Divergent Powers High

Chapter 38: A Warm Welcome

My chest burns as I grab the last of my bags, and Tobias and I drag them to the front door. 

I ring the doorbell, heart pounding in anticipation. It's been so long since I've seen my family, and it's so hard to wait. 

I hear quick, loud stomps, then a thud, before the door swings open. 

"Tris!" Mom screams, already crying. I laugh, jumping into her arms. Her cries just make me tear up, but it's okay. 

"She's here!" I see Caleb out of the corner of my eye, running and crashing into us. For a split second I lose my balance, and we crumble to the ground, a giggling, teary-eyed mess. The moment is frozen in time as Tobias snaps a picture, grinning. 

I pull back, helping Mom and Caleb lift themselves up. 

"Sweetie, you look so good!" Mom exclaims, gently caressing my cheek. I lean into her gentle touch, something I took for granted for so long. 

Caleb turns, glancing at Tobias. Much to our surprise, he pulls him into a hug. Tobias stumbles for balance, but hugs him too. It's sweet, seeing my two favorite men in the world getting along. "Thank you for keeping her safe." Caleb whispers. 

Tobias nods, "Thank you, but that was Matthew. He was one of the best men I ever had the privilege of meeting." 

I smile, not hurt by his words. Matthew was an incredible person, and he did keep me alive. If it wasn't for him, a lot of people would be dead. The world owes him a debt that can never be repaid. 

We all walk in, and I take in a breath. The aroma of home cooking wafts through the house, a familiar scent. "Chicken and Dumplings?" 

"Of course, how could you tell?" Mom asks, smirking. 

I shrug, "There are some things you never forget." 

We head upstairs, Tobias following me with most of the bags. I slowly twist the handle, before swinging the door open. 

"Surprise!" 

I scream, my body fazing in and out, and fall on the ground. 

"Tris!" Lynn exclaims, running over to pick me up. I laugh, shaking my head. 

Inside my room all of my friends are standing around, balloons and gifts in hand. "What's this for?" 

"It's your welcome home party!" Uriah screeches, blowing on a noise maker. 

Almost on cue I hear the front door open and a huge amount of excited screams parade through the halls. I dart past Tobias and look down the stairs to see a flood of kids from my school running into the house. 

"Welcome home Six!" They all exclaim in broken unison. 

I shake my head, giggling. They all cheer, throwing around balloons and confetti. I spin on my heel, "T-er-Four, did you know about this?" 

He nods, smirking. Everyone starts walking around, filling the dining room with gifts and mingling. I walk back to my room, jumping into a hug with Uriah. The rest of my friends join, sparking a warmth in my heart that seems indescribable. 

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After hours of hanging out and talking to everyone from my school, it gets close to midnight. I actually learned a lot about some people I never talked to before, and it was incredible to learn that people look up to me and everything I've done, and that I have inspired a lot of people. 

Of course, many of them were curious about what happened, but I didn't say a word. Honestly, those events are something I'll never forget, so I don't want to burden anybody else with the knowledge. 

I got a ton of gifts, although I don't know why.  People gave me blankets and photos and drawings and cards, just to celebrate my survival. The school is still closed until after Christmas, which is closer than I thought. Only two weeks away! They took the opportunity with everything going on to do renovations so we can come back to a new and better guarded school.

Once most of my peers leave, the house is left with my close friends and family. We grab tons of blankets and pillows, setting up a fort in the living room. For the first time, maybe ever, I feel like a kid. 

"We have to watch The Grinch!" Zeke laughs, stealing the remote from me. 

I flick my wrist, drawing it back through the air.

He rolls his eyes, plopping down on Shauna. She squeals, pushing him off. "You're acting like children!" Tobias laughs, pulling a blanket to finish the ceiling. 

I scroll through the shows, eventually settling on The Grinch. Zeke doesn't notice, so I don't have to deal with him whining. 

Tobias crawls through the giant fort settling next to me in the back. He lays behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist. 

"Stay PG-13 guys!" Christina teases, winking at me. 

I laugh, pulling my love in for a kiss while flipping her off. Toby gently holds the back of my head, pushing me closer to him. I laugh into the kiss, making him chuckle. We pull away, laying silently in each others arms. I feel at peace, finally relaxed. Nothing can get to me, and nothing will.