Divergent: Before We Chose

Page Eleven

Tris

A few weeks have passed since Tobias and I made our secret agreement. Now and then I look for him in school, but I know he won't be there. Once someone takes their aptitude tests, their mandatory education is over - in their home faction anyway. My mother says that each faction has their own way of continuing education - some violently, some academically, some through philosophy. It's not hard to associate which faction went with which method.

I've grown good at training my face to hide my emotions; all part of the selflessness, really. Deep down, I'm terrified my parents will find out what I told Tobias - that I would be selfish. It's their worst nightmare, and really, if I was reared anyway right, it would be mine too.

I don't think I can really be in too much trouble for making the promise, partially because there were no specific conditions attached to it. Tobias said he would 'keep me updated', and then gave me this fantastic smile that did something strange to my balance.

All the same, when my parents bring up the topic of the Eatons' at the dinner table, my throat dries out.
 "How's Marcus doing?" mother asks my father as she passes food down the table. I am too busy looking distracting pouring water to hear his response. It's not until they say the word 'Tobias' that my head snaps up. Water splashes from the jug and I cringe, trying not to make a big deal of it, trying to keep attention away from me.

"Are you alright, Beatrice?" Caleb asks, almost teasingly, passing me a napkin to wipe up the mess. It's not until I meet his eyes that I realise he knows something. He must have seen Tobias and I outside. Maybe he thinks we were doing something different to conversing. In a way, I hope he does, because fraternizing with Tobias in that way would not be as dangerous as what we had actually been doing. "Did something Dad say startle you?" Caleb grinns maliciously, and my brother is not one to be malicious.

As if to prove my guilt, I blush.

Caleb pries further. "Hardly anything to do with work... unless it was, Tobias, maybe?"

Even my ears heat up. Dad coughs in response, almost choking on a chicken bone, and my mother beams brightly, doing everything she can not to show her happiness at this 'revelation'. "He's a fine young gentlemen," she says in a calm tone, and my father splutters more, but not as obvious this time.

"Maybe you should tell him how you feel, little sister," Caleb's grin widens as he serves himself more food. I have no idea why he's doing this to me.

"I don't plan on seeing him anytime soon." I need to sound neutral, not sure yet if I want to play along with the facade or just remove myself from Tobias completely.

"But they're coming for dinner tomorrow night!" Caleb gestures at Dad. "Right, father?" My blood turns to ice. I've been set up.

"They might be busy." Dad gulps down have a gallon of water to clear his throat.

And I really, really hope the Eatons' are busy tomorrow.