Name Her Natalie

Chapter 2

   "Tris Prior sick? Now I've seen everything."

   I know she's joking but I can't bite my tongue. "I'm not superwoman, Christina. Everyone gets sick."

   She sighs and puts her hand on my back. The subtle action gives me comfort and I'm grateful.

   "It's just, Abnegation always care for the ill. You getting sick is like a doctor getting sick."

   I don't say anything despite the fact I want to shout that I'm not Abnegation, I'm Dauntless. No, I'm Divergent. But I hold back my disagreement. Christina is the one person looking after me now, we shouldn't fight.

   I've been sitting next to the toilet for up to an hour now, just incase I was going to be sick. Last time the urge to vomit came, I was halfway across the room so I wasn't too lucky.

   Tobias offered to let me stay over at his but I convinced him I was fine. As much as the idea of sleeping in his bed made my stomach growl and my cheeks burn, I would postpone that to another day.

   I hadn't see the nurse yet either. I had taken antibiotics and painkillers but nothing was working.

   "What if you've got some virus?" suggests Christina. "We should go check so they can put you in quarantine."

   I gawk at her. The thought of sitting in a room unable to see my friends, my Tobias, it made me shiver.

   "Sorry," She says, "Excuse my Candor mouth."

   Christina helps me up and guides me to the mirror. As I stare at pale faced Tris, it reminds me of Beatrice, the girl who disappeared.

   Christina pulls out a brush from her pocket and brushes my hair. I instantly think of my mother and how she would care for Caleb and I like we were her prize possessions. The thought brings tears to my eyes.

   Christina doesn't notice, she just talks about Will and brushes my hair. I laugh every now and then, and nod when it seems fitting but my mind is elsewhere.

   "I saw Four before..." Christina chuckles to herself. "Sorry, that never gets old. Anyway, he said he'll come over. And then he just disappeared..."

   I smile. "Maybe he went to his apartment. Or he went back to the mother ship to report to his alien friends."

   "Haha very funny! Wait...how do you know he has an apartment?"

   "I don't know, I-I just assumed. Doesn't everyone around here?"

   Christina stops brushing my hair and puts the brush on the edge of the sink. "YOU'VE BEEN THERE!"

   I don't reply because there's no point now. I will never hear the last of this. But despite the silence, my face will reveal the truth. Besides, Christina was Candor, there's no point in lying.

   "Tris Prior, you naughty little..." Christina's voice trails off.

   "What's wrong?" I ask, but her face in the mirror shows surprise. This is exactly why I didn't want her to know.

   "Tris?" She begins. "When was the last time you had your...you know."

   I raise my eyebrows. What an odd question. "I don't know. I kind of lost count with escaping the fence and getting used to the Bureau. Why are you asking?"

   Christina picks up the brush and continues to brush my hair even though I'm pretty sure it looks fine. "No reason. Just curious."