in my arms. Last night is still a blur. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and running into Tris's bedroom. She was in tears and so I comforted her. I don't remember anything that happened after that. I guess we just fell asleep.

I quietly slide out of the bed, careful not to wake her. She jostles a little when I pull my arm out from underneath her, but thankfully she doesn't wake up. I slip out the bedroom door. My bare feet are cold against the tile floor. I grab a set of keys from the counter, so I won't be locked out, and leave our apartment. I walk down the hall briskly, yet not in any rush. I stop at Christina's apartment.

Three taps on the door wake her up, and pry her to the door. When she opens it, I expected the outgoing Candor girl from initiation. I must've forgotten something, because I see a girl with dark, tousled, hair holding a mug of piping hot coffee. "What do you want?" she asks me.

"I need to talk to you about something. It's kinda personal."

She sighs, but waves for me to come in.

Her apartment isn't very much different from ours. Of course, it's a lot smaller, since Tris and I have a master's suite. She decorated differently as well, keeping the Candor style in mind. We can never forget the factions. They will always be a part of us.

I follow her over to the couch in the living room. "So what do you want?" she says, leaning back against the pillows. She's making it quite obvious she couldn't care less about what I have to say.

"It's about Tris," I say. "About our relationship." Now she's interested. "So I've been doing some thinking, and I've decided that I can't be with Tris this way anymore."

Her face shows shock, probably thinking I want to break up with her. "Don't you dare break up with my best friend!" she screams at me.

"No, no! I'm not going to break up with her!" She relaxes, but her expression is still tense. "I need to be more than her boyfriend, and the only thing I can think of is being her husband. But that's crazy, so I can't do that. Right?"

"I don't know, Tobias. Love can be...difficult , but you and Tris were obviously made for each other, and you're bound to get married eventually."

"So you're telling me I should propose?"

"I'm telling you that you should follow your heart."

"Well that's not helpful," I scoff.

"No, I'm serious! I can't tell you what to do. Only you can. And that's the best advice I can give you. If you think it's right, then it's right."

I don't get it at first, but I slowly start to. Nobody can tell me when the time is right. Only I can. "Thanks, Christina."

"My pleasure," she says. "But next time, go ask Zeke about this kind of stuff. He's better at it than me."

I laugh, if there's one thing Christina's good at, it's making people smile.

"Kidding," she says playfully.

"Well, I should get going," I say, standing up. "I don't want Tris to worry, and there's still something that I have to do."

"And what would that be?"

I laugh. "I think you know."

I turn and walk out the door, with Christina's smile implanted in my mind. She knows what I'm going to do. What I have to do. I just hope I don't screw up. I've never been good with jewelry.