Opponent

Chapter 1

The 200 year anniversary of the purity war and the 10 year anniversary of independence

I can hear my mother getting ready for the festivities. She lives in the apartment next to mine. After the whole escapade with the bureau and factionless uprising was found out, some residents of Chicago thought that my mother- Evelyn Johnson- should be exiled. Surprisingly, she was allowed to stay after a sudden change of heart from her divorced husband Marcus which led to her being pardoned in Court for her actions. It might have helped that I was the judge.

Her sentence was that she would be granted a pardon for her actions with the factionless as long as she was looked after by me. I was desperate to keep her close when I passed that sentence, but sometimes I wish I had just exiled her.

I have never been very close to my family. My father Marcus was a brute who hurt me throughout my abusive childhood. I was told that my mother had died when I was 3 months old but had later found out that she had just run away from Marcus to start a less painful life. When I chose Dauntless I changed my name and erased my memories of my mother, but now I've realised she is still alive, I have developed a strange longing for her. Almost as a chance to live the childhood that I should have had.

There is a very enthusiastic knock at the door; "Come in" I call.

In steps my mother, wearing her best clothes and a factionless armband that she insisted on keeping.

"Why aren't you ready Tobias?" she asks with a disapproving look at my attire.

"I am" I reply, quite offended "Why are you dressed for the Oscars?"

She ignores my comment and carries on with her critique "But you're in all black, it's the biggest ceremonial event for Chicago and you want to wear black jeans, a faded black top and those hideous Dauntless boots!"

"You're wearing a Factionless armband!" I protest.

"At least I'm making an effort with the rest of my outfit. You haven't even combed your hair Toby." She ruffles her long fingers through my dark hair.

I push her hand away. "My name is Tobias, not Toby and today is a celebration of the end of the factions so it seems quite appropriate of me to represent my old one. All my friends are each dressing as a different one."

"If you insist" sighs Evelyn taking a seat on my sofa, her makeup hides the fact she is edging on 60 and her legs are starting to fail her.

It is times like these when I wish that she was exiled, when we argue and then she makes me guilty about it with a single sigh. I have also never found it in my heart to forgive my old mother for her actions with the factionless- I might even blame her subconsciously for the death of Tris, even though it is a ridiculous claim.

We sit there in awkward silence for a few minutes, not catching each other's gaze until there is another knock at the door. I know exactly who it is.

I stand and make my way towards the door, just as I reach it she says "You're so old and mature now Tobias. I forget sometimes that you're not my little boy anymore."

I register the comment but don't reply as I turn the handle to address my guests.

Standing on the other side of the door is my friends, all dressed in Faction colours and smiling.

"I thought we were meeting outside the old Erudite headquarters?" I ask.

"Well, we decided to meet you here, to save you the hassle of walking there" smiles Cara. She is dressed in crazy colours of red and yellow and is holding a banjo. I guess she's probably Amity.