Dauntless High School

Chapter 26

A/N: I'm so sorry... how have more than 2 months gone by already?! You would think that it would be easier to update in the summer, but somehow I ended up busy all the time. Had this half written when school started back up and finally sat down and finished it. I'll try not to make you wait so long again.

-o-o-o-o-o-

TRIS

My eyes shoot imaginary daggers at Caleb as he slinks out the door to my hospital room like a puppy with its tail between its legs. One look was all it took, I didn't even have to say a word for him to know how pissed I am at him.

After Four left, Caleb told me Dad was coming to see me at the hospital. He conveniently neglected to mention that Dad was already in Chicago, so I am blindsided when my father stalks into my hospital room only an hour later.

Even though I'm so nervous for what he is going to say, my heart is soaring. He's here, he came. My dad is here to see me. Sometimes I am not sure if he loves me any more, but now, when I am hurt and scared, he came.

My father's eyes burn into mine with a look of accusation. At first, when I feel the heat behind my eyes, I think he's found a way to set me on fire, to punish me for what I've done, but no—I'm about to cry. It would be impossible to miss the anger and disappointment.

"Let's hear it, Beatrice," Dad says coldly. "How did this happen?"

I gulp and tell the story of how I got into the car accident, beginning with Uriah showing up to the door while I was home studying, to waking up here in the hospital bed, of course leaving out anything having to do with our dare game and Al stealing the stop sign. Dad listens with a blank face the whole time, and I am encouraged when his eyes soften at the end, when I describe the shock of waking up here.

"I told you that hellion would get you into trouble one day," Dad mutters, shaking his head.

"We aren't even together anymore. We broke up a few weeks ago." I don't even know what I'm trying to do―defend myself? Placate my dad? For a moment I see this whole situation the way Zeke did this morning: It was an accident. It wasn't my fault. It could have happened to anyone. "I was just trying to do the right thing," I say aloud.

"Yes, Beatrice," Dad says tiredly, "I know you were, and I'm glad you're alright." He sighs and shakes his head. "But even when you're trying to do the right thing, you seem to get into some sort of trouble. I don't know why you can't be more like Caleb. Caleb was never a problem." He looks at me with utter disappointment, and shakes his head. His words echo in my head: "...a problem." I dig my nails into my palm, determined not to let him see how much his words hurt me. "Now I've had to miss an important business dinner to fly out here and square everything away with the hospital."

He glances at his watch. I wish he would just leave right now, I just want to be alone. I thought he was here because he loved me. But I was wrong. That isn't why he is here at all. Even after I was seriously injured in a car accident...he's not really here for me. He's here to take care of the paperwork. An inconvenience, a task to mark off his list.

I have never felt smaller than I do in this moment.

-o-o-o-o-o-

FOUR

This day feels endless...and it's only lunch.

First, Chemistry was more boring than usual with Zeke's seat empty and Marlene uncharacteristically sullen. Class went by uneventfully, a boring lecture and no lab work today.