The air is thick with tension, but that's the normal feeling in Marcus's office on a Wednesday morning.

Robert and I stay in the background sitting quietly so as not to disturb him while he filed the paperwork for tonight's meeting.

But the stress radiating from Marcus isn't the only thing that is causing the tension. Since breakfast this morning Robert has been glaring at me. Robert has always been such a friendly guy, I've never seen him glare at anyone let alone me.

"I have to go to the printers, stay here, and don't touch anything." Marcus instructs us, his voice slightly dripping with annoyance. But then again he has been struggling to get one document printed for nearly an hour.

He storms out of his office, slamming the door behind him.

The repetitive and irritating monster of silence claws its way into the room and grips on for dear life.

From the corner of my eye, I can see Robert looking at me. But the hate-filled glare has washed away and a look of sorrow has taken its residence.

I sigh wiping my hands down my face.

"Robert, what is wrong because I can't deal with the range of emotional looks you are giving me today?" I ask.

He takes a deep breath in and blew it out of his mouth. It creates a whistle as it slips through his clenched teeth. It is an eerie sound, especially coming from him. He drops his gaze to the floor and shakes his head.

"I just can't understand why you would do it, Beatrice." There is a hint of despair in his voice.

My brow furrows as a wave of confusion washes over me.

"Robert, what are you talking about?" I ask, I am aching to know more.

He looks up at me, anger and disgust shine brightly in his eyes. This look unnerves me, it is the kind of look that feels like it is looking right into my soul.

"I saw you with that masked Dauntless guy last night." He hisses.

You know that feeling when the only thing you want in that moment is to disappear. When you wish you could just fold into yourself and never come back out. That is how I feel now.

I can picture Robert looking down from his window watching as Four and I held hands and looked into each other's eyes.

I clear my throat and open my mouth to say something back. Maybe I could tell him that he was imagining it. But that would be lying and for someone who can on a normal day do it effortlessly, I find myself incapable of it now.

Maybe I'm just tired of keeping secrets from people I care about. Maybe I want my mask to slip just a little.

"Robert, please you can't tell anyone what you saw." I beg.

"So you don't deny that you have been sneaking out to meet this man." He snaps.

"No, I don't deny it. Yes, I have been sneaking out to meet Four but not for the reason you think."

He pushes himself out of his chair and paced back and forth across the room.

Anger is flowing off him in waves.

"I can't believe you would do this to me, Beatrice." He mumbles under his breath.

My brow furrows again.

"What do you mean how could I do this to you?"

He sighs and turns to face me. His eyes pierced into mine.

"How could you not know?" He scoffs while shaking his head.

"Know what Robert what the hell are you talking-"

"I'm in love with you Beatrice!" He screams.

I am so grateful that the office is soundproof so nobody can hear us.

I look at him dumbfounded, guess all my suspicions and Four's comment were correct.

"You love me?"

"Yeah since we were fourteen."

Two years!

"Robert I.....I'm not much how the hell can you love me?"

"Because you are an amazing person Beatrice and an amazing friend. Hell, I even spoke to your dad and asked for his blessing to date you,"

I look up at him, my mouth drops open. He spoke to my dad about dating me.

"He said yes by the way in case you are wondering,"

"Robert-"

"And I thought I knew you Beatrice but I don't. Because I would have never thought that you would be the type to sneak out and go hook up with some dude. And seriously Four what kind of a name is that!"

I look up at him in silence. I can't think of a single thing to say that would make him feel better.

"Just could you please tell me one thing? Did you ever like me?"

"I'm sorry Robert but...but I never liked you in that way."

Tears flood his eyes, he reaches up with his sleeve to wipe them away.

The door clicks open and Marcus walks in.

He looks at us in confusion.

"Is everything okay here?" He asks looking at Robert whose eyes had turned slightly red due to his tears.

"I'm not feeling very well may I be excused to go home?" Robert asks him.

Marcus nods.

Robert picks up his coat that had been draped over the chair and rushes out the room slamming the door shut behind him.

***

As soon as Marcus dismisses me for the day I rush to the underground city and change into Dauntless black.

I just can't go to my house yet because of the risk of Robert being there and truth be told I need to be around my other friends right now.

Maybe they will have some advice for me.

When I reach the Dauntless compound I ran to the pit where I know they normally sit.

Luckily for me, Al was there, but sadly Christina wasn't. I was kinda more hoping to speak to her.

"Hey, Tris." He smiles.

"Hey," I wave, "So listen Al I wanted to talk to you about something."

He sighs and his eyes widen like saucers.

"Oh, crap they told you didn't they. I told them not to tell you that I like you. I said I was going to tell you myself. " He rambles.

What the hell is going on today!

He stood up and took my hands in his.

"Well, I guess it's out now. Tris, I like you. Maybe even love you. And I know that doesn't make much sense especially since we haven't known each other for very long. But when I'm around you I just want you to stay with me. And if you feel the same way then I would like to take you out on a date."

Two guys confessing their love for me. Was I kidnapped and taken to an alien realm? Is this real?

"Al....um.... that isn't what I wanted to talk to you about. I didn't even know that you liked me."

He drops my hand and moves his hands up and runs then threw his hair.

"Oh God, I am such an idiot."

"Al it's okay I think the speech was very sweet. It's just-"

"Wait if you think it was sweet does that mean you will go out with me?"

"No, it just means that I think it was sweet. And what I was going to say is that I don't like you that way."

His face droops with sadness.

"You don't?"

"I'm sorry Al I just don't like you that way."

He scoffs and shakes his head.

"But you like Four that way." He growls.

"What?" I ask.

"Four, I've seen the way you guys are with each other. You like a dude that you don't even know how he looks but you'll reject me."

"I don't...Al I-"

"No don't bother alright I get it. I'm not worth that sort of attention."

"Al don't think that okay. You are a great guy just not the right guy for me."

He nods his head, his gaze still firmly held on the floor.

"I think I'm gonna go, bye Tris."

"Bye Al."

I stand in silence and watch as he turns around and walks away.