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

4.

Chapter 4

I stalk toward the cafeteria, my jaw clenching and locking and grinding.

Those Amity.

I just can't stand them.

I take a deep breath. They're so "peaceful" it's driving me up a wall.

I had been doing dishes.

Stinking DISHES.

1. Someone bumped into me. 2. The boy (my age, possibly a year older or younger- he had one of those faces you can't quite target) grinned at me. 3. He talked.

Boy: "Sorry man, just be careful."

Me: "You were behind me, it's not my fault I took a step back and you took a step forward after that."

Boy: "Dude, just chill."

Me: "Don't tell me what to do."

Boy: "Here, have a piece of bread."

Me: "I don't want that."

Boy: shoves bread closer to me.

Me: "I said I don't want it!"

After that, my muscles visibly coiled, ready shove the bread into his mouth. Then, two other Amity said they would make sure I got kicked out of the compound. What's the big deal? It's bread. My father walked in and the Amity tattled on me- to my fake father. He scolded me, like I was a four year old. "Tobias you know better," and "Tobias, act like a son I would be proud of," and even "don't do something like that again."

The Amity looked at me and I frowned.

So, I ate the carbacious material and it tasted weird. Maybe it's just because it was forced upon me.

They talked to me about peace- the whole time it took me to down that junk.

I spot Tris sitting at one of the tables across from Caleb. I walk lightly but forcefully over and drop into the seat next to her.

"What happened?" she asks.

"In their enthusiasm for conflict resolution, the Amity have apparently forgotten that meddling creates more conflict," I say angrily. "If we stay here much longer, I am going to punch someone, and it's not going to be pretty." I say it loudly. I am not kidding.

Caleb and Susan raise their eyebrows- the Abnegation silence still engrained in their brains. A few Amity look our way as well- their eyes all alarmed.

"You heard me," I say, their eyes scattering away from me.

"As I said," Tris says, her small hand covering her mouth to hide her grin, "what happened?"

"I'll tell you later," I grunt.

The other Abnegation sit with us, though they don't talk to us. I realize that the Abnegation are helpful not social. I notice Tris' discomfort and realize it must be the Abnegation- they remind her too much of her old life, of her family- half of whom are dead. I fidget a little myself, for the completely different reason- that my father is one of them- they think he's great, a hero even.

He still continues to go on and be completely selfless while his wife is already buried and his only son so evilly left him for another faction. He's a leader, but in the most selfless way possible. So kind, so humble…

I could almost barf at what they must think of him.

And then, I almost feel him. He comes up right behind me, and out of my peripheral vision, I can see his hand settling on Tris' injured shoulder. She clenches her teeth in pain, and I immediately want to accuse him for doing that on purpose.

"She got shot in that shoulder," I say, not looking to acknowledge his presence. He is a stranger to me.

"My apologies," his voice, which sounds an awful lot like mine, just older, says. He sits down next to me. "Hello."

I'll say one thing. My father is one heck of an actor.

"What do you want?" Tris snaps, while my love for her grows.

"Beatrice," Susan whispers. And even her rebuke sounds like a simple comment. Abnegation to the core. "There's no need to-"

"Susan, please," Caleb says. Susan shuts up immediately.

"I asked you a question," Tris adds. My shoulders uncoil slightly at her boldness, making me strong as well.

"I would like to discuss something with you," Marcus says. His face seems blank and happy, but I can tell in his tone- the way it would be right before he yells, pretending to be a stern father, but really a torturous beast. "The other Abnegation and myself have discussed it and decided that we should not stay here. We believe that, given the inevitability of further conflict in our city, it would be selfish of us to stay here while what remains of our faction is inside that fence. We would like to request that you escort us."

Escort?

There's something else up his sleeve, there has to be. The second I look at his eyes, fear floods me like a child, and I'm ashamed. Too much remembering.

In moments of weakness like this, I wish there was a serum of forgetfulness.

Tris looks at him, then at me, but I just stare down at the table.

"What do you think?" she asks me.

"I think we should leave the day after tomorrow," I say. I will do, just this once, what my father asks. Only because I as well can't stay here very long.

"Okay. Thank you," Marcus says. He gets up and sits at another part of the table.

Tris scoots closer to me, but doesn't offer any words. I assume she knows whatever she says wouldn't be able to lighten my mood. She grabs my hand under the table, and she looks so deep in thought I doubt she notices the bone-breaking intensity with which I hold on.

Hey guys! I'm so sorry I haven't uploaded in like an eternity! Thanks so much for all of you reading the story! Your comments mean so much to me!