Candor or Dauntless

Chapter 5

It is cold. The air around me is freezing to the point of ten degrees (Fahrenheit). I rub my hands along my arms, trying to create some minuscule shred of warmth, even with all of my layers. I knock on the door to a small cottage in the Erudite village. I notice how they all live in small cottages versus more space efficient apartments.

Half asleep, Caleb stumbles with the lock, opening the door with fake glasses hanging half off his face.

"What the?!" He quickly straightens himself, and now looks wide awake upon seeing the small herd of Dauntless before him.

"Hi, Caleb." I choke out, "May we come in?" He finally recognizes me and opens the door fully. His home is proper and pristine, with the exception of books stacked high along the walls, and a glowing laptop on his table.

"Beatrice, well you look......different." I nod, I didn't realize how much of a shock it would be to see me this way.

"You too." I say, an awkward silence prevails afterward. After what feels like forever, Shauna finally chimes in, "Tris, don't you have something to tell Caleb here?"

Caleb lays a gentle hand on my shoulder, and I can see Tobias's muscles clench. "Are you ok?" Caleb asks, his eyes don't portray so much concern as curiosity.

"Well," I begin, biting my toungue as to what I am about to say, "I'm pregnant." I am obviously not, but Shauna and Zeke thought it to be a good idea to mess with my family.

"WHAT!" Caleb screams, and despite our modo being bravery, everyone jumps back in momentary fear.

"Beatrice Prior, you are sixteen years old, a child yourself! And you mean to say that a baby is currently growing inside of you! None the less, how that baby got there.....you are much too young!"

I look at Tobias, and bite my lip with nerves. I knew that he would be upset, but I didn't know that it would go this far.

"Who is the father!" Caleb's face is a deep red, and he speaks through gritted teeth.

"Four." I squeak out, much smaller than I mean too. Tobias promptly places an arm around me, and I relax my head on his chest. It was also apart of the dare that we must kiss in front of Caleb, but already I feel uncomfortable just in Four's embrace with my brother so close. I look up, and still biting my lip, quickly kiss Tobias on the lips.

"What was that?" Zeke says. "Come on, aren't you two in love? Show 'em how to kiss a girl!" He busts out laughing at his own stupidity, and both Tobias and I shoot him dangerous looks. I could really use some knives from the training room right now.

My whole body is racked with nerves, and my hands shake with it. Awkwardly I press my lips to Tobias's. I can practically feel the seething fumes of anger rippling off of my brother.

"That's enough!" Caleb shouts. Tobias and I gladly release ourselves from our embrace.

"Dauntless must have really rubbed off on you Beatrice." My brother spits out each word like a curse. "I expected better from you, but I suppose that stupidity can rub off on even the smartest of people."

At this, everyone in the room begins to tense. I can feel the Dauntless behind me getting ready to attack. "No one insults my faction!", I hear Zeke wail as he leaps for Caleb, "Your Erudite training didn't prepare you for this, did it?" He taunts, pinning my brother to the ground with a hard thud.

"Stop!", I scream, as Zeke unwillingly releases Caleb. "It was a joke, I'm not pregnant, and..."

"This isn't your boyfriend?" Caleb cuts in.

"Well, he is my boyfriend, but I'm not pregnant."

Caleb still seems angry, however his tattered hair and bloodshot eyes seem to make him look more tired than threatening.

"Leave." He states, looking at the ground.

Our small crowd turns to leave, but I am pulled back by a hand on my wrist. "Dauntless really has changed you, Beatrice.", and with that, we leave.

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