14| g e t t i n g h e r
two weeks later
Avoiding the cafeteria, Tris bypassed it and walked until she felt groggy. The school was huge. But somehow, news of the bet had spread. Not the bet she knew but another story. Winner gets to be quarterback. The fact that the public didn't know the true story made her upset. The fact that they thought she was being played for a stupid position made her even more embarrassed. So she stayed away from people.
Tris was walking past the gym when she heard it. The sound of something smacking against the wall and somebody crying. She paused at the doorway, peering in and she saw something she hadn't expected to see.
Cara Stevenson stood in the center of the gym, her hand wrapped tightly around a tennis racket as a ball bounced back into her grip. She was in black shorts and the school's mustard yellow long sleeved shirt and her eyes were directed on the wall, glaring.
She hit the ball, screaming before falling to the ground. It took Tris a moment to realise that she was crying. Without thinking about what she was doing, Tris burst into the room, startling Cara. She looked up at the brunnete, eyebrows raised as she sat next to her.
"Hi,"Tris said, smiling. The blonde simply nodded, her eyes moving to the ground. Sighing, the brunette awkwardly looked around, trying to think of something to say. When she couldn't think of anything she could use to beat around the bush, she spoke again.
"What's wrong?" Her brown eyes finally met the blonde's blue ones and for the first time, without the general coldness that enveloped them, Tris could see why Cara was considered so beautiful.
"Nothing," The answer was immediate but the strength that should've held it wasn't there. She sounded so broken, it made Tris' heart clench. For Cara Stevenson. Her heart was breaking for Cara Stevenson.
That was a first.
"You can tell me," The brunnete prodded gently, "I may not seem like your obvious choice at a therapist but I'll listen. It's not good to keep things bottled up."
She felt like a hypocrite. Ever since Zayne left, she'd shut everyone out. Her and Rachel never talked. Meaning her and the girls never talked. None of them had approached her and she made it clear that she didn't want to be approached by throwing them the nastiest looks she could muster.
The nasty looks probably didn't do anything. She was sure they stayed away because they could see the heartbreak she wore on her face like a mask. Not once had that moment not replayed in her head. The one of her and Zayne, at their spot, talking and talking until the words became bitter.
Until she was running to another person who betrayed her.
"My dad is leaving, " Cara sighed, "He found out my mum is getting remarried."
Tris bit her lip, allowing her to continue.
"He's my best friend. I mean, we've done everything together. Everything. And I know he still loves my mum but she doesn't love him," A choked sob left her lips but she continued after a moment, "And now she's getting married to a guy I hate. I can't even stand to be home."
Without hesitating, Tris put her arm around the girl's shoulder. This was the same girl who had made sure Tris never got Max. She was the one who taunted Tris when she passed by occasionally. It wasn't like Tris was the victim she taunted the most. She had other people. But Tris had been part of that.
"Do your friends know?" She whispered. Cara shook her head, her eyes on the ground.
"They wouldn't understand," She whispered back, "All they care about is everything else. You know you're really lucky to have the friends you have."
The brunnete failed to snort. It was slightly true. Her friends cared about her. But her own best friend had kept a huge secret from her- she'd allowed her to get hurt.
Could that be forgiven?
"Yeah I am," She answered, rubbing circles in her back while having her own battle in her head. Seriously? Did she seriously agree with that? After what Rachel did?
She shook those thoughts out of her head and sat Cara up, giving her a bright smile. "Hey, I know I've only comforted you like one time but....."She braced herself, "Do you wanna come over for dinner? Since you don't wanna be around your stepdad for the time being?"
The blonde girl blinked, shock on her face. "Why are...." She drifted off. She realised that there would be no use dwelling on the past. Tris wasn't doing it. Why should she have been? Instead, she nodded, sliding her hand into Tris' hand. Smiling, the brunnete squeezed the blonde's hand and she figured that if she could forgive this girl who had done such horrible things to her- she could forgive Rachel.
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
Rachel and their two other friends were sat outside, watching football practice after class. Max was the quaterback. Zayne Mahone was no where to be seen. The sight made Tris feel sick and as she stepped towards them, she stumbled slightly but righted herself. Instead, she looked at the Freshman they'd put to fill up the empty spot, her heart clenching.
Rosie was the first one to see her and she stood up to hug her. Rosie was the caring one with red hair and the sweetest heart in their group. Then came Ivy, who squeezed the loving daylights out of Tris despite her tough demeanour.
Rachel watched from afar, lips held in a tight scowl as she stood up and approached them. "Glad you could show up Tris,"She said, bitterly, "After running away in the middle of the night and leaving me worried."
The bitterness in Rachel's tone would've made Tris wince in every other situation. But today, it didn't. It flopped against her face and fell to the ground, like a fish out if water. Then she smiled slowly.
"I know," Tris said, "I know that you knew about the bet."
There was a sharp intake of breath and as her other two friends stared at Rachel in shock, she realised that her best friend had kept it from all of them. That made her slightly more angry.
"You kept it from all of us?" Tris muttered weakly. A group of people passed and chuckled at Tris, stopping when they saw the nasty look Rachel threw them. A long time ago, that would've comforted Tris. But now, she only saw the ice queen some people said Rachel Grey was.
Rachel finally met their gaze again but she didn't smile. "I was trying to protect your feelings Tris," She said, "I even tried to warn you."
"In the vaguest way possible, thanks,"Tris snapped, "I'm glad you had to use riddles for your own best friend!"
An eye twich and silence for a moment before Rachel snapped back. "I couldn't tell you! The secret was dangerous and you knowing about it would've sent this mad man after you!" She screamed, her grey eyes were rimmed with tears. "And besides, it was my brother's secret....you know I'm loyal-"
"Even when he's being an asshole," Tris cut her off, noticing the crowd that had gathered. Noticing the boy that was jogging towards them with worry in his grey eyes. Those grey eyes. The warmth that usually filled her when she saw those grey eyes was replaced by a coldness she couldn't recognise.
She stepped back.
"What's going on here?" Max barked like he was talking to his teammates, "Rachel? Tris?"
His eyes moved to her and she stumbled back. His voice. How could someone's voice, the voice that you loved at some point, hurt you so much? Concern filled his grey eyes and he moved towards her but she held a hand up.
"No," She said, silently at first. Then again, "No."
Rosie and Ivy drew closer to her, protecting her. She glanced at them for a moment, her heart rate slowing down and then she met his gaze again. "Tris," He said again, his voice low.
She straightened, "This is between Rachel and I, Max. "
He made a move to disagree with her but she cut him off. "This is between us Max," She snapped, "Just like the secret was between Rachel and you. That damned secret that protected you!"
"You're being unreasonable," He answered.
"I don't give two shits," She bit back, plastering a brutal smile onto her face, "Funny, that's how you felt towards me."
There was silence. She stood there, wondering and not caring where her confidence had cone from. All she could think about was how he didn't get to talk to her after what he'd done. She could forgive Cara. Hell; she could forgive Rachel.
But she could never forgive Max Grey. Or Zayne Mahone. Not now. Possibly not ever.
"I want my best friend back,"She admitted, her eyes travelling towards Rachel. "I want to go to her house and I want us to gossip and tell each other secrets. But we can't. That can't happen. Because you will always be there, Max."
Those cold grey eyes of his looked conflicted as he stared at her. She turned her gaze to her ex best friend.
For the first time in two weeks, Tris genuinely smiled at Rachel. "Rachel, thank you for the best years of my life. You and I know we can't be as close as we were. Not with him around," Her eyes skimmed over Max lightly, bitterly, "It's gonna be hard but maybe...maybe it's best if we stay friends. But not as close as we were."
She felt a hand on her shoulder and when she turned, Cara Stevenson was smiling at her. Her eyes never left Tris, despite the many looks she was getting; despite the many whistles she was getting. She hadn't bothered to reapply her make up after her tennis tantrum but she still glowed.
"I just remembered that you don't have a ride back home," She said casually, like she didn't realise there was a confrontation. The only time her eyes moved up was to look at Max for a moment. Something ugly fell over her face before she turned her gaze back to Tris.Everyone stared at her, confusion on their faces and Tris gave her a small smile.
"Thanks,"Tris said, taking the hand Cara had offered. She turned to look at Rachel and her chest clenched at the look of betrayal in her eyes. She knew what she was thinking.
Cara Stevenson?
The Cara Stevenson that ruined our lives?
How could you?
Despite the raging emotions in her heart, Tris nodded at her and smiled. Then she turned back to Cara and the two of them walked away, leaving the crowd behind them.
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
vote and comment!
I'd love to see what you all think about the chapter x
Love
Musawa
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃