Free Four: Insurgent [Book 2] (ON HOLD)

3.

TOBIAS

  3.

  I MAKE IT BACK TO MY ROOM, but on the way receive a thousand strange looks. Even in the Amity clothes I changed in to- I just don't fit in here. I flop back onto my bed, and stretch my arms up, clasping my hands beneath my head and heave a sigh. Late afternoon light streams in through the window, slashing across my eyes. I allow my eyelids to flutter shut, blocking out most of the light. It's probably not even an hour before sundown now and I can't wait for the darkness that reminds me of the Pit.

I hear a knock at my door and stifle a groan. If an Amity hears me, they'll think I'm being mean and I may even scare them away. I'm not incredibly warm to the Amity anyways, but I need to play nice for a while.

I practically roll off the bed and my long fingers envelop the doorknob.

Caleb.

"Yes?" I ask.

"Uhum," he clears his throat, and his face grows red, and he pulls his eyes to the ground.

I roll my eyes, I figured this would happen sooner or later.

"Caleb," I say in a tired sigh, and his eyes flick up to me. "I love her, I have not taken advantage of her, and I love her for her mind." He seems to relax a little at this, but isn't fully convinced. "I was her trainer during her initiation. She did well, very, very well," I pause before explaining why because I figure he doesn't know. "I had a soft spot for her," I say, swinging the subject away from Tris's divergence. "That scared me, Caleb. I am well known for not having fear, and your sister scared me." Caleb smiles a little at this.

"If I ever seem harsh on her, it's because I know when she needs to be pushed, and I know how far she can go more than anyone else because I saw every aspect of her training. I mean, I even threw knives at her head-"

"You what?" Caleb asks, his voice dry and surprised. He raises his eyebrows at me and I chuckle.

"I did, and I was necessary, and-"

"How did you know you weren't going to hit her?" he asks defensively, and cutting me off, yet again.

"I have very good aim, Caleb," I say.

"So? If you were off just a hair-"

"But I wasn't," I say, taking my turn to cut him off. "And I knew it wouldn't. And after that, I had finally admitted to myself that I liked her."

"That was what made you realize you liked her?" Caleb asks, astonished.

"Yes," I say quietly. Knowing how much she trusted me, realizing how strong she was in every way- I fell in love with that."

"Okay," Caleb says, and I think he's finally convinced.

He turns to walk down the hall, and by the look on his face, I feel like he has another question, but it can't find its way off the tip of his tongue.

I turn away, and then I hear it.

"Four?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you show me your aim. I'm a little...curious still," he says.

"Sure," I say, laughing a little.

A little Amity girl skips by- three blocks of cheese stacked in her arms. I don't want to know why, sometimes the Amity are straight up weird.

"Hey, can we borrow one of those?" I ask her. At first the little girl looks stunned, looking up at me with dark brown eyes. She nods and holds one of the blocks out, leaning towards us, but not moving her feet.