❝You better shape up
You better understand
To my heart I must be true
Nothing left
Nothing left for me to do❞

Chapter Twelve:
Power Play

Tris Henderson was never my goal; she was my reward. I had her now, and I couldn't bring myself to believe it.

I woke up in the morning to the sunlight filtering in through the light blue curtains, casting a turquoise glow over her room. Blinking, I almost sat up to get myself ready for the day ahead when I felt the weight of a body nestled into my side. A lazy smile spread on my lips as I looked down at the tiny, fetal ball she had curled into, her face snuggled into my chest as she let out those cute little snores she always denied. Looking at her sleeping next to me, all those years spent battling myself and my inner demons grew into perspective. She was the catalyst to a change that had sparked in me the moment I'd first laid eyes on her. Tris had made me a better man.

Quietly, I pried myself loose from her sleeping form, careful not to wake her. She mumbled my name and then something about chocolate before dozing off again with the pillow at her side. I had to stifle a laugh when she started to snore once more, louder than before.

Who would have ever thought that Tris Henderson would become my girlfriend one day? It was medal-worthy. I never let it slip just how much I looked up to this woman, simply because I'd come to know Tris well enough to see that she would rub my admiration for her all over my face.

After that night on the Capital Wheel, things had taken a healthy turn and for once, I could see that danger was not looming on the horizon. We had been going steady for a month now and I had officially asked her to be my girlfriend, a question to which she'd replied with an eye-roll and a 'took you long enough to ask, Castellan'. Her sarcasm wasn't enough for me to miss that she was truly pleased, judging by the smile and blush on her face.

Tris' curiosity hadn't been sated despite having come to peace with our linking pasts. From time to time, she would ask me the most random questions. Things like, "where did you sit in Mr. Mayer's class?" or "did you date anyone during college? Anyone I know?" or even "were you the guy that used to borrow my pens and never give them back? I hated that guy!"

She would screw up her face in frustration every time I ended her question and answer session with a kind reminder that no, she had not once noticed me throughout college. I stressed that I didn't blame her in any way as we had a huge class with over a hundred students. Plus, I'd made it a point to hide in the shadows at that time.

"Were you always this smug?" was the question she'd asked me last night as we watched a movie on her couch. "I mean, I know you're a ladies man and post-college, you've had your share of women but back then...were you always an ass?" I made sure not to go into extensive detail of how much of a hopeless loser I'd been in the past, silencing her remaining questions with a kiss. It worked well. Very well, judging by where I'd woken up this morning.

I got dressed quickly, all the while keeping an eye on Tris to make sure she didn't wake up. She'd been bringing the office home more lately and I knew she was facing a lot of pressure from work. She needed the rest. Before I left, I pressed a kiss to her forehead and whispered 'I love you', something of a secret habit now that we were together. I made sure of locking the apartment behind me as I stepped out into her hallway, fixing my bed hair with one hand while fishing my phone out of my pocket with the other. As expected, there was a waiting text.

It's all been sorted. Ball's in your court man.

It was only a matter of time.

Thanks Jazz. Couldn't have pulled this off without you.

Anything for you loverboy <3

I frowned at the heart symbol, making a mental note of discussing my texting boundaries with Jasper (again) the next time we met up.

I was leaving Tris' building when my phone's ringtone blared. Checking the contact name, I couldn't help but smile to myself, knowing that this time I would be prepared for what he had to ask.

"Good morning father."

The line crackled before I heard his gruff, sleep-laden voice boom over the phone.

"Hans! Why don't you ever pick up when I call the first time? I've tried contacting your cell for-"

"I was sleeping," I answered flat. "If you're calling to confirm our lunch by the docks today, then yes. It's still on my agenda. Do you need me to bring anything?"

"Oh...nothing at all. I was just calling to make sure."

He sounded almost surprised by how much I'd just said but then again, so was I. I had started making a greater effort to talk to my old man since things with Tris had smoothed over. She urged me to make things right with him again, promising me that I would have the family I've always wanted if only I gave things a fighting chance. The more I opened up to her, the more she made me look at things from a different perspective.

"How long are you going to hold onto the past? You need to move on Hans!" had been her exact words, followed by a couch cushion hitting me smack on the face. The impact drove the point across.

"Okay. I'll see you then." It sounded more like a question as I waited for my father to say something else judging by the mute silence on his part. In the end, he settled for another rasped, disbelieving 'okay' before hanging the phone. I ran my hand through my dark hair, descending the last step and placed my feet firmly on the sidewalk. The streets weren't as crowded with the constant flow of pedestrians and cars as they usually were, especially with Tris' apartment being smack-dab in the center of town. I took the odd peace and quiet as a sign that things would go well today.

Everything, after all, was going according to plan.

_____

Song: You're The One That I Want (Cover) by Alex and Sierra

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