Divergent?

Chapter Fourteen (Tobias)

I make my way through the compound, searching for Uriel to get the keys for the vans from him. Abnegation, as a whole, owns very few vehicles, and three roughly 7 metre long, old, rusting vans are a few of them. They aren't used on a regular basis, in fact they have probably been left to rot, but I doubt that the initiates will want to travel to the factionless sector on foot. I turn the corner and feel my body hitting someone else's; looking up I see it's Uriel.

'Hey, sorry!' I apologise, and he just shakes his head at me, whilst rolling his eyes.

'Listen, have you got the keys for the vans?' I ask him.

'Yes... just let me go get them. Going to the factionless, right?' Uriel knows about the trip I take the initiates on evey year.

'Yeah, but I'll need the keys, so if you'd kindly go and get them...' Uriel punches me in the arm, hard, but I just laugh at him as he walks back the way he came to fetch the keys. Uriel works in Abnegation with the people who have just finished initiation, helping them settle in until the next lot arrive. He says he loves the job, but I'm not so sure he does. He is my closest friend in Abnegation, or the person I would describe as the closest thing to a friend. He's always willing to listen, then again all Abnegation are supposed to, usually up for a laugh and the one person I know right now that really understands me. In the way that I sometimes feel like I don't belong here, like I shouldn't be in Abnegation.

'Here you are, Four'. Uriel turns the corner and stands in front of me, dangling the keys by his index finger out towards me. I reach out to get them, but he swipes them out of my grasp and back towards his chest.

'Only... If you let me come with you', he negotiates, and I look at him confused. Why would he want to come? I remember going on the trip with him when we were initiates together; he hated it. Uriel seems to read my mind as he answers:

'Because I haven't been out with you, doing something fun for ages. This place is getting on my nerves, I need to get out.' He adds the last sentence looking around at the walls and ceiling with a look of total disgust on his face, and although I agree slighty, the comment angers me somewhat. Reluctantly I agree that he can come along, and he hands me the keys. I pocket them and we stroll together towards the dining hall.

All the initiates are outside the dining hall, waiting were I'd told them I would be.  As soon as I walk up them, the quiet chatter between them dies. I instantly pick out Beatrice amongst them, and lock my eyes on hers. Uriel nudges me, and I break the contact then begin to talk.

'Right, I hope you had a great breakfast. So, this is my friend Uriel', I say pointing to him whilst he waves and smiles assuredly, 'and you'll be seeing more of him when you finish initiation, he'll be helping you to ease into life here. He's also coming along today.' Beatrice is looking intently at Uriel, her wide, soft eyes staring. They swivel over to me, and I look away again. In my peripheral vision, I see her smiling to herself. Or to me. She makes me smile too.