Chapter 3

TRIS P.O.V

Today is Sunday, when I usually go to church. But I just want to stay in my empty house today. I don't even know where Caleb is right now. He won't answer his phone. Or any text messages. I make my way downstairs slowly, and into the room I haven't been in for 3 years. The room where we keep the piano. I remember taking lessons when I was 12 or 13. Mom loved the fact that I was turning into the elegant little lady I should be. Dad loved it even more. He was a musician once. Before he got so interested in soccer. Caleb was the only one who insulted me about it. He always told me it was stupid and pointless. Those were the days when I couldn't insult him back because Mom would yell at me and say it was my fault. I run my fingers over the dusty keys. I make a split second decision and go into the kitchen for a duster. Five minutes later, I am sitting on the bench cracking my knuckles and relishing the fact that I can do that because Mom's not here to scream at me and say I'm not being elegant enough. I text Four and tell him to come over and the door's unlocked.

I pick out a hard tune, the one I've known since the song came out. Just Give Me A Reason by P!nk and Nate Reuss. Before I know it, I'm singing along to the tune. I've never heard myself sing before, so for a moment I don't know where the clear, harmonious voice is coming from. Then I realize: Oh wait. That's me.

Now you've been talking in your sleep, oh oh
Things you never say to me, oh oh
Tell me that you've had enough
Of our love, our love

Just give me a reason
Just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again
It's in the stars
It's been written in the scars on our hearts
We're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again

When I finish, there are tears in my eyes. Then I look at my phone. It was on the sound recorder. It had just recorded me playing the piano and singing. I hear shuffling behind me and whirl around. Four is staring at me in awe. I feel self-conscious now. "What?" I say, tucking my hair behind my ear. "Do that again," he says. "Okay."

Afterwards, Four is in shock. "You can sing. And play the piano. What is this, a dream?" "Well, it's not," I smirk. Then I realize Four is trying not to laugh. "What?" I say. He shows me that he was recording me with his phone camera. On video. Oh no. I start to freak out and try to grab the phone, but he holds me back. "What are you so worried about?" "I don't want anyone to see that," I growl. "Why not? You're good!" He pushes some buttons and posts it online. On the Internet! I am soo going to kill him.

I just realized something else. The security camera that's in this room, and only this room. I heard Caleb talking to himself about it. He wanted to make sure that I wouldn't ever go in here again, so he installed it. I shake my head, clearing my jumbled thoughts and focusing on the positive. Like the fact that my hot boyfriend is in my house. I look up at him and wink. He scoops me up and carries me to the living room. I thought I saw an evil look in his eyes as he went into the other room...

What is happening to me? I slowly slide off the couch and slowly step toward the stairs. Then I abandon all caution and scamper to my room upstairs. I close the door and reach for the lock. It's not there. Wait. It's. Not. There?! Where's the lock on my door? Caleb. Why did he take the lock off my door? Is he insane? I look for something heavy to put in front of the door so no one can get in. I find a chair, but it will have to do. I jam it under the knob and hide in the corner adn try to breathe. What is up with Four? I start thinking about it when I hear a shuffling in my closet. I advance toward it, grabbing a book in case I need to hit something. I swing the door open and something tries to swing on me. So naturally I smack it with the book.

"Ow! Beatrice! That hurt!" Caleb screams. "What were you doing in my closet, you creeper?" I yell at him. "I told you playing the piano was stupid and pointless. And you never listen to me!" he shouts. I really do not like to be insulted. Especially by my jerk of a brother. "You're stupid and pointless!" I shriek. Well, that was a mistake. I have never seen Caleb so angry. His eyes are full of rage, but his voice is calm. "Window. Now." he says quietly. "What?" "You're going to climb out of your window and dangle from the roof until I say to come back up," he replies. "I am not going to do that!" I sneer. "I am trying to teach you a lesson, Beatrice, but you are insisting on being selfish and not doing what I tell you!" he snarls. "You're telling me to practically kill myself out there! Of course I'm not going to do that, you idiot!"

All of a sudden, we hear a bang as Four busts the door open. "What's happening?" he asks. "Get out." "No. You won't hurt her." "Get out! Now!" Caleb roars. "Beatrice! The window." I am so furious with him right now, I just snap. I clock him in the head with my book as I say, "Don't. Call. Me. Beatrice! You know how much I hate that name!" Caleb grabs me around the waist and carries me to the window as I flail and struggle. He unlatches the window and holds my wrists while the rest of me dangles. "Say you're sorry, Beatrice.." He starts to let me slip. "Caleb, no!" Four yells, sprinting to catch me. His fingers barely brush mine as I fall, the air whistling around me as I descend. I hit the ground and hear a sickening crunch as white-hot pain races through my body like I've been electrocuted. I catch a glimpse of Four's tear-stained face before consciousness slips through my fingers like a piece of thread. And everything goes dark.