A/N: Wow, only 2 chapters in and I'm already having so much fun! I want to give a quick thank to my editor/girlfriend/co-writer Katilin for helping me with the dialog on this chapter (and probably the rat of the story). Belle would be nothing without her.

Veeta wondered if this was really a good idea. She knew plenty of other Amity girls who would be happy to show her the ins and outs of Amity. Hell, Ariel had suggested they hang out just yesterday; she'd probably jump at the chance. Belle hated Veeta's guts and probably wouldn't give her the time of day. But that was the challenge, and Veeta loved a good challenge. She looked one last time at her reflection in the school window. Her ombre hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, the loose hairs looking just knotted enough to be sexy without being gross. Her tight leather shirt pushed her breasts up nicely, making her tiny B cups look much larger than they really were. Here black jeans fit her snugly and her high-heeled boots made her legs look long and elegant. After straightening out her black jacket, to be sure it was loose enough to show her curves without looking too big, she began to strut towards Belle. She sat on the ground next to her, leaning against the tall tree Belle was reading under. The Amity girl paid her no attention. She cleared her throat a little, still no reaction. She looked at Belle's eyes and saw that they weren't moving. Veeta laughed to herself, Belle was just pretending to read.

"You don't fool me, sweetheart." She crooned.

"I'm sorry if I've upset you, I thought maybe you would be happier if you thought I was reading instead of just ignoring you. I don't really want to talk to you." Belle answered in perfect Amity form.

"Well done, great acting, a little monotonous but you've got those lines down." Veeta said, slow-clapping, "Now, you don't have to talk to me but I have to talk to you. I need to see how Amities live, and I would like you to show me."

"Why me? Couldn't one of your many companions in Amity help you? The Amity are the only girls who put up with your behavior, so you're never short of admirers there."

"But I don't want them, I want you."

"Well, I politely decline."

"Please?"

"No, thank you."

"Pretty please? If you say no again it will hurt me very deeply."

Belle looked up from her book and sighed, clearly defeated, "Fine, I'll give you a little tour after school, but after that you leave me alone. And I have rules."

"Okay, what rules." Veeta asked.

"One," Belle held up one finger, "you shall not flirt with me, make dirty jokes, or in anyway imply that we are at all involved on a personal level."

"Not even a little flirting?" Veeta joked.

"None. Not even a little." Belle looked dead serious.

"Fine, no flirting. What else?"

"You shall not cause or instigate fights. You will not argue with, insult, or attack anyone or anything while in my presence."

"Duh." Veeta rolled her eyes before remembering that that probably counted as aggressive behavior, "Sorry."

"Lastly," Belle was now holding up three fingers, Veeta was slightly insulted that Belle seemed to think she couldn't count, "you have to tell me why you want to check out Amity. Right now."

"I just feel like looking at it."

"Don't lie to me, I may not be Candor but I still know a lie when I hear it."

"Fine," Veeta sighed, "I'm thinking of transferring, and I don't want any of the Amities I'm involved with to know. And you're the only other Amity I kind of know."

"Why would you want to transfer? To Amity of all places." Belle asked.

Veeta hadn't thought this far ahead. She couldn't very well say, "Because my dad says something awful is about to happen in Dauntless but it's top secret."

"I'm, just considering my options." She said.

Belle raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.

"Fine, it's because I don't think I can make it through initiation in Dauntless, and Amity is a good second choice." It wasn't a complete lie at least.

"Fine, then I'll help you. But, just this once."

"Thank you," Veeta smiled, "I'll be good, I swear."

"Just remember, this does not make us friends."

When Veeta met Belle after class, the Amity girl was tapping her foot and her arms were crossed over her many books.

"You're late." She said.

"Class just ended like, five minutes ago." Veeta argued.

"Well, I have things to do this afternoon and I really do not want to be late."

"What kind of things?" Veeta asked, "Does it have to do with this?" she snatched the top book from Belle's pile.

"Please give that back!" Belle said, it didn't sound like she was asking.

"You know, if you're going to read a parenting book you should probably start with the baby years. And, like have a kid. Oh my god!" Veeta stared at Belle, "Are you pregnant?"

"No! And don't you dare tell anyone otherwise!"

"Oh yeah?" Veeta teased as they boarded the bus, "Then why all the baby books?" she looked at the other titles Belle had, "Everything You Didn't Know About Kids, First-Time Mother's Handbook, Childhood Nutrition. You are so pregnant!"

"I'm not pregnant, give it a rest." Belle said.

"There you go with that harsh, un-Amity tone again." Veeta joked, "You must really hate it here."

Belle said nothing, just stood to get off the bus.

"Whoa," Veeta said, "you really do hate it. Damn, maybe I should have gotten someone a little more pro-Amity to help me out."

"I do recall telling you something similar." Belle said.

"Touché, but you're here now."

"Indeed I am, so let's get this over with." Belle led Veeta into the sector, which was full of small homes and shops, and bustling with Amities, laughing and hugging. It wasn't Dauntless, but it didn't seem overly horrible, Veeta thought.

"This is the heart of the sector," Belle said, "At the end of this road is the compound where all the food is prepared for community meals, and where the leaders meet."

"So you all have to go to that building three times a day to eat?" Veeta asked, "Then why are there fruit and vegetable vendors everywhere?"

"Community meals are prepared at the compound, but we also have our own kitchens. The community meals are mostly for workers, who don't have time to cook, and people who work solely in the compound. It's also where guests eat when they visit from other factions and where initiates stay."

"Okay, so you all have your own houses? Like, full sized?"

"Yes, but only the leaders get two story houses. They're the largest homes. No building in Amity is taller than two stories, because it would restrict sunlight to the fields." Belle stopped outside a brightly colored door.

"Wait here." She said, and went inside. Veeta stood awkwardly on the gravel street, watching the Amities around her whisper as they stared at her. There were a lot of cars, Veeta noticed. Every time one drove by she would get hit with dust and gravel, so she turned her back to the road. There was a sign above the door Belle had gone into, Little Sprouts, it read. Veeta wondered what it was, a flower store? After a short while, Belle emerged, holding the hand of a little girl.

"Veeta, this is my little sister Bloom." Belle introduced her. Bloom was about three or four, and had dark brown hair and olive green eyes. She was hiding behind Belle and looking up at Veeta with a frightened expression.

"You're Dauntless." She said. She pronounced the word strangely, like daunt-al-ease.

"Yes," Veeta said, "my name is Veeta. I'm a friend of Belle's."

"No, you're not." Belle said, "I'm just doing Veeta a favor today, sweetie."

"Why?" She asked, "Mommy says the Daunt-al-ease are bad."

"Oh does she?" Veeta raised an eyebrow at Belle.

"Enough, Bloom, that is not polite. Let's get you home." Belle led Bloom down the road and Veeta followed.

"So, there are a lot of cars here." Veeta said, "Does everyone get a car?"

"No, the cars are for farmers and merchants, because they need them. No one actually owns a car except the leaders, the rest are for use by the farms, you rent them at the compound. You are familiar with the leaders aren't you?"

"I know about Johanna."

"Johanna is our representative, but we have two other leaders, as well as one leader in training. The leaders are Johanna, Tina, and Alice. The trainee's name is Jerry, he doesn't have any political power, but he is an Erudite transfer so the leaders mainly use him for paper-pushing. Because Johanna is the representative she is the one in the public eye most often; but all the leaders work together. The only things the leaders handle alone are in relation to the other factions. When it comes to Amity issues, such as whether to refurbish a certain building or change work hours, we have town meetings and all members vote. Except in times of crisis, but we've never had to deal with that sort of thing before." Belle explained. Veeta was shocked. In Dauntless, the leaders had full power. To think of involving a whole community in every decision, well, let's just say it wouldn't work in Dauntless.

"This is my house," Belle stopped outside of a white one-story wooden home, "we have to cut our tour short here. I have to look after Bloom."

"But you've only shown me one street!" Veeta protested.

"Well I have a lot of things to do. Maybe later tonight I could show you some more."

"Okay," Veeta said, "then I'll just hang out here until then." She began to follow Belle and Bloom inside.

Belle sighed, "Fine, just don't break anything."