We are one (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 13

I walk into school. The cold grey tiles below my feet.
"Hey there!" Tobias says and comes and joins me by my side. His shoulder brushes mine.
"You weren't out this morning." He states.
"No need to be." I lie. I bite my lip. I know he can tell I'm lying. He raises one of his eyebrows. He smiles one of his goofy grins and says " what have you got next?" I pass him my timetable and tuck my loose and ugly hair behind my ear. God why am I so... So imperfect! I know every ones like. No bodies perfect! I get that yes. We all have our imperfections. Our little faults that we hate with a passion. But I just hate everything about me. My tiny body. I'm fat. My brown and blonde hair that's always a mess. The crevices on my face. My bumpy skin. I'm not pretty and I never will be. My scars. Worst of all my scars. I hate them. I feel so self conscious about everything. I'm never going to be able to wear a swimming costume without being stared at because of my scars. Hell. I'm never going to be able to wear a strapping top ever. This is just going to haunt me. I run my fingers my thin hair.
"Ok let's go to maths." He says and I follow.
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I walk to my usual seat at the back. I look at the floor and get into my seat in the corner. I pull my maths book out and continue to doodle on the front. I look up to see Tobias talking to Lauren and her minions. I look back down and continue doodling.
"Hey stiff!" Peter says and he with Eric enter the room.
"Been a while since we've last seen you!" Eric says and walks over to me. And sits on the desk next to me. Peter stands in front of me.
"Why do you want arse holes?" I say without looking up.
"Nothing. Just wondering what these are." He says and grabs my arm.
"Get off me!" I say.
"Why? are you scared Tris? Aren't you dauntless?" Eric sneers. Peters grip tightens around my tiny wrist. Fear starts to trickle into my body. I stiffen. Anger begins to mix with fear.
"Being bullies is a sign of cowardice. Are you sure your dauntless?" I say through gritted teeth.
Anger flickers in their eyes.
"Are you fostered Tris?!" He practically yells.
"Do your foster parents beat you!?" He yells again.
"Did your real parents abuse you?!" He yells. Every one turns around to look at us. A grin curls at the corner of Eric's lips. Peter holds my wrist still and I try to pull away.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" He pulls me to my feet. Anger runs through my body. "Who are you Tris?! What are these!" He yells and snaps my arm above my head. No. No please don't! I try to pull away. He quickly pulls my hoodie sleeve down. I look away. But I hear gasps. His grip loosens and I pull my arm away.
He smiles at me. Anger boils within me. I run at him and take him down. I punch him in the throat. He gasps for air. I punch him in the jaw and I hear a satisfactory crunch. I feel large hands wrap round the back of my hoodie. I'm thrown off Peter and into a bunch of desks. I look up to see Eric and Peter standing above me. Eric pulls me up by the scruff of my Baggie hoodie. He throws a punch in my stomach and I double over. Peter knees me in the eye and I fall to the ground. I look up, my vision is hazy, to see Tobias taking out Peter and Eric. He punches Eric in the eye and kicks Peter in the balls. Eric swings a punch at Tobias. I pull myself to my feet. Peter steps into view.
"Hey stiff!" He spits and swings a punch. I try to duck but it hits me in the eye. I kick him in the balls. He grabs my foot and throws me to the floor. He pulls me back up and puts me into a head lock. He starts to cut off my air ways. I gasp for air.
"What is going on here!" Miss Matthews yells. Peters eyes widen. He releases me slightly. I take my chance and spin round. I hit him in the balls and punch him in the face. She stares at me. I touch my nose. It's bleeding. I look over to Tobias. He gives me a weak smile. Miss Matthew starts to walk over to us at the end of the room. I shift backwards. Her hair falls perfectly and she has cold blue eyes. Her eyes meet mine. I look down and bite my lip.
"Go and stand outside my office. Now!" Lauren curls her lip. I stumble out and follow Tobias to her office. He has a cool air about him.
"Hey you ok?" He asks and looks at my face. He gently touches the area my eye. Sending sparks of pain all over my body.
"I've been worse." I state. He smiles weakly at me. He's got a nose bleed, but he's ok. I gently touch my eyebrow.
"Ah" I say. A deep cut runs through the middle of my eyebrow.
"Oh wow! How'd they do that to you?" He gasps. I shrug.
"I got thrown into a few desks." I say.
"Oh yeah, by him." He glares at Eric.
"I hate him." He growls. We're made to stand and face the wall. After our first period and with blood still streaming down our face. We are called in one by one. First goes Peter, then Eric. Then Tobias. Now it's my turn. Slowly I walk into the cold blue office. I take a seat across from.
"Tris." She starts. I feel like I'm in another police interrogation again. Another meeting telling me that I'm being expelled. My stomach flips.
"I feel sick" I mutter.
"What was that?" She asks sternly.
"Nothing"I reply. And look at my feet.
"As i was saying. We work on a three strike policy. But given... Your a circumstances. We can't be too lenient. Why did you fight Peter and Eric?" She asks. I shudder.
"I... They... They tried to show the whole class...don't worry." I say and look at my shoes. Her cold eyes pierce me.
"Tris, I know about you past. You can't lie to me." She says. I sigh. Were they told everything! I hate this. I feel like running out of the office. Home. To Tobias. Wait! WTF TRIS! Get that out out of your head! I can't look her in the eye.
"All I want to know is, did you start the fight or not?" She says. I look up. I could lie and get Peter into trouble. But then I'd be lowering my self to his level. I'm may not be honest all the time, well most of the time. But I am brave. It takes bravery to be honest. I am brave.
"Yes" I reply. I look up to make eye contact. I'm not afraid anymore.
"He tried to show my... These." I pull up my sleeve. Her eyes don't even widen. She looks at my arm and back at me.
"Your punishment will be 2 after school detentions. As well as a full apology to Peter for attacking him" she says with a sly look. I glare at her. I know she favours him over me. The word 'no' is on the tip of my tongue. I know the word could slip out at any moment, causing more trouble so I bite my tongue. I look down. There is no way in hell I'm doing that apologising to that jerk. No! I shake my head and sigh.
"You may go to the nurse now." She says. I slowly get up. Pain shoots through my body. I walk out slowly towards the nurses office. I knock and enter. The nurse looks me up and down and places me onto a bed. I sit with my feet on the floor. She gives me an ice pack for my eye. She calls Natalie. Shit. She called Natalie! Oh my god what are they gonna say! I'll probably be grounded. But I won't listen I never do. I don't what she is saying. I can't hear her. My own thoughts fill my head. Tobias. He helped me. He went down with me. He's in trouble because of me. Like everyone around me is in trouble because of me. Cody. Tobias. Everyone.
"Your mothers coming to pick you up and take you to hospital." She informs me breaking my train of thought.
"Why hospital?" I question.
"Your eyebrow needs to be stitched up." She says " I haven't got any supplies to do it here." She smiles at me . Reassuring me everything is going to be ok. My nose bleeds stopped. So she cleans that up. But I feel my eye getting larger and larger. Finally Natalie comes...