Convergent

Chapter 1

TRIS'S P.O.V.

It's been exactly three months since Caleb sacrificed himself for us, and the pain hasn't gone away. It should have been me. I should have stopped him from wiping the memories, I should have gone through the death serum. I was going to.

You should have seen his eyes. People say you can tell a lot about a person by their eyes. Well, Caleb's eyes told me he was terrified. He was scarred. He was sorry. I should have forgiven him for what he had done. But I couldn't, and I should have.

David is dead thanks to him. Caleb shot him right before the death serum overcame him.

I sit on my bed and stare at the wall. This never gets easier...I don't think it ever will. Sure, he was a traitor, he tried to kill me, he escorted me to my own execution even, but he was my last remaining family, I grew up with him, I've known him since I was born. I don't even care about the "Faction Before Blood" motto; he was––is my brother, my family, and I... I still love him.

Tobias walks in and sits next to me, then takes my small, thin hand in his large, calloused one from pulling himself onto too many trains. We sit in silence.

"You know, this wall is very interesting, but I think the floor is prettier." He says, breaking the awkward silence.

Perfect Tobias... always there for me, always trying to make me feel better and lighten the mood.

I force a smile.

"Are you sure you want to go, Tris?" He asks me as he runs his thumb across my palm, tenderly, lovingly. "I mean, you don't have to put yourself through this every month."

I look up at him. I start with his lips, the familiar curves of his spare upper lip and full lower lip. Then, I slowly make my way up his face and finally stop at his eyes: his deep set eyes with long lashes, the dark blue color I have come to associate with familiarity and safety.

"Yes, I want to go," I say as I stand up.

"Okay," he says as I pull him up, our hands interlocked the whole time. 

We start towards the Pit's winding staircase, and I am filled with dread.