Dauntless High School

Chapter 29

FOUR

I usually hate Mondays, but today I am feeling much happier than usual. For one thing, Zeke is back at school; Hana refused to let him continue missing his classes when it could easily be months waiting for Uriah to wake up. No one is saying it aloud, but the truth is, he may never wake up. No one really knows for sure.

That's the thing that makes me nervous about Tris's request to keep this thing between us quiet for now. Eventually it will come out whether we are ready or not, and I don't really like hiding it in the first place. But for now, it is a reasonable request and I would honestly feel better if Uriah knew before the rest of the world as well.

Even so, Tris is the main reason for my good mood; I haven't seen her yet this morning but I know I will at math class in about three minutes. Plus, tonight she agreed to come with me to Peter's for that hidden camera. The gang has been passing it around for dares, for years. I can't wait to see the footage. I hope it's angled the right way to catch Peter's reaction; I can't imagine that he will have made it far down the street before noticing the smoke that appears to be coming from his engine.

When I see Lauren fifty feet ahead of me, I duck down a hallway to take a longer route to my class. She is on crutches for that broken ankle and every time I pass her she ropes me into carrying her books. She insists on making small talk with me every single time. I hate small talk. I love that Tris doesn't insist on filling every silence with meaningless chatter.

I'm hardly looking where I'm going, too lost in thought, and am startled when I hear the deep growl of, "You!"

My head snaps up and I see Peter flying toward me. I try to dodge him but the hallway is too crowded and my movement is stopped by a group of girls walking right next to me. Peter knocks over a scrawny guy in glasses but by the time I have regained my balance, he is coming toward me again.

I duck the next punch. I learned a long time ago that even if I am only defending myself, any retaliation might get me into trouble with the school faculty and when Marcus gets wind of it, I'll be very, very sorry. Even so, soon enough I'm sick of trying to avoid Peter's attack. The other students in the hall have formed a circle around us, cheering and shouting.

Peter comes at me tirelessly, fueled by anger and adrenaline and finally I fight back. For a few moments we trade punches and by the time a teacher breaks through the thick crowd of students to break us up, I have Peter pinned to the floor.

I mentally curse all the way to the principal's office, dreading whatever consequences are waiting for me.

Ms. Matthews is sitting at her desk when the school nurse leads us into her office. We were kept separated while the nurse fixed us up; all I really had was a bruised jaw and knuckles; Peter has a split lip and black eye, and definitely appears to be favoring his right arm. Seeing the severe look on Ms. Matthews face, I am guessing that the teacher that broke us up, Mr. Delgado, filled her in about our fight.

"Sit," Ms. Matthews commands. There are two chairs for me and Peter, sat right next to each other. I glance at him as I move for the chair and he glares at me. I scowl back.

Apparently we are taking too long, because Ms. Matthews repeats herself. "Sit."

Peter and I drop into the chairs and scoot them further away from each other, so we're each at a corner of the desk. I can feel him glaring at me. I don't gratify him with a glare back.

Ms. Matthews stares us down with her chin on her steepled fingers. Then she pushes a paper toward each of us and leans back in her chair.

"When you began the year here, each of you signed an agreement to abide by the rules of this school and acknowledgement that you read the student handbook and are aware of student expectations." I look down and see that she has actually pulled out the agreements each of us signed, as if we were going to dispute being aware that fighting was not allowed. "Can either of you tell me what that handbook said about engaging in physical altercations?"