AN: Have I ever told you guys that you are the best? Well you are! Thank you to all those who favorited/followed/reviewed etc. I will try not to let you down! You actually will not believe how stoked I am at the amount of views etc.

Updates will be random. I will work on the story as much as possible but with mid terms not that far away it may be difficult to find time. Unfortunately education comes first, writing comes second.

If you haven't figured it out by now, this story will touch on some... Uh, delicate subjects… So if you don't like, don't read. Simple.

Don't be put of by the title of the chapter :) There is no way I would make her Erudite! …Maybe next story…

Question of the Chapter: What faction do you honestly think you would be in? Also, what faction would you like to be in and why? even if your personality doesn't match?

Disclaimer: The owner of the Divergent series is not a stressed out Senior. Trust me on this guys. Therefore, I do not own any of the rights. I am merely warping Veronica Roth's beautiful, but scary world.

~.~.~

Chapter 2: Me? An Erudite?!

The train whistle in the distance woke Tris abruptly from her blissful sleep. Her Faction History teacher had the drollest voice, perfect for catching up on missed rest. No one questioned her having a nap as the only people insane enough to stay awake were the Erudite. Tris looked over and noted how her brother stared at the information being written on the blackboard with a thinly veiled hunger. She would often wonder to herself how people hadn't picked up on his true calling. She certainly wasn't going to tell them. One, no one would believe her. Two, she wanted to see the look on all their faces when he transferred over to what Abnegation considered 'the enemy'.

She rubbed her eyes and immediately regretted it when skin coloured powder came off on her left palm. Andrew had seen her black eye in the morning and immediately blamed her for it. Of course, the black eye was her fault for her own clumsiness, but still. Her shoulder throbbed from the memory of the punch her gave her a punishment. He eventually commanded her to go put on something called 'makeup'. It felt slimy after hours at school and she couldn't quite get the colour right so the skin around her left eye was slightly lighter than the rest. Tris wasn't even sure why there was makeup in their house, even if it had been owned by her mother. The Abnegation wouldn't even let you look in a mirror, let alone apply chemicals to your face for the soul purpose of making you look prettier. Not that Tris agreed. She had seen what the girls from the other factions looked like when the wore makeup. She personally believed they all highly resembled raccoons, an animal she had seen in a picture book when she was younger.

The clock above the blackboard ticked over three thirty and as one the class, excluding the Erudite who stayed back to ask extra questions, rushed out of the room. Grabbing her small, grey bag Tris joined the mob moving down the hall. Students spilled out of the school and headed off in different directions. Tris leant against one of the outside walls and observed with interest the way everyone easily fell into their factions with easy familiarity.

The Dauntless caught Tris' eye as they ran out of the building, hair streaming behind them like multicoloured banners of celebration. They all ran to the train as it slowed along the tracks, but not all made it on in before the train plunged off of the platform. A teenaged boy with flame red hair and green eyes, screamed out his frustration. All those watching knew he had a long walk ahead of him to then be welcomed by mocking and teasing from the rest of his faction.

The Candor students all seemed to be in a lively debate, using exaggerated hand gestures and signs as they make their way to the buses or chose to walk. They could still be heard ten minutes later, even when their black and white clothed bodies had long disappeared into the distance.

The Amity slowly made their way along the dirt paths to Amity Headquarters. One pair of young sisters held hands and skipped along the path as their older counter parts laughed, smiling the entire way home. Tris felt a brief pang of longing for their simple and easy life, but briskly brushed it away.

The Abnegation kept their heads down as the sea of grey subduedly made their way to the buses, pausing only to help anyone in need along the way. Tris watched as an Erudite shoved a nearby Abnegation girl out of the way and kept walking, not once looking back. Never mind the girl had been helping a fellow faction member pick up some dropped books off the dusty pavement. The Erudite boy simply didn't have time to waste on frivolous matters such as taking a simple step to the side. The girl yelled out "Sorry!" to the boy as his figure disappeared into the crowd of blue.

The Erudite were the last to exit the building. They walked quickly, but in a dignified manner to a large building just a block down the street. The surrounding buildings had been knocked down and rebuilt, but the outer areas of what used to be know as Chicago still crumbled and leaned precariously over the pothole filled roads. The front of building the Erudite entered was composed almost entirely of glass, only disrupted by a giant blue eye marking as headquarters.

"Looking to join the Erudite when you turn sixteen?" asked a voice beside Tris making her jump.

Turning towards the speaker she wasn't expecting to see the sight of a boy, only about one or two years older than herself. His voice was unusually deep and smooth for someone so young. His eyes held hers captive. They were a navy blue colour that would only darken with age. Dark brown, almost black, strands fell in front of his piercing eyes as he looked down to her. Tris felt slightly intimidated by the older boy and would have though him to be in Dauntless if he wasn't wearing the familiar Abnegation robes.

"Erudite? No thank you. I'm surprised you haven't burst into flames over speaking such treason," replied Tris, tearing her eyes away and looking at the ground.

"Wouldn't be so bad," the boy shrugged. Leaning up against the brick wall next to her and getting comfortable. "At least you wouldn't get shoved to the ground and have to say sorry for it afterward."

"You saw that too, huh?" asked Tris noncommittally. She didn't know this boy and didn't need him running to her father about her disloyalty.

"Relax kid, I'm not a snitch," he said, leaning down and looking her straight in her eyes.

Tris was amazed to find specs of sky blue hidden among the navy depths. "Who are you calling kid? I bet you're not even that much older than me," challenged Tris, standing up as tall as she could.

"You're right," said the boy before holding a hand out to her. "I'm Tobias, I'm ten."

After a moments hesitation Tris grabbed his hand and shook it lightly. "I'm Beatrice, but call me Tris. I'm eight," she finished shyly. Tobias gave her hand a quick squeeze before letting it go.

They stood in a companionable silence, unusual for young children. Tris snuck quick glances at Tobias when she thought he wasn't looking. Little did Tris know, Tobias was doing the same. She wondered why the strange, sullen boy was standing with her. He seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite figure out why.

"Did you forget the boy who pushed the girl down was an Erudite?" reminded Tris after a few minutes of silence.

"No," he replied. "But, I like to think he was unusually spiteful."

"Same could be said for the girl," Tris paused. "That she was unusually weak-willed, I mean. I'd like to think that not all of Abnegation would let themselves be walked all over like that. Literally," Tris finished with a thoughtful look.

"But it would be considered selfish to get in their way. They obviously had something much more important to do than us measly Abnegation," Tobias countered.

"And the Erudite would shun the boy for wasting time. After all, pushing a girl to the ground doesn't help in his pursuit for knowledge. Especially when it would have been more time efficient to simply move around," said Tris with a fire in her belly from the debate. It had been a long time since she had been in a conversation that wasn't verbal abuse candidly directed at her.

"So, now you're defending the Erudite?" Tobias asked with a quizzical smile, revealing straight, white teeth.

"No, what I'm saying is... You know what, I don't even know what I'm saying." The whole conversation had confused Tris and she wasn't entirely sure why they were arguing in the first place.

"I like you," Tobias said after another short silence. "Wanna be friends?" Tobias asked shyly, looking vulnerable.

Tris found herself exceedingly puzzled by the boy. He seemed so mature, but had reverted back to a childlike personality when asking to be her friend. 'Maybe he doesn't have many friends,' she thought to herself. She wasn't sure why the boy would want to be her friend. She had barely known him five minutes now, and she knew she wasn't one of the friendliest of people. 'I've never had a friend before…'

"Neither have I," explained Tobias. Tris was startled, she didn't realise she had spoken the last part out loud.

After another moment for thinking Tris agreed to be friends. Tris had seen the way friends hugged in playground and went out on a limb. She pulled Tobias into a hug.

Tobias froze and looked down at the girl in astonishment. He hadn't expected her to just go right ahead and hug him. He forced himself to relax and gently wrapped his arms around the small girl's waist.

Tris could never remember being hugged before. She could never remember giving a hug either, but she found herself intensely enjoying it. Tobias was much taller than her and her head only just rested on the top of his chest. She could feel him frozen beneath her touch, but then he relaxed and returned her embrace. Tris was very thankful for this, because she didn't think she would be able to stand getting rejected by her first friend on top of everything else.

A few minutes later she released him and stepped back, looking at the ground. Tobias gently put his finger under chin and made her look up.

He smiled kindly. "Don't be embarrassed," sending a quick glance around, he lent down and whispered, "I've never been hugged before either."

Tris pulled back like she had physically been burnt. What did this boy mean he had never been hugged? She understood why she had never been, but this boy couldn't have possibly gone through what she had. Could he? 'No,' she thought to herself. 'Abnegation don't touch and hug very much. It's normal.' But something niggling in her sub conscious told her otherwise.

Tobias lent forward once more and caressed her stinging eye with a tender hand. "Your father?"

"I don't know what you mean," Tris replied venomously. Suddenly having a friend didn't seem like such a good idea, he was too perceptive.

"I think you do. It's the same thing Marcus does to me," he replied with a shrug, but Tris could see the pain in his eyes as he turned away, looking into the distance.

"Marcus?" Tris asked in a whisper. There was no one around, but what they were speaking of almost felt like treason.

"My father," Tobias spat with the same amount of animosity as Tris held for her own. Tobias turned his churning eyes back to hers. "Your father is Andrew Prior right? I've heard screaming coming from your house before and judging but how loved and pampered your brother is, I'm guessing they weren't his.

Tris remember hearing screams coming from his house too. She remembered naively passing them off as the wind and she felt guilty. She knew there was nothing she could do to stop his abuse, but if she had known... She didn't know what she would have done actually. She felt so lost.

"Hey, don't do that," said Tobias pulling Tris out of herself induced daydream. "You're over thinking everything. I wouldn't have believed it either if Marcus and your father hadn't-"

"Don't call him that!" Snapped Tris, interrupting Tobias mid sentence. "That man is no father," she paused, but with no less anger. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you."

"Don't worry, I understand completely. So long as you don't ever call Marcus my father either. As I was saying, I wouldn't have believed it either if I had overhear Marcus and Andrew talking about it when they got drunk one night. Marcus even gave him a demonstration."

Tris put a hand to her mouth to muffle a cry that tried valiantly to escape. "I am so so sorry. I-"

"Don't worry about it," he swiftly interrupted. "It would have happened anyway."

Tris pulled away slightly. Their situations were scarily similar. She supposed it was because their assailants were friends and shared torture techniques in their spare time. Tobias grabbed her bicep, not wanting her to leave yet without more of an explanation. Tris winced, even though his hand only clamped down lightly.

Tobias immediately let go and shot he an apologetic look as he noticed the bandage. "I'll show you mine, if you show me yours," he said, indicating to her cut arm. Both kids were too young to understand how that could have sounded to outsiders.

Tris was wary of showing anyone the designs Andrew had carved into her. Andrew had always said it would only get much worse if she showed or told anyone about it, but she felt comfortable in this boys presence. He was the only one who understood.

She nodded without a word and they both walked around the side of the school, just in case anyone was to come out and see them. Tris struggled to get her jacket off and Tobias helped gently ease her injured arm through. He let out a sharp gasp at the swirling, silver scars that adorned her pale skin. From a distance the glossy appearance of the scars could be passed off as a trick of the light, but up close Tobias could see the detail and pain Tris must have endured. "Oh, Tris. You poor thing," he murmured.

He traced one of the spirals that curved around her elbow like a vine and she shivered. "As you can see, Andrew has a predisposition to using knives," she whispered, looking away and finding a particularly interesting piece of grass.

"Belts," whispered Tobias as he pulled away and helped Tris put her jacket back on.

"What?" She asked confused. Tobias took of his jacket and shirt in one swift motion. He turned around and didn't say anything more. He didn't need to.

Tris let out a moan of despair at the criss-crossing scars that decorated Tobias's back. She understood now, he had been whipped with a belt. She could see welts where the buckle had come down on his tender skin. The entirety of the flesh on his back was an angry red and she could see bruises marring his toned shoulders. The wounds were so different yet so similar to her own. Where hers were refined and curved, his were jagged and created lighting like patterns, as if Marcus had carefully thought about where he wanted each scar to be placed.

Tris didn't pity Tobias. No, pity would imply she felt sorry for him, but didn't completely understand. She empathised with him. She understood his situation and it pained her to think that someone else had to undergo such treatment.

"I saw you jump onto the Dauntless train," said Tobias, turning around and putting his shirt and jacket back on. Tobias watched as Tris's face paled as all the blood rushed out and he backtrack. "No, no, I'm not going to get you in trouble. I want, I want you to take me with you next time," he finished breathlessly.

It took Tris a few moments to even comprehend what he was asking. She was just relieved that she wasn't going to be tattled on about her nightly outings. They were her only escape from the world and if that was taken away from her... Well, she didn't know what she would do.

"Do you promise never to tell anyone about any of my secrets?" Asked Tris very seriously.

"I Candor promise," replied Tobias as equally serious. "So long as you promise never to tell any of mine."

"Candor promise," Tris agreed, suddenly breaking out into a huge grin. "You are officially my best friend!" She hugged him tightly and let go before he could respond. "Meet me tonight at the tracks at 2:30," she smiled. "I hope you're not scared of heights!" Tris never picked up on the fear that flickered through his eyes before it dissipated.

Tris's eyes widened as she took in the setting sun over Tobias's now clothed shoulder. Andrew was going to kill her, but the thought couldn't dim her happiness. She had a friend!

Tobias was thinking the same thing, knowing he was going to get a whooping when he got home. He wasn't worried though, he knew tonight he would be able to escape into the night with Tris and forget his worries.

"The buses have left already!" exclaimed Tris, pointing to the empty bus stop as they rounded the corner.

"Then we will just have to walk, fatty," he teased, poking tris lightly in the stomach.

Tris gapped comically at Tobias. "You're not supposed to call a girl fat!" she screeched indignantly.

"Girl?" he asked with a lopsided grin. "I don't see any girls. Just me and your fatass," his eyes alight with laughter.

"That's it!" She pounced at him. Tobias moved out of the way and ran down the road towards Abnegation.

Tris gave chase, but her little legs couldn't keep up. Looking back Tobias noticed and slowed down. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down the street, laughing all the way. "Come on, slowpoke. If we go at your pace we will never get home!"

"I am not slow!" She protested, but laughed, not being able to keep a straight face.

Candor and Erudite watched through their windows with puzzled expressions as the two Abnegation ran down the street laughing and holding hands.

~.~.~

Tris and Tobias became inseparable from that day forward. They were two halves of a whole and everyone around them could see it. Almost the entire student body was under the impression that they were a couple. This is how Tris and Tobias earned the self the reputation of being 'loose stiffs'. The pair just kept their heads down during school, not caring what the others thought of them. They still had to go to separate classes, but as soon as lunch time came around they could be seen sitting in a corner talking quietly to each other.

The teachers weren't sure what to make of the Abnegation couple. They didn't act like a couple, but they didn't deny it either. For all they knew the pair could have a brother/sister relationship, so they let it be.

Caleb had tried to break up the friendship early on, but Tobias was easily able to scare him off with his intimidating size. Tris had heavily threatened Caleb that she would tell Marcus all of his secrets if he even breathed a word her friendship with Tobias to his father. Caleb seemed to be successfully cowed by the daunting figures of Tobias and Tris together. The siblings relationship changed from hatred to simply ignoring each other when the other was around. There was an unspoken rule of 'I won't get in your way if you don't get in mine.'

Tris introduced Tobias to the Dauntless Headquarters and he thrived in the freeing atmosphere. She taught him how to throw knives, which was her specialty and Tobias taught her how to fight without weapons. He had a fascination with hand-to-hand combat and would often sneak into Dauntless to watch the trainers and initiatives fight, learning the all the techniques by heart.

The abuse at home never stopped for either Tris or Tobias. In fact, it almost seemed to increase as they got older and their attackers couldn't seem to wipe the smiles of their faces. Little did Andrew and Marcus know it was because their victims knew the pain was temporary and that they would see each other soon. Sometimes Tris and Tobias would head over to Dauntless, other times they would just ride the train, tending to each others wounds and talking. Simply being able to vent and talk about their issues was enough.

By the time Tobias turned twelve he had completely gotten over his fear of heights. Being forced to jump into Dauntless headquarters hundreds of times in the dark over the last two years would do that to a child. He suddenly came to the realisation one day that a fear of heights was silly. It was a fear of falling that made more sense. Even then he conquered the fear. He knew the jump into Dauntless was safe. He knew there was a sturdy, safety net at the bottom that would catch him every time. So what reason was there to be scared? He relied on his abilities and put his trust in the net and suddenly his fear was gone. He felt alive. He felt free.

He was by no means fearless, but it was like a giant unnecessary weight was lifted off his shoulders. When Tris jumped down the net after him, he could help the impulse to kiss her.

Ten year old Tris was still dizzy from jumping into Dauntless when Tobias wrapped his arms around her and sealed his lips to hers. Tris had only just started to notice boys a few months earlier and had been harbouring a secret crush on her best friend. When his lips touched hers she was frozen in shock, she hadn't really ever imagined Tobias thinking about girls like that let alone her.

"I'm not afraid anymore," he whispered against her lips before pulling back. He could only just see the blush spreading up Tris's face in the dim lighting, mimicking his own. 'I can believe I just did that,' he thought with a groan. Tobias was thoroughly convinced he had ruined his friendship with Tris forever when she lent up and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Congratulations," she replied with a soft smile.

Tobias let out a sigh of relief at not stuffing everything up and smiled back. Taking her hand gently he led her down the corridor towards the pit. He would take things slow. She obviously didn't like him that way and he would have to be content with cherishing their friendship.

Tobias was abruptly yanked to a stop by Tris's persistent hand. He looked back at her in confusion right as she lent forward into him boldly.

Tris gave him a long kiss which left him disorientated, wondering what he did to get so lucky. "No one takes my first kiss and just walks off like nothing happened," she whispered furiously in his ear. "Beside, I like you too Tobias," she uttered breathlessly. Her blush deepened to a dark, fuchsia red and she led him down the hallway with a tight grip on his hand. She was too embarrassed to look back at his face.

If she had, she would have seen the dopey, lopsided grin and glazed eyes that graced his features.

~.~.~

AN: *wipes sweat of brow* Well, that's a load of my chest. That ran wildly away from my original plan, but altogether I'm pretty happy with it.

Sorry for any future cliff hangers. Try to think of them as a hint into the next chapter rather than a tease.

Hope you guys liked the chapter and I will try to pump out more as fast as I can.

Please leave a favourite, follow, review etc. every time I see one I get a warm fuzzy feeling and it helps me to write faster. It's not bribing when it's true. Also to anyone who reviews, if you want me to reply or have a question let me know. If not I probably won't reply just because I don't want to be a bother if you are one of those people who review on everything you read.

For all of you ghost readers, don't worry. I understand. I am very lazy at reviewing and feel terrible about it..

Any flamers will be laughed at for wasting their life meaninglessly complaining on a Fanfiction site. Constructive criticism is welcomed with open arms though.

Finally, sorry for any grammar mistakes I'm super tired and kinda rushed the spell check. I will try to go over and edit it again tomorrow :)

~ Mercy