CHAPTER 35

TRIS POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I wake with a jolt. I try to slow my breathing, but it won't work. I quickly lift a shaky hand to my forehead and look around.

Where am I?

My eyes finally land on something. A picture that I stared at a night or two ago to help me fall asleep. I am in the guest bedroom.

I just had a dream that Marcus and Eric was beating me and Tobias was there laughing. Not only did he just laugh, but Eric offered his belt to him and Tobias took it and began hitting me very hard.

I had screamed very loud in the dream and I hope I didn't scream out loud here. I doubt I did otherwise people would be in the room already.

I look at the time 3:42 AM. Tobias must have carried me inside last night.

I finally realize why people say that when you find your special person you will know.

It is because they will do anything for you. No matter the cost or effort. Tobias does that for me everyday and I barely ever thank him.

Tobias loves me. And I love him.

I quickly slip out of bed and tip toe down the stairs, not trying to make any noise.

I know I won't be able to fall asleep again. I quickly pout myself a cup of orange juice and just sit at the table sipping it slowly.

I am almost done when I hear footsteps behind me.

I instantly freeze out of habit and I hear my mothers voice.

"Beatrice? What are you doing awake?"

I turn around so I can face her.

"I um....--" I get cut off.

"Nightmare again?" Mom asks with a knowing look.

I nod reluctantly.

"Those will eventually stop. You just have to realize that it isn't real and that the harm that comes to you in those dreams can't happen. You are sleeping peacefully in your bed. It is your brain that is traveling to places." Mom whispers and brushes the hair out of my eyes.

I smile at her and look down at my fingers.

"Do you want me to call you Tris? Tobias told me that weeks ago, but I forgot. I know your father would never agree, but hey I like that name."

"I would love that." I whisper.

"Good, good. I love you very much... Tris. I just love you very much." Mom brings me in to a hug and I melt into the embrace.

I love hugs.... when it is with the people I love.

"I love you, too, mom."

She smiles at me and grabs my hand.

"You should go back to bed. School tomorrow."

I nod and then shake my head.

"No?" She asks with surprise.

"I have to be at Marcus's house, so when he is home... Well I can do anything and everything he needs. I don't know what time the flight coming back is.... But it is better to be safe then sorry." I say.

"B..Tris. It is time we tell someone about this. You don't deserve to be treated like this. Nobody does. Please let us tell the police." Mom pleads.

"No. And I know how you will get people to go down the police station anyway and mom... if you really love me like you said... you will honor my wishes. Please do not go try and fix this. I just have to wait two more years and I am home free." I say.

She wipes a tear away and nods.

"Fine."

I quickly run back upstairs and grab what I was wearing last night and my house key from the bedside table.

Since Will did something to the door, I can use my key to get in and you won't be able to tell that we figured it out.

I grab my shoes and run out into the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I got up early today and I am just finishing with my breakfast and am putting what I cooked yesterday out in the kitchen table for Marcus, so he doesn't kill me when I hear his car pull up the driveway.

"No, no, no, no." I whisper.

I though he wasn't going to be home for at least another hour.

I quickly run upstairs, so it doesn't look like I was trying to get out early and I hear Marcus barrel in.

Here we go.

"BEATRICE!" He does not sound happy.

"Father? Are you home?" I play stupid.

"Who else would be here you idiot! Get down here! Now!" Marcus screams at me.

I travel down the stairs, but stop about 3/4 of the way down.

"They would not accept my company idea! Can you BELIEVE THAT!" Marcus yells.

"No I can not." I say and roll my eyes.

I instantly regret it.

"YOU DO NOT ROLL YOUR EYES AT ME!" He grabs my hair and practically pulls me the rest of the way down.

"YOU ARE SUCH A WORTHLESS PIECE OF TRASH!" He pulls me into the living room and punches with all his might into my stomach.

I drop to the ground in agony. That hurt a lot.

He kicks my shoulder so I am on the ground laying on my right side and takes his belt out.

"Tell me if this hurts." He says with an evil grin.

He brings the belt down on the side of my face and I scream. I scream so loud, I bet the birds all flew away.

"DOESN'T FEEL SO GOOD, HUH!"

He whips it in the same place again not once, not twice, not three times, but five times.

All I see is blackness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I blink my eyes open and see I am on the living room floor.

I freak out and look around for Marcus and quickly find him.

He has beer cans littered on the ground around him and he is laying on the couch asleep.

I sit up and regret it instantaneously.

The pain on the left side of my head is almost unbearable.

It is the worst pain I have ever felt in my head before.

I glance at the clock. It is 8:30.

School started 15 minutes ago. Great.

I remember mom's warnings that I am only allowed to miss four or five more days for the entire year, so I know I have to go.

I stand up and everything spins around me.

I somehow manage to find my way up the stairs and to my bathroom where I keep my makeup and numbing cream.

I quickly smear the cream on the gigantic black lump on my face, even though I know it won't work.

Numbing cream is normally used for cuts, stings. Not for a big bump. Especially on the head.

I find my makeup and basically color it over the bruise, but it doesn't turn out very well. You can still totally tell. This is the Best. Day. Ever.

I quickly flatten my hair down against it, hoping that it will stay like that for school.

I can not have anyone questioning me. I dizzily find my keys and begin to drive slowly to school.

~~~~~~~

The bell has just rung, so everyone is walking out of their classes. Tobias quickly locates me and pulls me into a corner where nobody really is.

He has a look of worry in his eyes and I know that I will now have to reassure him.

"Hey, where were you?"

"I got a little held up. But everything is fine." I say with a smile.

He looks at me for a second longer, debating whether to believe me or not, but finally nods.

"C'mon. If we are late to Ms. Matthews class, she'll kill us." Tobias says.

All of a sudden, Eric comes up to us.

I mentally groan. Has he ever gone a day without bothering us?

"What now." I say.

"I just wanted to congratulate number boy on his little rescue last night. Very heroic." Eric sneers.

"Shut up." Tobias growls.

"Wait till you see what I have planned for Wednesday." Eric laughs. "It is going to be funnn."

I watch as Tobias face heats up and with one quick step, he punches him across the face.

He would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for Jeneane.

"Four! Office now! Everyone else get to class!" She yells.

Everyone leaves and I just know that I can't go into Jeneane's room without Tobias. Or at all.

I walk around the quiet halls and find my locker and am about to open it, when another huge wave of dizziness hits me.

I slide down the lockers and put my head in between my knees.

My head pounds and I quickly finger the lump through my hair.

It has doubled in size. This is definitely not good.

"Tris?" I hear someone call my name.

I lift my head up and see Tori walking towards me.

"Are you alright?" She asks with her concerned face on.

I put on a smile. "Yes, why?"

"Well, let's see. You are sitting against the lockers with your head down when you are supposed to be in class." She sits down next to me.

"I'm fine." I say.

"Why aren't you in class? Will I have to tell the principle?" She asks.

I look at her in shock. I though she was the cool teacher!

"Nah, I'm just kidding. You should have seen the amount of classes I skipped in my high school days. Let's go to my room, so we don't have the cameras watching us." Tori looks at the right most part of the ceiling.

I follow her to her room and when we get inside. The window is open letting all the wind come on. And let me tell you,, it is a very windy day.

"Oops. I forgot to shut that. Jeneane is going to kill me." She glances at me with a smile and does a double take.

"Tris." She practically whispers.

"Yeah?" I ask totally being my stupid self and forgetting about the bump in the side of my head which is now showing because the wind blew my hair from the side of my face.

"What is that. You are hurt. Sit now." She practically drags me to her comfy teacher chair and makes me sit down.

"Stay there and don't you dare move a muscle." She threatens.

She quickly closes the window and runs into her backroom.

Not even a minute later she rushes out with an ice pack and a wipe thing.

"I will make this quick. I am going to rub this," she motions with the wipe, "on it. I think it is supposed to go one before the ice."

She gently rubs it on, but I feel as if ten million knives shot into my head.

"Ssssss." I breath in.

"Shhh.... almost done..... Tris do you have makeup on this?" Tori asks.

"Yes." My voice cracks.

She quickly jumps up from the seat in front of me and gets a paper towel and soaks it in warm water.

"Okay, don't be so tense. Relax it will be done soon. Close your eyes." Tori says.

I close my eyes and I feel her skim it back and forth, back and forth.

"Okay hold this too your head. I have to tell my boss that I have to leave early." Tori says handing me the ice.

"Why?" I ask and place the ice against the side of my face.

"Because I am bringing you to the doctors." She tells me.

"No! I can't--" I get cut off by the wonderful feeling of what? I am about to puke.

I quickly jump up from the chair and practically race to the bathroom.

I make it to the toilet just in time. Tori quickly pulls my hair back and rubs my shoulders.

When I am finally finished with that unpleasant business, I lean against the side of the stall.

I feel ten times worse. The feeling after you throw up, is you are so shaky, weak, cold, dizzy, tired. Imagine that on top of everything with my head. It's ten times worse.

"I think you have a concussion. We need to get you to the doctors immediately."

"No please. I can't go." I whisper.

"And why is that? I see you have your phone in your boot, let's call your parents." Tori tells me.

I just shake my head and look at my shoes.

"Tris.... Is someone hurting you there?" Tori asks grabbing my hand.

"What makes you say that." I say rudely.

"Well--"

I quickly puke into the toilet again.

"That's it, let's go. If you want to tell Four where you are going that's okay. I know how close you guys are." Tori smiles sadly at me.

"I sorta can't." I say.

"What did he do this time." Tori sighs.

"He punched Eric. And Jeneane... I mean Mrs. Matthews saw him." I say.

"Fine just text him when we are in the car. Let's go. Now." Tori quickly helps me up and helps me walk to the door.

"There are cameras out there. You need to just walk out of the building searching for your car key, while I have to go to the office to sign out. Do you think you can manage that?" She asks worriedly.

I nod and quickly place my hair over the bruise.

She gives my hand a squeeze and quickly leaves and I soon follow her searching for my keys.

I walk out of the building and lean against my car to wait for Tori.

"Good girl. C'mon let's go."

She puts her hand lightly on my back and steers me towards the direction of her car.

I quickly send a text to Tobias.
T~ hey I am going to help Tori with some art project thing today instead of be at school, so don't freak out.

She quickly drives to the hospital and takes me to the check in emergency area.

"Hi, my name is Jenna and how may I help you today." She answers cheerfully.

"Okay--" Tori gets cut off.

"Are you her mother?" Jenna asks.

"Yes." Tori answers without hesitation.

I look sideways at her and smile.

She goes on and explains what happens, which apparently my younger brother and I were playing baseball this morning. Brother didn't realize I was behind him and swung and hit me on the side of my face.

Jenna and Tori keep talking, and I know what going to happen soon. I can feel it about to come.

I grab on to Tori's wrist and just squeeze.

"Tris.... Oh no. Jenna we need help immediately. She is about to pass out with a concussion!" Tori yells.

"Sweetie! No! Stay with us! Just hold on just one more second!" Jenna says.

I try my hardest. I truly do. I end up swaying very bad and..........

HOW WAS THAT! CLIFFHANGER!

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