Tobias
I stand in the pit looking through the crowd, hoping to talk to Tori before she leaves to administer the aptitude tests. The pit is crowded with dauntless making their way to work which only makes my task harder. It's loud and people are rushing past me from all angles but I still keep my eyes glued to the door of the tattoo shop, she should be walking out any minute now.
"You okay there, Four?", my head snaps around to where the voice came from and I'm met with small, dark, angular eyes and black hair. Tori. "Are you lost or something?", she chuckles.
"Ha ha.", I say, shooting her a sarcastic smile. I've always gotten along with Tori, she was the first person I met in Dauntless. "You on your way to the aptitude tests?", I say, changing the subject to what I actually want to talk about.
"Sure am.", she says as we start walking, "Y'know, you'd think I would be bored of seeing a bunch of Abnegation kids take the same test every year"
I chuckle but I don't say anything else. I want to ask her to do something for me but that's never been my strong suit. I hate asking for favors. I just walk with her in silence for a minute chewing the inside of my cheek.
"What do you want to ask me, Four?", she says, giving me a pointed look. She sees straight through me.
I sigh before turning to her and say "My sister is taking her test today."
Tori raises an eyebrow. "I didn't know you had a sister.", she says, her voice filled with intrigue.
"Yeah, no one does, not even Zeke.", I start walking again, Tori following closely behind. "I know you administer half of the Abnegation tests and I was wondering if you could tell her something for me, if you do her's."
Tori stays silent for a moment, probably thinking of a nice way to say no. "What do you want me to tell her?", she sounds unsure, like she hasn't made up her mind yet. I have to be careful about what I ask her to say, otherwise she might not do it.
"Just tell her that I said that I'm sorry.", I say, Tori's expression changes from an uncertain one to a confused one. "She'll know what for.", I add before Tori gets the chance to ask.
"I'll tell her.", Tori says, she doesn't ask any more questions, although I can tell she wants to. "What's her name?"
"Elizabeth." Took nods. I give her a small smile as if to say 'thank you' before she walks away.
It's been two years since I transferred to Dauntless, escaping my father. Even though I'm now free from the monster that haunted my childhood, I feel guilty. I left her behind. I left my little sister alone with that sadistic maniac for two years. I just hope that he didn't hurt her too much, although I know it's useless, of course he did. But tomorrow she can choose to leave as I did, she can choose to leave that house of horrors.
Elizabeth
I wake up early today in the hope that I can be gone before Marcus wakes up. I roll out of bed and quickly change before heading to the bathroom, careful to keep my movements quiet as not to wake him. I don't have to type in the code that is supposed to lock the only mirror in our house away since Marcus broke it years ago. I slide the panel across to reveal my reflection. I almost don't recognize myself. I remember when I used to have rosy cheeks and eyes filled with happiness, now my skin is pale and bags are starting to form underneath my deep blue eyes. It's been a long time and I've been through so much since then, I'm not that same girl anymore. But that changes tomorrow. Tomorrow I leave this life behind and start again.
I pull my dark brown hair into a bun at the back of my head, the classic Abnegation hairstyle. I take another look at my reflection and realize how tired I look, how broken I look. I quickly sneak back into my room, lift up the loose floorboard next to my bed and pull out a bag full of makeup. Makeup is strictly forbidden in Abnegation because they believe that it is tied to vanity, which is why I have to hide it, I can't begin to imagine what Marcus would do to me if he found it. I make my way back to the bathroom and apply some concealer over the dark bags under my eyes. I brush a light layer of blush over my cheekbones, it's barely noticeable but it makes me feel pretty again. I'm starting to look like that same happy kid again. I have other things in the bag - mascara, eyeliner, lipstick - but I don't use any of it today, it would be too noticeable.
I put the makeup back underneath the floorboard and head downstairs. I go to the kitchen and check the clock on the wall - 7:15 - fifteen more minutes until Marcus wakes up. I quickly grab a plain muffin from the counter and rush out the door, making sure to close it softly on my way out.
I still have hours until the aptitude tests start, all the other kids my age have classes to go to today, but I'm homeschooled. I don't have any friends, mostly because no one even knows that I exist, but partly because you can be friends with an Abnegation person, one conversation with them is painful enough.
Marcus has hidden me away my whole life, no one knows that he even has a daughter, but that's about to change. Tomorrow, Elizabeth Eaton, Marcus Eaton's secret daughter, will transfer, and everyone will know.
As I approach the Upper Levels building, I stop to take it all in. I've never seen it before, let alone been inside. Its made of glass and steel and there's a statue in front of it. It's incredible.
"Move it, Stiff.", a Candor boy says before shoving me out of his way. Big mistake.
"Watch it, Candor.", I spit, glaring at him. Everyone around us stops and stares. It's unlike a Stiff to talk back to someone.
"What did you just say to me?", he says in a quiet voice, stepping closer to me.
"I told you to watch it.", I say matching his tone, I'm still glaring at him.
"I don't take orders from Stiffs.", he says, raising his voice slightly before pushing me backward. I scoff and shake my head. I walk back towards him slowly and stop infant of him, not making a sound. Everyone around us is still stood still, silently watching this unfold. I pull my arm out and launch a fist into his face, causing him to fall on the floor. The are some gasps and snickers around us but I stay there staring at him.
"What is going on over here.", an older Dauntless women snaps me out of my daze and I turn to face her. She has narrow, dark, angular eyes and long black hair.
"Candor here couldn't keep his mouth shut, so I put him on his ass.", I say, motioning to the Candor boy that's still on the floor. She's clearly surprised by what I said, and so is everyone else, they all stare at me wide-eyed, it's not very often you meet a feisty Stiff.
"Can't argue with that logic.", she chuckles. "Be careful though, we don't want you getting into trouble now do we.", she smiles at me. She's nice.
"Yes Ma'am.", I say sarcastically and salute. She just shakes her head and walks away laughing.
I turn back to the Candor boy and say "You better watch what you say to me. Next time I'll do a lot worse." I step over him and push through the crowd that's formed around us.
Once I'm inside the building I head straight towards the cafeteria where we wait for the aptitude tests. There's still three hours until they start so I'm the only one in here.
After about an hour a woman walks out of one of the test rooms and into the cafeteria. She's the same woman I spoke to earlier.
"Well hello again.", she says when she spots me. "Shouldn't you be in class?"
"Nope." I say, popping the 'p'. She raises an eyebrow. "I'm homeschooled.", I add.
"Ah.", she replies before making her way over to the table I'm sat at. "So what's your name?"
"Elizabeth.", I say, chewing the inside of my cheek.
"Ohh, so you're Elizabeth.", she says, causing me to be confused. "Four didn't mention that you were so fiery.
"Four?", I ask. Who the hell is Four?
"Your brother.", she says, easing my confusion. "He goes by Four now."
"You know my brother?", I say. No one has mentioned Tobias in a long time. It's been two years since he transferred to Dauntless.
"Yep.", she says, smiling slightly. "He wanted me to tell you that he's sorry. He didn't tell me what for but he said that you would know what he meant." I nod slightly, looking down at the table. Tobias feels guilty for leaving me with Marcus. He has nothing to feel guilty for. He did the right thing. He had to escape.
"I should probably get back.", the woman says, "My names Tori by the way." I smile at her and she walks back into the room she came from. I'm alone again.
Two hours pass and suddenly the cafeteria is crawling with sixteen-year-olds waiting for their aptitude tests.
The Dauntless sit laughing and playing card games. The Amity sit on the floor playing some kind of clapping game. The Erudite read books, craving new knowledge. The Candor are having some kind of debate, but it's not serious because they're still smiling. The Abnegation sit silently, casting nervous glances at me.
I spot the Candor boy staring at me and decide to have some fun with it. "Are you just going to sit there staring at me or do I need to punch you again?" The whole cafeteria falls silent and turns towards me.
"Shut up, Stiff." He sneers standing up and getting closer to me. I stand up so that we're level.
"I thought I told you to watch what you say to me.", I say, raising my chin so that I don't seem so small next to him.
"And I thought I told you that I don't take orders from Stiffs." This kid really doesn't know when to shut it.
"Well, that was before I knocked you on your ass.", people around us chuckle and he glares at me as he walks back to his seat. I stand there smirking for a moment before making my way back to my seat. None of the Abnegation look at me.
"Elizabeth Eaton.", Tori calls my name and the Abnegation share confused glances. I ignore them and follow Tori into the room.