Divergent: The Faction Life

Divergent: The Faction Life (Chapter 4)

I'm so angry I have to go back to my apartment. I'm splashing my face with cool water in the sink, when I hear the front door open.

He doesn't even bother knocking anymore, I think to myself.

"Hello?" I hear Tobias yell. I turn the sink water off and pat my face with a towel.

"Yeah, I'm in the bathroom." I call back. In less than a minute, he's leaning in the doorframe.

"So, can I ask what happened today?" He asks, crossing his arms. I roll my eyes.

"I'm not going to be yelled at for what I did today. So, if that's all you came here for, you might as well leave." I take a brush out and start brushing my long hair.

"I just want to know what happened." He says, shrugging. I sigh, and look at myself in the mirror.

"Darren is horrible. He's, he's a Peter. He's just like Peter." I say, shaking my head.

"I agree. Go on." Tobias urges.

"Well, I was trying to help Emily. While I was, Darren kept making these rude remarks and I couldn't take it. I ended up confronting him and then he pretty much said I can't do anything, and that he's better than me. Just to prove him wrong, I threw the knife. And then, I left." I put down the brush and lean against the sink counter.

"You need to learn to not get mad with people like that." Tobias says carefully, walking towards me. When he reaches me, he engulfs me in his arms and I melt. I wrap my arms around him and bury myself as much as I can in his chest. He strokes my hair and I nod.

"I know. I just, I don't know-" he interrupts me.

"You don't like seeing Emily get made fun of because you were made fun of last year." He finishes it for me. I nod.

"I don't want her feeling like I did last year. I wanted to give up. But, if I had, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be with you." I whisper, looking up into his eyes. They looked troubled.

"I didn't know you felt that way, last year, Tris." His voice is tight and it chokes.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm still, aren't I?" I say, attempting to smile. He nods, stroking my hair again.

"If I knew you felt like that, I wouldn't have been so hard on you. If you had ended it, I never would have forgave myself." The way his voice sounds breaks my heart. I bury my face into his chest even more. Even though I don't see his face, I can tell he's trying not to cry.

"You were the only thing I stayed alive for." I whisper into his chest. I say the sentence so quiet, I can barely hear it myself. He must hear it though, because I hear him moan and he hugs me tighter.

"So, what do you think about Emily?" I ask, trying to lighten the mood. He laughs.

"She's a mess." He says simply, shaking his head. I dig my fingernails into his sides so I can hug him better.

"Like I wasn't a mess last year? I mean, I wasn't as bad as her but-" he cuts me off with a laugh.

"I hate to say it, Tris, but you were just as bad as her last year. The only difference is that I could tell you had a wanting, an aggression under all the manners. I don't think Emily does." I think about what he said. I was a mess last year. Actually, I am a mess currently.

"Do you notice anything...different, about her?" I ask, choosing my words carefully.

"Are you saying, that you think she's...Divergent?" He whispers the last word so quietly I can barely hear it. I nod.

"There's something about her...I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong." I shrug. He lets out an exasperated sigh.

"Well," he says, "at least we will know for sure when simulations come."