Tris's Contenders

chapter 37

Tobias POV

I wake up feeling the empty space next to me. "Tris?" I turn over finding only my ruffled sheets. I don't take the time to let my eyes adjust as I pull out a pair of basketball shorts noticing Tris's clothes didn't occupy the floor anymore. I walk to my door and glance towards the bathroom that stood ajar and dark. Leaving my room I hear Uriah and Zeke's voices coming from the living. I let a sigh of relief knowing Tris must have woke up early and is talking with them. Relief falls flat when I see only Uriah and Zeke in some heated discussion. "Hey."

Their heads snap to me and their eyes hold pity. "Hey Four."

"Four." Uriah looks at me then down to his hands. Zeke nudges him in the rubs.

"Come on give it to him." Zeke's voice shakes slightly, but then stays eerily mono-toned.

"Give me what?" I shake my head, "Wait umm have you seen Tris?" Uriah holds out a white envelope to me and I take it starring at my name written in her sweet cursive scrawl. "What is this?" I hold it up in the air feeling my stomach pull at my sides.

"Tris told me to give it to you before she left."

I look down at and turn it around opening it.

Tobias,
I can't even begin to describe the love I harbor for you. Everything about you is unbelievably perfect.

I wanted to thank you for well....showing me that even in the darkest of places there is light. In my dark eclipsed life, you were that glowing ring around me. I felt drawn to you from the moment I slammed into that gloriously hard body of yours in hall D. Things happened fast, things fell fast...and it continues to alternate from good and bad.

Three people I love have died in less than a year. People who get close to me die. I don't want that. I don't want you literally or hypothetically dying because of me.

You once told me you didn't want that fire burning inside me to go out, because of you baby it will always burn bright.

I love you Tobias, but what my father said about not holding your future back for me...he was right. I feel like I'm burning you out or... I will. You don't deserve to wallow on this dark path with me. You deserve to find yourself.

I have to find myself. And I can't do that when I feel only whole when I am with you. I have to be away from all this, I don't know who I am yet. I do know that I believe in love because of you.

Don't hate me Tobias. Don't forget about me, but most of all don't come after me.

I left before you woke up only because I know I'd stay otherwise.

I love you. Always.
Tris

I felt a set of hands come down on my shoulder as I leaned over the counter. My chest was rising faster and faster and when I let out a breath my body shook. The world around me went full circle and I tried focusing my vision, but everything felt hazy. "Four? Man you need to sit." I back up hitting the fridge only to slide down it. The pain in my chest struck and scarred me deeper then any of the lashes Marcus bestowed on me."Four? I'm.... sorry man."

"Why didn't you guys wake me up so I could stop her?" It came out in low croaks.

"Zeke was asleep and I heard her come out of the room..." Uriah spoke kneeling in front of me holding Tris's letter. "Chris called me and told me about midnight what Tris was planning and.."

"You knew and you didn't come to me?" The anger rose from my core and I felt Zeke's hand anchor at my shoulder.

"I thought you would have talked her out of it, but when I saw her this morning, I knew she hadn't told you." He sighed, "She didn't want to go Four. Anyone could see that, but.."