The Dauntless Mystery- Divergent High

Chapter twenty

TRIGGER WARNING: mentions of suicide.  

Tobias POV

They are talking about Tobias Eaton.

They all look really troubled. What on earth are they saying about me? Well, of course they don't actually know I'm Tobias, but what could have happened? "Hi guys. What're you talking about?" I say, acting like I didn't hear my name. Tris looks at me, some sort of pain in her eyes.
"Marcus Eaton finally gave a statement to the local news about what happened to his son," she whispers. 
"W-what did he say?" I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I feel uncomfortable and hot. 
It's Shauna who answers. "Well, you know how his son disappeared about five years ago?" I nod, my hand shaking. I stuff them into my pockets to hide them. "Well...everyone obviously thought he had just run away. Marcus had refused to say what really happened, so there was a lot of speculation."
"Some think he ran away, some think his dad mistreated him. Some think he was murdered, or killed himself or maybe kidnapped," Marlene says. My breathing feels shallow. 
"Marcus finally told everyone what really happened," Will says. 
"And-and what is it?" I prompt.
Tris's bottom lip trembles. "Apparently he went a little bit...mad...after his mum's death." Anger wells up in me at the mention of mum. "And...well...Marcus said that he called Tobias down for dinner one day, but he got no response, so he went up to check, and he found the room empty but the window was open. He ran over and looked outside and...and saw his son on the ground...dead."
"He clearly didn't want anyone to know, and he knew there was no chance that Tobias was alive because he was cold and wasn't breathing," Zeke says. "He wouldn't have survived that drop, as he was very young- only ten, I think. So he just had a private funeral." Even Lynn looks troubled by this news. I don't know what to feel. We all stand in silence. 

Perhaps it's better that everyone thinks that happened. It would make sure there is no suspicion concerning me. But it's awful that this is making my friends look so troubled, when I'm standing here, clearly alive.
I pick up the discarded article that Tris lay on the table before I arrived, and read it:

We have finally got some answers out of Government member, Mr Marcus Eaton, surrounding the mysterious disappearance of his son five years ago.
Tobias Eaton was just ten years old when he mysteriously disappeared. Mr Eaton had originally refused to answer any questions, leaving everyone wondering what happened to the boy.

There were many theories circulating that web. Some of which included his kidnapping, murder, or suicide. Others speculated that he may have run away, or perhaps he was mistreated by his own father. 
Earlier this week, Mr Eaton finally gave his story:

"Five years ago, my son went missing," he says. "There have been many theories that I am aware of, and I think it's finally time that I put an end to them. My wife, Evelyn, died when Tobias was seven years old. She died due to complications with pregnancy, and the infant died minutes later. As you can imagine, Tobias and I were devastated. Tobias was very close with his mum, and the grief was slowly driving him mad. At school, he would talk to no one and his grades were slipping. He was extremely quiet and reserved at home as well. One day, when he was ten, I called him down for dinner and got no response. I assumed he hadn't heard me, so I called again. Still not getting a response, I went upstairs and into his room. It was empty but the window was open. I walked over and looked outside and-" Mr Eaton tears up as he remembers the sight that beheld him. "I saw my son laying in a pool of his own blood on the ground. I ran outside ad noticed his limbs at odd angles and his eyes were closed. He wasn't breathing, and I knew him to be dead. After all, there was no way that a small ten year old boy could survive that drop. I didn't want to talk about it, so I didn't even call the hospital. I had a quiet funeral, but the image of my beloved son laying dead will haunt me forever."

Tomorrow, a small remembrance service will be on television for anyone wishing to watch. 

My blood boils, and I feel like throwing this paper across the room with all my strength. Dad never showed any grief at the "death" of mum. And he teared up, did he? Tears of joy perhaps? He never loved me. Never. He can pretend all he wants, but I know he never did. 
And a remembrance service will be held on TV? I would bet everything I owned that dad didn't organise that. I feel guilty at the fact that they feel the need to hold one, seeing as I'm not really dead. But will anyone really watch it? Hardly anyone spoke to me, or knew me. At school, the kids were horrible to me. The teachers didn't like me much either.
I sigh and put the paper down. It's better like this. It has to be. It is.

Isn't it?

A/N This chapter was a little shorter than usual, but I wanted it to focus solely on one thing, so thanks for reading it :)